Dealing with lines

Dealing with laptops is somewhat more difficult, since the same model can have several modifications with different numerical indices, which, in turn, are also equipped with different hardware. And to make life seem even sweeter, for different models, the company can release dozens of such modifications that differ in names, indices and a couple of minor details. Therefore, when choosing a laptop, we advise you to focus on the combination of the characteristics you need, price and functionality. And once you understand what exactly you need (and why), you can look for a suitable model and choose the appropriate set of characteristics.

And now let's go to deal with the rulers of Asus. We immediately say that there are a lot of them, but the manufacturer divided them into fairly understandable classes. So, the ROG, TUF and FX lines are gaming, VivoBook is thin and modern everyday laptops with a tempting price tag, and ZenBook is a premium class, a kind of VivoBook on steroids. And from below they are propped up by a great many low-cost models with letter designations like Asus K or Asus F.

Letter series F, K, M, R and X: modest but tasteful


The letter series Asus has five different lines — F, K, M, R and X. To keep it simple, we consider them as one general line, since for the most part they are fairly simple and affordable laptops for study, office work, and everyday tasks. The attributes are appropriate — an entry-level processor, back-to-back RAM, a plastic case, not the most top-end screen and a minimum of bells and whistles. And all this at a very attractive price. However, there are also exceptions that are quite suitable for both games and heavy software, but at the same time they are relatively inexpensive. Again, all because of the minimum of bells and whistles and not the top-end display.

If we look at the assortment in more detail, we will see that the sale is dominated by models of the X series of virtually any level. Laptops of the R, M and F series are less common and do not differ much from the X. Well, the K line has not been updated for a long time and actually went to the dustbin of history. On the market you can find on the strength of 2 – 3 models, released back in 2015 – 16.

The range of prices ranges from quite ridiculous $200 for the basic Asus X543MA(Celeron N4000 + 4 GB RAM + 1000 GB HDD) to $1000 for the conventional Asus X570UD with rather powerful hardware (Core i7, 12 GB RAM) and a mid-range GTX graphics card 1050, which still allows you to play almost any game at high graphics settings and Full HD resolution.

VivoBook: fashionable and modern middle class


In the VivoBook series, you can find 4 separate lines: the simple Vivobook itself, the slightly pumped VivoBook S, the seriously improved VivoBook Pro, and several VivoBook Flip transformers. All of them are designed in a similar vein, share a common aesthetic and ideas, so the main difference lies in the power of the hardware base and additional bells and whistles.

VivoBook: entry-level middle class

This is what the modern middle class should look like: an ergonomic keyboard, a fingerprint scanner, backlit keyboard and keys, up-to-date communication modules and a modern design with thin bezels, sleek lines and a lightweight body. And all this for a reasonable price of $500. A separate flavor to the line gives a rather bold colour, which Asus began to promote a couple of years ago. As a result, red, blue, turquoise, golden Wiwobooks looked much more attractive than ordinary grey “office mice”. It is interesting that processors from AMD (both new Ryzen and outdated Fusion) began to be used as filling in the latest models, which made it possible to slightly reduce the final price.

VivoBook S: middle class

Everything is the same as the regular VivoBook, but a little better, thinner, lighter, faster and more beautiful. While regular models are designed for everyday use, the S is designed for comfortable and performant work. Iron here usually for work "without brakes". In addition to the basic Vivobook chips, interesting things have been added, such as an ergonomic stand cover, fast charging, eminent acoustics, etc. Some models are equipped with Face ID and ScreenPad branded touchpads, which act as an additional display.

VivoBook Pro: mid-range +

Pro models are positioned as models of the upper price category, designed to solve both everyday household and complex professional tasks. Thanks to powerful hardware, a good graphics card and often 17-inch screens, they can become a complete replacement for a home PC for games, movies and work. Of the additional goodies, Harman Kardon acoustics, a thin metal case and fast charging are often found. In general, this is all very similar to the Vivobook S, but a little more powerful and stricter. No red keyboard colours and other liberties for you. Work should be work, as Asus hints to us.

VivoBook Max: laptops for study

Don't let the name Max fool you, it's the simplest and not too expensive series. Usually they have a weak filling, designed for studying, watching videos and surfing the Internet. However, you can’t call these laptops frankly weak, since the relatively new Core i5, 8 GB of RAM and SSD make it quite comfortable to work with this baby. In some cases, it will be possible to play. But everything else was put under the knife: the design is not the freshest, the keyboard is unpretentious, Wi-Fi modules of the fourth generation, webcams and speakers are very unpretentious. But the price is pleasant, almost any VivoBook Max can be picked up for $400-500.

VivoBook Flip: transformers

Stylish, portable, convertible laptops with a touch screen that can be rotated 360 degrees or folded back to the keyboard, turning it into a tablet. Such things are designed to work with the stylus — drawing, sketching, drawings are given to him quite well. The creative process is accompanied by quite powerful components. The price for such transformers is quite democratic by the standards of this class, thanks to the simplest integrated video cards. The bonus is light weight and small dimensions, such a VivoBook Flip will fit into any bag, case or backpack without any problems.

