ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED (B9403) laptop test: great business

 

Laptops for business differ in many ways from “civilian” consumer models. Often they sacrifice dimensions for the sake of better equipment, but now technology knows how to surprise. The senior model of the ExpertBook B9 line of business laptops from ASUS with a cool OLED display and all the necessary components fits into an elegant, lightweight case.

 

Contents:

• Design and ergonomics
• display and hardware
• Autonomy
• Impressions

 

Design and ergonomics

 

 

The ExpertBook B9 OLED model has a signature stylish look and has an aluminum-magnesium alloy body that ensures durability and lightness. The pleasant matte texture of the surfaces hardly picks up fingerprints and is a familiar dark blue color for the series. The ASUS logo is located on the outer cover, and there is also an LED indicator that is activated when using communication programs.

The ExpertBook B9 OLED laptop is equipped with a full-size island keyboard. The button travel is 1.5 mm. The keyboard is equipped with a white backlight with a single brightness level. This backlight, although not too bright, is sufficient for comfortable work in the dark. In addition, the keyboard is splash-proof. Buttons 1-4 on the keyboard are highlighted to make them easier to find. The ASUS ExpertWidget utility will help you configure quick launch of applications, documents or websites of your choice through these keys.

 

 

The area around the keyboard has the same texture, the large touchpad not only includes a touch numeric pad, but also an area with an NFC chip. The latter allows authentication using chips in enterprises or special departments.

 

 

Rubber feet on the bottom provide stability on the surface. The grilles of the cooling system and stereo speakers are also visible from below. This active cooling system is equipped with two fans. When working with more or less light tasks, it automatically switches to silent mode. Fan noise appears only at maximum loads. However, even in this case, we would not call the noise very uncomfortable.

 

 

The laptop case meets the military standard MIL-STD 810H, which means it is resistant to temperature changes, humidity, shock and other influences.

For several years now, the company has been paying attention to structural strength. The slim body uses reinforced hinges to withstand a significant number of opening and closing cycles. There are also additional motherboard dampers and reinforced header connectors.

 

 

Although the model has quite compact dimensions and the light weight of the ports turned out to be more than complete. All connectors are located on the sides of the laptop. On the left is a Kensington Lock slot, 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for Power Delivery and image and power output, HDMI 2.1, a combined 3.5 mm audio jack, two LED indicators, and micro HDMI (combined with RJ-45 LAN). Adapter included.

 

 

On the other side of the case there is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, an additional microphone and a power button, which also functions as a fingerprint scanner.

 

Something interesting, but also branded, is that the box from under the laptop itself can be transformed into a simple stand.

 

Display and hardware

 

 

ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED has only one display option, but it is a top-end solution. The laptop is equipped with a 14-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 with an aspect ratio of 16:10. The maximum brightness is 400 nits and the refresh rate is 90 Hz. The screen is said to have 100% coverage of the sRGB color space and Pantone Validated certification.

 

The quality of the matrix is impressive: wide viewing angles, rich colors and sufficient brightness to work in different conditions. The only thing that might cause a remark is the glossy finish, which reflects light a little. However, it should be noted that this is not protective glass, as in touch models, and the reflection is not as strong. Above the screen there is a FullHD webcam with a physical shutter.

 

 

The laptop also features an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust brightness. The MyAsus app offers a variety of Splendid color modes and OLED support tools, including low-brightness flicker reduction.

 

The ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED version in our test comes with an Intel Core i7-1355U processor. This is a 10-core model, which includes two high-performance cores with a frequency of up to 5 GHz and 8 energy-efficient ones with a frequency of up to 3.7 GHz and supports up to 12 computing threads. The standard TDP level is 15 W, but can briefly increase to 55 W.

 

 

The graphics are fully integrated – Intel Iris Xe with 96 final units and a frequency of up to 1.3 GHz. We wrote about these possibilities and comparisons with other quick-release videos in a separate material.

 

 

32 GB of LPDDR5 RAM is installed, and the drive used is a Micron 3400 model with a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface with a capacity of 2 TB. The SSD is very fast and efficient and facilitates quick startup and recovery from sleep mode.

 

 

To connect to the network, a high-speed module supporting the Wi-Fi 6E standard is used, as well as a network connector via the included adapter, which we have already written about. Bluetooth 5.3 is used to connect to peripheral devices.

Дополнительные особенности

 

 

The laptop has a built-in fingerprint scanner located in the power button. Considering its size and location on the side, this may not be a very convenient way to log in.

 

But the webcam also has an infrared sensor to recognize the owner’s face. This method proves to be more convenient, working quickly and accurately.

 

 

In addition, a presence sensor is located next to the cameras, allowing you to configure the AdaptiveLock function. The laptop automatically dims the display brightness and locks itself when the user walks away.

 

It should be noted that there is a TPM 2.0 hardware module and software functions provided by the ASUS Business Manager application. These features include data encryption, blocking of external devices and permanent deletion of files.

 

Autonomous

 

The laptop uses a three-cell battery with a capacity of 63 Wh. All laptops in the ExpertBook line have always been famous for their long battery life, and the ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED is no exception.

 

With daily use with the brightness level at 50%, working with documents and using a browser, the laptop can last about 9 hours. It takes two hours to restore the battery charge and uses a 65 W power supply with a USB Type-C connector.

 

 

Впечатление

 

Laptops from the ExpertBook series have always been defined by their attractiveness and performance in the business segment, and ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED was no exception. It offers almost everything you need for this category of devices.

 

With a compact and lightweight body, reinforced ports and hinges, the device impresses with an excellent OLED display with a refresh rate of 90 Hz. High productivity in work tasks, a comfortable splash-resistant keyboard and long battery life make it an attractive option for bosses and executives.

 

The laptop has almost no weaknesses, except perhaps the lack of an LTE module, which can be found in other models in the series. Of course, its price may be unaffordable for many, but corporate models are often very expensive.

 

Характеристики ноутбука ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED (B9403)

Display:	14 inches, OLED, 2880×1800, 16:10
Processor:	Intel Core i7-1355U, 10/12 cores/threads (up to 5.0 GHz)
Video adapter:	Intel Iris Xᵉ
RAM:	32 GB, LPDDR5
Storage:	2048 GB, Micron, SSD M.2 NVMe, PCIe 4.0 x4
Connectors:	1×USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 (PD), 1×HDMI 2.1 (TMDS), 1×micro HDMI (RJ45), 1×3.5 mm audio
Webcam/microphone/LAN:	yes/yes/no
Memory card reader:	no
Fingerprint sensor:	no
Wireless communications:	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax Dualband 2*2), Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
Protection:	MIL-STD 810H
Keyboard backlight:	white
Battery:	63 Wh, 3-cell Li-pol
Additional:	NFC module, IR camera
Operating system:	no
Dimensions:	311×215×15.7 mm
Weight:	0.99 kg
Supplier:	ASUS representative office in Ukraine
Price:	approximately $1800

Rating:

+ equipment

+ display

+ dimensions

+/- not record levels of autonomy

 

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