Zit Seng's Blog

A Singaporean's technology and lifestyle blog

ASUS ZenBook Pro UX550 Review

In the PCMark 10 Extended tests, the ZenBook Pro pulls ahead of several other notebooks I have on hand to compare with. Its NVIDIA GeForce 1050Ti discrete graphics module enables it to leap far ahead of others, although admittedly it isn’t a fair comparison since the others have to make do with their integrated graphics.

The Geekbench 4 results show the 7th generation generation processor holding its own against notebooks with newer 8th generation processors (Yoga 920 and VivoBook S14). Notice how the 7th generation i7-7700HQ still edges put the 8th generation i7-8850U in multi-core tests. The Geekbench 4 Compute test does not use the ZenBook Pro’s discrete graphics.

Battery life is awesome. The ZenBook Pro clocks in at 326 minutes under the PCMark 8 Home Conventional Battery test. Note that PCMark 8 performs benchmark tests continuously, so its battery runtime results should not be considered representative of casual notebook use. It can, however, still be useful for comparison purposes.

That the ZenBook Pro can pull 326 minutes in this battery runtime test is very impressive, considering that it is powered by a 45-Watt processor.

Overall, I found the ZenBook Pro very enjoyable to use. It is very well built, and its unmistakable ZenBook design is beautiful and attractive. There are a few misses, though how much they matter may come down to personal preferences. I am disappointed in the lack of a 4K screen in particular, and the keyboard arrangement doesn’t work so well for me.

However, for anyone who needs a big 15.6-inch screen, powerful processor, fast storage,  and discrete graphics on the move, the ZenBook Pro doesn’t ask you to compromise too much on portability. The ZenBook Pro can serve as a desktop replacement, one that you can bring around with you.

The ASUS ZenBook Pro retails at S$2,898 and is available at all ASUS brand stores and authorised retail shops.

Conclusion

The ASUS ZenBook Pro offers an excellent 15.6-inch display, powerful hardware, and discrete graphics, without compromising much on portability.

Pros:

  • Very well built, beautiful design
  • Excellent screen
  • Excellent performance
  • Powerful dedicated graphics
  • Great sound

Cons:

  • No 4K screen

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