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Asus Zenbook UX303UB (Core i7-6500U, GeForce 940M) Subnotebook Review

Compact all-rounder. The latest model from Asus' Zenbook UX 303 series is once again a thin and nice 13.3-inch notebook. It has a lot of performance, but is still quiet in operation. The battery runtimes are unfortunately shorter compared to previous Zenbook models.

For the original German review, see here.

The Zenbook UX303 from Asus is a thin 13.3-inch subnotebook. We already reviewed the Zenbook UX303 a couple of times – versions with and without dedicated GPUs. The several models usually offer a lot of CPU performance in combination with low emissions and long battery runtimes. The latest iteration with the designation UX303UB is equipped with a Skylake processor and a GeForce 940M graphics card. Our review will show if the device can keep up with its predecessors.

Rivals for the Zenbook are notebooks like the Dell XPS 13 2016, the Apple MacBook Air 13 or the HP Spectre 13. The Surface Book from Microsoft might also be an interesting alternative.

Our review configuration of the Zenbook uses the chassis from the Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H, so we will not evaluate the case, connectivity, input devices, display and the speakers in this article. The corresponding information is available in the review of the Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H.

90NB08U1-M01610 (UX Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-6500U 2 x 2.5 - 3.1 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce 940M - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1176 MHz, Memory: 900 MHz, DDR3, 64-bit interface, ForceWare 359.06 (10.18.13.5906), Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3, dual-channel, one memory slot (occupied), 4 GB soldered
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, ChiMei N133HSE-EA3, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF, 512 GB 
, 440 GB free
Soundcard
Conexant CX20751/2 @ Intel Skylake High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: combined audio, Card Reader: SD, Sensors: Brightness sensor, TPM 2.0
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.2 x 323 x 223 ( = 0.76 x 12.72 x 8.78 in)
Battery
50 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Bag, DisplayPort-to-VGA adaptor, USB-to-Ethernet adaptor, McAfee LiveSafe-Internet Security (trial), MS Office (trial), WPS Office, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.45 kg ( = 51.15 oz / 3.2 pounds), Power Supply: 214 g ( = 7.55 oz / 0.47 pounds)
Price
1259 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Display

Asus equips the Zenbook with the same matte Full HD IPS display that we already know from the Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H. It manages a very good luminance, good contrast and wide viewing angles. The sRGB color space is covered by 92 percent and the color presentation is already good with the factory settings.

The brightness of the display is regulated via pulse-width modulation up to 90 percent of the maximum luminance. The low frequency of just 178 Hz can already be tiring for sensitive users. There is no PWM flickering at brightness settings higher than 90 percent.

Zenbook vs. sRGB
Zenbook vs. sRGB
Zenbook vs. AdobeRGB
Zenbook vs. AdobeRGB
Pixel array
Pixel array
430
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
388
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
385
cd/m²
387
cd/m²
381
cd/m²
385
cd/m²
391
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
ChiMei N133HSE-EA3 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 430 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 393.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 385 cd/m²
Contrast: 939:1 (Black: 0.41 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.84 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.79 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
92% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
67.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
92.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23

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 detected 178 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 178 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 178 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

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.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps

