Asus ExpertBook Ultra review: Powerful performance packed in lightweight chassis

Rating: 3.5/5
Asus has long proven itself in the premium laptop space. From offering ultra-portable business laptops to performance-focused machines, Asus has consistently experimented with blending power and portability. The latest addition to its premium enterprise lineup is the Asus ExpertBook Ultra. This is a lightweight AI-powered laptop designed for professionals who want performance without carrying extra weight.

We tested the Asus ExpertBook Ultra in the Morn Grey colour option with 64GB LPDDR5X RAM and 2TB PCIe 5.0 SSD storage, which costs Rs 3, 49, 990. On paper, the laptop promises flagship specifications, including Intel’s latest Panther Lake processors, a 3K Tandem OLED touchscreen, military-grade durability, and AI-focused features packed into a chassis weighing under 1kg. But beyond specifications, does the ExpertBook Ultra deliver enough to justify its positioning? Here's what we think about the laptop.

Design and build

The first thing we noticed after taking the ExpertBook Ultra out of the box was just how light it felt. At around 0.99kg, it almost makes you question whether you’re holding the entire laptop or just the lid. Carrying it in a backpack for days was a breeze as it takes up very little space and adds minimal weight, making it convenient for commuting or frequent travel. At 10.9mm thick, the slim profile is immediately noticeable, yet it never feels fragile.

The Morn Grey finish gives the laptop a clean, understated appearance. Its sandpaper texture feels refined and does a good job resisting fingerprints during prolonged use. Asus uses a magnesium-aluminium alloy chassis with Nano Ceramic coating, which adds an extra layer of toughness while giving the surface a slight roughness which we liked. Despite the lightweight construction, the chassis remains solid with minimal flex around the keyboard deck or display lid.

Opening the laptop is smooth, with a hinge that offers enough resistance to lift the lid with one hand while holding angles steadily without noticeable wobble. The compact footprint also makes it easier to use on smaller desks or cramped workspaces.

Asus has managed to fit in a number of ports in such a thin chassis. The laptop includes two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports with support for charging, display output and data transfer, alongside two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1 and a 3.5mm audio jack. In practice, this meant we rarely needed to carry additional adapters.

For a laptop this slim, the keyboard performs well during longer writing sessions. The 1.5mm key travel provides a comfortable typing experience, while the keys offer enough feedback to maintain the typing rhythm during extended document editing. The spacing feels natural, and the subtle texture on the keycaps adds to the overall experience. The backlighting proved useful during late-night work, while the dedicated Copilot key remains within easy reach for users relying on AI tools.

The large haptic touchpad is another area where the laptop leaves a good impression. The glass surface feels smooth, gesture tracking remained accurate throughout our testing, and the vibration feedback closely mimics the sensation of physical clicks. Combined with the spacious palm rest area, the overall setup remained comfortable during prolonged use.

Display and audio

The display is one of the key reasons to consider the ExpertBook Ultra. The laptop features a 14-inch 3K Tandem OLED touchscreen with a 2880 x 1800 resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio, offering sharp visuals and additional vertical space for productivity tasks. During daily use, whether editing photos, working on spreadsheets, or streaming content, text appeared crisp while colours looked rich and accurate.

The Tandem OLED structure, which stacks two OLED layers, helps the panel achieve up to 1400 nits HDR peak brightness. HDR-supported content looked immersive, with deep blacks, strong contrast, and vivid highlights adding depth to movies and videos. The 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification contribute to vibrant visuals and consistent colour reproduction.

What stood out most during testing was the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus matte anti-glare treatment. OLED panels often struggle with reflections, but the ExpertBook Ultra remained comfortable to use near bright windows and under harsh indoor lighting. Reflections were controlled effectively without noticeably affecting image quality, making the display practical for both indoor and outdoor use. The touchscreen also felt smooth and responsive during navigation, handling quick gestures and taps accurately.

Audio performance is managed by a six-speaker setup featuring dual woofers and dedicated tweeters. For a laptop this slim, the sound output feels good enough, with clear vocals during meetings, video calls, and movies. Music playback offered decent separation and a sense of depth, while Dolby Atmos processing added a more spacious effect during media consumption.

Bass is present but lacks the impact some users may prefer. At higher volumes, the speakers lose depth, though the overall audio experience remains good enough for a lightweight business laptop.

Performance and AI features

This is where the ExpertBook Ultra starts to justify its premium positioning. Our review unit came equipped with an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor, paired with 64GB LPDDR5X RAM and a 2TB PCIe 5.0 SSD. The hardware combination provided enough headroom for demanding workflows and heavy multitasking.

During testing, the laptop handled multiple browser tabs, Office applications, spreadsheets, Photoshop edits, video calls, Adobe Lightroom, and background processes simultaneously without noticeable slowdowns. Application launches felt quick, while the PCIe 5.0 SSD helped reduce waiting times during file transfers and when opening large project files or media libraries.

Thermal management also remained controlled during extended workloads. Even after sustained usage, including multitasking and media processing, the palm rest and keyboard deck stayed comfortable to use, with warmth mostly limited to the underside. Asus credits this to the ExpertCool Pro cooling system, which uses three heat pipes, large-span fans, triple air outlets, and support for performance modes up to 50W.

The ExpertBook Ultra also integrates Intel AI Boost NPU alongside AI-focused tools through Asus MyExpert and Windows Copilot features. AI capabilities such as document summarisation, file search, meeting assistance, translations, and productivity tools are included. During use, these features felt practical for everyday workflows, though their usefulness will depend on individual work habits.

AI ExpertMeet was able to transcribe and summarise lengthy meetings with good accuracy, while Windows Copilot features such as Live Captions and improved search added convenience during daily use. The 1080p webcam with AI enhancements, including background blur, noise cancellation, and eye-contact correction, performed reliably during video calls.

Windows Hello facial recognition through the IR camera unlocked the laptop quickly and remained consistent even in lower lighting conditions. The integrated Intel Arc graphics are not intended for demanding gaming workloads but can handle casual multimedia tasks and light creative work comfortably.

Battery

Battery life is another area where the ExpertBook Ultra performs well. Despite its slim and lightweight design, the laptop packs a 70Wh battery that comfortably lasts through a full workday during mixed workloads involving writing, browsing, video meetings, streaming, and general productivity tasks. During our usage, there was still charge remaining by the evening, reducing concerns around frequent top-ups while travelling or working away from a desk.

Charging is handled through a 90W USB-C adapter, which restored around 50% battery in roughly 30 minutes during testing. Fast charging proved useful during shorter breaks between meetings or commutes. The USB-C charging support also adds convenience, allowing users to carry a single charger across compatible devices while travelling.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 2,39,990, the Asus ExpertBook Ultra is the powerful business laptop that manages to meet most expectations. It is lighter than it should be, yet durable. It offers powerful performance and comes equipped with one of the finest-looking displays. For professionals who spend long hours working, travelling, and presenting, it removes friction at every turn, from the instant facial recognition login to the glare-free display in challenging lighting to the all-day battery that keeps pace with a demanding schedule.

For executives, frequent travellers and demanding professionals who want a highly portable business laptop that has almost all grounds covered and don't care about the pricing, the ExpertBook Ultra is a worthy option to consider.