Review laptop ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA - advantages and disadvantages

ASUS decided not only to please their fans, but to amaze their imagination. The most productive laptop in history is not all the epithets that can describe the ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA laptop. He, moreover, is also the thinnest of laptops. It is also light, like a bird's feather. And yet he is infinitely graceful and beautiful. Refined. Nobility - that's the word that can be used to characterize the novelty.

So, no matter what competitors and envious people say, now users have the lightest, thinnest, most stylish, most long-awaited and fastest laptop. Plus, it's not the most expensive. Although the price is not from a number of budget goods.

Among the popular models, this model is worth the money that you have to pay for it.

Specifications

Equipment

From the stylish cardboard packaging, the following is extracted into the light:

• Notebook ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA blue, gray or red;
• Laptop case;
• Power Supply;
• Adapter for USB Type-C, allowing you to equip your laptop with the necessary USB ports;
• Documentation set.

Characteristics

Design

Of course, creating this miracle of elegance, the developers had to sacrifice some of the usual features of laptops. In this model, the most noticeable victim is the ports.

There are only two of them left on the thinnest edges of the laptop. USB Type-C and analog 3.5mm audio jack.

According to the manufacturer, the ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA laptop can be purchased in three colors. Royal Blue is blue, blue and once again, very blue, Rose Gold is a pink-red or red-pink shade for lovely ladies, and Quartz Gray is a shade of gray ... The same, one of fifty ...

With all this, the edging and all the embossed details, including the key markings, were applied in a golden tone, clearly showing how expensive a regular laptop can look.

The aluminium-magnesium alloy hull is comparable in quality and practicality only to spacecraft, although, in fairness, it is worth noting that it is so thin that it will not last long in space. Yes, and in the hands with him it is desirable to be more careful. However, the case is so durable and ergonomic that you can take and lift the laptop without looking back at the previous conventions.

The bottom cover is removed quite easily, one has only to unscrew a few clearly visible bolts. Under it is a very high quality assembled unit. At what it is worth noting that this laptop is balanced not only the ratio of price and quality. The weight is distributed along the body so harmoniously that the laptop can be lifted with two fingers on either edge of the device. At the same time, covered with Gorilla Glass 4, although not touch-sensitive, it withstands such manipulations quite calmly.

The two magnets on the front of the laptop act as a lid balancer.

Display

The bezels of the monitor are so thin that you might not even notice them at first glance.

Full HD screen resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels with a pixel density of 176 PPI. With a screen diagonal of 12.5 inches, this is a fairly large density.

Matrix B125HAN03.0 makes it possible to see the image on the screen at any angle of inclination.

The IPS screen clearly contributes to image quality.The backlight of the monitor is so harmonious that it does not affect vision, allowing the user to enjoy viewing in any light, and not put the eyes to the test, although the Eye Care Mode is not included in the set of standard settings. But if you find this function among the settings and connect it, it will make using a laptop a third more comfortable.

We can only say that the Gorilla Glass 4 screen covering has its pros and cons. Of course, this coating increases the strength of the screen, but when exposed to direct sunlight, part of the image will be eaten by light. Keep this in mind if you are going to use your laptop outdoors.

Memory

Of the 512GB of memory, 442GB remain free from the operating system. Moreover, it is impossible to replace a solid-state memory drive, Hynix HFS512G39MND is securely soldered into the laptop's brain.

As for the permanent memory, there is only one hard drive configuration of 16 GB, which creates quite comfortable conditions for using a laptop.

CPU

The Intel Core i7 is a 4-core Next generation processor based on the Kaby Lake model i7-7500U, which allows you to increase the already high clock speed by 200 - 400 MHz. At the same time, the power consumption system is designed so that the laptop does not overheat in principle. The energy saving mode leads to a power drop, preventing critical overheating.

In general, to expect failures and braking from this processor would be too gross a mistake.

The cooling system, together with the fan, the blades of which are made of liquid crystal plastic, occupies only 3 mm of the thickness of the laptop case.

