Review of laptops ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF and 17 N705UQ

ASUS laptops have a reputation for being stylish, compact, and high performing. The VivoBook Pro line of computers continues this tradition, and their main highlight is the combination of quality, convenience and price. The N705UF and N705UQ models from the VivoBook Pro 17 series are worthy representatives, having won their place in the market. This article provides a brief description of these two models, as well as the main pros and cons that users may encounter when using them.

Notebook ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF

The device of this model belongs to the middle price category and is a good PC option for people looking for a reliable and high-quality assistant in work, study or for other use. The average price of such a laptop is approximately 52,000 rubles.

Speaking about the performance of this model, it is worth clarifying that two types of GC138 and GC105 are provided on the market. The first has a Core i3 processor, and the second has a Core i5. GC105 is a modification of GC138. There is no big difference in their characteristics, and therefore we will consider a newer version. According to the technical characteristics of the laptop, it is suitable for the average PC user, as well as for games, work or education.

Appearance and equipment

One of the features of VivoBook Pro series laptops is stylish design and its light weight, N705UF weighs only 2.1kg, which can make a difference when choosing a computer. Dimensions (in mm) 270x411x20.9 are convenient for transportation and are well suited for people whose activities involve constant movement. Despite such weight and dimensions, the laptop works perfectly and is not inferior to its colleagues with a larger mass.

Externally, the computer looks quite stylish and compact. Black and gray colors give a rather strict look, and it is quite possible to take it to various business negotiations. Above the monitor is a webcam, and on the other panel is a backlit keyboard, below it is a touchpad.

The body is made of aluminum and plastic. On its sides are:

• two USB 2.0 interfaces;
• USB 3.0 interface. Type A;
• USB 3.0 interface. Type C;
• connector for connecting the power adapter;
• RJ network port;
• HDMI output;
• microphone input / headphone output;
• Kensington lock slot;
• SD memory card slot;
• indicator of activity and battery status.

In general, everything is located quite conveniently, but there are some drawbacks. One of the disadvantages is the close location of the USB inputs, which sometimes interferes with the simultaneous use of devices. The combo jack for headphones and microphone is not suitable for everyone.

The package bundle of the N705UF is standard: in addition to the laptop itself, it also includes a charger. The charger, by the way, is also lightweight.

Image and sound

ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF has a high-quality Full-HD screen and a good bright picture with a wide color gamut of 72% NTSC and 100% sRGB, which gives rich color reproduction. This computer uses ASUS Splendid technology to make picture adjustments easy. The viewing angle of the monitor is 178 degrees, the advantages of which are especially felt when watching a movie in a large company.

The stereo speakers were developed in collaboration with Harman Kardon, whose logo is located on the case next to the keys. This collaboration resulted in high-quality sound and a smooth increase in volume without any strong distortion. The pluses include the ability to listen to audio at high volume without using additional speakers.

Performance and Cooling

The processor installed in this model, namely the Intel Core i5 7100U, is a seventh generation unit and, together with the NVIDIA GeForce MX 130 graphics card and 6 GB of RAM, is a good basis for reliable operation, even if the loads are exceeded. This makes it possible to use applications of various kinds, including games that require high performance.

For powerful computers, the issue of cooling is very important, the model in question has a high-quality system. It includes two fans, which are located on the graphics and main processor. Each of the fans has 8 levels of rotation of the blades, which change depending on the degree of heating. This method helps to reliably cool the computer with maximum energy consumption. It is worth giving credit that with such an effective cooling system, the laptop remains quite light.

Communications

Like all modern PCs, VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF has an integrated dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, 802.11b wireless network adapter, which contributes to high data transfer speeds. The N705UF also has Bluetooth 4.1, 4.2 and a full-fledged gigabit network card with an RJ45 connector. It is safe to say that the laptop has a large set of interfaces that are required for a PC in 2018.

Battery and run time

The battery of this laptop model has 3 cells and its capacity is 42 Wh. This amount of capacity, as a rule, should be enough for 6 hours of continuous work or 4 hours for more expensive activities, games. Although studies of battery performance have shown that for a computer, a capacity of 42 Wh is weak, which directly affects the results of work. Despite research data, the ASUS PC can be used as a desktop PC with only moderate games, and for more power-intensive applications, this laptop is not quite suitable.

Users will also appreciate the charging time, in just 1 hour the VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF can charge up to 86%, which is great for people who use the laptop outside the home.

Advantages and disadvantages

The ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF laptop is a great option for those who are looking for a reliable PC for study, work or for amateur use.

• high performance;
• average price corresponding to quality;
• stylish design;
• great functionality;
• quality image;
• competent cooling system;
• keyboard backlight;
• high volume.

• inconvenient location of USB inputs;
• one headphone and microphone jack;
• lack of a disk drive;
• not enough sound quality.

ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF is not a gaming computer, and it will not suit gamers. But for games and applications that do not require high numbers in technical specifications, it will do just fine. Using all sorts of simple editors or other programs will be pleasant and convenient, especially for those who like to work while sitting in a chair, bed or other non-standard places.

Notebook ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UQ

Another member of the ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 family is the N705UQ laptop. Its price for 2018 is about 54,000 rubles, but at the moment this model is very difficult to find in stores.

Appearance and equipment

Laptops from the VivoBook Pro 17 series have the same design and do not differ much; N705UQ is no exception. The monitor is framed by a black cover with the brand name ASUS, the other part of the laptop is in gray. The buttons are made in black, under them is the touchpad.

