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Asus E203MA (N5000, UHD605) Laptop Review

Four cores without a fan. Asus packs the energy-saving Intel Pentium Silver N500 quad-core processor into a small 11.6-inch laptop. In addition, there are four GB of RAM and a usable battery, which make the device a small and affordable companion for everyday life. In our review we clarify what users may expect from the small laptop with a price tag of less than 350 Euros (~$392).
Asus VivoBook E203MA-FD825TS

In our tests, Asus repeatedly proves that the manufacturer knows how to handle both sophisticated business devices, such as the Asus Zenbook S UX391U, as well as affordable entry-level models, such as the Asus VivoBook E12 E203NA. The latter category also includes our current review unit, the Asus VivoBook E203MA.

For less than 350 Euros (~$392) the device offers the Intel Pentium Silver N5000 quad-core processor with integrated UHD Graphics 605 graphics unit, four GB of RAM and 64 GB internal eMMC flash memory. According to the manufacturer, the 11.6-inch laptop has a battery life of ten hours, which should be possible given the 38 Wh battery.

Due to its small size and modest hardware, the E203MA competes with numerous low-priced Chromebooks on the market, but as a Windows device it should also be comparable to other inexpensive laptops on the same platform. Therefore, for this test we choose the following competing models for our comparison: Lenovo V130-14IGMNuVision Encite Book 12 PlusChuwi LapBook SE and Trekstor Yourbook C11B.

Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Processor
Intel Pentium Silver N5000 4 x 1.1 - 2.7 GHz, Gemini Lake
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
, Single-Channel
Display
11.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 135 PPI, AUO225C, TN LED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Gemini Lake
Storage
SanDisk DA4064, 64 GB 
, 25 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Gemini Lake SoC - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: kombinierter Audioanschluss, Card Reader: microSD
Networking
Wireless AC-9461 (ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16.9 x 286 x 193 ( = 0.67 x 11.26 x 7.6 in)
Battery
38 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.3 MP, 4:3, 640x480
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, 2x 2W, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
980 g ( = 34.57 oz / 2.16 pounds), Power Supply: 40 g ( = 1.41 oz / 0.09 pounds)
Price
350 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Equipment - A Light Laptop with ac-WLAN

Maintenance possibilities
Maintenance possibilities

Asus uses plastic for manufacturing the case of the E203MA and decorates the top of the lid with a honeycomb pattern. The surfaces of the inner sides are in dark gray and provide a robust impression. Due to its compact dimensions, the Asus laptop looks very stable overall. However, the lid yields when a bit of pressure is applied and the bottom right corner creaks occasionally when the laptop is held against it.

The bottom can be removed easily after loosening several screws. Inside, however, there is no opportunity for changes to be made by users. A fan for cleaning is not available and all memory components as well as the WLAN module are soldered. In terms of connectivity, Asus delivers only the basics. All USB ports are compliant with the 3.1 Gen1 standard though. Furthermore, a USB Type-C port is available.

The internal memory of the Asus E203MA can be expanded via a microSD card reader. In our test, the latter achieves a reading speed of 39.9 MB/s and thus outperforms the competition devices in our test field. Compared with the results of all notebooks tested by us however, the performance of the SD card reader is just below average.

In our WLAN test, the Asus laptop achieves average data transfer rates of 289 Mbps (reception) and 330 Mbps (transmission). This puts our test device on par with comparable laptops. The fast 802.11 ac standard is also supported which enables usage in the 5-GHz band range.

Asus E203MA
Asus E203MA
Asus E203MA
Asus E203MA
Asus E203MA
Asus E203MA
Asus E203MA

Size Comparison

343 mm / 13.5 inch 247 mm / 9.72 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs318 mm / 12.5 inch 216 mm / 8.5 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.4 kg3.16 lbs292.9 mm / 11.5 inch 192.8 mm / 7.59 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1 kg2.29 lbs286 mm / 11.3 inch 193 mm / 7.6 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 980 g2.16 lbs280 mm / 11 inch 190 mm / 7.48 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.2 kg2.56 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Left side: DC in, microSD card reader, HDMI, 1x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C
Left side: DC in, microSD card reader, HDMI, 1x USB 3.1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C
Right side: combo audio port, 1x USB 3.1 Type-A
Right side: combo audio port, 1x USB 3.1 Type-A
SD Card Reader - maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (23.6 - 239, n=16, last 2 years)
84.3 MB/s +111%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
39.9 MB/s
Chuwi LapBook SE
 
