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The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra proved interesting to me for two main reasons. First is its processor – Intel’s Panther Lake platform – which I found nearly as compelling as early Ryzen releases. The second reason is the laptop’s positioning. This model is aimed at executives and senior managers who need a combination of compactness, professionalism, performance, and battery life, while also expecting a degree of refinement, an open ecosystem, and minimal restrictions.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra video review
Specifications
- Available colours: Morn Grey/Jet Fog
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra X7 Processor 358H
- Graphics: Intel Arc B390
- Display: 14-inch, Tandem OLED, WQXGA+ 2880 × 1800, 16:10, Anti-glare display
- Brightness: 600 nits (1400 nits in HDR)
- DCI-P3: 100%
- Display HDR True Black: 1000
- RAM: up to 64 GB LPDDR5X
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB Type-A 10 Gbps, 3.5 mm, HDMI 2.1 TMDS
- SSD slot: 1x M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4
- Keyboard: backlit, 1.5 mm
- Webcam: 1080p FHD + Windows Hello
- Battery: 70 Wh
- Power adapter: Type-C, 90W
- Weight: from 0.99 kg
- Dimensions: 31.09×21.28×1.09 cm
- Chassis protection: MIL-STD-810H
- Software protection: ASUS ExpertGuardian + NIST SP 800-193
Price and Positioning
It’s important to understand the market positioning clearly. The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra in my configuration – Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, 64 GB LPDDR5X 8533 MT/s, and a 2 TB NVMe SSD – costs approximately $3,900 or €3,400.
There are multiple configurations available, with different displays, processors ranging from Core Ultra 5 to Core Ultra X9, and graphics options from standard Intel Graphics up to the Arc Pro B390. RAM is soldered and available in 16, 32, or 64 GB, so it should be chosen according to intended workloads. Storage is a single NVMe slot supporting PCIe 4 or PCIe 5, with capacities from 512 GB to 2 TB, and it uses a full-size 2280 form factor rather than the smaller 2242.
The laptop is offered in two colors: Morn Grey (as in my review unit) and Jet Fog, a darker black option.
Package Contents
The box includes the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra and a 90 W USB Type-C charger. In retail units, there will also be a carrying case and a LAN adapter, which were not included with my review sample.
One immediate positive aspect is that the laptop had no issues charging from any of the chargers I tested – whether the newer Baseus EnerGeek GR11, the older ZMI No.20, or a 125 W Motorola unit. The Power Delivery implementation here works reliably.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra Design
Regarding its appearance, the ExpertBook Ultra has a clean and professional look. The chassis is gray and matte, with only the central metallic logo on the lid finished glossy. The body is made from a magnesium-aluminum alloy with a ceramic-like coating, referred to as Nano Ceramic.
The distinction mainly lies in the surface treatment and hardness. Zenbook models use “Ceraluminium,” a ceramic-coated aluminum, while the ExpertBook Ultra uses Nano Ceramic. The Nano Ceramic coating has a pencil hardness rating of 9H – the highest level typically applied to protective glass in smartphones. Translated to the Mohs scale, this corresponds roughly to 5–7, which is significantly harder than standard aluminum, which scores about 3 on the Mohs scale.
What do we gain with such an unusual material? Primarily, a high level of scratch resistance and strong resistance to fingerprints. Tactilely, both Nano Ceramic and Ceraluminium feel very pleasant to the touch, providing a satisfying, premium texture that enhances the overall user experience.
Ergonomics
In addition to its premium materials, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra features a thoughtfully designed chassis. The touchpad is recessed slightly, creating a small lip that makes it easier to lift the lid. The laptop can be opened with one hand, although the hinge does not allow a full 180-degree rotation – it reaches roughly 150 degrees at most.
The laptop’s chassis is lightweight and slim, weighing around 1 kg (±100 g) with dimensions of 31.09 × 21.28 × 1.09 cm. The bottom panel features rubber feet that run nearly the full length of the device, along with ventilation openings. The build also meets the MIL-STD-810H military standard for durability.