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
35 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15 ms rise
↘ 20 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. » 91 % 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
68 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 25 ms rise
↘ 43 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. » 98 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
IPS, 1920x1080
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
IPS, 1920x1080
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
IPS, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
IGZO , 3200x1800
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
IPS, 3000x2000
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
TN LED, 1440x900
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
IPS, 2560x1440
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
IPS, 2560x1440
Display
7%
-2%
2%
-38%
-1%
6%
Display P3 Coverage
66.9
72.7
9%
63.6
-5%
67
0%
40.1
-40%
67.1
0%
70.1
5%
sRGB Coverage
92.3
97.5
6%
93.6
1%
95.8
4%
59.8
-35%
91.4
-1%
98.3
7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
67.6
71.4
6%
65.5
-3%
68.9
2%
41.51
-39%
66.8
-1%
71.1
5%
Response Times
903%
18%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
68 ?(25, 43)
40 ?(10, 30, Schwankungen auf kleinstem Niveau (Akku/Netz ident))
41%
48.4 ?(19.6, 28.8)
29%
Response Time Black / White *
35 ?(15, 20)
30 ?(7, 23)
14%
32.8 ?(7.6, 25.2)
6%
PWM Frequency
178 ?(90)
4900 ?(100)
2653%
Screen
-10%
-16%
1%
26%
-14%
-33%
15%
Brightness middle
385
376
-2%
344
-11%
285
-26%
430.9
12%
329
-15%
324
-16%
360
-6%
Brightness
394
368
-7%
339
-14%
281
-29%
410
4%
310
-21%
315
-20%
341
-13%
Brightness Distribution
89
88
-1%
88
-1%
90
1%
93
4%
82
-8%
80
-10%
90
1%
Black Level *
0.41
0.7
-71%
0.55
-34%
0.18
56%
0.254
38%
0.405
1%
0.59
-44%
0.23
44%
Contrast
939
537
-43%
625
-33%
1583
69%
1696
81%
812
-14%
549
-42%
1565
67%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.84
3.09
20%
5.45
-42%
4.89
-27%
2.06
46%
3.96
-3%
5.69
-48%
3.35
13%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.79
2.4
37%
4.53
-20%
5.16
-36%
2.22
41%
3.51
7%
8.02
-112%
3.62
4%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.24 98%
2.27 97%
2.15 102%
2.13 103%
3.83 57%
2.3 96%
2.51 88%
CCT
6499 100%
6781 96%
7458 87%
7106 91%
6520 100%
6711 97%
6398 102%
6805 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60
64
7%
59
-2%
64
7%
38.4
-36%
59
-2%
65
8%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
92
97.4
6%
93
1%
96
4%
59.8
-35%
91
-1%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.51
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-10% / -10%
-5% / -10%
301% / 181%
15% / 20%
-26% / -20%
-17% / -25%
11% / 12%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

The Zenbook UX303UB is a very powerful 13.3-inch subnotebook. It provides plenty of performance for common tasks and can even handle games, but still manage decent battery runtimes at the same time. Our review unit currently retails for around 1,300 Euros (~$1416), while the least expensive model from the series – UX303UB-R4044T (Core i5-6200U, 128 GB SSD) – is available for around 1,000 Euros (~$1089).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
HWInfo
LatencyMon

Processor

Inside the Zenbook is a Core i7-6500U (Skylake) dual-core processor. It is a frugal ULV model with a TDP of 15 watts. The nominal clock is 2.5 GHz, but can be raised up to 3 GHz (two cores) and 3.1 GHz (one core) via Turbo Boost. However, the CPU can only utilize its Turbo potential in single thread applications, while multithread applications are executed with 2.5-2.6 GHz. The processor can therefore not utilize its full potential in multithread scenarios. This behavior is similar on mains as well as battery power.

Because of those multithread limitations, it is not faster than its direct predecessor, the Core i7-5500U (Broadwell), and the results are pretty much on par. Other reviews showed that the advantage of the Skylake processor would be around 12 percent with the full Turbo utilization. In this case, the 6500U only manages a small lead in the single thread applications.

The processor is soldered onto the mainboard.
The processor is soldered onto the mainboard.
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6425
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
9869
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4874
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
29.83 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.14 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.47 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
37.6 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
278 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
129 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
278 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LB-R4079H
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
258 Points -7%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
303 Points +9%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
249 Points -10%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
296 Points +6%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
303 Points +9%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
305 Points +10%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
296 Points +6%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
276 Points -1%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
274 Points -1%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
129 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LB-R4079H
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
108 Points -16%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
121 Points -6%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
119 Points -8%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
121 Points -6%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
125 Points -3%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
122 Points -5%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
112 Points -13%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
114 Points -12%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
121 Points -6%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3.14 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LB-R4079H
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2.84 Points -10%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
3.16 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
3 Points -4%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
3.26 Points +4%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
3.52 Points +12%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
3.42 Points +9%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
3.14 Points 0%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
3.01 Points -4%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
3 Points -4%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1.47 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LB-R4079H
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1.24 Points -16%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
1.42 Points -3%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
1.37 Points -7%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1.41 Points -4%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
1.46 Points -1%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
1.41 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
1.47 Points 0%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
1.3 Points -12%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
1.39 Points -5%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
9869 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
9964 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
8931 Points -10%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
9767 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
10973 Points +11%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
10626 Points +8%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
10008 Points +1%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
9606 Points -3%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
9047 Points -8%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
4874 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
4615 Points -5%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
4447 Points -9%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
4600 Points -6%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
4881 Points 0%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
4700 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
4980 Points +2%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
4632 Points -5%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
4062 Points -17%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3036 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2898 Points -5%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2846 Points -6%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
3053 Points +1%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
6582 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
5991 Points -9%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
6039 Points -8%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
6406 Points -3%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
80.2 ms *
Asus Zenbook UX303LB-R4079H
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
151 ms * -88%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
106.7 ms * -33%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
102.7 ms * -28%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
95.3 ms * -19%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
85 ms * -6%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
96.7 ms * -21%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
167 ms * -108%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
214.5 Points
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1118 ms *
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2289 ms * -105%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
2327 ms * -108%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2292 ms * -105%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
1149 ms * -3%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
2301 ms * -106%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
3649 ms * -226%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
32020 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
13913 Points -57%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
14609 Points -54%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
14493 Points -55%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
29724 Points -7%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
14438 Points -55%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
6867 Points -79%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
2951 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2735 Points -7%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2659 Points -10%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

