ASUS nas je poslao na testiranje vrhunskog ultrabooka pod nazivom ASUS Zenbook NX500 . To je prekrasan ultrabook koji ima stvarno fantastičan 4K zaslon, hardverske komponente koje mu odgovaraju te čvrsto i elegantno kućište. Kao što možete zamisliti, bili smo vrlo znatiželjni je li ovaj premium uređaj zaista sve što je ASUS obećao da će biti. Sada, nakon što smo radili, igrali se i testirali ASUS Zenbook NX500 , spremni smo podijeliti svoje zaključke s vama. Ako želite saznati više o ASUS Zenbook NX500 , ne ustručavajte se čitati dalje.
Raspakiranje ASUS Zenbook NX500
ASUS Zenbook NX500 dolazi u prekrasnoj crnoj kutiji. Dizajn je minimalistički i elegantan. Jedino što je otisnuto na kutiji je ASUS Zenbook naljepnica.
Unutar pakiranja naći ćete pravi ultrabook, kućište od mekane tkanine, adapter za napajanje, priručnik te Ethernet i VGA adaptere. Treba istaknuti da je ASUS Zenbook NX500 toliko tanak da standardni Ethernet ili VGA portovi ne bi stali na njegove strane. Uključivanje adaptera za ove portove vrlo je dobar pristup ASUS -a.
Kratki video ispod dat će vam uvid u potpuno iskustvo raspakiranja:
Specifikacije hardvera
ASUS Zenbook NX500 radi na četverojezgrenom Intel Core i7 4712HQ procesoru. Ovo je jedan od najboljih high-end mobilnih procesora dostupnih na tržištu. Radi na osnovnoj frekvenciji od 2,3 GHz i ide do 3,3 GHz u turbo načinu rada.
Procesor je nadopunjen sa 16 GB DDR3 RAM memorije, koja radi u dvokanalnom načinu rada, na 1600 MHz .
Za grafiku rukuju i integrirani grafički čip i diskretna video kartica. Integrirani grafički čip je Intel HD Graphics 4600 koji se koristi kad god obavljate manje intenzivne zadatke poput rada s uredskim aplikacijama ili pregledavanja interneta(Internet) . Prilikom pokretanja zahtjevnijih aktivnosti, poput igranja igrica, u igru dolazi mnogo moćniji Nvidia Geforce GTX850M . Geforce grafička kartica ima 2 GB GDDR5 VRAM(GDDR5 VRAM) memorije i sposobna je nositi se s bilo kojom igrom na više nego pristojnim video postavkama. Očito, nećete imati problema pri reprodukciji HD medija.
Zaista zadivljujući komad hardvera na ASUS Zenbook NX500 je njegov 4K zaslon. To je zaslon osjetljiv na dodir dijagonale 15,6 inča koji nudi Ultra HD rezoluciju od 3840x2160 piksela. Zaslon koristi IPS panel koji vam daje široke kutove gledanja, izvrstan kontrast, žive boje i oštre rubove. Sve na zaslonu izgleda prekrasno, bez obzira gledate li fotografije, videozapise ili jednostavan tekst. Zaslon također nudi dodir u 10 točaka – punu podršku za pokrete. Voljeli bismo da svi naši čitatelji mogu osobno vidjeti kako ovaj ekran izgleda, to je čista i jednostavna simfonija!
ASUS Zenbook NX500 se prodaje s više opcija za pohranu. Ovaj ultrabook možete nabaviti sa 128 GB SSD -om , 256 GB SSD -om ili 512 GB SSD -om . Posljednja varijanta je također ona koju smo dobili na testovima. SSD(GB SSD) od 512 GB proizvodi Samsung i ima neke impresivne specifikacije, no više o tome kasnije u ovoj recenziji.
Zvuk isporučuju ugrađeni stereo zvučnici i imaju tehnologiju Bang & Olufsen ICEpower . Ultrabook također nudi niz mikrofona i HD web kameru od 1,2 megapiksela.
Što se tiče mogućnosti umrežavanja, dobivate integriranu Wi-Fi mrežnu karticu koja podržava novi Dual-Band 802.11ac standard. Također, dostupan je ugrađeni Bluetooth V4.0 čip.
