ASUS nás poslal na testovanie špičkového ultrabooku s názvom ASUS Zenbook NX500 . Je to nádherný ultrabook, ktorý sa vyznačuje skutočne úžasnou 4K obrazovkou, hardvérovými komponentmi, ktoré mu zodpovedajú, a pevným a elegantným puzdrom. Ako si viete predstaviť, boli sme veľmi zvedaví, či je toto prémiové zariadenie skutočne tým všetkým , čo ASUS sľuboval. Teraz, keď sme pracovali na ASUS Zenbook NX500 , hrali sa s ním a testovali , sme pripravení podeliť sa s vami o naše závery. Ak sa chcete o ASUS Zenbook NX500 dozvedieť viac , neváhajte a čítajte ďalej.
Rozbalenie ASUS Zenbook NX500
ASUS Zenbook NX500 sa dodáva v krásnej čiernej krabici. Dizajn je minimalistický a elegantný. Jediná vec vytlačená na krabici je štítok ASUS Zenbook .
Vo vnútri balenia nájdete skutočný ultrabook, puzdro z mäkkej tkaniny, napájací adaptér, príručku a adaptéry Ethernet a VGA . Mali by sme zdôrazniť, že ASUS Zenbook NX500 je taký tenký, že sa na jeho boky nezmestia štandardné ethernetové(Ethernet) alebo VGA porty. (VGA)Vrátane adaptérov pre tieto porty je veľmi dobrý prístup od spoločnosti ASUS .
Krátke video nižšie vám poskytne pohľad na celý zážitok z rozbalenia:
Hardvérové špecifikácie
ASUS Zenbook NX500 beží na štvorjadrovom procesore Intel Core i7 4712HQ. Ide o jeden z najlepších špičkových mobilných procesorov dostupných na trhu. Beží na základnej frekvencii 2,3 GHz a v turbo režime sa zvýši až na 3,3 GHz .
Procesor je doplnený o 16 GB DDR3 RAM pamäte pracujúcej v dvojkanálovom režime na frekvencii 1600 MHz .
O grafiku sa stará integrovaný grafický čip a diskrétna grafická karta. Integrovaný grafický čip je Intel HD Graphics 4600 , ktorý sa používa vždy, keď vykonávate menej náročné úlohy, ako je práca s kancelárskymi aplikáciami alebo prehliadanie internetu(Internet) . Pri náročnejších aktivitách, ako je hranie hier, príde na rad oveľa výkonnejšia Nvidia Geforce GTX850M . Grafická karta Geforce obsahuje 2 GB (Geforce)pamäte GDDR5 VRAM(GDDR5 VRAM) a je schopná zvládnuť akúkoľvek hru pri viac než slušných nastaveniach videa. Je zrejmé, že pri prehrávaní HD médií nebudete mať problémy.
Skutočne ohromujúci kus hardvéru ASUS Zenbook NX500 je jeho 4K obrazovka. Ide o 15,6-palcový dotykový displej, ktorý ponúka Ultra HD rozlíšenie 3840 x 2160 pixelov. Obrazovka využíva IPS panel, ktorý vám poskytuje široké pozorovacie uhly, skvelý kontrast, živé farby a ostré okraje. Čokoľvek na obrazovke vyzerá nádherne, bez ohľadu na to, či si prezeráte fotografie, videá alebo jednoduchý text. Obrazovka tiež ponúka 10-bodový dotyk – plnú podporu gest. Prajeme si, aby všetci naši čitatelia mohli osobne vidieť, ako táto obrazovka vyzerá, je to čistá a jednoduchá symfónia!
ASUS Zenbook NX500 sa predáva s viacerými možnosťami ukladania. Tento ultrabook môžete získať s 128 GB SSD , 256 GB SSD alebo 512 GB SSD . Posledný variant je tiež ten, ktorý sme dostali v testoch. 512 GB SSD vyrába spoločnosť Samsung a má niekoľko pôsobivých špecifikácií, ale o tom neskôr v tejto recenzii.
O zvuk sa starajú vstavané stereo reproduktory s technológiou Bang & Olufsen ICEpower . Ultrabook tiež ponúka mikrofón a 1,2 megapixelovú HD webovú kameru.
Čo sa týka sieťových možností, získate integrovanú sieťovú kartu Wi-Fi , ktorá podporuje nový štandard Dual-Band 802.11ac . K dispozícii je tiež vstavaný čip Bluetooth V4.0 .
