ASUS ZenBook UX51Vz Pro Reviews

The ASUS UX51VZ is a well-rounded 15.6-inch notebook that's ultimately a bit too expensive. There's little to actually complain about; at the top of the list is the lack of a touch-enabled display and always-audible cooling fans; it also gets a bit warm under full load and has just a one-year warranty. Otherwise we like what we see; the UX51VZ packs an incredible amount of power into a thin chassis including a quad-core processor, dedicated Nvidia graphics card and dual SSDs. The IPS display is beautiful and has an appreciated anti-glare surface. The backlit keyboard has a good feel and is quiet like the clickpad. The build quality is good but not exceptional. Lastly let's not forget about the excellent Bang & Olufsen speakers and very good battery life. The UX51VZ is one of the most expensive notebooks we've tested lately at $1,949 MSRP; we looked online and found it for not quite $100 less, a far cry from being a good value. It probably would be a reasonable price if the cons we found didn't exist but it still wouldn't be considered a "deal." We're otherwise happy to recommend the ASUS UX51VZ - though for a lower price. Find one on sale and you'll have a respectable notebook.

Is the UX51Vz a worthwhile purchase? Could be: it packs high-performing internals into a sleek package and offers a comfortable keyboard, to boot. But few though the cons may be, they could be reason enough to justify passing this system up. The machine verges on cost-prohibitive, especially considering the battery life isn't great and there's no touchscreen for interacting with Windows 8. If those shortcomings don't deter you, though, the UX51Vz is easily the most powerful Ultrabook you can get.

The Asus Zenbook UX51Vz-DH71 is a nice fit for anyone looking for premium looks and performance in a Windows 8 laptop who is willing to pay for it.

With a high-def 15.6-inch screen and discrete graphics (although Nvidia's Optimus technology switches from the GeForce to the Intel CPU's graphics for undemanding applications such as office productivity and Web browsing), it's not surprising that the Zenbook's battery life is shorter than other ultrabooks'. But at about four hours on our near-worst-case-scenario video rundown test, it's still decent for this class of machine. You'll be able to get through a movie or two on the plane:

The Asus ZenBook UX51Vz-DH71 is a power users' ultraportable, with a quad-core CPU and high-end 3D graphics. Middling battery life and "only" a 1080p screen keep if from earning our top honors.