It's way as well fast to dismiss Ultrabooks as MacBook oxygen wannabes. And yet, while the UX31 adds just enough pizazz to make certain that you'd certainly not mistake it for Apple's wafer-thin lappie, it could be probably the most Air-inspired contender we've observed so far. Mostly, it's that all-metal build, spacious, buttonless trackpad and razor-thin silhouette that whittles decrease to some severely sharp edges. In fact, in circumstance you possess a gander at our comparison gallery decrease there, you'll see additional of the similarity in between the oxygen and UX31 compared to S3, which tapers, but in the much less pronounced way. Still, while they're each swaddled in aluminum, the 2.9-pound UX31 feels denser compared to 2.96-pound Air. (The S3 weighs a smidge more, at three pounds, but we couldn't using the lifestyle of us inform the variance when we held that in one hand as well as the UX3 within of the other.)
Now that we've acknowledged that fruity 800-pound Gorilla within of the room, we just should say... the UX31 is stunning in person. right here at Engadget, we see additional merchandise in the 7 days than we have time to evaluation and in general, it behooves us to hold a detached, practically clinical method to managing gadgets, lest we get distracted from the toys piled higher on our desks. using the UX31, though, we couldn't help but really feel struck from the tremendous craftsmanship. It just feels like an exceptionally solid, well-made product. The dim gray, metallic lid carries a pattern of etched concentric groups that lends it a modern, commercial look, backed up with a brushed aluminum deck and smooth metallic keys. Even the bezel feels tough, while the lid is markedly sturdier compared to S3's.
The Zenbook UX31 carries a chiclet-style keyboard that shares the rectangular tile layout in the MacBook oxygen 13-inch, but adds a producer new luxurious element with metallic keys. while the keys have precisely the very same reduced height and shallow keystrokes since the MacBook Air, the backlight is sadly absent. The glass-topped touchpad is smooth and expansive, measuring 5 inches diagonally. The broad touch surface area facilitates multitouch gestures, and although it has unique correct and left computer mouse buttons, it also qualities a clickpad. The bottom correct and left corners—which serve as practically silent computer mouse buttons—click additional very easily compared to clickpad surface, producing the use in the clickpad optional for all those people that want the additional common knowing of the traditional trackpad.
The circumstance concerning the UX31's metallic keys could be the actuality which they eventually lookup much better than they feel. Now it's true, this keyboard is as sturdy since it seems, as well as the keys possess a not-too-slippery complete that feels just correct below the fingers. They even create a quiet, low-pitched appear -- continually a marker of appear create quality. And yet, we didn't do our finest typing here. such as the S3's keys, these just don't have enough travel. As we typed, the keys regularly failed to register our presses if we moved as well quickly or dug our fingers in as well lightly. We developed fewer mistakes when we developed a concerted work to press keys firmly preceding to relocating on, but what experienced touch typist desires to make an make an effort to do that? We slugged through, eventually typing the bulk with this evaluation on it, but man, do we create a tremendous amount of spelling mistakes -- ironic, in the way, offered the fact that Enter, Backspace and correct Shift keys are all amply sized. (Tab, Caps Lock, left Shift and arrow keys are tiny, but for what ever goal we found this layout much less cramped compared to S3's.)
Asus Zenbook UX31 Review
You can't see the speakers near to the UX31, but they make their presence felt. Audio, by Bang & Olufsen's ICEpower and ASUS SonicMaster, radiates from beneath the keyboard, and is also not merely surprisingly loud, but instead good thinking about the limitations in the UX31's size.The cymbals and guitar riffs near to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Y Control" experienced been relatively costless of distortion even at max volume. Bass wasn't overwhelming, but was present. Curiously, the speakers would trigger the whole deck to reverberate, especially on thumping dance tracks, which consist of September's "Cry For You" and LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem." Overall, the UX31 provides additional robust appear compared to 13-inch Air.
