Gaming isn’t the only thing ASUS is making a fuss about with their newly released Zephyrus G14. ASUS’ commercial line also made noise this CES 2020 thanks to their ExpertBook B9450 laptop. The hype behind the ExpertBook B9450 is its lightness, weighing only 870 grams. Dubbed as the lightest 14-inch notebook in the market, does it offer more than just the weight?
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-10510 with Intel UHD Graphics 620 (1.8 GHz, up to 4.9 GHz, 8 MB cache, 4 cores) Intel Core i5-10210 with Intel UHD Graphics 620 (1.6 GHz, up to 4.2 GHz, 6 MB cache, 4 cores)Intel vPro technology support (optional) |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro Windows 10 Home |
| Memory | LDDR3 8GB/16 GB 2133MHz on board |
| Memory slot | N/A |
| SSD | SSD 2 X M.2 PCIe x4 (SATA core lay) (Max 2TB X 2) |
| HDD | N/A |
| Display | 14.0″ FHD (1920×1080), sRGB 100% (NTSC:72%), LED backlit, Anti-Glare, Wide View, non touch 300 nits |
| GPU | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Interface | 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (Thunderbolt 3) 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x HDMI 1 X micro HDMI for Lan chip 1 x Audio Combo Jack |
| Video Camera | N/A |
| Wireless | WIFI 6 (802.11AX) + Bluetooth 4.2 (Dual band 2×2) |
| LAN | N/A |
| Audio | Harman/Kardon Built-in microphone / Built-in Stereo 2 W Speakers |
| Weight | Starting from 870g with battery |
CONSTRUCTION
The ExpertBook B9 series’ body is CNC-milled using Magnesium Lithium Alloy. Lithium’s explosive and flammable material makes a very delicate, milling process. The construction of the ExpertBook B9 series is a 2-part process with over 20 stages each.
Magnesium Lithium Alloy is 16% lighter than aluminum alloy, which significantly reduces the overall weight of the laptop. Lighter doesn’t mean a fragile chassis as MgLi Alloy is 38% stronger; therefore there’s no sacrifice in the laptop’s overall build quality. In fact, the ASUS Expertbook B9450 meets the MIL-STD 810G military standard. As for performance, ASUS uses a graphite sheet for its ExpertBook B9’s cooling – A common material found on smartphones.
EXPERTBOOK B9450
The ExpertBook B9450 is a successor to the previous B9440 business laptop. It sports a black color scheme as opposed to the lighter ones found on ASUS’ consumer notebooks. Moreover, it has a boxy design that also distinguishes the laptop from consumer models.
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Port selection on the ExpertBook B9450 is impressive for a relatively small laptop. ASUS can fit a full-sized HDMI port and a USB-A port aside from the two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a Kensington lock slot.
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At 14.9mm thickness of the ExpertBook B9, ASUS managed to squeeze in a physical camera slider – A feature not found on ASUS’ consumer ultrabooks.
The typing experience isn’t something to be excited about at a very thin form factor. Keyboards are the typical sacrifice in the race for the thinnest and lightest. During our short time with the ExpertBook B9450, typing on it was surprisingly decent in terms of feedback and key travel. It’s nothing spectacular by laptop means, but it’s adequate when you factor in the B9450’s weight and thickness.
Its impressive ASUS is able to implement keyboard backlighting in a very thin chassis. There’s also ASUS’ signature Numberpad embedded on the trackpad. The horizontal length is not enough for most users, but at least ASUS tried to compensate, lengthwise.
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Another Asus-exclusive feature found on the ExpertBook B9 is the Ergolift hinge. It’s a mechanism where opening the laptop slightly elevates the keyboard area for an ergonomic typing experience. However, unlike Ergolift consumer laptops, the ExpertBook B9 tilts to a full 180-degrees.
The B9450’s slim profile is also matched with slim bezels at only 4 millimeters. The 14″ anti-glare coated screen is able to achieve a 94% screen-to-body ratio. The 1920 x 1080p IPS screen sports a 300-nit brightness, which is more than enough for business professionals as they regularly work in a well-lit room.
Alexa is integrated with the built-in lightbar below the trackpad. The bar lights up when you talk to Amazon’s smart assistant – A powerful tool for a business professional.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I, for one, would gladly pick up the ExpertBook B9450 as a daily driver mainly because of its lightness paired with adequate specs. But this laptop is really intended for business professionals as it packs nifty features that both protect and enhance a business professional’s workflow. Phone integration is a core part of the B9450 provided by the MyASUS software. It allows the user to transfer files, URLs, remote access, and even extend the screen.
The slim profile of the ExpertBook B9450 is definitely the laptop’s selling point. An 890-gram everyday partner for your professional needs. This laptop would easily fit in your sling bag and can easily be hand-carried alongside documents. Ofcourse, its lightness is also paired with top-notch hardware with Intel’s 10th-generation CometLake CPUs, which is more than enough for your extreme MS Office, skype, and email workloads. Its battery can also match your overtime session as it packs either a 12hr or 24hr battery (depending on your configuration), which removes the stress of finding a charging port. A consumer version without the heavy enterprise-grade security features is something to look forward to.
Grant is a Financial Management graduate from UST. His passion for gadgets and tech crossed him over in the industry where he could apply his knowledge as an enthusiast and in-depth analytic skills as a Finance Major. His passion allows him to earn at the same time help Gadget Pilipinas' readers in making smart, value-based decisions and purchases with his reviews and guides.