26.8 MB/s -33%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
25.8 MB/s -35%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.6 MB/s -38%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
330 (274min - 339max) MBit/s 0%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Wireless AC-9461
330 (247min - 394max) MBit/s
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
329 (262min - 342max) MBit/s 0%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
317 MBit/s -4%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
301 (237min - 351max) MBit/s -9%
iperf3 receive AX12
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
350 MBit/s +21%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
309 (299min - 316max) MBit/s +7%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
307 (297min - 318max) MBit/s +6%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
297 (117min - 322max) MBit/s +3%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Wireless AC-9461
289 (204min - 340max) MBit/s
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360380Tooltip
Asus E203MA-FD825TS; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø289 (204-340)
Asus E203MA-FD825TS; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø330 (247-394)

Input Devices - Asus Laptop with a Good Touchpad

The keyboard of the Asus E203MA is not made for big hands. The keys are quite small, close together and provide a soft pressure point. However, after some time to adapt, typing works well. Only the arrow and function keys are not intuitively accessible.

As a mouse replacement, users can resort to a ClickPad which is appropriately sized for an 11-inch laptop. This provides a crisp feedback when the left and right mouse buttons are released. In addition, it reacts reliably to our input at every point.

Asus E203MA - Input devices
Asus E203MA - Input devices

Display - A Laptop with a TN Panel

Subpixel
Subpixel

The screen of the Asus EM203MA consists of an 11.6-inch TN LED panel and offers a maximum resolution of 1366x720 pixels. With a brightness of 235 cd/m² on average, the luminosity is just sufficient for a place in the lower middle of our comparison device selection. The illumination, however, is rated as very good with 93 percent.

Asus does not offer alternative display versions for the E203MA.

219
cd/m²
232
cd/m²
235
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
235
cd/m²
228
cd/m²
223
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO225C tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 235 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 226.7 cd/m² Minimum: 14.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 246 cd/m²
Contrast: 534:1 (Black: 0.44 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.73 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.73
ΔE Greyscale 12.64 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
54% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
34% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36.94% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
53.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
35.75% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.61
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
AUO225C, , 1366x768, 11.60
Lenovo V130-14IGM
AU Optronics B140XTNE02.E, , 1366x768, 14.00
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Sharp SHP142C, , 2560x1440, 12.50
Chuwi LapBook SE
1920x1080, 13.30
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
LC116LF1L01, , 1920x1080, 11.60
Display
1%
99%
79%
77%
Display P3 Coverage
35.75
36.23
1%
74.8
109%
65
82%
64.4
80%
sRGB Coverage
53.8
54.5
1%
98.9
84%
94.8
76%
92.5
72%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
36.94
37.44
1%
75.6
105%
66.5
80%
65.7
78%
Response Times
-29%
-104%
-87%
-111%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
41 ?(22, 19)
52 ?(30, 22)
-27%
37.6 ?(20.4, 17.2)
8%
39.2 ?(19.2, 20)
4%
42 ?(21, 21)
-2%
Response Time Black / White *
10 ?(6, 4)
13 ?(8, 5)
-30%
31.6 ?(16.8, 14.8)
-216%
27.7 ?(14.8, 12.9)
-177%
32 ?(18, 14)
-220%
PWM Frequency
198.4 ?(25)
200 ?(29)
200 ?(20)
Screen
-9%
58%
16%
43%
Brightness middle
235
234
0%
431.5
84%
227
-3%
304
29%
Brightness
227
216
-5%
406
79%
210
-7%
267
18%
Brightness Distribution
93
83
-11%
80
-14%
89
-4%
77
-17%
Black Level *
0.44
0.51
-16%
0.43
2%
0.44
-0%
0.28
36%
Contrast
534
459
-14%
1003
88%
516
-3%
1086
103%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.73
11.84
-1%
3.56
70%
6.6
44%
7.28
38%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18.8
25.17
-34%
7
63%
12.2
35%
12.65
33%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.73
3.34
10%
1.9
49%
1.89
49%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
12.64
13.97
-11%
2.9
77%
7.9
37%
8.34
34%
Gamma
2.61 84%
2.13 103%
2.2 100%
2.16 102%
2.33 94%
CCT
14819 44%
18080 36%
6572 99%
8879 73%
9038 72%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
34
35
3%
66.7
96%
60
76%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
54
55
2%
98.9
83%
92
70%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-12% / -9%
18% / 46%
3% / 15%
3% / 30%