The keyboard serves as a source of cold air, warm air is removed through special channels.When the load increases, the fan speed increases.

Performance

Is there any hope that in the pursuit of elegance, the manufacturer has managed to create a laptop with high performance?

Answering this question, it is worth noting that avid gamers, lovers of shooting games and endlessly playing music TV videos, should not reject this device right away.

The performance of the ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA laptop can be compared with the best devices in this class.

The Intel HD Graphics 620 video processor is quite confidently responsible for the quality and performance of games and video playback.

Sound

In addition to the beautiful picture and excellent performance, the notebook is equipped with an amazing sound system. Four speakers coupled with reliable SonicMaster electronics create a new level of sound. The purity, volume and power of the sound amaze and delight. The developers still managed to ensure that the device reproduces the effect of stereo sound.

Although any music lover will tell you that for a truly powerful sound, you need to add bass. And in this device they do not sound. Alas. The power and volume of sound from this laptop should not be expected. Everything is within its limits. No more.

Microphones, and there are two of them, also record a good, clear sound without distortion and extraneous noise, which is quite enough for sending messages or talking on Skype.

Webcam

The camera of the ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA is, to put it mildly, weak. You should not use it even when talking with your mother on video, not to mention something more significant. VGA resolution can no longer be considered at least somewhat acceptable.

Battery

The manufacturer claims 8 hours of battery life. Judging by the reviews of the owners, without racing in tanks or constantly watching videos, the ASUS ZenBook can last all ten hours.

A 40 Wh lithium-polymer battery provides autonomous operation of the laptop and supports the fast charging function. For 1.5 - 2 hours, the device is fully charged, which is important with such a shortage of ports. At the same time, the charge rate remains the same in the operating mode, it occurs or in the rest mode.

Keyboard

The keyboard is comfortable and flat. The keys are full size. The key travel is only 0.8 mm.

Touch typing markers are present, but the keys are not concave, they are absolutely flat. They respond well to pressure, even with such a small stroke.

In order to type voluminous texts on this model, you must first get used to the keyboard, which is also quite possible.

Overheating of the keyboard is not allowed by the cooling system.

Moreover, the manufacturer has made sure that it is convenient to use the keyboard even in the dark. The backlighting of the keys is impressive, creating a feeling of complete comfort.

touchpad

The touchpad with a built-in fingerprint scanner is quite comfortable. It's hard to expect a 120mm diameter touchpad from a laptop with a 12.5-inch screen.

The area around the fingerprint scanner is grayed out. The two keys at the bottom of the touchpad work clearly without sticking.

For those who are used to completely relying on the touchpad, it may well remain a practical, nimble command executor. With the usual features for him, including the clickpad. The function of handwriting through the touchpad is also announced, but when and how these functions will find their practical application is still unknown.

Connectors

In pursuit of elegance and autonomy, the ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA had to sacrifice ports. And this is understandable - the size of a regular USB does not fit into the size of a laptop.

The vital Type-C USB 3.1 Gen.1 port for battery power is only complemented by a standard-sized headphone port.

Although, the inclusion of a certain port station in the package is a pleasant concern of the manufacturer. At least there is no need to look for adapters compatible with the new acquisition.

Through Type-C, the native adapter provides the ability to add three more ports. HDMI to connect any available monitor or TV, USB 3.0 to add an already familiar flash drive or mouse, for example, plus USB 3.1 Type-C, through which you can again power the laptop.

Communications

The Intel Wireless-AC 8260 handles wireless communications quite smoothly and evenly. Wi-Fi antennas are located in the working unit of the laptop, since the cover is made of aluminum alloy and prevents the passage of waves. The result of connecting and working Wi-Fi is quite impressive. Network support is stable, without crashes.

If it is possible to connect headphones or other accessories via Bluetooth, then the Bluetooth 4.1 built into the laptop will also please with its work.

