The new ASUS ZenBook Pro May be Perfect – if Somewhat Costly – for Creative Businesses
The new ScreenPad feature on the ZenBook Pro has essentially placed another screen where the touchpad is supposed to be, one-upping Apple’s TouchBar with many more features. And this could be perfect for small businesses in the creative field.
2018 ZenBook Pro Series
Asus announced its new ZenBook Pro series along with other more affordable laptops at Computex 2018. But the headliner was the Pro series and its ScreenPad. This is a computer for professionals specifically designed for creators.
While Asus has not set the price, the fully packed device is expected to go well beyond $2,000. For small businesses in the creative field, the specs may well be worth the price as the ZenBook Pro really packs a punch.
You can get the 15″ version with up to 8th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU, gaming grade graphics including NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB, up to 1TB PCie x4 SSD storage, 16GB DDR4 RAM, a 4K UHD resolution touchscreen with ASUS Pen support and more.
The connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C and two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A connnections, one HDMI port and 12x 802.11ac WiFi with a fast charging battery system lasting up to 9.5 hours. It also includes a fingerprint sensor support for signing in with Windows Hello.
The ScreenPad becomes an extension of your screen when the Screen Extender mode is turned on. This gives you another screen for previewing functions, viewing emails and social media, Office 365 functions, music player, calendar, numeric keypad, calculator and more as developers get their hands on it.
The ZenBook Pro is slated for global availability beginning July 2018.
The Rest of the Lineup
The ZenBook S is a 13.3-inch ultraportable laptop with a MIL-STD 810G military standard rating to make sure it can take being lugged around all day. This includes passing testing in extreme altitudes, temperatures and humidity. It is also very light and thin coming in at 12.9mm and 1KG or 2.2 pounds.
The specs are equally impressive including 8th Gen Intel Core CPUs, up to 1TB PCIe SSD, up to 13.5hrs battery life, Thunderbolt 3 connectivity and the new ErgoLift hinge design with 5.5° keyboard tilt.
The ZenBook S will be available sometime in June 2018.
VivoBook S15, S14 and Flip 14
The VivoBook S15 and S14 are two laptops which will be more affordable than the ZenBook Pro, but they still have some premium features, including the ErgoLift hinge to give you a desktop feel when you type.
The S15 and S14 are powered with up to 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPUs, dual storage designed for up to a 512GB SSD or 2TB HDD, discrete NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics and what the company calls an all-day battery.
The devices come in five different colors and a full HD screen with a 178 degree wide viewing angle.
The VivoBook Flip 14 is a portable 14″ convertible laptop with a 360° display. This feature lets you use it in laptop, stand, tent and tablet modes.
The S15 and S14 will become available globally starting July 2018, and the Flip 14 in the second half of 2018.
Getting the Right Device
The ZenBook Pro is undoubtedly a great product, but it is not for everyone. While the features are impressive, many small businesses can do with less powerful options. But if you are a creator who needs all the power, you will have to wait and see if the price will be worth it.
When you are in the market for a new computer, first figure out what you need it for and then find the most affordable device. The market is full of affordable options and with due diligence you can find the right one for your small business.
[“Source-smallbiztrends”]
