Technology keeps advancing at a rapid pace and the number of brands involved in the race for technological supremacy is manifold. There have been times when Apple had the best product on the market and times when Samsung had the best, and times when Asus did, and so on.
However, a brand’s integrity is subject to change, leaving you wondering, is Asus a good brand? This calls for an overall analysis of Asus as a brand and its current standing in the tech space.
An Introduction to Asus
So you want to know, is Asus a good brand? The answer isn’t simple, it’s your call to make. But here are some things you should probably know about Asus first.
Established in 1989, Asus, or if you refer to it by its full name, AsusTek Computer Inc., is a multinational manufacturer of computers, hardware, mobile phones, and a range of other devices. Its headquarters is based in Taipei, Taiwan, which is also where the company originated.
Today, Asus has 26 regional headquarters across 26 countries. In 2020, it had a 6% of the global market share for the sale of personal computers and related hardware, which was also the 6th highest. Asus was mentioned in the Bloomberg-owned BusinessWeek magazine’s InfoTech 100 and was included in “Asia’s Top 10 IT companies” list, ranking first for IT hardware.
Asus has operations in 32 different countries with a total of 50 service sites and 400 service partners worldwide. All of its products come with a minimum 1-year global warranty.
The Various Products That Asus Has to Offer
Today Asus is best known for its motherboards and personal computers but their full range of products and technology solutions include:
• Smartphones
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Servers
• Desktop and all-in-one PCs
• Netbooks
• Digital media receivers
• GPS devices
• Gaming hardware (Republic of Gamers)
• Gaming products
• Sound cards
• External monitors
Key Features of Asus
Asus has an in-house motherboard and parts design team, so all of its products are made with hardware sourced from within the company itself. This has set Asus apart from many of its competitors over the years.
· Best Laptops 2021
1. Asus Zenbook Classic Series
Image source: Asus.com
Asus Zenbook 14 has a sleek, professional design and the ideal specifications for work use. It only weighs 1.17 kg and has a thickness of 1 cm, while including a full set of input and output ports such as HDMI and USB.
The battery lasts up to 22 hours on a full charge, and with their new charging technology, you can reach 60% battery in less than an hour of charging. The display has a 90% screen-to-body ratio, giving it that futuristic look. What makes this perfect for work is its ergo lift hinge that positions the keyboard at an angle to help prevent repetitive strain injury from long hours of typing.
Processor: Up to i7 11th Gen Intel Core CPU
SSD: Up to 512GB
RAM: 16GB
2. Asus ZenBook Pro Duo
Image source: Asus.com
The Asus Zenbook Pro Duo lets you take creativity to a new level. It has an extended work screen right above the keyboard with quick keys that allow you to seamlessly multitask while working. It’s the perfect companion for designers and content creators who need high power and versatility to create more efficiently.
The main monitor has a 4k Ultra HD display, giving you the sharpest details for gaming or streaming movies. It has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels with an OLED panel for vivid colors.
Processor: Up to i9 8th Gen Intel Core CPU
SSD: Up to 1 TB
RAM: 16GB
3. Asus VivoBook Ultra
Image source: Pinterest
The Asus VivoBook Ultra is the perfect companion for students. It’s low-budget but offers considerable daily computing speed. Powered by the AMD 7 4000 series processor, you can browse the internet, check your emails, stream YouTube, and have a word document going at the same time.
The design is slim and lightweight, weighing only 1.4 kg so it’s easy to carry around for all ages. Despite the slimness, it still comes with a full set of IO ports to give you effective functionality.
The screen incorporates NanoEdge technology for an immersive viewing experience so you can use it for both study and leisure.
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7th Gen 4000 series Mobile Processor
SSD: 512GB Superfast storage
RAM: Up to 16GB DDR4 SO-DIMM
· Best Desktop PC 2021
4. Asus M241
Image source: Asus.com
Asus is famous for its line of all-in-one desktop PCs that save you both money and space on your desk. The screen, CPU, speakers, and webcam, all come neatly packed into a slim monitor with a stunning design.
