ASUS ZENBOOK UX305

Asus UX305 Zenbook Laptop Review – The Return of the Netbook?

Gus Tech: Steen takes us through a review of the ASUS UX305. While doing so he talks about the history of the netbook, and compares it to it’s competition.

Asus UX305 Review – 12″ Macbook Challenger

Dave Lee: My full review of the Asus UX305 Ultrabook.Is this the real deal? A half price competitor to the new 12″ Macbook?Enjoy!

ASUS Zenbook UX305 – Hands On Review

Digital Trends: Asus has pushed hard to keep prices down, and the fruits of that labor can be seen in the new UX305. This 13-inch notebook packs an Intel Core M 5Y10 processor, eight gigabytes of RAM, a 256GB solid state drive and 1080p display. All of this is available for as little as $700.

Connectivity is better than expected, given the UX305’s size. It has three USB 3.0 ports, an SDcard reader and a combo headphone/microphone jack. The only potential disappointment is the mini-HDMI port, since this is not as widely used as mini-DisplayPort (still, an adapter is easy to find). Speaking of adapters, Asus ships the system with a USB-to-Ethernet dongle. Wireless connectivity includes 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Customer Reviews

Don’t just take the word of the video reviewers are saying. Here are what people who actually purchased the Zenbook UX305 are saying.  These reviews are from verified purchasers on Amazon.

Just Wow

Let me just say that I have researched just about every device sold in the United States that has a 13 inch screen in my quest to replace my dying laptop. It’s been a thoroughly exhaustive search. But the search is now over! I’ve tested every device from Chromebooks to Mac Books to giving up and just reading a book. The Zenbook is where my quest ends!

I just got my Zenbook tonight and it has been a great experience right from the unboxing. I’ll start with the packaging because it deserves mentioning. The Amazon box was huge, the size of a VCR from 1981. Inside that was a plain box for the Zenbook about the size of 1995 VCR. Inside that box was a very nice fancy box about the size of a board game box. That box was well cushioned inside the 1995 VCR box. Inside that was the Zenbook. So the thing ships VERY well protected from drops by the delivery service. I have never been impressed by packaging much, but this one managed to do it.

Once I got the machine turned on I tried Windows 8 for the first time………and 5 minutes later I learned how well the Classic Shell app works to make Windows look normal. I originally intended to put Ubuntu on it as I’m a Linux fan, but with Classic Shell Windows 8.1 has been working great and I’ve opted to keep it on there for the 6 weeks since I bought the system. It’s very stable and the ‘instant on’ feature is awesome.  Now the hardware….

░░░░░DISPLAY░░░░░

❖ The screen is great. I mean really great. It’s a matte finish which REALLY cuts down on glare. I am sitting with a bright light directly behind me as I write this and while it’s lighting up the screen, I don’t see any reflection of the light at all. When I hold my phone at the same angle as my screen I can’t see a thing on the phone screen (normal glossy smartphone screen).

❖ The resolution is fantastic, and even with the native display settings maximized for the HD screen resolution all the text is big enough to read comfortably. (You can mess with the scaling and text size if need be, but the text is not super tiny right off the bat like some other HD screens are)

❖ The bezel around the screen looks much bigger in the picture at the top of this page. It’s really not that big and the actual LCD panel fills the screen area well.

❖ There is a rubber gasket all the way around the outer edge of the bezel that will do 2 things. It will keep the metal screen housing from rubbing against the metal keyboard housing and scratching them both up. It will also provide some (I said SOME) protection against water getting in if the lid is closed. This might come in handy if the Zenbook is in a backpack and you get caught in the rain. It’s not waterproofing. It’s “buy you 20 seconds to run inside” protection.

❖ The issue with the back of the lip lifting the machine up a little when the screen is opened all the way….yeah…that’s a thing. But I don’t think it’s an accident. First off it sits stable and doesn’t move around when the system is leaning on the back of the lid. Second this causes the keyboard to angel up at your slightly. It’s subtle, but I like it.

░░░░░KEYBOARD░░░░░

❖ Prior to today I’ve been using 2 keyboards regularly. A Dell Latitude D630 notebook keyboard that is full size with normal laptop keys, and a full size normal desk top keyboard with big keys. Both have ‘normal’ key travel. The Zenbook is my first island key set up. It took me about 8 seconds to get used to it. The key travel isn’t as deep as my Dell Latitude keyboard, but it’s not much more shallow. It’s very easy to type on.

