ASUS ZenBook 15: At First Glance
The ASUS ZenBook series is known to be very powerful, light, and portable. ASUS ZenBook 15 is no exception despite its large screen.
Moreover, ASUS have been stepping up their game while still maintaining their most iconic features. Hence, this laptop has gotten better with its reduced bezels, increased storage and power, and other distinctive elements that stand it out.
Some of the few things that will grab your attention on your first encounter with this laptop are its narrow bezel display and sleek design. In fact, you could say that the ZenBook line up is ASUS’s MacBook brand.
ASUS ZenBook 15: Design, Dimension, and Weight
The ASUS ZenBook 15 has one of the most unique designs you will come across in an Ultrabook. It has a Royal Blue aluminum finish with a gold accent.
ASUS maintains this color scheme on the entire body of the laptop. Hence, you get the same design trend on the internal part of the laptop.
Thanks to its elegant design, this laptop feels very premium. Moreover, the ASUS ZenBook 15’s design makes it stand amongst its competitors.
Furthermore, the ASUS ZenBook 15 has a superb build quality. There’s barely any flex on this laptop because of its aluminum chassis.
Both the screen and the hinge feel very sturdy. Speaking of the hinge, ASUS equipped this laptop with an ErgoLift hinge – tilts the keyboard to an angle, thereby facilitating airflow and comfortable typing.
The keyboard itself has well-spaced keys that are very comfortable for typing. Beneath the keyboard, you get a 5.7-inch screen pad that also functions as a touchpad.
This screen pad/touchpad can help improve your workflow if you find it comfortable.
Furthermore, the ASUS ZenBook 15 strikes a good balance between size and weight. It measures 354 x 220.4 x 18.9 mm and weighs 1550 g.
Moreover, ASUS claims that this laptop is the world’s most compact laptop. With a screen to body ratio of 92% – thanks to the laptop’s nano-edge display, ASUS may be right.
Finally, this laptop offers a decent range of ports. It offers 1 Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 2 port, 1 Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, 1 Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 2 port, and 1 HDMI port.
Overall, this laptop’s design and build are remarkable. Therefore, the ASUS ZenBook 15 scores a nine in this review.
ASUS ZenBook 15: Processor (CPU) Performance
ASUS offers two quad-core configurations for the ASUS ZenBook 15’s processor. You can buy this laptop with either an Intel Core i5 10210U or an Intel Core i7 10510U.
The Intel Core i5 10210U processor has a base frequency of 1.60 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.20 GHz. However, the Intel Core i7 10510U has a base frequency of 4.20 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.90 GHz.
This review focuses on the Intel Core i7 10510U processor. With this processor, the ASUS ZenBook 15 efficiently delivers in terms of CPU performance.
Moreover, Intel claims that this processor offers a 16% better overall performance than its previous generation processors. However, the ASUS ZenBook 15 couldn’t match its competitors in the benchmark test that was carried out.
On a multi-core processor Cinebench R15 test, the ASUS ZenBook 15 scored 835 points, falling behind the Apple MacBook Pro that scored 1362 points. Additionally, with a score of 1600, Dell XPS 15 also outperformed ASUS ZenBook 15.
Even though the ASUS ZenBook 15 doesn’t match up to its competitors, it is still very powerful. Therefore, it scores seven in this review.
ASUS ZenBook 15: Memory (RAM) Performance
The ASUS ZenBook 15 comes with 8 GB LPDDR3 RAM. This laptop has only one RAM slot. However, you can upgrade the RAM to 16 GB.
This review focuses on the 16 GB RAM. As expected, with this RAM size, heavy multitasking is an easy job for the ASUS ZenBook 15.
To offer you some in-depth details, ASUS ZenBook 15 took on every task I threw at it during a multitasking test. It worked smoothly with 33 Chrome browser tabs while I was compiling java codes on IntelliJ IDEA.
In addition to that, I decided to increase the workload on the laptop by streaming YouTube videos on ten of the opened Chrome browser tabs. Surprisingly, ASUS ZenBook 15 kept running smoothly.
