Hi Andrei,
is this ultrabook still the best option if i’m looking for a full metal case (like the macbook-air), a good trackpad (like the macbook-air) and looks very tiny (like the macbook-air) ?!
Well. not necessarily. It’s the best 13 incher with dedicated graphics, but it’s not the best ultraportable out there. For what you need BTW you should check out the Dell XPS 13 2015. I’ve just bought one myself and I’m digging it.
What would you suggest the Yoga 3 or this as this is my two choices and i do not want to replace it in year or two i want to get a few years out of the ultrabook.
How bad is the color issue is it a deal breaker or not really.
Are you going to play games? If yes, then go for this Asus. If not, the form factor of the Yoga 3 is going to give you a more versatile device.
Rabbi
February 19, 2015 at 10:26 am
Also i looked at the dell but its only a 2k ultrabook.
Jimmy
January 26, 2015 at 2:22 am
Many folks are complaining about the customer services at ASUS and the laptop falling apart after a month or two of use. Do you have any insight into that?
Sry, I don’t. Customer support tends to vary from country to country. Yes, it could be a major problem, but there’s no way I can asses it from where I am
As dori daca se poate o adresa de email si un numar de telefon pentru a discuta o posibila colaborare. Doresc sa imi iau un ultrabook si sunt extrem de nehotarat si ar fi mai simplu daca am putea discuta direct. Va multumesc anticipat.
I’ve used the laptop for around 6 months only and the hard disk has completely crashed . The customer service is also really bad as they did not get back to me regarding the arrangement of an appointment to fix my laptop.
Hi to everyone, who need some information about ASUS UX303LN. I had long time taking the decision between ASUS, Toshiba Portege, Lenovo IdeaPad…
Final decision I made was ASUS with i7, 8GB RAM, touch screen, 128GB SSD. Screen resolution is 1920×1080.
After first month of use I have these experiences:
1. Body-material – very good aluminium material, very stable….
2. Keyboard – very good feeling, very good layout, missing PgDn, PgUp, INS (you need to press Fn key to use). No problems.
3. Touchpad – very good sensitive, no random inputs like some notebooks
4. peripherals – I use external LCD, keyboard and mouse. Three USB ports are enough, DVI reduction to VGA works fine. For ethernet connection you need reduction (was delivered in the package). About USB problems more details below
5. Performance – there are no performance problems, my normal notebook usage is software development, office work…
6. Display – very bright, smart colors. Good resolution. I can’t imagine larger resolution on 13 inch display (too small for normal work).
USB problems – Notebook was delivered with USB failure. One of three USB ports was not working. Usage of the rest USB ports was not possible, ports were always after few minutes disconnected. Finally a had to send notebook to service. The problem was fixed by motherboard exchange:-( Now everyting works fine. I hope it was the last problem.
Hi Jan,
I’m looking forward to upgrade my system. I’m also using notebook and external monitor.
Does your ASUS UX303 get hot when lid is closed? If I am not mistaken vent holes are located that way that they are blocked when the lid is closed..
And secodn question – is this ultrabook quiet or get noisy when warm?
What’s the best ram to use to upgrade the UX303LN C4147H 12GB?
Also, has anyone tried using the spare mini msata SSD slot yet? If so, any recommendations?
Hi Andrei!
First off, thanks for a great site with great reviews!
Heres for my questions;
Would you say the new UX303LN-R4290H with 5500U processor is worth it’s money in this day? Is the GT 840M graphic card still doing good?
And about the screen, have you heard or read anything about the colors? I’m photographing as a hobby and would need a calibrated screen. How would this screen do in photo-editing?
Thanks in beforehand for answer!
Best regards
Filip
The i7-5500 is about 10% faster than the i7-4500u in benchmarks and you probably won’t see the difference in practice. it is however more efficient.
However, i’m not aware of any working fix for the screen. You should look into it, otherwise stay away, you won’t be able to do proper image work on it, unless you use an external monitor.
Do you happen to know what the latency of the on board ram is for the UX303LN? Asus technical support won’t advise, as they say it will void the warranty if you upgrade it.
Ok, so the ASUS Zenbook UX303LN-DB71T is almost exactly what I’m looking for. The only problem is the QHD screen, which I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t for the colour calibrating issues that comes with it. I’m looking for a model with basically the exact some specs of UX303LN-DB71T, with the exception of the QHD screen. Is there a model where it comes with the same specs but FHD instead? If not, anything as closely similar as possible but with FHD? Also I live in the US, thought it’s also worth mentioning that. A link if at all possible please, thank you for your time.
THere’s no similar 13 inchers, but the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 offers a very similar configuration and the screen you want, but it slightly larger and heavier.
No problem, found a solution to this colour problem. Now however, I’m still hesitating to buy it, because just as I was about to order it through amazon, I decided to look through all the reviews again, and I noticed a trend; it seems that there is a problem with the hinges of the laptop and how it would break after only 3 months. All these reviewers said it broke within 3-5 months, and there was a worrying amount of them claiming this. Asus replied to these reviews and claimed the following: “All ASUS products undergo intensive quality control testing and inspections, this is an isolated case.” Now I really am unsure the legitimacy of this claim, seeing as they won’t even acknowledge the yellow colour issue…So I find myself at a predicament, after overcoming the colour issue, there is now this faulty hinge issue, which, may I add, is actually an issue that I have with my current laptop. It’s a lenovo G570, and a very known and common issue is the design flaw where the left hinge will break apart after a few months. I’ve had this laptop for about 3 years, and for the most part manage to stick with it despite the damage. So I definitely do not want another experience like this…Basically I’m asking whether the hinge issue that the ux303 model have applies for all or only as they claimed “an isolated case”?
I’ve heard some complains about that myself. One or two readers even contacted me about that and from what I know, Asus repaired their products under warranty. Still, it’s highly annoying. I haven’t used one of these for a long time and can’t say what it would take for the hinges to come apart, but all those who had the problem said they were treating them very nicely.
Now, I can’t say whether other devices suffer from the same quirks or not. It’s the kind of fault nobody can actually report on in a review, it’s something that happens after probably years of use( or months in this case)
Sal
May 15, 2018 at 6:36 pm
I have had this issue and ASUS is refusing to fix the issue. There are several other people online I've talked to who have complained about similar issues with ASUS support. Considering this has been a reported issue since 2008 models, I wouldn't be too hopeful that they're actually enacting a real fix in the design. It's just frustrating that my efforts to get the hinge fix were dismissed. They say that the warranty – I bought a 2 year warranty, btw – doesn't cover "physical damage".
Apparently ASUS charges almost $700 to fix this issue if it's not under their warranty, so given how easily the hinges break, I would steer clear unless you want to pay half the cost of your laptop (or more) on repairs.
Eric
August 20, 2016 at 11:44 pm
I have had my Asus UX 303L for about two years and the hinge just broke so I I have my doubts that it is an isolated case. I am wondering if it is worth fixing….
Scrimshaw
February 20, 2015 at 3:45 am
Replied to this before but apparently it didn’t go through, so I’m assuming it got taken down for some reason, so this time I’ll make it very short and straight forward. Reviews from amazon suggests that the ux303 model has a design flaw that will cause the hinges to break apart in a matter of 3-5 months. Note that there were a worrying amount of reviewers who mentioned this, and they all claimed to have taken care of it. So my question is, is this really a design flaw or was it just a defect for those few customers? Already got a solution for the colour issue but this hinge problem is the only thing holding me back at the moment.