The Asus M241 has a massive touch-screen with edge-to-edge visuals and an 88% screen-to-body ratio to give you a top-notch computing experience. The body includes a high-quality SonicMaster bass-reflex speaker system with a surprisingly high max volume for its size and crisp audio definition.
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7th Gen
SSD: 512GB Superfast storage
RAM: 8GB
The processor is superfast, allowing smooth multitasking for extended durations to compromise for its lack of portability. Your Desktop PC, after all, needs to be better than your laptop.
· Best Smartphones 2021
5. Asus Zenfone 8
Image source: Asus.com
The Asus Zenfone series offers a line of high-powered phones in compact sizes for easy portability. The Asus Zenfone 8, its most powerful phone, comes with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G mobile platform for seamless task switching and performance. The display is an ultra-clear AMOLED display, it’s easy on the eyes, and offers incredibly refined pixel quality. With its 4000 mAh battery, each full charge will give you a battery life of over 16 hours.
Processor: Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform
RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR5
Storage: Up to 256GB
6. ROG Phone 5
Image source: Pinterest
The ROG (Republic of Gamers) phone series has been specially designed to suit the needs of mobile gamers. It uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon processor as the Zenfone 8 but has a much longer battery life compared to the Zenfone models so you can game longer.
The display is also slightly different. It’s more responsive and offers a crisper, brighter solution that improves non-HDR visuals to enhance the gaming experience. Another bonus you get with the ROG phone 5 is its flagship triple camera with an ultrawide angle and 64-megapixel picture quality. The front 13-megapixel camera also offers crisp and clear selfies.
Processor: Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform
RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR5
Storage: Up to 256GB
Pros and Cons
Is Asus a good brand? Yes, but like any brand, it has its set of pros and cons.
Pros
• Generally, offers the most economic prices on the market and a decent price-to-quality ratio.
• Wide range of products to suit all budgets and requirements.
• Versatile products to give you the most for your money.
• Stunning designs to make you look professional.
• Unique innovative features you don’t receive with other brands.
• High-quality in-house designed parts such as cameras, speakers, screens, etc.
• Longevity and durability.
Cons
• Poor battery life for low-end models.
• Quality of after-sales service varies with country. If a particular country’s service partners are inefficient, you won’t receive the service Asus intends. Some regions don’t even have service centers so that’s something to look into before you purchase with Asus.
• Some of the laptops are rather bulky and can overheat at the bottom if used on your lap.
• Too many software updates can get a little annoying sometimes.
• No CD or DVD drives if you want to install new software or play games. All software and games have to be purchased from the online store.
• Build quality of some of its products are average at best, so you need to be vigilant while using.
Compare With Other Brands
Compared to some of the other big names in PCs today such as Apple, Dell, Lenovo, or HP, Asus has offered some really innovative and budget-friendly alternatives. This has kept them relevant as a computing technology manufacturer for over 3 decades, giving strong competition to better-known brands from time to time.
One of the biggest advantages to Asus is its price-to-quality ratio. People generally change their laptops or smartphones every 2-3 years or so to take advantage of newer technologies. With Asus, you will require a marginally smaller investment each time, which can amount to some real savings in the long term. Changing your Apple iPhone, Macbook, or Dell XPS often would cost substantially more.
For students and working professionals looking for smartphones or laptops for sale in a budget-friendly option, brands like Asus come through more often.
However, one of the major drawbacks of Asus in comparison to HP, Dell, and Apple is its inferior service outreach, which could use some major improvements. If you’re living in a region where company-owned repair and service centers are accessible, you’re good to go, but otherwise, you might have a problem.
Because Asus goes pretty far to only use in-house designed parts rather than more popular, easily available ones. This means if your motherboard stops working, you cannot take it to an ordinary repair shop. It would have to be looked into by Asus.
A Few Parting Words
To summarize, is Asus a good brand? Yes, but you need to make sure you live close to an authorized service center or service partner before you purchase any of Asus’ products. All gadgets are subject to damage or physical deterioration regardless of the brand you purchase.
What matters most is that your brand offers strong after-sales service to help you prolong the life of your product.