ASUS ZenBook UX430UA Ultrabook Review

1. Introduction2. ASUS ZenBook UX430UA3. Testing Methodology4. Testing: CPU and Memory5. Testing: PC Mark 86. Testing: Graphics7. Testing: SSD and USB Interfaces8. Testing: Thermal Dynamics and Power Consumption9. Testing: Battery10. Closing Thoughts11. View All Pages

The ASUS ZenBook UX430UA is a very enticing package. It looks great, offers decent performance for the components inside, and has competitive battery life. It's about the same size as the Dell XPS 13 9360, yet includes a slightly larger screen and the tapered edges of the chassis make it feel thinner even though it weighs the same too.

With a price significantly lower than the Dell XPS 13, and the bundled adapters providing extra connectivity, you get a very flexible system for the money. This is a premium ultrabook, but the price is quite reasonable.

Our one niggle is the trackpad placement, which remains a bugbear with the ZenBook design we've had since we tested the first one over five years ago. But that's far from a deal breaker.

Unless you need more powerful discrete graphics – for which ASUS has an alternative option in the shape of the ZenBook UX430UQ – there is a lot of ultrabook here for the money, making it a recommended option for the ultimate portable companion.

You can buy one for £899.97 inc. VAT from Amazon.co.uk HERE.

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Pros

• Attractive styling.
• Keen price for an ultraportable.
• Full complement of ports via bundled adapters.
• 14in screen in a 13in notebook.
• Crisp IPS display.
• Competitive battery life.
• Harman Kardon speakers a cut above the average for thin and light format.

Cons

• USB 3.1 Type-C only Gen 1 (5Gbits/sec).
• SATA 3 SSD, not NVMe.
• Trackpad prone to accidental cursor movement when touch typing.
• Chassis finish attracts fingerprints.

KitGuru says: The ASUS ZenBook UX430UA is a great ultraportable, with commendable battery life, a keen price and decent performance. It looks rather pretty too!

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