❖ The Power button being above the backspace key and built into the keyboard seems to be a big issue with a lot of people. I type like The Thing from the Fantastic Four (Big dude made of orange rock) so I have already used the backspace key a lot in the last 2 hours. I haven’t hit the power button yet. I also think it gives the whole system a nice clean look that there isn’t a row of system buttons above the function key row.

❖ The trackpad. Yes, it clicks a little when you tap it. Yes, it was annoying for the first hour. I got used to it as soon as I realized it wasn’t broken. It dose that because the whole trackpad is a clickable button. So there is play in the trackpad. It’s not loud. It’s not wiggling loose. It’s just not a big deal.

░░░░░SPEAKERS░░░░░

❖ The speakers are on the bottom. To be more specific they are on the very sides of the bottom and angled slightly out toward the sides. They aren’t full size JBL tower speakers that will wake up the neighbors, but they aren’t trying to be. They are laptop speakers. They get the job done. Even being on the bottom I found them to be plenty loud enough to hear the sound of YouTube videos (The Force Unleashed trailer looks and sounds great on this. That was my test video. It was…..good times.) The speakers probably aren’t loud enough to let you watch a movie in a crowded room…but if you’re trying to do that the odds are you’ve got headphones anyway. The speakers are perfectly capable laptop speakers.

░░░░░INTERNAL GEEKY STUFF░░░░░

❖ I can’t slow this system down. I’ve thrown all my normal usage stuff at it (Office, web browsing…with multiple java heavy tabs, watching videos, etc etc) and I can’t slow it down. The 8GB of RAM is more than enough for 95% of users. Maybe it wouldn’t make a great video editing machine, but the vast majority of the world isn’t even going to do that. If you’re doing resource intensive stuff you know you need a bigger more powerful machine and you’re probably not looking at this one.

❖ The 256 SSD drive is amazing. When it says fast access it’s not screwing around. It boots fast, wakes from sleep fast, and accesses files fast. This is all because the SSD storage lets the system quickly save and retrieve data. If you’re a computer person you understand what I’m saying. If you’re not, trust me. It’s awesome.

░░░░░LOOK AND FEEL░░░░░

❖ It’s thin. Like crazy thing. Look at the pictures below comparing it to my Dell Latitude D630, which in it’s day was a pretty tiny and very portable notebook. My Dell now suddenly feels like my old 8088 desk top from 1987. The keyboard part is the same thickness as my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone. With the lid closed the whole system is just a hair thicker than my Galaxy Tab 2 tablet. You hear what I’m saying? This nicely powered ultrabook computer is basically as thin as a very nice smartphone. That’s insane to me.

And it doesn’t feel flimsy as a result. I was worried it would feel like I was going to break it in half because it’s so thin. It feels pretty strong and sturdy. The all aluminum frame just feels expensive. (I mean the Zenbook isn’t cheap, but it’s not priced like a Mac Book either.)

❖ It’s also very light. This is a double edged sword. The ONLY thing that’s even remotely an issue with the Zenbook. When sitting on your lap the system bounces around as you type a little bit. It just doesn’t have enough mass to keep it firmly planted on your lap. It’s not a big deal, but it’s noticeable compared to my heavy 2007 Dell notebook. One the flip side, its ULTRA portable. It can sit on my lap all day and it’ll never start to get heavy.

❖ It’s quiet. Dead quiet. Ninjas could check their email in the middle of a mission and it wouldn’t give them away.

❖ It’s cold. It doesn’t get warm. I’ve been using it for about 90 minutes straight now and it’s cold to the touch. The aluminum body does a great job of dissipating the small amount of heat the builds up.

░░░░░THE FINAL VERDICT░░░░░

❖ Buy it.

░░░░░UPDATE !!! (AFTER 3 MONTHS OF USE)░░░░░

❖ I’ve had my Zenbook for 3 months now and still absolutely love it just as much as the day I first got it. Nothing has ‘worn thin’ on me or made me change me initial opinions of the Zenbook. I absolutely love it and am very happy that this is the machine I ended up buying after all my research. I use it every day and it’s fantastic. The battery is wonderful after 3 months of real world use. I charge it about every 3rd day usually, maybe every other day if I use it a lot. I’ve yet to burn the battery down completely in a single day. (To be fair I haven’t watched any movies on it or anything. That will burn the battery down faster). Review By Amazon Customer TOP 100 REVIEWER on April 17, 2015.

