Asus Zenbook UX430 series review – compact 14-inch gaming ultraportable

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Specs Sheet
Design and exterior
Keyboard and trackpad
Screen
Hardware and performance
Noise, heat and speakers
Battery life
Price and availability
Final thoughts
Comments

By Andrei GirbeaAsus Zenbook UX430, last updated on October 6, 2023

Asus Zenbook UX430

Summary: The UX430 is not just another Zenbook, it's a Zenbook on steroids, with a larger and excellent display, a great keyboard, fast hardware, long battery life and quite capable speakers. Despite those, it's not very expensive, so it should cater well to the average consumer looking for a compact and light all-rounder around the 1G mark, that can also tackle some games. It's not without flaws though, but none are real deal-breakers, as you'll find from the article below.

Our score: 4 / 5
Price when reviewed: $899-$1249

THE GOOD

compact, thin, light and fairly well built
excellent screen on this version
decent keyboard and trackpad
performs well
good battery life
above average speakers
fair priced

THE BAD

not a fan of the glossy NIL coating
some sharp edges on the bottom
no full-size HDMI or Thunderbolt 3 port
the cooling system needs further tweaking
runs pretty hot under load

Table of Contents

Specs as reviewed
Design and first look
Keyboard and trackpad
Screen
Hardware, performance and upgrade options
Noise, Heat, Connectivity, speakers, and others
Battery life
Price and availability
Final thoughts

Back in early 2015, Dell launched the XPS 13 version that stunned many, including myself (I bought one and still use it today), with its compact footprint and minuscule bezel around the screen. It took most other OEMs about two years to get on board with this approach and squeeze bigger screens in their laptops, and in this article, we’re going to talk about one of Asus’s models, the Zenbook UX430 series.

Update: If you’re reading this article after 2018, make sure to check out our reviews of the updated Zenbook 14 models.

These laptops are about the same size and weight as the Zenbook UX330 we reviewed in 2016, yet as the name suggests, comes with a bigger 14-inch screen, plus a slight design twist and dedicated Nvidia graphics on some versions. The UX430 line is available in two main variants at the time of this post, the UX430UA without dedicated graphics, and the UX430UQ with Nvidia GT 940MX graphics. The two are otherwise identical, sharing the same chassis, screen or battery, so the decision between them is based on how often would you play games and whether you’re willing to spend a little bit extra for the UQ model.

Our review analyses the Zenbook UX430UQ variant and we’ll get in-depth on all its bits and pieces below. However, mostly everything in this post stands for the UX430UA models as well, in case you’re interested in one of those instead.

Specs as reviewed

As of late 2017 there are two more updated units you should consider instead, both with KabyLake-R quad-core processors:

a Zenbook UX430UA version with the i7-8550U CPU, 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, with a list price of $1099 in the US (around 1300 EUR in Europe) – more details;
a Zenbook UX430UN with the same specs, but also Nvidia MX150 graphics, with a list price of $1199 in the US, but only available in select locations (Costco, at the time of this update) – more details.

We reviewed the Zenbook UX430UN in this detailed article.

Update: If you’re reading this article after 2018, make sure to check out our reviews of the updated Zenbook 14 models.

Except for the performance section, everything else mentioned in this article applies to these newer models as well. You can follow this link for more details on how the quad-core Core U processors compare to the older dual-core models, as well as this one for details on the performance of the Nvidia MX150 chip.

	Asus Zenbook UX430UQ
Screen	14.0 inch, 1920 x 1080 px, IPS, matte, non-touch
Processor	Intel Kaby Lake Core i7-7500U CPU
Video	Intel HD 620 + Nividia GT 940MX 2 GB GDDR3
Memory	16 GB DDR3 (soldered)
Storage	512 M.2 SATA SSD (80 mm)
Connectivity	Wireless AC (dual-band Intel AC 8260), Bluetooth 4.1
Ports	1x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, 1x USB Type-C gen 1, micro-HDMI, mic/headphone, SD card reader
Battery	50 Wh
OS	Windows 10
Size	323 mm or 12.71” (w) x 225 mm or 8.85” (d) x 15.9 mm or 0.62” (h)
Weight	2.75 lbs (1.25 kg)
Extras	backlit keyboard, HD camera, light sensor, available in Royal Blue NIL, Rose Gold NIL, Quartz Gray and Shimmer Gold

Design and first look

There are three main things you should know when it comes to the build of this laptop. First of all, its case is mostly made out of aluminum sheets put on top of a plastic inner frame, so it feels fairly sturdy, yet there’s more flex in the keyboard deck and especially in the lid than on some other Zenbooks and more premium alternatives from other OEMs.

That’s because some of the UX430s don’t get an aluminum hood, like most other Zenbooks, which is the second point of interest here. In fancy marketing terms, the lid is covered in “a stunning crystal-like coating that’s created using an advanced technique known as nano-imprinting lithography (NIL)”. The technology is explained here, but in real-life terms, this translates in a type of glossy surface that looks and feels like glass, but is not as fragile or shock-sensitive as glass.

So in fewer words, this Zenbook gets a glossy and flexible lid, one that shows smudges and fingerprints easily. However, not all UX430s get the NIL coating, but only the Royal Blue (the one tested here, which kind of looks closer to violet for me) and the Rose Gold options. There are also Quartz Gray and Shimmer Gold models, available with standard brushed aluminum lid covers, and personally I’d pick between one of these over the NIL coated models, as they should be a little stiffer and a lot easier to keep clean.

Anyway, on to the third aspect: this Zenbook is compact, thin and light. It’s the same length and width as a standard 13-inch Asus Zenbook and it weighs 2.75 lbs, but actually packs a 14-inch display instead. The bezels are thin on the right and left sides, yet not as thin as on the XPS 13, plus the top edge is actually large enough to accommodate the camera and microphones, so you don’t get that annoying framing in your calls that I get with the XPS. Overall I feel that Asus did a good job here, finding a good balance between narrow bezels and usability.

Speaking of that, let’s see how the UX430 feels in daily use. It’s easy to grab, hold and use, thanks to its reduced weight and blunt edges. However, just like on other Zenbooks, the bottom panel doesn’t attach perfectly flush with the main deck, it goes in a little too much and leaves a hard edge around, just enough to bite when grabbing the laptop. Now, perhaps the final release versions will be a little better polished, but given this is not the first time I run into this issue, I wouldn’t hold my breath for it.

This aside, I appreciate the crease on the front lip that gives the right grip to lift up the screen, but then you can’t do it with a single hand anyway, as the hinge is too stiff to allow that. At least the hinge seems to be well built from what I can tell from a quick look at its inner mechanism, with metallic brackets attached directly onto the metallic interior, and not onto the plastic inner frame. I can’t comment on the part behind the plastic hinge cover, but I haven’t seen many complaints about it breaking recently (like on older Zenbooks), so I can at least hope Asus addressed this design flaw.

The laptop’s interior is simple and gets the feeling you can expect from a matte anodized aluminum surface: something in between smooth and rough. The palm-rest is generous enough, with the keyboard above and a large trackpad straight in the middle. More about these in a bit.

For now, let’s quickly turn this Zenbook upside down and have a look at the bottom, where there are four rubber feet and two speakers grills, but no intake cuts. Like on many other Zenbooks, the exhaust and air intake grills are placed behind the hinge, which is a solution that has worked fine in the past and works fine here as well.

Last but not least we have to mention the IO on this laptop, which is decent, but could be better. Most of the connectors are on the left edge (PSU, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Type C, micro-HDMI and headphone jack), with an extra USB 2.0 slot and the SD card-reader on the right, next to some status LEDs. However, I believe Asus should have squeezed in a full-size HDMI connector on this laptop, i think there was enough space to fit one, but they didn’t and you’ll need a micro-HDMI to HDMI dongle to output video. Besides this, there’s no Thunderbolt 3 support either, as that USB Type C port only support gen 1 speeds (5 Gbps).

Overall, the Zenbook UX430 leaves me with mixed feelings. It’s compact, light and looks nice when you take it out of the box. I’m definitely not a fan of the flexible glossy NIL lid cover, but Asus offers options with a standard metallic hood as well. There’s no way around the somewhat limited IO though or those sharp bits on the underbelly, pesky to those of you with softer hands.

Keyboard and trackpad

I was quite happy with the keyboard on this laptop and it really looks like Asus managed to get keyboards right on their latest Zenbooks.

