Monday, August 10, 2020

ASUS ZenBook 13 (UX325): Combining Style and Functionality

One of the challenges when it comes to laptop design is combining style and functionality. Prioritize performance and you end up with something bulky with short battery life. Lean towards style and you end up with a sleek but under-performing laptop. But what if you balance both, what do you get? ASUS has an answer to this predicament in the form of the new ZenBook 13. If you want to know how it combines style and functionality, then continue reading.

13.3-inch FHD NanoEdge Display

The ASUS ZenBook 13 (UX325) is an ultrabook designed for productivity, and some entertainment if you wish, so it’s only appropriate for it to have a good display. What we’re looking at is a 13/3-inch screen with Full HD resolution with a good 88% screen-to-body ratio, thanks to the 4-sided NanoEdge design. That means you’re getting more screen and less bezel for a more immersive viewing experience. Add to that the low-power 1-watt display yet capable of producing 300nits of brightness. So, whether it’s for Zoom calls, MS Office productivity, or entertainment using Netflix or YouTube, the ZenBook 13 (UX325) can handle it.

Intel Core 10th-gen, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD

Since we mentioned productivity, then it’s also appropriate for it to have capable specs. In the case of the ZenBook 13 (UX325) it has an Intel Core i5-10351G1, Intel UHD Graphics, 8GB LPDDR4X 3200MHz RAM, and 512GB PCIe NVMe 3.0 x2 M.2 SSD. That configuration is enough to keep you productive throughout the day and entertained for the rest of the night.

Thin and lightweight body

The reason why ultrabooks are popular for productivity purposes is that you don’t want something that will weigh you down, figuratively and literally. That’s why the ZenBook 13 (UX325) features a compact, thin, and ultralight all-metal design. It measures 13.9 mm thin and only weighs 1.07 kg, so you can easily lug it around and work anywhere even if there’s limited space.

And that’s not all, the ZenBook 13 (UX325) is also tested meet the MIL-STD-810G U.S. military standard for reliability and durability. Tests consisted of a punishing regime designed to ensure survival in harsh environments and included power-on drop tests and operation at extremes of altitude and temperature. ZenBook 13 has also passed ASUS laptop stress tests that far exceed the standards set by the industry.

Long battery life

Given the capable hardware and light and thin body, the ZenBook 13 (UX325) allows you to be productive on-the-go. That means freeing yourself from a power outlet and not worrying about your laptop dying on you after a few hours. Thanks to its 67Wh battery capacity, the ZenBook 13 (UX325) can last up to 22 hours. And when you do need to top up, its fast-charge feature can restore the battery to a 60% charge level in just 49 minutes.

Plenty of connectivity features

Some ultrabooks sacrifice connectivity features perhaps to maintain a slim chassis. However, that forces the user to purchase and bring adapters and dongles wherever they go. That’s not a problem for the ZenBook 13 (UX325) as it has a full-size HDMI so you can connect it to a 4K UHD monitor, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, microSD card reader, and two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports with support for fast charging and 4K UHD monitors.

3D IR HD camera

The ZenBook 13 (UX325) is also packed with extra features, including a 3D IR HD camera so you can log in instantly to Windows 10 using your face. The webcam also uses IR camera tuning so your colleagues will be able to see you more clearly than ever during video conference calls, even in darker environments.

NumberPad 2.0

The ASUS NumberPad 2.0, on the other hand, improves your productivity as it solves the problem for ultrabooks without a dedicated numeric keypad. Just tap on the top-right NumberPad icon for one second to switch the function on or off, and tap on the top-left icon to choose one of two brightness levels. You can also swipe from the top-left icon in any direction to activate the Windows Calculator app on the display for faster access.

As you can see, the ASUS ZenBook 13 (UX325) is not just your typical sleek ultrabook as it is packed with features and powerful hardware to bring your productivity and style not usually found in standard laptops.

The ASUS ZenBook 13 (UX325) is priced at PHP 54,995 and is available through ASUS E-Store, Lazada, Shopee, ASUS concept stores, and partner dealers.