Safety

In addition to all known locks, ZenBook is equipped with a fingerprint scanner. It is important that for operation, it is enough just to touch the scanner, and the system is logged in instantly. Failures do not happen, retries of the operation to enter are not required.

Prices

1490 euros is not the lowest price. But when you know for what and to whom you pay such money, you begin to understand that this is a justified investment.

Now the ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA laptop can be bought at prices ranging from 105,990 to 138,400 rubles

The average price was set within 122,200 rubles.

Reviews

According to the reviews of laptop owners, the very noise that the cooling system produces is not annoying, because it is uniform, but still felt.

In the ranking of the best products ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA boasts a worthy place on a completely legitimate basis. If only it were perfectly balanced in the distribution of weight over the body, but it also has a stylish design, significantly better performance than models in the same price segment, weighs less than a kilogram and is able to work offline for about 9 hours.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Stylish, slim, ergonomic, elegant;
• Powerful device with good performance;
• Very light, weighs less than a kilogram;
• Solid, high-quality assembly;
• Nimble, the manufacturers managed to achieve instant response to commands;
• The size of the display is almost equal to the size of the lid - it is striking and pleasing;
• Prestigious toy, status;
• Autonomy allows you to forget about the wires for a long time;
• surround sound;
• The lid can be opened without holding the laptop case;
• Great matrix. The image is viewed at any viewing angles;
• Smooth but not slippery;
• This is not to say that he keeps charging the longest, but his battery is good;
• Doesn't heat up.

• Small key travel, you need to get used to working with this keyboard;
• Would have liked a wider selection of colors;
• The lack of ports is just a disaster (!);
• Solid games do not pull. The toy is clearly not for gamers;
• With memory, there is a clear drawback - you can’t add ROM and RAM, and there’s nowhere to stick a flash drive;
• It's bad that you can only use Windows 10, alas, not the best version of Windows;
• The fingerprint scanner is not very receptive;
• The touchpad is not the best design;
• Loses power when the load increases;
• The camera is worthless - this is perhaps its most visible drawback;
• Under load, the noise from the cooling system increases. Not the quietest laptop
• The sound is not the best. Fairly limited range;
• The glossy screen reflects in the sun;
• Price! Alas, the zenbook is not the most affordable device;
• The laptop is more for show-off than for work.

conclusions

ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA was created for the premium class, as a celebration of style, beauty, and grace. It is a fact. If you need a workhorse, then you have to look for another unit. This laptop is rather solid, top or vintage with powerful functionality and winning parameters. Allows you to go without wires for a long time. It will help pass the time on a business trip or on vacation, it will fit for study, for professionals, it takes up little space. In addition, the manufacturer took care of the client by adding a cover for this light and thin baby in every respect.

The keyboard is quite stylish and pleasantly backlit so that the consumer does not depend on third-party lighting.

What else can be said about ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA?

The glossy finish of the screen slightly harms the image quality in sunlight, but it is dictated by the design feature. Alas. In the fight for quality and versatility, something has to be sacrificed.

In general, the display leaves a good impression. The viewing angles are just great. The image does not disappear no matter how you tilt the lid. At the same time, the radiation does not hurt the eyes, allowing you to maintain a fresh look throughout the day.

Opening angle 140 degrees.And this is also a definite plus.

The audio playback system is certainly lost under heavy load, but no more than with any laptop. Powerful speakers will require more space, and in this case, the height of the cabinet is severely limited. But the developers put the best stereo speakers into it

What to look for when looking for the best, compact, small, light, best laptop in the ranking of quality products at an affordable price?

Probably, you need to decide what is more important in a laptop - a solid-state type of hard drive, a decent video card, a processor with powerful hardware, a sane amount of RAM, an ergonomic keyboard and an ultrabook with a powerful battery, outrageous viewing angles and impressive performance can become a new, profitable and status acquisition.

The ASUS ZenBook 3 UX390UA laptop is not just a purchase from Aliexpress, Yandexmarket or some other resource, it is a completely new level of development.