Ultrabook uključuje sve uobičajene mogućnosti povezivanja: 1 COMBO audio priključak (koji se može koristiti za uključivanje slušalica ili vanjskog mikrofona), 3 USB 3.0 porta, 1 HDMI , 1 mini Display port i 1 čitač SD kartica. Također, unutar paketa ultrabooka pronaći ćete dva adaptera: jedan Ethernet adapter i jedan VGA adapter. Kao što smo već spomenuli, VGA ili Ethernet priključak nemoguće je montirati na ovako tanak uređaj.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 uključuje 6 - ćelijsku polimernu bateriju koja može isporučiti 96 Whs(Whrs) energije. Ultrabook ima 378 mm (14,9 in) širine, 255 mm (10 in) dubine i samo 19 mm (0,7 in) debljine. Ultrabook je težak 2,27 kg (5 funti), što je malo više od ostalih ultraprijenosnih uređaja. Međutim, potpuno aluminijsko kućište ASUS Zenbook NX500 opravdava njegovu težinu. Kasnije ćemo u ovoj recenziji govoriti više o načinu na koji je ovaj ultrabook napravljen.
Što se tiče operativnog sustava koji koristi ASUS Zenbook NX500 , model koji smo dobili na testovima imao je predinstaliran Windows 8.1 Pro . Dostupna je i varijanta sa sustavom Windows 8.1(Windows 8.1) .
Potpuni popis detaljnih specifikacija možete pronaći na službenoj web stranici ASUS -a: (ASUS)ASUS Zenbook NX500 Specifikacije(ASUS Zenbook NX500 Specifications) .
Korištenje ASUS Zenbook NX500
Imali smo zadovoljstvo koristiti, testirati i igrati se s ovim ultrabookom više od tjedan dana. Moramo priznati da smo bili jako zadovoljni razinom izvedbe koju nudi.
Prije nego što ga uključite, prva stvar koja će vam privući pozornost je kvaliteta izrade. Kućište je potpuno aluminijsko, bez ikakve plastike. Nadalje, kućište je izrezbareno od jednog komada materijala. Samo stražnja strana je odvojiva i lako se skida. Drži se samo u nekoliko vijaka i, kada se ukloni, dobivate pristup svemu što je važno: RAM- u(RAM)memorijski utori, baterija i hladnjaci. Kvaliteta izrade kućišta je apsolutno fantastična i to osjetite čim se dočepate uređaja. Nismo mogli čuti nikakvu škripu ili škripu, bez obzira na to kako smo držali ili pokušavali izvrnuti ultrabook. Dizajn kućišta je vrlo elegantan. Iznenađujuće, također je čvrst i robustan, unatoč svojoj tankosti. Navlaka koristi brušenu završnu obradu, dok je stražnja maska glatka. Ultrabook je pažljivo izrađen u svim svojim detaljima, bez obzira koliko mali, sve od pozicioniranja ventilacijskih otvora za hlađenje do suptilnih statusnih LED dioda(LEDs) i različitih konektora koji su dostupni.
Nakon što uključite ASUS Zenbook NX500 , jednostavno ćete biti oduševljeni njegovim zaslonom. 4K Ultra HD zaslon je nevjerojatan! Ogromna razlučivost nudi nevjerojatne količine detalja, a IPS tehnologija omogućuje široke kutove gledanja i vrhunske boje. Između ostalog, pustili smo nekoliko videa na ASUS Zenbook NX500 . Slike koje se reproduciraju na ekranu su gotovo stvarne. To je impresivno iskustvo!
Povrh svega, ultrabook također nudi potpunu podršku za pokrete, putem svog zaslona osjetljivog na dodir od 10 točaka. To poboljšava iskustvo računala koje ćete dobiti i u sustavu Windows 8.1(Windows 8.1) i u njegovim modernim aplikacijama.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 također uključuje ugrađeni senzor ambijentalnog svjetla. To omogućuje da zaslon automatski zatamni ili poveća razinu svjetline, ovisno o svjetlosnom okruženju u kojem se nalazite.
