Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD-BN005T-BE AZERTY
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Screen size | 15,6 inches | |
|---|---|---|
Processor | Intel Core i7 | |
Internal RAM | 16 GB | |
Total storage capacity | 512 GB | |
Video card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 | |
Panel type | IPS panel | |
Touchscreen | ||
Windows OS version | Windows 10 Home |
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I was looking for a powerful laptop for development with the additional requirement that it must be mobile. For me, this means that the device must be compact and must be able to work on battery for at least 6 hours. A powerful processor means an HQ version, not a weak U version. From the 8th generation, the U variants are also more powerful, but you won't find these in many laptops either. An appearance for gamers or loud fans was also out of the question. It soon became apparent that there was not much choice left with these requirements. This Asus UX550 meets all my requirements, although the asking price at the time of purchase is on the high side. In addition to the high price, the delivery time was also systematically postponed, something that, according to other internet users, often happens at Asus.
The laptop comes in a double box. The outer box contains some "shock absorbers" in cardboard to protect the actual door. Already when unpacking the first box, you notice that this must be a "premium" laptop. The 2nd box is nicely finished, and when opened the Zenbook is presented immediately. With a plastic tab, the laptop can be lifted out of the box, after which the tab can be used to remove a plastic protective film from the laptop.
The following is included
While the laptop feels very premium, the adapter doesn't. The shiny plastic looks ugly to me, no idea why they didn't just make the entire block in matte plastic. It's also quite large, which is to be expected for a 120W adapter though.
In my opinion, a laptop of this price could use a little more "extra" than a velcro cable tie (the charger already has one that hangs from the cable). A small USB-C hub for Ethernet/VGA/SD card might have been a more useful addition.
The laptop will not start up until the power supply is connected. This seems to be a kind of safety, because once started it immediately indicates a battery charge of around 40%. Windows 10 boots up quickly, asking some questions about language and region before continuing. This is a bit of a shock, because these questions are asked by Cortana's computer voice. This can be turned off, which I did quickly to be able to continue installing quietly. The laptop boots up remarkably fast (also compared to other computers with SSD), and is also remarkably quiet compared to my previous device.
The laptop is sturdy, and relatively light. The laptop is made entirely of aluminum, and the hinge feels sturdy. It can just be opened with one hand, and does not spring forward or back after opening, but remains at the exact level to which it was opened. This is in contrast to my previous device, where the hinge broke after 4 years. I hope that this device will easily last longer, and the first impressions already confirm that this will be the case. The metal is very sensitive to fingerprints, so if you want to keep the laptop "nice" you will have to stay away from it.
After a few days, however, 2 minor flaws appear on the finish. When you push the screen open from the right side, while placing the body on your leg and holding it on the left with the other hand, you will hear a cracking sound during opening. A quick search on the internet yields a number of others who experience the same problem with other (premium) laptops, where this would be an alignment problem. Slightly tightening the housing would help, but I don't have a small Torx screwdriver handy to test this. However, with normal opening there is no problem at all, and it took some effort to reproduce the problem. Given the price, though, this shouldn't be the case.
Another (specific) problem is a "ticking" sound when you tap on the touchpad while a hand is resting on the right side of the touchpad. Again, it is a minor alignment problem that only occurs under specific circumstances, and seems to occur with other brands as well. It is a pity that a little more attention has not been paid to the finish here. The stickers also detract from the premium quality of the housing, one of which sticks completely crooked.
I don't notice any coil whine in my device. During one Windows feature update I thought I could hear this, but otherwise I've never heard it. Also, there is no noticeable bend when light pressure is applied to the case, including above the keyboard.
The keyboard is pleasant and the lighting, which can be adjusted in 4 levels, is pleasant when you use the laptop in a room with little light. The keyboard backlight turns off automatically after a few minutes of inactivity to save power. The lighting is also nicely finished, and all indicator lights (caps lock, power) are nicely hidden behind a white dot that can light up. Fans of Excel or other data processing will have to do without a numeric keypad (simply won't fit on the laptop), and the extra column keys take some getting used to.
The touchpad works as expected, nothing special to say about this, except for the small note described in the build quality section above.
A fingerprint sensor is built into the touchpad, but is not currently in use. After all, Windows Hello requires that in this case also a (simple) pin code (consisting of only numbers) can be used, which seems to make the device less secure.
There is nothing to complain about performance. The device is lightning fast and also quiet. All installations are completed in no time, only 2 major Windows updates take some time. Asus has decided to considerably limit the temperature of the system, which quickly causes throttling. Either way, the system remains fast and quiet. A little more supply of fresh air would do the processor good. So it's certainly not a deal breaker, but it's a shame.
The screen is matte and has an HD resolution. It displays the image beautifully and sharply, and is extremely legible. Even with 10% backlight, it is already usable in a lit environment. For specific tests related to color rendering, response times, PWM, ... you should read on notebookcheck. My copy is completely free of backlight bleeding.
