ASUS ZENBOOK Prime UX31A Pro Reviews

It's really interesting when you compare outright pricing with contract phones and those from prepaid, mainly because there's a huge disparity – with this being a perfect example! Seriously though, the $220 cost of the AT&T Z998 is actually pretty good, especially when we factor in its modest specs for a prepaid phone, the fact that it boasts the same basic functionality as any other Android smartphone out there, and it comes packaged with a Bluetooth headset. It'll get the job done no doubt, but maybe not in the same quick manner as other high-end stuff. All told, the AT&T Z998 is a great option if you want something decent if you’re looking at going the prepaid route – instead of picking up one of those cut throat cheapo Android phones that might be nothing more than throwaways after a few months.

When ASUS first released the UX31E last fall, we found plenty to like in its striking design, high-quality display and brisk performance. The addition of backlighting and a more comfortable keyboard -- not to mention the step up to Ivy Bridge and Intel HD Graphics 4000 -- makes the whole package considerably better. But that doesn't mean the Zenbook Prime UX31A is now the best. To claim that title, it needs a more usable trackpad, above all else. We still think the MacBook Air is a better all-around ultraportable, as it offers a more comfortable touchpad and keyboard in a similarly attractive package, though we we wish it packed an IPS, 1080p display like the one on the UX31A. And though it's considerably more expensive, you might also be happier with the Samsung Series 9, which lasts longer on a charge, rocks an impressive display of its own and sports a more reliable trackpad. Still, given all the UX31A has to offer, chances are you'll be pleased with your purchase. Just evaluate your patience for temperamental touchpads before you pull the trigger.

The least expensive UX31A that we can recommend is the $1030 UX31A-DB51; you get the 1080p LCD but with a Core i5 CPU and a 128GB SSD. The Core i5 will end up being around 5-10% slower in practice, but if you’re able to live with an Ultrabook in the first place that isn’t likely to be a problem. The storage is a bit more difficult; I can easily use up all the capacity of a 128GB SSD, and even 256GB can start to feel inadequate—particularly when you lose 14GiB to the Windows recovery and fast-resume partitions. Since there’s no 512GB model available, your best bet in my book is to go with one of the 256GB models (or get the DB51 and try to buy a compatible 256GB SSD aftermarket). Right now you can find the UX31A-XB52 starting at $1395, which gives you the i5-3317U CPU with a 256GB SSD, or you can spend $39 more to get the UX31A-DB71 for $1434, which is what we’ve reviewed here. A few places might even be the same price for the DB71 (i.e. if you pay with cash at XoticPC). Considering we’re already well into premium price territory, I suggest just going whole hog and buying the DB71. It’s not cheap, but if you’re going to buy an Ultrabook I can’t think of any other option I’d rather have today.

The ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A series is well designed, performs great and is all that one can ask for in an Intel Ultrabook!

The Zenbook Prime UX31A boldly strides forward, only to stumble again. Asus introduces a brilliant 1080p IPS display that sets a high bar for every new premium ultrabook, and adds the backlit keyboard we missed, but fails to fix the terrible trackpad, weakens the hinge, stuffs it with cruft, and deadens the audio quality in the process. Parts of the experience feel premium, to be sure, but like the tacky stickers on the palmrest, the cheapness seeps through. There's little excuse in the second generation (of what's otherwise an identical laptop) for this sort of issue — particularly now that the 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,199 and there are plenty of Windows-based competitors.

The Asus Zenbook UX31A represents an incremental evolution over the original UX31E, but the improvements are welcome. The Ivy Bridge CPU and high resolution panel finally realizes the potential of the sleek chassis. The touchpad is much improved, though the keyboard is the same flat, Chiclet style. The real star of the show, however, is the 1080p LCD display. Editing photos or viewing movies on the system is a real treat, and made better by the reasonably good built-in speakers. The UX31A is not without quirks, like the oddly partitioned storage system. But overall, the new Zenbook represents a near-pinnacle of the Ultrabook design. It performs well, is super-slim and light, and looks fabulous.

The ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A is a great laptop in theory. It offers excellent day-to-day performance (gaming excluded), a wonderful display and respectable battery life. It fixes some problems that have continued to plague PC laptops, such as their inability to provide a display on par with the best tablets. Execution matters, however, and that’s where this laptop starts to go wrong. Backlight bleed was visible on both the review units I received and was unacceptable on the first. My second review unit also suffered from a warped chassis. This is not unheard of among thin laptops, and it was possible to bend the laptop back into shape. But ASUS needs to find a way to address this problem or, at the least, make sure they’re not shipping units with the issue. Of course, it’s not all bad news. I’m not aware of a laptop on the market with a better display. The UX31 is also well rounded, providing excellent performance in all areas besides gaming, a good keyboard and a decent touchpad (there have been reports of touchpad problems, but that’s an issue I did not experience.)

The last generation UX31E was a well-designed laptop which had very few faults that included the glossy display and low contrast. We are extremely happy with the successor. The UX31A improves on all the gripes we had with the display. The new non-reflective Full-HD IPS panel is a joy to work with and delivers some of the best brightness and contrast values on a Windows laptop. A high quality aluminum unibody construction lends some structural integrity to the laptop that is seldom seen in devices. Most of the ports with their respective adapter cables are included. There is also the back-lit keyboard that is more usable than the ones found on the UX32VD. The Ivy Bridge update as well as the ADATA MX11 SSD has improved the performance to a great extent. The user experience with the faster SSD is much improves. There is a significant improvement in the GPU allows for better multimedia consumption. It is to be noted that there was a slight increase in emissions but nothing that detracts from its appeal. Still, the UX31A is generally a whisper-quiet companion, with surface temperatures always within limits. Battery run times depending on the usage scenario are either a little worse or a little better than last year's model.

A gorgeous screen and plenty of refinements make the Prime a worthy successor to the original ZenBook

Stuck between a budget model and a high-end, feature-filled model, this middle Asus Zenbook is a slim, slick ultrabook, but also a tough sell.

The Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A-R5102F offers a good looking ultrabook, and ups the ante with a 1080p display and third-generation Intel processor.

Although it has its shortcomings, the Asus UX31A-DB51 (Zenbook Prime) is worthy of consideration by everyday users looking to jump into the ultrabook foray thanks to its gorgeous design, portability, and eye-popping display.

A gorgeous Ultrabook with a superb Full-HD display and plenty of stamina, but the price is simply far too high

Last year, the MacBook Air Air won 7 rounds to 4 for the ASUS, and tied in the remaining two categories. This year, Apple won 7 rounds, Asus won 5, and tied in one category. So ASUS has made progress, and it shows in the improvements the company has made. The UX31A’s keyboard and touchpad are miles better than last year’s model, and this machine’s 1080p display easily trumps that of the Air. There’s a reason why the Zenbook Prime is our Editors’ Choice Ultrabook. Still, Apple’s Air offers a faster boot time, better graphics performance, louder speakers and a more reliable touchpad. What tips this battle in the Air’s favor is its more than 8 hours of battery life, which allows Apple to repeat as champion in this head-to-head match.

No word on an exact launch date yet but, when it does, we're told to expect a price tag around the £1,500 mark. Not cheap, we know – but it's pricey riding around on luxury flagships.