Tipkovnica je velika, prostrana i udobna za korištenje. Tipke su meke i tihe, a pisanje po njima je užitak. Ni nakon dugih sati korištenja ovog uređaja nećete osjetiti da su vam se ruke umorile.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 je odlučio osvijetliti tipke tipkovnice, što je lijep dodir. Međutim, bilo nam je teško vidjeti koji je ključ što, pod jakom svjetlošću. U takvim slučajevima vjerojatno ćete morati deaktivirati osvjetljenje tipkovnice. Srećom, za to morate pritisnuti samo nekoliko tipki.
Ultrabook također nudi velikodušni touchpad od 5 inča. Njegova površina je pomalo svilenkasta i klizanje prstiju(ima) po njoj je brzo i glatko. Također podržava multi-touch kontrolu, tako da su geste u sustavu Windows 8.1 također izvedive. Gumbi touchpada jedina su stvar koja je u suprotnosti s tihom tipkovnicom i glatkom površinom touchpada. Čak i ako su oboje ugrađeni ispod površine touchpada, ne približuju se tišini tipkovnice. Pritiskom na bilo koju od ovih tipki potaknut će se prilično glasan zvuk klika.
Audio sustav ASUS Zenbook NX500 pokreće Bang & Olufsen , a krajnji rezultat je odličan. Ugrađeni zvučnici zvuče jako dobro za ultrabook i nismo čuli izobličenja ni na jednoj razini glasnoće. Kada koristite dobar set slušalica, zvuk visoke kvalitete je još uočljiviji.
Ultrabook je također opremljen HD web kamerom od 1,2 megapiksela i mikrofonom. Kamera je dobre kvalitete, nudi dobre detalje i dobar omjer kontrasta. Samo su se boje činile pomalo ravnim. Međutim, web kamera će se izvrsno snaći kada su u pitanju Skype pozivi na primjer. U svakom slučaju(Anyway) , web kamere nisu stvorene za selfije! Ili jesu? 🙂
Još jedna jača strana ASUS Zenbook NX500(ASUS Zenbook NX500) je njegova pohrana. Testirali smo model koji dolazi sa SSD diskom od 512 GB(GB SSD) , no dostupni su i SSD diskovi(SSDs) manjeg kapaciteta . Ovaj koji smo imali na testiranju je izuzetno brz. Dizanje sustava Windows(Booting Windows) i pokretanje aplikacija obavljaju se gotovo trenutno. To je definitivno jedan od najbržih ultrabookova koje smo ikada koristili.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 opremljen je polimernom baterijom od 6 ćelija. Iako ovo nije dovoljno da vam izdrži cijeli dan, kao što ćete vidjeti kasnije u ovoj recenziji, trebalo bi vam ponuditi pristojnu autonomiju.
Aplikacije(Apps) u paketu s ASUS Zenbook NX500
Kao što smo ranije spomenuli, ASUS -ov operativni sustav po izboru za Zenbook NX500 je Windows 8.1 . Ovaj ultrabook možete nabaviti sa sustavom Windows 8.1(Windows 8.1) ili Windows 8.1 Pro . Nažalost, uz drajvere i aplikacije koje su ultrabooku potrebne za dobar rad, ASUS je u paketu stavio i mnogo nepotrebnog softvera. Cijeli popis paketa aplikacija je sljedeći:
ASUS Install – an application that lets you install ASUS software. This may be useful if you plan to use some of the apps that are bundled by ASUS.
ASUS LiveUpdate
ASUS WinFlash – a program specifically designed to write new BIOS firmware and make BIOS updates. You should keep it and use it.
ASUS Splendid Utility
ASUS WebStorage
ASUS PhotoDirector
ASUS PowerDirector - a video editing app with some basic features. You may want to experiment it with before deciding on whether to keep it or not.
ASUS FaceID
ASUS Function Key Setting – a tool that lets you set the default behavior for the Fn + F1, F2, … F12 keys. You can select the first function to be either the ASUS defined function or the predefined operating system function.
ASUS On-Screen Display - turns on or off the on-screen display of notifications, other than those already shown by Windows.
