Ever since it was announced earlier this year, I’ve had my eye on ASUS’s Zenbook Prime, specifically the UX32VD. Australian prices were offered for its sibling, the UX31A, but there’s been no official word on the arrival of the discrete GPU-powered UX32VD or its expected cost. Now it seems that select Harvey Norman outlets have stock… for prices that are hard to believe.
Over at Whirlpool, there’s currently mixed reports as to the availability of the new Zenbook Primes at the venerable Australian retailer. A member by the name of “sam’chilla” says he walked into a Harvey Norman and picked up the i7-equipped UX32VD, but failed to mention which one. Another user, “C2H6”, contacted the HN in Chatswood, NSW and was given the following numbers:
UX31A 128GB SSD, 13.3″ i5 = $1399
UX31A 256GB SSD, 13.3″ i7 = $1756
UX32VD 500GB, i7, 13.3″ = $1599
UX32VD, as above but i5 = $1299
Those prices for the UX32VDs are, to put it frankly, bonkers… for Harvey Norman at least. The US RRP for the i7-powered UX32VD is $US1299. Add in shipping and whatever customs tacks on, and you’re looking at shelling out about $US150-$US200 on top of this. So to able to pick one up locally — with all the warranty and consumer protection benefits that brings — for $1600 (or $1300 is you don’t mind a slower CPU) is surprising.
Sadly, my own investigations were mostly fruitless. I contacted the Harvey Norman at the QV in Melbourne, where I was told the notebooks weren’t on the system. A call to the one in Richmond turned up empty for the UX32VD, however, I was told it did have the UX31A on the system, but I wasn’t able to get pricing.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve had any lucky chasing one down!