Despite the dominance of the big three (Lenovo, HP, Dell), the most exciting laptop innovations come from other brands. This is the case of Asus, a company that always goes the extra mile when it comes to surprising with its laptops. Here he did it again.
AsusTEK Computer Inc. is a Taiwanese brand of computers and smartphones that power users will surely recognize when they turn on their old computers. Since its creation in 1989 by former Acer employees, the company has specialized mainly in the creation of essential components for PCs: motherboards (that’s why when you turn on the machine, the Asus logo is the first thing you see) to multiple component types. , such as monitors, routers, storage, servers, etc.
According to the consulting firm Canalys, despite the 15% contraction in sales of computer equipment after the pandemic, during this last quarter the company was able to hold its own, maintaining fifth place in the world. Either because of its innovative working equipment or because of the super power that its range of portable for ROG gamers, Asus has always managed to stand out from the crowd.
This was also the case during the presentation a few days ago of the first portable collapsible market. Yes, the market already has one portable 17″ able to fold. But we’ll talk about that another time.
Now let’s focus on the latest model ZenBook Pro 16X OLED The N7601, which can only be described as a productivity beast, but also features one of the most attractive and hypnotic displays on the market: an OLED with up to 4K resolution. Let’s get to know him in more detail.
Technical specifications
- Dimensions : 35.50 x 25.10 x 1.69cm
- lester : 2.4kg
- Filter : 16″ OLED touch screen 4K @ 120 Hz (16:10 / 3840 x 2400)
- Processor : Intel Core i9 12900H 2.5GHz
- Graphic card : Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060Ti
- Memory : 32 GB DDR5 4800 MHz
- Storage : 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD (expandable to 2TB)
- Drums : 96Wh
- ports : 2 USB-C-Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps ports / 1 USB-A 3.2 port / 1 SD Express 7.0 input / 1 HDMI 2.1 port / 1 3.5″ jack input / RJ-45 network cable
- Camera : Full HD with lock
- audio : Six Harman/Kardon stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos system
- connectivity : Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.0
- Operating system : Windows 11 Pro
Sober, metallic and with many ports
Una muy buena sorpresa cuando se abre el package, además de su garantía por un año, es que de inmediato sobresalen los accesorios que junto al laptop: una cómoda y elegante mochila y un lapiz stylus —el Asus Pen 2.0— para uso en su touchscreen.
The cover of the Zenbook is matte black, with a rather spartan design, but it very elegantly highlights a highlight in its central right part where we can see the brand’s new logo, similar to that of star trekwhich exudes a concentric polished psychedelic.
Though minimalist, its metal chassis has military-grade strength, with eye-catching little accents that make it stand out. For example, a multipurpose dial located on the upper left side of the touchpad —which we will detail later— and, as on other Asus models, the very practical mechanical gadget that raises the keyboard when it is open, giving it greater ergonomics and typing comfort. This elevation is what also generates an inlet —on the left— and an outlet —on the right— for ventilation and heat dissipation.
On the left side we also find the power socket, a second generation USB-A 3.2 input and two other USB-C 3.2 inputs, also second generation. On the right, for its part, we have an input port for microSD Express 7.0 cards, the 3.5″ jack to connect headphones or speakers and an HDMI 2.1 port.
As for wireless connectivity, we have Wi-Fi 6 and support for Bluetooth 5.0. An interesting detail: the HDMI input is 2.1, which means that a greater amount of data can be transmitted to an external display or monitor. In more technical terms, it manages to go up to 120Hz in 4K or 8K at 60Hz. It’s not something new, but it should now be an industry standard, especially when it comes to the 4K.
Perhaps the best screen on the market
The screen is clearly the main eye-catcher of the Asus Zenbook Pro 16X. It’s bright, lively and hypnotic. I would even go so far as to say, in fact, that it is the best screen in portable that I had to see again. We’re talking about a 16-inch OLED, with an aspect ratio of 16:10 (longer than a cinema screen) and with a good refresh rate of 120 Hz for smooth content and 550 nits of brightness. .
It has NanoEdge technology, which allows it to reach a percentage of 90.3% in the body / screen ratio. i.e. the framework of portable It is extremely thin and barely noticeable. In terms of colors, the 1.07 billion possibilities can be customized according to the user, although it has certified Pantone validation for real color certification.
In principle, performing any visual task on the Asus Zenbook Pro is a profound pleasure. It may be a personal issue, but my eyes tell me that OLED is today the best technology for displaying a screen, no matter if it’s a mobile phone, a monitor or of a television. A better view than this you won’t find on the market, with all the features already standardized: blue light filter, high dynamic range and Dolby Vision. It’s also touch-enabled, so for graphics tasks it can be used as a tablet, or draw on it with the Asus Pen 2.0, the included magnetic stylus.