ASUS Screen Saver – a screensaver designed to demonstrate the rich 4K UltraHD experience offered by the ASUS Zenbook NX500. You may want to use it to impress your friends and co-workers.
ASUS USB Charger Plus – a tool that lets you charge devices over the USB ports faster, even when the ultrabook is in sleep mode.
eManual – the user manual of the ASUS Zenbook NX500.
Twitter - the official Windows 8.1 app for this social network.
Fresh Paint - a painting app for Windows 8.1.
Music Maker Jam - a music app for Windows 8.1 that allows you to mix different loops and sound effects.
Line - a chat application that you may want to experiment with before deciding on whether to keep it or not.
Netflix - depending on where you live, you'll either love this app or dislike ASUS for bundling it. In the US and a couple of other countries where Netflix is available, you will want to use this app and stream movies and TV shows to your device. In countries where this service is unavailable, this app is useless.
Zinio - a magazine reader app for Windows 8.1.
WildTangent Games - a portal where you can purchase and download various PC games.
McAfee LiveSafe - Internet Security - a full security suite from McAfee. Unfortunately, our last experience with their products was very poor, so we advise you to get a better security solution.
Microsoft Office - a trial version that you can use for 30 days before buying or registering your license.
Performanse u mjerilima
Samo dijeljenje našeg subjektivnog mišljenja o ASUS Zenbook NX500 nije dovoljno. Kako bismo dobili bolju predodžbu o tome što nudi u smislu performansi, također smo ga testirali s nekoliko popularnih benchmark aplikacija.
Prvo što smo izmjerili je koliko brzo se Windows 8.1 pokreće na ovom ultrabooku. Za mjerenja smo koristili Bootracer . Prosječan start obavljen je za samo 24 sekunde. Uklonite sve priložene aplikacije i dobit ćete još brže vrijeme pokretanja.
Zatim smo željeli vidjeti kako ASUS Zenbook NX500 rješava svakodnevne scenarije korištenja. Kako bismo izmjerili performanse ovog ultrabooka, koristili smo popularni PCMark 8 . Početna postavka ubrzanog(Home accelerated) rada omogućila nam je da vidimo performanse ultrabooka u uobičajenim zadacima poput surfanja webom(Web) , korištenja Office aplikacija, upućivanja video poziva, uređivanja slika ili opuštenog igranja igrica. ASUS Zenbook NX500 dobio je ocjenu od 3413 bodova. Ovo je visoka ocjena koja definitivno dokazuje da nećete imati nikakvih problema kada koristite ultrabook za uobičajene računalne zadatke.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 je ultrabook koji će se sigurno svidjeti ne samo 4K obožavateljima, već i fotografima i videografima. Zato smo smatrali da je potrebno to testirati i s kreativnog stajališta. Za to smo koristili istu aplikaciju PCMark 8 , ali s drugačijim skupom testova. Ovaj put smo radili kreativne(Creative) ubrzane testove, a rezultat je također bio vrlo visok: 4003 boda.
Za razliku od ASUS ROG G771JM , ASUS Zenbook NX500 nije uređaj koji je dizajniran za igrače. Međutim, vrhunski hardver koji sadrži natjerao nas je da poželimo vidjeti koliko je ultrabook dobar iz perspektive igrača. Zato smo ga odlučili testirati i s 3DMark Vantage - popularnim gaming benchmarkom. Zahvaljujući Geforce GTX850M i svom i7 4712HQ, ASUS Zenbook NX500 je dobio ocjenu od 16984 boda u postavkama performansi .(Performance)
Zatim smo ponovno pokrenuli 3DMark Vantage , ali ovaj put smo koristili Extreme testove. ASUS Zenbook NX500 osvojio je 8493 boda. I performanse i ekstremne unaprijed postavljene postavke pokazuju da ovaj ultrabook nudi dobro iskustvo igranja. Svaka igra dostupna na tržištu može se igrati na srednjim do visokim postavkama detalja.
Zatim smo prešli na testove pohrane. Kao što smo ranije ukratko spomenuli, ovaj ultrabook je dostupan samo sa SSD diskovima, što je odlično. Model koji smo testirali bio je opremljen vrhunskim SSD-om od 512 GB(GB SSD) koji radi na PCIEx4 . To je jedan od top modela koje proizvodi Samsung i nije nas iznevjerio. Samo pogledajte snimku zaslona u nastavku da vidite fantastične rezultate koje je dobio u CrystalDiskMarku(CrystalDiskMark) .
