The Microsoft Store now has the Asus ZenBook UX305CA, sporting a QHD+ touch screen, available for purchase at $699. That's $100 less than its regular price.
The ZenBook UX305 line is Asus' sector of entry-level ultrabooks. This means that they are optimized to deliver a perfect balance between function and form, and usually they are extremely slim and easy to carry around.
Even if buyers will not find premium features such as a backlit keyboard on them, these ultrabooks give a great value for money ratio. When the first ZenBook came out this year, it was priced at $699 and the price for similar class notebooks continue to drop. Or better yet, new models appear, offering significantly better specs for the same buck.
The new Asus ZenBook UX305CA is one such device, and it comes with a 13.3-inch, 3200 x 1800 pixel touch screen to boot. Under the hood, the laptop sports a Skylake processor, Intel Core m3-6Y30 to be precise. The CPU is backed by 8 GB of RAM, while the storage space reaches 256 GB.
Asus claims that the 45 Whr power source can last for 10 hours of casual use.
Connectivity works by means of Bluetooth 4.0, three USB 3.0 ports and a 802.11ac Wi-Fi. For audio-video output there are a micro HDMI port and a headset jack, and if owners want to quickly transfer some pictures from a DSLR camera, the SD card slot is ready for that.
One minus is that ZenBook UX305CA lacks an Ethernet jack, but for those dependent on a wired connection, a USB-to-Ethernet adapter will solve your problem.
The size of the device is 12.75 x 8.89 x 0.48 inches and it pulls down 3.02 pounds. The gadget will most likely be quite silent as well, as it is fanless: the Core M processor heats up very little, so Asus decided to rely just on passive cooling.
According to reviews, the Core M3 Skylake processor can take on even the powerful Core i5 Broadwell chip found on more beefy devices. Such information underlines the Skylake's ability to provide convincing levels of performance for the laptop, but only extended testing can show if the high-res touch screen display will be a blessing or a curse for the battery life.
The Asus ZenBook UX305CA is available to purchase for $699 in the Microsoft Store and comes with Windows 10, 64-bit version out of the box. As a bonus, the Redmond-based company also offers a $50 Windows Store gift card with the order.