Beautifully constructed lightweight Ultrabook at an unbeatable price point. I’m keeping it!!!

Recently purchased the UX305FA and it arrived yesterday. Keep in mind this is a very preliminary review as I’ve had the laptop for less than 24 hours. I plan to update this review as I use it more. Feel free to ask questions and I’ll try to respond. I’m going to try to be as objective as possible here and point out pro’s and con’s that might affect everyone, not just my own preferences.

The good:

• -Size: This baby is thin!! I keep seeing publications reference it somewhere in the 12-13mm range. I have no idea how to use the metric system. This translates to roughly half an inch thin. It’s also very light, tipping the scales at a minuscule 2.5lbs.
• -Noise: Or I should say, a lack of noise. The CPU has no fan, the hard drive is solid state, and there is no optical drive – meaning this computer essentially has no moving parts. It’s strange using a machine that’s totally silent when you’re not typing on it. I love it already.
• -Price: This device retails for $699. Amazing that they can sell it for this price. It seems unanimously accepted from reviewers that this is a good deal based on what this model offers and how it stacks up against similarly outfitted competition.
• -Construction, Fit, & Finish: It’s made out of all aluminum. Has a very nice feel in your hands, inside and out. The color is kind of unique too. It has a deep stone color with the slightest hint of dark purple in it. In a sea of black and silver laptops, this one definitely stands out. The cover has the nice brushed concentric circle design inherent to the Zenbook line, and it’s very pleasing to the eye. There are also some thoughtful design touches which pleasantly surprised me. The top panel which holds the laptop’s screen has two tiny little rubber feet at the bottom. So when the machine is open, they prop up the laptop at the slightest angle toward the user. Asus really took some care into designing the hardware in this thing.
• -The charger: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a charger this small for a laptop. It’s awesome!! So small and light. Comparatively my last charger was the size of a Buick. Considering you’ll probably be carrying the charger with the laptop frequently – it’s great that it weighs so little. Keeps the entire experience of portability intact.
• -The keyboard: Typing on it feels nice. I don’t feel cramped at all and the key travel is decent for a laptop that’s very thin. Keystrokes don’t seem loud to me. I like it.
• -Matte Display: I wanted a 1080P matte display with no touch screen, and that’s what this model offers. This gives me the opportunity to use the laptop at coffee shops, on airplanes, or in different areas of my house without worrying about sunlight or reflections that might affect a glossy screen. Out of the box the text is crisp, brightness and colors seem fine. I will likely spend more time tweaking the settings to get the most out of it.

The bad:

• -No backlit keyboard: This personally doesn’t bother me, as my last laptop also did not have a backlit keyboard. Many of my fellow reviewers seem to complain about this though. So I guess it’s a desirable feature. Keep in mind that backlit keyboards are typically reserved for higher end machines in the $1000 range. Also if you know how to type properly, you shouldn’t even be looking at the keys. Whatever, I don’t think it’s a big deal.
• -Power button location: Again, this doesn’t bother me. But it is above the backspace key, and directly right of the delete key, so you can surmise it might be easy to accidentally turn the machine off. You can easily update what the power button does in Window’s power settings. I changed it to “do nothing” so I won’t make this mistake.
• -Backlight bleeding (LCD Screen): I noticed this immediately when I turned it on and saw the all-black boot-up screen with the Asus logo. This will vary from screen to screen, so you might end up with a unit that ends up being worse or better than mine. Might bother users that watch a lot of TV or movies, but to me it doesn’t matter. This issue is common to LCD screens and not unique to Asus.
• -Speakers: I expected them to be under-powered, and they are. If you’re buying a laptop for its speakers, don’t shop for the one that’s half an inch thin. There just isn’t enough room for any really robust audio hardware here. Need better audio? Buy a pair of earbuds, or a bluetooth speaker, and the problem is solved.
• -Availability: At the time of this review, March 2015, you may have difficulty finding one at MSRP. Microsoft is sold out, and so is Amazon. If you want one at retail price, the only place I see selling at the moment is directly through the Asus website. Amazon third-party vendors also have this for sale, but they are inflating the price over MSRP. Don’t let those fools con you into overpaying for something that should cost $699.

