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Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA (i5-8265U) Laptop Review

Smaller footprint than the XPS 13. The "ErgoLift" design is a visual delight as it allows for a strong lid with narrow bezels on all four sides of the screen. Nevertheless, some cut corners prevent the system from being a must-have against its competitors.

Unveiled at IFA 2018, the 13.3-inch ZenBook UX333 is part of Asus’ new narrow-bezel Ultrabook family consisting of the UX333, 14-inch UX433, and 15.6-inch UX533. Unlike competing narrow-bezel laptops, however, these new ZenBooks have narrow bezels on all four sides of the screen instead of just two or three. The screen-to-body ratio is thus one of the highest in the market with a unique hinge design to further distinguish the series from competitors.

The ZenBook UX333 starts at $850 USD with a Whiskey Lake-U Core i5-8265U CPU and 8 GB of RAM or users can configure up to the higher-end Core i7-8565U with 16 GB of RAM and a dedicated GeForce MX150 GPU. The 1080p resolution remains fixed across all options. Our test unit today is the lower-end SKU.

Direct competitors include the Dell XPS 13, HP Spectre 13, Lenovo Yoga C930, Huawei MateBook X Pro, Acer Swift 7, and the Razer Blade Stealth. The UX333 is a direct successor to the last generation ZenBook UX331 series.

We recommend checking out our existing review on the ZenBook UX433 as all models in the UX333/433/533 family share similar designs and features.

More Asus ZenBook reviews:

Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA (ZenBook 13 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8265U 4 x 1.6 - 3.9 GHz, Whiskey Lake-U
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Core: 300 MHz, Memory: 1067 MHz, LPDDR3, 24.20.100.6195
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3, 1200 MHz, 10-10-10-28, Dual-Channel
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, AU Optronics B133HAN05.C, IPS, AUO5C2D, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-LP - cAVS
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: MicroSD
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16.9 x 302 x 189 ( = 0.67 x 11.89 x 7.44 in)
Battery
50 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 3D IR 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Asus Hello, Asus Keyboard Hotkeys, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.19 kg ( = 41.98 oz / 2.62 pounds), Power Supply: 149 g ( = 5.26 oz / 0.33 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Our comments about the UX433 chassis apply here for the UX333. Asus has managed to design an Ultrabook that stands out from the crowded market by introducing a narrow bezel “chin” and a hooked “ErgoLift” hinge. The result is a laptop with reduced width and an extra-wide 18:9-like appearance instead of the usual 16:9. The main disadvantage to this approach is that the hinge limits maximum angle to 143 degrees compared to 180 degrees on the competing Samsung Notebook 9.

Chassis rigidity is excellent and even slightly tougher than the UX433 since the UX333 is the smaller variant. The narrow-bezel lid in particular is more unyielding than we were anticipating as it is quite thick relative to the base. Resistance to side-to-side twisting feels superior to the UX430 and on par with the XPS 13 for a strong first impression.

The one notable weak spot of the chassis is its keyboard center where applied pressure by a finger can flex the surface slightly. The flexing is not of any day-to-day concern, but it’s a step below competitors like the aforementioned Dell and the Razer Blade Stealth. The hinge also becomes less taut when near its maximum angle.

Construction quality is otherwise excellent on our test unit with no unintended gaps or crevices between materials. The dark blue and gold matte surfaces are better at hiding fingerprints than the surfaces of the Blade Stealth or XPS.

Chassis footprint is even smaller than the XPS 13 since the Zenbook UX333 is 10 mm shorter in length. The major drawback is its increased thickness of 16.9 mm to be thicker than the outgoing UX331 and most other Ultrabooks in the market. We suspect that the thicker profile was necessary because of the "ErgoLift" hinge design of the lid. On the plus side, the thicker lid improves rigidity especially when compared to the more flexible lids of the Samsung Notebook 9 or LG Gram 13.

