Asus Zenbook 14 UX425 review

With the rush to make future laptops as high-powered and fast as possible, there seems to be a key element that's often missed. OK, it's not the sexiest thing to note in any tech review, but making sure the machine is ergonomically sound is a big deal. And this latest Asus Zenbook will keep your fears over carpal tunnel syndrome and the like at bay.

Laying your wrists on the roomy spaces that flank the trackpad feels extremely comfortable as you type. The end-to-end keyboard is expertly spaced so every key stroke feels just right. It really does make typing much more enjoyable.

Obviously, you're not just here to listen to us wax lyrical about the feel - you want to know what's under the ultra-slim hood, right? Well, in short, there's a lot of great stuff here too.

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Engine room

First off, the Asus Zenbook 14 is incredibly light. Just 1.13kg in fact. This makes it ideal for hot desking at the office or coffee shop hopping when you're out and about. It's also got a great battery life, and will last 22 hours on a single charge.

It's powered by a 10th generation Intel Core i7, which, in layman's terms, means it's super-fast. It can handle multiple tasks in the blink of an eye, so you can work - or play - more efficiently.

In terms of perks, the Harman Kardon powered sound stage is an impressive draw. It provides smart surround sound through the pair of built in speakers that make listening to music or watching movies without headphones a treat. One slight drawback here, is that the slimline chassis lacks a headphone jack. So if you're not rocking wireless earbuds or headphones, then you can't plug in.

Style guide

Although we touched on the overall weight, it's worth giving a special mention to the Zenbook 14's looks. It's the type of laptop that will draw envious glances when it's pulled out of your bag. The slick looking aluminium has been precision cut with diamond, which gives it an executive look. It's also made with military grade materials that will protect somewhat from low, accidental drops.

We also love the Numberpad 2.0. Hold the top right corner of the trackpad for one second and it transforms into a calculator.

The integrated HD webcam is another example of design expertise. As well as making the most of the limited space, the camera is at the ideal height for all of those Zoom calls that seem to have become commonplace these days. It's also able to automatically adjust the background and white balance to make sure that you're always displayed with the highest quality possible.

In short, the Asus Zenbook 14 UX425 is an impressive bit of kit. And for a very reasonable price of AED 4,599 it's just as great for value for money as it is ergonomically spaced for your wrists.