[rwp-review id=”0″]
The ultrabook as we know it is changing. With laptop architecture getting smaller and smaller, Asus has followed through with a fanless Intel Core M powered Zenbook UX305. I know what you’re thinking and it does seem to look and feel like a 2015 Macbook but call it what you want. Ripoff or not, the Asus Zenbook truly impressed me for all the right reasons as it hit the right spots on price, specs and performance and premium looks that make it one of the best ultrabooks we’ve seen. At $695, you’ll get a full HD display, 256 GB SSD. That said it will give you an early impression that this is a must buy if you’re looking for something on the 13-inch spectrum of devices.
Design and Hardware
The Zenbook is an aluminum based ultrabook and while light, it’s a solid build, something I’ve come to expect from most Asus machines. The single unibody has an anodized texture finish on the inside but it’s not entirely seamless. The screen lid has an aluminum coated finish and the top lid has a radial pattern with the Asus Logo imprinted on the center to draw your attention. You can’t afford to be reckless with it though as you could land some scratches as you can see above.
The Zenbook is incredibly light and thin. Weighing in at less than two kilos, the Zenbook is a tad bit lighter than Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Pro. The machine is just .5 inches thick with a 12.8 x 8.9 inch size and I can’t help but make immediate comparisons to this year’s Macbook in terms of design. I find that while the Macbook may have changed the game for how small is small in terms of ultrabooks, Asus still manages to follow through and still retain more functionality with equal form without compromising on anything. The ultrabook has three USB ports and HDMI, while the Macbook retains just one USB-C port to do everything else.
On the inside, the bug trackpad is comfortable and is a pleasure to use and everything checks out here. The 4.1 x 2.9 inch touchpad has added gestures for Windows 8 and Windows 10 and was zoom and on point. You won’t find yourself mistakenly clicking between left and right either and the keyboard’s quite comfortable too though you’re not going to have backlight to enjoy it ever more.
Spec Sheet
- Processor
Intel® Core™ M 5Y10/5Y71 Processor - Operating System
Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Pro
Windows 8.1 Pro (Free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro or other editions available)
Windows 8.1 (Free upgrade to Windows 10 Home or other editions available) - Memory
LPDDR3 1600 MHz SDRAM, 4 GB, up to 8 G
- Display
13.3″ Auto IPS FHD (1920×1080)/IPS QHD+(3200 x 1800)
- Graphic
Integrated Intel® HD Graphics 5300
- Storage
SATA3*2
– 128GB SSD (M.2 2280)
– 256GB SSD (M.2 2280)
– 512GB SSD (M.2 2280) - Card Reader
2 -in-1 card reader ( SD/ SDXC)
- Camera
HD 720p CMOS module
- Networking
Integrated 802.11 a/g/n or 802.11 ac
- Interface
1 x Microphone-in/Headphone-out jack
3 x USB 3.0 port(s)
1 x micro HDMI
1 x SD card reader
1X AC adapter plug - Audio
Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®
RealTek - Battery
45 Whrs Polymer Battery
- Power Adapter
Output :
19 V DC, A, 45 W
Input :
100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal - Dimensions
324 x 226 x 12.3 mm (WxDxH)
- Weight
1.2 kg (with Polymer Battery)
- Security
BIOS Booting User Password Protection
HDD User Password Protection and Security
USB Security Lock Cable Solution
That said Asus’ main design language was simplicity and it shows. For a machine of it’s size it was a pleasure to see a full motley of ports, coupled with an SD card slot, mini Hdmi and a headphone/mic combo jack. The webcam is a 30 fps at 720p is a standard webcam that’s great for skyping but not as pristine for anything else.
Performance
Display
I had no trouble working with the Zenbook on both indoor and outdoor settings thanks to the anti glare finishing on the screen. Color reproduction was near fantastic but it’s not as perfect as I want it to be but that’s pretty expected in today’s laptops. A full HD (1,920-by-1,080) resolution and an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel that offers wide viewing angles and good color. The screen doesn’t have a touch screen but for me I rather keep my screen fingerprint free. Though some users might consider this an afterthought if they want to enjoy Windows 10.
Audio
The Zenbook’s only performance flaw in my opinion is the speakers. Designed with help from Bang & Olufsen, the speakers are tiny when you look at it and the sound that comes out of it really makes you wonder if Asus should rethink how they design speakers for compact ultrabooks and given by the size, not surprisingly, I may have set expectations too high and it didn’t quite match what I expected, regardless, you can overlook this by headphones of your choice.
Usability
The Zenbook will be your perfect companion if you’re a power multimedia user, the processing power numbers may look a bit disconcerting but that’s not the case. You won’t be power editing video but I was able to get some photo editing done through Adobe Lightroom. Being a fanless device, it’s quiet but there was a concern that it could have an adverse effect on heating but this was quite the cool cat throughout except when the bottom half only slightly heated up under extreme stress. You’ll be able to punish the Zenbook with multiple chrome tabs, 1080p video streams. The Intel integrated 5300 graphics is best left to playing casual games that aren’t as graphic intensive and don’t expect a steadily high frame rate either. There’s hardly any bloat on the Zenbook so the boot times on the device are within 5 seconds.
Battery
Asus said that you’re going to get at least ten hours of battery and they stayed almost true to that claim. I managed to get a good nine hours of use before it went to battery warnings and an additional 25 minutes later, the battery drained out. Though this can vary if you’re not using software that takes the Intel graphics to task. What pleased me more is that the charger was compact, again another comparison to the Macbook.
The Verdict
The Zenbook appears to be one of the best ultrabooks out there for the money. It’s a class performer and it will perform really long. You can get the Zenbook locally in the region through Souq at AED 4,299 and that in my opinion is a great deal. What stops the Zenbook from becoming perfect is the lack of a touch screen or the dismal speakers. A backlit keyboard too would have done wonders. However, with the UX305, you can be assured it’s going to be a classy looking device that performs just as well, to have on you.