Display opened to maximum angle of ~150 degrees
Display opened to maximum angle of ~150 degrees
Same material makeup and MIL-STD 810G certifications as the larger UX433
Same material makeup and MIL-STD 810G certifications as the larger UX433
Same "NanoEdge" and "ErgoLift" design as the 14-inch UX433 and 15.6-inch UX533
Same "NanoEdge" and "ErgoLift" design as the 14-inch UX433 and 15.6-inch UX533
The lid is actually quite thick for a stronger feel. The ErgoLift hinge tilts the base by 3 degrees to improve airflow
The lid is actually quite thick for a stronger feel. The ErgoLift hinge tilts the base by 3 degrees to improve airflow
322 mm / 12.7 inch 227 mm / 8.94 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.4 kg3.04 lbs310 mm / 12.2 inch 216 mm / 8.5 inch 13.9 mm / 0.547 inch 1.1 kg2.43 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 189 mm / 7.44 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 1.2 kg2.62 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 217 mm / 8.54 inch 14.6 mm / 0.575 inch 1.3 kg2.93 lbs308.2 mm / 12.1 inch 224.2 mm / 8.83 inch 10.4 mm / 0.4094 inch 1.1 kg2.45 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 11.6 mm / 0.4567 inch 1.2 kg2.69 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Connectivity options remain identical to the 14-inch UX433. We appreciate that the system includes HDMI and two USB Type-A ports compared to zero on the Dell XPS 13 9370 or HP Spectre 13. The major drawback is its lack of Thunderbolt 3 support and the continued reliance on a proprietary AC adapter port instead of the more versatile USB Type-C.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, USB Type-A 2.0, MicroSD reader
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, USB Type-A 2.0, MicroSD reader
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: AC adapter, HDMI, USB Type-A 3.1 (10 Gbps), USB Type-C Gen. 2
Left: AC adapter, HDMI, USB Type-A 3.1 (10 Gbps), USB Type-C Gen. 2

SD Card Reader

While the spring-loaded MicroSD card reader has returned from the UX433, it performs much more slowly on the UX333. Transferring 1 GB worth of images from card to desktop takes 43 seconds compared to just 15 seconds on the larger UX433.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
182 MB/s +661%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
69.7 MB/s +192%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
23.91 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
210.3 MB/s +687%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
84.9 MB/s +218%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
26.71 MB/s

Communication

Wireless has been upgraded from the Intel 8265 in the last generation UX331 to the newer Intel 8560 in the UX333. Theoretical transfer rates top out at 1.73 Gbps compared to half that on the Intel 8265. Bluetooth 5 is supported.

Average Transmit speed is abnormally slow for an Intel 9560 at almost half that of the UX331 even when connected to an 802.11ac network. We're unsure of the cause, but performance is at least stable.

Non-removable Intel WLAN module
Non-removable Intel WLAN module
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
655 MBit/s +89%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
505 MBit/s +46%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
347 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
673 MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
639 MBit/s -5%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
522 MBit/s -22%

Maintenance

Serviceability is made troublesome by the nine T5 Torx screws and two additional Philips screws hidden underneath the rear rubber footing. There is nothing to upgrade once inside aside from storage. Layout is almost identical to the UX433 motherboard.

Note that there is space underneath the heat pipe reserved for a dedicated GPU and its VRAM modules.

Core components like RAM and WLAN are soldered
Core components like RAM and WLAN are soldered
Asus Zenbook UX331 for comparison
Asus Zenbook UX331 for comparison

Accessories and Warranty

A USB Type-A to RJ-45 adapter and carrying sleeve is included in the box. The standard one-year limited warranty applies. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties article for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Key layout is slightly different and perhaps even better than on the larger UX433. The Arrow keys are much larger this time around and are more comfortable to use as a result. The trade-off, however, is that the right Shift key is now smaller.

Feedback from the main QWERTY keys is otherwise identical to the UX433. The keys are more satisfying to type on when compared to the recent Razer Blade Stealth, but the HP Spectre series still offers crisper feedback.

Touchpad

The clickpad is decent in size (10 x 5.5 cm) albeit smaller than the clickpads on the XPS 13 (10.5 x 6 cm) and Blade Stealth. Glide is consistent and reliable on the smooth surface no matter the cursor speed.

An annoying behavior of the clickpad is that its upper surface is not always responsive to double-tapping and so users must remember to double-tap towards the bottom half of the clickpad instead. We’re unsure if this is a bug or a feature, but it’s undesirable nonetheless.

The integrated mouse clicks are shallow in travel with weak feedback when pressed. We find the clickpads of the XPS 13 or Spectre 13 to be easier to press.