Comments are manually approved, as stated in the comments section, that’s why there’s usually a delay until they get on the site. But they are :P
Bryant
January 22, 2016 at 3:12 am
I bought an Asus UX303LA in September of 2014. The hinge broke on me after about 9 months of use. Asus covered the repair under the warranty but it broke AGAIN after another 4 months, just after the warranty expired. Highly, highly disappointing. I loved everything else about the computer, but I cannot recommend it because of this issue.
Jason
February 8, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Hey Andrei, I know you mentioned one of the major cons was the issue with the colors at the QHD resolution. Would it make sense then to change the default resolution to 1920 x 1080? Would this fix the color issues? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I’m not great with computers.
Hi Jason, the resolution has nothing to do with it, there’s a problem with the screen’s panel, which is unable to display colors accurately. There’s nothing we as end users can do, only Asus can release a software fix through a BIOS update.
Enjoy very much with your great review! And I just purchased the UX303LN.
However, i am having some problems about touchpad gestures. Hope you may kindly help me.
First, is there any gestures available for next/previous page in browser? i am currently using google chrome. The built in ASUS smart gestures offers the 3 fingers gestures, but it only works in file explorer but not browser.
Second, is there a scroll bar option in the touchpad just like those old school laptop back to win 7 or win xp? instead of using the two fingers scroll, i prefer the old style.
sorry for your time and looking forward for your reply!
again, thanks for the great review!
That looks more like an UX303LA to me, which lacks the Nvidia 840M graphics, although the titles says otherwise. And yes, the FHD panel doesn’t suffer from the skewed yellows. You should contact Asus and ask for clarifications, if it’s an LN it packs the Nvidia graphics, if not it’s an LA.
Hi Andrei,
I have a good one now.I bought this device less than 2 months ago.I have the 128GB 8GB ram,Full HD screen Europian version.Absolutely fantastic,fast,beautiful design,very happy with the purchase until today.In the morning i have checked my emails and got a low battery message so I’ve switched it off.Plugged in and let it charge for 3-4 hours.When i came back battery was fully charged.So I have unplugged the power cable and turn on.The power button light turned on,but that’s about it.Black screen,fans off,simply bricked and dead.No bios start what so ever.Can’t do anything with it.I’ve tried to replace the ssd,ram,restarts,reset it, all possible variants.Nothing works.This is the strangest experience i have so far with any laptop.It’s just dead.Does anyone else have similar experience?Thanks
Hi,nope.Its completely bricked.Battery is still fully charged.Only the power button light switches on.I have already arranged the service pickup.Actually i remember i have installed the latest windows updates just a day before,but that should not affect the whole device this way.
Yea, you should definitely get in touch with the service, that sounds like a serious problem
julien
February 22, 2015 at 6:45 am
Hello Juraj, did you success to fix your computer? I have exactly the same tthrouble.. Computer dead without any reason after 2 month of use…
Juraj
March 1, 2015 at 8:35 am
My unit was received by the repair service 10 days ago,and so far i did not hear from them.I have contacted the Asus customer service and they have confirmed, that my item was received and is being fixed and no parts was ordered yet. Asus guarantee that from the day of the pickup,you should receive your unit back within 7 working days. That’s gone now,and i still don’t have any information whats going on.It looks like they are taking their time.
Juraj
March 5, 2015 at 5:29 pm
Hi guys,today I have received an update from Asus.it is already taking over two weeks and so far I’m still waiting for the replacement part to arrive.According to this in have received today :
08: Device Fault : No Power / No Charge / No Function
09: Fault Solution : UX303LN MB._4G/I7-4510U/AS
{90 Day Warranty}
I assume it’s the motherboard that is going to be replaced.
They have also advised me to contact them if I don’t receive my device within a week time from today.
Juraj
March 13, 2015 at 9:00 am
Hi,yesterday I have received my unit back from the repair service.The problem was the main board.That was replaced.Its back to normal now,hopefully i will be able to turn it back on again after next charge.Fingers crossed.Total duration of the repair was 25 days.
Antonio
February 22, 2015 at 5:45 pm
A similar thing happened to me with my ux31a
I set the firewall config so demanding that it would not let Windows start up (it did but i could only see a black screen). I managed to start in safe mode and change the firewall settings.
It is very weird that you cannot start windows in safe mode or at least access the bios.
I would try restarting the laptop with windows setup in a usb (press escape while turning on to select the usb). If install runs try a windows repair and / or clean install.
Hi
Just ran into.this thread.During my present vacation my newly bought UX303L just quit working. I have a UX31 Since long and its running like Usain Bolt, just small ssd so I decided to get this new machine. And boom dead!
Any idea of what the problem might be. Its still on warranty but its annoying when on vacation away from home for quite sometime.
“But the colors are way OFF, especially yellows (but not just), which have a Mustard like-tint.”
And you call yourself an expert reviewer for real? the reasons colours are off is that by default there is an Asus Program istalled called Asus Splendid which boosts the colours level. Once you set it to normal or unistall it all together colours go back to being absolutely fine. It took me 5 minutes to figure out by cheching the asus programs installed and i am pretty much your average joe pcwise.
Charlie, you should probably do a bit more reading on this subject BEFORE you start trashing people online. That way you’d know this particular problem has nothing to do with the Splendid App, which actually over-saturates colors, not skew them completely :)
Just to be sure, we’re talking about the UX303LN here with the 3200 x 1800 px display. If you’re saying the colors are alright now in your case, put an iPhone/iPad or anything with a good screen next to your laptop and Google for RGB CMYK :) I’m not aware of any BIOS fix that addressed the colors, but I might be wrong, haven’t looked up closely on this matter lately.
I wanted to know if you can tell us what the fix should be for the UX303LN screen for the yellow problem.
I am overseas now and will be returning to the USA in two months and i wanted to buy this ultrabook when I get back. Do we need to update the BIOS, firmware or something else. I just wanted to be ready before buying the computer.
Asus needs to release a BIOS update in order to address this issue, but they have not, at least from what I know. There’s no way us, as buyers/users/ can fix it.
Lee
April 2, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Hello Andrei
question about the msata port does it support 3Gbps or 6Gbps devices? I was looking at the Emperor Disk 128GB mSATA Mini (Half Size) SATAIII SSD.
You can add the above msata mini for extra storage space, But also could it be used as a caching drive? would this help with performance?
I would like to be able to use it in a Raid 0 setup.
It would be nice if the 850 evo m.2 and 850 evo msata 256gb would be supported on this ultrabook.
To be frank, I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to use it in a RAID config. The truth is I didn’t pay that much attention to that mSATA port when I reviewed the laptop, so there’s not much I can comment on it. Sry
Antonio
February 20, 2015 at 5:24 pm
For Jan,
You’re lucky enought to find this 303LN in Fnac.pt
Wish they put in on sale in Spain someday.
I love this laptop. Light and powerful, but I was looking up solutions or complaints because my monitor is really wobbly. I bought it in Sept of 2014 and after looking up Amazon reviews I’m pretty sure I’m not too far away from cracking hinges. Upon close inspection I see a little separation where the back of the monitor attaches to the hinge. Really bummed about this because I realize this means I’m going to be without a laptop while they fix the problem. I’m wondering if I should send in now or wait till it inevitably starts cracking. Really disappointed. I’d also like to point out I’ve never had any issues with laptops in the past, including my previous Asus which is 5 years old.
