Why does everyone want a Macbook? Because it’s reliable, efficient, lightweight and a worthy investment. A Windows notebook, however, has never managed to tick off all those boxes at the same time.
But it looks like things are finally changing in that respect. In India, Asus is a brand known for its phones but they’ve now got the new ZenBook series, which is looking to bring Macbook-like quality to Windows folks.
Key Specifications: Asus ZenBook UX305
- Display: 13.3-inch Anti-glare LED Full-HD
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core M
- RAM: 4GB (expandable up to 8GB)
- Storage: 128/256GB SSD
- Camera: HD
- Battery: 44Wh
- Price: Rs 49,990
What’s Good?
There’s a lot going for the Asus ZenBook UX305, starting from the strength of the display to the long-standing battery life. Powered by the latest Intel processor that is said to be power-efficient, this laptop benefits from a fanless design, making it noise-free and keeping the heating to a bare minimum.
It’s lightweight for its 13.3-inch size at 1.2kg, making it portable and the thin dimensions of the laptop make it comparable to the Macbook from all angles. The all-metal body construction makes the ZenBook look pricey and gives it a premium touch, something that every laptop user craves for these days – beauty and power in the same machine.
The best part about having an Intel Core M processor is the extended battery life that the ZenBook offers. The company claims suggest that the ZenBook can last up to 10 hours on a single charge and it’s safe to say that those claims are nearly correct. With constant use on Wi-Fi, watching movies and surfing the web, we managed to get the ZenBook to last us more than 8 hours regularly, which is quite impressive.
A big shout out goes to the bundled charger, which needs to be carried all the time, but that will never be a problem.
What’s Bad?
It’s hard to find the perfect laptop in most situations and even the ZenBook UX305 has its fair set of weaknesses. We’ve talked in detail about the Intel Core M processor’s ability, however, it’s fair to say that the laptop is anything but a powerful companion.
While you can do basic PC stuff like browsing, writing documents or watching movies, that’s about all the ZenBook can handle but it is your best bet in terms of aesthetic appeal. If you’re into video or image editing or heavy gaming, then you’re looking at the wrong machine.
The chiclet keyboard is quite effective as long as you’ve got supporting light to work with. The lack of a backlit keyboard hurts a lot when trying to work in low light or dark conditions.
Why Buy It?
The Asus ZenBook UX305 is everything that a Windows rival for the Macbook should be – effective, affordable and elegant at the same time. Windows 10 makes a big difference for PCs and the Intel Core M processor offers stability and battery life longevity. In addition to this, the ZenBook UX305’s all-metal body is lightweight and slim.
We miss the backlit keyboard, but for under 50K, Asus has made a PC-like performer without going overboard with its pricing. Buy it if you want a notebook for basic stuff and like a portable, lightweight machine.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)