Above the display, there’s a set of sensors and a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support. The webcam quality is solid, and it even includes a physical privacy shutter. The power button also integrates a fingerprint sensor, which is a welcome addition – especially compared to my current laptop, where the IR camera struggles in low-light conditions.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra Display
I wouldn’t claim that the ExpertBook Ultra has the best display in the business laptop segment, but it is certainly high-quality and can comfortably rank among the top performers. The panel is 14 inches, WQXGA+ (2880×1800 pixels), with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, offers a 91% screen-to-body ratio, and supports HDR, including VESA HDR True Black 1000. The display also features Variable Refresh Rate, ranging from 30 to 120 Hz, which helps balance smooth visuals with battery efficiency.
The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra offers two panel options: POLED or Tandem OLED. Tandem OLED uses a multi-layer structure, similar in concept to Intel Lakefield or AMD X3D designs. While more expensive, this technology provides higher brightness compared to standard POLED panels – around 200 nits more in regular mode and up to 800 nits in HDR mode – resulting in noticeably better visibility and contrast under bright conditions.
In addition to the display technology, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for scratch resistance, along with a specialized Corning Gorilla Glass Matte coating. This matte layer significantly reduces reflections, making the screen easier to view in bright environments without affecting touch responsiveness.
The combination of Gorilla Glass protection and high brightness ensures good usability even in direct sunlight. It’s not perfect, but noticeably better than many other laptops, including some in higher price ranges.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra Performance
One of the main reasons this laptop stood out is its use of Intel’s latest processors. My review unit was equipped with the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, paired with the Intel Arc Pro B390 GPU. Together with the Panther Lake generation behind it, this hardware delivers strong performance for both business and creative workloads. The platform handles demanding applications smoothly, and its combination of CPU and GPU capabilities places it ahead of many competing solutions in the professional segment.
In short, the laptop features a 12-core, 16-thread processor with clock speeds up to 4.8 GHz and a TDP of up to 55 W. The integrated GPU runs at up to 2.5 GHz across 12 Xe cores, with a theoretical performance of up to 122 TOPS. The combined package has an approximate thermal envelope of 80 W, with more than half dedicated to the CPU, which becomes particularly noticeable under stress tests or during gaming workloads.
The overall performance of the CPU and integrated GPU can be described as comparable to a discrete mobile graphics card operating under 100 W. Intel has clearly optimized this design, as the 25 W Intel B390 delivers performance similar to an AMD Radeon 780M, which consumes over 50 W, and even approaches an RTX 4060 with a 60 W+ power envelope.
To put the significance of this GPU into context: we are talking about integrated graphics within the CPU. Neither the processor nor the GPU is a flagship model, yet together they outperform competitors that are either more expensive or more powerful on paper.
Additionally, after testing the laptop both on battery and plugged in, I can confidently state that the performance difference is only about 10–20%, which is negligible for a productivity-focused device. Overall performance is impressive, especially considering that the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra’s native resolution is 2880×1800, effectively a 3K display.
Even at 3K resolution, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra manages around 60 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077, under 40 FPS in Monster Hunter: Wilds and Homeworld 3, and over 80 FPS in Strange Brigade. This is running entirely on the integrated GPU that comes with a laptop designed primarily for business – so much so that a typical gamer might not even consider it.
In that sense, the ExpertBook Ultra serves as a kind of benchmark for evaluating emerging portable gaming devices, like the ASUS ROG Ally. If you want a pocket-sized device capable of pushing 60+ FPS in FHD games, this laptop demonstrates that integrated graphics are catching up more than expected.
Thermals and Cooling
Since the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is an ultrabook without a discrete GPU – but with components that can collectively draw up to around 100 W – the cooling system relies on two fans and several heat pipes. Under stress tests, even at moderate performance presets, this setup doesn’t always keep temperatures low, and the top row of the keyboard can reach around 50 °C.
It’s worth noting that the fan operates exceptionally quietly, even under gaming or stress loads. In practice, it feels noticeably quieter than many competitors, including MacBooks. This level of acoustic control is particularly important for the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra, as it aligns with the expectations for a premium business ultrabook.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra delivers a keyboard and touchpad experience that meets high expectations for a premium business laptop. The keyboard has 1.5 mm of key travel, with a clear and well-balanced feel, and includes backlighting. The touchpad is responsive and precise, supporting standard Windows gestures without noticeable lag or friction. Overall, both input devices feel thoughtfully designed for extended use.