The virtual NumPad as found on the UX433 can also be found here on the UX333. While useful for the occasional data input, it suffers from the same drawbacks including the lack of haptic feedback and brightness control options. The lit numbers appear much brighter than the keyboard backlight which can become unfavorable in dimly lit conditions.

Larger Arrow keys than most other laptops including the 14-inch UX433
Larger Arrow keys than most other laptops including the 14-inch UX433
Key feedback is agreeable, but the trackpad clicks could have been firmer. 1.4 mm key travel
Key feedback is agreeable, but the trackpad clicks could have been firmer. 1.4 mm key travel

Display

There are no resolution options other than the default 1080p IPS screen. However, users can still choose between matte or glossy glass with the former being slightly lighter overall. Note that the glass overlay does not offer any touchscreen features.

Contrast and colors are excellent and comparable to competing flagships as shown by the comparison table below. Its biggest drawback lies in the backlight as screen brightness is not any brighter than on the last generation Zenbook UX331. Its average brightness of just 262 nits is noticeably dimmer than the displays of the XPS 13 or MateBook X Pro. The AU Optronics B133HAN05.C IPS panel on our test unit can be found on no other 13-inch laptop in our database.

Black-white and gray-gray response times are slower when compared to the Spectre 13 or Zenbook UX331. This isn't a huge concern for video playback or word processing, but users considering the discrete GeForce MX150 SKU for gaming purposes may want to keep in mind that there will be more noticeable ghosting.

Edge-to-edge glass. Users can choose a matte option with no glass
Edge-to-edge glass. Users can choose a matte option with no glass
Side bezels are just under 5 mm thick
Side bezels are just under 5 mm thick
RGB subpixel array (166 PPI)
RGB subpixel array (166 PPI)
Moderate backlight bleeding along top right corner
Moderate backlight bleeding along top right corner
266.9
cd/m²
264.7
cd/m²
254.1
cd/m²
268.9
cd/m²
276
cd/m²
258.3
cd/m²
246.9
cd/m²
272.7
cd/m²
254.4
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B133HAN05.C tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 276 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 262.5 cd/m² Minimum: 15.16 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 276 cd/m²
Contrast: 1314:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.85 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.6
ΔE Greyscale 5.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
69.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
97.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.08
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
AU Optronics B133HAN05.C, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
AU Optronics B133HAN04.9, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
ID: Sharp SHP148B, Name: LQ133D1, Dell P/N: 8XDHY, IPS, 13.30, 3840x2160
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Tianma XM, IPS, 13.90, 3000x2000
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
AU Optronics AUO422D, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
AUO B139HAN03_0, IPS, 13.90, 1920x1080
Display
-9%
1%
-2%
-6%
-7%
Display P3 Coverage
67.9
63.3
-7%
68.9
1%
65.9
-3%
64
-6%
62.7
-8%
sRGB Coverage
97.4
86.7
-11%
98.4
1%
95.2
-2%
90.7
-7%
92.6
-5%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
69.2
63.4
-8%
69.5
0%
67.6
-2%
65.1
-6%
64.7
-7%
Response Times
28%
-18%
29%
43%
35%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
54.4 ?(24.4, 30)
44 ?(22, 22)
19%
67.2 ?(31.6, 35.6)
-24%
40.4 ?(19.2, 21.2)
26%
27 ?(12, 15)
50%
34.4 ?(18.8, 15.6)
37%
Response Time Black / White *
37.6 ?(18.8, 18.8)
24 ?(13, 11)
36%
41.6 ?(22.8, 18.8)
-11%
25.6 ?(11.6, 14)
32%
24 ?(14, 10)
36%
25.6 ?(15.6, 10)
32%
PWM Frequency
2500 ?(20)
Screen
3%
10%
9%
10%
-32%
Brightness middle
276
329
19%
496.4
80%
442.7
60%
304
10%
312
13%
Brightness
263
306
16%
469
78%
428
63%
287
9%
295
12%
Brightness Distribution
89
86
-3%
84
-6%
84
-6%
80
-10%
87
-2%
Black Level *
0.21
0.3
-43%
0.5
-138%
0.31
-48%
0.21
-0%
0.43
-105%
Contrast
1314
1097
-17%
993
-24%
1428
9%
1448
10%
726
-45%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.85
4.07
16%
2.9
40%
2.24
54%
3.66
25%
7.6
-57%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.24
7.05
14%
5.26
36%
7.19
13%
5.66
31%
15.06
-83%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.6
1.11
31%
1.96
-23%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.7
2.76
52%
3.9
32%
9.7
-70%
3.51
38%
8.8
-54%
Gamma
2.08 106%
2.56 86%
2.066 106%
1.42 155%
2.55 86%
2.01 109%
CCT
7424 88%
6915 94%
7169 91%
6227 104%
6955 93%
6874 95%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63
56
-11%
63.9
1%
61.6
-2%
59
-6%
59.1
-6%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98
86
-12%
98.2
0%
95
-3%
91
-7%
92.3
-6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
7% / 4%
-2% / 4%
12% / 10%
16% / 11%
-1% / -19%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers almost all of sRGB and approximately 63 percent of the AdobeRGB standard. Results are similar to the Sharp 4K UHD panel found on the XPS 13 and slightly better than the AU Optronics on the older UX331. Artists who want an even wider gamut should consider the ZenBook UX580 where 100 percent AdobeRGB coverage is available.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Color temperature is much too cool out of the box with poor RGB balance as a result. Our calibration attempt addresses this directly for significantly improved colors across all saturation levels. We recommend an end-user calibration if possible especially since this panel is capable of very accurate colors.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
37.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18.8 ms rise
↘ 18.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 95 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
54.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24.4 ms rise
↘ 30 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 90 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18080 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is average at best on our glossy test unit. The matte SKU will likely fare better, but it will still be limited by the relatively dim backlight. Users who intend to use the notebook frequently in outdoor conditions may want to consider alternatives with significantly brighter displays like the Samsung Notebook 9 or MacBook Pro 13. Viewing angles are otherwise excellent as expected from an IPS panel. However, viewing slightly off-centered will cause apparent brightness to drop.

Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors on cloudy day
Outdoors on cloudy day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

The Whiskey Lake-U Core i5-8265U in our Zenbook directly succeeds the last generation Kaby Lake-R Core i5-8250U. Ultrabooks of 2019 are expected to carry the same Core i5 and i7 CPU options as our Zenbook UX333. The biggest advantage for Asus is that the UX333 includes optional GeForce MX150 discrete graphics with 2 GB GDDR5 VRAM whereas most competitors like the XPS 13, Spectre 13, or Lenovo Yoga C930 are stuck with integrated UHD Graphics 620 only.

Heavy multi-taskers may want to consider the 16 GB RAM SKU as memory is not expandable.

Processor

CineBench R15
CineBench R15

When we tested our first Core i7-8565U a few weeks ago, it proved to be just marginally better than the Core i7-8550U in raw CPU horsepower. The same can be said for the new Core i5-8265U as it is only about 15 percent faster than the last generation i5-8250U as found on the MateBook X Pro and VivoBook Flip 14. While not necessarily bad, users shouldn't be expecting any huge performance gains a la the jump from Kaby Lake to Kaby Lake-R.

The UX333 CPU has just average performance sustainability. By running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop, we can see that the initial score of 595 points drops by 15 percent to 508 points after just the first loop. The larger Lenovo Yoga C930 with its older Core i7-8550U has slightly better performance sustainability than our Zenbook.

