But is that all that is new in the latest update to the Zenbook line?  Certainly not!  While other brands may settle for selling a mere display change as an evolution, Asus has added a more exciting features to this year’s update to last fall's UX31. The processor was updated to Intel's new 3rd generation Ivy Bridge platform, using a ULV low-power CPU as is necessary to meet the Ultrabook standard. Asus offers two variations of this notebook, the UX32A and UX32VD, with the latter featuring the Optimus-integrated Nvidia GeForce GT 620M dedicated GPU.

The UX31 and the UX21 were refreshed as well and return as the UX31A and UX21A. They are priced higher than the UX32 models despite relying exclusively on Ivy Bridge's integrated Intel HD 4000 GPU. The differences revolve around the case (unibody vs. aluminum sandwich), storage (solid state drives vs. SSD-cached hard drive hybrids), and a slightly larger battery for the UX31A. 

For the following test, we had access to a pre-production model of the Asus UX32VD. In this regard, we should mention that changes to included accessories, workmanship, and components could be made to production models prior to their release for sale.  Details about the included CPU, price, and release date of these products are under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and cannot be discussed here. We will only be allowed to provide these when the NDA is lifted. According to rumors, this could be the case in just a few weeks.  As far as pricing is concerned, our predictions are based on the current prices of the UX31 which is sold in Germany between 900 and 1500 Euro ($1120 to $1860 USD) depending on equipment levels. Since the UX32A lacks a unibody case and makes do with just an SSD cache, its price could potentially drop below the current bottom end of the price range. We wait in anticipation.

Aside from the slight case modifications, we also find a refreshed selection of interfaces on the new Asus Zenbook UX32VD. Asus integrated 3 USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader, a full size HDMI connector, and a mini-VGA port into the UX32VD. Included are matching adapters – a mini-VGA to standard VGA adapter and a USB-to-RJ45 LAN adapter. An audio combination port similar to one found on many smart phones is also included on the right side. By comparison, the UX32 beats the existing UX31 and the new Zenbook Prime UX31A by one USB 3.0 port and the standard HDMI port. The positioning of connectors is very similar across all Zenbooks as they are located along the rear halves of both sides.

Service

Atypical for ultrabooks, the Asus UX32VD allows access to the innermost areas provided one has the correct tools. After removal of the base plate, the battery, hard drive, and RAM modules can be removed or swapped effortlessly. The two extremely shallow cooling fans can also be removed for easy cleaning.

According to Asus, it will be possible for users to swap RAM modules and hard drives themselves without loss of warranty. In the right column, one can see the photographic progression of our disassembly process.

Warranty

As was previously the case, this upcoming generation of Zenbooks comes with a 24-month warranty including pick-up and return service (Austria and Germany).

What does the perfect display for an ultra-portable notebook actually look like? High brightness, excellent contrast, a non-reflective display surface, high resolution for a crisp view, good viewing angles to be able to make out something from unfavorable or wide angles (perhaps not a good thing in Economy Class during air travel), and perhaps decent color space are all factors we consider necessary for a perfect display. This combination would create a good all-purpose display but has been largely absent among the myriad available notebooks on the market.  The good news is that the wait is now over.

Asus equips the Zenbook UX32 with two options - a conventional HD display at 1366 x 768 pixels and the Full-HD 1920x1080 IPS panel that graced our test unit. This offers users a first class display.  But wait, there is more! In our tests, we measured a satisfying maximum brightness value of 388 cd/m². While this is less than the maximum 470 cd/m² of the UX31 predecessor the difference is more than made up for by the non-reflective screen surface. On average, the display sports a still excellent brightness of 355 cd/m². Illumination at 88% is decent given the high brightness.

With the Intel Core i5-3317U, the Zenbook UX32VD possesses a brand new Ivy Bridge dual-core ULV processor. The chip is clocked from 1.7 GHz to 2.6 GHz (TurboBoost) and can process four threads simultaneously thanks to hyper-threading. Ivy Bridge processors are manufactured in the new 22 nm process (Sandy Bridge was 32 nm) while the integrated features remain the same (AES-IN, AVX, TurboBoost 2.0). As a member of the Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) series, the CPU, including the GPU, sports a TDP of just 17 Watts, a significant decrease in power consumption when compared to the standard voltage dual-core chip’s TDP of 35 Watts.

Depending on the benchmark used, the i5-3317U ULV CPU roughly matched the performance of standard Sandy Bridge Core i5-2410M and Core i5-2430M processors. In comparison to Sandy Bridge ULV processors, the i5-3317U matched the performance of the Core i7-2637M in the Dell XPS 13. At times, the i5-3317U even outperformed as it reached the performance level of the Core i5-2557M processor used in the UX31E. A thorough comparison of the new Ivy Bridge processors can be found in this special feature on Notebookcheck.

Intel HD Graphics 4000

In addition to the dedicated GeForce GPU, the Zenbook UX32VD also features the Intel CPU's integrated HD 4000 GPU. Turbo Boost is available for the GPU as well, allowing the graphic component to vary clock speeds between 350 and 1150 MHz. We compare the performance of the HD 4000 in the ULV CPU with various other configurations below.

