Laptop Review: Why ASUS ExpertBook is the Best Docking Business Ultrabook

Who is the ASUS ExpertBook for?

• Someone looking for professional aesthetics as well as beautiful design in their business laptop
• People who care about a polished user experience down to a meticulously designed screen hinge
• Those who dock their laptops and still uses its screen: the matte finish screen, Thunderbolt connectors and 180 degrees screen hinge makes the ExpertBook a very dockable laptop
• Anyone who appreciates IT security will appreciate the security measures employed on the ExpertBook, from the IR camera, to a fast fingerprint sensor, to the built-in webcam cover

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Thinking back to two years ago, I went into a Best Buy in Manhattan looking to buy a laptop. After taking a quick look through what's on display, I asked the floor staff: do you have any laptop that doesn't have a touchscreen? The answer was a surprising 'no, sorry'. It was a time when almost all mainstream laptops had touchscreens, which I preferred not to have because of ghost touch issues on a previous device.

Fast forward to two years later, though 2-in-1 laptops with touchscreens are still everywhere, but traditional screens - complete with matte finish can be seen creeping back into the market - a trend that I'm secretly very pleased about. Perhaps Apple's insistence not to put touchscreens on laptops will ultimately prevail, and instead having secondary touchscreens (or touchbars) coupled with excellent trackpads will prove to be the user interface of choice.

ASUS definitely seems to be going in this direction, with their new line of laptops like the ZenBook that I tested previously, which sports a touchscreen in its trackpad, as well as its larger sibling the ZenBook Pro which caused quite a stir with its large secondary screen on top of the keyboard.

The ExpertBook retained an embedded number pad in its trackpad, and together with a matte finished screen with minimal bezels, it caught my interest as a laptop tuned for business use. Here are some qualities that make the ExpertBook stand out from the market for me, after a few weeks of use.

Thin and uniquely angular design

The ASUS ExpertBook B9450FA is made to be thin and ultra portable, and is impressively so without sacrificing functionality. The main body with the screen open is only the thickness of a smartphone, while the screen itself is a thin panel around half of the thickness of a regular pencil.

But being thin is not something new these days, what caught my eye was the angular design language that is consistent throughout its body. The unique angular design looks professional but also stylish and artistic. It reminded me of another Taiwanese company's award winning design: the HTC Touch Diamond.

The laptop is coated with a finish named 'Star Black' by ASUS, which from far away it looks like regular matte black, until you get close and see the blue metallic sparkle. It looks amazing but I'm looking forward to finding out how durable the surface is on the palm rest area over time, which I will come back with in my 90 day review.

Another minute but prominent design that I must mention is the indicator light that's placed right below the trackpad. I must confess that I am a fan of LED indicators, even on a phone. It tells you immediately whether the device is charging or the batteries are full. Though the light bar is meant for Alexa, I have a feeling that I will be using it as a battery indicator much more frequently.

Screen hinge done right

One of the most satisfying things that I find on a laptop is lifting its lid with one finger. Most laptops need two hands because when lifting the lid it always lifts the main body as well. Apple's the first to get this right, and it's always surprising to me how many Windows laptops can't get this trivial design perfected. The good news about the ExpertBook is that it's one of the few Windows machines that I've used that does open with one finger, and it oozes with good industrial design every time I open it up.

The ExpertBook has a ErgoLift hinge which I've become spoiled with and these days I find it fatiguing to type on machines that don't lift the keyboard to give it a comfortable angle to type on. The lift also increases the airflow below the warmer areas of the machine, allowing it to run more efficiently.

But what's special about the ExpertBook ErgoLift hinge is that it allows it to open all the way to 180 degrees. This is not the first laptop that I have used that can do this, but the ExpertBook is the first laptop that made me appreciate this ability. Why? Because it made it a perfect docking machine, allow me to explain:

The perfect docking laptop

These days I've come to appreciate the usefulness of elevating the computer screen while sitting at the desk, because it vastly improves ergonomics. With mobile phone usage, most people already arch their necks for extended periods of time throughout the day. To add laptop use to that could be the straw that breaks the camel's back. By lifting the screen, it allows the user to keep their neck upright, and reduce the amount of fatigue significantly.

Here is where the ExpertBook comes in. Because of its lightweight, as well as its ability to open its hinge all the way to 180 degrees, I found that just by using something as simple as a mobile phone stand (needs to be a reasonably robust one), the whole laptop can be stood up with the screen at eye level. Pairing it with a keyboard and mouse, I have vastly improved my working posture. It has become an extremely useful design that has improved my user experience on a daily basis.

The inclusion of two Thunderbolt connectors is another reason why the ExpertBook is a perfect docking laptop. All you need is a USB-C dongle with all your peripherals attached and it becomes your single dock connector that enables USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet and HDMI connections.

Security matters

For all businessmen, security is a key factor, and security is what the ExpertBook designers had in mind. As much as I liked the IR camera's face unlock, just like on my mobile phone I prefer the simplicity, speed and reliability of a fingerprint reader. And the ExpertBook's reader unlocks as fast as ASUS's flagship phone does - an impressive feat for a laptop.

The ExpertBook also has a built-in webcam shield, which elegantly stops visual 'eavesdropping' without having to resort to black tape hacks or third-party solutions from Amazon. The built-in webcam cover also proved to be more useful when attending online business meetings and I wanted to get everything ready before showing my face. It's a physical, fool-proof slider that gives total control over the webcam.

Final Remarks

These are only some of the features in the ExpertBook that makes it stand out in such a competitive industry, where new models are constantly being released, each more powerful and more compact in form than their predecessor.

I will be using the ExpertBook as a daily driver for the next 90 day for a long term review, where I will be updating my impression of how this laptop does in the long run. Expect it to include basic features that are used everyday like the battery life, keyboard and trackpad.

Sam is a production engineer turned tech writer who specializes in seeking out gadgets that enhances productivity while still looking sharp. This is a contribution to an ongoing IBTimes review series on gadgets for Business Travelers.