Would you recommend the asus UX303LN for a graduate engineering student? I will be using the laptop for daily use (internet, word, emails etc) and from time to time running engineering software (CAD, simulations etc). If so would you recommend the intel core i7 4510U or core i7 5500U?
If not what other ultra portable would you recommend (upto a value of $1500 US) for the uses that I sepcified. It can be either Asus or other brands.
Great review. I wanted a good laptop to backup my PC (travelling etc.) To cut the story short I bought a UX303L (Intel I7 – 4510 U, GeForce GT 840M, 256GB SSD, SDHC card reader, Win 8.1), a few hours ago ($1299CAD).
When I got home the marriage became a little rocky: there was no Ethernet/USB dongle; I have about 85 GB of free disk space; and the card reader doesn’t do SDXC (I think SDHC is limited to 32 GB).
Basically I want more storage and I will be happy. I saw your review before I bought the unit, and I noticed that small SSD (2.5 inch?) port in the top right hand corner. Can I just buy a 2.5″ SSD and bung it in there? I have noticed a 500GB Crucial drive for $250, a Samsung 1.0 TB for $700, and some Intel units that are a little pricey, but I have a 440 GB and 220 GB Intel drives on my PC and I like them (dimensions 2.5″ x 3.73″ x 7 mm + 2mm plastic frame).
Sorry for waffling – my question is can I install a second SSD in my Zen Book?
I’d replace the existing SSD with a bigger one. You can install a second SSD on the spare mSATA mini port from what I remember, but I don’t think it will be worth the fuss. Those are slow and expensive. Just replace the 256 GB 7mm 2.5″ bay with a bigger one, clone it on the new SSD and you’re good to go.
However, replacing the SSD might void warranty in some regions, you might want to check for any warranty stickers on the screws that hold the SSD cage in place or ask the local Asus representatives about that.
Hey Andrei,
I’ve been considering buying a new laptop for a while and now that I found this one, which seems great, I find out its been out for like 9 months already. Do you know when ASUS intends to do their refresh for the laptop? I might just wait if its before the new school year in September.
(I like to do some gaming, and my current one can’t run the new Total War Atilla game, do you think this will, in HD with nice FPS?) Thanks
They recently refreshed this model with Broadwell hardware so I don’t think a new version will be launched till the end of this year. Maybe Q4 might bring a Skylake update.
The laptop with run Atilla nicely in HD or FHD resolutions, just not on max details.
I’be been looking into the asus E451LD-XB51 and the asus UX303LN for school and work. Battery life is important. Does anyone know how the battery life compare to each other?
I have a HDD drive in Zenbook UX303. Can I use mSata connector to put ssd as second hard drive with standard HDD drive? (120/128 GB SSD drive on mSata)? or it will any problems?
I was just wondering if anyone has experienced USB power issues with the UX series two left USB ports? I have the previous generation UX302 LG and it seems that I can only use the one USB port on the right side with reliable results e.g. if I use the Ethernet adapter or any other USB adapter/ USB flash drive, etc. in either of the two left USB ports, the adapter constantly blinks on and then off, and Windows makes the connect disconnect chime. When I was in Taiwan last fall, I decided to go to the source and bring it to an ASUS tech center and the technician told me that due to the ultra thin design of the unit, they had to make some compromises with the power and the USB ports to the left are further away from the power source and therefore cannot maintain consistent power. He recommended that I use the one USB port on the right of the machine for anything that requires consistent power. This seems a bit odd and a bit of a letdown considering how expensive this unit was. I was wondering if anyone else had the same problem?
I bought UX303LN model, but i noticed light bleeding problem in bottom left corner of the screen. Do you think this is acceptable or i should return it? http://screenshot.net/o9y9lun.jpg
I returned mine because de left hinge broken in 2 weeks. For nothing. It was ok in the morning then I went to work and when I was arrived I’ve tried to open the lid and it just didn’t open. Too bad… Plastic painted hinge with bad quality. You will have problems here!
The spec of Zenbook XPS 303LN that’s here in SE Asia: i7 5500U, DDR3 8 GB, HDD 1 TB Sata + SSD 24 GB, Nvidia GT840M 2 GB. It’s selling for ~US$1100.
I would like to ask your opinion. I’m also looking at Zenbook XPS 305 (same spec as your XPS 305 review but the RAM is only 4GB here in SE Asia) at ~US$750
From the two choices above, which one do you think presents the better value for its spec?
Well, those are completely different machines and both are OK for what they are. The UX305 is a thin and light laptop made for casual use. It’s also fanless. the UX303LN is something to consider for performance and especially for gaming, due to the dedicated graphics it offers. Pick based on what you need.
> If we’re to look at Battery Bar readings, the laptop
> discharges with about 6 mW per hour when idle (with
> the above mentioned settings) and about 10-11 while
> running a Full HD video on Youtube.
The W/h unit in the above statement makes no sense. Perhaps you meant energy consumption (Wh), or power of the load (W or Wh/h), or maybe you meant a battery voltage drop (V/h).
I have purchased this model but i hear a light squeaked sound like a whir when i power the laptop on. i had this problem from the beginning. the support technicians told that this is usual in this model because of its compact design. but this is really annoying. anyone had this problem? what can i do? is that a normal sound?
Hi, I just bought this laptop and I LOVE it, but there is just one issue I could find. The keyboard is supposed to be backlit, there are literally two buttons that are clearly the backlit on/off toggles, yet I cannot for the life of me figure out how to turn on the keyboard! Could someone please tell me how? I feel so stupid as it seems very obvious. Thanks!
press FN (lower left side of the keyboard) + the according F key that turns keyboard brightness up at the same time. I can’t recall exactly which F key is that, but there’s a pictogram on it.
Yes, I have tried that. Fn + f4 should turn it on, but nothing happens. When I first turn on the laptop the backlight comes on for a few seconds but then it just turns off as soon as t goes to the lock screen. I don’t know what the problem is! It’s really annoying as I do like having the backlight even when using the laptop in high light areas.
That’s weird but I don’t know what to advise. You’d better contact Asus Support and see what they have to say about that
Ayelet
August 4, 2015 at 3:48 pm
I own this laptop for a while now. A month after I bought it I started having problems charging it- the charging indicator would just go on and off constantly, as the laptop was connecting and disconnecting continuously.
I had it fixed, and was told the charging port solders broke. Now, six months after I had it fixed, it broke again =(
Anyone else had a similar problem? Does anyone know what can be the cause of the breaks? Bad charging port/ bad charger/ bad battery? Any way to fix it permanently and so I won’t have to pay every few months to get it soldered back together?
Thanks!
Hi, I bought this laptop a month ago and only until I came across your review do I know where the ventilation is, cause it does get hot a bit too easily. I don’t really know the best way to use a cooling pad or something to help it cool down for this kind of product, what do you recommend and how? Thank you
I’m going to be using this laptop for school and personal use. Can anyone tell me how the laptop holds up after several months of everyday use? As well as if they experienced any other structural and otherwise problems after owning the laptop after a while?
Hi Andrei,
i live in asia, in my country, i have UX303 i5, 8gb ram, ssd 256, gtx 840m. I work with photoshop, illustrator, proshow gold every day in my office. Should i buy this UX303 ?
What’s the screen resolution of that unit? if it’s 3200 x 1800 px, stay away, that panel is not able to reproduce colors accurately. If it’s 1920 x 1080 px then it’s going to be OK.