If we add to this that the machine includes an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti card, a 12th generation Intel Core i9 processor with up to 14 cores (i.e. the latest and most powerful chip in the company) and up to 32 GB of memory, we have a real beast in terms of graphics processing. Although it is not specifically designed for this, content creators or fans of video games will be able to take advantage of this model, because in terms of multitaskingthe Zenbook Pro flies.
Powerful, fast and comfortable
It’s a portable extremely powerful and versatile, although with a clear orientation and design towards the more serious or corporate side. There is no doubt about it. But what he lacks in glamor (like his line player ROG), is compensated by a fairly light weight for its power – just over two kilos – and small details that make the difference in the user experience.
Like his touchpad to control the slider -pulled slightly to the left-, which is not only large, soft to the touch and generously sized (129.7 mm x 84.8 mm), but also, like many other brand computers, it transforms into a very useful virtual tactile numeric keypad —ErgoSense calls it the brand— of 150x90mm, which with its anti-fingerprint coating remains clean and smooth without the need for maintenance. But there is more.
The Zenbook Pro also has the Asus Dial, a rotary control located to the left of the trackpad and under the keyboard, designed to facilitate certain tasks, especially in applications or creative programs like Adobe. Instead of scrolling through menus or memorizing keyboard shortcuts, for example to control brightness, opacity, brush width, Numeric keypad can make work more fluent. It is fully customizable and also allows you to manage the volume of the computer or the brightness of the screen.
Speaking of volume, the level delivered by its stereo speakers, with Harman-Kardon hardware and Dolby Atmos technology, is very loud and powerful. In fact, compared to the latest MacBook Air M2 and Samsung GalaxyBook2 Pro, the sound of the Zenbook Pro is the loudest. According to the brand, it sounds 350% louder—but without gaining in distortion—than a home speaker. portable Standard.
When he portable necessary, a slight flow of heat is perceptible under the keyboard, even if it is barely felt. As much as I had several graphics-intensive and graphics-intensive applications open simultaneously, the Zenbook Pro never showed any overheating during the weeks of testing. On the contrary, it has always remained cool as lettuce, since according to the brand, the AAS Ultra technology —which raises the keyboard— and the cooling technology —called IceCool Pro, with two liquid crystal polymer fans— manage to make circulate up to 30% more air than in your notebook above and with much less noise.
Typing on its backlit mechanical keyboard is extremely enjoyable. The keystroke is quiet and with just the right keystroke: at 1.4mm, it’s neither too short nor too deep. The distance between the center of each key is 19.05mm, the same as a desktop keyboard, so the chances of getting it wrong are minimal. The keys also have a slight 0.2mm bend, the purpose of which is to coincide with the fingertips and make typing even easier.
The backlight also gives it another character, since the lights on the keyboard change according to the circumstances. When the battery is low, they turn red, when a new USB device is detected, a bluish burst appears, and when you turn it off or on, they also flash like a party is starting. All of this, of course, can be custom configured.
I had no major issues with the performance, portability, and ergonomics of the device during the weeks of testing. In fact, it was a pleasure, I must admit, on a daily basis for a demanding user.
Reliable battery and secure camera
The Zenbook’s battery reaches 96 watts per hour, in addition to having fast charging that can reach 50% capacity in just half an hour. In general, the battery behaved rather well, like a good new broom. Without extreme use, I always had energy from the beginning to the end of the day. The brand promises a duration of 9 hours of continuous use but not mandatory.
When transporting, it is comfortable and light to take it out of bags or the like with one hand and operate it in seconds. Of course, its size is greater than that of the portable common – 16 inches compared to the 13 or 15 they usually have – means it won’t fit in any bag or case. It barely fits in mine.
On the other hand, the front camera has a new shield that is activated by sliding a button on the side. This allows the camera to be ipso facto “silent” if the situation calls for it. Also, it should be noted that this time Asus has decided to include a good Full HD camera with noise reduction and other possibilities for improving the image in real time, thanks to an artificial intelligence algorithm.
Practical verdict
Clearly oriented towards a professional audience, the Zenbook Pro 16X OLED is an excellent machine, sober and sophisticated, which keeps all its promises, wrapped in a very pleasant viewing, typing and performance experience.
One knock that may put you off is the price, especially compared to other models of similar size and spec. But for now it is worth it, mainly for its innovative details, not only cosmetic but which really improve the experience of being in front of a laptop, making it finally fresh and new.
Note: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Prices for products in this item are current as of September 14, 2022. Values and availability may change.
Source: Latercera
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
