The evolution of the PC industry has arrived at its latest phase – the Ultrabook. They are widely used as a replacement for tablets and notebooks. The ultra-books are highly portable devices with a very sleek design and a lightweight frame. However, the sleekness does not compromise the battery, power, or performance of the laptop. Among the various models of ultra-books available in the market, Asus Zenbook UX301 stands out as a promising option for consumers.
Below are the Key Features of the UX301:
Design
The Zenbook series from Asus was one of the first laptops in the market with a slim and tapered design. The Zenbook UX301 model sports a gorilla glass lid. This is a very unique design feature since gorilla glass tends to be very strong and scratch-resistant. It also provides an incredibly glossy and classy look to the laptop.
Few other notable design elements include the click pad style touchpad comparable to MacBook touchpads, matte black plastic interiors, and chiclet-style keyboard.
Performance
Asus Zenbook UX301 has the highest performance in its class. Based on a rating by Geekbench 3, UX301 scored 6862 while the average for the category was 4405.
The high performance of Zenbook is a result of the 2.8 G-Hz Intel Core i7 low voltage processor, 16GB of RAM and 128GB of solid state drive.
Display and Screen
TheUX301 has a stunning 2560 x 1440 resolution WQHD display on a 13.3 inches screen. Videos and photos are rendered in sharp and stunning images with spectacular details. They display crisp colors with the IPS technology used in the laptop. The brightness on the laptop is among the best in its class. This results in a very high contrast display with a high definition 1080p glare free display.
Unlike some of its competitors, the UX301 Zenbook also has a multi-touch screen. The combination of the touch form factor along with the sleek design makes the UX301 Zenbook rival some of the tablets.
Portability
The Zenbook UX301 is an ultra-thin and light device. It weighs approximately 2.6 pounds and measures 12.8 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches. Such small dimensions are a highly desired feature of the Zenbook that makes it portable.
Voice Commands
The laptop allows users to access the machine via their voice. Using a powerful speech recognition software, Nuance-powered Dragon Assistant, the Zenbook provides for a unique hands-free experience to the users. The software is very powerful and highly accurate.
Software
The ultra-book runs on the Windows 8 and Windows 10 platforms. It can run the apps available on the Windows app store. In addition, there are Asus developed apps and third-party apps that are available to the Zenbook UX301.
Ports
There are plenty of ports available on the UX301 Zenbook. Two USB 3.0 ports, mini-display ports, mini-HDMI, headphone jacks, and a SD card reader are part of the standard configuration. These multiple ports provide the users an option to connect to multiple peripheral devices at the same time.
Things to Consider
Price
This Ultrabook costs just under $2,000 USD and is one of the most expensive and high-end ultrabooks available in the market. This is a result of the premium components such as gorilla glass that make up the product.
Battery life
One of the main selling points of any Ultrabook is the long battery life. However, the UX301 Zenbook performs poorly in this category. With a battery life of under 8 hours, Zenbook has the lowest battery life among the ultra-books. This is a major setback of the Zenbook that specifically focuses on portability.
Display
While the stunning display is a key feature of Zenbook UX301, it has few drawbacks as well. Windows app store currently does not include any apps that support the WQHD high resolution sported by the Zenbook. Certain colors appear to be tinted as opposed to the natural color when compared with other laptops, including the MacBook. In addition, the Zenbook has narrow viewing angles that result in less than optimal user experience.
- Another minor annoyance is the smudge attracting gorilla glass that is highly susceptible to fingerprints and other stains that makes the screen look shabby.
Bottom Line
This Ultrabook is a premium-priced product. Based on the user’s needs, there are plenty of products to choose from but Zenbook UX301 seems to be the choice for those looking for beauty, class, and performance. If you are looking for a robust, scratch-resistant, slim and portable best laptop for photo editing and for all-purpose applications, then UX301 is the best option with the only caveat being slightly lower battery life.
