Five years ago, a four-pound, 14-inch laptop was considered super light. These days, however, that's practically a boat anchor compared with the new AsusPro and ZenBook 3 Deluxe laptops, both of which weigh less than 2.5 pounds. Neither scrimps on power or specs, yet both are lighter and thinner than previous generations of ultraportable laptops with 13-inch screens.
The AsusPro B9440 is built for business, with optional Intel vPro and an all-metal magnesium alloy chassis that's made to withstand day-to-day stresses like drops while in your commute bag and the occasional coffee spill. It's just 0.58-inch thick at its widest point, and weighs in at 2.31 pounds. It has an extension behind its hinge, which opens up to an l-shaped stand that raises the keyboard to a more comfortable typing angle.
Built into the hinge are the system's two USB-C ports on either side of the laptop. Both support data connections, and one of the two works with Asus' optional USB-C dock with wired Ethernet and multi-monitor support. There's a standard headset jack for your video conferences. The 14-inch full HD screen doesn't offer touch support, but the touchpad supports multi-touch gestures and above the keyboard there's an integrated fingerprint reader that works with one-touch login (if your IT infrastructure supports it). Thanks to a really thin (0.21-inch) bezel and that tilting hinge, the system takes up the space of a previous-generation 13-inch laptop. The system supports up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage Look for the AsusPro in May, starting at $999 with an Intel Core i5 processor.
On the consumer side, there's the ZenBook 3 Deluxe (pictured above), which features an Intel Core i7-7500U processor and a 14-inch full HD screen. It is only 0.5-inch thick, and weighs 2.42 pounds. The ZenBook 3 Deluxe is made of all-aluminum and glass. Like the previous ZenBook 3 the ZenBook 3 Deluxe is available in royal blue with gray and gold accents, or in all silver. Connectivity is markedly improved on the Deluxe version, with two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support, along with a standard USB-C port for a total of three. A headset jack rounds out the physical ports.
The touchpad can accommodate an optional fingerprint reader that works with Windows Hello. The system can be equipped with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. Like the AsusPro, the ZenBook 3 Deluxe features sleek (0.29-inch) bezels so again the system is about as large as a 13-inch laptop, with a 14-inch screen. Asus also manages to fit four Harman Kardon-branded speakers in the ultrathin case, as well as a keyboard with a full 1.2mm key travel. Look for the svelte Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe in May, with a starting price of $1,699.
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