Thanks to the fast SSD and the powerful processor, the system runs very smoothly and we did not experience any problems. The results in the synthetic PCMark benchmarks are also good. The Zenbook is a bit better than the direct predecessor (Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H) due to the slightly faster GPU and CPU. We already mentioned that the Skylake processor can only beat its predecessor in respect to the single thread performance. The latter is more important in practice, which is also the reason for the higher PCMark 8 score of the Skylake Zenbook. It is not possible to improve the system performance of the Zenbook any further.

It is possible to upgrade the RAM. You have to replace the existing module with a bigger one.
It is possible to upgrade the RAM. You have to replace the existing module with a bigger one.
PCMark 7 Score
5162 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3320 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4042 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4353 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
3320 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
3057 Points -8%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
2927 Points -12%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
3167 Points -5%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
2822 Points -15%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
2814 Points -15%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
3579 Points +8%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
2895 Points -13%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
2911 Points -12%
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
5162 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LB-R4079H
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
4909 Points -5%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
5068 Points -2%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
5180 Points 0%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
4977 Points -4%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
5135 Points -1%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
5205 Points +1%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
5103 Points -1%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
5107 Points -1%

Storage Devices & Card Reader

The Zenbook is equipped with a 2.5-inch Solid State Drive from Micron with a total capacity of 512 GB. There are two partitions ex-works, one for the operating system (190 GB) and one for other files (286 GB). The remaining storage is occupied by the recovery partition. The SSD manages good transfer rates. Previous models of the Zenbook also had an mSATA or M.2 port besides the 2.5-inch bay, which is not the case for our review unit anymore.

The card reader of the Zenbook reaches a maximum transfer rate of 85.6 MB/s during the copying of large files. 250 JPG pictures (around 5 MB each) result in a transfer rate of 64 MB/s, which means the card reader is one of the fastest models. We used our reference SD card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) for the test.

The SSD is a 2.5-inch model.
The SSD is a 2.5-inch model.
Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
Sequential Read: 484.2 MB/s
Sequential Write: 444.9 MB/s
512K Read: 387.8 MB/s
512K Write: 386.3 MB/s
4K Read: 28.74 MB/s
4K Write: 90.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 300.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 243.3 MB/s

GPU Performance

The graphics card GeForce 940M is the successor of the GeForce 840M GPU from previous Zenbook models. Both chips are mainstream GPUs and support DirectX 11 and they are similar. Both are based on the Maxwell architecture and the 940M just has a slightly higher maximum clock (1124 vs. 1176 MHz). The advantage of the Zenbook over its predecessor should, therefore, be very small in the 3DMark benchmarks. 

However, this is actually not the case. The predecessor is usually slightly ahead of the Skylake Zenbook, which has two reasons: The Skylake processor cannot utilize its full performance in multithread scenarios, and the video memory has a lower clock (900 vs. 1,000 MHz) compared to the chip in the predecessor.

The GeForce GPU supports switchable graphics (Optimus) in combination with the integrated HD Graphics 520. The latter handles the graphics output for simple tasks and on battery power. The user usually does not have to interfere, because the switching between the different GPUs happens automatically. You can obviously make manual adjustments if you want.

