Asus ZenBook UX21 review

The UX21’s connectivity is rather basic, with only two USB ports, Micro HDMI and Mini DisplayPort video outputs and a combined headphone and microphone audio jack. There’s no Ethernet port or memory card reader, although a USB adaptor is included in the box if you prefer wired to wireless networking.

Unsurprisingly, Asus has used slightly less powerful internal components in the UX21 than in the larger ZenBook UX31. That said, its Intel Core i5-2467M processor running at 1.6GHz, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD are still an incredibly powerful combination in a laptop of this size. Scoring a very respectable 41 overall in our multimedia benchmarks, the UX21 should have no trouble completing your daily tasks or running your applications. The same isn’t true when it comes to games, however: this laptop managed only 13fps in our Dirt 3 benchmark.

Whatever you do, it’s likely you’ll need the battery charger nearby. Even allowing for its powerful components, we were still disappointed with the UX21’s four-and-a half-hour battery life. This is significantly less than the UX31, and not enough to get you through a whole working day.

The UX21 is currently the smallest ultrabook available, and the only direct competitor to the 11in MacBook Air. At £850, it’s also £150 less, but a few shortcomings prevent it from becoming a must-buy. If size is all that matters, however, it’s currently this or the 11in Air.