See our dedicated page on the Core i5-8265U for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630Tooltip
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø512 (506.95-595.21)
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø544 (471.01-630.23)
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5 GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø465 (452.33-537.54)
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4 UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø588 (570.26-651.27)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
Intel Core i7-8565U
174 Points +9%
HP Omen 15-dc0001ng
Intel Core i5-8300H
173 Points +9%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
159 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (111 - 164, n=35)
155 Points -3%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
150 Points -6%
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-42-R6V0
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
150 Points -6%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
146 Points -8%
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
Intel Core i7-7500U
141 Points -11%
Alienware 13 R3 (i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti)
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
136 Points -14%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
28 Points -82%
CPU Multi 64Bit
HP Omen 15-dc0001ng
Intel Core i5-8300H
805 Points +33%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
Intel Core i7-8565U
677 Points +12%
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-42-R6V0
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
661 Points +10%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
630 Points +4%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
603 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (457 - 750, n=38)
592 Points -2%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
538 Points -11%
Alienware 13 R3 (i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti)
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
512 Points -15%
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
Intel Core i7-7500U
307 Points -49%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
97 Points -84%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
HP Omen 15-dc0001ng
Intel Core i5-8300H
1.94 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (1.73 - 1.88, n=6)
1.793 Points
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.72 Points
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-42-R6V0
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
1.71 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
1.66 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
HP Omen 15-dc0001ng
Intel Core i5-8300H
8.68 Points
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-42-R6V0
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
7.53 Points
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
6.29 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (5.22 - 7.22, n=6)
5.98 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
5.8 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
19873 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (16318 - 22962, n=9)
18952 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
16904 Points
HP x2 210 G2
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
2994 Points
Rendering Single 32Bit
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
6418 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (5841 - 6209, n=9)
6044 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
5552 Points
HP x2 210 G2
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
847 Points
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (371 - 433, n=2)
402 s *
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
331.7 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
159 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
603 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
54.2 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks are consistently higher than the last generation ZenBook UX331 to be very similar to the XPS 13 9370. We experienced no software or hardware hiccups during our time with the test unit aside from the possible trackpad bug as mentioned in an earlier section.

PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
4072 Points +8%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3787 Points
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3678 Points -3%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3445 Points -9%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3160 Points -17%
Essentials
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
9291 Points +19%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
8258 Points +6%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
7786 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
7083 Points -9%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
6855 Points -12%
Productivity
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
6505 Points +8%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
6025 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5727 Points -5%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
5664 Points -6%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
5370 Points -11%
Digital Content Creation
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3142 Points
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3046 Points -3%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
3033 Points -3%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
2735 Points -13%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
2206 Points -30%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3780 Points +20%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
3705 Points +18%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
3615 Points +15%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3478 Points +10%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3471 Points +10%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3150 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
5110 Points +18%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4811 Points +11%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4562 Points +5%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4341 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4339 Points 0%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
4140 Points -5%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3150 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4341 points
PCMark 10 Score
3787 points
Help

Storage Devices

Upgradeable M.2 2280 slot adjacent to the CPU
Upgradeable M.2 2280 slot adjacent to the CPU

The Western Digital M.2 NVMe drive is over twice as fast in sequential read and write rates as the SK Hynix drive in the older UX331. When compared to other NVMe SSDs, however, performance is on the slower side. As an example, the pricier Samsung PM981 as found on the HP Elite x2 has almost double the sequential read and write performance of our WD drive. Asus likely went with the middle-ground solution to save on costs while providing faster performance than the typical SATA III SSD.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
HP Elite x2 1013 G3 LTE i7
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-44%
21%
23%
12%
72%
Write 4K
113.7
78.4
-31%
121.4
7%
116.5
2%
108.7
-4%
100
-12%
Read 4K
43.18
30.77
-29%
33.42
-23%
42.18
-2%
40.91
-5%
40.23
-7%
Write Seq
970
264.5
-73%
385.3
-60%
1079
11%
798
-18%
1839
90%
Read Seq
1085
465.7
-57%
1958
80%
1030
-5%
1610
48%
2024
87%
Write 4K Q32T1
396.8
262.8
-34%
375.7
-5%
225.7
-43%
385.1
-3%
314.9
-21%
Read 4K Q32T1
317.8
283.8
-11%
364.1
15%
302.9
-5%
305.8
-4%
269.8
-15%
Write Seq Q32T1
518
262.7
-49%
1069
106%
1174
127%
779
50%
2402
364%
Read Seq Q32T1
1741
559
-68%
2564
47%
3394
95%
2359
35%
3306
90%
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1741 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 518 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 317.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 396.8 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1085 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 970 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 43.18 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 113.7 MB/s

GPU Performance

The UHD Graphics 620 is the same integrated GPU as found on last generation Kaby Lake-R CPUs. Performance is almost exactly where we expect it to be and so there are no notable performance boosts over older Ultrabooks with the Core i5-8250U, i7-8550U, or even i5-7200U.