* ... smaller is better

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
10 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6 ms rise
↘ 4 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 21 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
41 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 19 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. » 59 % 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Asus E203MA vs. sRGB (54%)
Asus E203MA vs. sRGB (54%)
Asus E203MA vs. AdobeRGB (34%)
Asus E203MA vs. AdobeRGB (34%)

Our measurements of Asus E203MA's display characteristics show a mediocre contrast ratio of 534:1 and a black level of 0.44 cd/m² which is higher than common. In addition, the screen has a too low red level. This can be compensated by a calibration, but this results in a slightly increased blue level.

Furthermore, the color space coverage is just average at 54 percent in the sRGB color space, but is sufficient for regular users. It becomes difficult, however, if the Asus laptop is to be used outdoors. The low brightness combined with the reflective screen is not sufficient to display readable image content. In shady areas this is possible, but it is very exhausting for the eyes in the long run.

CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: grayscales
CalMAN: grayscales
CalMAN: grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN: grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN: color saturation
CalMAN: color saturation
CalMAN: color saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: color saturation (calibrated)
Outdoor usage
Outdoor usage
Outdoor usage
Outdoor usage

Performance - A Fanless Laptop for the Office Usage

LatencyMon
LatencyMon

In the Asus E203MA, an Intel Pentium Silver N5000 and 4 GB of RAM ensure fluid system operation. The image content is displayed by Intel's UHD Graphics 605 integrated graphics unit. A 64 GB eMMC flash memory is available for the operating system and data storage. With this equipment, the E203MA is suitable for office work, basic image editing and surfing the Web.

Processor

Intel's Pentium Silver N5000 is a quad-core processor with clock speeds between 1.1 and 2.7 GHz. The actual clock frequency depends significantly on the cooling system; in particular, the turbo clock rate of 2.7 GHz can be maintained only for a short period without active cooling. With its four cores, the CPU can process four threads simultaneously. Due to the low TDP of 6 watts, the N5000 is also suitable for integration in completely passively cooled laptops.

Our Cinebench R15 endurance test shows that the performance of the Asus laptop remains relatively consistent over a long period of time. Over the entire testing period, only a drop of about 5 percent could be observed.

0153045607590105120135150165180195210225240Tooltip
Asus E203MA-FD825TS Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel Pentium Silver N5000: Ø213 (210.75-224.73)
Lenovo V130-14IGM Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel Pentium Silver N5000: Ø241 (236.81-246.79)
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus Intel Celeron N3350, Intel Celeron N3350: Ø84.2 (83.38-84.84)
Chuwi LapBook SE Intel Celeron N4100, Intel Celeron N4100: Ø157.8 (150.45-161.13)
Trekstor Yourbook C11B Intel Celeron N3350, Intel Celeron N3350: Ø85 (83.2-85.47)

Compared to other devices in its class, the E203MA achieves a good result in the Cinebench R15 benchmarking test. While the Asus laptop can share first place in our test field with the Lenovo V130-14IGM in single-core performance, the difference of 10 percent in multi-core performance is just enough for second place.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (91.8 - 280, n=62, last 2 years)
234 Points +196%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
79 Points 0%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
79 Points
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000
  (73 - 80, n=12)
77.5 Points -2%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel Celeron N4100
69.8 Points -12%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Intel Celeron N3350
48 Points -39%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350
46 Points -42%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (514 - 2581, n=70, last 2 years)
1705 Points +661%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
247 Points +10%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000
  (210 - 284, n=12)
240 Points +7%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel Pentium Silver N5000
224 Points
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel Celeron N4100
161 (150.45min - 161.13max) Points -28%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350
85 Points -62%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Intel Celeron N3350
85 Points -62%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
79 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
224 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
17.95 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark (versions 8 and 10) benchmarks, the Asus E203MA reached second place on our comparison list. The Lenovo V130-14IGM is again ahead of the competition due to the active fans, slightly higher CPU performance and the faster SSD.