ZenBook: a premium machine, a direct competitor to the MacBook


Unlike the VivoBook series, progressive ZenBooks are more clearly divided into segments — at the beginning of the food chain are just high-performance models, followed by more powerful Pro / Duo, and closing the chain touchscreen ZenBook Flip.

ZenBook: Powerful Image Ultrabooks

Image ultrabooks in a stylish, thin and light aluminium case, designed for various tasks that require an increased hardware resource — photo processing, working with audio, compiling code, etc. Equipped with a bunch of bells and whistles, powerful processors, a good amount of memory, fast SSD and often high-performance video cards. Interestingly, almost all hardware is energy efficient, so the battery does not suffer from rapid discharge, and the components do not melt inside the case from constant heat. In addition, most Zenbooks are designed so that you do not have to regret the lack of something important. USB-C ports, fast charging, Harman-branded speakers, fingerprint scanners, backlit keyboards, and Pantone-certified colour-perfect displays are the hallmarks of virtually every ZenBook.

ZenBook Pro/Duo (Powerful)

ZenBook Pro is a powerful thin ultrabook in a sleek, fashionable design. In fact, it is a direct competitor to the powerful, sophisticated and expensive MacBook Pro. Savings are also the last priority here, and almost every new model knows a couple of new tricks that you want to show off to your friends. For example, recently, in some models of the series, an additional ScreenPad screen has settled right under the keyboard, which can function as a touchpad or an additional control ala Touch Bar. And models with the Duo prefix even have a “continuation” of the display on the case (a section with an additional small display) for even more efficient work.

ZenBook Flip (transformers)

Ultra-portable convertible performance laptops for those who want the beef of other Zenbooks, but with touchscreen capability in mind. Of the interesting features here are often Harman Kardon acoustics, high-capacity batteries with fast charging, Face ID, and cases with military certification MIL-STD-810G. However many models are equipped with a weak built-in video instead of a conditional GTX 1050, so if you need a graphics card, then look for a model that does not have an integrated Intel 620. It will not be very expensive, but it will come in handy in the future.

ROG, TUF, FX: gaming laptops for every taste

FX: Affordable Legacy Gaming Laptops

A once interesting series that is currently dying out as Asus decided to focus on the ROG and TUF lines. However, FX family laptops may appeal to low-cost gamers, as for a rather modest $ 700 in some modifications you can find a still peppy seventh generation Core i7, 256 GB SSD, 8 GB of RAM (or 16 GB, but a little more ) and a graphics card of the GTX 1050 caliber. This is quite enough to get 60 FPS in almost any modern game at high graphics settings. Although, with very new projects like RDR2, you will have to fiddle with the settings for yourself, the GTX 1050 has a hard time in such games. The reverse side of the FX line is an outdated design, thick body, large screen bezels and other attributes of the 2017-2018 models.

TUF Gaming: affordable gaming laptops for a new era

TUF Gaming (The Ultimate Force) is a logical continuation of the FX series with an updated design and more recent components. The series has retained the main advantage of its predecessor, namely an attractive price for performant hardware. Additional bonuses include thin display bezels, RGB keyboard backlighting, displays often have increased frame rates, and cases have become stronger. Many models have MIL-STD-810G military certification. All in all, this is a great choice for beginner gamers.

ROG: any games without brakes

ROG (Republic Of Gamers) is the top gaming series from Asus, which has recently expanded and now actually combines several gaming lines. At the same time, the essence of ROG is unchanged — these are very stylish, rather thin, stuffed gaming laptops. They always have the latest processors and graphics cards at the time of release, high-quality displays with maximum colour reproduction and high refresh rates.

Regular ROGs tend to be classic gaming laptops: big, noisy, and powerful. Necessarily with a catchy design, bright keyboard backlight and a fast matrix. Among all ROGs, you can find both low-cost models and monsters of the ROG Chimera caliber with a six-core processor and a GTX 1080 Ti graphics card.

ROG Zephyrus is a variation on the theme of "how I would like to see a gaming laptop." Namely, thin, stylish, performant and at the same time not too hot. Of the interesting chips, an interesting cooling system stands out, which slightly raises the laptop above the surface when the screen is opened, increasing the airflow. Iron usually costs either above average or top. Therefore, friezes, slowdowns and lags are unfamiliar words for the Zephyrus owner. Prices are appropriate, from $1500 to $3000.

The ROG Strix series is more confusing, ranging from old-school thick-bodied models to more modern ultrabook-like gaming machines. Includes a pack of different directions: Strix G, Strix SCAR Edition, Strix Hero Edition, All of them are noticeably different from each other in terms of design or some little things. For example, ROG Hero is designed for moba games like Dota 2, and ROG Scar is designed for shooter fans. The difference lies in the special design and backlighting of the keyboard, which highlights frequently used keys for the first or second genre of games.

PRO/ExpertBook: serious business


PRO ExpertBook series laptops are designed for business and focused on maximum data protection and laptop protection. Fingerprint scanner, webcam shutter, hardware TPM module, protected by the American military standard MIL-STD-810G housing with a particularly strong reinforced structure, kensington lock. Also, laptops can boast of good performance and battery life.

Now on the market you can mainly find PRO laptops of 2018-2019, but soon more modern ExpertBook corporate laptops should arrive in stores. They promise large touchpads with numerical block integration, battery life up to 24 hours and improved reliability.