Ultrabook obsahuje všetky bežné možnosti pripojenia: 1 COMBO audio jack (do ktorého možno pripojiť slúchadlá alebo externý mikrofón), 3 porty USB 3.0 , 1 HDMI , 1 mini Display port a 1 čítačku SD kariet. Vo vnútri balenia ultrabooku nájdete aj dva adaptéry: jeden ethernetový(Ethernet) a jeden VGA adaptér. Ako sme už spomenuli, VGA alebo ethernetový(Ethernet) konektor nie je možné namontovať na takto tenké zariadenie.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 obsahuje 6 článkovú polymérovú batériu, ktorá dokáže dodať 96 Wh(Whrs) energie. Ultrabook má šírku 378 mm (14,9 palca), hĺbku 255 mm (10 palca) a hrúbku iba 19 mm (0,7 palca). Ultrabook váži 2,27 kg (5 libier), čo je o niečo viac ako iné ultraprenosné zariadenia. Unibody celohliníkové puzdro ASUS Zenbook NX500 však(ASUS Zenbook NX500) ospravedlňuje jeho hmotnosť. O tom, ako je tento ultrabook postavený, si povieme viac neskôr v tejto recenzii.
Čo sa týka operačného systému ASUS Zenbook NX500 , model, ktorý sme dostali v testoch, mal predinštalovaný Windows 8.1 Pro . K dispozícii je aj variant s Windows 8.1 .
Úplný zoznam podrobných špecifikácií nájdete na oficiálnej webovej stránke ASUS: ASUS Zenbook NX500 Specifications(ASUS Zenbook NX500 Specifications) .
Používanie ASUS Zenbook NX500
S týmto ultrabookom sme mali to potešenie používať, testovať a hrať sa viac ako týždeň. Musíme priznať, že sme boli skutočne spokojní s úrovňou výkonu, ktorú ponúka.
Pred zapnutím prvá vec, ktorá upúta vašu pozornosť, je kvalita zostavenia. Puzdro je celé hliníkové, bez akýchkoľvek plastov. Ďalej je puzdro vyrezané z jedného kusu materiálu. Iba zadná strana je odnímateľná a dá sa ľahko vybrať. Drží ho iba niekoľko skrutiek a po odstránení získate prístup ku všetkému, na čom záleží: k RAMpamäťové sloty, batériu a chladiče. Kvalita vyhotovenia puzdra je úplne fantastická a pocítite to hneď, ako sa vám zariadenie dostane do rúk. Nepočuli sme žiadne vŕzganie ani škrípanie, bez ohľadu na to, ako sme ultrabook držali alebo sa ho pokúšali otočiť. Dizajn puzdra je veľmi elegantný. Prekvapivo je aj napriek svojej tenkosti robustný a robustný. Kryt používa brúsený povrch, zatiaľ čo zadný kryt je hladký. Ultrabook bol starostlivo vyrobený vo všetkých detailoch, bez ohľadu na to, aký je malý, od umiestnenia chladiacich otvorov až po jemné stavové LED diódy(LEDs) a rôzne dostupné konektory.
Po zapnutí ASUS Zenbook NX500 budete jednoducho ohromení jeho obrazovkou. 4K Ultra HD displej je úžasný! Obrovské rozlíšenie ponúka neuveriteľné množstvo detailov a technológia IPS umožňuje široké pozorovacie uhly a skvelé farby. Okrem iného sme si na ASUS Zenbook NX500 prehrali(ASUS Zenbook NX500) zopár videí . Obrázky prehrávané na obrazovke sú takmer skutočné. Je to pohlcujúci zážitok!
Okrem toho ultrabook ponúka aj plnú podporu gest prostredníctvom 10-bodovej dotykovej obrazovky. To vylepšuje prácu s počítačom, ktorú získate v systéme Windows 8.1(Windows 8.1) aj v jeho moderných aplikáciách.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 obsahuje aj vstavaný senzor okolitého svetla. To umožňuje obrazovke automaticky stlmiť alebo zvýšiť úroveň jasu v závislosti od svetelného prostredia, v ktorom sa nachádzate.
Klávesnica je veľká, priestranná a pohodlne sa používa. Klávesy sú mäkké a tiché a písanie na nich je potešením. Ani po dlhých hodinách používania tohto zariadenia nepocítite únavu rúk.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 zvolil podsvietenie kláves klávesnice, čo je príjemné. Zistili sme však, že pri jasnom osvetlení je ťažké zistiť, čo je kľúčom. V takýchto prípadoch budete pravdepodobne musieť deaktivovať podsvietenie klávesnice. Našťastie na to stačí stlačiť niekoľko tlačidiel.