The performance of other systems compared to Intel's Pentium Silver N5000 can be found on our CPU benchmark page.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4384 - 7428, n=56, last 2 years)
5810 Points +201%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SK Hynix HFS128G32TND
2052 Points +6%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (1862 - 2052, n=10)
1934 Points 0%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
1930 Points
Chuwi LapBook SE
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, SanDisk DF4032
1502 Points -22%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1208 Points -37%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, SanDisk DF4064
1102 Points -43%
Essentials
Average of class Subnotebook
  (8890 - 11168, n=56, last 2 years)
10202 Points +114%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SK Hynix HFS128G32TND
5024 Points +5%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
4766 Points
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (4519 - 5061, n=10)
4764 Points 0%
Chuwi LapBook SE
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, SanDisk DF4032
3776 Points -21%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
3118 Points -35%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, SanDisk DF4064
3073 Points -36%
Productivity
Average of class Subnotebook
  (6213 - 10279, n=56, last 2 years)
7803 Points +157%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SK Hynix HFS128G32TND
3281 Points +8%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (2775 - 3336, n=10)
3060 Points +1%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
3039 Points
Chuwi LapBook SE
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, SanDisk DF4032
2567 Points -16%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1974 Points -35%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, SanDisk DF4064
1743 Points -43%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4093 - 9749, n=56, last 2 years)
6758 Points +423%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SK Hynix HFS128G32TND
1424 Points +10%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (1276 - 1424, n=10)
1344 Points +4%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
1293 Points
Chuwi LapBook SE
UHD Graphics 600, Celeron N4100, SanDisk DF4032
949 Points -27%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
780 Points -40%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, SanDisk DF4064
678 Points -48%
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4730 - 5285, n=3, last 2 years)
5030 Points +143%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SK Hynix HFS128G32TND
2393 Points +16%
Average Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (1933 - 2393, n=9)
2186 Points +6%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
UHD Graphics 605, Pentium N5000, SanDisk DA4064
2070 Points
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1700 Points -18%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
HD Graphics 500, Celeron N3350, SanDisk DF4064
1462 Points -29%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2070 points
PCMark 10 Score
1930 points
Help

Storage

The internal memory of the Asus E203MA is a clear leader in our test field compared to other eMMC flash memory solutions. However, the speed is not comparable to the one of a fast SSD, which is why it deserves the second place after the Lenovo V130-14IGM.

The performance comparison of the built-in eMMC flash memory to other mass storage devices can be found on our HDD/SSD benchmark page.

Asus E203MA-FD825TS
SanDisk DA4064
Lenovo V130-14IGM
SK Hynix HFS128G32TND
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
SanDisk DF4064
Chuwi LapBook SE
SanDisk DF4032
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
64 GB eMMC Flash
Average SanDisk DA4064
 
