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Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA Subnotebook Review

Limited stamina. Asus can compete with the established competitors from Lenovo, Dell, Fujitsu and HP with the 12-inch business subnotebook called BU201LA. It comes with a bright IPS display, an LTE modem and very good input devices. However, the computer's battery life is quite short.

For the original German review, see here.

With the ASUSPRO BU201LA, Asus offers a 12.5-inch business notebook. We have already reviewed another representative of this series with the BU201LA-DT036G, which achieved a "good" rating (85 percent). Now, we have a BU201LA model with better components under review. Our review will reveal whether it can achieve a better rating due to its Core i7 and solid-state disk.

For example, the Lenovo ThinkPad X250, the Dell Latitude E7250, the HP EliteBook 820 and the EliteBook 725 are competitors.

Since the two BU201LA model use the same design, we will not cover case, connectivity, input device, display and speakers (in detail) here. Information about these is available in our BU201LA-DT036G review.

Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G (ASUSPRO Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-4650U 2 x 1.7 - 3.3 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 5000, Core: 1100 MHz, dual channel, 10.18.10.3574
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3-1600, dual channel, one RAM slot (used), 4 GB soldered
Display
12.50 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, LG Philips LP125WF2-SPB2, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Lynx Point-LP
Storage
SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G, 256 GB 
, 200 GB free
Soundcard
CX20751/2 @ Intel Lynx Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 DVI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audiokombo, Card Reader: SD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: brightness sensor
Networking
Intel I218-LM Gigabit (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, Huawei LTE ME906E
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21 x 310 x 215 ( = 0.83 x 12.2 x 8.46 in)
Battery
32 Wh Lithium-Ion, 7.6 V, 4110 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64 Bit) + Windows 8 Pro (64 Bit)
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, recovery DVDs, driver DVDs, MS Office (trial version), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.3 kg ( = 45.86 oz / 2.87 pounds), Power Supply: 304 g ( = 10.72 oz / 0.67 pounds)
Price
1199 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

The BU201LA does not feature a maintenance hatch. You need to remove the lower part of the base unit in order to get to the hardware. Once you have removed all screws on the underside, you can remove the lower part with a putty knife or a thin spatula. This has to be done carefully. The lower part sits quite tight. Asus should improve this aspect in the coming generation of this computer - if there will be one.

Display

The BU201LA is equipped with the same display as its Core i5 sibling previously reviewed by us. However, the readings are slightly different, but this is usual. Two identical displays are never absolutely the same.

363
cd/m²
371
cd/m²
357
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
414
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
357
cd/m²
350
cd/m²
369
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP125WF2-SPB2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 414 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 375.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 414 cd/m²
Contrast: 845:1 (Black: 0.49 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.72 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
42% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
45.38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
43.88% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.51
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Gray levels
CalMAN - Gray levels
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - Color saturation
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
IPS 1920x1080
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
IPS 1920x1080
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
IPS 1920x1080
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
IPS 1920x1080
HP EliteBook 820 G1
TN 1366x768
HP EliteBook 725 G2
TN 1366x768
Display
-1%
1%
1%
-10%
-8%
Display P3 Coverage
43.88
43.55
-1%
44.48
1%
44.14
1%
39.89
-9%
40.56
-8%
sRGB Coverage
65.8
64.9
-1%
66.2
1%
65.8
0%
59
-10%
61
-7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
45.38
45.05
-1%
45.96
1%
45.71
1%
40.98
-10%
41.92
-8%
Screen
-3%
-9%
5%
-63%
-78%
Brightness middle
414
433
5%
360
-13%
397
-4%
229
-45%
188
-55%
Brightness
375
396
6%
330
-12%
357
-5%
211
-44%
186
-50%
Brightness Distribution
85
80
-6%
81
-5%
81
-5%
86
1%
91
7%
Black Level *
0.49
0.47
4%
0.53
-8%
0.44
10%
0.63
-29%
0.86
-76%
Contrast
845
921
9%
679
-20%
902
7%
363
-57%
219
-74%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.3
5.56
-5%
5.58
-5%
4.2
21%
10.75
-103%
12.31
-132%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.72
4.92
-32%
3.98
-7%
3.1
17%
11.72
-215%
12.56
-238%
Gamma
2.51 88%
2.48 89%
2.21 100%
2.6 85%
2.62 84%
1.86 118%
CCT
6552 99%
6054 107%
6192 105%
6246 104%
15283 43%
12047 54%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
42
41
-2%
42.2
0%
42
0%
37
-12%
38.6
-8%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
65.5
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-2% / -2%
-4% / -6%
3% / 4%
-37% / -48%
-43% / -59%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