Hellow
Just randomely found this review about this computer, I had it for a year and quite happy about it (despite being about to format it due to some random very high CPU usage)
>>> but I was more wondering if anyone here knows about a fix/solution for the color problem ?
The hinges on my Asus ux303ln broke completely off after just 3 months of careful use. I sent it back to Asus and they did the repair which included replaced hinges and screen. My question is when Asus makes this repair do they use a different design or better hing to screen assembly or do they replace with the original cheapo plastic design? I cannot tell by looking at it as the vent shield hides the hinge assembly and I don’t want to try taking it apart.
I currently have the i7 4510U+QHD Touch+256 SSD+8gb ram+840M variant of the UX303LN. It is a great ultrabook at this price point pack with all these specs, but one problem I’ve been having is that the CPU would TDP throttle at around 70 degrees Celsius.
i cant recommend the ux303! the display broke off after only 1 year of use! support says its my fault so no warranty! i shouldnt have openend it from one side only, the hinge was not designed for that!
my thinkpads hinge was, it lasted 5 years with no problems.. then i bought an asus.. mistakes were made..
I have many laptops, this Asus is stunning, you need to upgrade the SSD to the high speed version, fresh install Win 10 and you will get a working day out of the battery together with a laptop that can play the most compressed 1080p film or even render 3DsMax in real time which most desktop i7s struglle with. Laptop and charger runs cold and the big plus point is that the air comes out the rear (and goes up the screen) so if you leave it on your bed, it does not self destruct like all HP laptops!
Big Big disadvantage… the hinges on the actual screen are held in by 3 screws (on each side) that are brass insert pressed into plastic with a wall thickness of about 2mm, the hinges themselves are well designed and substantial but the engineering along the display attachment is more reminiscent of Amstrad not Asus. My screen has broke twice, luckily I am an engineer with a workshop that can fabricate anything and I CNC machined two inserts from a piece of solid brass and epoxied them into the wells and so far, seems to have resolved all issues. My conclusion is that if you have a 2000 sq ft shed at the bottom of the garden containing 6 figures worth of precision machinery AND you have retired so you time is free, you will enjoy this laptop!
Oh! it is possible to lock this laptop, it gets stuck in half un-hibernate, its not actually bricked just screen dead with all the symptoms, it can be fixed.
How did you fix the bricked problem? Mine, suddenly after the anniversary update decides to not shutdown completely or hibernate or sleep completely: the screen is black but the power switch is lit. I have to hold for 10 counts and hard reboot to get it working. I've updated all I could, and reinstalled win 10(everything gone except for asus original files) by going into system reinstall. No change. It's been a half year of frustration as I can't fix it. Any suggestions?
And how did you fresh install?
I had the same problem and wasted much time before discovering that it was windows 10 that wasn't asking weather or not to update the graphics drivers. I re-installed the original (recommended by Asus) graphics driver and set win 10 to never update it. This works until microsoft decides to dish out a major update which overrides the setting. Really simple once you know. Just wish Asus could have worked this one out and let us know!
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Chromebooks are snappy, easy to use, and inexpensive computers designed for everyday use and Internet-based activities such as browsing, email, text-editing, Youtube, Netflix, light gaming, and the likes. Many...
Fabio
January 25, 2015 at 4:38 pm
Hi Andrei,
is this ultrabook still the best option if i’m looking for a full metal case (like the macbook-air), a good trackpad (like the macbook-air) and looks very tiny (like the macbook-air) ?!
Andrei Girbea
January 25, 2015 at 10:16 pm
Well. not necessarily. It’s the best 13 incher with dedicated graphics, but it’s not the best ultraportable out there. For what you need BTW you should check out the Dell XPS 13 2015. I’ve just bought one myself and I’m digging it.
Fabio
January 26, 2015 at 11:46 am
Actually i found this one Asus AsusPro Advanced BU401LA
notebookcheck.net/Asus-AsusPro-Advanced-BU401LA-CZ020G-Ultrabook-Review.134034.0.html
looks very good… i plan to upgrade it with a 256gb Samsung 850PRO
Rabbi
February 18, 2015 at 12:42 pm
HI andrei
Has the color issue been resolved i want to use it for editing gopro footage so i suppose color will play a big role what do you suggest.
Andrei Girbea
February 18, 2015 at 8:28 pm
Not that I know of
Rabbi
February 19, 2015 at 10:25 am
What would you suggest the Yoga 3 or this as this is my two choices and i do not want to replace it in year or two i want to get a few years out of the ultrabook.
How bad is the color issue is it a deal breaker or not really.
Andrei Girbea
February 19, 2015 at 12:55 pm
Are you going to play games? If yes, then go for this Asus. If not, the form factor of the Yoga 3 is going to give you a more versatile device.
Rabbi
February 19, 2015 at 10:26 am
Also i looked at the dell but its only a 2k ultrabook.
Jimmy
January 26, 2015 at 2:22 am
Many folks are complaining about the customer services at ASUS and the laptop falling apart after a month or two of use. Do you have any insight into that?
Andrei Girbea
January 26, 2015 at 1:17 pm
Sry, I don’t. Customer support tends to vary from country to country. Yes, it could be a major problem, but there’s no way I can asses it from where I am
igor roznovschi
January 29, 2015 at 9:32 pm
Buna ziua,
As dori daca se poate o adresa de email si un numar de telefon pentru a discuta o posibila colaborare. Doresc sa imi iau un ultrabook si sunt extrem de nehotarat si ar fi mai simplu daca am putea discuta direct. Va multumesc anticipat.
Andrei Girbea
January 29, 2015 at 10:37 pm
there’s an email address on the contact page :)
Nancy
December 9, 2015 at 2:19 pm
I’ve used the laptop for around 6 months only and the hard disk has completely crashed . The customer service is also really bad as they did not get back to me regarding the arrangement of an appointment to fix my laptop.
Jan
January 28, 2015 at 11:03 am
Hi to everyone, who need some information about ASUS UX303LN. I had long time taking the decision between ASUS, Toshiba Portege, Lenovo IdeaPad…
Final decision I made was ASUS with i7, 8GB RAM, touch screen, 128GB SSD. Screen resolution is 1920×1080.
After first month of use I have these experiences:
1. Body-material – very good aluminium material, very stable….
2. Keyboard – very good feeling, very good layout, missing PgDn, PgUp, INS (you need to press Fn key to use). No problems.
3. Touchpad – very good sensitive, no random inputs like some notebooks
4. peripherals – I use external LCD, keyboard and mouse. Three USB ports are enough, DVI reduction to VGA works fine. For ethernet connection you need reduction (was delivered in the package). About USB problems more details below
5. Performance – there are no performance problems, my normal notebook usage is software development, office work…
6. Display – very bright, smart colors. Good resolution. I can’t imagine larger resolution on 13 inch display (too small for normal work).
USB problems – Notebook was delivered with USB failure. One of three USB ports was not working. Usage of the rest USB ports was not possible, ports were always after few minutes disconnected. Finally a had to send notebook to service. The problem was fixed by motherboard exchange:-( Now everyting works fine. I hope it was the last problem.
Jan
Pedro Lourenço
January 30, 2015 at 11:23 am
Hi Jan,
This is exactly what I’m looking for but I live in Portugal. Can you please tell me where did you bought yours? Thank you.
Regards,
Pedro
Boris
February 12, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Hi Jan,
I’m looking forward to upgrade my system. I’m also using notebook and external monitor.
Does your ASUS UX303 get hot when lid is closed? If I am not mistaken vent holes are located that way that they are blocked when the lid is closed..
