Rating of the best ASUS laptops

The Chinese brand ASUS began operations in 1989. Initially, the brand produced chipsets and motherboards. A few years later, video cards were added to the list of manufactured products. The first notebooks under the ASUS brand entered the market in 2000. From that moment on, their assortment has gradually increased, and now the manufacturer is represented in almost all existing segments. And if you are interested in buying a model from a well-known Taiwanese brand, then our review, which contains the best ASUS laptops available for 2020, will help you choose the right device.

Best low-cost ASUS laptops

If you do not know which one is better to buy a laptop from "ASUS" having a modest budget, then we will help you choose a high-quality laptop among the inexpensive models of the company. They are great for office tasks as well as training. At an average cost 350–392 $ a couple of laptops below are suitable for managers, students and schoolchildren. Owners of powerful home PCs can also buy them as a spare or additional "machine". If your tasks go beyond Internet surfing, typing and amateur photo editing, then choose a better model.

1. ASUS Laptop 15 X509UA-EJ021

Stylish laptop up to 420 $, offering the user the 7th generation Intel Core i3 processor equipped with a pair of cores (4 threads) with a base frequency of 2.3 GHz. The storage in the Laptop 15 X509UA-EJ021 comes with a fast 256GB M.2 drive. There is one slot for the RAM in the monitored model, in which an 8 GB die is installed out of the box, but if necessary, it can be replaced with 12 gigabytes.

A high-quality budget laptop received an FHD anti-glare screen. The small bezels provide 82.5% relative display area.

The device is perfectly assembled, its body does not creak or bend. The X509UA is offered in three color options: "slate gray" for lovers of classics, "transparent silver" and an elegant "peacock". Also in the reviews, the laptop is praised for the high-quality sound provided by SonicMaster technology. We were also pleased with the ergonomic keyboard and touchpad with a built-in fingerprint scanner.

Advantages:

• variety of ports;
• fast storage;
• stylish appearance;
• excellent build;
• low cost.

Disadvantages:

• card reader for microSD;
• only one slot for RAM.

2. ASUS VivoBook X543UB-GQ822T

Another cool laptop from the Chinese company ASUS, offered at a low cost. The device comes preinstalled with a home version of Windows 10, which will appeal to users who prefer not to waste time installing the OS. The device is based on the same Core i3-7020U CPU, and is complemented by the GeForce MX110 graphics from NVIDIA. RAM is only 6 GB, but the maximum is also 12.

A good laptop for working with multimedia is based on a TN matrix, so the viewing angles in the reviewed model are not ideal. But the color rendering of the VivoBook X543UB is good enough for the segment it occupies. Out of the box, the device offers a large 1TB hard drive. If that's not enough, the popular laptop model allows you to easily expand the memory with an M.2 solid state drive.

Advantages:

• good performance;
• low noise level;
• thoughtful keyboard;
• corporate identity and compactness.

Disadvantages:

• mediocre HDD;
• not the best touchpad.

3. ASUS VivoBook 15 X540UA

The first place is occupied by another cheap laptop with a price of up to 420 $... Similar to the younger model, VivoBook 15 X540UA is available in several modifications:

1. Full HD display, 8 GB RAM, 1 TB hard drive and 128 GB SSD.
2. Screen 1366 × 768 pixels, 4 GB of RAM, 1 TB hard drive.

For the second option, buyers will have to pay about 364 $when the cost of a more advanced solution is about 11 thousand more. And if you do not need a Full HD matrix, then you can buy RAM and a solid-state drive for the younger modification X540UA cheaper.

Otherwise, both versions do not differ in any way. Each of them is equipped with an Intel Core i3 6006U with an integrated HD Graphics 520 video core, Wi-Fi 802.11ac wireless modules and Bluetooth version 4.0. All interfaces available in a laptop are located on the left side (2 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, HDMI, COMBO audio, microSD reader). There is also a ventilation hole.

What we liked:

• two excellent configurations to choose from;
• attractive cost from 25 990;
• there are all the necessary interfaces;
• an excellent choice for office work and watching movies;
• ease of expanding memory;

Best ASUS laptops for price and quality

Today the ASUS company does not often please buyers with budget laptops. And if you want to wisely spend money on a model from a Chinese manufacturer, we recommend looking towards the price range. 490–840 $... Many will rightly point out that decent gaming laptops are offered for this amount. However, we have allocated a separate review category for them. It also contains compact and lightweight solutions ideal for businessmen, travelers, programmers and other professionals.