The GPU is soldered as well.
The GPU is soldered as well.
3DMark 06 Standard Score
11576 points
3DMark 11 Performance
2488 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
48845 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6223 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1428 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
2488 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LB-R4079H
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2485 Points 0%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
2499 Points 0%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
2378 Points -4%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
1198 Points -52%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
1556 Points -37%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
2711 Points +9%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
1459 Points -41%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
1220 Points -51%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
1120 Points -55%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
48845 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
54160 Points +11%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
51903 Points +6%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
51649 Points +6%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
52990 Points +8%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
49514 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
56022 Points +15%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
53957 Points +10%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
49552 Points +1%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
6223 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
6774 Points +9%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
5919 Points -5%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
5461 Points -12%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
5896 Points -5%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
7424 Points +19%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
6061 Points -3%
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, ADATA AXNS381E-256GM-B
5405 Points -13%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
5267 Points -15%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
5291 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
5541 Points +5%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
2788 Points -47%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
1428 Points
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
1446 Points +1%
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
GeForce 840M, 4510U, SanDisk SD6SB1M256G1002
1317 Points -8%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
757 Points -47%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
847 Points -41%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
1886 Points +32%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
903 Points -37%
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, 2x Kingston SMSR150S3256G (RAID 0)
769 Points -46%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
11576 Points
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
7769 Points -33%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
15111 Points +31%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
9408 Points -19%

Gaming Performance

The CPU-GPU combination of the Zenbook can also handle many games smoothly in the HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) and medium settings. Some titles can even be played with higher quality settings. The full resolution of the screen (Full HD) on the other hand is only possible with a couple of games, while more complex games usually do not run smoothly at all. One example for that is Batman: Arkham Knight. The gaming benchmarks support the results of the 3DMarks: The Zenbook cannot beat the predecessor. We already explained the reasons earlier. You will have to get a 14- or 15.6-inch notebook if you want higher gaming performance, because the Zenbook is already equipped with one of the fastest GPUs among 13.3-inch systems.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 124.4 59.2 34.1 16.2
GRID: Autosport (2014) 164.2 74 35.8 17.1
Dirt Rally (2015) 176.9 52.6 27 12.5
Metal Gear Solid V (2015) 60 41.5 16.3 11.9
World of Warships (2015) 103.7 77.8 36.9 23
FIFA 16 (2015) 98.1 59.3 36.5
Anno 2205 (2015) 42.3 21.6 9.9 4.4
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015) 41.1 26.4 13.9 10.7
Fallout 4 (2015) 34.6 20.9 11.5 9.8
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 48.9 29.6 13.4 11.7
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 55.3 34.7 20 14.5
Tomb Raider
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
59.2 fps
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
63.8 fps +8%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
31.1 fps -47%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
36.6 fps -38%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
82.8 fps +40%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
34.5 fps -42%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
GeForce 940M, 6500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAK512MBF
34.1 fps
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
GeForce 840M, 5500U, SanDisk X300s SD7SB3Q256G
35.8 fps +5%
Asus Zenbook UX305LA-FC012H
HD Graphics 5500, 5500U, Micron M600 MTFDDAV256MBF M.2
20.3 fps -40%
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZ-VLV256D
24.4 fps -28%
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5), 6300U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
55.2 fps +62%
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
HD Graphics 6000, 5650U, Apple SSD SD0256F
22.9 fps -33%

Emissions

System Noise

The Zenbook is usually completely silent while idling because the fans are often deactivated, but they are not very loud under load, either. We can measure a decent noise of 38.2 dB(A) during our stress test and around 35.9 dB(A) in a gaming session. The Zenbook, unfortunately, produces a constant electronic noise. It is not very audible in a normal environment and you will have to get your ear very close to the fan exhaust to hear it. It is, however, noticeable at a normal viewing distance in quiet environments. It can also get louder, which is always the case when the SSD copies a large amount of files.

The two fans...
The two fans...
...do not make a lot of noise.
...do not make a lot of noise.