The touchpad on the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra stands out not just for its size but for its functionality. It’s a haptic touchpad, meaning it responds to pressure rather than a mechanical click. This allows the entire surface to register input consistently, so you can press anywhere on it and get the same tactile response. It’s precise, uniform, and adds a subtle sense of control that typical clickpads don’t provide.
The touchpad’s behavior is highly configurable. You can adjust the click mechanism in detail or even disable the physical press entirely, using simple taps on the surface instead – as I did immediately. This allows for a smoother, more personalized interaction depending on your workflow preferences.
As my colleagues noted, transitioning to this touchpad from a MacBook’s is much easier than one might expect. That ease of adaptation is a notable advantage.
Audio and data transfer
Amid all the excitement about the processor, it’s important to remember that the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is a business laptop, and it prioritizes features relevant to professional use. One of these is audio quality.
The laptop’s speaker system is technically composed of six drivers: two dual woofers and two tweeters. Audio quality is solid, comparable to a MacBook, even at maximum volume. Bass is sufficient, midrange is clear, and highs are well-defined, delivering a balanced overall sound profile.
The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is equipped with an Intel BE211 network adapter, currently one of the top options available. It supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, although software or regulatory restrictions may limit certain frequency bands. Nevertheless, having an Intel BE211 ensures excellent wireless performance and is likely to draw admiration from other users.
For connectivity, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra offers two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB Type-A ports (at least 10 Gbps), an HDMI 2.1 output, and a combined audio jack. Both Thunderbolt 4 ports support full functionality for data transfer and power delivery, although the charging indicator is only present on the left-side port.
The laptop also features an LED strip along the bottom of the display, branded as ExpertLumi. It isn’t configurable, but it can be turned off with a dedicated keyboard button. The lighting is subtle and unobtrusive, adding a refined aesthetic. Currently, it responds automatically to system activity, login, and shutdown, though additional control options would be welcome.
Software
The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra comes with a few preinstalled utilities. MyASUS allows adjustment of performance modes, display color settings, OLED burn-in protection, audio presets, and more. ScreenXpert is included for managing multi-monitor setups. MyExpert provides access to AI assistants, while AI ExpertMeet is designed to support AI-powered features during business meetings, including real-time translation and voice documentation, with support for local LLMs.
It is also worth noting that the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is a professional business laptop with enhanced cybersecurity features. However, these protections can be quite restrictive – in this case, I was unable to install even PCMark, downloaded from the official site, until I disabled the “Intelligent Application Control” option in Windows security settings.
The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is also listed among laptops that support G-Helper, an open-source application that allows detailed configuration of both CPU and GPU performance. This makes it possible, in theory, to increase GPU usage while reducing CPU load, potentially improving FPS in games.
Conversely, the system’s power consumption can be reduced below the default settings by lowering power limits for either battery or mains operation. On the topic of power consumption…
Battery Life
Regarding battery life, there is a minor caveat, which is entirely my own oversight. I have been following the release of Intel Panther Lake since its initial announcements, and I recall that, with a sufficiently sized battery, Panther Lake can achieve over 20 hours in the PCMark Battery Test – performance comparable to a MacBook, which is notably high for a Windows x64 laptop.
For context, the earliest Panther Lake samples included batteries with a capacity of 99 Wh. The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra, by comparison, has a 70 Wh battery. This notwithstanding, it still achieves around 12 hours in the PCMark Battery Test Video, starting from 90% rather than 100%, suggesting that a full charge could potentially yield closer to 13 hours.
This indicates that the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra is suitable for a full day of light workloads, which aligns with the expectations for a business laptop. Additionally, it supports USB charging, so a 100 W power bank or a sufficiently powerful smartphone charger can be used without issues.
Conclusion
Handling a device designed for executives of high-profile companies is a distinct experience. It is difficult to describe the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra as a fully versatile device, particularly given its price point.
However, many of its components – such as the metal-aluminum chassis, Tandem OLED display, the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor, and notable battery life – are available in other ASUS models. What sets this laptop apart is the combination of these elements in a single 14-inch device. For this reason, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra can be considered a recommended option within its segment.
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