Users who want the UX333 SKU with dedicated GeForce MX150 graphics should see a raw power boost of about 100 percent over the UHD Graphics 620. It's very likely that the MX150 GPU will be the slower '1D12' variant since the UX331 uses this version as well.

See our dedicated page on the UHD Graphics 620 for more technical information and benchmarks.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Ice Storm
Ice Storm
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
4905 Points +183%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
3461 Points +100%
Intel NUC8i7BE
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, i7-8559U
3081 Points +78%
HP EliteBook 735 G5 3UN62EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2907 Points +68%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
2124 Points +23%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1911 Points +10%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +1%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1732 Points
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1527 Points -12%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
349 Points -80%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
4394 Points +161%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
3553 Points +111%
Intel NUC8i7BE
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, i7-8559U
2583 Points +53%
HP EliteBook 735 G5 3UN62EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
1872 Points +11%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1862 Points +11%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
1838 Points +9%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1685 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (927 - 2505, n=244)
1578 Points -6%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1212 Points -28%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
392 Points -77%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
21755 Points +104%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
18346 Points +72%
Intel NUC8i7BE
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, i7-8559U
16698 Points +57%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
11232 Points +5%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
10660 Points
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
10490 Points -2%
HP EliteBook 735 G5 3UN62EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
9904 Points -7%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points -13%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
7584 Points -29%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
1841 Points -83%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3726 Points
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
2826 Points
Intel NUC8i7BE
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, i7-8559U
2260 Points
HP EliteBook 735 G5 3UN62EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
1740 Points
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
1369 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
970 Points
HP x2 210 G2
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
234 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (26409 - 59483, n=71)
42924 Points
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
32762 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
1147 Points
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
830 Points
Intel NUC8i7BE
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, i7-8559U
633 Points
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
413 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (299 - 797, n=88)
389 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1941 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
9235 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 63.4 35.8 31 9.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 21.5 13.7 7.3 6.2
Rocket League (2017) 73.9 36.4 22.5

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of just a single 50 mm fan and a heat pipe. Nonetheless, the system is silent during low to medium loads including web browsing or video playback. In fact, the fan remains idle throughout the entire first benchmark scene of 3DMark 06 whereas the fans in most other Ultrabooks begin revving within the first 10 or 30 seconds. Of course, we suspect that SKUs with the GeForce MX150 will be louder when subjected to the same test.

Maximum load with Prime95 or prolonged gaming will induce a slow rise in RPM until the fan reaches a steady 40 to 42.4 dB(A) range. In this case, results are comparable to the UX331 and XPS 13.

We can notice absolutely no coil whine or electronic noise on our test unit.

Single 50 mm fan
Single 50 mm fan
One heat pipe shared between the CPU and optional dedicated GPU
One heat pipe shared between the CPU and optional dedicated GPU

Noise Level

Idle
28.6 / 28.6 / 28.6 dB(A)
Load
28.6 / 42.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.6 dB(A)
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
Noise
-9%
-2%
-4%
-2%
-0%
off / environment *
28.6
30.13
-5%
29
-1%
27.9
2%
30.13
-5%
27.9
2%
Idle Minimum *
28.6
30.13
-5%
29
-1%
27.9
2%
30.13
-5%
27.9
2%
Idle Average *
28.6
30.3
-6%
29
-1%
27.9
2%
30.13
-5%
27.9
2%
Idle Maximum *
28.6
30.3
-6%
29
-1%
27.9
2%
30.13
-5%
29.3
-2%
Load Average *
28.6
39.2
-37%
32
-12%
36.2
-27%
31.5
-10%
32
-12%
Load Maximum *
42.4
41
3%
40.1
5%
45.2
-7%
33.5
21%
39.3
7%
Witcher 3 ultra *
45

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Maximum load. There are no rear or side exhaust vents
Maximum load. There are no rear or side exhaust vents

Surface temperatures when idling are warmest towards the center of the keyboard due to the positioning of the cooling solution underneath. When under very high loads, surfaces closes to the processor become warmest at up to 36 C and 44 C on the top and bottom, respectively. These hot spots are thankfully towards the rear of the unit and so the palm rests or main QWERTY keys are never uncomfortable to use.

We suspect that SKUs with the dedicated GeForce MX150 GPU can become much warmer than what we've recorded here. The keyboard on the last generation UX331 with MX150 graphics, for example, can be as warm as 43 C when gaming.

