If you’re looking for a light and thin ultrabook which is powerful and snappy enough for you to work on wherever you are, the ASUS ZenBook UX305CA is a serious option to consider. I think it’s one of the best deals out there in terms of build quality and tech specs.
The looks
This new 13-inch ZenBook is fantastic when it comes to design choices: it’s elegant, understated and quiet. I think the black color works well with the brushed circular texture of the lid. Plus, the aluminium body feels sturdy enough, despite the thinness. The ASUS is just half an inch thin. And it’s light as well, weighing only 2.6 pounds.
All these characteristics make it seem like a true unsung hero, just patiently waiting to do its job when needed. The guys at ASUS really managed to make one stylish ultrabook! It’s light enough to carry around wherever you may need to travel and it’s so thin you can slide it alongside your documents and never notice the extra weight.
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Under the hood
The ASUS ZenBook UX305CA-DHM4T model I’m be reviewing today comes with a 6th generation Intel Core M3-6Y30 processor. This is a new addition to the Intel lineup, that’s why you probably haven’t heard of it…yet. It’s built with power saving and optimizing performance in mind first and foremost. Although it has a rather low clock speed of just 0.9 GHz, this thing has a cache size of 4 megabytes, more than the Intel Core i5-6200U. So, don’t be fooled by the apparent “slow” nature of this CPU, this is as new and cutting edge as it gets in terms of processing technology.
It has 8 gigabytes of RAM memory installed, which is more than enough for any modern program to run on it without glitches and comes with a solid state drive with a capacity of 256 gigabytes. It may not seem that much, but I assure you it’s more than enough for a ultra portable device such as this one. The added speed boost you’ll get from using a solid state drive will make the ASUS so snappy that everyday tasks will seem like a walk in the park. And let’s face it, you’ll need this laptop mainly for web browsing, consulting maps, editing documents, writing emails and other tasks which aren’t that heavy on the resources.
With that in mind, this is by no means a gaming laptop. It does not have a dedicated video card, therefore you won’t be able to play new releases. You may play games such as Minecraft or indie titles, but that’s about it. The ZenBook was designed for work.
The display
One of the (many) selling points of the ASUS ZenBook UX305CA-DHM4T is the display. Keep in mind this is a 13-inch laptop with a QHD+ display. What does that mean? Crisp images. Unbelievable crisp images. The IPS panel provides wide viewing angles (170 degrees) and a resolution of 3200 x 1800 pixels, meaning icons and text will be a bit harder to read since they’ll appear smaller, but the details will be astonishing. Furthermore, the panel is touch sensitive, but I don’t think that’s a major benefit, since this isn’t a 2-in-1, but it’s there should you need it.
Extras
The ZenBook’s body features a fanless design, meaning there are no moving parts. It’s silent as a graveyard, but may heat up a bit if used intensely. That extra heat generated when the processor is working at 100% must go somewhere after all.
The WiFi signal is great, it comes with a 802.11ac wireless card. Sound quality is above and beyond, being powered by ASUS Golden Ear and Bang&Olufsen ICEpower.
The ports are also adequate: three USB 3.0 ports with fast charge, HDMI-out, SD card reader and an audio combo jack.
Also, the keyboard is especially nice to use. Keys have a travel distance of 1.5 mm, just enough to make them responsive without sacrificing width. Moreover, said keys are wide enough to warrant error-free typing.
Battery life
A full charge will last you around 10 to 12 hours of usage, depending on how intensive the tasks are. So, for WiFi Internet browsing with the screen dimmed down, the battery will allow you to work for about 11 hours, which is more than decent for an ultra slim ultrabook.
Final words
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I think the ASUS ZenBook UX305CA-DHM4T is a best buy, considering it’s a ultra slim, ultra portable device with great tech specs that’s sold under $800! Stylish and capable, the ZenBook is perfect for frequent travelers, traveling businessmen, artists and even college students with long commutes.
