[REVIEW] ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Lightweight, Long Lasting For Work Laptop

ASUS released a series of 2021 ASUS Expertbook laptops about 2 months ago which consists of Expertbook B9, the lightweight top-of-the-line enterprise laptop to an entry-level enterprise laptop, the Expertbook B1 which we reviewed a couple of months ago.

The ASUS Expertbook B5 that we will talk about today, sit in between the Expertbook B9 and B1. There are two variants; clamshell and flip (convertible)

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Specifications

• Intel 11th Gen Core i5-1135G7 (8MB Cache, Up to 4.2Ghz)
• Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics
• 8GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM
• 13.3-inch LCD 16:9 Full HD Anti-glare Display
• 256GB M.2 NMVe PCIe 3.0 SSD Storage (1x Expansion M.2 NVMe Slot)
• Windows 10 Professional
• Connectivity: 1x USB Gen 2 Type-A, 2x USB Thunderbolt 4 (Display/PD), 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x micro HDMI (RJ45 LAN), 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
• Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax, 2×2 up to 2.4Gbps), Bluetooth v5.0
• 4-cells 66W Battery
• Dimension (W x D x H): 12.17″ x 8.29″ x 0.67″
• Bundled: micro HDMI to LAN Dongle, Backpack & Mouse

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – FastView

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Built & Design

I do find the Expertbook B5 landed at the sweet spot, between premium build from the Expertbook B9 and value for money, the Expertbook B1.

ASUS Expertbook B5

The Expertbook B5 uses magnesium-lithium alloy and pure aluminium on different panels to keep the rigidity and lightweight while keeping the price reasonable. This 13.3-inch ultrabook weighs shyly at 1.1-kg, which is excellent for users who are always on the go.

ASUS Expertbook B5 Thunderbolt 4

I/O ports are comprehensive on this thin and light laptop. There are two Thunderbolt 4 which supports display output and Power Delivery, a micro HDMI port for LAN and some LED indicators on the right side. While on the left, we have the power button that doubled as a fingerprint scanner, 3.5mm audio combo port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, a full-sized HDMI 2.0b and a security Kensington lock.

ASUS Expertbook B5 Power Button with Fingerprint Scanner

Moving over to the bottom, you will see a huge air vent, some rubberized stands and two side down-firing speakers.

ASUS Expertbook B5 Bottom

To get access to the internal for upgrade is rather simple by removing 10 common Philips screws. The only part that can be upgraded is the additional M.2 PCIe slot as this laptop supports RAID technology for improved data reliability or faster operation.

The display lid’s hinge is pretty light and can be lifted open with one finger. ASUS Ergolift is present on this laptop where it tilts the keyboard upwards for a more comfortable typing while improving airflow from the bottom. Worth noting, the display can open up to a 180-degree flat for more versatile viewing.

ASUS Expertbook B5 Build

The overall design is pretty simple just like any other business laptop. The built is remarkable solid which meet MIL-STD 810H US military standard. I can feel this laptop can take a few drops and a punch without breaking a sweat.

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Display

It has a pretty decent bezel size and features a webcam privacy shutter for passive security protection.

ASUS Expertbook B5 Display

The anti-glare 13.3-inch Full HD display is adequately bright and vibrant in colours. According to ASUS, the display is offering a decent 300 nits brightness. Because it’s an anti-glare display, this laptop works perfectly fine indoors or outdoors. There’s no complaint on the display for a business laptop.

With the 2x Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.0b, this laptop supports quad-display if you need a lot of screen estate to run your business or work.

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Keyboard & Touchpad

I would say, most of the keyboards on ASUS laptops regardless of consumers or business they are pretty good, have short travel distances and are tactile when typing. The backlit keyboard also features spill-resistant with up to 66cc liquid so you wouldn’t need to worry about work while having your coffee.

ASUS NumberPad 2.0 adds Numpad for anyone who needs to punch a lot of numbers while retaining the touchpad function.

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Security

In terms of security features, the ASUS Expertbook B5 have a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button, Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) and some other neat software features for Enterprise in mind.

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – AI Noise Canceling

For a business laptop, conference calls and meetings are part of the core feature. ASUS features a two-way AI-powered noise-canceling technology that enhances both; upstream function to filter noise around the speaker and the downstream function to eliminate noise from the person at the other end of the conversation.

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Battery Life

With the high power-efficient processor and a rather immense 66Wh battery, you can expect a high endurance battery. According to ASUS, you can get up to 14 hours of battery life from a single charge, so far I can use at least 2 days before I need to tether to the wall plug.

Since I mentioned charging, the included fast 65W USB C PD charging can charge up to 60% in under 40 minutes and a full charge would only take less than 80 minutes.

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Configuration & Pricing

Powered by the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i5 / i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics and 8GB of 3,200MHz DDR4 RAM with no spare slot. These configurations are capable of any business workloads usage.

Pricing:

  • Intel Core i5 1135G7, 8GB of RAM, 256GB Storage – RM 4,299
  • Intel Core i7 1165G7, 8GB of RAM, 512GB Storage – RM 5,199

ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C – Verdict

As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the ASUS Expertbook B5 is positioned at the sweet spot, bearing premium built and design from the Expertbook B9 while priced close to the accessible Expertbook B1.

If you are looking for a laptop for business use, there is a specific laptop for it just like the ASUS Expertbook B5 B5320C. Business laptops are built to have better reliability and aftersales service. All ASUS business laptops and PCs come with an on-site warranty to reduce downtime.

More info: ASUS ExpertBook B5-series

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ASUS Expertbook B5 B5302C
  • Design
  • Built
  • Display
  • Performance
  • Battery
  • Value
4.2

Summary

The ASUS Expertbook B5 is built to take your business on the go with the latest 11th Gen Intel Core processor, comprehensive I/O ports including 2x Thunderbolt 4, MIL-STD 810H built, a great set of security features, long battery life and feather lightweight. You don’t have to worry about downtime as ASUS Malaysia offered 3-years on-site service for the Expertbook B5.

My only complaint is the lacking of RAM expansion which may lead to a bottleneck to users who run intensive-resources applications.