Asus has bombarded the world with several new Zen-branded products, with three new phones, a new laptop and two new tablet/laptop hybrids. All were launched at Computex, where we’ll be getting hands with the devices soon.
Here’s the rundown.
Asus ZenBook 3
Asus chairman Jonney Shih spent most of this product announcement comparing the the ZenBook 3 to the MacBook and MacBook Air. This lightweight laptop is similar in specification to the MacBook, but its price looks considerably more competitive assuming build quality and battery life are up to the task.
With Intel Core i processors and a claimed 9 hours of battery life, this could be a winner.
It might have the same limitations, though; it only has one USB-C connector, but it’s considerably cheaper.
Read our hands-on review of the Asus ZenBook 3
Key specifications
Low-energy consumption dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7-U processors
12.5in Full HD display, Gorilla Glass 4 coating
910g weight
Up to 16GB memory
Up to 1TB PCI-E SSD
1x USB-C
Up to 9 hours of battery life
Price: From £799
Asus Transformer 3 Pro
Asus unsurprisingly likes to compare this device to the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and, frankly, it looks almost identical. Asus reckons it’s superior to the Surface Pro 4 thanks to its 2,880×1,920-pixel resolution screen and its louder speakers (96dB).
I genuinely don’t know if anyone would be able to tell the difference between it and Microsoft’s trailblazer, though.
Where you will notice the difference is if you buy the XG Station 2 external graphics dock, which lets you run a full-sized desktop graphics card for proper gaming on your tablet.
Key specifications
Low-energy consumption dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7-U processors
Tablet mode
795g wight
Up to 16GB memory
Up to 1TB PCI-E SSD
1x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB 3, 1x HDMI, SD card reader
Price: £899 to £1399
Asus Transformer 3
No Pro on the end here, it’s still a high-end product. This 12.6in tablet also gets a keyboard dock as standard and optional stylus. Asus didn’t specify which processors were on board, only saying ‘Seventh-generation Intel Core’. It’s worth noting that ‘seventh-generation’ doesn’t officially exist yet, but is named Kaby Lake. At a guess I’d say it has Core M chips instead of Core i, considering its price, size (6.9mm thick) and weight (695mm).
The stand has two different configurations and a cheaper-looking keyboard, but if the price is low enough it could find itself a niche.
Key specifications
‘7th gen Intel Core’
Tablet mode
695g weight
Up to 8GB RAM
Up to 512GB SSD
1x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3
Price: Starts from $799 (£657 inc VAT)
The rest
Asus also unveiled – a smaller 10.1in Transformer Mini T102 (no pricing yet) with an Intel Atom x5 processor – and the ZenBook Flip UX360 (£699), which is a Core M-powered laptop with a 360-degree hinge for tablet-style operation.
We can expect to see all of the above devices in the UK in August and September.
The phones
Asus unveiled three Zenfone 3 devices at Computex. Zenfones almost never make it to the UK via mobile networks, but you can usually pick them up through grey importers, if that’s your thing.
The top-spec phone is the 5.7in Zenfone 3 Deluxe, an all-metal phone with an internal, ‘invisible’ antenna. Asus is making a big deal out of the camera’s performance, with three types of auto focus depending on environment. It also comes with a Full HD screen, a ridiculous 6GB of RAM and Qualcomm’s top-end Snapdragon 820 processor. Pricing will start from $499 (£411 inc VAT).
Going down the list, we have the Zenfone 3, which is a mid-range device with a Snapdragon 625 processor, 5.5in screen and 16MP camera. Pricing starts from $249 (£205 inc VAT). It looks like a very promising mid-range phone.
Finally, the Zenfone Ultra is a huge 6.8in Full HD display, a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 6S52 processor and 4GB of RAM.
All three phones have similar camera tech and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. No availability has been announced for the UK.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
