Asus ZenBook 13 (2019) review: Compact but stellar

Taiwanese tech giant Asus is one of the more potent contenders inside the pc marketplace. With a line up spanning thru the maximum fundamental to the excessive-cease laptops, the ZenBook range from Asus has been a name to reckon with. One of the purposes is that the logo keeps on upgrading its laptops on an every year basis with new capabilities and specifications. And this 12 months Asus objectives to raise the bar with ZenBook thirteen, 14 and 15 (2019) model, which has notably entered the Indian pc market earlier than expected. Out of the three laptops, we got our hands at the smallest, most compact and the most low cost in the lot – ZenBook 13 (UX333F) laptop and used it for over every week.

If you have been monitoring the computer launches by means of Asus, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the organization never shies far from trying something new. In 2018 we noticed Asus launching it’s ZenBook Pro 15 with a trackpad that essentially is a touch-touchy display screen (Screen Pad) observed by using Asus Precog all-display screen idea laptop and then the ZenBook S13 earlier this yr that has a ‘notch’. It is herbal for the firm to trickle down some tech to laptops with more lower-priced rate tags. So, it has delivered the toned-down model of ‘ScreenPad’ to ZenBook thirteen (2019), making it one of the predominant selling points.

The device is stated to be aimed toward builders however is that this 13-inch enough to quench their thirst? Read our review to find out.

Design

As we stated, Asus has long past ahead with ‘top class’ designs for its products and the brand new ZenBook 13 has set but another example of it. Although there’s no head-turner hardware characteristic consisting of the ‘notch’, it does have the enduring concentric circle steel layout and is notably greater compact than its 2018 predecessor. Asus claims that the device’s duration and breadth areas tons as that of an A4 size paper.

Because of the shrunken size, the weight has decreased and so have the screen bezels. However, it nonetheless remains thick and you can’t really examine it with the latest Apple MacBook Air (2018) just yet.

We did sense that Asus ought to used less metallic on the inside, making the entire package slightly lighter for clean portability, something that is always favored through on-the-cross users. But for the reason that tool has a one of a kind set of target audience, which is builders and likely heavy customers, it does make feel to awareness more on functions and specifications in preference to the design and weight. This doesn’t suggest that the look isn’t at par with others though. Asus has controlled to preserve the ‘premium’ detail with this one as properly.

We recognize that as a minimum it has all the basic set of ports on either facet, something that the general public of the heavy users still need to get their work completed. The touchpad is not large to easily work upon given the compact length. The keys additionally seem to be cramped but it’s nothing you can’t get used to. We did just like the ‘ErgoLift’ keyboard design that has been there seeing that last yr. It does make a distinction in the long run for advanced typing. It additionally leaves some area on the bottom for air consumption with the vent hidden right beside the screen hinge. What’s clever right here is the bottom placement of the audio system. However, all this could be an difficulty if the computer is saved on a soft surface, bed for example.

Display

The real reason why the 2019 Asus ZenBook thirteen is the talk of the city because the display screen bezels are now long past. This time it’s more immersive and is genuinely top for binge-looking content for hours. The tool makes use of 13.3-inch backlit LED FHD (1080×1920 pixels) display with 16:9 component ratio and 95% screen to body ratio. It has 2.8mm skinny bezels on the sides and top, and 3.3mm at the bottom.

Viewing the screen from an perspective is also no longer awful at all. Asus says the display has 178-diploma extensive-view generation. This comes similarly to Asus’ own ‘Splendid’ viewing software characteristic and ASUS Tru2Life Video that pleasant-music the show parameters to deliver higher eye comfort. Asus ZenBook thirteen (2019) makes use of a hundred% RGB color gamut, something creators would need of their gadgets.

One of the main downsides here is that the screen is reflective and we found ourselves adjusting it often to view the content. Considering the audience for the ZenBook 13, it might not be a terrific concept via Asus. But for what’s really worth, the display doesn’t wobble and stays intact inside the favored angle.

Performance

As a long way because the performance is going, the ZenBook 13 (2019), as expected, plays seamlessly without giving us any form of complaints. The OS is easy, apps fire up quickly and there’s no lag at the same time as switching from one heavy app to any other. Complete credit of handling matters butter-smooth goes to the effective Intel Core i7-8565U (eighth-gen) CPU this is able to handle the heaviest of obligations and graphics rendering. The processor is coupled with 8GB RAM, that’s enough to get the work done without any obstacles. We didn’t face any type of hiccups while rendering motion pictures or even as working on some 20 unusual tabs on Google Chrome browser and working on 4-five exclusive apps.

Although the processor is robust enough, developers and creators want dedicated snapshots to chip onboard. So, Asus has given Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU onboard to get the work performed. It’s now not as effective as the GTX 1050 GPU that you may discover in the gaming pc Lenovo Legion Y530 in around Rs ninety,000, that is simply more than one grand greater than the beginning price of ZenBook thirteen. However, the Legion is a far bulky laptop and has a larger display given its audience. For those unaware, the MX 150 is basically a cellular version of the GTX 1030 GPU processor.

Power aside, the ZenBook thirteen (2019) comes with up to 512GB in-built storage (PCIe 3.Zero x2 SSD storage), which looks like a bargain. On the connectivity the front as well, the computer comes with all of the bells and whistles which include a Gigabit-elegance Wifi and Bluetooth v5.Zero amongst different functions.

Battery

Asus ZenBook thirteen (UX333F) is a first-rate device with regards to battery consumption. We used the pc on battery, going for walks multiple chrome tabs, heavy apps, and occasionally even rendered some movies most effective to discover that it could run for around 9 hours on a mean before discharging. This is without a doubt suitable from nowadays’s battery requirements of laptops. But that is in blended-use case. If you’re a heavy worker, you would possibly want to attain for the charger after five-6 hours. It all depends on the kind of usage at the end of the day and all stated, the laptop isn’t horrific in any respect.

Asus says that it’s ZenBook thirteen (UX333F) sports activities 50WHr Li-Polymer battery, which may be one of the motives for its thickness. You additionally get standard battery saver options given with the aid of Microsoft Windows OS natively however given the use case, it might not be of a whole lot use.

Verdict

Asus ZenBook thirteen (UX333F) is a good purchase given the beginning charge of Rs 88,000. It has a reasonably respectable set of specs that encompass Intel Core i7 (8th-gen) processor, 8GB RAM, FHD show, Nvidia GPU and a first-rate battery backup. What adds as a cherry on top is the A4-sheet sized, a compact build which you won’t find in some other laptop with the equal set of specifications. That said, ‘portability’ is the key word right here and Asus has managed to make a mark with the ZenBook thirteen (UX333F).

Although Asus is pitching it as a laptop for an electricity user, it manages to justify the target audience it’s far targetted at with the Rs 88,000 (base) charge tag it incorporates. However, it may not be the pleasant advice available for a heavy user as the display length is a matter of concern and the general design is something that this set of the audience doesn’t truly give an awful lot attention to.

Nonetheless, it’s for a first-rate device and in case you need a heavy obligation laptop that you could whip out whilst at the cross, buy it. This new ZenBook 13 can paintings its manner via any venture effortlessly and received’t assist you to down in maximum cases.