ASUS has revamped its range of laptops for professionals, and has done so with two variants of the same chassis: the ASUS ExpertBook B5 and ExpertBook B5 Flip have arrived, and they are ready to do battle.
They do so firstly because of their OLED screens, but also because of their 11th generation Intel Core processors, which can be accompanied by up to 48 GB of RAM and an unusual feature in other competitors: support for RAID configurations.
ASUS ExpertBook B5 and ExpertBook B5 Flip datasheet
| ASUS ExpertBook B5 | ASUS ExpertBook B5 Flip | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | FHD (1920×1080) 16: 9, 300 nits, NTSC: 72%, wide view, anti-glareFHD (1920×1080) 16: 9, 470 nits, NTSC: 72%, wide view, anti-glareFHD (1920×1080) 16: 9, OLED, 400 nits, DCI-P3: 100%, wide view | FHD (1920×1080) 16: 9, 300 nits, NTSC: 72%, wide view, anti-glareFHD (1920×1080) 16: 9, 470 nits, NTSC: 72%, wide view, anti-glareFHD (1920×1080) 16: 9, OLED, 400 nits, DCI-P3: 100%, wide view, anti-glare |
| PROCESSOR | Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 3.0 GHz (6M cache, up to 4.1 GHz, 2-core) Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 2.4 GHz (8M cache, up to 4.2 GHz, 4 cores) Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 2.8 GHz (12M cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 4 cores) | Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 3.0 GHz (6M cache, up to 4.1 GHz, 2-core) Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 2.4 GHz (8M cache, up to 4.2 GHz, 4 cores) Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 2.8 GHz (12M cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 4 cores) |
| RAM | 4 / 8 / 16 GB DDR4 3.200 MHz Up to 48 GB | 4 / 8 / 16 GB DDR4 3.200 MHz Up to 48 GB |
| Storage | 256 / 512 / 1 TB SSD M.2 PCIe Additional M.2 slot, up to 2TB total Supports RAID 0/1 | 256 / 512 / 1 TB SSD M.2 PCIe Additional M.2 slot, up to 2TB total Supports RAID 0/1 |
| GPU | Intel Iris Xe | Intel Iris Xe |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C (TB4) 1 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 2) 1 x HDMI 2.01 x Micro HDMI (para LAN) 1 x earphone | 2 x USB-C (TB4) 1 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 2) 1 x HDMI 2.01 x Micro HDMI (para LAN) 1 x earphone |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5 | Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5 |
| WebCam | 720p | 720p |
| Battery | 2 cells 33 Wh4 cells 66 Wh | 2 cells 33 Wh4 cells 66 Wh |
| Audio | AI noise cancellation technology 2 Microphones with Cortana voice recognition Two loudspeakers | AI noise cancellation technology 2 Microphones with Cortana voice recognition Two loudspeakers |
| Security | Fingerprint scanner (on power button), TPM 2.0 (optional), webcam cover, Kensington lock slot | Fingerprint scanner (on power button), TPM 2.0 (optional), webcam cover, Kensington lock slot |
| Stylus Support | No | Yes, MPP 2.0 (optional) |
| Others | ASUS NumberPad 2.0 (optional) | ASUS NumberPad 2.0 (optional) |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro | Windows 10 Pro |
| Dimensions and Weight | 309 x 210.6 x 16.9 mm 1 kg with 33 Wh battery | 309 x 210.6 x 16.9 mm 1.3 kg with 33 Wh battery |
| Price | – | From €1,189 |
Boasting OLED and RAID
Professional laptops do not have to forego eye-catching options, and if there is a particularly striking feature on these devices today, it is OLED displays.
This is precisely the technology used in the panels of some of the variants of these devices – there are also versions with more modest and less bright panels – and this is good news for professionals who want to take advantage of these vivid colors and HDR support.
These panels also feature anti-glare technology and 100% DCI-P3 gamut support. In the ExpertBook B5 Flip there is one major difference with the standard version: stylus support for taking notes or drawing directly on the screen.
The other major difference is that the ExpertBook B5 is not convertible, while the ExpertBook B5 Flip is and has a 360° hinge that allows it to be used in various positions, including the one that turns it into a 14-inch tablet.
In that spec sheet, there are expected options such as the one referring to its processors -Intel Core 11th generation, too bad, no AMD options-, and its memory configurations, which can reach up to 48 GB. The surprise comes in the storage.
To begin with, because two M.2 PCIe slots allow up to 2 TB of capacity. And finally, because this is a device with RAID 0 and RAID 1 support, two configurations that allow you to get more performance or more data security (respectively) by combining these two slots with two of these drives.
There are also striking details in the area of video conferencing: the microphone has noise cancellation technology, but we also have a 720p webcam somewhat modest in resolution but which promises good results also with that noise reduction in the image. There is also a privacy switch to prevent possible cyber-attacks from gaining access to the camera without us knowing about it.
Connectivity also gives good news, and there are several USB ports, an HDMI port, and a unique mini HDMI connector that is used not to connect monitors, but to connect the device to the wired network thanks to an adapter.
Biometrics is also covered with a fingerprint reader on the power button on the right side. The integration of TPM 2.0 technology allows a seamless upgrade to Windows 11, although the standard operating system is Windows 10 Pro.
ASUS also offers a touchpad with NumberPad 2.0 technology on some of the variants of these devices, the numeric keypad overlaid on the touchpad that avoids having to reserve physical space next to the keyboard.
Pricing and Availability of the ASUS ExpertBook B5 and ExpertBook B5 Flip
The new ASUS ExpertBook B5 Flip is available from today on the official ASUS website. We do not know the starting price of the non-convertible model, which does not seem to be available at the moment.
The ASUS ExpertBook B5 Flip is available starting at €1,189 for the OLED panel version with Core i5-1135G7, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 Gb of capacity.