With ASUSPRO BU201LA, Asus offers a 12.5-inch business notebook with sufficient performance for everyday tasks. An LTE modem is incorporated. However, features like TPM and a docking port are missing. Our test model is priced at just under 1200 Euros (~$1289). In addition, the Core i5 model we reviewed is still available for about 800 Euros (~$859).

Our test model features an LTE modem.
Our test model features an LTE modem.

Processor

The BU201LA is driven by a Core i7-4650U (Haswell) dual-core CPU with a base clock of 1.7 GHz. Thanks to Turbo Boost, the clock rate can increase to 2.9 GHz (two cores) or 3.3 GHz (one core). The Turbo is only used in mains operation. During the CPU tests of the Cinebench benchmarks the CPU clocks at 2.9 to 3.3 GHz (single thread) or 2.4 GHz (multithread). Therefore, the processor cannot use its full potential in multithread applications. On battery, all tests are run with a clock rate of 800 MHz. The clock rate of one core abruptly increases to 2.9 GHz again and again.

Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
241 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
239 Points -1%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
264 Points +10%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
301 Points +25%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
261 Points +8%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
151 Points -37%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
122 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
104 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
114 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
130 Points +7%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
125 Points +2%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
55 Points -55%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2.64 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
2.59 Points -2%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
2.94 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
3.29 Points +25%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
2.83 Points +7%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1.69 Points -36%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
1.38 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
1.18 Points -14%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
1.33 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
1.51 Points +9%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
1.43 Points +4%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
0.63 Points -54%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
8173 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
8025 Points -2%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
9103 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
10350 Points +27%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
9018 Points +10%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4951 Points -39%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
4722 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
3862 Points -18%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
4341 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
4943 Points +5%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
4282 Points -9%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1907 Points -60%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
3086 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
2881 Points -7%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
5839 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
6002 Points +3%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
97.3 ms *
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
109.1 ms * -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
86.9 ms * +11%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2137 ms *
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
2585 ms * -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
2091 ms * +2%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
15205 Points
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
12123 Points -20%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
15536 Points +2%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2757 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
2860 Points +4%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
7927
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
8173
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4722
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
24.18 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.64 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.38 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
30.64 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
241 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
122 Points
Help

System Performance

The system runs smoothly and we did not face problems. The results of the PCMark benchmarks are good. However, the computer also remains behind its potential in these tests, since the processor cannot use the maximum Turbo clock in multithread applications.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2688 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2631 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3797 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2688 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
2120 Points -21%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
2772 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
3148 Points +17%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
3624 Points +35%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2291 Points -15%

Storage Devices

A solid-state disk with 2.5-inch format is used to store data. About 200 GB of its capacity of 256 GB are available to the user. The rest is occupied by the recovery partition and the Windows installation. Overall, the SSD delivers good transfer rates, but performs slightly worse than SSD top models.

The computer features a 2.5-inch SSD.
The computer features a 2.5-inch SSD.
SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
Sequential Read: 361.7 MB/s
Sequential Write: 382.2 MB/s
512K Read: 302.6 MB/s
512K Write: 340.1 MB/s
4K Read: 37.95 MB/s
4K Write: 109.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 367.8 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 247.9 MB/s

Graphics Card

With the Core i7 processor, the BU201LA also features Intel's HD Graphics 5000 GPU, which supports DirectX 11 and works with clock rates up to 1100 MHz. The results are usual for this graphics core in the 3DMark benchmarks and would be lower if RAM did not work in dual-channel mode.

