Flip in style

The Asus Zenbook Flip is a hybrid laptop that delivers on all fronts

Staying with the times, Asus has introduced the Zenbook Flip, a hybrid laptop with a 360-degree hinged touchscreen.

Having used several convertible laptops before, I decide to give this one a go. The 13.3-inch review unit houses a 1.51 GHz Intel Core M3 6Y30 processor with 4GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. A variant with 8GB RAM is also available.

On the left, the device houses the power button, volume rocker, SD card slot and a USB 3.0 port, while on the right you can find a micro HDMI port, headphone jack, two USB ports -type C and 3.0 and the power input. I was expecting a Thunderbolt port, but am disappointed. An HDMI to micro HDMI adapter is also included with the device.

Just by its appearance, one can assume the Flip is a premium machine. The full HD touchscreen display, which can be folded into a tablet, is clear and the colours are sharp. The touchscreen is quite responsive and doesn't leave any room for complaints. The screen does reflect quite a bit of light though and using it in the sunlight is troublesome. That said, watching Zero Dark Thirty on Netflix was a delight, since I watched it indoors with minimal light.

However, unlike the Dell XPS 13, the touchscreen cannot be unhinged. This poses a problem when you want to use the device in tablet mode, while in bed.

The keyboard is laid out well and it doesn't take much time to get used to it. A backlit keyboard, however, would have been much better, especially since it's a premium device. The trackpad didn't disappoint either but I did face some unregistered clicks.

The Flip does well in the performance department, provided it is used for everyday tasks. Multitasking is a breeze - I had multiple tabs opened on the browser along with file explorer, Candy Crush and a notepad, but the device didn't buckle. However, if you're looking for a gaming device, I'd suggest you look elsewhere.

The battery life is impressive as well. On a full charge, the Flip lasts a good six hours. With decreased brightness, one will be able to extend the battery life further.

The audio quality of the Flip is decent. But using it in tablet mode gives you a muffled output and you'd be forced to look for your headphones.

The laptop starts from Rs 46,990, which puts the Zenbook Flip in the premium segment. No doubt, it looks premium, performs well and can deal well with the competition. But there are still some bolts that need tightening.

ASUS ZENBOOK FLIP

Display: 13.3-inch full HD
Processor: Intel Core M3 6Y30 (1.51 GHz)
Memory: 4GB RAM and 512 GB storage
Price: Rs 46,990 onwards