1. ASUS Laptop 15 X509FL-EJ218T

A model from the same X509 line opens the TOP laptops in a combination of price and quality. Now we have before us a device with the FL index, which has received a more productive "hardware" and hybrid storage (128 GB SSD + terabyte HDD). There are no changes in terms of appearance, case materials and set of ports. But if there are no special complaints about the first two points, then instead of a pair of USB 2.0 I would like to see faster ports in an ultrabook from ASUS.

Again, many will be disappointed with the "stripped down" card reader. This is especially true for photography lovers. However, if the pictures are taken mainly on a smartphone, then the X509FL will even please with the ability to read microSD without an adapter. But the autonomy of one of the best ASUS notebooks did not impress. The laptop will provide about 5 hours of work under moderate load, but for more serious tasks you need to carry a power supply unit with you.

Advantages:

• the presence of two drives;
• three USB-A ports, one USB-C;
• high-quality audio system;
• Windows Hello function;
• the presence of discrete graphics;
• battery charging speed.

Disadvantages:

• battery life;
• a pair of USB 2.0 standard;
• one RAM slot on the board.

2. ASUS ZenBook 14 UM431

The next in line in the ranking of laptops is the thin and light ZenBook 14. With a thickness of only 15.9 mm and a weight of 1.39 kg, this device offers quite powerful hardware. The processor here is a modern Ryzen 5 3500U, supplemented by integrated Vega 8 graphics. The "stone" has 4 physical and 8 logical cores, and its maximum frequency can rise to 3.7 GHz (with active loading of one of the threads).

If you're looking to buy a laptop for business and work, then ZenBook 14 is the perfect solution too. Its body is made of metal, and the assembly fully justifies the price tag from 644 $... The set of connectors here is not impressive, but sufficient. We should also praise the company for a full-fledged card reader and a capacious 47 W / h battery. One of the best ASUS Ultrabooks offers a high level of privacy protection with a fingerprint reader.

Advantages:

• excellent build;
• digital block in the touchpad;
• great sound;
• decent speakers;
• comfortable backlit keyboard;
• smart processor;
• compact and lightweight.

3. ASUS ZenBook 14 UX433FN

The next laptop from ASUS is equipped with a 14-inch display with small bezels. This made it possible to fit all the stuffing into a body comparable in size to 13.3-inch models. The device has a standard set of ports for its size:

1. a pair of USB-A (2.0 and 3.1);
2. HDMI video output;
3. combined audio;
4. USB Type-C 3.1;
5. card reader for microSD.

ZenBook 14 UX433FN features a unique ErgoLift hinge. It provides 3 degrees of tilt for the keyboard when opening the screen to 145 degrees (maximum value). However, this design is necessary not only for this, but also to provide better sound for the speakers located on the bottom and to improve air circulation in the cooling system. The latter is especially important, because in a 15.9 mm ultrabook, the manufacturer fit a powerful Intel Core i5-8265U processor, equipped with 4 cores with a maximum clock frequency of 3.9 GHz.

Advantages:

• exemplary build quality;
• very comfortable keyboard;
• stylish appearance;
• minimal framework;
• lightweight and very thin;
• discrete graphics GeForce MX150;
• good cooling system.

Disadvantages:

• the power button is located very inconveniently;
• high price;
• DDR3 RAM.

4. ASUS ZenBook Flip S UX370UA

In first place is the stylish ZenBook Flip S convertible. The device weighs only 1.1 kg and its thickness does not exceed 11 mm. This makes the device very mobile, and thanks to its good autonomy, the user does not have to constantly carry a power supply with him. More precisely, the UX370UA can continuously play video for 7 hours, and when working with documents, the laptop will last about an hour and a half longer. True, this is possible only at medium brightness.

The reviewed model is also available with a Core i7 processor. But it also has several other improvements, due to which the average price of the device increases by almost one and a half times compared to a solution based on Intel Core i5.

Throwing back the keyboard unit of the thin and light notebook ACUS 360 degrees, the user will be able to use it as a regular tablet. For convenience, a laptop-transformer can be placed in a "hut" to watch movies or TV shows. In normal mode, ZenBook Flip S lifts the keyboard assembly when the display flips out 135 degrees. This is a convenient solution for users whose activities are related to regular typing. Convenience UX370UA adds a fingerprint scanner on the right side. It works smartly, allowing you to log into Windows without having to enter a password.

Advantages:

• high-quality folder-cover (option);
• branded docking station and stylus (optional);
• minimum case thickness;
• can be used in tablet mode;
• good enough sound for its class;
• smart fingerprint sensor;
• stylish appearance.

Disadvantages:

• the case and screen collect prints easily.