The layout hasn’t changed in recent years and still includes the Power button as the top right key and smaller directional keys, but that aside it’s pretty much flawless, with 15 x 15 mm square keys and proper spacing between them.

What has changed is the feedback though. These keys have an average stroke depth (1.4 mm), but their coating, resistance and click suit my typing style very well, so I ended up typing quickly and with very few mistakes from the first minutes I got my fingers rolling on them. The keys are also quiet and backlit, with three brightness levels to choose from, so overall this keyboard is one of the better you can find on a mid-range ultraportable right now.

The trackpad is fairly good as well. It’s made out of glass, so it’s smooth, and it’s slightly recessed into the frame, so you can easily find it in the dark. And while it is a Microsoft Precision trackpad made by Elan, it actually performed flawlessly.

This trackpad looks identical to the one the Zenbook UX390 and I was afraid I would run into the same issues I ran when I tested that laptop, but I actually didn’t. I haven’t noticed any glitches with gestures or the cursor jumping and dragging, like on that one, nor did I encounter jumpiness when holding one finger on the surface and moving it with another. So I can’t tell if I was lucky with this test sample or Asus actually managed to finally implement a solid trackpad, but I really can’t complain. Even the physical clicks are decent, a little stiff and noisy, but better than on many other implementations.

I should also mention there’s a fingerprint reader integrated within the trackpad, and while this might seem like a gimmick at first, it makes a lot of sense, as i’s actually a lot easier to log in in Windows by quickly placing the finger over the sensor than by typing that lengthy password each time. So this little gimmick is becoming a feature I would actually love to have on my next laptop.

Screen

Asus puts a 14.0-inch screen on the UX430s and actually, quite an excellent one. It’s a matte non-touch IPS panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 px, which for me is a perfect combo: no glare, no reflections and just sharp enough to allow me to even use it at 100% scaling if I wanted a large canvas (still, I kept it at 125% most of the time).

The panel is made by Chi Mei and it offers solid brightness and contrast, ample viewing angles and quite accurate colors out of the box. It does have a slight blue tint and gamma distortion, but you can use our calibrated color profile to address them. More on the technical details below.

Panel HardwareID: Chi Mei CMN14D2 (N140HCE-EN1);
Coverage: 100% sRGB, 73% NTSC, 79% AdobeRGB;
Measured gamma: 2.0;
Max brightness in the middle of the screen: 331 cd/m2 on power;
Contrast at max brightness: 810:1;
White point: 7500 K;
Black on max brightness: 0.41 cd/m2;
Average DeltaE: 1.17 uncalibrated, 0.83 calibrated.

I will also add that the screen leans back to about 145 degrees, which is enough for desk and even lap use in most cases. I would have still preferred it to go all the way back, but at least it goes further than on some other modern Zenbooks.

You should also know there’s a light sensor on this laptop, placed on top of the screen, and active by default, and it can cause the screen to continuously adjust its brightness in darker environments. I prefer to turn it off (FN+A) and set the brightness manually.

Hardware, performance and upgrade options

Our test model is the top configuration Asus offers for this series, with a Core i7-7500U Kaby Lake processor, 16 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 512 GB M.2 SATA 3 SSD and dual graphics: Intel HD 620 and Nvidia GT 940MX with 2 GB of GDDR3 memory.

The storage and Wi-Fi chip are the only components upgradeable, and in order to get to them you’d have to get past the panel on the underbelly. It’s a fairly simple task, just be aware that it’s hold in place by Torx T4 screws lined around the edges and two more Philips screws hidden beneath the rear rubber feet. Once you unscrew those, work your way in with a plastic pry tool (or old credit card), starting from the back.

Performance wise, the Kaby Lake Core U platform can handle plenty, from all the basic daily chores to serious multitasking, heavy browsing and even more demanding programs like Photoshop, Eclipse or Premiere. There’s some bloatware preinstalled and you should get rid of it (or do a clean Windows install) in order to get the most out of the hardware.

I’ve ran a few benchmarks and you can find the results below, as well as some pics that will show you what to expect in terms of performance and temperatures while watching movies, browsing and playing games.

3DMark 11: P2314;
3DMark 13: Cloud gate – 6562, Sky Driver – 5385, Fire Strike – 1405;
PCMark 08: Home Conventional – 2912;
Geekbench 3 32-bit: Single-Core: 3607, Multi-core: 7691;
Geekbench 4 64-bit: Single-Core: 4355, Multi-core: 8400;
CineBench 11.5: OpenGL 48.85 fps, CPU 3.70 pts, CPU Single Core 1.61 pts;
CineBench R15: OpenGL 65.30.70 fps, CPU 337 cb, CPU Single Core 137 cb;
x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 32-bit: Pass 1 – 121.67 fps, Pass 2 – 21.73 fps.

Now, on to this laptop’s gaming abilities, it only comes with an Nvidia GT 940MX dedicated chip, which is pretty much a revamped version of the 3 year old Nvidia 840M chip, so it can’t really do much. It will handle older titles fine, but with those launched in the last 1-2 years you’ll have to seriously lower the details and even the resolution if you want to get decent frame rates (30 fps).

I’ve added some results below, and I’ve also included the Intel HD 620 chip for reference, just to show you what the Zenbook UX430UA models can offer in similar conditions, as well as the Nvidia 840M chip from the Zenbook UX303LN reviewed back in 2014.

	Nvidia 940MX – FHD low	Nvidia 940MX – FHD high	Intel HD 620 – FHD low	Nvidia 840M – FHD low
Dirt: Autogrid	53 fps	28 fps	35 fps	51 fps
Bioshock Infinite	36 fps	20 fps	24 fps	35 fps
NFS Most Wanted	31 fps	17 fps	29 fps	30 fps
Metro Last Light	23 fps	14 fps	17 fp	22 fps
Tomb Raider	52 fps	20 fps	39 fps	20 fps

In other words, the 940MX chip does offer a 25-40% boost in games over the Intel HD 620 graphics integrated withing the Kaby Lake processor, and Asus actually charges a very small premium (around $50-$75) on UX430UQ model over a similarly configured UX430UA, and I believe that is worth paying for if you plan to run some games on this thing.

However, the 940MX is still an old chip and I’d expect the UX430UQ series to be upgraded to Nvidia 1040 chips somewhere down the line (these are not yet released as of February 2017) and at that time it will be a far more capable gaming option. In the meantime though, if you’re interested in serious gaming on an ultraportable, you’d better have a look at the options in this article that covers the topic more indepth.

Noise, Heat, Connectivity, speakers, and others

There’s a fan inside this laptop, one a little bigger than on the 13-inch Zenbooks from what I can tell, because it has to cool the CPU and the GPU at the same time (they’re both on the same heatpipe). Not sure if the UX430UA gets a smaller fan, but It might.

The thing is this fan is more aggressive than it should be, which has been the burden of this section in all my recent Zenbook reviews. That means this fan is active even with the most basic of tasks, despite the fact that the CPU runs at low temperatures and could be passively cooled. Now, it’s not very loud, so as long as you have some music in the background or watching a movie you’re not going to even hear it. But when browsing or typing in a quiet room, like I am right now, well, it will be there, constantly roaring. I agree I’m probably more sensitive to this type of noise than the average user, but I’ve gotten used to my XPS running silent with basic tasks and I expect all other laptops to do the same, especially when they’re bigger.

Anyway, as a result of the fan being active all the time, the UX430UQ remains very cool with daily use. However, this same fan doesn’t ramp up very much in games and demanding loads, and that causes the metallic body to get quite hot, to the point where playing games on your lap is not safe and to the point where your hands are going to get sweaty on the keyboard.

So overall I think the cooling system needs more tweaking. On one end the fan shouldn’t be active with light use, and that could be theoretically done with a BIOS update (don’t hold your breath for it, hasn’t happened on older Zenbooks), and on the other it should cool the hardware more efficiently at high loads (but that can only be addressed with a redesigned fan or cooling system altogether). Anyway, check out the temperatures below.

*Daily Use – 1080p Youtube clip in EDGE for 30 minutes
*Load – playing Need for Speed Most Wanted for 30 minutes

As a side note, with the Nvidia chip disabled, load temperatures go down a little bit, but not as much as I would have expected. See below, that’s what you should expect from the UX430UA models (as long as it has the same cooling implementation).

Connectivity-wise there’s Wireless AC and Bluetooth on this laptop. Asus went with a dual-band Intel 8260 AC wireless module which performed fine both near the router and at 30 feet with 2 walls in between. Not the fastest with my setup, but at the same time not something I can complain about, as I haven’t run into any buffering or signal drops during the week I’ve spent with the laptop.

