Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02

Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02 VIvoBook Cheap Touch Ultraportable

Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02

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The Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02 is a newly available 13.3-inch touch-screen laptop model from the PC maker’s VivoBook affordable lineup.

This series is actually the same as the S301LA, with the Q models being sold by select retailers in the United States. The Q301LA-BHI5T02 is one of the configurations, sporting the 4th Generation Intel Core i5-4200U Haswell dual-core processor at 1.6 to 2.6GHz speed, Intel HD 4400 graphics with some lower-end gaming potential, usual 4GB of RAM, a very common 500GB 5,400rpm hard drive, and a relatively small 2-cell 38 Whrs battery. Besides a 13.3-inch diagonal, the display is characterized by multi-touch support, 1,366×768 screen resolution, and glossy coating. The i5-4000U processor can satisfy all run-of-the-mill users when it comes to daily work like web surfing and office document editing, but it is also reasonably fast for media work, like photo and video editing. The price tag is $600.

For that price, the Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02 also provides stereo speakers enhanced by SonicMaster technology, a 720p web camera, two USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port, VGA video connector, HDMI port supporting not only Full HD 1080p but also 4K Ultra HD video transmission, Bluetooth interface, Wi-Fi wireless, Gigabit LAN network port, an SD/SDHC digital card reader, and combo audio jack for microphone and headphones.

Outwardly, the notebook is a stylish and sleek piece of hardware with silver-colored palm rests made of durable plastics, dark-gray brushed aluminum lid, and slightly rounded corners. The chiclet-style keyboard with decently long key travel and good tactile feedback is black. The trackpad is fairly big and has integrated “mouse” buttons, like almost all modern notebooks.

This machine is 0.85-inch thick, meaning it’s a tad thicker than the average ultrabook. It weighs four pounds, which is not so light weight for a 13.3-incher.

At the end, let’s notice some differences between the Q301LA-BHI5T02 and the Q300 precursors. The biggest and the only major change is inclusion of the Haswell ultra-low voltage CPU instead of the Ivy Bridge (3rd Generation) ULV, resulting in better integrated graphics. The Haswell provides a longer battery life than comparable Ivy Bridge-based counterparts, but Asus has for some reason included a lower capacity battery of already mentioned 38Whr, whereas the S300 sports a 44WHr unit. There’s no info on battery life, but judging from the specs it shouldn’t be shorter than 4 hours of web surfing via Wi-Fi. Designs are almost the same, with only a minor difference. The power button is now on the left part of the keyboard deck instead of the right and is accompanied by Wi-Fi and Caps Lock indicators.

Overall, the Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02 is a well-rounded touch-screen ultraportable, but the competition is tough in its category. If you don’t mind having a larger notebook, the 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad P400 Touch – 59371991 is a better equipped choice for less money. Precisely $530. It has a full-voltage 3rd Gen i5 CPU and 1600×900 screen resolution, as well as keyboard backlight, which is missing on the Asus.

Left

Q301LA-BHI5T02 Right

Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02 Lid

Here are the specs of the Q301LA-BHI5T02 with descriptions of its features. For comparison against other laptops, you can use the "Compare Specs" button.

Brand Asus
Screen Size 13.3-inch

This is a small display size, typical for ultraportable laptops. There are however laptops with even smaller screens.
Screen Resolution 1366x768 pixels HD

This is an entry-level screen resolution, oftentimes found on budget laptops. It doesn't deliver picture sharpness and space on the screen like the Full HD or higher resolution laptop displays do.
Touchscreen Finger multi-touch input

The screen supports finger touch input, including multi-touch gestures.
Other Display Specs TN type

Displays based on the old TN technology lack wide viewing angles you can find on IPS screens. The colors may look washed out or inverted at certain viewing angles.
Processor (CPU) Intel Core i5-4200U 4th Gen dual-core 1.6-2.6GHz 3MB cache (User Benchmark CPU score: 34)
Graphics (GPU) Intel HD 4400 integrated graphics
System Memory (RAM) Size 4GB RAM

4GB is a small RAM size for computing in 2023. For smooth operation of a laptop during everyday tasks, at least 8GB is recommended.
Data Storage 500GB HDD

This is a very good capacity, but HDD is a slow type of storage.
DVD Optical Drive None
Keyboard & Input Non-backlit keyboard without dedicated number pad

The keyboard has no backlit keys and no separate numeric pad you can usually find on the right side of the keyboard on many laptop models.