And secodn question – is this ultrabook quiet or get noisy when warm?
Dave
February 1, 2015 at 8:09 am
What’s the best ram to use to upgrade the UX303LN C4147H 12GB?
Also, has anyone tried using the spare mini msata SSD slot yet? If so, any recommendations?
Thanks,
Dave
Filip
February 3, 2015 at 4:30 am
Hi Andrei!
First off, thanks for a great site with great reviews!
Heres for my questions;
Would you say the new UX303LN-R4290H with 5500U processor is worth it’s money in this day? Is the GT 840M graphic card still doing good?
And about the screen, have you heard or read anything about the colors? I’m photographing as a hobby and would need a calibrated screen. How would this screen do in photo-editing?
Thanks in beforehand for answer!
Best regards
Filip
Andrei Girbea
February 3, 2015 at 1:53 pm
The i7-5500 is about 10% faster than the i7-4500u in benchmarks and you probably won’t see the difference in practice. it is however more efficient.
However, i’m not aware of any working fix for the screen. You should look into it, otherwise stay away, you won’t be able to do proper image work on it, unless you use an external monitor.
Dave
February 3, 2015 at 11:07 pm
Hi Andrei,
Do you happen to know what the latency of the on board ram is for the UX303LN? Asus technical support won’t advise, as they say it will void the warranty if you upgrade it.
Thanks,
Dave
Filip
February 4, 2015 at 5:41 am
Thanks for answer!
As I have understood the coloring problem only applies to the 3200*1800 screen? Not the 1920*1080 screen?
Is this correct?
Andrei Girbea
February 4, 2015 at 2:03 pm
yes
Scrimshaw
February 6, 2015 at 10:56 pm
Ok, so the ASUS Zenbook UX303LN-DB71T is almost exactly what I’m looking for. The only problem is the QHD screen, which I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t for the colour calibrating issues that comes with it. I’m looking for a model with basically the exact some specs of UX303LN-DB71T, with the exception of the QHD screen. Is there a model where it comes with the same specs but FHD instead? If not, anything as closely similar as possible but with FHD? Also I live in the US, thought it’s also worth mentioning that. A link if at all possible please, thank you for your time.
Andrei Girbea
February 7, 2015 at 3:59 pm
THere’s no similar 13 inchers, but the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 offers a very similar configuration and the screen you want, but it slightly larger and heavier.
Scrimshaw
February 19, 2015 at 11:08 pm
No problem, found a solution to this colour problem. Now however, I’m still hesitating to buy it, because just as I was about to order it through amazon, I decided to look through all the reviews again, and I noticed a trend; it seems that there is a problem with the hinges of the laptop and how it would break after only 3 months. All these reviewers said it broke within 3-5 months, and there was a worrying amount of them claiming this. Asus replied to these reviews and claimed the following: “All ASUS products undergo intensive quality control testing and inspections, this is an isolated case.” Now I really am unsure the legitimacy of this claim, seeing as they won’t even acknowledge the yellow colour issue…So I find myself at a predicament, after overcoming the colour issue, there is now this faulty hinge issue, which, may I add, is actually an issue that I have with my current laptop. It’s a lenovo G570, and a very known and common issue is the design flaw where the left hinge will break apart after a few months. I’ve had this laptop for about 3 years, and for the most part manage to stick with it despite the damage. So I definitely do not want another experience like this…Basically I’m asking whether the hinge issue that the ux303 model have applies for all or only as they claimed “an isolated case”?
Andrei Girbea
February 20, 2015 at 12:53 pm
I’ve heard some complains about that myself. One or two readers even contacted me about that and from what I know, Asus repaired their products under warranty. Still, it’s highly annoying. I haven’t used one of these for a long time and can’t say what it would take for the hinges to come apart, but all those who had the problem said they were treating them very nicely.
Now, I can’t say whether other devices suffer from the same quirks or not. It’s the kind of fault nobody can actually report on in a review, it’s something that happens after probably years of use( or months in this case)
Sal
May 15, 2018 at 6:36 pm
I have had this issue and ASUS is refusing to fix the issue. There are several other people online I've talked to who have complained about similar issues with ASUS support. Considering this has been a reported issue since 2008 models, I wouldn't be too hopeful that they're actually enacting a real fix in the design. It's just frustrating that my efforts to get the hinge fix were dismissed. They say that the warranty – I bought a 2 year warranty, btw – doesn't cover "physical damage".
Apparently ASUS charges almost $700 to fix this issue if it's not under their warranty, so given how easily the hinges break, I would steer clear unless you want to pay half the cost of your laptop (or more) on repairs.
Eric
August 20, 2016 at 11:44 pm
I have had my Asus UX 303L for about two years and the hinge just broke so I I have my doubts that it is an isolated case. I am wondering if it is worth fixing….
Scrimshaw
February 20, 2015 at 3:45 am
Replied to this before but apparently it didn’t go through, so I’m assuming it got taken down for some reason, so this time I’ll make it very short and straight forward. Reviews from amazon suggests that the ux303 model has a design flaw that will cause the hinges to break apart in a matter of 3-5 months. Note that there were a worrying amount of reviewers who mentioned this, and they all claimed to have taken care of it. So my question is, is this really a design flaw or was it just a defect for those few customers? Already got a solution for the colour issue but this hinge problem is the only thing holding me back at the moment.
Andrei Girbea
February 20, 2015 at 12:55 pm
Comments are manually approved, as stated in the comments section, that’s why there’s usually a delay until they get on the site. But they are :P
Bryant
January 22, 2016 at 3:12 am
I bought an Asus UX303LA in September of 2014. The hinge broke on me after about 9 months of use. Asus covered the repair under the warranty but it broke AGAIN after another 4 months, just after the warranty expired. Highly, highly disappointing. I loved everything else about the computer, but I cannot recommend it because of this issue.
Jason
February 8, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Hey Andrei, I know you mentioned one of the major cons was the issue with the colors at the QHD resolution. Would it make sense then to change the default resolution to 1920 x 1080? Would this fix the color issues? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I’m not great with computers.
Andrei Girbea
February 8, 2015 at 10:13 pm
Hi Jason, the resolution has nothing to do with it, there’s a problem with the screen’s panel, which is unable to display colors accurately. There’s nothing we as end users can do, only Asus can release a software fix through a BIOS update.
hung
February 11, 2015 at 11:22 am
Enjoy very much with your great review! And I just purchased the UX303LN.
However, i am having some problems about touchpad gestures. Hope you may kindly help me.
First, is there any gestures available for next/previous page in browser? i am currently using google chrome. The built in ASUS smart gestures offers the 3 fingers gestures, but it only works in file explorer but not browser.
Second, is there a scroll bar option in the touchpad just like those old school laptop back to win 7 or win xp? instead of using the two fingers scroll, i prefer the old style.
sorry for your time and looking forward for your reply!
again, thanks for the great review!
Andrei Girbea
February 11, 2015 at 11:28 am
HI, I no longer have this around and can’t offer proper answers for your questions. Hopefully some of the other readers will pitch in though.
Amr Sayed
February 11, 2015 at 7:51 pm
Hi Andrei,
I was reviewing Asus US online store I find the following specs for UX303LN
Display
13.3″ 16:9 IPS FHD (1920×1080)
which is will be great to solve yellow color issue.
