Asus ZenBook UX31 review

Everything we watched on the 13.3in display looked fantastic, thanks to its field-leading 1,600×900 resolution. The Asus ZenBook UX31 is the only UltraBook with this resolution, giving it a big advantage over the competition – the 13in MacBook Air has a 1,440×900 display. Text looked sharp without appearing too small, images were highly detailed and colours were accurate even at full brightness. Contrast was also excellent, letting us pick out details in our darker test files. Viewing angles were about average, and the glossy screen finish makes it difficult to avoid light reflections, though its wide range of movement does help compensate for this.

We were expecting great sound quality to match the fantastic image, as Asus has teamed up with experts Bang and Olufsen for the ZenBook’s speakers, which are embedded in the screen hinge. Although they were no match for a dedicated speaker system, we were very impressed with both volume and frequency range – very high-end notes crackled slightly and bass was minimal, but most tracks sounded clear and warm.

Despite the powerful components inside, the UX31 still managed a superb seven hours in our light-use battery test. As long as you stick to light tasks such as web browsing and word processing, you should be able to go most of a working day without having to reach for the charger. An Instant On feature resumes from sleep mode in less than two seconds, which makes it ideal for stop-start working on the move. Asus claims that the ZenBook will hold its charge for two weeks, which falls short of Apple’s one month claim for the MacBook Air.

As other UItraBooks have yet to go on sale in the UK, the Asus ZenBook UX31 currently has only one real competitor – the MacBook Air itself. However, the UX31 has a better specification, with its faster processor and higher resolution screen, and is more keenly priced, too. Its RRP is £100 cheaper than the equivalent 13in MacBook Air, and at retail you should save even more. It lacks a backlit keyboard, but otherwise matches the Air in terms of styling, battery life and portability. The Air has the Thunderbolt I/O port plus the option of a larger 256GB SSD – although for an eye-watering extra £250 – neither of which is likely to tempt most buyers.

Because it’s the first UltraBook we’ve reviewed, it’s impossible to say whether the Asus ZenBook UX31 will be bested by a competitor over the next few months. However, based on what we’ve seen, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to beat – the fantastic design, sturdy build quality and excellent performance make the UX31 an incredibly desirable machine. If you’ve been waiting for a Windows MacBook Air equivalent, then that wait is over.