Ok a bit of an update:
I did cancel the order on the ASUS A17 a few weeks ago, it was sad that I had to do that but when I buy computer related hardware I want it to last more than a year or two without critical issues.
That said, buying refurbished computer hardware doesn't always mean you're gonna be quite as plain sailing as one would want. For me that was initially the case with the Touch Screen laptop which I highlighted above. The main USB C power connection is highly sensitive and requires the exact position for the laptop to be charged, I.E slightly angled. The best solution is really to use the next USB-C port that adjoins the Thunderbolt 3 port which is far more snug and secure fit.
In addition to this I secured the power cable which has a detachable USB like connection to the corner of the lid using a square plastic fixing plate that has a strong adhesive. I used plastic clips with metal pins to secure the cable connection around the connector port for added rigidity so the port wouldn't be susceptible to be becoming loose like the other one did. Having check out the internal circuitry I did discover that a screw was missing to that secures the USB-C circuit. I tried to fix this but ended up pushing the port so far down that the connection couldn't be put in. But that wasn't the primary reason for opening up the laptop in this instance.
I had to actually buy a new battery for the unit which cost 44 pounds, then figure out why it wasn't charging, doing BIOS resets with the battery removed, update and download Lenovo Battery monitoring software etc. Apart from all that, the laptop is working well now and it just happened that I didn't get sent an Intel I5 CPU model, I got instead sent an I7 8650U. The hinges are solid metal, and attached to a metal frame. There is no flex to the screen when moved from the corner either.
Other than the nice keypad which is back lit, it's pretty much an all metal construction although to be more specific: magnesium alloy, carbon fiber reinforced plastic. It's not really for gaming although the game Hurrican is a nice Turrican clone that runs well on it, but seeing the CPU shoot up to 4.2 Ghz was a bit of an eye opener and well you can certainly feel the heat through the keyboard when it's that high. I have cut the CPU power to 50% in the control panel settings and have a three 120mm cooling pad unit underneath. Right now the CPU is sitting around 25 degrees.
The touch screen is a nice thing to have when the mouse is not at hand and makes browsing the web a different experience. Using it in Studio One gives the program a different feel, it feels faster in some ways such as interacting with the browser. With two additional 23 inch displays I can use it's nice that I can pick one to see things better. Windows Pro 10 was also included and not the Home version as listed in the link above. Not entirely sure what difference that makes to things, but the OS loads superfast compared to my desktop and it's 500 Gig 7800 RPM drive. It's like 20-25 seconds from the power button press barring any updates, compared to 2 and half to 3 minutes and for everything to load in the background. It's great for FPS gaming once it has loaded though.
Next year I'll be looking at a laptop for gaming or some other solution that will be practical and small scale. A Mini PC perhaps.
My next purchase is going to be highlighted in my next thread/post. I need a new audio interface capable of using 4 inputs and outputs to connect two synthesizers into. I'm considering buying the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD which looks to have everything I need and doesn't cost too much. I don't know if there is anything out there which can compete with better feature specs under 200 pounds.
I did cancel the order on the ASUS A17 a few weeks ago, it was sad that I had to do that but when I buy computer related hardware I want it to last more than a year or two without critical issues.
That said, buying refurbished computer hardware doesn't always mean you're gonna be quite as plain sailing as one would want. For me that was initially the case with the Touch Screen laptop which I highlighted above. The main USB C power connection is highly sensitive and requires the exact position for the laptop to be charged, I.E slightly angled. The best solution is really to use the next USB-C port that adjoins the Thunderbolt 3 port which is far more snug and secure fit.
In addition to this I secured the power cable which has a detachable USB like connection to the corner of the lid using a square plastic fixing plate that has a strong adhesive. I used plastic clips with metal pins to secure the cable connection around the connector port for added rigidity so the port wouldn't be susceptible to be becoming loose like the other one did. Having check out the internal circuitry I did discover that a screw was missing to that secures the USB-C circuit. I tried to fix this but ended up pushing the port so far down that the connection couldn't be put in. But that wasn't the primary reason for opening up the laptop in this instance.
I had to actually buy a new battery for the unit which cost 44 pounds, then figure out why it wasn't charging, doing BIOS resets with the battery removed, update and download Lenovo Battery monitoring software etc. Apart from all that, the laptop is working well now and it just happened that I didn't get sent an Intel I5 CPU model, I got instead sent an I7 8650U. The hinges are solid metal, and attached to a metal frame. There is no flex to the screen when moved from the corner either.
Other than the nice keypad which is back lit, it's pretty much an all metal construction although to be more specific: magnesium alloy, carbon fiber reinforced plastic. It's not really for gaming although the game Hurrican is a nice Turrican clone that runs well on it, but seeing the CPU shoot up to 4.2 Ghz was a bit of an eye opener and well you can certainly feel the heat through the keyboard when it's that high. I have cut the CPU power to 50% in the control panel settings and have a three 120mm cooling pad unit underneath. Right now the CPU is sitting around 25 degrees.
The touch screen is a nice thing to have when the mouse is not at hand and makes browsing the web a different experience. Using it in Studio One gives the program a different feel, it feels faster in some ways such as interacting with the browser. With two additional 23 inch displays I can use it's nice that I can pick one to see things better. Windows Pro 10 was also included and not the Home version as listed in the link above. Not entirely sure what difference that makes to things, but the OS loads superfast compared to my desktop and it's 500 Gig 7800 RPM drive. It's like 20-25 seconds from the power button press barring any updates, compared to 2 and half to 3 minutes and for everything to load in the background. It's great for FPS gaming once it has loaded though.
Next year I'll be looking at a laptop for gaming or some other solution that will be practical and small scale. A Mini PC perhaps.
My next purchase is going to be highlighted in my next thread/post. I need a new audio interface capable of using 4 inputs and outputs to connect two synthesizers into. I'm considering buying the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD which looks to have everything I need and doesn't cost too much. I don't know if there is anything out there which can compete with better feature specs under 200 pounds.
Statistics: Posted by THE INTRANCER — Fri Dec 20, 2024 12:33 am