The audio system, on the other hand, deserves some praise. It’s not spectacular by any means, but it’s fairly good for this class, as long as you choose the Music profile from the AudioWizard app that comes preinstalled (it’s active by default). They are placed on the bottom, but they’re not very easy to cover or distort even when using the laptop on the lap, and the sound coming out of them is quite good: 83 dB max volume, decent mids and even a little bit of bass (audible down to 85 Hz from my tests).

As for the webcam, I already mentioned it’s placed on top of the screen, flanked by microphones. It gets a wide-angle lens and shoots decent enough pics in a properly lit environment.

Battery life

There’s a 50 Wh battery inside the Zenbook UX430UQ and that’s not bad, considering most other Zenbooks get a 48 Wh battery these days. You’re not going to get much in terms of gaming, but otherwise, the UX430 won’t disappoint, as you can see from the numbers below.

6.0 W (~8 h 20 min of use) – very light browsing and text editing in Google Drive, Balanced Mode, screen at 30%, Wi-Fi ON;
5.9 W (~8 h 25 min of use) – 1080p fullscreen video on Youtube in Internet Explorer, Balanced Mode, screen at 30%, Wi-Fi ON;
4.8 W (~10 h 25 min of use) – 1080p fullscreen .mkv video in the Movie app, Balanced Mode, screen at 30%, Wi-Fi ON;
5.2 W (~9 h 35 min of use) – 4K fullscreen .mkv video in the Movie app, Balanced Mode, screen at 30%, Wi-Fi ON;
11.6 W (~4 h 15 min of use) – heavy browsing in Edge, Balanced Mode, screen at 30%, Wi-Fi ON;
32.0 W (~1 h 30 min of use) – gaming, High-Performance Mode, screen at 30%, Wi-Fi ON.

This laptop comes with a 65 Wh charger and a full-recharge takes around 2 hours and 15 minutes. The wall plug is integrated within the power brick, with non-retractable prongs, like on most other modern Zenbooks.

Price and availability

The Zenbook UX430 series is available in most regions of the world at the time of this update.

The UX430UA starts at around 999 EUR / $999 for a Core i5 configuration with 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD.

The top-end configuration includes a Core i7-8550U Core U processor, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD, for around 1300 EUR in Europe and $1100 in the US. More details via this link.

The updated UX430UN version gets the MX150 graphics and sells for around 100 EUR / $100 more than a similarly configured UX430UA model. You can still find the previous UX430UQ models with Nvidia 940MX graphics, and given their performance and the nicer screens, you shouldn’t look past them if you can get them for a good discount.

Just keep in mind that the variants Asus might actually offer in your region can vary, so follow this link for updated configurations and prices at the time you’re reading the article.

Expect the Zenbook UX430 to start at $899 in the US and 999 EUR in Europe

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for an ultraportable and have around $1000 to spend, the Zenbook UX430 series should be on your list. Personally, I would gladly pay a little extra for the larger screen tucked inside the body of a 13-inch laptop, with a metallic build, slim profile, and light weight. Especially when that screen gets an excellent panel. On top of these, don’t forget this laptop performs well, offers good battery life, and packs a great keyboard and trackpad.

Update: If you’re reading this article after 2018, make sure to check out our reviews of the updated Zenbook 14 models.

On the other hand, I’m not a big fan of the NIL glossy coating Asus uses for some color versions, glossy, flexible and prone to smudges, I don’t like that there’s no full-size HDMI connector and have to look for an adapter to output video, and I surely don’t like how the cooling system performs. About that, if you’re looking at a Zenbook UX430UA without Nvidia graphics, those won’t get as hot under load as the 430UQ tested here, so you’ll only be bothered by the fan’s aggressiveness with daily use.

There’s also the question of whether the UX430UQ model is worth paying extra for. If you don’t want to play recent games on your computer, then the answer is no, but if you do, the small premium Asus charges for it is well worth it as the Nvidia 940MX chip does make a difference. It’s still an old design though, so there are many other faster options for you out there, yet not as portable.

If you’re after a mid-range compact ultrabook with a great screen and fast hardware, the Zenbook UX430 should be on your list

So at the end of the day, Asus did a good job with the Zenbook UX430s. I do have some nits and complains and I do believe that a little better quality control and attention to details would have helped creating more solid products, but I’m also more picky than the average buyer so I’d expect most of you to be happy with one of these.

Alternatives you can consider in case the UX430 doesn’t get you what you need are the very similar MSI Prestige PS42, the Lenovo Ideapad 720s, or the highly portable Asus Pro B9440 or LG Gram 14, as well as some of the other thin and light options listed in this longer article.

Get in touch if you have any questions or anything to add to this post, and let me know what you think about your unit if you decided to go for a Zenbook UX430.

Disclaimer: Our content is reader-supported. If you buy through some of the links on our site, we may earn a commission. Terms.

Review by: Andrei Girbea
Andrei Girbea is a Writer and Editor-in-Chief here at Ultrabookreview.com. I write about mobile technology, laptops and computers in general. I've been doing it for more than 15 years now. I'm a techie with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I mostly write reviews and thorough guides here on the site, with some occasional columns and first-impression articles.

137 Comments

Danny

July 16, 2017 at 10:01 am

Can someone help me decide between Asus zenbook ux330ua which has intel i7, 16gb ram and 512gb ssd but no graphics card VS Asus zenbook ux430uq intel i5, 512gb ssd and 16gb ram with the Nvidia 2gb graphics card. I honestly don't need graphics card. How much of a difference will the intel i7 VS intel i5 make? I really don't like the bezel on the ux330ua but it has better specs. They both are the same price. $1299 Cad. What do I do?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  July 16, 2017 at 3:15 pm
  
  Little to no difference at all with daily use, and the i5 will also run a little cooler.
  
  If they're the same price I'd get the UX430, imo it's a nicer laptop and the bigger screen makes it more comfortable to use.
  
  Reply
  - Danny
    
    July 16, 2017 at 4:00 pm
    
    I see Everyone talking about the fan noise. Exactly how bad is it and does every laptop have it? Has Asus created a bios to fix it or do I still depend on the notebook fan control app? I feel like notebook fan control is a lot harder r to use. Is that right? Anyone made the fan control for ux430uq? Also has the fan noise helped with actually cooling the laptop?
TRTB

July 24, 2017 at 1:08 am

Me again. Do you know if this one can be charged via USB-C? And does the screen use PWM flickering? Thanks in advance!

Reply
- Sem
  
  August 28, 2017 at 3:31 am
  
  No pwm, no type-c charge.
  
  Reply
Richard

July 27, 2017 at 5:12 am

Thank you very much Andrei, really great work you are doing, your review helped me a lot when considering buying this Asus notebok. Finally ordered it and looking forward to try it. Thanks again,
Greetings from Norway
Richard

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  July 27, 2017 at 5:17 am
  
  Thanks. Please get back with your feedback if you have the time.
  
  Reply
A. M.

July 28, 2017 at 1:31 pm

Concerning the fan noise and thermal behaviour, notice that ASUS have released two BIOS updates: version 201 ("Update FW") on 10.02.2017 and version 300 ("Optimize system performance") on 13.07.2017: asus.com/us/supportonly/UX430UQ/HelpDesk_download .

None of the two files has a clear description, but please notice that UX430UA has also received a BIOS update on 07.02.2017 (version 201) named "Update thermal policy". This suggests that "Update FW" for UX430UQ does the same thing, i.e. change the thermal behaviour: asus.com/us/supportonly/UX430UA/HelpDesk_download .

In light of all this, could you please apply these updates and then test the laptop again only for fan and heat behaviour? I'd say that ASUS have listened to the users and tweaked the firmware, and I'd like to see whether this solves the problems and whether some throttling is involved in their fix.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  July 28, 2017 at 11:54 pm
  
  i no longer have the laptop , but perhaps someone else can try these.
  
