Our review unit came with a Core i7-7500U, which offers speeds between 2.7GHz and 2.9GHz, and 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM clocked at 2,133MHz. What's truly impressive about the ZenBook 3 is that ASUS has managed to fit in seventh-generation Intel Core processors and gobs of memory in such a tiny case.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (2.4GHz Core i5-6300U, Intel HD 520) Razer Blade Stealth (2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U, Intel HD 520) Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (1.2 GHz Core M7-6Y75, Intel HD 515)ĭell XPS 13 (2.3GHz Core i5-6200U, Intel Graphics 520) Huawei MateBook (1.1 GHz Core M3, Intel HD 515) HP Spectre 13 (2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U, Intel HD 520) Performance and battery lifeĪSUS ZenBook 3 (2.7GHz Intel Core-i7-7500U, Intel HD 620) Unfortunately, you can use the dock's USB-C port only for charging, which will make life difficult if you want to connect a USB-C device and an external monitor at the same time. At least ASUS was kind enough to bundle in a USB-C mini-dock, which includes an HDMI port, a traditional USB connection and another USB-C socket. You might have noticed one other nod to the MacBook: The ZenBook 3's only ports are a single USB-C socket and a 3.5mm headphone jack. (And that could be tied to the flexing issue as well.)
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I'm not sure why those errors occurred, but it makes me think that Windows Hello is somehow trying to identify fingerprints even when the ZenBook's lid is shut. On several occasions, I received warnings about Windows Hello being disabled because of too many fingerprint login attempts, even after I was just waking it up from sleep mode. That effectively renders the top-right portion of the trackpad a dead zone most of the time.Īt least the fingerprint sensor works well it usually gets me to the desktop in less than a second. And for some reason, ASUS thought it was a good idea to put its fingerprint sensor right on the trackpad. Tapping the trackpad to select things isn't great either, as it often moves the pointer off your target. It would often get confused with left and right clicks, and on several occasions I had to press down multiple times for it to register anything. It requires a lot of pressure to register clicks, which isn't great when you're trying to balance an ultralight notebook on your lap. The trackpad, while large and relatively smooth, is a chore to use. Honestly, even though the MacBook's keyboard isn't ideal either, I still prefer it to the ZenBook 3's. While I eventually got used to the wonky feedback, I still get more typos with this machine compared with every other laptop keyboard I've tested recently. Perhaps it's just because I'm a heavy typer, but I was never able to get into a decent typing flow. The ZenBook 3's buttons have more travel than those on the relatively flat MacBook, but the feedback you get when pressing them is mushy and insubstantial. Then there's the keyboard and trackpad, which present a different set of issues. If a bit of force from my hands can disturb the case's integrity, how can I ever trust it in a book bag with other heavy items? It's not something you might ever do to your laptop, but this also doesn't bode well for long-term durability.
Applying a bit of pressure around the laptop's keyboard leads to some seriously disturbing creaking noises, as if the seams around the bottom of the case are rubbing against each other. While the two-pound ZenBook 3 feels light and sturdy at first, it wasn't long before I started noticing flaws. After testing out plenty of touchscreen Windows laptops over the past few years, though, I'm surprised by how much I missed that feature here. Though it's not a touchscreen display (that's to be expected with such a thin laptop), ASUS covered it in Gorilla Glass 4 for extra protection. At least it's a good-looking display, though it's bright enough for outdoor use, while colors appear vibrant and mostly accurate.
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But Apple's laptop boasts a higher-resolution 2,304 x 1,440 display, as compared with 1080p on the ZenBook. With a 12.5-inch display, ASUS managed to outdo the MacBook by half an inch. But it would have been nice to see some actual innovation, as with HP's sexy new Spectre. That's one way to evoke a premium feel, I guess. But the ZenBook 3's design in particular looks like a mixture of the MacBook and the 11-inch MacBook Air, right down to the small notch below the trackpad and the look of the speakers above the keyboard. ASUS's ZenBook line is unquestionably "Apple-inspired," with an emphasis on thin profiles and all-metal cases. I particularly liked the deep shade of blue and the gold accents, which are classy in a subtle way. Its aluminum alloy case is smooth and sleek, and it measures an impressive 11.9mm at its thickest point. At first glance, the Zenbook 3 screams luxury.
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