The ugly:

The track pad. Some people here seem to like it. I personally think it’s crap. For a $700 device, quality needs to suffer somewhere and for me it’s the track pad. My previous computer was a 2008 HP that had a wonderful aluminum track pad that had a great feel to it and worked perfectly. Seven years later, this new computer has a track pad that’s only about 90% responsive with scrolling/gestures.

There are left and right mouse buttons integrated into the track pad, and on my machine the clicks sound obnoxiously loud. It sounds cheap to me. Clicks and taps seem to register fine most of the time. To be honest I’ve seen and felt better track pads on $200 Chromebooks. I’ve shopped for Asus Zenbook’s line before, and subpar trackpad performance seems to be an issue inherent to the brand. Hopefully Asus will start reading customer comments and work on addressing this in future models. I personally solved this problem by buying a tiny wireless Logitech mouse which works great. I’m keeping the laptop, and I feel this is a minor point of contention on what is otherwise an all around great product.

The unknown:

• -Battery life: I haven’t had the computer long enough to truly give a fair estimate on this. But I hope to report back. The sticker on the laptop said 10 hours, I doubt I will achieve that. Seems most users are reporting roughly 7 hours. After a full charge, I’ve been working on it for roughly two hours. The battery indicator says 71% and 7+ hours remaining. If that happens, I’ll be content!

UPDATE 3/21/15

On my first full charge I used the computer for two days. Over 4 hours on the first day, and 3 hours on the second. It might even be closer to 8 hours, but I charged it at around 15%. So I can confirm this computer will get at least 7 hours battery life on web browsing, typing, generic activities. That’s plenty for me, but I’ll admit I don’t know how this compares to rival laptops. I have to do some more testing with it, but I would estimate 6-8 hours should be a reasonable average depending on how you use the device.

The verdict:

I’m a very conscious consumer who spends a ton of time deciding on electronic purchases. I always read a ton of professional and customer reviews on products and try things out in person whenever possible. I carefully considered many options before pulling the trigger on the UX305. I had an impossible (maybe even unreasonable) list of demands for an Ultrabook purchase, and while no product is perfect this laptop came very close. My other considerations were the MacBook Air, the Dell XPS 13, and a few others.

Ultimately I wanted a Windows machine. For the money, this model is really hard to beat for what it offers. At this price point, similarly equipped laptops are probably going to run $900-1000 at minimum or a lot more. Overall it is a quality machine that appears well engineered and constructed. I’m a white collar professional, a part-time graduate student, and also spend a lot of weekends on the road visiting friends out of town. I wanted something that offered reasonable computing power but would be easy to tote along with me everywhere. I’ve seen some professional publications ding this laptop for performance, and its Core M processor. If you’re the average consumer using this for web browsing, light office work, watching some videos and want a high quality very portable laptop for less than $1000 I really don’t think there’s a better option. Very happy with my choice. Go purchase this now, if you can even find one.

UPDATE 5/5/2015:

I’ve now had this machine and used it daily for about 7 weeks. I still love it and highly recommend it. I stand by all my previous comments when I initially wrote this review back in March 2015. I have a few more insights to share having spent more time with the product. To reiterate – I really love the portability of this thing, it’s so light and easy to move around my house, or stuff it into a bag and take it with you. I recently used it on a flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco. On a full charge, I watched two feature length movies (about 2 hours each) with airplane mode turned on. I had 77% battery life remaining at that point – impressive!

I’ve also noticed that even after being turned on for a few hours, the laptop does not generate much heat at all, which is great if you’ll have it in your lap. The trackpad still sucks, and I avoid using it whenever I can. Two other drawbacks that are minor complaints, but still noticeable: fingerprints and display driver issues. A few folks mentioned that the materials used on this machine are prone to fingerprinting. I can affirm this is true, and if this bothers you, expect to be wiping off the laptop with a cloth on a regular basis – I find myself doing it. I’ve also noticed that occasionally the display driver will crash, and the screen goes black for 1-3 seconds. This may just be a Windows 8 issue, but I thought it might be worth mentioning. I haven’t found a way to fix it. Review by  havoc752 on March 19, 2015.

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