But I am confused with Graphic since it is mentioned as the following:
Graphic
Integrated Intel® GMA HD
I am not sure with this graphic it will be same as NIVIDIA G-Force or this is only by mistake mentioned at the web site.
Awaiting for your advise.
Here is the web site link: store.asus.com/us/item/201412AM150000814/A20803
Andrei Girbea
February 11, 2015 at 9:47 pm
That looks more like an UX303LA to me, which lacks the Nvidia 840M graphics, although the titles says otherwise. And yes, the FHD panel doesn’t suffer from the skewed yellows. You should contact Asus and ask for clarifications, if it’s an LN it packs the Nvidia graphics, if not it’s an LA.
Juraj
February 12, 2015 at 9:52 pm
Hi Andrei,
I have a good one now.I bought this device less than 2 months ago.I have the 128GB 8GB ram,Full HD screen Europian version.Absolutely fantastic,fast,beautiful design,very happy with the purchase until today.In the morning i have checked my emails and got a low battery message so I’ve switched it off.Plugged in and let it charge for 3-4 hours.When i came back battery was fully charged.So I have unplugged the power cable and turn on.The power button light turned on,but that’s about it.Black screen,fans off,simply bricked and dead.No bios start what so ever.Can’t do anything with it.I’ve tried to replace the ssd,ram,restarts,reset it, all possible variants.Nothing works.This is the strangest experience i have so far with any laptop.It’s just dead.Does anyone else have similar experience?Thanks
Andrei Girbea
February 15, 2015 at 8:53 am
You should contact the service. And does the laptop boot with the power plug connected?
Juraj
February 15, 2015 at 9:04 am
Hi,nope.Its completely bricked.Battery is still fully charged.Only the power button light switches on.I have already arranged the service pickup.Actually i remember i have installed the latest windows updates just a day before,but that should not affect the whole device this way.
Andrei Girbea
February 15, 2015 at 5:28 pm
Yea, you should definitely get in touch with the service, that sounds like a serious problem
julien
February 22, 2015 at 6:45 am
Hello Juraj, did you success to fix your computer? I have exactly the same tthrouble.. Computer dead without any reason after 2 month of use…
Juraj
March 1, 2015 at 8:35 am
My unit was received by the repair service 10 days ago,and so far i did not hear from them.I have contacted the Asus customer service and they have confirmed, that my item was received and is being fixed and no parts was ordered yet. Asus guarantee that from the day of the pickup,you should receive your unit back within 7 working days. That’s gone now,and i still don’t have any information whats going on.It looks like they are taking their time.
Juraj
March 5, 2015 at 5:29 pm
Hi guys,today I have received an update from Asus.it is already taking over two weeks and so far I’m still waiting for the replacement part to arrive.According to this in have received today :
08: Device Fault : No Power / No Charge / No Function
09: Fault Solution : UX303LN MB._4G/I7-4510U/AS
{90 Day Warranty}
I assume it’s the motherboard that is going to be replaced.
They have also advised me to contact them if I don’t receive my device within a week time from today.
Juraj
March 13, 2015 at 9:00 am
Hi,yesterday I have received my unit back from the repair service.The problem was the main board.That was replaced.Its back to normal now,hopefully i will be able to turn it back on again after next charge.Fingers crossed.Total duration of the repair was 25 days.
Antonio
February 22, 2015 at 5:45 pm
A similar thing happened to me with my ux31a
I set the firewall config so demanding that it would not let Windows start up (it did but i could only see a black screen). I managed to start in safe mode and change the firewall settings.
It is very weird that you cannot start windows in safe mode or at least access the bios.
I would try restarting the laptop with windows setup in a usb (press escape while turning on to select the usb). If install runs try a windows repair and / or clean install.
Regards
Mj
June 13, 2015 at 10:22 am
Hi
Just ran into.this thread.During my present vacation my newly bought UX303L just quit working. I have a UX31 Since long and its running like Usain Bolt, just small ssd so I decided to get this new machine. And boom dead!
Any idea of what the problem might be. Its still on warranty but its annoying when on vacation away from home for quite sometime.
Suggestions of how to fix the machine?
rohan
February 14, 2015 at 2:04 pm
How is the volume controlled? through button pushing or is there an external manual control?
charlie
February 20, 2015 at 9:32 am
“But the colors are way OFF, especially yellows (but not just), which have a Mustard like-tint.”
And you call yourself an expert reviewer for real? the reasons colours are off is that by default there is an Asus Program istalled called Asus Splendid which boosts the colours level. Once you set it to normal or unistall it all together colours go back to being absolutely fine. It took me 5 minutes to figure out by cheching the asus programs installed and i am pretty much your average joe pcwise.
So for those having colours issues:
UNINSTALL ASUS SPLENDID!!!!!!!!!
Andrei Girbea
February 20, 2015 at 12:58 pm
Charlie, you should probably do a bit more reading on this subject BEFORE you start trashing people online. That way you’d know this particular problem has nothing to do with the Splendid App, which actually over-saturates colors, not skew them completely :)
Just to be sure, we’re talking about the UX303LN here with the 3200 x 1800 px display. If you’re saying the colors are alright now in your case, put an iPhone/iPad or anything with a good screen next to your laptop and Google for RGB CMYK :) I’m not aware of any BIOS fix that addressed the colors, but I might be wrong, haven’t looked up closely on this matter lately.
Lee
March 17, 2015 at 10:59 am
Hello Andrei
I wanted to know if you can tell us what the fix should be for the UX303LN screen for the yellow problem.
I am overseas now and will be returning to the USA in two months and i wanted to buy this ultrabook when I get back. Do we need to update the BIOS, firmware or something else. I just wanted to be ready before buying the computer.
Thanks again
Andrei Girbea
March 17, 2015 at 11:18 am
Asus needs to release a BIOS update in order to address this issue, but they have not, at least from what I know. There’s no way us, as buyers/users/ can fix it.
Lee
April 2, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Hello Andrei
question about the msata port does it support 3Gbps or 6Gbps devices? I was looking at the Emperor Disk 128GB mSATA Mini (Half Size) SATAIII SSD.
You can add the above msata mini for extra storage space, But also could it be used as a caching drive? would this help with performance?
I would like to be able to use it in a Raid 0 setup.
It would be nice if the 850 evo m.2 and 850 evo msata 256gb would be supported on this ultrabook.
Andrei Girbea
April 2, 2015 at 6:46 pm
To be frank, I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to use it in a RAID config. The truth is I didn’t pay that much attention to that mSATA port when I reviewed the laptop, so there’s not much I can comment on it. Sry
Antonio
February 20, 2015 at 5:24 pm
For Jan,
You’re lucky enought to find this 303LN in Fnac.pt
Wish they put in on sale in Spain someday.
Regards
Mark
February 28, 2015 at 4:54 am
Hello! I want to know if this laptop is suitable for students? Also, I might also do some gaming. Will this be suitable for me?
Andrei Girbea
February 28, 2015 at 9:55 am
Yes, thanks to the dedicated graphics inside, this one is suitable for both everyday activities and games
Jamie
March 3, 2015 at 1:11 am
I love this laptop. Light and powerful, but I was looking up solutions or complaints because my monitor is really wobbly. I bought it in Sept of 2014 and after looking up Amazon reviews I’m pretty sure I’m not too far away from cracking hinges. Upon close inspection I see a little separation where the back of the monitor attaches to the hinge. Really bummed about this because I realize this means I’m going to be without a laptop while they fix the problem. I’m wondering if I should send in now or wait till it inevitably starts cracking. Really disappointed. I’d also like to point out I’ve never had any issues with laptops in the past, including my previous Asus which is 5 years old.