3DMark 11 Performance
1033 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
39769 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4346 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
583 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
1033 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
835 Points -19%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
927 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
1079 Points +4%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
937 Points -9%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1034 Points 0%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
39769 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
31711 Points -20%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
42996 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
40296 Points +1%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
41559 Points +5%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
26947 Points -32%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
4346 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
4069 Points -6%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
4633 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
4801 Points +10%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
4636 Points +7%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2822 Points -35%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2611 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
583 Points
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
508 Points -13%
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
599 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
625 Points +7%
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
592 Points +2%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
511 Points -12%

Gaming Performance

The small Asus computer was not made for computer games. It manages to run some games smoothly with low resolution and low to medium quality settings, but this is restricted to games that do not make high demands on hardware. Games like GTA 5 will never achieve playable frame rates regardless of the settings.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 55.3 25 14.9 7.9
Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) 27.2 22.1 10.7
Risen 3: Titan Lords (2014) 28.7 17.6 6.6 5.2
Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) 17.4 12 4.5 2.1
Evolve (2015) 12.7 9.6 5.5 2.9
Battlefield Hardline (2015) 20.8 15.1 7 4.3
GTA V (2015) 19.2 16 4.4 2.6

Emissions & Energy Management

System Noise

The BU201LA does not get especially loud. While idling, the fan sometimes stands still and the computer works silently. Most of the time, the fan runs at low speed. Even under load, the system noise remains moderate. During the stress test, we measured a noise level of 35.9 dB(A), since CPU and GPU throttle heavily. If only the processor is stressed (Prime95), the noise level increases to 38.6 dB(A).

The fan does not produce much noise.
The fan does not produce much noise.

Noise Level

Idle
29.6 / 31 / 31 dB(A)
Load
36.9 / 35.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
5000/4650U
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
4400/4210U
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
5500/5300U
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
5500/5600U
HP EliteBook 820 G1
4400/4600U
HP EliteBook 725 G2
R6 (Kaveri)/A10 Pro-7350B
Noise
3%
-2%
5%
1%
2%
Idle Minimum *
29.6
30.1
-2%
29.3
1%
29
2%
29.6
-0%
29.2
1%
Idle Average *
31
30.6
1%
29.3
5%
29
6%
30.7
1%
30.3
2%
Idle Maximum *
31
31.7
-2%
29.3
5%
30.3
2%
31.3
-1%
31.8
-3%
Load Average *
36.9
33
11%
37.9
-3%
33.4
9%
35.7
3%
34.3
7%
Load Maximum *
35.9
33
8%
42.8
-19%
33.7
6%
35.8
-0%
35.6
1%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The BU201LA during the stress test
The BU201LA during the stress test

The BU201LA behaves differently in the stress test (Prime95 and FurMark run for at least one hour) in mains operation and on battery. While the processor works at 800 MHz in both cases, the graphics unit clocks at 200 MHz (on battery) and 500 MHz (in mains operation), respectively. It is surprising, that the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Celsius (~122 Fahrenheit) in one spot despite very low clock rates.

 28.8 °C
84 F
27.7 °C
82 F
26.5 °C
80 F
 
 28.4 °C
83 F
27.8 °C
82 F
26.6 °C
80 F
 
 27.2 °C
81 F
26.2 °C
79 F
25.3 °C
78 F
 
Maximum: 28.8 °C = 84 F
Average: 27.2 °C = 81 F
27 °C
81 F
31.1 °C
88 F
29.4 °C
85 F
29.8 °C
86 F
27.8 °C
82 F
28.1 °C
83 F
24.9 °C
77 F
25.5 °C
78 F
27.4 °C
81 F
Maximum: 31.1 °C = 88 F
Average: 27.9 °C = 82 F
Power Supply (max.)  29.3 °C = 85 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.6 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.6 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 52.5 °C / 127 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.2 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31 °C / 87.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-2.7 °C / -4.9 F).
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
5000/4650U
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
4400/4210U
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
5500/5300U
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
5500/5600U
HP EliteBook 820 G1
4400/4600U
HP EliteBook 725 G2
R6 (Kaveri)/A10 Pro-7350B
Heat
-1%
-8%
4%
9%
-2%
Maximum Upper Side *
41.6
41.8
-0%
46.7
-12%
43.6
-5%
39.7
5%
39.7
5%
Maximum Bottom *
52.5
43.1
18%
56
-7%
42.3
19%
41.9
20%
41.7
21%
Idle Upper Side *
28.8
32.6
-13%
30.1
-5%
29.1
-1%
27.6
4%
34.3
-19%
Idle Bottom *
31.1
33.7
-8%
33.2
-7%
30
4%
28.8
7%
35.7
-15%