Left and right on the bottom of the case are:

• two USB 2.0 interfaces;
• USB 3.0 interface. Type A;
• USB 3.0 interface. Type C;
• connector for connecting the charger;
• RJ network port;
• HDMI output;
• microphone input / headphone output Combo;
• Kensington lock slot;
• SD memory card slot;
• indicator of activity and battery status.

The next hallmark of laptops from ASUS are its dimensions; length - 411 mm, width - 270 mm and height - 20 mm. The case itself is made of aluminum and good quality plastic, which eliminates the squeaking when opening the lid, as can be the case with other PCs.

The kit includes the laptop itself and the charger, which is also lightweight and compact.

Image and sound

The ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UQ laptop uses the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics card, and this is a good guarantee of high-quality pictures. The N705UQ has a Full HD screen and reproduces 100% sRGB color gamut. On such a computer it will be nice to watch movies or just edit videos.

Like the entire VivoBook Pro line, this laptop has an audio system designed in conjunction with Harman Kardon, whose emblem is so proudly located on the computer case (and for good reason). As mentioned earlier, the stereo system from this company has good data and it is a pleasure to listen to the sound from it. Although some users note an increase in hoarseness of the sound if the recording itself is of poor quality.

Performance and Cooling

The computers of the VivoBook Pro 17 line are equipped with seventh generation Intel processors, in the N705UQ model it is Core i5. In fact, all laptops of the VivoBook Pro 17 series have high performance, the developers have worked hard in this matter and created a really high-quality PC for a relatively small price.

The manufacturer also successfully solved the problem of cooling, allowing you to work for a long time in energy-intensive applications or games.The system includes heat pipes and two independent fans cooling the CPU and GPU. Fan rotation has 8 speeds, which are automatically adjusted, this ensures smooth and stable operation.

Communications

The computer is equipped with an 802.11 ac Wi-Fi transmitter that delivers six times the transmission speed of the previous 802.11 n model. 802.11ac operates in the 5GHz band, providing bandwidth from 80 to 160 MHz, and this guarantees data transfer at a speed that will please, if not everyone, then very many.

Another way to communicate N705UQ is Bluetooth 4.2. The release of version 4.2 was a kind of mini breakthrough, the developers promised high speed and quality of transmission, we must pay tribute, their words turned out to be true. That is why the use of Bluetooth in this laptop is a nice and fast option when connecting to the Internet in this way.

In general, ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 has a sufficient set of interfaces to connect to other networks or devices. They are compactly located on the sides of the laptop, although there is one drawback, discussed in the review on the N705UF, the close location of the USB inputs.

Battery and run time

The battery has 3 cells and, like on other models of this line, work on this computer without a charger reaches from 4.5 to 6 hours. Such indicators are connected, first of all, with the type of work and the use of programs.

It takes little time to charge the battery, compared to its other colleagues, it charges 60% in 49 minutes.These indicators are a big plus for a PC, not everyone is comfortable waiting for several hours of charging or depends on the location of the sockets.

Advantages and disadvantages

In terms of its characteristics, the N705UF model is inferior to the N705UQ, since less powerful configurations were used in its production.

• relatively high performance;
• fast charging;
• stylish design suitable for any occasion;
• light weight and thin body;
• good picture with a convenient overview;
• comfortable keyboard and touchpad.

• lack of a disk drive;
• close location of USB inputs;
• one headphone and microphone input;
• lack of a fingerprint scanner;
• if there is a bad sound on an audio or video file, the audio system amplifies these shortcomings.

One of the downsides for 2018 is that it is very difficult to find in stores.

Specifications ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UF and 17 N705UQ

In terms of its technical characteristics, the N705UQ is not inferior to its counterparts from the VivoBook Pro series and among users it is considered not the weakest. In some respects, it outperforms the N705UF.

Outcome

All laptops of the ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 line have almost the same characteristics, the N705UF and 17 N705UQ models are no exception. The main feature and a big plus of these computers is at the same time stylish design, high performance and an average price that corresponds to the "price-quality" formula. The dimensions of the VivoBook Pro 17 series models are perfect for business people who are constantly on the road or just carrying a laptop with them.

The use of good quality plastic and aluminum in the production is an additional plus that every user will appreciate.

All this splendor has its downsides. One of the downsides is the lack of a drive. He became a victim for the benefit of lightweight. But, given that in 2018-2019, disks are becoming a thing of the past, and other storage media are coming to replace them, this is not such a terrible minus. In general, each minus can be beaten or how to adapt.

Other shortcomings users note audio playback. By including a file with bad sound on the computer, the audio system exaggerates its distortion. But, if initially the audio quality is at a high level, and there are no errors, VivoBook Pro allows you to listen to audio in good quality at high volume.

The PCs considered in this review are not claimed to be gaming, but their performance is at high levels. Of course, this is not the best option for gamers, but the technical specifications laid down by the N705UF and 17 N705UQ are quite suitable for a simple amateur, both for games and for using various kinds of editors.

How to choose between these two laptops? In fact, it is worth understanding what exactly you are looking for, and what it will serve in the first place. Of course, the difference between them is not great, but it is. For example, according to its technical characteristics, the N705UQ model is of higher quality than the N705UF, but this is also reflected in the price.

Both models do not have moisture protection properties and are more suitable for the average user than for the professional. When using professional programs, most likely you will need a more powerful computer, but there is more of a question in the application itself and its requirements.

The functionality of both models corresponds to 2018 and they will be relevant for several more years. Although the ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705UQ laptop is now difficult to find in the store, as according to some reports it was discontinued, the reason for this decision is not known.