Francesco
March 5, 2015 at 9:42 am
Maybe the new 2015 version of UX303LN has improved hinges?
Francesco
March 5, 2015 at 9:49 am
Maybe is possible to calibrate the display with a specific software/hardware for professional use?
Andrei Girbea
March 5, 2015 at 5:21 pm
No, it’s not a calibration problem
Antonio
March 5, 2015 at 11:42 am
Or maybe not… anyways it’s not for sale in Spain nor with Spanish keyboard, i’ll squeeze my ux31a until the 303ln is available in my country.
Ra
March 6, 2015 at 4:15 am
Hi Andrei
Would you recommend the asus UX303LN for a graduate engineering student? I will be using the laptop for daily use (internet, word, emails etc) and from time to time running engineering software (CAD, simulations etc). If so would you recommend the intel core i7 4510U or core i7 5500U?
If not what other ultra portable would you recommend (upto a value of $1500 US) for the uses that I sepcified. It can be either Asus or other brands.
Many Thanks.
TimAitch
March 13, 2015 at 6:10 am
Hi Andrei,
Great review. I wanted a good laptop to backup my PC (travelling etc.) To cut the story short I bought a UX303L (Intel I7 – 4510 U, GeForce GT 840M, 256GB SSD, SDHC card reader, Win 8.1), a few hours ago ($1299CAD).
When I got home the marriage became a little rocky: there was no Ethernet/USB dongle; I have about 85 GB of free disk space; and the card reader doesn’t do SDXC (I think SDHC is limited to 32 GB).
Basically I want more storage and I will be happy. I saw your review before I bought the unit, and I noticed that small SSD (2.5 inch?) port in the top right hand corner. Can I just buy a 2.5″ SSD and bung it in there? I have noticed a 500GB Crucial drive for $250, a Samsung 1.0 TB for $700, and some Intel units that are a little pricey, but I have a 440 GB and 220 GB Intel drives on my PC and I like them (dimensions 2.5″ x 3.73″ x 7 mm + 2mm plastic frame).
Sorry for waffling – my question is can I install a second SSD in my Zen Book?
Tim
Andrei Girbea
March 13, 2015 at 8:51 am
I’d replace the existing SSD with a bigger one. You can install a second SSD on the spare mSATA mini port from what I remember, but I don’t think it will be worth the fuss. Those are slow and expensive. Just replace the 256 GB 7mm 2.5″ bay with a bigger one, clone it on the new SSD and you’re good to go.
However, replacing the SSD might void warranty in some regions, you might want to check for any warranty stickers on the screws that hold the SSD cage in place or ask the local Asus representatives about that.
Omar
March 15, 2015 at 6:48 pm
Hey Andrei,
I’ve been considering buying a new laptop for a while and now that I found this one, which seems great, I find out its been out for like 9 months already. Do you know when ASUS intends to do their refresh for the laptop? I might just wait if its before the new school year in September.
(I like to do some gaming, and my current one can’t run the new Total War Atilla game, do you think this will, in HD with nice FPS?) Thanks
Andrei Girbea
March 16, 2015 at 5:23 pm
They recently refreshed this model with Broadwell hardware so I don’t think a new version will be launched till the end of this year. Maybe Q4 might bring a Skylake update.
The laptop with run Atilla nicely in HD or FHD resolutions, just not on max details.
Mike
March 19, 2015 at 4:18 am
I’be been looking into the asus E451LD-XB51 and the asus UX303LN for school and work. Battery life is important. Does anyone know how the battery life compare to each other?
someone
March 28, 2015 at 8:24 pm
I have a HDD drive in Zenbook UX303. Can I use mSata connector to put ssd as second hard drive with standard HDD drive? (120/128 GB SSD drive on mSata)? or it will any problems?
eric
March 31, 2015 at 3:38 am
Hello,
I was just wondering if anyone has experienced USB power issues with the UX series two left USB ports? I have the previous generation UX302 LG and it seems that I can only use the one USB port on the right side with reliable results e.g. if I use the Ethernet adapter or any other USB adapter/ USB flash drive, etc. in either of the two left USB ports, the adapter constantly blinks on and then off, and Windows makes the connect disconnect chime. When I was in Taiwan last fall, I decided to go to the source and bring it to an ASUS tech center and the technician told me that due to the ultra thin design of the unit, they had to make some compromises with the power and the USB ports to the left are further away from the power source and therefore cannot maintain consistent power. He recommended that I use the one USB port on the right of the machine for anything that requires consistent power. This seems a bit odd and a bit of a letdown considering how expensive this unit was. I was wondering if anyone else had the same problem?
Entaro
April 1, 2015 at 10:21 pm
I bought UX303LN model, but i noticed light bleeding problem in bottom left corner of the screen. Do you think this is acceptable or i should return it? http://screenshot.net/o9y9lun.jpg
Andrei Girbea
April 2, 2015 at 7:54 am
I think it’s OK. but if it bothers you in everyday use or when watching movies, return it. It’s important to be satisfied with your laptop.
Pedro Lourenço
April 2, 2015 at 8:01 am
I returned mine because de left hinge broken in 2 weeks. For nothing. It was ok in the morning then I went to work and when I was arrived I’ve tried to open the lid and it just didn’t open. Too bad… Plastic painted hinge with bad quality. You will have problems here!
I’m going to HP Spectre Pro x360 now…
Andrei: will you write a review?
Thank you very much.
Regards from Portugal,
Pedro
Andrei Girbea
April 2, 2015 at 8:12 am
Hi Pedro. I’d love to but the X360 is not yet available over here.
Andrew Art
April 7, 2015 at 11:14 am
Hey Andrei,
The spec of Zenbook XPS 303LN that’s here in SE Asia: i7 5500U, DDR3 8 GB, HDD 1 TB Sata + SSD 24 GB, Nvidia GT840M 2 GB. It’s selling for ~US$1100.
I would like to ask your opinion. I’m also looking at Zenbook XPS 305 (same spec as your XPS 305 review but the RAM is only 4GB here in SE Asia) at ~US$750
From the two choices above, which one do you think presents the better value for its spec?
Thank you for doing these reviews!
Andrew Art
April 7, 2015 at 11:44 am
I forgot to mention the XPS 303LN I mentioned is also not touchscreen.
Andrei Girbea
April 8, 2015 at 9:25 am
Well, those are completely different machines and both are OK for what they are. The UX305 is a thin and light laptop made for casual use. It’s also fanless. the UX303LN is something to consider for performance and especially for gaming, due to the dedicated graphics it offers. Pick based on what you need.
Walid
May 16, 2015 at 11:20 pm
my notebook Asus ux 303-L came with 8 GB RAM , can i increase ram to be 16 GB ,if possible ,is it useful with performance or not ?
Andrei Girbea
May 17, 2015 at 5:38 pm
No. The Hardware section of this review explain all there is to know about the RAM
Mark
June 5, 2015 at 5:17 pm
> If we’re to look at Battery Bar readings, the laptop
> discharges with about 6 mW per hour when idle (with
> the above mentioned settings) and about 10-11 while
> running a Full HD video on Youtube.