Zatim smo provjerili sustav hlađenja ASUS Zenbook NX500 . Kako bismo izvršili naša mjerenja, koristili smo Prime95 za stres ultrabooka i CoreTEmp za provjeru temperature CPU -a . Nakon gotovo sat vremena "bola", CPU se nije popeo više od 86 stupnjeva Celzija(Celsius) .
Video kartica je drugi komad hardvera koji se prilično zagrijava. Tako da smo i mi to testirali. Ovaj put koristili smo FurMark . Najviša temperatura GPU-a koju smo uspjeli postići bila je 83 Celzijeva(Celsius) stupnja .
ASUS Zenbook NX500 održava toplinu hardvera ispod svojih maksimalnih specifikacija. Međutim, sam ultrabook se zagrijava kada se intenzivno koristi. Sustav hlađenja je tih i učinkovit. Međutim, aluminijsko kućište ima tendenciju raspršivanja topline prilično sporo. Čak i nakon što smo prekinuli naše intenzivne testove, još je dugo ostao vruć. Jedini zaključak koji možemo izvući je da je ASUS morao malo pristati na kompromis kako bi sav taj vrhunski hardver smjestio u potpuno metalno kućište koje je i elegantno i tanko.
Na kraju smo testirali autonomiju ASUS Zenbook NX500 . PowerMark je(PowerMark) procijenio da će, u uobičajenim scenarijima korištenja, ultrabook trajati oko 4 sata. Ovo je jedina važna slaba strana za ovaj uređaj.
Presuda
ASUS Zenbook NX500 je prekrasan ultrabook, sa čvrstim i elegantnim kućištem. Sadrži moćan hardver i prekrasan zaslon. Ekstremna 4K UltraHD rezolucija oduševit će vas, dok će sofisticirano aluminijsko kućište zasigurno odvratiti glave. Intel Core(Intel Core) i7 četverojezgreni procesor, upotpunjen sa 16 GB RAM-a(RAM) , Geforce GTX850M i nevjerojatno brzim SSD -om pobrinut će se da imate izvrsno računalno iskustvo. Jedina važna mana ovog uređaja je slabo trajanje baterije. Ako želite prekrasan komad hardvera, nevjerojatan 4K zaslon i spremni ste platiti premium cijenu, onda ASUS Zenbook NX500je izvrstan izbor. Ako si to možete priuštiti, nećete požaliti zbog kupovine.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 Review – A High-End Ultrabook With A 4K Display
ASUS has sent us for testing a high-end ultrabook, called ASUS Zenbook NX500. It is а gorgeous ultraboоk that feаtures a really awesomе 4K screen, hаrdware components to match it and a sоlid and elegant case. As you can imagine, we were vеry curious if this prеmium device really is everything AЅUS promised it to be. Now, after we've worked on, played with and tested the ASUS Zenbook NX500, we're ready to share our conclusionѕ with yоu. If you want to know more about the ASUS Zenbоok NX500, don't hesіtate to read on.
Unboxing The ASUS Zenbook NX500
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 comes in a beautiful black box. The design is minimalistic and elegant. The only thing printed on the box is the ASUS Zenbook label.
Inside the package you'll find the actual ultrabook, a soft fabric case, the power adapter, the manual and Ethernet and VGA adapters. We should point out that the ASUS Zenbook NX500 is so slim that a standard Ethernet or VGA ports wouldn't fit on its sides. Including adapters for these ports is a very good approach from ASUS' part.
The short video below will give you a glimpse of the full unboxing experience:
Hardware Specifications
ASUS Zenbook NX500 runs on a quad-core Intel Core i7 4712HQ processor. This is one of the best high-end mobile processors available on the market. It runs at a base frequency of 2.3 GHz and goes up to 3.3 GHz in turbo mode.
The processor is complemented by 16 GB of DDR3 RAM memory, running in dual channel mode, at 1600 MHz.
