ASUS VivoBook U38DT Ultrabook Pops Up with Radeon HD 8550M Graphics

[Cristian_25H]

Not yet announced by AMD, the Radeon HD 8000 family of graphics cards has already started to creep up courtesy of several e-tail stores who jumped the gun and put up for pre-order an ultrabook (the ASUS VivoBook U38DT-R3001H) equipped with a Radeon HD 8550M. Unfortunately the listings are short on details and only mention that the Radeon HD 8550M (which hopefully isn't a rebranded 7 series card) has 1 GB of memory.

In addition to the HD 8550M, ASUS' 1.6 kg ultrabook packs a 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) LED-backlit display, a 1.6 GHz A8-4555M processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, B&O ICEPower audio, an SD card reader, three USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output, and a 6-cell battery providing up to 5 hours of operation. The VivoBook U38DT-R3001H runs Windows 8 and is priced at €799.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[EzioAs]

I wonder how good the Radeon 8550M is. Since we're seeing mobile version of the 8000 series, can we expect the desktop version to be release soon?

 

[Completely Bonkers]

Today, I use my wife's laptop, also with reduced sized cursor keys. Working in Excel was a complete PITA. Why are some manufacturers shrinking the cursors like that? It's a very Apple thing to do :shadedshu

No need for such a big shift or caps lock or tab key. These are RARELY used. Much less than the cursors. Why oh why doesnt a little ergonomics and usage analysis go into a kb design.

 

[Novaguy]

Given that the CPU is the A8-4555M processor, the 8550M is likely to be a 6600/6700/7500/7600 rebrand in order to balance the gpu's for hybrid crossfire.

 

[Quantos]

2006 called, they want their resolution back.

 

[Sherlock]

So have a HD8550M and an APU only to waste it on a 1366X768 screen ???? it should at least be 1600X900 and preferably 1080p IPS.

 

[Fourstaff]

So have a HD8550M and an APU only to waste it on a 1366X768 screen ???? it should at least be 1600X900 and preferably 1080p IPS.

You can optimise either to framerate or resolution, I think most of us will gladly sacrifice the latter for the former especially in games to be released a few years down the road. Also, a nice shiny screen will increase the cost, you will not be seeing €800 with a 1080p screen, closer to €1000

 

[McSteel]

8550M is definitely old architecture, seeing how the A8-4555M uses the old VLIW4 (Northern Islands) GPU with 384 cores, 7600G. I'm just not sure if AMD renamed the 7600G already present in A8-4555M, or if it is an additional discrete chip. Since this is an ultrabook, with low-ish heat capacity and limited PCB space, I'd say it's more likely they're referring to the integrated GPU portion of the APU.

 

[devguy]

I agree that a 13.3" screen should have a minimum of 1600x900 screen. Save the 1366x768 to 10.1" and smaller screens. For me, though, 1080p is only necessary at 15.6" and higher screen sizes.

 

[Sherlock]

You can optimise either to framerate or resolution, I think most of us will gladly sacrifice the latter for the former especially in games to be released a few years down the road. Also, a nice shiny screen will increase the cost, you will not be seeing €800 with a 1080p screen, closer to €1000

This is an ultrabook and shouldn't be designed for intensive gaming. A 1600X900 or 1920X1080p screen would be a lot nicer for movie/HD Video playbacks and neither of these needs more than 30 FPS.

 

[Fourstaff]

I agree that a 13.3" screen should have a minimum of 1600x900 screen. Save the 1366x768 to 10.1" and smaller screens. For me, though, 1080p is only necessary at 15.6" and higher screen sizes.

In that case this is not aimed for people like you

I am willing to compromise resolution for that extra framerate (seeing that I still play Dota 2 on my current laptop). 1366x768 is not that bad as long as you maintain your distance from the screen.

This is an ultrabook and shouldn't be designed for intensive gaming. A 1600X900 or 1920X1080p screen would be a lot nicer for movie/HD Video playbacks and neither of these needs more than 30 FPS.

No shit Sherlock, but that's why other options exist for people who want to enjoy glorious hi-res screens. This option is for people like me. I am sure your needs is covered in some other products, but doesn't mean every product out there needs to satisfy your demand.

 

[andresgriego]

Where's the U38N? I want 1080p, and the rumoured dual storage would be killer.

 

[repman244]

Probably just a rebrand.