Touchpad with click buttons built into the surface

The left and right click buttons are built into the surface of the touchpad, as opposed to separate physical buttons.

Touchscreen
Speakers & Audio Stereo speakers

As usual, the device features a pair of built-in stereo speakers.
Camera Front-facing web camera

Laptops usually feature a frontal webcam located on the display bezel. This laptop is no exception.
Wi-Fi Wireless 802.11N

802.11N is an old Wi-Fi standard, precursor of the 802.11AC and the latest 802.11AX with improved data transfer speeds and connectivity. 802.11N is rarely used in modern laptops.
Bluetooth Yes

This laptop has a built-in Bluetooth module. It enables you to connect the computer to Bluetooth mice and other Bluetooth peripherals, smartphones, and other Bluetooth-equipped devices.
Ethernet Network Port Yes

This laptop has an Ethernet LAN port for wired internet and networking connectivity.
USB Ports 2 x USB 2.0 + 1 x USB 3.0

A total of three full-size Type A USB ports.
Video Output Ports 1 x HDMI

HDMI is a widely used digital video output port. You can find HDMI-in ports on most computer monitors and TVs.
Media Card Reader SD card reader

The laptop has a slot for full-size SD memory cards, used in many digital cameras. You can also use microSD cards with a card adapter.
Battery 2-Cell
Weight 4 pounds
Height 0.9"
Width 13"
Depth 9.2"
Windows Version Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is eligible for free upgrade to Windows 10 Home. Check Windows.com for more info.
Warranty 1-year

A typical laptop warranty.

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Published on September 25, 2013

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User Reviews and Q&A

Below you can read and submit user reviews, questions, and answers about the Q301LA-BHI5T02. Thank you for your contribution.

Current rating: 4 out of 5 stars

  1. GC –

    Bluetooth? When I open settings–>Devices–>Bluetooth & other devices, I don’t see an On/Off switch for Bluetooth. How do i turn this on? I’m having trouble connecting wireless devices to this laptop. Help! Thanks in advance.

  2. Nathy –

    Hi, is the RAM memory is expandable?

  3. Frank Obi –

    Can any one advice a USA store where i can buy this laptop? I am really impressed with it’s specifications. status.d7@gmail.com

  4. 4 out of 5

    trey –

    I bought this laptop six months ago. I have been very pleased with the product. It is a very fast laptop when not multitasking too much. When start running four or five diffrent things at once there is a slight difference in processing performance. It is able to have two screens running at once the ability to have two internet screens side by side is convient when needing that feature and easily to switch back to one full screen.. It is a touch screen computer, note it is my first touch screen computer and I am all about the touch screen, I LOVE THE TOUCH SCREEN! the touch screen is fragile. Side swipe technology allows to switch from apps or different screens easily, a useful extra feature. I bought this refurbished and have not had any problems and would recommend this laptop. the battery life is acceptable streaming videos non stop the batter will last 3.5 hours and just basic use no more than 5.

  5. Nadya –

    somewhere in the definitions slips instead of HDMI VGA-Device

  6. Nadya –

    Yes. i can see 1 and 2. But the second monitor is not defined!

    • Danijel Z –

      Have you tried to install monitor’s drivers on your laptop? Maybe that can help the system to recognize it.

  7. Nadya –

    Does not work HDMI! Is it a problem can with a video card?

    • Danijel Z –

      What happens when you connect the HDMI cable to a powered-up monitor/TV and you do a right-clik on Desktop > Screen Resolution > Detect button? Does it show two displays then (you’ll see numbers 1 and 2) or just 1?

