ASUS sent us a ZenBook 14 UX435EG for review. While that’s taking shape, here’s our quick unboxing, as we share our thoughts and first impressions on the laptop.
The ZenBook 14 UX435EG is latest ultraportable notebook from ASUS. Its a step up from the previous generation, featuring an 11th gen Intel Core i7 processor and the ScreenPad 2.0. It retains many elements from the ZenBook line, including the slim and lightweight body and the thin NanoEdge design.
Price
The ASUS ZenBook 14 comes in two variants. Our review unit (UX435EG) with an 11th gen Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage is priced at Php 79,995. While the Intel Core i5 variant with 16GB RAM and 512GB SDD is priced at Php 64,995.
Both models comes in Pine Gray and Lilac Mist colors.
Unboxing, First Impressions
The unboxing experience itself is quite impressive. The ZenBook 14 comes in a briefcase style box. As you lift the top cover, the laptop itself rises up. Its a nice touch that sets up the premium device.
Inside the box, the laptop comes with a small 65W charger, a carrying case, a USB-A to LAN adapter, and the usual documentation.
Looking at the ZenBook 14, you’ll quickly notice that it is quite small, despite having a 14-inch display. Measuring just 31.90 x 19.90 cm with a 1.59 cm thickness, it is indeed a compact and slim machine, no doubt further accentuated by the 2.6mm NanoEdge bezels that surround the display.
The laptop itself has an aluminum chassis with a US MIL-STD 810H military-grade standard for durability, making it one of the strongest and most hardy laptops in the market. According to ASUS, it passed several drop and vibration tests, along with extended tests for extremes in altitude, temperature and humidity.
The brushed finish of the lid is very elegant and actually quite appealing. The distinct and unmistakable ASUS-look is accented by the concentric design and an off-center logo.
Like other ZenBooks, the ErgoLift hinge lifts the rear by 3-degrees when you open the laptop, tilting the keyboard for a more comfortable typing experience while at the same time providing space for the vents at the bottom.
Once open, you’ll be greeted by a wide 14-inch 16:9 display with an IPS-level panel, up to 300-nits of brightness, and 100-percent sRGB coverage. It has a 1920 x 1080 resolution, anti-glare surface, and a 92% screen-to-body ratio.
There are two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports located on the left side, together with an HDMI and a couple of LED lights for power and activity. While on the right, there’s a USB-A 3.2 port, a 3.5mm combo jack and a microSD card reader. The stereo speakers are at the bottom (meaning they’re downward firing).
It also has full-sized chiclet keyboard with 1.4mm travel and backlighting. The keys are decently spaced and offers a comfortable typing experience.
One the more notable features of the ZenBook 14 is the ScreenPad 2.0. It measures a spacious 5.65-inches with a full HD panel that works as a second display with touchscreen. Some of the things I have done with it include watching the occasional YouTube video while you work on the main screen, control my phone, using it as a numpad, and as a handwriting tool.
ALSO READ: Huawei MateBook 14 2020 review
Looking at the internals, the ZenBook 14 is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with an NVIDIA GeForce MX450 and Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU, 16GB RAM, and 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD storage. It has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, running on Windows 10 Home. It also has a 63Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery.
Unsurprisingly, the laptop is fast with basic navigation looking smooth and speedy. The ScreenPad 2.0 is very responsive as well.
Wrap Up
My unboxing and first impressions of the ASUS ZenBook 14 UX435EG ends here. So far, it shows a lot of promise.
Looking at it at face value, the laptop offers super durable aluminum build, a premium finish, impressive internals including an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an eye-popping 1TB PCIe SSD storage, and of course, the ScreenPad 2.0 that promises to boost your productivity. I mean, how could this go wrong.
Anyhow, I’ll continue using the machine as my daily driver building up to the full review. Stay tuned.
ASUS ZenBook 14 UX435EG specs
- Display: 14-inch FHD IPS Display, 1920 x 1080, 60Hz, Anti-Glare, 100% sRGB
- Processor: 2.8GHz Quad-core 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7, Turbo Boost up to 4.7Ghz
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce MX450 with 2GB GDDR6 VRAM, Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 16GB 4266 MHz LPDDR4X RAM
- Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 M.2 SSD
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Others: 5.65-inch FHD+ ASUS ScreenPad Glass-covered IPS Touch Pad, Harman Kardon-certified Stereo Speakers, IR Webcam with Windows Hello Support, Full-sized Backlit Keyboard
- Ports: 1x HDMI, 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, 1x USB-A 3.2, MicroSD Card Reader, 3.5mm Combo Jack
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 63W 3-cell Lithium-polymer Battery, Up to 12 Hours
