Asus launches the ultra-thin ZenBook, we go hands-on

Both laptops feature a very bright 450 nits screen, something which Asus says is 3 times brighter than what normally appears on laptops. The 13 inch also features a resolution of 1600×900, making it one of the best screen resolutions we’ve ever seen on a machine in its size.

Asus has also done some work to the power brick, shrinking it from the large bricks PC users are normally forced to carry down to something a little more friendly and backpack-friendly.

The specs look to be strong in the laptops, with 4GB RAM, 128GB and 256GB solid state drives, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4 technology, Bang & Olfusen sound, and either a 2nd generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor.

Asus has also been working hard to make the price competitive, and while it’s not an Apple-beating RRP, it’s not far off. The 11 inch UX21 models – each with a 128GB SSD – will come in at $1,399 and $1,599 for the Core i5 and Core i7 respectively, while the Core i5 13 UX31 inch will retail for $1,499 with the same size drive.

The high-end UX31 with a Core i7 and 256GB drive will cost a little more, setting an RRP of $1,999 when it – and the rest of the range – arrives in stores later this week.