ASUS ZenBook 14 UM431DA Review – For the content creator on the go!

The ASUS ZenBook laptop series has become quite popular among users, and is certainly geared towards content creators and multimedia consumers, and in our review of the ZenBook 14 UMD431DA, it’s not any different. ASUS tries something new by introducing the AMD Ryzen processor to the premium series, which is what we get in here, with Ryzen 5. At RM2,999, it has quite the stacked hardware with the premium design of the ZenBook series. How does the performance compare to its price? Let’s find out!

First of all, the specs list:

Model	Asus ZenBook 14 (UM431DA)
Display	14” LED-backlit Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 slim-bezel NanoEdge anti-glare display
Processor	AMD Ryzen R5-3500U
Graphics	Integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 Graphics
Storage	512GB PCIe x2 SSD
Memory	8GB LPDDR3 2133MHz
Ports	USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (up to 10 Gbps) USB Gen 2 Type-A (Up to 5Gbps) USB 2.0 HDMI MicroSD card reader Audio jack
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth	Wi-Fi 5 (dual-band gigabit-class 802.11ac) Bluetooth 4.2
Software	Windows 10 Home (64bit)
Battery	47Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery 65W power adapter
Dimensions	323.5 x 211.85 x 15.9mm; 1.39kg
Audio	Quad-speaker audio system ASUS SonicMaster stereo audio system by Harman Kardon Array microphone with voice-recognition support: Cortana & Alexa
Keyboard and Trackpad	Backlit Chiclet single-color keypad Precision touchpad & 5.65” FHD+ (2160 x 1080) Super IPS ScreenPad

The base design elements of this model is the same as the ZenBook UX434, but there are certain finer details that are different. For one, the ZenBook UM431DA has a new ergolift design that allows the laptop to automatically lift the keyboard to a more comfortable typing position. It also improves the cooling and audio.

This ZenBook looks thinner than its predecessors, and is certainly quite light at a mere 1.39kg. The UM431DA has the first quad-speaker audio system for a ZenBook, with two speakers on both sides of its body certified by Harmon Kardon. Below the keyboard is the touchpad with a fingerprint scanner, able to read prints quickly and accurately, as well as support gestures.

For connectivity, the left has a HDMI connector, USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 1 port and USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1 port. The right has USB Type-A 2.0 port, audio jack and SD card reader. The NanoEdge display gives this ZenBook up to 86% screen-to-body ratio. It also helps make the ZenBook 14 more compact by 6% than the previous UX430 model. The display is quite crisp with its IPS panel.

The ASUS ZenBook 14 UM431DA is powered by AMD Ryzen R5 3500U, 8GB RAM DDR4 and AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 Graphics. For everyday use such as surfing the internet, reading/writing emails, watching any multimedia content and such, the laptop performs smoothly with no heating up or lag. You wouldn’t be using the ZenBook 14 for heavy gaming, but for the more “casual” gamers, it’ll service you well enough. You can see our benchmarks below:

The addition of the 512GB SSD is certainly welcome. Audio wise, the four Harmon Kardon speakers can provide a fairly immersive and clear quality for your films or songs. The ZenBook 14 has a 47Wh battery, which ASUS claims to last 12 hours. Over tests, it typically lasts 7-8 hours, which is good enough for a laptop of this caliber.

In concluding this ASUS ZenBook 14 UM431DA review, from its specs and hardware, it’s quite impressive for its price point. It has a premium design, nano-edge display, decent gaming capabilities for the casual player and a fairly long battery life, the ZenBook 14 UM431DA is a great pick for those looking for a pretty fly laptop at a lower price end. Pick it up here.