* ... smaller is better

Power Consumption

Regardless of load, the power consumption of the Asus computer is normal for the used hardware. During the stress test we measured a maximum of 29.3 watts. However, it only remained at this level for a few seconds, since CPU and GPU throttle heavily straightaway.

The power adapter is rated at 65 watts.
The power adapter is rated at 65 watts.
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4 / 8.7 / 9.8 Watt
Load midlight 28.3 / 29.3 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
5000/4650U
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
4400/4210U
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
5500/5300U
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
5500/5600U
HP EliteBook 820 G1
4400/4600U
HP EliteBook 725 G2
R6 (Kaveri)/A10 Pro-7350B
Power Consumption
3%
-9%
4%
14%
-14%
Idle Minimum *
4
3.7
7%
4.1
-3%
2.7
32%
3.2
20%
7
-75%
Idle Average *
8.7
8.3
5%
8.3
5%
7
20%
5.2
40%
8.6
1%
Idle Maximum *
9.8
9
8%
9.4
4%
8
18%
7.5
23%
9.9
-1%
Load Average *
28.3
28.8
-2%
31.6
-12%
28.6
-1%
34.3
-21%
24.4
14%
Load Maximum *
29.3
30.3
-3%
40.4
-38%
44.3
-51%
26.8
9%
32.5
-11%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Our realistic WLAN test automatically opens websites in 40-second intervals. The profile "balanced" is active and the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². The BU201LA achieves a battery life of 3:44 h. This is a poor result for a 12.5-inch business notebook. The computer is on par with its Core i5 sibling (3:38 h).

The battery only has a capacity of 32 Wh.
The battery only has a capacity of 32 Wh.
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (IE 11)
3h 44min
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3 (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G
HD Graphics 5000, 4650U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
224 min
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
298 min
WiFi (sort by value)
Asus ASUSPRO Advanced BU201LA-DT036G
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
218 min
Dell Latitude 12 E7250
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Samsung PM851 Series MZMTE256HMHP
446 min
Lenovo ThinkPad X250-20CLS06D00
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
325 min
HP EliteBook 820 G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4600U, Intel SSD Pro 1500 Series SSDSC2BF180A4H
392 min
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
258 min

Pros

+ Good build quality
+ Excellent input devices
+ Bright IPS display with wide viewing angles
+ Works quietly
+ Fast SSD
+ LTE modem

Cons

- Poor battery life
- Maintenability should be improved

Verdict

The Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G. Test model courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de
The Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G. Test model courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de

The Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA belongs to the 12.5-inch business notebooks. It offers sufficient processing performance for everyday tasks and usually works quietly. In addition, it features a fast solid-state disk and very good input devices. Basically, we liked the bright IPS display with Full HD resolution, but its contrast is much too low. The integrated LTE modem makes mobile Internet use possible. All things considered, Asus offers a device that can easily keep up with the competitors from Dell, Fujitsu, HP, and Lenovo. However, the battery life is poor. A 12.5-inch business notebook is made for mobile use and should be able to run on battery for a very long time. The computer might not be competitive because of the poor battery runtimes. The battery’s low capacity (32 Wh) is the problem here. In addition, we did not like the difficult maintenance. Asus should have incorporated a maintenance hatch or ensured that it is easy to remove the lower part of the base unit.

Asus ASUSPRO BU201LA-DT030G - 04/18/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
85 /  98 → 87%
Keyboard
92%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
79 / 80 → 99%
Weight
71 / 35-78 → 84%
Battery
82%
Display
87%
Games Performance
66 / 68 → 97%
Application Performance
82 / 87 → 94%
Temperature
86 / 91 → 95%
Noise
92%
Audio
50 / 91 → 55%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
78%
86%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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Sascha Mölck, 2015-04-23 (Update: 2018-05-15)