At 2578 points in the 3DMark Vantage GPU score, which minimizes CPU participation, the HD 4000 in the ULV CPU only remains minimally behind the HD 4000 in the 3320M standard voltage CPU found in the new Lenovo Thinkpad X230. Compared to the dedicated GeForce GT 620M, the HD 4000 achieves approximately 40% fewer points in this test. By comparison, the HD 4000 is a good 60% ahead of the HD 3000 in the Thinkpad X220T (2620M standard voltage CPU). Similarly, the HD 4000 in the UX32VD is more than double the performance of the HD 3000 in the UX31 (2557M ULV CPU). However, the HD 4000 found in standard voltage quad-core Ivy Bridge CPUs, as found in the MSI GT70, clearly stays ahead of the version found in dual-core ULV Ivy Bridge CPUs with a score of 3092 points, representing a 20% increase.

Are the terms “gaming” and “ultrabook” a contradiction? Not necessarily. On one hand, we can expect a significant performance increase from the integrated GPU in the upcoming Ivy Bridge dual-core processors.  Naturally the performance increase in ULV chip variants will be less significant than the increase in standard voltage processor variants. On the other hand, increasingly efficient GPU architectures allow the integration of dedicated GPUs even in slender, mobile ultrabooks. In the following test, we examine the combination of the Ivy Bridge ULV CPU with the Nvidia GT 620M GPU in current games.

We could fluidly play the less demanding FIFA 12 at the maximum native Full-HD resolution and using high detail settings. This is not the case for Anno 2070, a heavy weight in terms of hardware requirements in spite of the leisurely pace of gameplay. At a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and using medium detail settings, the UX32VD still managed a fluid frame rate.  Using a high detail setting at the same resolution dropped the frame rate noticeably to roughly 20 fps. With minor adjustments, this is still playable. Last but not least, we took a look at Diablo 3. Similar to Anno 2070, medium to high detail settings can be played fluidly at a resolution of 1366 x 768.

When comparing the performance of the Asus UX32VD in these three games to that of other notebooks, the UX32VD manages to match the performance level of notebooks equipped with the Nvidia GT 540M.

System Noise

During our initial disassembly and inspection, we marveled at the two integrated fans.  These fans performed as expected. During low office loads, like surfing the Internet or texting, the notebook stays practically silent and the hard drive is the only audible component, albeit only minimally and only when concentrating on noise detection. Under load, the Asus UX32VD can get a bit louder. Expressed in numbers, these noise levels are about 28 - 30.2 dB(A) during office work and up to 39.3 - 44.6 dB(A) under full load. This demonstrates that Intel's ULV CPU (Turbo Boost) and Nvidia's dedicated GPU are fully utilizing the cooling system’s capacity. Without fans, the generated heat could not be expelled. Considering the provided performance reserves, especially with a dedicated GPU in the thin ultrabook case, this is perfectly acceptable.

More so than the noise level, case temperatures show the chasm between energy savings mode and full load operation. Under a low load during office operation, we measure just 34°C (93°F) at the top rear area of the base unit. The bottom of the base unit also maintains this relatively harmless temperature. During the system stress test, we placed both CPU and GPU under full load for over an hour. As a result, not only do the fans make themselves heard but the surfaces are also noticeably hot to the touch.

We measured hot spots again in the rear area where both the components and the cooling system’s exhausts are installed. The maximum measured temperatures of up to 50.4°C (122.7°F) at the top and bottom of the UX32VD represent worrisome temperature values. In daily use, the surface temperatures should remain markedly lower since full utilization of CPU and GPU will only occur for short periods of time even during the use of complex software like video editing or gaming. After one hour of Anno 2070, surface temperatures remained narrowly below those of the stress test with a maximum of roughly 47°C (117°F) near the exhausts.

During our stress tests which simulate extreme scenarios, we were able to observe throttling of the CPU. The CPU and GPU reached core temperatures of over 90°C (194°F) upon which the CPU reduced its clock speed to 800 MHz until temperatures fell. In everyday use, we could not duplicate such limitations. Under load, the CPU raised clock speeds to its maximum specified Turbo clock speed.

For a good rating as a mobile subnotebook, a decent battery runtime is required. At most, a runtime of 7 hours can be expected. We measured this using BatteryEater's Readers Test with minimal display brightness, deactivated radios, and using the 'power saver' power profile. The opposite of this is the Classic Test in which a 3D scene is rendered using the dedicated GPU. With maximum brightness, active radios, and using the 'High Performance' power profile, we measured a runtime of 161 minutes or roughly 2.5 hours.

A value that matches every day use is given by the Wi-Fi surf test. Here, we use adjusted brightness to ~150 cd/m² and used a script to surf different websites. At 258 minutes or roughly 5 hours of runtime, the Asus UX32VD delivers good mobility and almost matches its predecessor UX31.

The UX32VD’s performance on battery power matches its performance while on AC power. The 3DMark 2006 test we ran in battery mode showed only slightly weaker results (7210 points on battery, 7459 points on AC power).