The graphics are handled by both an integrated graphic chip and a discrete video card. The integrated graphic chip is an Intel HD Graphics 4600 that is used whenever you perform less intensive tasks like working with office apps or browsing the Internet. When running more demanding activities, like playing games, the much more powerful Nvidia Geforce GTX850M comes into play. The Geforce graphics card packs 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM memory and it is capable of handling any game at more than decent video settings. Obviously, you won't have problems when playing HD media.
The really stunning piece of hardware on the ASUS Zenbook NX500 is its 4K screen. It's a 15.6 inches touch display that offers an Ultra HD resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. The screen uses an IPS panel that gives you wide viewing angles, great contrast, vivid colors and crisp edges. Anything on the screen looks gorgeous, no matter if you're looking at photographs, videos or simple text. The screen also offers 10 point touch – full gesture support. We wish all our readers could see in person how this screen looks, it's pure and simple symphony!
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 is sold with multiple storage choices. You can get this ultrabook with a 128 GB SSD, 256 GB SSD or a 512GB SSD. The latter variant is also the one we've received in tests. The 512 GB SSD is manufactured by Samsung and has some impressive specifications, but more on that later in this review.
The sound is delivered by built-in stereo speakers and features Bang & Olufsen ICEpower technology. The ultrabook also offers an array microphone and 1.2 megapixels HD webcam.
As for the networking options you get an integrated Wi-Fi network card that supports the new Dual-Band 802.11ac standard. Also, a built-in Bluetooth V4.0 chip is available.
The ultrabook includes all the common connectivity options: 1 COMBO audio jack (that can be used to plug in both a headphones set or an external microphone), 3 USB 3.0 ports, 1 HDMI, 1 mini Display port and 1 SD card reader. Also, inside the package of the ultrabook you'll find two adapters: one Ethernet adapter and one VGA adapter. As we've mentioned earlier, a VGA or an Ethernet jack are impossible to mount on a device this thin.
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 includes a 6 cells polymer battery capable of delivering 96 Whrs of energy. The ultrabook has a 378 mm (14.9 in) width, 255 mm (10 in) depth and is only 19 mm (0.7 in) thick. The ultrabook weighs 2.27 kg (5 pounds), which is a little more than other ultraportable devices. However, the unibody all-aluminum case of the ASUS Zenbook NX500 justifies its weight. We'll talk more about the way this ultrabook is built later on in this review.
In terms of the operating system used by the ASUS Zenbook NX500, the model we received in tests had Windows 8.1 Pro pre-installed. A variant with Windows 8.1 is also available.
You can find the full list of detailed specifications, on the ASUS official website: ASUS Zenbook NX500 Specifications.
Using The ASUS Zenbook NX500
We had the pleasure of using, testing and playing with this ultrabook for more than a week. We must admit we were really happy with the level of performance it offers.
Before powering it on, the first thing that will get your attention is the build quality. The case is all aluminum, with no plastics whatsoever. Furthermore, the case is carved from a single piece of material. Only the backside is detachable and it's easy to remove. It's held only in a few screws and, when removed, you get access to everything that matters: the RAM memory slots, the battery and the coolers. The build quality of the case is absolutely fantastic and you feel that as soon as you get your hands on the device. We couldn't hear any creaking or squeaking, no matter how we've held or tried to twist the ultrabook. The design of the case is very elegant. Surprisingly, it's also sturdy and robust, despite its thinness. The cover uses a brushed finish, while the back cover is smooth. The ultrabook was carefully crafted in all its details, no matter how small, all the way from the positioning of the cooling vents to the subtle status LEDs and the different connectors that are available.
Once you've powered on the ASUS Zenbook NX500,you'll simply be in awe about its screen. The 4K Ultra HD display is amazing! The huge resolution offers incredible amounts of detail and the IPS technology makes wide viewing angles and superb colors possible. Among other things, we played a few videos on the ASUS Zenbook NX500. The images playing on the screen almost feel real. It's an immersive experience!
On top of all that, the ultrabook also offers full gesture support, through its 10 point touch screen. This enhances the computing experience you'll get both in Windows 8.1 and in its modern apps.