  Reply
beekey

July 28, 2017 at 2:14 pm

Hi there.thanks for review and comments in discussion.

any owners of UX430 – do you have any issues with micro HDMI? is it durable enough for (almost) daily use connecting the beamer?
thanks

Reply
Jacob

August 1, 2017 at 11:36 am

Would you choose this or HP Spectre 13? Thanks

Reply
Paul

August 26, 2017 at 3:40 am

Hey. I'm planning to buy asus zenbook ux530ux and I heard that 430 and 530 are basically the same. I'm an architect and use mostly autoCAD, photoshop and few rendering programs. My retailer offers ux530ux with i5, 8GB RAM, 512SSD and geforce 950m. Other variant is ux530uq with i7, 8GB RAM, geforce 940mx and 256 SSD. Both has the same price. Also it offers zenbook ux510 with geforce 950m, 16GB RAM, i7(7500), 1TB HDD + 128SSD with similar price tag. Which one would you recommend?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  August 26, 2017 at 4:25 am
  
  The issue with the 430/530 is the non-upgradeable RAM, and for your needs 8 GB are probably not enough. I'd get something with at least 16. The Nvidia chip help a little bit, but the CPU matters much more.
  
  I'd also suggest two other aspects to consider:
  
  1. If you can't wait, perhaps consider a laptop with a quad-core Intel CPU and at least 16 GB of RAM instead, albeit it might be a little bigger and heavier.
  2. If you can wait, there's a new line of Intel Core U quad-core processors scheduled for the next weeks (details here: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/17655-coffee-lake-laptops/ ), and those provide better multitasking performance and should be better fir to your needs then the i7-7500U and other dual-cores.
  
  Reply
  - Paul
    
    August 26, 2017 at 5:01 am
    
    Then I'll probably wait, because two additional cores will help a lot in rendering process. There is zenbook ux430 mentioned in your list and I wanted to ask is there any chance that ux530 will also get updated?
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    August 26, 2017 at 5:06 am
    
    I'd reckon yes, but I can't tell for sure when or even if. I couldn't find anything on an updated UX530 with either MX150 or Coffee Lake processors yet.
Ultrathin

September 11, 2017 at 1:52 am

I'm contemplating between buying Lenovo IdeaPad 720 and this. Any comments?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  September 11, 2017 at 3:16 am
  
  Are they the same price and config? Not sure what I'd pick between the two. The Lenovo is bigger and heavier, but gets a bigger battery. Also gets the faster 940MX with GDDR5 memory. Had some issues with performance and wireless on my sample though: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/17425-lenovo-ideapad-720s-review/ .
  
  The Asus is thinner and lighter, gets slower graphics.
  
  If you could wait, I'd suggest waiting for the kabylake-R quad-core configurations with MX150 graphics, though. Those configs should be a major step-up both in terms of CPU and GPU performance.
  
  Reply
  - Ultrathin
    
    September 11, 2017 at 5:03 am
    
    Thanks. I would prefer Asus then. The Lenovo screen is too reflective for usage.
    
    Would you know when will the kabylake-R quad-core configurations with MX150 graphics be out in Asia?
    
    I'm planning to get the laptop in mid of nov
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    September 11, 2017 at 12:30 pm
    
    Can't tell, try to get in touch with Asus on social media and ask about
Andrei Girbea

September 12, 2017 at 5:20 am

Hi, I was wondering if any of you guys that have this laptop try to set the CPU cooling on Passive from Power Management, to see if it has any effect on the fan's behavior? I'd reckon it doesn't, but perhaps someone can check.

Reply
- Richard
  
  September 12, 2017 at 7:42 am
  
  Hello Andrei, I have Ux430Ua model, and passive CPU cooling (both on battery or pugged in) has no effect on fan. Fancontrol program seems to be the only solution so long.
  
  Reply
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    September 12, 2017 at 8:12 am
    
    Thanks
Ultrathin

September 14, 2017 at 1:53 am

Hi, anyone can tell me the difference between Asus X405UQ and this model?

I took a glance at the specs and found that Asus X405UQ is equipped with a graphic of 940MX DDR5.

Thought the audio is sonic master

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  September 14, 2017 at 3:06 am
  
  I'll review this in a few weeks. There are a many differences, primarily in terms of build and design, but also the keyboard, screen panel, speakers, battery size. The Vivobook X is the entry line for Asus right now, while the Zenbook UX is the top of the line.
  
  Reply
  - Ultrathin
    
    September 14, 2017 at 11:22 am
    
    Thanks. Are u saying that this model is better than x405UQ? The pricing is a whopping difference as well. With a better graphic card, x405uq is priced at least 400 dollars lesser.
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    September 14, 2017 at 1:29 pm
    
    Yes, it's better across the board. Still, whether it's worth that kind of a difference is a different thing though. If you can live with the smaller battery, large body, etc, the x405 should be a good laptop as well. Just make sure you get an IPS screen and not a TN screen.
Julian

September 19, 2017 at 3:18 pm

Hi,

I want to buy this laptop but I don't know if I should buy the i5 or i7 version.
I'm planning on doing some photo editing with photoshop and some video editing (not on a professional level). Is it worth getting an i7 core? Is there any noticeable difference between the two when browsing the web (for example)?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  September 19, 2017 at 3:48 pm
  
  Not with everyday use or with movies, but the i7 is faster in demanding multi core loads, and photo and video editing are such tasks. Are you going to use Photoshop or Premiere or Lightroom, or some simpler programs? Also, how much extra would you have to pay for the i7? Normally I consider the i7 a hard sell on its own, but makes sense if its paired with more RAM (16 with the i7, 8 with the i5 configs), which is going to matter a lot with those photo/video tasks too.
  
  Reply
  - Julian
    
    September 20, 2017 at 6:24 am
    
    I'm going to use Photoshop and Premiere. I'd have to pay about 100 euros extra for the i7 core. The RAM is the same for both laptops
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    September 20, 2017 at 7:25 pm
    
    I'd get the i7
Alex

September 25, 2017 at 10:57 pm

Hey, So after months of being in the comment section as I was among the 5 people who initially commented. I decided to buy the laptop despite the complaints on the fan noise. So I've had it for about a week or longer and I really enjoy using this. Yes everything is great and yes the fan makes noise, but its not a deal breaker for me. it acts like white noise for me. I did download notebook fan control with the 360ua version and im not sure what to do after. There was no way for me to change the settings to turn on fan at a particular temperature. I wasn't sure if it should be left in automatic. If there is anyone who can walk me through it or even upload a youtube link for this particular model it'd be great. There are also times when the fan noise stops for a brief second and its crazy how much quieter it gets, i guess thats because i got used to it. I highly recommend this laptop despite the fan noise. The keyboard and the sound is a pleasure.

Reply
punlshd

September 27, 2017 at 2:56 am

Hi I'm considering this one (UX430UA) without the discrete graphics and with 8 GB Ram and i5 CPU and I'm pretty unsure about this one and its bigger brother Zenbook UX530UX that has the same ram but and i7, GTX 950M dGPU and 15.6" Screen, so will things differ between these in terms of cooling or fans especially that they fitted a better discrete graphics in this version? anyone have thoughts or tried it? it's also portable at 3.6 pounds as I need it mainly for a CS degree and some light gaming.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  September 27, 2017 at 3:10 am
  
  Not sure about the cooling on the 950M version, but the UA model is definitely going to run cooler and probably quieter as well, as the amount of generated heat would be much lower. How much quieter though, that I cannot tell, but perhaps someone else could pitch in.
  
  Reply
Bahadır

October 17, 2017 at 2:16 pm

Hi everyone,
I bought UX430UQ from Turkey. And i would like to change my SSD with in Samsung SM961 512GB 22x80mm PCIe x4 Gen 3.0 NVME SSD MZVKW512HMJP instead of Sandisk SATA 3 512gb SSD.

I have four question that i must solved.

1. Will 512gb samsung SM961(i wrote above) work on my ultrabook.
2. Will 1Tb version samsung SM961 work on my ultrabook.
3. If i change my SSD sata 3 to PCLe x 4 will my ultrabook work faster? How much faster will be?,
4. Do you suggest different kind of brand or model SSD Pcle X4 instead of SM961

Thanks for your answers.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  October 17, 2017 at 4:46 pm
  
  I don't have the laptop anymore and I dont' know for sure of the Samsung 961 is compatible. Perhaps someone else can pitch in.
  
  WE do know this uses 4x PCIe 2.0 lanes, so you won't get the full capabilities of that Samsung SSD. Will be faster than the SATA drive included, but whether you'll be able to notice the difference in real use it's entirely up to you, what kind of computers you've used in the past and your everyday use scenarios.
  
  Reply
  - Bahadır
    
    October 18, 2017 at 12:53 pm
    
    i used my pc for autocad and online games.
    
    i was searched every web site but i could not find anything about SM961 SSD that it is compatible or not.
    
    i read something about Samsung Pro 960 at forums, Pro 960 SSD is working on this computer, is it correct?
    