Average of class Subnotebook
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
100%
-50%
-47%
-45%
5%
1091%
Write 4K
38.28
68.6
79%
7.837
-80%
11.17
-71%
9.498
-75%
38.1 ?(37.8 - 38.3, n=4)
0%
154.8 ?(65.3 - 329, n=38, last 2 years)
304%
Read 4K
12.14
28.73
137%
7.689
-37%
7.2
-41%
4.941
-59%
18.1 ?(12.1 - 23.8, n=4)
49%
65.7 ?(22.2 - 92, n=38, last 2 years)
441%
Write Seq
220.2
252.3
15%
104.9
-52%
87.7
-60%
114.3
-48%
222 ?(214 - 229, n=4)
1%
2528 ?(393 - 3918, n=19, last 2 years)
1048%
Read Seq
262
444
69%
167.8
-36%
247
-6%
262.8
0%
277 ?(262 - 303, n=4)
6%
2659 ?(455 - 4560, n=19, last 2 years)
915%
Write 4K Q32T1
45.72
123.2
169%
13.64
-70%
12.29
-73%
15.3
-67%
45.7 ?(44.7 - 46.6, n=4)
0%
406 ?(219 - 690, n=38, last 2 years)
788%
Read 4K Q32T1
61
135.1
121%
32.95
-46%
32.46
-47%
31.59
-48%
56 ?(51.6 - 61, n=4)
-8%
489 ?(240 - 961, n=38, last 2 years)
702%
Write Seq Q32T1
167.1
246.1
47%
99.5
-40%
92
-45%
111.8
-33%
153.7 ?(129.4 - 167.1, n=4)
-8%
3834 ?(503 - 6773, n=38, last 2 years)
2194%
Read Seq Q32T1
211.5
557
163%
128.8
-39%
150.1
-29%
151.5
-28%
204 ?(189.4 - 213, n=4)
-4%
5151 ?(562 - 7116, n=38, last 2 years)
2335%
Write 4K Q8T8
12.36
914 ?(246 - 3003, n=20, last 2 years)
Read 4K Q8T8
31.66
1293 ?(499 - 2912, n=20, last 2 years)
AS SSD
263%
-39%
-29%
3%
2226%
Seq Read
297.8
501
68%
154
-48%
264.1
-11%
300 ?(296 - 306, n=3)
1%
3767 ?(508 - 5546, n=57, last 2 years)
1165%
Seq Write
234.1
260.8
11%
102.4
-56%
131.8
-44%
239 ?(234 - 243, n=3)
2%
2323 ?(386 - 4961, n=57, last 2 years)
892%
4K Read
7.33
22.08
201%
5.07
-31%
6.3
-14%
7.67 ?(5.47 - 10.2, n=3)
5%
60.1 ?(14.8 - 96.2, n=57, last 2 years)
720%
4K Write
22.37
56
150%
8.42
-62%
13.6
-39%
26.2 ?(22.4 - 28.4, n=3)
17%
172.9 ?(65.5 - 256, n=57, last 2 years)
673%
4K-64 Read
15.86
186.8
1078%
27.74
75%
25.65
62%
16.7 ?(15.6 - 18.6, n=3)
5%
1019 ?(187.3 - 2682, n=57, last 2 years)
6325%
4K-64 Write
29
133.3
360%
12.15
-58%
9.11
-69%
30 ?(29 - 31, n=3)
3%
1843 ?(223 - 3410, n=57, last 2 years)
6255%
Access Time Read *
0.338
0.109
68%
0.747
-121%
0.671
-99%
0.4007 ?(0.295 - 0.569, n=3)
-19%
0.06149 ?(0.021 - 0.257, n=57, last 2 years)
82%
Access Time Write *
0.874
0.065
93%
1.136
-30%
1.233
-41%
0.866 ?(0.818 - 0.907, n=3)
1%
0.07386 ?(0.016 - 0.523, n=57, last 2 years)
92%
Score Read
53
259
389%
48
-9%
58
9%
54.3 ?(51 - 59, n=3)
2%
1456 ?(253 - 3307, n=57, last 2 years)
2647%
Score Write
75
215
187%
31
-59%
36
-52%
80.3 ?(75 - 84, n=3)
7%
2252 ?(327 - 3972, n=57, last 2 years)
2903%
Score Total
155
603
289%
103
-34%
120
-23%
162.7 ?(155 - 175, n=3)
5%
4394 ?(707 - 8892, n=57, last 2 years)
2735%
Copy ISO MB/s
127.3
119.7
56.5
2074 ?(345 - 4264, n=44, last 2 years)
Copy Program MB/s
72.3
72.8
27.6
602 ?(122.2 - 1164, n=44, last 2 years)
Copy Game MB/s
112.6
116.5
37.6
1391 ?(258 - 2773, n=44, last 2 years)
Total Average (Program / Settings)
182% / 194%
-45% / -44%
-38% / -36%
-45% / -45%
4% / 3%
1659% / 1748%

* ... smaller is better

SanDisk DA4064
Sequential Read: 297.1 MB/s
Sequential Write: 216.7 MB/s
512K Read: 244.5 MB/s
512K Write: 86 MB/s
4K Read: 15.58 MB/s
4K Write: 21.97 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 14.79 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 32.59 MB/s

Graphics Card

Responsible for displaying image contents in the Asus E203MA is Intel's UHD Graphics 605 integrated graphics unit. This GPU is only suitable for applications that do not demand high graphics performance. Basic image editing is possible but more complex projects or 3D graphics exceed its available possibilities.