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 also includes a built-in ambient light sensor. This enables the screen to automatically dim or increase its brightness level, depending on the light environment you're in.
The keyboard is large, spacious and comfortable to use. The keys are soft and silent and writing on it is a delight. Even after long hours of using this device, you won't feel that your hands get tired.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 chose to illuminate the keyboard keys, which is a nice touch. However, we found it hard to see what key is what, under bright light conditions. In such cases, you'll probably need to deactivate the keyboard illumination. Fortunately, you only have to press a few keys in order to do that.
The ultrabook also offers a generous 5 inch touchpad. Its surface is somewhat silky and sliding your finger(s) on it is quick and smooth. It also supports multi-touch control, so Windows 8.1 gestures are doable too. The touchpad buttons are the only thing that contrasts with the silent keyboard and the smooth touchpad surface. Even if they are both embedded under the touchpad surface, they don't come close to the quietness of the keyboard. Pressing any of these buttons will trigger a rather loud click noise.
The audio system of the ASUS Zenbook NX500 is powered by Bang & Olufsen, and the end result is great. The built-in speakers sound very well for an ultrabook and we didn't hear distortions at any volume level. When using a good set of headphones, the high quality audio is even more noticeable.
The ultrabook is also equipped with a 1.2 megapixels HD webcam and array microphone. The camera is of good quality, offering good details and a good contrast ratio. Only the colors seemed to be a bit flat. However, the webcam will do great when it comes to Skype calls for example. Anyway, webcams aren't made for selfies! Or are they? 🙂
Another strong point for ASUS Zenbook NX500 is its storage. We tested the model that comes with a 512 GB SSD drive, but lower capacity SSDs are also available. The one we've had in testing is extremely fast. Booting Windows and launching apps are done almost instantaneously. It's definitely one of the fastest ultrabooks we ever used.
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 is equipped with a 6 cells polymer battery. While this is not enough to last you for an entire day, as you'll see later in this review, it should offer you decent autonomy.
Apps Bundled With ASUS Zenbook NX500
As we've mentioned earlier, ASUS' operating system of choice for the Zenbook NX500 is Windows 8.1. You can get this ultrabook with either Windows 8.1 or Windows 8.1 Pro. Unfortunately, alongside the drivers and apps that are needed by the ultrabook to work well, ASUS also bundled a lot of unnecessary software. The whole list of bundled apps is the following:
ASUS Install – an application that lets you install ASUS software. This may be useful if you plan to use some of the apps that are bundled by ASUS.
ASUS LiveUpdate
ASUS WinFlash – a program specifically designed to write new BIOS firmware and make BIOS updates. You should keep it and use it.
ASUS Splendid Utility
ASUS WebStorage
ASUS PhotoDirector
ASUS PowerDirector - a video editing app with some basic features. You may want to experiment it with before deciding on whether to keep it or not.
ASUS FaceID
ASUS Function Key Setting – a tool that lets you set the default behavior for the Fn + F1, F2, … F12 keys. You can select the first function to be either the ASUS defined function or the predefined operating system function.
ASUS On-Screen Display - turns on or off the on-screen display of notifications, other than those already shown by Windows.
ASUS Screen Saver – a screensaver designed to demonstrate the rich 4K UltraHD experience offered by the ASUS Zenbook NX500. You may want to use it to impress your friends and co-workers.
ASUS USB Charger Plus – a tool that lets you charge devices over the USB ports faster, even when the ultrabook is in sleep mode.
eManual – the user manual of the ASUS Zenbook NX500.
Twitter - the official Windows 8.1 app for this social network.
Fresh Paint - a painting app for Windows 8.1.
Music Maker Jam - a music app for Windows 8.1 that allows you to mix different loops and sound effects.
Line - a chat application that you may want to experiment with before deciding on whether to keep it or not.
Netflix - depending on where you live, you'll either love this app or dislike ASUS for bundling it. In the US and a couple of other countries where Netflix is available, you will want to use this app and stream movies and TV shows to your device. In countries where this service is unavailable, this app is useless.
Zinio - a magazine reader app for Windows 8.1.
WildTangent Games - a portal where you can purchase and download various PC games.
