Asus ZenBook Flip
Asus has announced its updated ZenBook and ExpertBook range of laptops are coming to Australia and – with the exception of one product – will bring Intel’s recently unveiled Tiger Lake 11th-gen processors with them.
Top of the pile is the premium ZenBook Flip S, a 2-in-1 that Asus says is the world’s thinnest OLED convertible laptop. It is also the first Asus laptop to carry the new Intel Evo platform design, an initiative that sees Intel cram high-end specs into performant thin devices.
The Flip S promises 15 hours of battery life with a Core i7 CPU and Iris Xe GPU, 16GB RAM, and 1TB of PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD storage. Despite its slim design, it also manages to find pace for Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, HDMI, and USB-A ports, and bears Asus’ signature NumberPad that lights up on the trackpad.
If you don’t want to splash out the full amount on the 16:9 4K OLED Flip S, Asus says there will be an IPS 1080p screen version.
Credit: Asus The more traditional version of this laptop is the ZenBook S, with a 13.9-inch IPS touchscreen and a more modern 3:2 aspect ratio. Despite its ultra slim 15.7mm body, it’s not an Intel Evo product. But it does have a Core i7 CPU and Iris Xe graphics, so performance should still be top notch, and it can be configured up to 16GB RAM.
It looks very slick with an edge-to-edge keyboard, NumberPad built into the trackpad, and a black all-metal body with subtle red copper trim.
More confusing are the three options Asus offers with its ZenBook 14. The first integrates a 5.6-inch display in the trackpad, so you can use it normally or as a second screen to open apps, for example. The optional upgrade will obviously cost more, and you can opt to buy the ZenBook 14 without it.
Both of these models come with 16:9 14-inch IPS screens, 11th-gen CPUs, Iris Xe graphics, up to 16GB RAM, and Thunderbolt 4. The design is very sharp, with a raised keyboard effect when the unit is open.
Credit: Asus The third ZenBook 14 Ultralight lives up to its name and, depending on the model, weighs 980-995g. The regular ZenBook 14 weighs 1.19-1.29kg. The Ultralight may shed weight in its construction but still manages to tout 11th-gen chips, and up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. However, it loses Iris Xe graphics and instead has Nvidia’s MX450 chip.
Very similar to this light option is the ExpertBook B9, an 11th-gen 14-inch laptop. Aimed specifically at business users it has AI noise-cancellation for video calls and AdaptiveLock for fast secure login.
The ZenBook Pro 15 may have an Intel 10th-gen Core i7 processor but it should still prove a good option. It offers up to a 4K UHD OLED touchscreen option at 100% PCI-P3 gamut, 16GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics and 1TB SSD. Aimed at creatives, it is less bag-friendly at 1.8kg but is suited better for image and video rendering under heavy load.
The laptops arrive in Australia in November, when pricing and exact availability will be announced, however, all these models are at the higher end of the pricing spectrum.
