ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA: Kaby Lake, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, TB3, 14" FHD, 2.4 lbs
by Anton Shilov on January 18, 2017 11:00 AM EST
ASUS has now launched the latest addition to its ZenBook family of ultra-thin laptops with 14” displays. The new ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA boasts with Intel’s latest Kaby Lake-U microprocessors, up to 16 GB of memory, up to 1 TB SSD along with an advanced audio sub-system, an updated keyboard and a fingerprint reader in a 12.9 mm-thick design that weighs around 1.1 kilograms (2.4 lbs).
ASUS’ ZenBook is among the most popular families of ultra-thin laptops on the market today that competes against the likes of Apple's MacBook, Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 as well as the HP Spectre. The PCs come with fully-fledged Intel Core processors along with a choice of high-capacity SSDs as well as a rather decent spec list in general. As it appears, ASUS decided to improve ZenBook’s design further by adding a larger 14” display, a high-capacity 46 Wh battery, an advanced audio sub-system co-designed with Harman Kardon, a trusted platform module as well as two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a USB 3.1 Type-C port. The Deluxe version of the ZenBook 3 laptop weds business features with multimedia capabilities, style and expandability options: a rather rare combination.
| ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490A at Glance | |||||
| UX390UA-XH74-BL | UX390UA-DH51-GR | ||||
| Display | Resolution | 1920×1080 | |||
| Panel | 14" IPS 178° viewing angles 100% sRGB Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
||||
| SoC | Intel Core i7-7500U 2C/4T, 2.7-3.5 GHz, 15W, Intel HD 620 |
Intel Core i5-7200U 2C/4T, 2.5-3.1 GHz, 15W, Intel HD 620 |
|||
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR3-2133 | 8 GB LPDDR3-2133 | |||
| Storage | 256 GB SATA SSD 512 GB NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD 1 TB NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD |
||||
| Camera | VGA webcam | ||||
| Wireless | 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.1 |
||||
| I/O ports | 2 × Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1 Type-C | ||||
| Audio | 4 × Speakers (co-designed with Harman Kardon) 1 × TRRS 3.5-mm jack for headset |
||||
| Dimensions | 329 × 216 × 12.9 mm | ||||
| Weight | 1100 grams | ||||
| Battery | 46 Wh | ||||
| OS | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit | ||||
| Fingerprint Sensor | Yes | ||||
| Finish | Royal Blue Silver Gray |
||||
| Availability | Available at ASUS Store and retailers ETA date unknown |
||||
The ASUS ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA is based on the Intel Core i5/i7 processor with integrated HD Graphics 620 and Microsoft’s Windows 10 Pro operating system. Different versions of the ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA will be equipped with 8 or 16 GB of LPDDR3-2133 DRAM as well as up to 1 TB PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD. For connectivity, the laptop uses an 802.11ac Wi-Fi + BT 4.1 wireless module, has one USB 3.1 Type-C header (which is also used for charging) and is equipped with two Thunderbolt 3 ports that can work in DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 modes. The laptop can be connected to 4K displays, an external GPU and an external storage system, greatly expanding its capabilities. To ensure that the PC does not overheat or throttle, ASUS uses a new 3-mm thick cooling solution that it expects to be efficient enough for the CPU and the SSD.
Like other high-end ZenBook laptops, the UX490UA comes in unibody enclosure made of an aluminum alloy that is said to be stronger compared to a standard aluminum alloy. To protect the display, the ZenBook 3 Deluxe uses Gorilla Glass 5 from Corning. Meanwhile, depending on configuration, the new ZenBook will come in a blue or a gray finish. It is worth noting that unlike some other Zenbook high-end models (such as the Zenbook Infinity), as far as we can tell, this device will not be touch screen enabled.
ASUS did not announce pricing of its ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA machines, but given that the PC will exist in multiple configurations, it will vary quite significantly. For example, ASUS’ ZenBook 3 non-Deluxe laptops are available for $1099 and $1599, depending on specs. Keep in mind that the Deluxe versions of ASUS products are naturally positioned above the rest, so expect the ZenBook 3 Deluxe to come at a premium.
Related Reading:
Source: ASUS
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
42 Comments
View All Comments
Yorgos - Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - link
Asus thinks that we like dongles like apple sheeps.Go wigle your dongles elsewhere asus, nice job on the frame and the specs, but turn your dongle elsewhere
TheTurboFool - Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - link
What are you prattling on about? It has three ports, which is a pretty decent number, and USB-C is the future. Whether or not you like that fact doesn't change it. Give it a few years and we won't need anything else. The only time the dongles get ridiculous is when there's only one port.Raniz - Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - link
1 USB-C and 2 ThunderBolt 3. I'd rather see 2 USB-C and 1 TB3 or even just 3 USB-C and no TB3.PCTC2 - Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - link
You do realize that Thunderbolt ports are compatible with USB-C, right? So you can use them as 3 USB-C, or any combination of the two.edwpang - Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - link
About to post the same, but I forgot my password, so...fanofanand - Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - link
Yes but nobody has any TB3 peripherals so you end up having to buy a dongle, which was the OP's complaint.grant3 - Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - link
Do you not realize that TB3 + USB-C use the exact same plugs?And that USB devices will operate when connected into a TB3 port?
No need for dongles.
You should read about the technology!!
eldakka - Thursday, January 19, 2017 - link
Not necessarily.USB-C port is a port capable of supporting many standards, Thunderbolt, USB, DP, and others (in a special mode).
A USB-C port CAN be:
ONLY Thunderbolt-3
ONLY USB 3.1/3.0
ONLY DisplayPort
ONLY none of the above
OR it can be any combination of the above. So you can have a USB-C port that supports TB3 and DP, but not USB 3/3.1. Or USB and DP but not TB3.
So unless the specification SPECIFICALLY state that the USB-C ports that support TB3 ALSO support USB, then there is no guarantee, nor expectation, that they also support USB.
Type-A has been the standard in desktops and laptops for something like 20 years. There are an awful lot of USB-A devices around, I'd suspect most people have many times more USB-A devices in current use than USB-C. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't go USB-C, but it needs to be phased in. I mean, it's only been mainstream for a year, if that. Therefore for at least the next 2 years, I think it would only be sensible to include both USB-C and A-type ports on anything except the tiniest devices (e.g. tablets, phones).
A 14" laptop at this point in the USB-C adoption cycle could have 2 Type-C and 2 type-A ports. The A ports don't even have to be 3.1 gen2, they could be 3.0. In a years time, make it 3 C and 1 A, and a year or 2 after that remove the remaining type-A, preferably replacing it with a type C. I think 3 USB ports (especially if at least 1 of them is going to be doing double-duty as a display-out) is too limiting for a 14" range laptop.
grant3 - Saturday, January 21, 2017 - link
TB3 by definition supports USB 3.1 - Gen 2.It's in the specification.
That is your "guarantee" that the TB3 ports support USB.
Please stop spreading lies.
fanofanand - Wednesday, January 25, 2017 - link
He wasn't spreading lies, he clearly states that TB3 CAN support USB. It's not automatic and a TB3 port is not identical to a USB-C, so maybe you should stop spreading lies.