In the 3DMark 11 benchmarking test, the UHD Graphics 605 meets our expectations and reaches second place on our comparison list. A comparison of other graphics cards' performance to Intel's UHD Graphics 605 can be found on our GPU benchmark page.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2979 - 16904, n=55, last 2 years)
8016 Points +1154%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
702 Points +10%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (588 - 902, n=13)
701 Points +10%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
639 Points
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
564 Points -12%
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4100
482 Points -25%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
412 Points -36%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2837 - 12349, n=59, last 2 years)
5881 Points
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
478 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (411 - 576, n=10)
473 Points
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
444 Points
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (13768 - 65911, n=40, last 2 years)
29002 Points
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
3693 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (2874 - 4485, n=10)
3518 Points
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel UHD Graphics 605, Intel Pentium Silver N5000
3497 Points
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4100
2826 Points
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel Celeron N3350
2677 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (811 - 4773, n=58, last 2 years)
1981 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
 
113 Points
Chuwi LapBook SE
Intel UHD Graphics 600, Intel Celeron N4100
85 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
711 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Asus E203MA is not suitable for games, as even very old ones run smoothly only at low setting levels. Basic casual games are represented without glitches by the integrated graphics unit though, which is why users should narrow down their choice to such games.

Which games run smoothly with Intel's UHD Graphics 605, can be read in our GPU game list.

BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
27.4 fps +12%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (14.8 - 33.2, n=9)
24.7 fps +1%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
24.36 fps
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350, Intel HD Graphics 500
24.3 fps 0%
1366x768 Medium Preset
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (10.8 - 17.2, n=8)
13.9 fps +3%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
13.53 fps
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
13.2 fps -2%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350, Intel HD Graphics 500
11 fps -19%
1366x768 High Preset
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
11.62 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 605
  (9.4 - 15.2, n=8)
11.6 fps 0%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Intel Pentium Silver N5000, Intel UHD Graphics 605
10.4 fps -10%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Intel Celeron N3350, Intel HD Graphics 500
9.7 fps -17%
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 24.36 13.53 11.62

Emissions & Energy - Asus E203MA Shows a Good Battery Life

Noise Emissions

The Asus E203MA has no fans and is therefore suitable for use in very quiet environments. We could not observe other noise emissions such as coil whining or the like.

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

In our test, the surfaces of the Asus E203MA reach temperatures of about 24 °C (75.2 °F) at idle and a maximum of 42 °C (107.6 °F) under load. The small laptop feels just warm and can easily be used on the lap / thighs.

During our one-hour stress test, the internal core temperatures rise up to 70 °C (158 °F) and the clock speed drops below 800 MHz. This is well below the base frequency of 1.2 GHz. However, the system stabilizes again until the end of the test and can at least run the Windows interface smoothly. Since such a load scenario is virtually impossible in practice, users do not have to expect any limitations due to excessively high temperatures.

Max. Load
 41.1 °C
106 F
33.3 °C
92 F
26.1 °C
79 F
 
 39.4 °C
103 F
35.3 °C
96 F
26 °C
79 F
 
 32 °C
90 F
26 °C
79 F
24 °C
75 F
 
Maximum: 41.1 °C = 106 F
Average: 31.5 °C = 89 F
26.3 °C
79 F
33.2 °C
92 F
42.2 °C
108 F
24.9 °C
77 F
30.6 °C
87 F
37 °C
99 F
26.4 °C
80 F
26.6 °C
80 F
34.1 °C
93 F
Maximum: 42.2 °C = 108 F
Average: 31.3 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  40.1 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.5 °C / 89 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 41.1 °C / 106 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 42.2 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.6 °C / 73 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32 °C / 89.6 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-3.7 °C / -6.7 F).
Heatmap idle (top)
Heatmap idle (top)
Heatmap idle (bottom)
Heatmap idle (bottom)
Heatmap full load (top)
Heatmap full load (top)
Heatmap full load (bottom)
Heatmap full load (bottom)

Speakers

Pink noise
Pink noise

The speakers of the Asus E203MA offer a mediocre volume and deliver a sound spectrum, which lies in the upper mids. The small speakers are well suited for the occasional playback of media content, whereas their loudness is not enough especially in noisy environments. A 3.5 mm jack is available for connecting external speakers or headphones. 

