Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

ASUS' ZenBook 3 Is Thinner, Lighter and Faster Than the MacBook (engadget.com)

Posted by msmash on from the affinity-for-crazy-good-hardware dept.

At the ongoing Computex trade show in China, Asus unveiled the ZenBook 3 laptop. The ZenBook 3's chassis measures 11.9mm while the whole body weighs 910g. At the event, the company's executive said that ZenBook 3 is better than both MacBook Air and the 12-inch MacBook. As for the specifications, the ZenBook 3, which is crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, sports a 12.5-inch full-HD display (1920x1080 pixels), and offers up to Core i7 processor, 16GB of 2133MHz RAM, up to a 1TB PCIe Gen 3 x4 SSD, a next-gen USB Type-C port (for power and data transfer), powerful quad-speaker audio by Harman Kardon, and a fingerprint scanner. Do note that there is only one USB port on the device. The entry-level variant featuring Core i5 processor, 256GB of SSD and 4GB of RAM is priced at 999, while the top-of-the-line model will set you back by $1,999. Asus also had nice things to say about the keyboard, though Engadget's reporter was not impressed. More details here.

8 of 209 comments (clear)

  1. Re:16:9 & Windows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Oh if only there was a way to install Linux on a computer. Through some kind of port. That starts with a U. But nah, that wouldn't let you keep on bitching like a 12 year old girl, now would it.

  2. Fuck this one port trend by swb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If skinny eliminates all but one USB port, fuck right off.

    I have the previous Zenbook and it has 3 ports. Too skinny for an Ethernet Jack, but I was willing to live with that. One USB port isn't enough.

    1. Re:Fuck this one port trend by macs4all · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If skinny eliminates all but one USB port, fuck right off.

      I have the previous Zenbook and it has 3 ports. Too skinny for an Ethernet Jack, but I was willing to live with that. One USB port isn't enough.

      Exactly. And yes, I apply that standard to the MacBook and the Pixel, too.

      For one thing, it instantly means you can count on purchasing a Port Replacer Docking Station to the tune of about $200, and then either dragging it around with you everywhere, or suffering the pain and embarrassment of not having a critical port available when on the road. And the Power connector shouldn't be shared with ANYTHING, period, full stop.

      Say what you will about the MBA, but at least it has 2 USB 3.0 ports, a dedicated MagSafe power connector, AND a Tumderbolt port. Plus an audio out/in port and an SDXC card reader.

      Yes, it doesn't have an Ethernet port; but a $30 adapter takes care of that, when needed.

      To me, the MBA is what better describes a PRACTICAL minimum for Ports in a size-conscious laptop. NOT this ASUS POS, the Pixel, or even the new MacBook.

    2. Re:Fuck this one port trend by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Making the goal to produce a computer as thin as a stick of gum and then requiring that users plug in a honkin' dongle to make it usable defeats a significant purpose in having a notebook computer. Wifi doesn't hold a candle to gigabit Ethernet when the cable is an available option and all of my USB devices require a USB-A connector.

  3. you're all chatting about a commercial by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    enjoy your debate over paid advertising

  4. 3 things by sootman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One: the PC vs Mac spec war is basically meaningless, because people who buy Macs want OS X, and people who buy PCs don't want OS X or don't care, and never the twain shall meet.

    Two: "At the event, the company's executive said that ZenBook 3 is better than both MacBook Air and the 12-inch MacBook... it sports a 12.5-inch full-HD display (1920x1080 pixels)..." -- OK then, it's NOT better than the 12" MacBook's 2304 x 1440 screen.

    Three: Remember when laptops were as big as a phone books? Like in the 166 MHz ThinkPad 380 days. BACK THEN, making them thinner and lighter was a worthy pursuit. But bragging that your laptop is 11.9mm thick instead of 13.2mm, and 910 grams vs. 920? WHO GIVES A SHIT! That's a difference of 1.3mm and the mass of two US five-cent coins. Are you fucking kidding me? Ugh. They're thin enough now. Quit making them thinner and put some battery or ports back in. (This goes for all OEMs, and double for Apple.)

    --
    Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
  5. Re:Needs a better screen by gnasher719 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    People don't buy Macbooks because they are lighter, or thinner, or faster. They buy them because they run Mac OS X.

    But then they have the choice between different models, and buy different models depending on whether they want fast, light, or cheap.

    But you are right, this won't move people from buying a MacBook to buying an ASUS laptop. It will move some people from buying a heavy Windows laptop to buying an ASUS laptop.

  6. Re: Needs a better screen by thundercattt · · Score: 2, Insightful

    People don't buy Macs for the specs they buy it for the glowing Apple symbol when they flip it open. Then everyone can see they have a Mac. Hipster status symbol. I worked previously at Asus and liked the Zenbooks. I actually have a Republic of Gamers laptop. Bulky but stacked specs vs any Macbook