It's interesting to note that the design of the UX333 includes no traditional rear or side ventilation grilles. Instead, waste heat exits upwards from grilles hidden towards the bottom right of the screen. While not uncommon on low-power laptops, it's more rare on systems with dedicated GPU options.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (bottom)
Maximum load (bottom)
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext .75pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

We stress the laptop with synthetic loads to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When subjected to Prime95 load to stress the processor, we are  able to record a maximum clock rate and temperature of 3.7 GHz and 95 C respectiely, during the first few seconds of the test. Clock rates eventually fall and stabilize between 2.2 and 2.8 GHz in order to maintain a cooler core temperature in the 70 to 80 C range. While the processor is not technically throttling relative to its base clock rate of 1.6 GHz, a steadier and narrower clock rate range would have been preferable.

Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will throttle the CPU to the 1.1 GHz and 1.4 GHz range.

Running on battery power will not significantly impact performance. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 6303 and 1752 points, respectively, compared to 6593 and 1732 points when on mains.

System idle
System idle
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 42
Prime95 Stress 2.2 - 2.8 -- 70 - 80
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 0.8 - 1.4 667 - 1047 81
Max. Load
 37 °C
99 F
29.2 °C
85 F
30 °C
86 F
 
 32 °C
90 F
31 °C
88 F
25.8 °C
78 F
 
 27.4 °C
81 F
24.8 °C
77 F
24.2 °C
76 F
 
Maximum: 37 °C = 99 F
Average: 29 °C = 84 F
35.6 °C
96 F
43 °C
109 F
44 °C
111 F
31 °C
88 F
36.2 °C
97 F
35.2 °C
95 F
28.2 °C
83 F
30.6 °C
87 F
31.2 °C
88 F
Maximum: 44 °C = 111 F
Average: 35 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  37 °C = 99 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Raytek Raynger ST // Voltcraft IR-360 // FIRT 550-Pocket // Fluke 62 Mini
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29 °C / 84 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 37 °C / 99 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 44 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 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 27.4 °C / 81.3 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 (+0.9 °C / 1.6 F).

Speakers

The Harman Kardon-certified stereo speakers are loud for the size with no static, chassis reverberations, or major imbalances. Bass is underwhelming as we'd expect.

Pink noise at maximum volume
Pink noise at maximum volume
Bottom-facing speakers towards front corners
Bottom-facing speakers towards front corners
Audio controller software
Audio controller software
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.735.6253433.13132.131.8403133.45030.531.16330.530.68029.629.910027.430.512526.333.916025.941.220026.348.925025.653.83152555.840024.558.650024.160.163023.960.680023.759.3100023.564.3125023.266160023.165.9200022.760.525002358.931502354.7400022.852.250002354630022.860.1800022.9641000022.962.41250022.856.71600022.853.8SPL35.373.6N2.432.2median 23.2median 58.6Delta1.25.535.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ZenBook 13 UX333FAApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (66 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 14.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 67% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 28% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 53% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The laptop is very power efficient when idling on desktop which likely contributes to its long battery life in our next section. Consumption jumps to the high 30 W to 40 W range as is typical from a 13-inch Ultrabook with an Intel ULV processor. Expect higher power consumption from SKUs with the dedicated GeForce MX150 GPU. 

The competing AMD Ryzen 7 2700U in the HP EliteBook 735 is less power efficient during low loads, but it offers about 50 percent faster GPU performance than our configuration in return.

We are able to record a maximum temporary draw of 45 W from the very small (5.2 x 5.2 x 2.8 cm) 45 W AC adapter. Thankfully, SKUs with the dedicated Nvidia graphics chip ship with a more capable 65 W AC adapter instead. 