    If 960 pro 512gb SSD may work on pc i will buy it ?
    Also 1 GB version of 960 pro is it compatible ?
George

October 22, 2017 at 4:58 pm

Costco has the ASUS ZenBook UX430UN 14" on sale for $999 with an I7 8th generation, 512 HB SSD and 16 GB DDR3 RAM though.

still worth it? it sounds like a great piece of hardware for that price. but its still $1000 for a laptop, so any help to make up my mind is appreciated.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  October 23, 2017 at 9:19 am
  
  That's a pretty solid configuration for 1G.
  
  Reply
  - Amol Modi
    
    October 27, 2017 at 4:06 pm
    
    What are the alternatives to this Costco offer of the model with similar specs under 1G?
  - George
    
    October 31, 2017 at 7:32 pm
    
    many thanks I ordered it :)
  - Amol Modi
    
    November 2, 2017 at 2:04 pm
    
    Hi George,
    
    Any feedback or reviews about this model?
  - George
    
    December 9, 2017 at 3:44 pm
    
    I bought it, played with it for about a month and returned it last week. Very disappointed. My old laptop is a Lenovo yoga 2 pro with 8 GB RAM, I exchanged the wifi module to an AC and the 120 GB SSD to a 256 Samsung 850, so its a nice machine. I just thought the new Asus would fly away with its new I7, 16 GB RAM, dedicated garfic card and so on. Newer, faster, better. was very wrong.
    
    I liked the design, the keyboard, the screen. and that was it. it was not faster than my 5-6 years old Lenovo. and the fan was on most of the time, what a pain in the butt. so I could not justify to myself spending $100 for a machine I did not love and I returned it, thats the cool thing with costco, no questions asked, the take it back within 90 days.
    
    I have bought about 7 or 8 Asus laptops over the last years for my business and everybody who is working with them loves them. so I will keep an eye on them. But for me the next logical step will be a 15 inch Dell XPS, they just need to do something about their pricing :)
  - alejo099
    
    November 13, 2017 at 5:15 pm
    
    It looked like a great deal, but sadly the new UX430UN has pretty bad PWM:
    youtube.com/watch?v=uEMuuOUX4sg
    I was about to pull the trigger and this stopped me. There are some reports of people suffering headaches as a result
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    November 15, 2017 at 4:29 am
    
    Sucks. I hope to get my hands on the UN soon as well.
Matthew Pollock

October 26, 2017 at 10:24 am

Seen in an Amazom UK review
Problem fix for Asus Zenbook UX430
BySpeedtek22on February 9, 2017
Style: 7th Gen Intel i5|Verified Purchase
Had this laptop for a few weeks now and it runs great.
However, I found that the fan was making quite a lot of noise. I opened the laptop up and found that the noise was not the fan but a metal cable that runs over the fan causing the loud noise as it vibrates. After fastening the cable down, the noise no longer occurs.
Removing the backplate is easy, just remove the visible screws and two screws under the rubber feet. You'll see the cable resting just above the fan.

Any comments? It seems an easy fix. But if it works, it is really odd that Asus didn't do something about it, this issue has persisted over several generations of Asus laptops.

Reply
- Matthew Pollock
  
  October 26, 2017 at 10:26 am
  
  Oh sorry my mistake this is a review of the UX330. But presumably they would have kept the same fan arrangement.
  
  Reply
Mali

November 2, 2017 at 1:08 pm

Hi!
You are comparing the exact same computers I am trying to. I have the Dell XPS 13 with the 5th gen i5 and am wondering if I should upgrade to the UX430 with same specs 8th gen i5 and dedicated graphics. I am only holding back because I absolutely love the screen on the XPS and the battery time is decent. Will i see any improvement in battery life? Any setbacks in picture quality?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 2, 2017 at 2:00 pm
  
  The XPS 13 gets a bigger battery, so you'll actually see a drop with the Zenbook.
  
  The Zenbook is much cheaper for a higher end config with an i7 processor and 512 GB SSD, plus you also get the graphics for games. The XPS 13 is a nicer laptop imo (it's also my ultraportable of choice), but not a match for gaming and definitely annoying if you end up a with a unit with coil whining. The FHD screen on the XPS is also a little brighter and richer, but you'll hardly notice that in real use and the screen on the Zenbook is also pretty good. You might notice the whole adaptive contrast thing on the XPS, not sure if they fixed it on the newer models.
  
  Reply
Sandy B

November 7, 2017 at 3:06 am

I can't decide between zenbook ux430ua and yoga 720 (both 13-14 inches and i found the same price). I like zenbook because it has i7 7500u, but what i have read that yoga 720 has i5 7300u but overall seems to be better. I like the idea of the ink pen. I'm going to study IT management next January. Do i really need i7 7500u? What do you think and recommend? I don't want to spend more than $900.
Thank you in advance:)

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 7, 2017 at 5:11 am
  
  Normally I'd say no, the i5 is good enough for most everyday tasks. You should however get at least 8 GB of RAM on your configuration.
  
  Reply
alejo099

November 11, 2017 at 3:28 pm

Sadly the new UX430UN has pretty bad PWM:
youtube.com/watch?v=uEMuuOUX4sg
I really wanted to get it but they changed the panel they use in the laptop.

Reply
Mahlet Birhanu

November 15, 2017 at 5:17 pm

is it true that the processor speed is 1.8GHz only?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 15, 2017 at 6:14 pm
  
  For the i7-8550U? Yes, but it has Turbo and runs at higher clocks most of the time. Our latest review of the Spectre x360 with the same CPU explains that well.
  
  Reply
Andrew Han

November 18, 2017 at 3:24 pm

Should I get this or the Lenovo Ideapad 720S? Both of the configurations that I'm looking at have the Core i5-8250U and 8GB of RAM, and they're around the same price. Also, which laptop has a better screen? Thanks in advance.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 20, 2017 at 5:44 am
  
  The UX430UQ has a better screen, but there are reports the UX430UN gets a different panel with PWM. I prefer the UX430 between the two, but if these newer models indeed come with a flickering screen, the Lenovo is the better choice.
  
  Reply
  - Rhys
    
    November 20, 2017 at 2:31 pm
    
    Can confirm that the new model (8th gen) comes with PWM. Doesn't bother me but I know some people struggle with it.
  - Andrew Han
    
    November 20, 2017 at 10:47 pm
    
    Thank you, what about the UX430UA, the version without the discrete GPU? Would you still choose it over the 720S?
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    November 21, 2017 at 6:16 am
    
    Normally yes, but the screen concern comes back to mind, with the new panels on the 8th gen configurations. If they came with the screen tested on the version in this review, then yes, I'd choose the UX430 over the Lenovo
  - Andrew Han
    
    November 21, 2017 at 9:04 am
    
    OK, thank you for giving me your opinion!
Andrew Han

November 23, 2017 at 6:22 pm

Hello again, I did a test on the Asus Zenbook UX430UA (Version without 940MX, only has HD620), and the display appears to be using PWM, even at 100% and 0% brightness, at 6000 Hz. Would you still recommend this over the Lenovo Ideapad 720S even though the UA version doesn't have a discrete GPU? Also, which laptop (in your opinion) has a better design and build quality?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 24, 2017 at 10:50 am
  
  I can't tell for sure without actually seeing that screen in person myself. If it's noticeable and you think it would bother you, then it's safer to go with the Lenovo. They're both built well as far as I remember, and as far as design goes, it's up to you which you like best :)
  
  Reply
  - Andrew Han
    
    November 24, 2017 at 5:18 pm
    
    Awesome, thanks for the advice, man!
  - alejo099
    
    December 4, 2017 at 12:08 pm
    
    According to this proper study its up to 500hz. nature.com/articles/srep07861
    
    "In the present study, we find that viewers can distinguish between modulated light and a stable field at up to 500 Hz, much higher than the widely reported rate".
    
    Problem is that both 8th gen UX430UA and UX430UN use a panel that flickers at 200Hz. I decided to go for another option.
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    December 4, 2017 at 12:34 pm
    
    Thanks for this, much appreciated
Razvan

November 29, 2017 at 1:08 pm

Hi Andrei,

I've read a lot of your reviews lately so I said why not give it a shot and ask you directly.