The W/h unit in the above statement makes no sense. Perhaps you meant energy consumption (Wh), or power of the load (W or Wh/h), or maybe you meant a battery voltage drop (V/h).
mehdi
June 16, 2015 at 2:12 pm
I have purchased this model but i hear a light squeaked sound like a whir when i power the laptop on. i had this problem from the beginning. the support technicians told that this is usual in this model because of its compact design. but this is really annoying. anyone had this problem? what can i do? is that a normal sound?
Rebecca
July 21, 2015 at 5:27 am
Hi, I just bought this laptop and I LOVE it, but there is just one issue I could find. The keyboard is supposed to be backlit, there are literally two buttons that are clearly the backlit on/off toggles, yet I cannot for the life of me figure out how to turn on the keyboard! Could someone please tell me how? I feel so stupid as it seems very obvious. Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
July 21, 2015 at 9:47 am
press FN (lower left side of the keyboard) + the according F key that turns keyboard brightness up at the same time. I can’t recall exactly which F key is that, but there’s a pictogram on it.
Rebecca
July 24, 2015 at 4:44 am
Yes, I have tried that. Fn + f4 should turn it on, but nothing happens. When I first turn on the laptop the backlight comes on for a few seconds but then it just turns off as soon as t goes to the lock screen. I don’t know what the problem is! It’s really annoying as I do like having the backlight even when using the laptop in high light areas.
Andrei Girbea
July 24, 2015 at 7:03 am
That’s weird but I don’t know what to advise. You’d better contact Asus Support and see what they have to say about that
Ayelet
August 4, 2015 at 3:48 pm
I own this laptop for a while now. A month after I bought it I started having problems charging it- the charging indicator would just go on and off constantly, as the laptop was connecting and disconnecting continuously.
I had it fixed, and was told the charging port solders broke. Now, six months after I had it fixed, it broke again =(
Anyone else had a similar problem? Does anyone know what can be the cause of the breaks? Bad charging port/ bad charger/ bad battery? Any way to fix it permanently and so I won’t have to pay every few months to get it soldered back together?
Thanks!
Sasha
August 6, 2015 at 3:45 pm
Hi, I bought this laptop a month ago and only until I came across your review do I know where the ventilation is, cause it does get hot a bit too easily. I don’t really know the best way to use a cooling pad or something to help it cool down for this kind of product, what do you recommend and how? Thank you
Emma
August 10, 2015 at 8:08 pm
I’m going to be using this laptop for school and personal use. Can anyone tell me how the laptop holds up after several months of everyday use? As well as if they experienced any other structural and otherwise problems after owning the laptop after a while?
Jim
May 18, 2016 at 10:56 am
my display broke off after 1 year. because i opened it from one side only, not the middle.. falls not under warranty..
Tran Son
September 1, 2015 at 6:51 am
Hi Andrei,
i live in asia, in my country, i have UX303 i5, 8gb ram, ssd 256, gtx 840m. I work with photoshop, illustrator, proshow gold every day in my office. Should i buy this UX303 ?
Andrei Girbea
September 1, 2015 at 11:59 am
What’s the screen resolution of that unit? if it’s 3200 x 1800 px, stay away, that panel is not able to reproduce colors accurately. If it’s 1920 x 1080 px then it’s going to be OK.
Tran Son
September 2, 2015 at 4:25 pm
It’s 1920×1080, so it will be ok with my job, right ? Just graphic design. Thanks Andrei !
Andrei Girbea
September 2, 2015 at 4:49 pm
Yes, should be OK
Cosmin
January 3, 2016 at 12:12 am
Salutare ! Ai putea te rog sa partajezi wallpaper-urile stock sau un link catre ele ? Multumesc frumos !
Mr HU
January 8, 2016 at 7:55 am
Hellow
Just randomely found this review about this computer, I had it for a year and quite happy about it (despite being about to format it due to some random very high CPU usage)
>>> but I was more wondering if anyone here knows about a fix/solution for the color problem ?
Did asus released anything ?
Would be great.
thanks a million,
CheerS!
Lawrence Myers
January 8, 2016 at 11:56 am
The hinges on my Asus ux303ln broke completely off after just 3 months of careful use. I sent it back to Asus and they did the repair which included replaced hinges and screen. My question is when Asus makes this repair do they use a different design or better hing to screen assembly or do they replace with the original cheapo plastic design? I cannot tell by looking at it as the vent shield hides the hinge assembly and I don’t want to try taking it apart.
Thanks for any help on this issue.
Dave
February 13, 2016 at 4:30 pm
I have had all kinds of problems with the hinges breaking, screen goes crooked, etc… terrible
Chorong
February 3, 2016 at 4:23 am
I currently have the i7 4510U+QHD Touch+256 SSD+8gb ram+840M variant of the UX303LN. It is a great ultrabook at this price point pack with all these specs, but one problem I’ve been having is that the CPU would TDP throttle at around 70 degrees Celsius.
nasser
February 13, 2016 at 8:24 pm
sound from hardisk.. is that normal? ASUS ZENBOOK UX303 i7
like that
youtube.com/watch?v=nsiN8sNLPXs
thank you
Andrei Girbea
February 14, 2016 at 8:32 pm
Well, yes, that’s how HDD’s sound, more or less. You can replace the HDD with an SSD if you want something quiet.
Jim
May 18, 2016 at 10:54 am
i cant recommend the ux303! the display broke off after only 1 year of use! support says its my fault so no warranty! i shouldnt have openend it from one side only, the hinge was not designed for that!
my thinkpads hinge was, it lasted 5 years with no problems.. then i bought an asus.. mistakes were made..
Paul McRae
January 26, 2017 at 6:01 pm
I have many laptops, this Asus is stunning, you need to upgrade the SSD to the high speed version, fresh install Win 10 and you will get a working day out of the battery together with a laptop that can play the most compressed 1080p film or even render 3DsMax in real time which most desktop i7s struglle with. Laptop and charger runs cold and the big plus point is that the air comes out the rear (and goes up the screen) so if you leave it on your bed, it does not self destruct like all HP laptops!
Big Big disadvantage… the hinges on the actual screen are held in by 3 screws (on each side) that are brass insert pressed into plastic with a wall thickness of about 2mm, the hinges themselves are well designed and substantial but the engineering along the display attachment is more reminiscent of Amstrad not Asus. My screen has broke twice, luckily I am an engineer with a workshop that can fabricate anything and I CNC machined two inserts from a piece of solid brass and epoxied them into the wells and so far, seems to have resolved all issues. My conclusion is that if you have a 2000 sq ft shed at the bottom of the garden containing 6 figures worth of precision machinery AND you have retired so you time is free, you will enjoy this laptop!
Oh! it is possible to lock this laptop, it gets stuck in half un-hibernate, its not actually bricked just screen dead with all the symptoms, it can be fixed.
Nilly Mos
August 27, 2017 at 9:19 am
How did you fix the bricked problem? Mine, suddenly after the anniversary update decides to not shutdown completely or hibernate or sleep completely: the screen is black but the power switch is lit. I have to hold for 10 counts and hard reboot to get it working. I've updated all I could, and reinstalled win 10(everything gone except for asus original files) by going into system reinstall. No change. It's been a half year of frustration as I can't fix it. Any suggestions?
And how did you fresh install?
Andrew Jones
April 30, 2019 at 4:09 pm
I had the same problem and wasted much time before discovering that it was windows 10 that wasn't asking weather or not to update the graphics drivers. I re-installed the original (recommended by Asus) graphics driver and set win 10 to never update it. This works until microsoft decides to dish out a major update which overrides the setting. Really simple once you know. Just wish Asus could have worked this one out and let us know!