Noise Level

Idle
31.5 / 31.5 / 31.5 dB(A)
Load
35.9 / 38.2 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)
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
6500U, GeForce 940M
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
5500U, GeForce 840M
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
4510U, GeForce 840M
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
6500U, HD Graphics 520
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
6300U, Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5)
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
5650U, HD Graphics 6000
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
5500U, HD Graphics 5500
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
5500U, HD Graphics 5500
Noise
0%
4%
0%
1%
-2%
1%
3%
Idle Minimum *
31.5
31
2%
29.5
6%
31.8
-1%
29.5
6%
29.2
7%
29.6
6%
29.6
6%
Idle Average *
31.5
31
2%
29.5
6%
31.8
-1%
29.6
6%
29.2
7%
29.6
6%
29.6
6%
Idle Maximum *
31.5
31
2%
29.5
6%
34.8
-10%
29.7
6%
29.2
7%
29.6
6%
29.6
6%
Load Average *
35.9
36.6
-2%
34.3
4%
34.8
3%
37.5
-4%
40.2
-12%
38.6
-8%
37.5
-4%
Load Maximum *
38.2
39.3
-3%
38.2
-0%
34.8
9%
40.9
-7%
46.3
-21%
41
-7%
37.2
3%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Stress test Zenbook
Stress test Zenbook

The Zenbook executes our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark for at least one hour) the same way on mains as well as battery power. The GPU can maintain its full performance (1176 MHz), while the clock of the processor fluctuates between 400 MHz and 2.5 GHz (battery) and 2.7-2.9 GHz (mains). We were able to measure temperatures of around 50 °C (122 °F) at some spots during the stress test, which means the Zenbook warms up more than its predecessor.

Max. Load
 42.8 °C
109 F
56.6 °C
134 F
42.6 °C
109 F
 
 32.1 °C
90 F
56 °C
133 F
44 °C
111 F
 
 29 °C
84 F
35.1 °C
95 F
34.4 °C
94 F
 
Maximum: 56.6 °C = 134 F
Average: 41.4 °C = 107 F
46.4 °C
116 F
54.3 °C
130 F
43.9 °C
111 F
42.9 °C
109 F
48.4 °C
119 F
38.3 °C
101 F
35.6 °C
96 F
39.1 °C
102 F
35.7 °C
96 F
Maximum: 54.3 °C = 130 F
Average: 42.7 °C = 109 F
Power Supply (max.)  62.8 °C = 145 F | Room Temperature 19.2 °C = 67 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.4 °C / 107 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 56.6 °C / 134 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 54.3 °C / 130 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.2 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35.1 °C / 95.2 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-6.8 °C / -12.3 F).
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
6500U, GeForce 940M
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
5500U, GeForce 840M
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
4510U, GeForce 840M
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
6500U, HD Graphics 520
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
6300U, Maxwell GPU (940M, GDDR5)
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
5650U, HD Graphics 6000
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
5500U, HD Graphics 5500
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
5500U, HD Graphics 5500
Heat
4%
-3%
-22%
10%
2%
-4%
9%
Maximum Upper Side *
56.6
47.1
17%
55.7
2%
57
-1%
44.2
22%
43.8
23%
44.1
22%
39.8
30%
Maximum Bottom *
54.3
43.4
20%
51
6%
56
-3%
41.2
24%
42.1
22%
48
12%
38.4
29%
Idle Upper Side *
24
27.1
-13%
26.6
-11%
34.1
-42%
26
-8%
28.5
-19%
30.6
-28%
26.7
-11%
Idle Bottom *
24.2
26.3
-9%
26.2
-8%
34.3
-42%
23.8
2%
28.9
-19%
29.2
-21%
27.6
-14%

* ... smaller is better

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Zenbook does not consume a whole lot of power while idling at up to 8 watts. We can measure up to 55 watts during the stress test, which is reasonable when you consider the components. The CPU clock fluctuates heavily during the stress test, so the consumption is not steady at 55 watts. The consumption is at around 47 watts (+/- 5 watts) in a gaming session. All in all, the values of the Zenbook are a bit higher compared to the predecessor. The power adaptor has a nominal output of 65 watts.