Ultrabook ponúka aj veľkorysý 5-palcový touchpad. Jeho povrch je trochu hodvábny a posúvanie prstom (prstmi) po ňom je rýchle a hladké. Podporuje tiež viacdotykové ovládanie, takže gestá systému Windows 8.1 sú tiež použiteľné. Tlačidlá touchpadu sú jediné, čo kontrastuje s tichou klávesnicou a hladkým povrchom touchpadu. Aj keď sú obe zapustené pod povrchom touchpadu, tichosti klávesnice sa ani zďaleka nepribližujú. Stlačením ktoréhokoľvek z týchto tlačidiel sa spustí pomerne hlasné kliknutie.
Zvukový systém ASUS Zenbook NX500 poháňa Bang & Olufsen a konečný výsledok je skvelý. Vstavané reproduktory znejú na ultrabook veľmi dobre a pri žiadnej úrovni hlasitosti sme nepočuli skreslenie. Pri použití dobrých slúchadiel je zvuk vysokej kvality ešte výraznejší.
Ultrabook je tiež vybavený 1,2 megapixelovou HD webkamerou a mikrofónom. Fotoaparát je kvalitný, ponúka dobré detaily a dobrý kontrastný pomer. Len farby sa zdali byť trochu ploché. Webkamera však poslúži napríklad pri hovoroch cez Skype . Každopádne(Anyway) , webové kamery nie sú stvorené na selfie! Alebo sú? 🙂
Ďalšou silnou stránkou ASUS Zenbook NX500 je jeho úložisko. Testovali sme model, ktorý je dodávaný s 512 GB SSD diskom, no dostupné sú aj (GB SSD)SSD(SSDs) s nižšou kapacitou . Ten, ktorý sme mali pri testovaní, je extrémne rýchly. Zavádzanie systému Windows(Booting Windows) a spúšťanie aplikácií prebieha takmer okamžite. Je to určite jeden z najrýchlejších ultrabookov, aké sme kedy používali.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 je vybavený 6-článkovou polymérovou batériou . Aj keď vám to nestačí na celý deň, ako uvidíte neskôr v tejto recenzii, malo by vám to ponúknuť slušnú autonómiu.
Aplikácie(Apps) dodávané s ASUS Zenbook NX500
Ako sme už spomenuli, operačným systémom ASUS pre Zenbook NX500 je Windows 8.1 . Tento ultrabook môžete získať buď so systémom Windows 8.1(Windows 8.1) alebo Windows 8.1 Pro . Nanešťastie, okrem ovládačov a aplikácií, ktoré ultrabook potrebuje, aby dobre fungoval, ASUS pribalil aj množstvo nepotrebného softvéru. Celý zoznam pribalených aplikácií je nasledujúci:
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.
Výkon v benchmarkoch
Len zdieľanie nášho subjektívneho názoru na ASUS Zenbook NX500 nestačí. Aby sme mali lepšiu predstavu o tom, čo ponúka z hľadiska výkonu, otestovali sme ho aj s niekoľkými obľúbenými benchmarkovými aplikáciami.
Prvá vec, ktorú sme zmerali, bola rýchlosť štartu Windows 8.1 na tomto ultrabooku. Na vykonanie meraní sme použili Bootracer . Priemerný štart bol vykonaný len za 24 sekúnd. Odstráňte všetky pribalené aplikácie a získate ešte rýchlejší čas spustenia.
Ďalej sme chceli vidieť, ako ASUS Zenbook NX500 zvláda scenáre každodenného používania. Na meranie výkonu tohto ultrabooku sme použili populárny PCMark 8 . Zrýchlená predvoľba Home(Home accelerated) nám umožnila vidieť výkon ultrabooku pri bežných úlohách, ako je surfovanie na webe(Web) , používanie aplikácií balíka Office(Office) , uskutočňovanie videohovorov, úprava obrázkov alebo bežné hranie hier. ASUS Zenbook NX500 získal skóre 3413 bodov. Toto je vysoké skóre, ktoré rozhodne dokazuje, že pri používaní ultrabooku na bežné výpočtové úlohy nebudete mať žiadne problémy.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 je ultrabook, ktorý určite osloví nielen fanúšikov 4K, ale aj fotografov a kameramanov. Preto sme si povedali, že je potrebné ho otestovať aj z kreatívneho hľadiska. Na tento účel sme použili rovnakú aplikáciu PCMark 8 , ale s inou sadou testov. Tentoraz sme spustili zrýchlené testy Creative a skóre bolo tiež veľmi vysoké: 4003 bodov.