  8. mathew bauer –

    what ram is used in the q301la, I cant seem to find the correct memory

  9. noor –

    there is any problem with the 500GB hard drive becoz i heard that the HDD in the ultrabooks it not good it makes sounds .

  10. Yanny –

    So as a result. It’s upgradable but you should notice there is a low voltage memory type (DDR3l 1600 or PC3L-b12800). Memory should be 1.35v. That’s it. In the end all laptops built on Haswell requires low-voltage memory. I’ve got Crucial 4gb DDR3l-1600 SODIMM (ct51264bf160bj) and it works like a charm.
    P.S. Great laptop!

  11. ward –

    mathew bauer i have the same problem

  12. Yanny –

    Same thing 🙁 There is a Micron DDR3 1600 (PC3-12800) 4 Gb memmory on board. I tried Kingston ValueRam DDR3 1600 4 Gb and it seems it isn’t supported (laptop doesn’t boot, it starts but nothing appears on a screen and I even can’t enter BIOS). So any ideas? Do I need an exact the same memory as presented in the system (Micron) or this ASUS doesn’t allow to upgrde RAM (like a restriction somewhere in a firmware)? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

  13. ErrorCode7 –

    Can you guys confirm whether the palm rest (silver part) are made out of plastic or aluminum? Some reviews are saying aluinium and others say its made out of plastic.

  14. tj –

    Slowest computer I’ve ever seen. On every click it takes a moment to stop and think. And every click on the touchpad makes an ear shattering cracking noise. The touchpad also is usually unresponsive to tapping, and refuses to scroll most of the time. Crashed after 2 months of light usage. Fuck asus, do not by any pieces of shit from them.

  15. jacknyc –

    I had a very unhappy experience with this machine; I bought it for a local teenager (at Best Buy), who rather promptly managed to crack the touch screen – the cracked touch screen then interfered with the other input device, the touch pad, thus defeating functionality; – and another teenager nearby was able to disable the touch screen, by software, thus enabling the touch pad – and so we had limited functionality

    I called Asus to fix this machine and they said to send it to California, I am in NYC, so I asked for a local authorized service center, which was identified, a few blocks from me, walk-in, so I called them (NYC) and learned that touch screens may only be fixed in California

    So I called Asus and asked them to authorize the local service center to, um, provide service and Asus said the locals were noy authorized b/c they didn’t have the parts so I said send them the parts and Asus said the locals were not authorized so I said authorize them, and they said take it up to an escalation within Asus. I am promised a phone call…..

    So I told them I was ‘imposed’ upon, *stronger* language, in fact, just so’s folks know

    BTW, when I gave then the micro-print serial number and model Q301LA, they responded with S301 – duh – NOT Q301LA – but now I know why; the Asus website knew that my s/n was a Q301

    Best Buy took it a little more seriously, they said he would send my complaint from Best Buy to Asus

  16. Knlegend1 –

    Thanks

  17. Danijel –

    The Q301LA sold at Best Buy is actually the S301LA model which can be found on Asus’ website. The drivers section for it lists a Realtek sound card. If you already have the laptop you can download some app such as HWINFO, which displays details of hardware.

  18. Knlegend1 –

    How can i find what sound card is in this laptop?

  19. Travis jansen –

    I cant download anything from the Microsoft store or update to windows 8.1. I will hit install and immediately it says install failed. I was able to install itunes from online but anything from the store wont download.

  20. Danijel –

    4-5 hours is normal for this laptop. The battery is sealed inside, so I think it’s not upgradeable.

  21. Kyle vicky –

    I only get like 4-5 hours battery life is that right. How would i upgrade the battery

  22. Danijel –

    If you’ve used it correctly, for instance fn + F12 for volume up and it doesn’t work, then there’s definitely a problem with the keyboard. Maybe a driver update could help. Among these http://support.asus.com/download.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=3&s=583&m=Q301LA&os=8&hashedid=n%2fa only the “ATKACPI driver and hotkey-related utilities” seems to be related to the keyboard. This is just my opinion and it’s best to contact Asus directly. I’ve contacted them a couple of times via Facebook and they’ve responded quite quickly. https://www.facebook.com/ASUS

  23. jules –

    quick question, I rec’d the Q3-1LA as a christmas gift and started it up yesterday…the top row of the keyboard with the ESC key, function keys, volume up/down/mute keys, don’t seem to be working…it’s there a trick to it, I’ve never experienced not having the ESC key work just by tapping it (ie- not having to shift, ALT, fn, windows keys in conjunction)….? think it’s defective and should be returned or am I missing something simple?