The power adaptor...
The power adaptor...
...has a rated output of 65 watts.
...has a rated output of 65 watts.
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.2 / 7.6 / 8 Watt
Load midlight 47 / 55 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 UX303UB-R4100T
6500U, GeForce 940M
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
5500U, GeForce 840M
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
4510U, GeForce 840M
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
6500U, HD Graphics 520
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
5650U, HD Graphics 6000
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
5500U, HD Graphics 5500
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
5500U, HD Graphics 5500
Power Consumption
10%
-0%
-20%
26%
14%
21%
Idle Minimum *
3.2
2.6
19%
3.8
-19%
6.8
-113%
2.7
16%
3
6%
4
-25%
Idle Average *
7.6
6.8
11%
7.2
5%
10
-32%
5.7
25%
6.9
9%
5
34%
Idle Maximum *
8
7.9
1%
8.4
-5%
10.5
-31%
6
25%
9.5
-19%
6.5
19%
Load Average *
47
40.1
15%
41.6
11%
30.2
36%
32.1
32%
33.4
29%
31.2
34%
Load Maximum *
55
52.1
5%
51.9
6%
33.6
39%
36.2
34%
30.2
45%
30.6
44%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The battery runtimes of the latest Zenbook are once again good. The notebook lasts 6:50 hours in our practical Wi-Fi test. We use this test to simulate web browsing while the luminance is adjusted to 150 cd/m² with the "Balanced" power profile. Our video test runs for 6:53 hours. We run a loop of the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264, 1920x1080 pixels) while the wireless modules are turned off and the display brightness is once again adjusted to around 150 cd/m².

A look at our comparison table shows that runtime in the Wi-Fi test decreased from the Haswell Zenbook over the Broadwell Zenbook to the Skylake Zenbook – even though the battery capacity is identical. Here we can see that the hardware gets more powerful every iteration and consumes more power during our runtime tests. The maximum runtime, on the other hand, was increased.

One final note: The battery of our review configuration already shows signs of wear at around 7 percent, which means 7 percent of the original capacity cannot be used anymore. The Zenbook should, therefore, manage slightly longer results with a healthy battery. Both the Wi-Fi and the video test results should surpass the seven-hour mark in this case.

The battery has a capacity of 50 Wh.
The battery has a capacity of 50 Wh.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
16h 37min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
6h 50min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 53min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 58min
Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T
50 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4274H
50 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX303LN-R4141H
50 Wh
Dell XPS 13 2016 i7 256GB QHD
56 Wh
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5
78 Wh
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2015-03
54 Wh
HP Spectre 13-4001ng x360
56 Wh
Acer Aspire S7-393-75508G25EWS
47 Wh
Battery Runtime
29%
-3%
-10%
20%
30%
29%
-4%
Reader / Idle
997
779
-22%
784
-21%
1070
7%
1572
58%
1223
23%
838
-16%
H.264
413
466
13%
604
46%
WiFi v1.3
410
530
29%
432
5%
402
-2%
620
51%
542
32%
464
13%
Load
118
117
-1%
103
-13%
153
30%
97
-18%
154
31%
107
-9%
WiFi
580

Pros

+ bright, high-contrast and matte IPS display
+ usually runs quiet
+ good input devices
+ fast SSD
+ good battery runtimes
+ can be maintained

Cons

- the processor cannot utilize its full performance
- you can hear an electronic noise
- PWM at brightness settings of 90 % and lower
- low PWM frequency

Verdict

In review: Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T. Test model courtesy of Edustore.
In review: Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T. Test model courtesy of Edustore.

The notebook is pretty fast and can handle games, but the system is usually still quiet. The handling benefits from the fast SSD and there is no lack of storage thanks to the 512 GB drive. A replacement of the SSD is no problem, either, since it is rather easy to remove the bottom cover of the notebook. The Skylake Zenbook once again uses a very good display. The matte Full HD IPS screen manages a good luminance, a high contrast, wide viewing angles and decent colors. The battery runtimes are good as well.

Overall, the new Zenbook is once again a successful subnotebook.

The new model unfortunately also deserves some criticism: The processor cannot utilize its full performance, which is probably a result of the insufficient cooling solution. The GPU memory is also a bit slower compared to the predecessor, which is why we cannot see performance gains (CPU, GPU, gaming) over the predecessor (Broadwell/GeForce 840M). The latter is therefore still an inexpensive alternative to the Skylake Zenbook, but corresponding models are hard to get. The electronic noise should not be an issue in this price range, either.

Asus Zenbook UX303UB-R4100T - 12/11/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
90 /  98 → 92%
Keyboard
84%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
68 / 80 → 85%
Weight
70 / 35-78 → 81%
Battery
88%
Display
85%
Games Performance
82 / 68 → 100%
Application Performance
90 / 87 → 100%
Temperature
82 / 91 → 90%
Noise
90%
Audio
69 / 91 → 76%
Camera
35 / 85 → 41%
Average
78%
85%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus Zenbook UX303UB (Core i7-6500U, GeForce 940M) Subnotebook Review
Sascha Mölck, 2015-12-15 (Update: 2018-05-15)