Na rozdiel od ASUS ROG G771JM nie je ASUS Zenbook NX500 zariadením, ktoré je určené pre hráčov. Špičkový hardvér, ktorý obsahuje, nás však prinútil vidieť, aký dobrý je ultrabook z pohľadu hráča. Preto sme sa ho rozhodli otestovať aj s 3DMark Vantage – populárnym herným benchmarkom. Vďaka svojej Geforce GTX850M a jej i7 4712HQ získal ASUS Zenbook NX500 skóre 16984 bodov v predvoľbe Performance .
Potom sme znova spustili 3DMark Vantage , ale tentoraz sme použili testy Extreme. ASUS Zenbook NX500 získal 8493 bodov. Výkon aj extrémne prednastavenia ukazujú, že tento ultrabook ponúka dobrý herný zážitok. Akákoľvek hra dostupná na trhu sa dá hrať pri nastavení stredných až vysokých detailov.
Ďalej sme prešli k testom úložiska. Ako sme už stručne spomenuli, tento ultrabook je dostupný iba s SSD diskami, čo je skvelé. Nami testovaný model bol vybavený špičkovým 512 GB SSD diskom(GB SSD) , ktorý beží na PCIEx4 . Je to jeden z top modelov vyrábaných Samsungom(Samsung) a nesklamal nás. Stačí sa pozrieť na snímku obrazovky nižšie a uvidíte fantastické výsledky, ktoré dosiahol v CrystalDiskMark .
Ďalej sme skontrolovali chladiaci systém ASUS Zenbook NX500 . Na vykonanie našich meraní sme použili Prime95 na namáhanie ultrabooku a CoreTEmp na kontrolu teplôt CPU . Po takmer hodine „bolesti“ sa CPU nedostal vyššie ako 86 stupňov Celzia(Celsius) .
Grafická karta je ďalším hardvérom, ktorý má tendenciu sa dosť zahrievať. Tak sme to otestovali aj my. Tentokrát sme použili FurMark . Najvyššia teplota GPU, ktorú sa nám podarilo dosiahnuť, bola 83 stupňov Celzia(Celsius) .
ASUS Zenbook NX500 udržuje teplo hardvéru pod maximálnymi špecifikáciami. Samotný ultrabook sa však pri intenzívnom používaní zahrieva. Chladiaci systém je tichý a účinný. Hliníkové puzdro má však tendenciu odvádzať teplo pomerne pomaly. Dokonca aj po zastavení našich intenzívnych testov bol ešte dosť dlho horúci. Jediným záverom, ktorý môžeme vyvodiť, je, že ASUS potreboval urobiť malý kompromis, aby všetok špičkový hardvér vložil do celokovového puzdra, ktoré je elegantné a tenké.
Nakoniec sme otestovali autonómiu ASUS Zenbook NX500 . PowerMark odhadol, že pri bežných scenároch používania by ultrabook vydržal približne 4 hodiny. Toto je jediný dôležitý slabý šport pre toto zariadenie.
Verdikt
ASUS Zenbook NX500 je krásny ultrabook s pevným a elegantným puzdrom. Obsahuje výkonný hardvér a nádhernú obrazovku. Extrémne rozlíšenie 4K UltraHD vás ohromí, zatiaľ čo prepracované hliníkové puzdro vás určite otočí. Štvorjadrový procesor Intel Core(Intel Core) i7 doplnený o 16 GB RAM , Geforce GTX850M a bleskovo rýchly SSD sa postarajú o skvelý zážitok z práce s počítačom. Jedinou dôležitou nevýhodou tohto zariadenia je slabá výdrž batérie. Ak chcete nádherný kus hardvéru, neuveriteľný 4K displej a ste ochotní zaplatiť prémiovú cenu, potom ASUS Zenbook NX500je skvelá voľba. Ak si to môžete dovoliť, kúpu neoľutujete.
ASUS Zenbook NX500 Review – A High-End Ultrabook With A 4K Display
ASUS has sent us for testing a high-end ultrabook, called ΑSUS Zenbook NX500. It is a gorgeous υltrabook that fеatures a really awesome 4K screen, hardware сomponents to matсh it and a solid and elegant case. As you can imаgine, we were very curious if thiѕ premium device really is everything ASUЅ рromised it to be. Now, after we've worked on, played with and tested the ASUS Zenbook NX500, we're ready to share our сonclusions with you. If you want to know more about the AЅUS Zenbook NX500, don't hesitate 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.
