Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD Ultrabook Review

Performance Summary: The Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD is, as ultrabooks go, a strong multimedia system. Thanks to the discrete Nvidia graphics with Optimus, the UX32VD puts standard ultrabooks and their integrated graphics to shame the moment you fire up your favorite video game or other multimedia intensive workload. This machine also has storage capacity that will satisfy video enthusiasts and those who in general deal with content creation.

That said, the UX32VD’s score in PCMark – a measure of the system’s general performance and responsiveness – was a little disappointing. The same goes for the ultrabook’s battery life. Sure, we expect a high-performance system to take a battery life hit compared to a lesser system, but when the price tag is above $1,000, it’s harder to forgive these shortcomings.

Overall, we like the Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD. Our small gripes aside, it's a strong performer with real graphics punch. The system looks great and its brushed metal chassis is classy. The backlit keyboard looks positively great in dark or low-light settings. We didn't have any trouble with heat while the system was on flat surfaces, and it didn't get uncomfortably warm during lap duty. Importantly, the UX32VD feels sturdy, despite being a very thin ultrabook. Whether you agree with our take will depend a lot on whether you value strong gaming and multimedia features or a high-end display in your ultrabook of choice.

Excellent graphics for an ultrabook Plenty of data storage Snappy brushed-metal chassis and bright keyboard backlight Super-slim design  Quality IPS display	Lack-luster battery life Lower-than-expected HDD performance Lackluster included software