Asus Zenbook UX303LA-R4343H

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Reviews for the Asus Zenbook UX303LA-R4343H

100% Asus Zenbook UX303LA review - a successful debut for Intel's Broadwell Core i7
Source: PC Pro Archive.org version
As expected, Intel’s new Broadwell Core i7 doesn’t rewrite the rulebook, certainly not in performance terms. However, its improved efficiency, coupled with Asus’ budget-conscious specification, means this first outing is far more positive than negative, and at £700 inc VAT, the Zenbook UX303LA represents superb value.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 02/16/2015
Rating: Total score: 100%

Comment

Series:

With the recent announced UX21 and UX31 Ultrabooks, provided by the Taiwanese manufacturer Asus and marketed under the self-created term Zenbook, the already existing UX series moves back to the foreground. In 2009 Asus showed the slim notebook UX50V with energy efficient hardware and a 15-inch display. Today, three years after the first device of this series Asus presents two devices in the Ultrabook-class with 11.6 - and 13.3-inch display. The category Ultrabook itself was launched by Intel to the fire up the market of the top dog Apple with its MacBook Air 11 and MacBook Air 13.

Significant milestones for this project are a sleek design, fast and energy-saving hardware as well as a decent battery lifetime. Asus uses a alloy-chassis, a solid state drive and a lithium-polymer battery, which is integrated. In the first reviews for the two new devices  the available ports, the bright screen and the minimalistic background noises in idle-usage models are highlighted. Disadvantages are the reflective surface of the display and the missing option to expand the integrated hardware.

Asus offers the Zenbook UX21 (11.6 inches) and the UX31 with the larger 13.3-inch screen from 999 € (MSRP) upwards. In regard to other devices you’ll see that Asus only sell premium devices at the moment. Acer offers the Aspire S3 Ultrabook already from 799 € (MSRP) upwards. But in comparison the devices from Asus get a better result in the most reviews out there.

Intel HD Graphics 5500: Integrated graphics card (GT2) in the Core processors of the Broadwell U-series (15 W TDP). 

Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.  

5500U: Broadwell-based ULV (ultra low voltage) dual-core processor for notebooks and ultrabooks. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 5500 GPU and is manufactured in 14 nm.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

13.30":

There are hardly any tablets in this display size range anymore. For subnotebooks, on the other hand, it is the standard format.

The advantage of subnotebooks is that the entire laptop can be small and therefore easily portable. The smaller display also has the advantage of requiring less power, which further improves battery life and thus mobility. The disadvantage is that reading texts is more strenuous on the eyes. High resolutions are more likely to be found in standard laptops.

Asus: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. is a major Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer based in Taipei, founded in 1989. Under the Asus brand name, the company manufactures a wide range of products, including laptops, desktops, motherboards, graphics cards, monitors, smartphones and networking equipment, complete systems and PC components for end users.

Under the ROG (Republic of Gamers) brand name, ASUS manufactures gaming laptops known by gamers for their powerful specifications, dedicated graphics cards, high refresh rate displays and advanced cooling systems.

Beyond gaming, a wide range of notebooks are offered for different needs and budgets, from ultra-slim and lightweight ultrabooks to versatile 2-in-1 convertibles and budget-friendly options. In 2023, Asus had a 7% global market share of the PC market.

Customer satisfaction with ASUS notebooks concerns performance, the features, and the good price-performance ratio of ASUS notebooks. However, as with any brand, there are occasional reports of problems such as overheating, driver compatibility, or build quality issues.

100%: This model is obviously considered exceptional by the testers. There are almost no laptops that are rated this well. If the reviews or the sources that give these ratings are to be taken seriously, then it is a very clear buy recommendation. Unfortunately, sometimes top scores are also squandered.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

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