Long story short, I've recently purchased an Acer Swift 3 (i5-8250u, MX150, 8GB DDR3L and 256 GB SSD) but unfortunately I have to return it, due to the following disappointments:
– What I hate most! A lot of backlight bleeding all around the edges, some of it visible even on gray images with the lights turned on in the room
– Poor contrast / blurry display on the native resolution (I have bad vision so the whole scenario resulted in a kickass headache)
– Speakers sounded like they were at the end of a pipe somewhere below my desk
– Very sharp edges, to the point that after a fairly normal browsing session my forearms look like I played with a tiger pet
– Keyboard backlight is not 'contained' uniformly across keys of the same type, so it makes it look like some Sci-Fi movies acid rained on the keyboard and caused these light spots to come out

The main aspects I want my new laptop to have are:
– Decent build quality, premium materials etc.
– No backlight bleeding! A lot of people say this is to be expected on IPS panels, but I dare say not really, I have a 7 years old Dell monitor with IPS and a 3 years old $300 Acer Aspire V3 laptop with IPS that have perfectly uniform screens and good viewing angles
– New gen CPU (i5-8250u or i7-8550u)
– Preferably the MX150
– SSD and at least 8 GB of RAM
– Something quiet so my missus doesn't throw a shovel at me at midnight when I work

I will mainly use it for programming, VMs, browsing/reading, and sometimes testing games and graphics on which I work.

The Asus UX430UN (pcgarage.ro/ultrabook/asus/14-zenbook-ux430un-fhd-procesor-intel-core-i7-8550u-8m-cache-up-to-400-ghz-16gb-512gb-ssd-geforce-mx150-2gb-win-10-home-blue/)

Seems to tick most of these boxes, at least on paper.
So please, tell me if this will this be a better purchase that will fit the profile? Unlike the Swift 3. Or feel free to recommend me another model, I couldn't find anything else with Coffee Lake and MX150.

Thank you!

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 30, 2017 at 5:38 am
  
  Hi Razvan.
  
  The screen is pretty crap with the Swift 3, that's true. The other aspects are more or less subjective.
  
  Backlight bleeding is unfortunately a lottery these days with many laptops, not just those in the lower price ranges.
  
  That Zenbook should be OK, BUT, I've read reports about it having a different screen than the UX430UQ with lower brightness and PWM. You might want to look into that. You should also order online so you can easily return it, PCgarage don't deal with returns as easily as Emag does, as far as I know. You shoudl also try to check out a UX430 version in store, they should have it at showcased at MediaGalaxy or Altex, see how you like the keyboard, build, etc(they do in Bucharest, not sure where you're from).
  
  Overall the UX430 is one of the nicest options in the class imo, with the quirks mentioned in this article and that extra aspect regarding the screen on the UN variant.
  
  Reply
  - Razvan
    
    November 30, 2017 at 6:42 am
    
    Thanks Andrei, and happy name day if you're celebrating!
    
    I'm a bit reluctant about the PWM as well… taking into account I'll be using it mostly at night.
    
    Do you have any recommendations for another brand? I noticed that the Lenovo 720s has similar specs but they don't sell it on our market, unfortunately.
    
    Or if you're aware of any good upcoming devices that are worth waiting for, I'm willing to wait up to late February or so.
    
    I'm from Brasov btw., will be checking the physical stores soon.
    
    All the best and thanks again,
    Razvan
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    December 2, 2017 at 5:12 am
    
    Hi, thanks. Most of the laptops in this segment have already been unveiled, except for the new Acer Swift 5, but that one is not worth getting imo. Best thing you can expect is for the IdeaPad to also be available here, there's usually a delay with Lenovos. Not sure how bad PWM is going to be for you. I doesn't bother me that much, perhaps you can give it a try and just return the laptop again if not OK with it.
  - Timberly Crunchberry
    
    December 6, 2017 at 1:21 pm
    
    Are you going to test the new UX430 with Kaby-R and MX150? I really want a 14'' display in a 13'' body but I can't find any tests for the new UX430 online.
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    December 6, 2017 at 1:33 pm
    
    I don't know but I'll see about that by the end of the week. Asus doesn't have a sample and I don't know if it's worth buying just for the review, especially since only the UX430UA without Nvidia graphics is available over here.
  - Nat
    
    December 31, 2017 at 3:29 am
    
    I'd also love to see your review of the UX430UN.
    
    In the meantime, there's a very detailed review at a Polish site that makes comparisons with the UQ version. The reviewer doesn't check for PWM but does note that the UN panel is slightly downgraded due to about 10% less sRGB coverage and a higher DeltaE. Brightness and contrast seem similar to the UQ panel.
    
    Other notable differences are about 4-5 C lower external heat than the UQ and about 10% lower battery life. I've seen redditors complaining about the ~75 C BIOS limit on the UN's GPU, which the Polish reviewer's data also confirms.
    
    It would be awesome if you eventually get a chance to make a direct comparison of the 8th gen + MX150 versions of the UX430UN and the Lenovo 720S.
    
    Here's the link: purepc.pl/notebooki/test_asus_zenbook_ux430u_core_i78550u_i_mx150_na_pokladzie
    
    Happy new year!
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    January 2, 2018 at 7:07 am
    
    I'm not surprised the GPU is somewhat limited, that seems to be the case with most ultraportables that get an MX150. Not sure where I'll be able to review the UN version though, because it's not yet available over here.
Septimius

December 19, 2017 at 5:43 am

I bought the laptop and I find that it is a really good one. Except for the plastic case (not that bad, but I could have been better) and the cooler, which comes from hell and it's disturbing. I read about using Notebook Fan Control and I installed it – it works fine and it keeps the computer quiet. It keeps it at around 35-45 degrees C, which I guess it's quite decent. My question is if the cooler never starts, as it doesn't go beyond 40 or 50 C, would it not harm the CPU and maybe other components on a longer term?

Thanks

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 23, 2017 at 6:50 am
  
  No, there's no issue if the CPU runs at around 50 C
  
  Reply
Titta

December 19, 2017 at 4:00 pm

I got my Ux430UN last week. When unwrapping it from postbox I noticed the laptop and screen were full of fingerprints! Do they not use cloves in manufature? When I got my fingers on the keyboard I remarked a clattering noice on the touchpad and a strace sound when pressing the down arrow. After a day s use I notice a touchpad corner had come 1/2mm off its socket plus additionally some keys are ad if they were not properly attaced (I coud get my fingernail underneath and lift the key surface a bit). Is this normal build "quality" of ASUS or did I get the monday morning model? I am sending the laptop back to the online store but now I keep thinking whether to stay with ASUS or find another brand with similar specs. Any suggestions?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 23, 2017 at 6:52 am
  
  Send it back and ask for a replacement,it seems you just draw a short stick. Also, there should be no fingerprints on the device out of the box, perhaps you got sent a refurbished unit somehow?
  
  Reply
- Septimius
  
  January 2, 2018 at 7:30 am
  
  @ Titta – Is the fan noisy and running all the time, even though there are no programs running and the CPU is cool?
  Thanks
  
  Reply
  - Titta Tapaninen
    
    January 5, 2018 at 6:28 am
    
    Hi Septimus,
    the fan is not on all the time, only few times I have heard it go on (when loading RAW therapy and GIMP), and very occationally other times. So no complaints there, the UN is really quiet.
    
    I finally got my second version and this machine did not have any fingerprints, the touchpad and keys seem to be properly fixed (can not get my fingernail under any of them :-) plus the update at launch only lasted about 1,5 to 2 hours opposed to the 5 + hours with the previous one.
    
    But the feel of the laptop is quite plastic and not very durable. I would not believe it´s made of some kind of metal if the product information did not state so. So guys if you move about with your laptop alot, twink twice. Or get a decent carrybag.
alex

December 24, 2017 at 10:29 pm

hey, I was comparing the new gen asus ux430 with last year's model. last year they had 2.5ghz cpu speed and this year its 1.5ghz. how would the speed compare?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 25, 2017 at 6:09 am
  
  That doesn't matter, stop looking at core-speed GHz. Processors have a Turbo Boost these days and can speed up when required, hence the newer generations are both faster in demanding loads, and a little more efficient in everyday use.
  
  Reply
hasan

December 29, 2017 at 12:43 am

Hi guys I just baught a Asus Zenbook UX430U, and I was wondering, what is the duration time of the battery on a single charge ?

