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| Review of the ASUS ZenBook 13 |
ZenBook is Asus' high-end laptop series aimed at business people. That's why ZenBook is equipped with the most modern components and hardware.
The hallmark of the ZenBook is its elegant appearance and high-quality colors.
ZenBook almost always has an ultra slim design and light weight that supports the mobility of its users. One of them is the ASUS ZenBook 13 series.
The ASUS ZenBook 13 series is back with newer technical features. Previously using the 10th generation Intel Core Ice Lake processor, the version released in 2021 already has an 11th generation Intel Core processor called Tiger Lake.
DESIGN OF ASUS ZENBOOK 13
The ZenBook 13 series from the mid to high end segment has a minimalist design and a premium feel. The body is made of strong aluminum alloy and is supported by a military standard certificate. For those of you who travel a lot and are a bit reckless, this ultrabook can withstand falls from a certain height. Even though this ultrabook is powerful, it is still designed to be light. It weighs only 1.11 kg and is about 1.39 cm thick. The Ergolift design also provides comfort. This design slightly elevates the body when the screen is open.
With a long hinge, the position of the screen can be tilted up to 150 degrees. On that slope, it forms a three degree angle with the ground. The Ergolift design not only improves typing comfort, but also improves cooling efficiency thanks to the extra air space created by the raised frame position.
Thin, low-power ASUS laptops provide only one ventilation vent for air circulation, located between the laptop body and the bottom of the screen. There are no other vents which are usually placed on the left or right side of the frame. Although there is an intake hole at the bottom that sucks in air. Therefore, do not place your laptop on a surface that is prone to dust or does not allow adequate air circulation.
ASUS ZENBOOK 13 Specifications
| CPU | Intel Core i7-1165G7 Tiger Lake (Quad-core, up to 4,7 GHz) |
|---|---|
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR4X-4266 (dual channel) |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| Display | 13,3 inch IPS FHD (1920 x 1080), 100% sRGB |
| Storage | 512GB SSD NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2×2 802.11AZX Bluetooth 5.0, HDMI, 2x USB Type-C (supports Thunderbolt 4), microSD reader, USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery | 67 Wh |
| Dimensions | 30.4 x 20.3 x 1.39 cm |
| Weight | 1.1 kg |
This processor is intended for Ultrabooks because of its fast performance and energy saving at the same time.
The latest processors also have the latest generation of graphics chips, namely Intel Iris Xe. This chip offers better performance than Intel UHD Graphics. However, it should be noted that this chip is more geared towards productivity, not heavy graphics-based applications such as games.
There is no free space for RAM, the 16GB dual channel capacity used by this laptop is the type of on-board RAM. Meanwhile, there is only one storage slot filled by a 512GB SSD. There are no more seats available. So if you need more storage, you just need to use storage space like SSD or external hard drive. This laptop does not offer upgrade options. ASUS seems to have specialized this laptop for those of you who want to experience its performance firsthand without having to bother upgrading again.
Like the ZenBook series, ASUS installed a screen with good color fidelity on an IPS panel.
This is illustrated by its pretty good specs, such as 100% sRGB, which dictates high color accuracy, 300 nits brilliant brightness, anti-glare function to avoid light reflections, 13.3-inch screen with Full HD and nanorange resolution. design with a thin border, making the screen feel more spacious.
The white-backlit keyboard and three brightness levels also ensure comfort. You can do this by simply pressing the F7 key. This is an interesting solution for those who want to write in the dark. The keyboard is sculpted end-to-end as the edges are close to the sides of the frame. This is one of the things that makes it compact.
Interestingly, ASUS overcomes the lack of the number pad button area with a feature called NumberPad 2.0. This feature, which was previously implemented in several ASUS technology series, features digital number pad buttons in the touchpad area. Activate it by pressing the icon in the top right corner for 1 second and the numeric keypad will activate.
In addition to two brightness levels by pressing the icon in the upper left corner, it also has a function that activates the calculator in Windows 10.
Because it's thin, ASUS offers few ports. On the right is just one USB 3.2 Type-A port and a Micro SD card reader, and on the right is one HDMI 2.0b port and two USB Type-C ports that support Thunderbolt 4.0.
If you notice, there is no audio jack. That's why ASUS includes a USB Type-C audio port converter included in the retail package. Another option for using sound is to use a Bluetooth connection.
ASUS ZENBOOK 13 PERFORMANCE
To see the performance, I tried running several benchmarks such as PCMark 10, Cinebench R20 and 3Dmark. From these tests it can be seen that the performance is quite good. For example, Cinebnech R20 results represent processor-based performance.
One of these popular benchmarks is based on Cinema 4, which simulates the process of rendering 3D objects. In the multi-core test I ran, all CPU cores were included to see overall performance. The multi-core score reached 1644 points, while the single-core score reached 527 points.
As for other synthetic benchmarks, I tried PCMark 10 Professional Edition and 3Dmark Advanced Edition which got pretty high scores.
ASUS ZENBOOK 13 BATTERY
It has a capacity of 67 Wh and the battery life is quite durable. In my test, I used PCMark 10 in Modern Office mode, which simulates office use with the "Battery Mode balance settings" option. It should be noted that the laptop can last up to 15 hours 49 minutes.
The results of this test are close to ASUS claims with a battery life of up to 16 hours.
CONCLUSION
The ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA is suitable for prioritizing productivity, thanks to its sharp IPS screen and Harman Kardon audio support, such as for office or college assignments, as well as for recreational needs. In addition, the strong but lightweight case and long battery life support it to be invited to work outdoors or in a cafe.
In terms of performance, this laptop is qualified for current tasks. Based on my tests, this laptop can still be used for gaming even with lower resolution or detail and is considered good for non-gaming use.
It comes in two versions, the laptop we tested with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor and 16GB LPDDR4X RAM is priced at IDR 17,799,000. Meanwhile, if you want an option with lower specifications and a lower price, choose the Intel Core i5-1135G7 with 8GB LPDDR4X RAM at a price of IDR 14,799,000. And like the current sales trend for laptops and ultrabooks, the purchase package includes Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 already installed and all you have to do is activate it for free.
