The ASUS ExpertBook B9 productivity laptop is a daily productivity laptop that I have personally used for almost three years since its launch. It comes with a very light design and is paired with a 10th generation U-series Intel processing chip that is still powerful enough for daily office tasks to this day.
During the Consumer Electronics Show in January, ASUS updated this ExpertBook model by offering Intel's 13th generation Raptor Lake U-series processing chip and OLED screen display.
Design
One of the main features of the ASUS ExpertBook B9 laptop is that it not only has a compact design, but also a fairly light weight. Just like the previous model, ExpertBook B9 OLED still uses a Magnesium-Lithium frame which gives this laptop a light weight of only 1kg.
In the meantime, the IPS display on the previous model has been changed to a 14-inch OLED display with WQXGA+ resolution (2880×1800) with a 16:10 display ratio that makes this display slightly taller.
With the use of this new display panel, ExpertBook B9 OLED now has a viewing angle of almost 180 degrees which is quite useful for collaboration with other work colleagues, or to show content to friends or family.
In terms of the keyboard, one notable change that can be seen is the relocation of the power button to the side of the laptop. This power button can also be used to scan fingerprints to log into the laptop.
Apart from that, buttons 1-4 can also be used to activate the ExpertWidget function, which is a variety of shortcut functions that can allow users to access certain functions quickly.
Another change is in terms of the placement of the laptop's plugs. It comes with two Thunderbolt 4 plugs, one USB 3.2 Type-A plug, one HDMI plug and one DisplayPort plug. The touch pad part also now comes in a larger size and also comes with support for NFC connection.
One thing that I might not be so fond of is that all the USB plugs and also the video output are all loaded on one side of this laptop, and in my opinion this would cause a cable tangle issue which is definitely not wanted.
However, weighing only 1kg, this laptop is still among the lightest laptops I've ever held, and maybe this is just my opinion, but I feel that the ExpertBook B9 OLED is lighter than previous models.
Specifications
As said, this latest update of the ExpertBook B9 OLED model is powered by the 13th generation U-series Intel processing chip and can be configured with memory options up to 64GB and also SSD storage as high as 1-2TB.
For an office productivity laptop, the specifications seen to power this laptop may be felt to be a little too powerful, but when we see that this laptop is capable of running various types of productivity software such as Microsoft Excel or various types of programming software or the Chrome web browser which will necessarily consume a lot of processing power and memory.
Apart from these component improvements, ASUS has also upgraded the cooling system of this ExpertBook B9 laptop to use two cooling fans, and this will ensure that the CPU, memory and storage components remain at an optimal temperature for the best performance.
Just like many computer makers lately, ASUS is also seen to be paying attention to energy sustainability and construction in their laptops, and the ExpertBook B9 OLED is one of those laptops.
This laptop is developed using a technology called Thixomolding which reduces the use of raw materials in construction by 29 percent and also reduces the manufacturing time of this laptop by 75 percent.
One doubt I may have about this laptop is the use of an OLED panel which may reduce battery life. The ExpertBook B9 model I'm currently using has a lifespan of as high as 8-9 hours on a full charge, and if we're given the chance to review this new model, it's one of the aspects I'll emphasize later.
Closing
As a loyal user of the ExpertBook B9 laptop, this update offered by ASUS is something I have been waiting for for a long time. The upgrade of the latest processing chip and the use of OLED screen display is great especially when I use this laptop for both daily productivity purposes and also leisure at home.
The combination of a lightweight laptop design with powerful internal components is not to be underestimated. A laptop that can be lifted with only two to three fingers, but powerful enough to run productivity software for the day is something that is hard to refuse especially when we all enjoy and get used to it.