Update: Added news that the ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490 is now available for purchase, along with some additional design details.
During the CES 2017 tech convention in January, Asus teased the ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490 notebook as part of its “Zennovation” lineup. It’s an enhanced version of the original ZenBook 3 sporting a 14-inch screen. It measures just 0.50 inches thin and not only packs a new seventh-generation Kaby Lake processor from Intel but also sports two Type-C ports supporting Thunderbolt 3 at the full 40Gb/s.
The super-thin notebook is listed on the Asus website as the ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA. There will be two models once the laptop hits the market: one with an Intel Core i5-7200U processor and one with an Intel Core i7-7500U chip. Asus has just announced that the Core i7 version is now available for purchase at a retail price of $1,699. Both machines feature Windows 10 Pro visually powered by Intel’s integrated HD Graphics 620 component.
Here are the hardware specs for both Intel processors:
| Core i5-7200U | Core i7-7500U | |
| Launch date: | Q3 of 2016 | Q3 of 2016 |
| Process node: | 14nm | 14nm |
| Number of cores: | 2 | 2 |
| Number of threads: | 4 | 4 |
| Base speed: | 2.50GHz | 2.70GHz |
| Boost clock speed: | 3.10GHz | 3.50GHz |
| Cache: | 3MB | 4MB |
| Maximum power draw: | 15 watts | 15 watts |
| Integrated graphics: | Intel HD Graphics 620 | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Graphics base speed: | 300MHz | 300MHz |
| Graphics boost speed: | 1,000MHz | 1,050MHz |
| Max resolution: | 4096 x 2304 @ 60Hz | 4096 x 2304 @ 60Hz |
Now here are the specs for the UX490UA laptop:
| Screen size: | 14 inches |
| Screen resolution: | 1920 x 1080 @ 60Hz |
| Color gamut: | 72 percent NTSC 100 percent sRGB |
| Viewing angles: | 178 degrees |
| Contrast ratio: | 1,000:1 |
| Memory: | 8GB or 16GB LPDDR3 @ 2,133MHz |
| Storage: | 512GB or 1TB PCI Express Gen3 x4 SSD 256GB SATA 3 SSD |
| Connectivity: | Wireless AC Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Ports: | 1x SD card reader 2x USB 3.1 Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 at 40Gb/s (one on each side) 1x Microphone/headphone jack |
| Battery: | 46 watt-hour lithium-polymer |
| Keyboard: | Illuminated chicklet-style |
| Webcam: | VGA camera |
| Color: | Navy Blue or Silver |
| Size: | 12.95 x 8.50 x 0.50 inches |
| Weight: | 2.42 pounds |
Keeping this laptop cool is a new thermal design that includes a liquid-crystal-polymer fan impeller measuring just 0.3mm thin, and a copper-alloy heat pipe with walls measuring 0.1mm thick. Overall, the cooling system measures just 3mm high, enabling Asus to keep the laptop super-thin while efficiently pulling heat away from the Intel processor. The warm air is “gently” ejected from the inside through hidden vents in the hinge.
Other notable features not listed in the hardware specs include an Asus SonicMaster Premium quad-speaker audio system, a special four-channel smart amplifier, an all-aluminum chassis, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection measuring 0.55mm thin on the display, and ultra-narrow bezels measuring 7.46mm wide on each side with a 77-percent screen-to-body ratio. There’s also a fingerprint scanner embedded in the touchpad for jumping into Windows 10 Pro with just a touch, and the touchpad supports the usual multi-touch gestures along with handwriting support.
“The perfect curves of the all-aluminum chassis are carved from a single block of metal that then goes through a 40-step process to create the iconic ultra-fine spun-metal finish with its lustrous, silky sheen,” the product page states. “A complex two-phase anodizing process is then used to create the elegant golden diamond-cut edges and unique golden Asus lid logo.”
As indicated above, Asus is now shipping the Core i7 version of the ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490 from a variety of retailers including Amazon, Newegg, the Asus store, and others. The available model includes a seventh-generation Core i7-7500U processor, 16GB of LPDR3-2133MHz RAM, and a 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD. Asus is throwing in USB Type-C to Type-A and USB Type-C to HDMI dongles.
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