McAfee LiveSafe - Internet Security - a full security suite from McAfee. Unfortunately, our last experience with their products was very poor, so we advise you to get a better security solution.
Microsoft Office - a trial version that you can use for 30 days before buying or registering your license.
Performance In Benchmarks
Just sharing our subjective opinion about the ASUS Zenbook NX500 is not enough. To get a better idea of what it has to offer in terms of performance, we've also tested it with a few popular benchmark applications.
The first thing we've measured was how fast Windows 8.1 starts on this ultrabook. We used Bootracer to make our measurements. The average start was done in only 24 seconds. Take away all the bundled apps and you will get an even faster boot time.
Next, we wanted to see how the ASUS Zenbook NX500 handles everyday usage scenarios. In order to measure this ultrabook's performance, we used the popular PCMark 8. The Home accelerated preset allowed us to see the ultrabook's performance in common task like surfing the Web, using Office applications, making video calls, editing pictures or casually playing games. ASUS Zenbook NX500 obtained a score of 3413 points. This is a high score that definitely proves that you will have no troubles whatsoever when using the ultrabook for common computing tasks.
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 is an ultrabook that will surely appeal not only to 4K fans out there, but also to photographers and videographers. That's why we thought it was necessary to also test it from a creative point of view. For that, we used the same PCMark 8 application, but with a different set of tests. This time we ran the Creative accelerated tests, and the score was also very high: 4003 points.
Unlike the ASUS ROG G771JM, the ASUS Zenbook NX500 is not a device that's designed for gamers. However, the high-end hardware it packs made us want to see how good the ultrabook is from a gamer's perspective. That's why we decided to also test it with 3DMark Vantage - the popular gaming benchmark. Thanks to its Geforce GTX850M and its i7 4712HQ, the ASUS Zenbook NX500 received a score of 16984 points in the Performance preset.
Then, we ran 3DMark Vantage again, but this time we used the Extreme tests. The ASUS Zenbook NX500 scored 8493 points. Both the performance and the extreme presets show that this ultrabook offers a good gaming experience. Any game available on the market is playable at medium to high details settings.
Next, we moved on to the storage tests. As we've briefly mentioned earlier, this ultrabook is available only with SSD drives, which is great. The model we tested was equipped with a high-end 512 GB SSD, running on PCIEx4. It's one of the top models manufactured by Samsung and it didn't let us down. Just look at the screenshot below to see the fantastic results it got in CrystalDiskMark.
Next, we checked the cooling system of the ASUS Zenbook NX500. In order to do our measurements, we used Prime95 to stress the ultrabook and CoreTEmp to check the temperatures of the CPU. After almost an hour of "pain", the CPU didn't get higher than 86 degrees Celsius.
The video card is the other piece of hardware that tends to heat quite a lot. So we've tested it too. This time around, we used FurMark. The highest GPU temperature we've managed to achieve was 83 degrees Celsius.
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 keeps its hardware heat beneath their maximum specifications. However, the ultrabook itself gets heated when used intensively. The cooling system is silent and efficient. However, the aluminum case tends to dissipate the heat rather slowly. Even after stopping our intensive tests, it still remained hot for quite a while. The only conclusion we can pull is that ASUS needed to compromise a bit, in order to fit all that high-end hardware inside an all-metal case that is both elegant and thin.
Finally, we tested the autonomy of the ASUS Zenbook NX500. PowerMark estimated that, normal usage scenarios, the ultrabook would last for about 4 hours. This is the only important weaksport for this device.
Verdict
The ASUS Zenbook NX500 is a beautiful ultrabook, with a solid and elegant case. It packs powerful hardware and a gorgeous screen. The extreme 4K UltraHD resolution will awe you, while the sophisticated aluminum case will surely turn heads. The Intel Core i7 quad core processor, complemented by 16 GB of RAM, Geforce GTX850M and a blazing fast SSD will make sure that you have a great computing experience. The only important downside of this device is its weak battery life. If you want a gorgeous piece of hardware, an incredible 4K display and you are willing to pay a premium price, then ASUS Zenbook NX500 is a great choice. If you can afford it, you won't regret the purchase.