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.633.434.62533.832.133.83140.232.940.24035.232.135.2503131.7316329.428.929.48029.132.529.110030.129.630.112536.126.136.11604125.44120038.923.138.925047.422.247.431552.321.652.340056.82156.850061.62061.663063.118.663.180073.11873.1100076.717.876.7125074.117.674.1160070.517.570.5200071.317.371.3250072.217.972.2315074.21874.2400075.818.175.8500078.418.378.4630072.118.572.180006718.7671000064.118.864.1125005718.9571600063.71963.7SPL85.430.685.4N58.11.358.1median 64.1median 18.7median 64.1Delta10.2210.242.737.242.738.63638.638.531.238.53928.53938.132.238.139.928.739.941.528.641.541.127.541.143.425.143.445.625.545.650.123.650.154.12354.160.122.160.161.32161.36020.26062.32062.365.518.765.561.517.961.560.51860.562.917.362.960.617.360.65817.35858.317.258.353.71753.756175657.117.157.163.517.163.561.717.361.756.217.356.24817.54872.630.272.630.11.230.1median 58.3median 17.9median 58.35.51.95.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus E203MA-FD825TSLenovo V130-14IGM
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus E203MA-FD825TS audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 81% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 14% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 73% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo V130-14IGM audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (65.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 9.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 30% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 63% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 76% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Consumption

According to our measurements, the Asus E203MA has a power consumption of at least 1.9 watts at idle and a maximum of 19 watts under load. This makes the 11-inch laptop a relatively energy-saving device. The provided 34-watt power supply is designed well enough to supply the E203MA with sufficient energy.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.23 / 0.25 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.9 / 3.5 / 3.9 Watt
Load midlight 12.7 / 19 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.

Battery Life

In our practical Wi-Fi test, the Asus laptop runs for 8 hours and 15 minutes. This does not reach the battery life promised by the manufacturer. Nevertheless, the E203MA achieves the second best score in our test.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Average of class Subnotebook
  (303 - 1144, n=64, last 2 years)
623 min +26%
Trekstor Yourbook C11B
Celeron N3350, HD Graphics 500, 36.48 Wh
502 min +1%
Asus E203MA-FD825TS
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 38 Wh
495 min
Chuwi LapBook SE
Celeron N4100, UHD Graphics 600, 37 Wh
444 min -10%
Lenovo V130-14IGM
Pentium N5000, UHD Graphics 605, 30 Wh
441 min -11%
NuVision Encite Book 12 Plus
Celeron N3350, HD Graphics 500, 31.9 Wh
409 min -17%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
8h 15min

Pros

+ small and light
+ USB Type-C port
+ fanless operation

Cons

- reflective screen
- low brightness
- no maintenance options
- little storage space

Verdict - A Small and Portable Laptop with Weaknesses

In review: Asus E203MA. Test unit provided by:
In review: Asus E203MA. Test unit provided by:

In our review, the Asus E203MA shows performance that is sufficient for most everyday usage scenarios. With the small notebook, Office applications, Internet activities as well as basic image editing can be carried out easily and the scarce internal memory can be extended via the available microSD card reader. The built-in ac-WLAN provides usable data transfer rates and the battery life is decent.

The Asus E203MA is a good and affordable subnotebook whose weaknesses would have been avoidable without the price skyrocketing.

Users looking for a small and portable laptop could be served well by the E203MA. However, we find the reflective screen really problematic, which combined with the low brightness, is hardly suitable for outdoor work. The meager eMMC flash memory does not offer much space for storing data either and maintenance possibilities are practically nonexistent.

Asus E203MA-FD825TS - 09/26/2019 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
72 / 98 → 73%
Keyboard
74%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
37 / 75 → 50%
Weight
75 / 20-75 → 100%
Battery
81%
Display
71%
Games Performance
17 / 78 → 22%
Application Performance
58 / 85 → 68%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
50 / 91 → 55%
Camera
38 / 85 → 45%
Average
65%
77%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus E203MA (N5000, UHD605) Laptop Review
Mike Wobker, 2019-04- 2 (Update: 2019-04- 4)