And for how long could this laptop last ? i'm a student and I want a laptop that will last me at least 4-5 years or even more it would be better ?
On this link : asus.com/ca-fr/support/article/604/
It says that after 1 year of using the laptop the battery retains 80% of it's original capacity …

I've juste opened it from the box and it's my first usage, and the battery was at 66 %, and the remaining time said 9 hours, now it's at 59% and it says 4 hours … What's going ? I think I did a mistake and I should've baught a Macbook Air…

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  January 2, 2018 at 7:03 am
  
  Batteries are consumables these days so there's no way to estimate how well they will age. Not sure what you mean by 66%, use HWinfo to check for any battery wear.
  
  Reply
- Jacob D.
  
  January 8, 2018 at 12:11 pm
  
  Hello! You have not made a mistake. I have the same scenario with my laptop. I might be able to explain what is happening. This is because as the computer does more work, it uses more energy. Since it is using more energy, it drains the battery quicker. Therefore, Windows changes the estimate of how much longer your battery lasts based on what you are doing. Basically, I ignore the time it says. I know that an 80% charge will last me about 7 hours if I am doing schoolwork. In fact, this laptop has excellent battery life and is on par with top end competitors.
  
  I have also looked at the graph on the link provided. If you read carefully, it seems the laptop you and I have bought does not come with the 'Asus Special Battery Technology' that the graph is refering to. This is only put on older Asus business laptops. If it was on our laptop we would have a higher cell count, e.g. a 6 cell instead of a 3 cell battery. However, fret not. Both graphs are just estimates. Li-ion technology has been refined over the past couple years and is better than it was when those graphs were created.
  
  Here is what I recommend you do. Take care of your battery. Since you and I both plan on keeping our laptops for 4-5 years, we need to make sure we promote the longevity of our Li-ion cells. Here are some tips I have found through research.
  1) Do not let your battery temperature sustain at above 50 degree Celsius for extended periods of use.
  2) Try not let your laptop sit plugged in over night, every night. This is called Trickle Charging and it is bad because your laptop is constantly being charged at 98-100%. I have found this severely can decrease the life of the Li-ion cells in your battery.
  3) Do not let your battery drop past 15% often, and past 10% more than once a month. This also puts strain on your lithium – ion cells and decreases their ability to charge all the way full.
  
  These things should help, and there are other things that have been recommended but from what I can tell they are not as widely supported to be true. Also, if you had read your instructions manuel when you got the laptop you would have seen Asus says to protect your battery for the best battery life for the next few years, charge your laptop to 100% for 3 hours right out of the box. Oh well, and I bet your battery is still mostly fine. Hope this stuff helps you, and you enjoy your laptop :)
  
  Reply
Lawrance

December 30, 2017 at 9:58 am

Hello, a question about this sentence: "that causes the metallic body to get quite hot, to the point where playing games on your lap is not safe".
What do you mean by "it is not safe"? I don't plan to regular gaming on this harware, but casual gaming will happen for sure.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  January 2, 2018 at 7:05 am
  
  Well, not comfortable is probably the better way to put this.
  
  Reply
Raj

December 30, 2017 at 12:39 pm

Hi Andrei!
Pretty detailed review, I have been keeping an eye on this comments space for a while, I was really interested to get this Zenbook with MX150 (since I do casual photo/video editing); here are some concerns I see, please let me know what do you think:
1) I used PWM monitor before and it bothered me a lot. So, I guess, I won't be investing in any laptop with PWM. However, the model you reviewed is not available in the US, I believe. I am still trying to look for it. I did see the newer Zenbook 13" in person. Man, the display is simply gorgeous. Succinct color accuracy most of the times, very close to Dell XPS. 13" is too small for me. I am looking for either 14 or 15.6.
2) I use a very 5 year old Sony Vaio, I have always been using my work laptop. So, does Intel HD graphics suffice for casual video/photo editing work? I am aware about the performance cushion that MX150 would offer but still, is it worth considering?
3) Asus official website says the RAM is DDR4. Costco site says its DDR3 and Amazon.com as well. Can you confirm if the unit you reviewed is DDR4?
4) Any plans of reviewing the MX 150 variant?
Thanks for your time. Also if you would like to recommend any other laptop under $1000 USD range?
Thank you. Happy Holidays!

Reply
- Jacob D.
  
  January 8, 2018 at 12:22 pm
  
  Hello Raj,
  
  I bought the laptop from Costco in the U.S. I do not do photo or video editing so I cannot help you with that. Though it seems the MX150 is about double the performance of the integrated graphics and does not use much power, so it will help I assume. My laptop does have DDR3 low powered, as stated on Costco website. Hope this stuff about the US version helps.
  
  Reply
Jacob D.

January 2, 2018 at 12:00 am

So I bought the UX430UN about a month ago from Costco when it was on sale for $999. Have been super happy with the battery life and the laptop. The fans are fine and do not bother me at all. I am also relieved that it is ok to let it run hot, as I was worried the heat might damage the battery while I game or something. Hey, does anyone know if the battery is user replaceable? In a couple years I was thinking I would probably have to change it out because it is only 3 cell and over time Li-ion batteries degrade. Idk I have never had a device long enough to be able to tell, so I hope the battery keeps running strong.

Also, I was thinking about getting a fan/cooling pad to help keep the laptop cool. Does anyone recommend a good brand/ model? I am just worried about the heat, even though I have been told it doesnt damage I am still worried. I know.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  January 2, 2018 at 7:12 am
  
  The battery can be replaced and it's a fairly simple task, but you do need a little bit of knowledge to get inside and unscrew the right screws and detach the right connectors.
  
  About temps, you should also consider undervolting the CPU, that should help lowering them a little bit. This article explains how to do it: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/10167-laptop-undervolting-overcloking/
  
  As for your last question, I've never used any, but you should go through the listing on Amazon/Newegg and find one with good user reviews.
  
  Reply
adam

January 5, 2018 at 12:37 am

How do I apply your calibrated color profile file to my UX430, do I just click right and install ? If I do how do I revert back if my screen turns out to be different from your model number ?

thanks

adam

Reply
Titta

January 8, 2018 at 2:01 pm

Hi again!
No fingerprints on the replaced laptop and touchpad more firmly in its socket. This time the finishing touch lacked from the screen – with a residue of clue like substance framing the LCD screen. After a couple of day´s use I have noticed there is a ultra light sound (like friction or electromagnetic "sparkles") coming from behind the screen when scrolling up and down a webpage. Any idea what might be causing that?

Thanks in advance. This is a great forum!

Reply
- Laura
  
  June 12, 2018 at 4:29 pm
  
  I had the same problem of sound :/
  Did you find a solution?
  
  Reply
Herman Guen

January 12, 2018 at 11:43 am

I had this laptop and returned after 3 weeks due to overheating and severe fan loud hissing noise. I tried many software solutions but noise stayed.

I won't suggest to buy it.

Reply
Herman Guen

January 12, 2018 at 11:50 am

Now I have Lenovo T460s i7, 2k LCD, and very happy with it. Almost no fan noise and no overheating; When intensive job laptop's fan noise bearly noticeable. The keyboard of Lenovo T460s much better than Asus Zenbook UX430. Altogether I suggest Lenovo T460s over Asus Zenbook UX430 even though T460s may be a bit expensive.

Reply
Daniel

January 20, 2018 at 8:04 pm

The coil whine some of you are hearing, I believe it comes from the SSD.
At least in my model, the ux430ua i7 with 512gb ssd, the noise comes from that exact location..

Reply
Xucong

February 2, 2018 at 2:59 pm

Hi, could you please do a calibration on the newer UX430UN model as I believe it is not the same Chi Mei panel. Much appreciated if a calibration file for the new panel can be shared. Many thanks!

As for my model from Costco (i7 8550u, MX150, 512G/16G, $999), I use it mainly for development, and it is a great machine for my work. The keyboard feels comfortable for long typing as it feels kind of soft if you get used to it. The trackpad is excellent. Accurate and smooth and clicky. I don't need to use the mouse for most of the time. The specs support my work very well as I usually need to run a VM at the same time, so 512g of storage and 16g of ram really help. The screen is beautiful, as color coverage is decent and it's MATTE!!! Thank god. THE perfect combination for coding and text editing work! Again, it would be great if I can get the screen more accurate in color as I also do web design work. Many thanks!

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  February 3, 2018 at 5:21 pm
  
  Hi, I'll have an article about the UX430Un up soon with that file included.
  
  Reply
  - Jacob D.
    
