One of the indicators of a premium device is how good its display is. While screen quality isn’t a point of concern for some consumers, some consider this a deal-breaker, especially if their line of work or hobbies requires them to have color-accurate displays on devices.
ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED UX325 Review; A Splash of Colors |
ASUS has been expanding its lineup of ultrabooks focusing on improved screens with OLED displays. Their recent offering sporting this innovation is the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED UX325. So if you’re looking to upgrade your laptop to enjoy deeper blacks and more vivid colors, should you buy this device? Let this review help you decide.
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DISPLAY and DESIGN:
The ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is the kind of laptop you would want to flaunt anywhere you go. Its Pine Grey metal chassis with a glossy, premium finish gives away a luxurious look. In addition, it has a 13.9mm thin profile and weighs only 1.14 kg, making it an ideal work buddy for on-the-go professionals.
Retail Package |
Besides its aesthetics, what we liked about the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is how easy and convenient it is to use -- both because of its software/features and its design. Similar to other models under the ZenBook line, the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED has an ErgoLift hinge. When the ZenBook 13 OLED is opened, it automatically tilts its keyboard, providing a more comfortable typing position. It also helps in cooling and in preventing having muffled sounds from the laptop's speakers.
What’s also an aesthetically pleasing part of the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is its Edge-to-Edge keyboard, the first from the brand. Its other function keys, including the buttons for Home, Page Up, Page Down, and End, are strategically located vertically on the right side of the keyboard. On top of this column is the power button. This gives the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED keyboard a neat and unified look, unlike that of other laptops with their power buttons placed separately from the rest of the keys.
ASUS NumberPad 2.0 |
Of course, the ASUS ZenBook 13 has what can be considered as an ASUS trademark, the NumberPad 2.0 on its touchpad. This is a good addition of a feature, especially for those who work daily with many numbers, as it lessens the need to open a calculator software.
As mentioned earlier and as the model name of this laptop suggests, it showcases an OLED screen. This means that the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED can produce images that have impressive color vividness and saturation. Furthermore, this laptop is also an ideal gear for creatives and content creators are its screen is validated by Pantone, meaning you can expect nothing less from its color accuracy.
Other benefits to enjoy from the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED's screen are its 70% less harmful blue light for better eye protection and 0.2 ms fast response time for a lag-free display experience.
Obviously, the screen of the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is our favorite feature of the said laptop. Binge-watching our favorite series and movies are definitely more enjoyable with the caliber of its 13.3-inch FHD display in 1920 x 1080 resolution and 16:9 screen ratio.
See Also: Here’s why the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED UX325 laptop should be your next purchase.
PERFORMANCE:
The ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is more than just its beautiful physique and outstanding display. Under the hood is an Intel Core i5 2.4GHz processor with 8GB LPDDR4X onboard memory expandable up to 32GB, a 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD for storage, and Windows 10 Home operating system.
Its Windows 10 Home OS allows the use of Windows Hello, where you can easily access the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED with face recognition. This laptop has an IR camera in front for this function. We tried it, and we didn’t find any issues whatsoever as the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED unlocks itself fast pretty well. And true to what ASUS claims, it also works decently even when under dim lights.
Intel Core-i5 with Iris Xe Graphics |
ASUS highlights that the ZenBook 13 OLED comes with the new Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics. This very well complements the OLED screen of the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED as the two work together to provide outstanding image and graphics quality.
Now, what makes the Intel Iris Xe graphics card special, you ask? While the Iris Xe isn't at par with full-blown gaming-class video cards, it provides improved performance that results in more optimized operations for laptops. So if you're not into gaming laptops per see, but you consider yourself a casual gamer. On the other hand, if you're looking for an ultrabook that can seamlessly switch between moderate to at times heavy gaming to worksheets and other day-to-day tasks, the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is a perfect match.
Key Features |
What’s a splendid display with a crappy audio system, right? Fortunately, the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED blasts through music with Harman Kardon built-in speakers. We’re glad that this is the case since the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED doesn’t have a 3.5mm jack, and its package doesn’t include a USB-C to 3.5mm headset adapter either. The Harman Kardon speakers on this laptop should be enough if you don’t feel like using your Bluetooth earphones. Upon testing it, we found that it plays good audio quality even when played at high volume levels. The ErgoLift hinge definitely helps in avoiding a muffled sound.
For easier laptop-to-smartphone integration, the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED comes with the latest MyASUS apps for improved productivity. Among the many functions these provide include easier file transferring between laptops and smartphones, mirroring mobile apps to the laptop's screen, and having your mobile phone as your laptop's extended screen. This doesn't only work with ZenFones. It operates with Android and iOS phones as long as the MyASUS app is downloaded.
The beautiful overall physique of the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED doesn’t go unprotected. ASUS designed this laptop to be as durable as possible. Every ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED unit in the market has undergone rigorous tests to achieve the military standard. These include altitude tests, drop tests, low-temperature tests, and vibration tests. As a result, the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED looks luxurious and elegant, but it's far from being fragile.
Also Read: ASUS Announces Windows 11 Free Upgrade for Compatible Devices
BATTERY and CONNECTIVITY:
Based on our tests, heavy laptop usage isn't a problem with the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED as its 67Wh battery can last up to 14 hours. In terms of charging, it took us around an hour and 40 minutes to reach 100%, while a 30-minute charge gave us 48% of battery life. These are pretty good numbers. What's important is that the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED can last the usual hours of a normal workday.
HDMI and USB-C Ports |
The ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED doesn’t have a lot of I/O ports, but it does carry the essentials. It has a full-size HDMI port and two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports for fast charging and fast data transfers on the left side, and a USB Type-A port together with the MicroSD card reader on the right side.
CONCLUSION:
ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED |
Powerful both on the inside and on the outside, the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is the ideal portable ultrabook to make your daily tasks more manageable. It earns itself a spot in the list of good buys with its notable features. The ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED (UX325) retails for Php59,995.