As a result, it scores an eight for its tremendous multitasking power.
ASUS ZenBook 15: Storage Options and Performance
Like its processor, ASUS also offers two configurations for the ASUS ZenBook 15. You can buy this laptop with either a 512 GB PCIe Gen 3 x2 SSD or a 1 TB PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD.
Both drives offer very good speeds. However, this review focuses on the 1 TB PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD.
With this drive, the ASUS ZenBook 15 recorded a sequential read speed of 2428 MBps on a CrystalDiskMark test. Furthermore, it recorded a sequential write speed of 2160 MBps.
Comparatively, these speeds were very impressive. The ASUS ZenBook 15 beat the Dell XPS 15 that recorded a sequential read speed of 1861 MBps and a sequential write speed of 1729.
Furthermore, it took the ASUS ZenBook 15 just 7 seconds to copy a 4.97 GB multimedia file at a rate of 772 MBps. Only the MacBook Pro outpaced this laptop with an astounding 1,017 MBps copy rate.
In conclusion, the ASUS ZenBook 15 scores seven in this review for its above-average storage performance.
ASUS ZenBook 15: Graphics Card Performance
The ASUS ZenBook 15 features a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU. This GPU has a base frequency of 1020 MHz and a boost frequency of 1245 MHz.
Even though the ASUS ZenBook 15 is not designated a gaming laptop, its GPU enables it to run most games smoothly. In fact, you can play most modern title games with medium to high graphics settings.
Moreover, the ASUS ZenBook 15 can run some games at their highest graphics settings. However, you can’t play those games in resolutions that are higher than Full HD.
On gaming tests, the ASUS ZenBook 15 ran BioShock Infinite at 73 FPS on high settings, surpassing the Dell XPS 15 that ran the game at 69 FPS. On high settings, the ASUS ZenBook 15 also ran The Witcher at 49 FPS, Far Cry at 49 FPS, and Apex Legends at 59 FPS.
The ASUS ZenBook 15 scores an eight in this review for its good gaming performance.
ASUS ZenBook 15: Battery Life and Performance
ASUS equipped the ASUS ZenBook 15 with an 8 -Cell 71 Wh Polymer Battery.
The ASUS ZenBook 15 offers a slightly above average performance in terms of battery life. It lasted 8 hours 40 minutes on a battery test that involved web surfing over Wi-Fi.
While some may not be impressed by this laptop’s battery life, it is necessary to note that its battery life has improved compared to its previous model’s 5 hours.
Besides, the ASUS ZenBook 15 is only a few minutes short of the premium laptop average of 8 hours 45 minutes runtime. However, with its 11 hours battery life, MacBook Pro completely outlasted the ASUS ZenBook 15.
As a result, the ASUS ZenBook 15 scores a seven in this review for its slightly above average battery life.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ASUS ZenBook 15 is an excellent laptop with excellent features. It has a great design that makes it feel premium. On top of that, this laptop delivers an excellent performance. It is capable of handling heavy computing operations.
Thanks to its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, this laptop performs notably well at gaming even though it’s not a gaming laptop. On high settings, the ASUS ZenBook 15 ran The Witcher at 49 FPS, Far Cry at 49 FPS, and Apex Legends at 59 FPS.
No, it doesn’t. But its 4K UHD resolution display with wide 178° viewing angles is excellent. It features incredibly thin bezels as well.
The major difference between the ASUS Zenbook line and the Vivobook line is their prices. The Zenbook is a more expensive, premium range of laptops. While most of the VivoBooks are budget-friendly.
ASUS was founded by a group of individuals named Ted Hsu, M.T. Liao, Wayne Tsiah, T.H. Tung, Luca D.M.
Conclusion
The ASUS ZenBook 15 is a fantastic workhorse Ultraportable. It is not only attractive, but it also has excellent features that give it an upper hand amongst its competitors.
Finally, the ASUS ZenBook 15 is an awesome laptop. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a powerful laptop.
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