Relatively stable consumption when running the first scene of 3DMark 06
Relatively stable consumption when running the first scene of 3DMark 06
Prime95 initiated at the 20s mark. Another spike in power consumption occurs after just a couple of minutes
Prime95 initiated at the 20s mark. Another spike in power consumption occurs after just a couple of minutes
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.27 / 0.38 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.6 / 4.6 / 7.3 Watt
Load midlight 37.9 / 44.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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 ZenBook 13 UX333FA
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IPS, 3840x2160, 13.30
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 3000x2000, 13.90
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
HP EliteBook 735 G5 3UN62EA
R7 2700U, Vega 10, Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Power Consumption
-11%
-58%
-68%
-21%
-82%
Idle Minimum *
1.6
2.2
-38%
4.3
-169%
3.5
-119%
2.8
-75%
5.5
-244%
Idle Average *
4.6
5
-9%
8
-74%
8.9
-93%
6.2
-35%
9.4
-104%
Idle Maximum *
7.3
8
-10%
8.1
-11%
12.3
-68%
9.4
-29%
11.6
-59%
Load Average *
37.9
33
13%
46.6
-23%
54.2
-43%
32.2
15%
39
-3%
Load Maximum *
44.8
49.4
-10%
49.8
-11%
52.1
-16%
36.6
18%
45.6
-2%
Witcher 3 ultra *
42.4

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery capacity remains identical to the UX331 at 50 Wh. Even so, runtimes are slightly longer by about one hour on the newer model when subjected to similar WLAN loads. Users can expect almost 10 hours of real-world WLAN use compared to ~7 hours on the XPS 13 or Spectre 13.

Charging from empty to full capacity takes about 1.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
27h 48min
WiFi Websurfing
9h 53min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 12min
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 50 Wh
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 50 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 57.4 Wh
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 43 Wh
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Battery Runtime
-18%
-33%
-10%
-31%
12%
Reader / Idle
1668
1240
-26%
869
-48%
1243
-25%
WiFi v1.3
593
538
-9%
408
-31%
557
-6%
352
-41%
664
12%
Load
132
105
-20%
106
-20%
133
1%
104
-21%

Verdict

Pros

+ optional (low-power) GeForce MX150
+ high contrast, full sRGB coverage
+ relatively large Arrow keys
+ matte and glossy options
+ respectable battery life
+ upgradeable M.2 SSD
+ very small footprint
+ no electronic noise
+ virtual NumPad
+ quiet fan noise
+ strong lid

Cons

- still reliant on proprietary AC adapter for charging
- Turbo Boost sustainability could be better
- slow wireless transmit transfer rates
- light-moderate backlight bleeding
- slightly more ghosting than usual
- thicker than many Ultrabooks
- no Thunderbolt 3 support
- display could be brighter
- soldered RAM and WLAN
- spongy clickpad keys
- no fingerprint reader
- slow MicroSD reader
In review: Asus ZenBook UX333FA. Test model provided by Asus US
In review: Asus ZenBook UX333FA. Test model provided by Asus US

Design-wise, the new chassis is a step forward over the last generation ZenBook UX331. The UX333 dares to be thicker to improve rigidity while shaving off even more from the bezels for a compact impression. The gen-to-gen visual leap and reasonable starting price are perhaps the biggest reasons to own a ZenBook UX333 rather than the jump from Intel 8th gen Core Kaby Lake-R to Whiskey Lake-U.

Most users in the market for a 13-inch Ultrabook will likely compare this laptop to a Dell XPS 13 9370. From this perspective, the UX333 has a few advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind. Its smaller footprint, integrated USB Type-A and HDMI ports, faster GeForce MX150 GPU option, and cheaper price for the same Core i5 CPU are all in Asus' favor. On the other hand, the Dell system has the brighter display, optional touchscreen, ThunderBolt 3, more versatile USB Type-C charging, faster MicroSD reader, and larger trackpad. The choice is largely down to user preference.

The ZenBook UX333 makes the older UX331 look dated in comparison. It brings the series up to par with flagship alternatives like the XPS 13 and Spectre 13 while costing a few hundred dollars less in the process. The absence of Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-C AC charging, and touchscreen features may be hard to swallow for enthusiasts and travelers.

Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA - 12/28/2018 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
82 /  98 → 83%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
75%
Connectivity
47 / 80 → 59%
Weight
73 / 35-78 → 88%
Battery
0%
Display
82%
Games Performance
60 / 68 → 88%
Application Performance
85 / 87 → 98%
Temperature
93 / 91 → 100%
Noise
94%
Audio
60 / 91 → 66%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Average
73%
84%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA (i5-8265U) Laptop Review
Allen Ngo, 2018-12-28 (Update: 2019-02-23)