Asus ZenBook UX305FA(-USM1 Signature Edition, -ASM1) Thin & Light Laptop

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The Asus ZenBook UX305FA laptop is about portability and style first, power second. This 13.3-incher with all-aluminum casing is only a half-inch thick and weighs in at only 2.65 pounds. But, it still packs decent computing technology in form of the Intel Core M processor and solid state drives, as well as Full HD display resolution, full-size keyboard, and necessary networking and connectivity features. Therefore, it is a great travel companion without making compromises with screen size and functionality

Available models on the US market are the Asus ZenBook UX305FA-USM1 Signature Edition and UX305FA-ASM1. Both have the same hardware specifications. On the software side, the SE USM1 uses Windows 10 operating system, while the ASM1 runs Windows 8.1. In addition, the Signature Edition model has a cleaner OS installation, without excessive third party programs pre-installed.

The UX305FA-USM1 Signature Edition and UX305FA-ASM1 feature the Intel Core M-5Y10 dual-core processor. While it won’t win any speed awards, the Core M series and the 5Y10 itself are known for their great power efficiency and low heat dissipation. It runs so cool the notebook doesn’t need to have any fan. Yes, the laptop is completely fanless and therefore totally quiet. Still, the Core M is absolutely suitable for the daily computing duties of the average user – web surf, media playback, Office document editing, casual games, and similar tasks. The CPU is paired with 8GB of RAM, which ensures seamless multitasking, even with large number of programs and browser tabs opened at the same time. As for storage, the notebooks come with a 256GB solid state drive. The SSD doesn’t offer as much storage space as the current traditional hard drives, but read and write speeds beat those of HDDs by a wide margin.

Regarding the display, besides the sharp 1920-by-1080-pixel resolution, it has wide viewing angles of 170 degrees, provided by IPS technology. The screen isn’t touch-enabled. On the positive side, the panel is covered with anti-glare coating, so it doesn’t suffer from obstructive reflections that are common with glossy touchscreens.

The keyboard and its keys are of a decent size. The keys are island-style, while the trackpad is made of a single piece of plastics, so the click buttons are integrated in the surface. Unfortunately, the keyboard has no backlight.

For sound, responsible are stereo speakers, backed by ICEpower with Bang & Olufsen technology, while video chats are done via a 720p webcam. To get you online, the laptop uses 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless. Ethernet LAN network connection is available via a USB-to-Ethernet adapter, which is included in the package. For peripherals, there are three USB 3.0 ports, whereas video output goes through a micro HDMI port. There’s also a media card reader.

Asus states the battery life on the UX305FA-USM1 Signature Edition and UX305FA-ASM1 lasts up to ten hours.

Asus ZenBook UX305FA-USM1 Signature Edition UX305FA-ASM1

Specifications of the Asus ZenBook UX305FA(-USM1 Signature Edition, -ASM1)

Here are the specs of the Asus ZenBook UX305FA(-USM1 Signature Edition, -ASM1) with descriptions of its features. For comparison against other laptops, you can use the "Compare Specs" button.

Brand Asus
Screen Size 13.3-inch

This is a small display size, typical for ultraportable laptops. There are however laptops with even smaller screens.
Screen Resolution 1920x1080 pixels Full HD

Full HD is the most common laptop screen resolution today. It provides a good image sharpness and a decent amount of space on the display for the user interface and programs. However, it isn't as good as the top-tier 4K Ultra HD.
Touchscreen No

This laptop doesn't support touchscreen input.
Other Display Specs IPS type

Displays based on IPS technology provide much wider viewing angles than the budget-class TN screens.
Processor (CPU) Intel Core M 5Y10 dual-core 0.8-2GHz 4MB cache (User Benchmark CPU score: 30)
Graphics (GPU) Intel HD 5300 integrated graphics (can be used for the lightest gaming only)
System Memory (RAM) Size 8GB RAM

The 8GB RAM size is the standard one in 2023. It provides comfortable multi-tasking for the most home and office users.
Data Storage 256GB SSD

256GB is a decent capacity. If you tend to download and store a lot of large files like movies and install many programs, 512GB or more is a better choice.
DVD Optical Drive None
Keyboard & Input Non-backlit keyboard without dedicated number pad

The keyboard has no backlit keys and no separate numeric pad you can usually find on the right side of the keyboard on many laptop models.

Touchpad with click buttons built into the surface

The left and right click buttons are built into the surface of the touchpad, as opposed to separate physical buttons.
Speakers & Audio Stereo speakers

As usual, the device features a pair of built-in stereo speakers.
Camera Front-facing web camera

Laptops usually feature a frontal webcam located on the display bezel. This laptop is no exception.
Wi-Fi Wireless 802.11N

802.11N is an old Wi-Fi standard, precursor of the 802.11AC and the latest 802.11AX with improved data transfer speeds and connectivity. 802.11N is rarely used in modern laptops.
Ethernet Network Port No

This laptop has no Ethernet LAN port for wired internet and networking connectivity.
Mobile broadband (4G LTE) No
Bluetooth Yes

This laptop has a built-in Bluetooth module. It enables you to connect the computer to Bluetooth mice and other Bluetooth peripherals, smartphones, and other Bluetooth-equipped devices.
USB Ports 3 x USB 3.0

Three full-size USB Type A ports.
Video Output Ports 1 x micro HDMI

HDMI is a widely used digital video output port. You can find HDMI-in ports on most computer monitors and TVs. The laptop has a compact "micro" version of HDMI on its side.
Media Card Reader SD card reader

The laptop has a slot for full-size SD memory cards, used in many digital cameras. You can also use microSD cards with a card adapter.
Battery 3-cell 45WHr, "up to 10 hours" of battery life
Weight 2.6 pounds
Height 0.5"
Width 12.8"
Depth 8.9"
Windows Version Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 Home is aimed at the regular home and office computer users. Only select business users need the Professional edition. Windows 10 Home users are eligible for a free upgrade to the latest Windows 11 Home.

Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is eligible for free upgrade to Windows 10 Home. Check Windows.com for more info.
Warranty 1-year

A typical laptop warranty.

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User Reviews and Q&A on the Asus ZenBook UX305FA(-USM1 Signature Edition, -ASM1)

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