I have only tested this to a very limited extent on the basis of League of Legends. All settings on ultra, resolution on 1920x1080. The GTX1050 gets about 150fps, while when I tap the integrated graphics, it still gets 60fps, although dips to 45fps occur. The integrated graphics are considerably better for the battery, although it is still recommended to simply plug in the mains adapter for games. There is no disturbing roar from the fans while playing.
This is a decline from my previous laptop. The camera is 480p, acceptable for a quick meeting or the like, but if you often make video calls, it's best to take a separate webcam. The indicator light is dim, which also makes it unnoticeable and misses its point a bit.
The laptop has 2x USB C with thunderbolt 3 and displayport. Also 2 "regular" USB-A (3.0) connections are present, as well as HDMI, microSD and power. Headphones or headsets can be connected via a single 3.5mm jack.
Personally, I am very satisfied with this mix of ports, and the presence of a (full-size) HDMI port. The lack of an SD card slot can be justified by the compact size, where an effort has clearly been made to use all the surface area as well as possible. The only downside here is that charging is only possible with the supplied 120W charger, charging via USB-C is not possible with this laptop.
All in all I am very satisfied with this laptop. It feels very sturdy, is portable and lasts a long time on a battery charge. Fast charging and a matte screen make this an excellent device for on the go. The powerful hardware keeps everything running smoothly, allowing virtual machines and emulators to run smoothly while the Internet and one or more IDEs are also open. A fantastic device, although it is on the expensive side for what you get (in the absence of sufficient competition in this segment). Certainly the lack of upgrade options that push users to the "higher" versions means that you will have to dig deep into the wallet.
Bert Marcelis
8 January 2018
Automatically translated from Dutch
Product number | 795522 | |
|---|---|---|
Manufacturer code | 90NB0ET2-M03210 | |
Brand | ASUS | |
Warranty | 2 years | |
Processing of your defect | Carry-in warranty |
Operating system | Windows | |
|---|---|---|
Screen size | 15,6 inches | |
Processor | Intel Core i7 | |
Internal RAM | 16 GB | |
Total storage capacity | 512 GB | |
Video card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 | |
Touchscreen |
Panel type | IPS panel | |
|---|---|---|
Sharpness | Full HD (1080p) | |
Resolution width | 1920 pixels | |
Resolution height | 1080 pixels | |
Screen reflection | Anti-glare |
Processor code name | Kaby Lake | |
|---|---|---|
Processor cores | Quad-Core (4) | |
Clock speed | 2,8 GHz | |
Turbo speed | 3800 MHz | |
Cache memory | 6 MB |
Maximum internal memory | 16 GB | |
|---|---|---|
Memory composition | 1x 16GB | |
Memory slot 1 | 16 GB | |
Total number of RAM slots | 1 |
Storage type | SSD | |
|---|---|---|
SSD storage capacity | 512 GB | |
Hard drive type | M.2, NVMe, PCIe |
Type of video card | Dedicated | |
|---|---|---|
Video card RAM | 4 GB |
Windows OS version | Windows 10 Home | |
|---|---|---|
Operating system language | Dutch, English, French, Multiple languages can be configured |
Laptop model | Laptop | |
|---|---|---|
Color | Black | |
Material | Metal | |
Metal type | Magnesium alloy | |
Height | 1,89 cm | |
Width | 36,7 cm | |
Depth | 25,1 cm | |
Weight | 1,8 kg |
Mobile data connection | No | |
|---|---|---|
WiFi standards | Wireless AC | |
Bluetooth | ||
Bluetooth version | 4.1 |
USB port | ||
|---|---|---|
Number of USB ports | 4 | |
Protocol Female USB-C port | USB | |
USB version Female USB-C port | 3.1 | |
Number of female standard USB-A ports | 2 | |
Female standard USB-A port version | 3.0 | |
Number of USB 3.0 Female USB-C ports | 0 | |
Number of USB 3.1 Female USB-C port | 2 | |
HDMI connector | ||
DisplayPort connector | ||
VGA connector | ||
Thunderbolt connector | ||
Headphone jack | ||
Memory card reader |
Keyboard layout | AZERTY | |
|---|---|---|
Physical keyboard layout | ANSI | |
Numeric keypad | ||
Spill-resistant | ||
Backlit keyboard | ||
Mechanical keyboard | ||
Programmable keys |
Built-in microphone | ||
|---|---|---|
Number of speakers | 2 | |
Sound reproduction | Stereo | |
Integrated computer speakers brand | Bang & Olufsen |
Built-in camera | ||
|---|---|---|
Image definition webcams | VGA (480p) |
Battery technology | Lithium-ion | |
|---|---|---|
Maximum battery life | 8 hours | |
Power connector input type (female) | Other brand/product specific |
TPM (Trusted platform module) | ||
|---|---|---|
Kensington lock | ||
Windows Hello | ||
Fingerprint identity sensor |