  24. chaztech –

    That shield is soldered down and reminds me of RF shielding in TV’s could be what the R stands for.
    If someone takes off the metal cover please post pics!

  25. Chrissy M. –

    Thank you for this helpful article. I have been wanting to buy a laptop for a while, and I was wondering if you think this is the best laptop around. Every site I have gone to says that the cheapest price is $599.99, but I was wondering if I could get it for cheaper on a certain site? Thank you for your time.

  26. Neha –

    Hi Danijel,

    Thank you so much for the reply. The page on the link you sent does not exist. However i checked on the net but this particular model does not seem to have a touch screen. Is that so? I am primarily looking for a touch screen. How is the Vivo book s300CA? I might consider lenovo ideapad yoga 13, although quite expensive at $1000 if it is REALLY worth the price.. Quite a few reviews on AMazon say that they have had o return the device due to issues with the wireless card & sound in the fan.

    Thanks once again for help.

  27. Danijel –

    Well, the Q301LA-BHI5T02 for $600 appears to be a laptop which is closest to your requirements. But, it isn’t a real ultrabook since it doesn’t have hybrid HDD / SSD or SSD-only storage. If you’re ready to pay $100 more, you can get a real ultrabook, the Asus Zenbook UX32VD-BHI5N57: http://bit.ly/1e7ZxVw . The main downside of the Zenbook is the older i5 version.

  28. Neha –

    Hi, I am looking for a touchscreen ultrabook with the following specifications – minimum of core i5, 500gb storage, maximum of 13.3′ screen (smaller will be good too), light weight – around 1.5/1.6 kg. I have searched & searched and the confusion grows in equal proportions..Any help will be highly appreciated. I would like to limit my budget to around $600.
    Thanks, Neha

  29. Danijel –

    If you’re consudering the Lenovo U430 TOUCH – 59371574 model ($670 / http://laptoping.com/lenovo-ideapad-u430-touch-59371574-ultrabook-specs-review.html), I think it’s a batter choice than the Asus ($600), primarily because of the higher screen resolution and slightly bigger screen on the Lenovo. In addition, it has built-in 16GB SSD storage alongside the hard drive for faster operation, as well as keyboard backlight, which is very handy when you type in dim light. Also, I prefer Lenovo’s AccuType keyboards because of their excellent tactile feedback. Another nice perk on the U430 is Intel Wi-Di tech for wireless video streaming to TVs.

    Outwardly, the notebooks look similar and have almost the same thickness and weight. The only big difference here are lids. The U430 has a soft touch finish, while the back of the Q301LA is made of brushed aluminum. Bases of both laptops are made of aluminum.

    To conclude, it’s worth spending additional $70 on the U430, but the Asus Q301LA is also an excellent choice for only $600.

  30. Alberto –

    Hi Denijel,
    If We compare the Asus Q301LA-BHI5T02 with Lenovo U430 which I think they are very similar
    What would you recommend to buy?

    Thanks
    Neo

  31. Danijel –

    I don’t know. To access internals, you have to remove ~10 screws and when you get inside there’s no visible RAM slot. http://www.ultrabookreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/hardware-asus-s301-2.jpg It’s probably located on the rear side of the motherboard, so you’ll have to deal with more screws. If it is upgradeable (not soldered onto the motherboard), there’s no easy way to do it.

    Source: http://www.ultrabookreview.com/3385-asus-vivobook-s301-review/

    Note: The S301 and Q301 are the same notebook series with different names.

  32. alok –

    is the ram upgradeable after i buy ?

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