Asus ExpertBook Ultra: A Premium Business Ultrabook Review

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra (2026) is positioned as a business ultrabook featuring an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H Panther Lake processor, 32GB of RAM, and a configuration priced at $3599.99.

It competes with other models such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition, the HP EliteBook X G1a, Samsung’s Galaxy Book6 Pro, and Asus’s Zenbook A14 (2026) for buyers who are on a smaller budget.

The general verdict is overwhelmingly positive, describing the laptop as a sublime device that demonstrates business machines do not need to be boring, though the main drawback cited is the steep price for those without deep pockets.

The chassis construction utilizes magnesium alloy with a ceramic coating, lending it a durable and premium feel. It is available in either a silver or a darker grey colorway.

Despite its internal hardware, the laptop weighs under a kilogram, specifically 990g, in a compact 14-inch form factor, making it feel more substantial than the Zenbook A14.

The device maintains impressive thinness, measuring 11mm at its thinnest point. It integrates various ports, including a Thunderbolt 4-capable USB-C on the left, full-size HDMI and USB-A, a headphone jack, a second Thunderbolt 4 port, and another USB-A on the right.

The keyboard offers solid travel and tactility, along with a bright white backlight for use in low light. The large trackpad running to the bottom edge of the chassis was noted as one of the better ones seen recently.

Visually, the laptop features a 14-inch 3K (2880×1800) tandem OLED display that operates at a 120Hz refresh rate. This display utilizes two stacked OLED layers to increase brightness and reduce power consumption by approximately 40% compared to standard OLED panels.

This tandem OLED approach is comparable to models found in updated Asus ProArt P16 series.

In terms of performance, the Panther Lake platform handles demanding tasks with quiet cooling. Benchmarks indicate that the Core Ultra X7 configuration performs close to the more powerful Core Ultra X9 388H found in the Zenbook Duo, despite being marketed as an ultraportable rather than a workstation-class machine.

Independent battery testing recorded over 20 hours of continuous video playback. The battery demonstrated exceptional endurance, recovering roughly half its charge from a just 30-minute top-up, aligning with claims of all-day performance from the 70Wh cell.

Overall, the product is consistently viewed as a genuinely premium and stylish business laptop that combines strong Panther Lake performance, an excellent display, and best-in-class battery life, with the only significant limitation being its high price point for budget-conscious consumers.

Source: Trusted Reviews