    February 3, 2018 at 8:01 pm
    
    Sweet! I am looking forward to it too!
  - Xucong
    
    February 4, 2018 at 2:16 pm
    
    Perfect! Thanks a lot!
  - J L
    
    February 16, 2018 at 2:22 pm
    
    looking forward to the ux430un review soon too as the biggest turn off for this from what i've read are the severe thermal throttling (73deg) on the mx150 and the PWM flicker on the screen. More bummed out about the 73 deg thermal limit on the MX150. Else, i would've gotten it in a heartbeat.
  - Tom Hanks
    
    March 12, 2018 at 6:57 am
    
    Hi, do you know when the article will be released? Best regards
  - amadeus
    
    March 18, 2018 at 9:07 am
    
    Yeah, I would like to know the released date too.
  - Zdravko
    
    August 23, 2018 at 5:24 am
    
    Hi Andrei,
    
    Did you ever get to finish the UX430UN review?
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    August 23, 2018 at 10:38 am
    
    I never got to publish it. I have all the test results, but postponed the article and then other topics became more of a priority. I can try to finish it up, but in the meantime, if you have any specific questions, just ask and maybe I can help
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    August 24, 2018 at 4:04 pm
    
    Update: I finalized the article on the UX430UN update, you can find my impressions in here: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/19141-asus-zenbook-ux430un-review/
Karen

February 23, 2018 at 6:01 am

Really informative review, thank you for the detailed and thoughtful analysis!

Reply
- Jay
  
  July 10, 2018 at 5:03 am
  
  I completely concur – well reviewed!
  
  Reply
Celiker BAHCECI

February 26, 2018 at 12:04 am

Screen, mouse and other specs are great, everything is good without 3 things :

1. I often hearing the coil whine (a ultra light sound (like friction or electromagnetic "sparkles")) in a quite room or in nights. I cant find the source of noise with using Task Manager -> Performance tab.

2. Fans really work loudly when CPU is busy (I closed Windows Update and using in battery saver mode, I preferred low performance on coding rather than fan noise. )

3. Power cord and USB ports are so close to each other(on the left-upper side of notebook). Power cord connector is look like L and if you need to use USB port always, it makes a problem, because always you need to upturn your power cord connector.

Reply
Hamza Hashim

March 1, 2018 at 10:35 pm

Hi, I recently bought two units of the UX430UA and both have different degrees of keyboard flex. I'm now thinking of returning one of them: would any of you have any advice with respect to which unit I should keep? The one with more flex (and keys that protrude higher from the chassis) or the one with the keyboard that has less flex and more recessed keys?

I have no idea why the key travel on both units differs by a fairly noticeable amount. Guess Asus really does have quality control issues on this model. Disappointed to spend this much and get this in turn. Any help would be appreciated.

Reply
Nathalie

May 25, 2018 at 4:46 am

Good evening Andrei,
I just bought a ux430UA, not bad at all! I see an improvement over other Zenbooks and there fan noise levels. In the case of the x430ua, the fan is indeed much quieter than in other Zenbooks, although running a bit too much to my liking at times. I have tried to modify the % of cpu that is used, in the power parameters, but it looks that factory setting won't show a menu in the parameters to do that, to the contrary of many other laptops. I thought about using a program I can download to do this, but as I am careful with what I download from unknown sites, for obvious saftey purposes-trojan horses and the like with some downloadables- I am asking you if this is safe to download those? Am thinking of the hirshmann one, found at github.com/hirschmann/nbfc/releases. Would you recommend it? Thanks in advance for your reply! Best regards, Nathalie

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  May 27, 2018 at 12:51 pm
  
  Sry, I'm not familiar with that piece of software
  
  Reply
  - Nathalied
    
    May 27, 2018 at 4:44 pm
    
    Hello Andrei,
    Thank you for your reply!
    Nathalie
- Richard
  
  May 27, 2018 at 10:00 pm
  
  Hi,
  Iam using NoteBook FanControl since I bought this laptop,(mostly in read-only modus) and never had any problems with it.
  Greeting Richard
  
  Reply
  - N
    
    May 28, 2018 at 8:08 pm
    
    Hi Richard,
    Thanks for the info, I will have a look at it.
    Greetings,
    N.
  - Zdravko
    
    August 22, 2018 at 6:40 pm
    
    Hi Richard,
    
    Would you care to elaborate a bit on how you set up Notebook Fan Control to work with your UX430. Mine seems to by default always at 12.5% fan speed, meaning its always on regardless of the temperature. This translates to <40C at typical use (its with the 7th gen 7100U processor). When I enable the custom profile the fan shuts down, but it doesn't seem to follow the profile when the temperatures raise, its always off. The read and read/write options have no effect on the fan, only the enable. I couldn't find any guides on how to set up the Notebook Fan Control app and its profiles. Thanks.
  - Richard
    
    August 23, 2018 at 12:22 am
    
    Hi Zdravko,
    I have UX430 with i5 7200 and using FanControl 1.5.3. In this version I have preselected configurations for differents notebooks models. Iam using config for Zenbook UX310UA and it works well for me (fan is staying off until 45C i think, than ) I dont know if this will be fine also for your processor but you have a plenty of models to choose between in this version, so you can try some of them.
    Hope this helps
    Richard
N

June 12, 2018 at 4:46 pm

Hi,
I guess Asus has improved the UX430ua, as mine I bought three weeks ago is very quiet. The fans starts from time to time, but this is not bothering, I can be working a whole day on the laptop without any fan activity. The only thing so far is that the battery is not that good for heavy use. Browsing a bit and using Word, for instance, can last for about six hours, which is ok. But using Netflix or youtube, it is more 3-4 hours. Well, we can expect some drawbacks at only 1000 $, but considering this low price, it's quite satisfactory

However, I tried the Spectre X 360, supposed to be better on many levels, and returned it, I did not like it that much as I am sensitive to fan and background noises, there is most of the time that hissing sound, although faint, but very high pitch, and sound quality and image quality are not as good as on the ux430ua. Not trying to 'sell' the ux430ua, but I have the impression that ASUS has corrected that fan noise problem we see on so many Zenbooks, at least on this one.

Reply
Nathalie

July 11, 2018 at 7:52 pm

What helps to increase battery life is to use the Microsoft Edge browser, not as hungry as Firefox or Chrome, for instance. Does make quite a difference, especially when watching videos or Netflix!

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  July 13, 2018 at 10:25 am
  
  Yep, that's why we run our browsing battery tests in Edge.
  
  Reply
Garnizonas

September 5, 2018 at 9:28 am

Hey UX430UA ZenBook users,
Can anyone share their experience with plugging a 4K monitor to this laptop? From ASUS support I know that HDMI is 1.4 version which has a limit of 4K at only 30Hz. Since there is no Thunderbolt, I suspect that the USB type C (gen 1) port will also be not powerful enough to output 4k 60Hz to a monitor.
I've seen the the same problem with similarly priced Lenovo IdeaPad 720s. Only a ~50% more expensive Dell XPS can offer Thunderbolts…

Reply
William Stanaland

February 7, 2019 at 11:13 pm

Using the ASUS GPU TWEAK below will push the GPU temperature limit to 90 degrees Celsius when gaming mode is selected

Regards
WS

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  February 8, 2019 at 11:27 am
  
  What GPU Tweak?
  
  Reply
Marie

February 8, 2019 at 7:26 pm

Don't buy this laptop! I got it last May, because at first, it was not noisy at all,one of my main criterias. Has become noisy since December, I tried so many solutions to slow down the processor and fan, but to no avail. And it is full of bugs, such as with the wifi and with regular blank screens that appear. I am getting a Mac soon, as it seems that no PC is really quiet, except by Microsoft, but is too expensive for me.

Reply
Marie

February 8, 2019 at 7:30 pm

I have to add that also, the battery is rubbish. Lasted for a long time for the first months, but not anymore, even if I follow Asus' instructions on how to make it last longer, I also use Edge, less hungry. I won't last more than three hours even if I only use Word, not even the web! Very disappointed by this laptop, to say the least. Also, often, another bug make the keys completely mixed up, when characters that appear are not those I type! Light and compact laptop, but that's the only positive thing about it, what a crappy thing!

Reply
Dheeraj Mulani

November 28, 2019 at 3:20 am

Hi, I’m a highschool student and I’m having a problem with my Asus UX430UQ. My laptop is stuck on the Bios page and will not boot or exit the page making my laptop essentially useless. Can someone help me with this problem?

Reply

Asus Zenbook UX430 series review – compact 14-inch gaming ultraportable

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