Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA review – CNET

If laptops could be twins, the Asus ZenBook 3 and Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe would be nearly identical, although the latter would be the smarter of the two.

That’s because the ZenBook 3 Deluxe is essentially the ZenBook 3, but with a larger 14-inch display (instead of a 12.5-inch screen) and the Windows 10 Pro operating system. The Asus ZenBook 3 is a top-notch Windows alternative to the 12-inch MacBook, but the new, larger Deluxe version feels more like a MacBook Pro.

The Deluxe version offers the additional IT-friendly features in Windows 10 Pro that power users or traditional businesses need. The thing is, most people can do without those extra features.

However, if the Windows 10 Pro features are essential, the Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe is one of the sexiest laptops you can buy. I’d venture to say that it’s even prettier than the MacBook.

The configuration of the ZenBook 3 Deluxe we tested had a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-7500U, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. It costs $1,700 in the US. (Official AU and UK pricing was not available at the time of publishing. Pricing converts to AU$2,282 and £1,307.)

Business fashionable

This is what we call a crossover laptop. It has pro-level features like a fingerprint reader and Windows 10 Pro, but it skips the typical business laptop aesthetic: all-black, matte finish and serious.

It has a stylish aluminum chassis, and the back of the deep blue lid has a circular brushed pattern, just like the ZenBook 3. Thanks to its supremely thin and lightweight build, it’s extremely portable, especially considering this is a 14-inch display.

It feels very solid, and the screen hinge is tight, however I wouldn’t count on it handling a big drop very well. I accidentally dropped it once when it was closed (from about 3 feet), and it hit the concrete on its corner. It wasn’t destroyed, but I was pretty bummed about ruining its pristine, gold-accented perimeter.