 

[reverze]

This is simply a rebrand...

 

[newtekie1]

This is an ultrabook and shouldn't be designed for intensive gaming. A 1600X900 or 1920X1080p screen would be a lot nicer for movie/HD Video playbacks and neither of these needs more than 30 FPS.

If 1920x1080 video playback is all you care about then go buy one of the other options with Intel HD Graphics and 1080p screen.

The point of THIS thread is for people that actually want to do some gaming, hence the dedicated card.

Also, HD content doesn't necessarily look better on a 1080p screen. If it is 720p content, which most streamed stuff is, then it actually looks better on a 1366x768 screen because that results in the least amount of scaling artifacts.

 

[atticus14]

I would just like to note that 1080p IPS will be in full swing next year on smaller laptops. Tablets finally embarrassed laptops enough to push it to be a lot more common and once competition sets in, its likely to be in most mid range laptops. Even the lower mid range.

 

[Mussels]

Given that the CPU is the A8-4555M processor, the 8550M is likely to be a 6600/6700/7500/7600 rebrand in order to balance the gpu's for hybrid crossfire.

^ this is what i was thinking too.

 

[Wiselnvestor]

There's a similar Asus model U38N with Full HD 1080p IPS panel

http://www.asus.com/Notebooks/Superior_Mobility/U38N/

TOUCH . THE WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Windows 8 Pro or other editions available
AMD® Trinity APU A8-4555M Processor
Ultra-thin and ultra-light form factor measures just 6mm at the front
Full HD 1080p IPS panel with 178° viewing angles delivers vivid images
ASUS SonicMaster technology co-developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower® provides you immersive sound quality


ASUS VivoBook U38DT should be the budget friendly version with 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) LED-backlit display.

 

[seronx]

The 8550M uses Graphic Core Next but it is a new die.

Radeon HD 7850M / 2 = Radeon HD 8550M

500 -> 900 series are all Graphic Core Next.

500 -> 5 CUs -> 320 ALUs (A6 Kaveri, 8560G)
600 -> 6 CUs -> 384 ALUs (A8 Kaveri, 8660G)
700 -> 6 CUs -> 384 ALUs (A10? Kaveri, 8760G)
800 -> 12 CUs, 16 CUs -> 768 ALUs, 1024 ALUs
900 -> 20 CUs, 24 CUs -> 1,280 ALUs, 1,536 ALUs

All of the new GPUs are based on 28-nm HP with straining where the previous generation was 28-nm HPL. There is no 8400/8300/8200/8100 as those are taken by Kaveri A4/Kaveri E2/Jaguar E2/Jaguar E/Jaguar C/Jaguar Z.

Graphic Core Next 2.0 is not Enhanced Graphic Core Next.

---
AMD1305.1 = "KAVERI1 DESKTOP (1305)"
AMD1304.1 = "KAVERI1 MOBILE (1304)"
AMD1307.1 = "KAVERI2 DESKTOP (1307)"
AMD1306.1 = "KAVERI2 MOBILE (1306)"
AMD9833.1 = "KB 12W 2C (9833)"
AMD9834.1 = "2C 5W KB (9834)"
AMD9831.1 = "KB 4C 17W (9831)"
AMD9832.1 = "KB 17W 4C (N-1) (9832)"
AMD9830.1 = "KB 4C 25W (9830)"
AMD6600.1 = "MARS (6600)"
AMD6601.1 = "MARS (6601)"
AMD6602.1 = "MARS (6602)"
AMD6602.1 = "MARS (6603)"
AMD6602.1 = "MARS (6606)"
AMD6602.1 = "MARS (6607)"
AMD6600.1 = "MARS (6620)"
AMD6601.1 = "MARS (6621)"
AMD6602.1 = "MARS (6623)"
AMD6610.1 = "OLAND (6610)"
AMD6611.1 = "OLAND (6611)"
AMD6631.1 = "OLAND (6631)"
AMD682B.1 = "VENUS LE"
AMD6823.4 = "VENUS PRO"
AMD6821.1 = "VENUS XT"
AMD6820.2 = "VENUS XTX"
---
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/1905/.html

 

[scazbala86]

This is an ultrathin and shouldn't be designed for intensive gaming. A 1600X900 or 1920X1080p screen would be a lot nicer for movie/HD Video playbacks and neither of these needs more than 30 FPS.

fixed, Ultrabooks are Intel only