Best ASUS Gaming Laptops

ASUS gaming division makes great devices for fans of modern games. Within the ROG line, various products are available to users, ranging from mice and keyboards to monitors and, of course, performance laptops. The advantages of the latter include an attractive corporate design, excellent ergonomics and a well-thought-out cooling system. The assortment of gaming laptops from ASUS is quite extensive, so any buyer can choose a device for their needs. We included one optimal and one top solution in the rating.

1.ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GU502GU-ES065T

Opens the 2020 Powerful Laptop category. Despite the premium hardware, the ROG Zephyrus M has a relatively modest 2cm thickness and a moderate weight of 1.93kg. The screen of this laptop model has a classic 15.6 inches and FHD resolution. Its frequency is 144 Hz, but an advanced version of 240 Hz is also offered. The processor in the ROG Zephyrus M GU502G is always Core i7-9750H. The RAM is 16 GB out of the box, but it can be expanded to 32 GB without losing the warranty.

The GU502G model is offered in several modifications: W - RTX 2070 video adapter, V - RTX 2060 card, and U, as in our case, comes with GTX 1660 Ti.

Out of the box, storage for one of the most powerful ASUS notebooks comes with a single 512GB M.2 drive. Additionally, you can install another drive of the same class and / or classic SSD. The set of interfaces here is excellent: a network card with a speed of 1 Gbps, a wireless Wi-Fi module with support for 802.11ac and Bluetooth version 5.0, a pair of USB-A 3.1, as well as USB-A and USB-C 3.2, HDMI output and separate audio ports. But the card reader, alas, is not provided even for microSD.

Advantages:

• great design;
• screen with a frequency of 144 Hz;
• high-quality magnesium alloy body;
• impressive power;
• graphics card GeForce GTX 1660 Ti;
• compactness and lightness;
• efficient cooling system;
• set of interfaces.

Disadvantages:

• no card reader.

2. ASUS ROG Strix GL504GW-ES076T

Next in line is the best Core i7 gaming laptop - ROG Strix GL504GW. This device is recommended for those users who want to get maximum power for a reasoned price. Thanks to a bundle of RTX 2070, i7-8750H processor and 16 gigabytes of RAM, the device easily copes with any modern games. Of the important advantages of the "machine", of course, support for beams, which are available in such AAA projects as Control or Metro: Exodus.

One of the most interesting gaming laptops according to customer reviews comes with Windows 10 home preinstalled. There is only one drive here, but this is a 1 TB M.2 SSD, which provides impressive performance. The laptop allows you to flexibly customize the keyboard backlight, including your own profiles for different projects (for example, backlighting only certain buttons). All four USB ports on the ROG Strix GL504GW (including one Type-C) are 3.1 compliant.

Advantages:

• color rendition of the screen and short response time;
• customizable backlight;
• ergonomic keyboard;
• battery life;
• high quality sound.

Disadvantages:

• location of the webcam.

3. ASUS ROG GL504GM-ES329T

Not all gamers require gaming laptops for high-end projects. Others simply do not have the budget to buy the right machines. For some, the justification of costs is primarily important, and not the ability to twist all the settings to the maximum. What is the best laptop to take in such cases? We are sure that this is ASUS ROG GL504GM. Yes, only 8 GB of RAM is installed here, but even the most experienced user will find it easy to expand the memory to the supported 32 gigabytes.

But the screen here is really great, especially considering the cost below 980 $... First, there is IPS with excellent calibration and a matte finish, which effectively protects against glare and does not create a crystalline effect. Secondly, the frequency of the laptop is compared to more expensive solutions - 144 Hz. If you're into competitive shooters like Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege, then this is a big plus. In addition, we note hybrid storage: a 1 TB hard drive and a 256 GB SSD. The latter can be used to install system, applications and games in which download speed plays an important role (like open world projects).

Advantages:

• moderate cost;
• excellent display;
• the presence of Mini DisplayPort;
• hybrid storage;
• optimal "filling";
• RGB backlit keys.

Disadvantages:

• the amount of RAM.

Which laptop from Asus is better to buy

Of course, not all the best ASUS notebooks were reviewed in this review. But it is the models presented above that are in greatest demand among buyers. Each of the 7 devices reviewed in the review is distinguished by an excellent design, high-quality assembly and balanced hardware for a reasonable price. If you are looking for a reliable assistant for schoolchildren and students or a working tool for an office employee, then choose budget laptops. We recommend that business people and modern youth take a closer look at the second category. Do you love to play? Then you should look exclusively towards gaming solutions from the ROG line.