While it tips the scales at just 2.7 pounds, making it the lightest laptop in this roundup by a solid margin, this 13-inch laptop is decidedly also lightweight on the power and performance front. Let’s see how much that matters.
Design
The Asus ZenBook 13 is presented as a simple clamshell that any laptop user will immediately find familiar. Perhaps too much so: The 13.3-inch laptop has very few design flourishes or extras, just a simple gray/silver color scheme, crafted from aluminum and magnesium-aluminum alloy. While it’s not much to look at, it does give this laptop a feeling of solid durability despite its surprisingly light weight. The included harman/kardon speakers, which fire from the underside of the machine, are crisp but aren’t terribly powerful. However, the biggest design miss for the machine is the placement of the power button directly on the keyboard, in the top right corner, adjacent to the delete key. Because of this placement, I accidentally turned the computer off while typing more times than I can count.
Features
With no touch features in the mix on this model, there’s not a whole lot to write about, features-wise. The inclusion of an onboard fingerprint reader is at least a nod toward upgraded security, and while the 1920 x 1080 pixel screen boasts exceptional viewing angles, it’s decidedly on the dim side, turning in a brightness score well below all the other laptops in this roundup. On the plus side, I found the keyboard and trackpad to both be very good, which is often a particular challenge for ultralight computers like this.
Specs
The ZenBook 13 is virtually stripped down: It had the least impressive configuration of any of the laptops in this roundup. Components include a 1.8GHz Core i5-8250U CPU (eighth generation), integrated graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of solid state storage. None of those are particularly impressive and should be considered an absolute entry-level configuration for a Windows laptop for any serious user. Ports included are moderately better, with two full-size USB 3.1 ports, a USB-C port, full-size HDMI, and a micro SD card reader slot. (The laptop includes a separate charging port for its slim AC adapter, but note that it will not charge via the USB-C port.) The good news is that at 2.7 pounds and 18mm of thickness, this is a very portable machine. Sure, slimmer and lighter laptops exist, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find them at this price level. For a student that’s on the go and on a budget, that could be an enticing combination.
Performance
As expected, the ZenBook 13 didn’t impress on its benchmark scores. Graphics tests were on par with other machines featuring integrated graphics processors (which is to say, rock bottom), and on general applications (which includes web page rendering, business productivity applications, and digital media creation work) performance was the worst in this lineup, coming in at 13 percent below the average of the field. That could be problematic if you want to get a full four years of utility out of this system.
Battery
With a battery life just one minute shy of 10 hours (based on my full-screen video playback test), the ZenBook 13’s longevity is impressive. As noted above, it also offers a very portable AC adapter which is a nice addition to its already lightweight profile.
Conclusion
At $800, the Asus ZenBook 13 seems very affordable, but when compared to a system like the Acer Spin 5, it starts to look awfully expensive. The Spin 5 has a faster CPU and, of course, features a 360-degree hinge and a touchscreen – and it’s $23 cheaper. While it’s a bit heavier, it’s hard to recommend the relatively hamstrung ZenBook 13 if you’re looking for value.
