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ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026: 30-second review
The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is aimed squarely at business users and offers a powerful AI enhanced CPU. The AI boost, and the processing potential, will not only meet all the demands of an executive lifestyle, but with the addition of Copilot and hardware AI processing, it will also complement a wide range of AI-enhanced applications.
When I’ve reviewed other Asus laptops, including the Asus ProArt P16 H7606WX , I’ve been impressed not only by the design but also by the computing power that lies within. Essentially, the ProArt range aims at the creative market, the ExpertBook brings that same power and elegance to business.
The main difference here is that while the ExpertBook is packed with power, it doesn’t utilise the same level of GPU. So while this laptop is expensive, it is considerably cheaper than some of the ProArt range. Another major difference is that it doesn’t offer quite the level of connectivity options.
However, with a good range of standard connection ports including two USB Type-A, two Thunderbolt 4 and an HDMI, alongside a standard 3.5mm audio combo socket, there’s more than enough for all web conferencing, as well as connecting into AV systems if you need to hold a presentation.
Opening up the screen reveals a substantial keyboard and trackpad that again have that same feeling of quality that you’d expect from a premium machine. But what stood out here more than anything else was the clarity of the matte finish screen, it really helps to minimise any type of reflection, even when sitting in a busy café, meaning in almost all locations that I tested this laptop, the screen was always easy to see.
Pure aesthetics of the actual machine, screen, and build quality aside, these only hint at the performance of this laptop. The 14-inch OLED screen and the power from the latest Intel Core Ultra 7X processor are reflected through the performance tests, with it essentially putting in some of the fastest, highest results of any laptop or mini PC that I’ve looked at in the last year. Only those machines with dedicated Nvidia GPUs come close to the performance, and even then, the internal SSD reaches another level.
While the ProArt will still be my first choice for creative applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro, as well as gaming, the savings that you make on the ExpertBook still provide you with a worthy contender for our best business laptop line-up – delivering a significant amount of power that will suit both business and creative users equally.
As ever with a laptop of this price, it’s designed for use, not upgrading, tweaking or customising, and essentially once you pick your configuration (CPU, RAM and SSD) you’re stuck with it with no option to upgrade. But to be honest, with this level of power, it should last you a good few years before you need to upgrade.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026: Price and availability
- How much does it cost? Not released
- When is it out? Q2 2026
- Where can you get it? Sign up for updates at the Asus website
As a pre-release model, there’s no specific release date for the laptop yet – it’s expected in April 2026, and you can get notified when signing up at the Asus website.
Pricing details are also unavailable right now. But looking at the specs, you can expect this to cost around $2500 / £2000.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026: Specs
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16-core / 22-thread, 4.8GHz)
Graphics: Intel Arc B390M
RAM: 32GB LPDDR5x (soldered)
Storage: 2TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
Right Ports: Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1 TMDS, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Audio Combo Jack 3.5mm
Left Ports: USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Thunderbolt 4
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Audio: Dolby Atmos
Camera: 1080p IR camera with Windows Hello
Size: 310.9 x 212.8 x 10.9 ~ 16.4 mm
Weight: 0.99 kg (not including power adapter)
OS Installed: Windows 11 Pro / Copilot+ ready
Accessories: 90W USB-C charger
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026: Design
One of the first things you notice about the ExpertBook Ultra when you lift it out of the box is the build quality. The use of magnesium alloy for the outer casing with a ceramic coating gives it a rough, unique look. Our review sample arrived in the off-white colour (Jet Fog), which gives it a very distinctive look compared to many other premium laptops.
The other point about the laptop is that whilst it feels extremely strong and robust, it’s also relatively light at just under a kilogram. As we’ve seen with other Asus laptops, it comes with MIL-STD-810H-rated durability, which means it’s going to withstand more than a knock or two, far more than most other small, lightweight laptops.
Flip over the laptop, and the base has a good amount of venting. On the back, there are also three substantial vents, which is great to see on a laptop this size with such high-powered internal components.
When it comes to the overall size and weight, the laptop measures 310 x 212 x 11 to 16 mm, which means it will fit almost any standard backpack with a laptop pocket. It weighs in at exactly 0.99 kg, although that is without the adapter, which will add quite a bit of additional weight if needed.
Throughout the test, many things stood out. Battery life was certainly one of them, better than most laptops I’ve tried of this size. With a 70Wh 4-cell lithium-ion rechargeable battery and the included 90W charger, it reaches 50% charge in just 30 minutes.
Checking around the body, there’s a good amount of connectivity. On the left-hand side as you look at the screen, there’s a Thunderbolt 4 port (used for the power adapter or accessories), a full-sized HDMI 2.1 TMDS for plugging into most projectors and AV systems, a standard USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (offering up to 10Gbps transfer rate), and a standard 3.5mm audio combo jack.
On the right-hand side, there are two ports, another Thunderbolt 4 and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A. So whilst the number of ports is relatively minimal, it should suit most business users.
Opening up, the large keyboard offers good responsiveness in use and decent key actuation, giving a nice, fluid typing experience. The touchpad is also highly responsive and offers multitouch functionality.
At 14 inches, the monitor may not be particularly large, but it offers a 3K OLED resolution at a 16:10 aspect ratio, so slightly taller than your average screen. It also has Pantone validation, which is unusual to see on a business-focused machine, and means that this will be equally suited to creative tasks alongside more business-related workflows.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026: Features
Starting at the top, powering the Asus ExpertBook Ultra is an Intel Ultra X7 Series processor, one of the latest AI-enhanced CPUs, and it offers a considerable power boost compared with previous generations.
The CPU is partnered with an Intel Arc B390M integrated GPU. Despite its integrated status, its graphics potential surpasses what was possible only a year ago. It will enable you to play all the latest games if you wish, but more importantly, it will handle video and high-resolution image content without too many issues.
Impressively, this new chipset also features the integrated Intel NPU, enabling AI tasks such as Copilot’s live captions and noise removal. It is also fully compatible with most of the Adobe Creative Suite, as well as many other applications that are starting to incorporate AI-enhanced features.
Visually, the laptop offers an OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 gamut with a refresh rate between 30 and 120 Hz, so again, excellent for creative use, although not quite full Adobe RGB. At, 14-inch with a 3K display, it offers up to 1400 nits of HDR brightness. Surprisingly, it requires 40% less power than most standard OLEDs, which probably goes some way to explaining the extensive battery life of this laptop. Another point about the screen: it is fully touchscreen, and with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed, you can either use the traditional keyboard, mouse or trackpad to navigate, or just tap the screen with your finger for a more direct approach.
As part of the Asus range, the laptop comes pre-installed with a series of software additions, including Asus MyExpert, which is an all-in-one AI companion. It is impressively incorporated into the system, enabling you to activate many standard tasks, search files, and use a chat style. There’s also increased security with the ASUS Expert Guardian system, which enables IT teams to monitor, manage and secure devices remotely and also offers firmware and OS control. While this is beyond most users’ needs, if you are buying this on an enterprise level, this will be a key feature.
Alongside the magnesium alloy casing that helps protect the externals, the screen is also protected with Corning Gorilla Glass with a matte finish and Gorilla Glass Victus, giving it an almost completely glare-free surface. It really does help to display screen detail with exceptional clarity.
Audio, for such a slim build, has also been thought through. There are two downward-firing tweeters that are able to give a good, rich sound. Still not as good as plugging into a larger system, but on the road, it should more than suffice for most users.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026: Performance
Benchmark scores
CrystalDiskMark Read: 14,001.92 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 7,753.20 MB/s
Geekbench CPU Multi: 14,644
Geekbench CPU Single: 2,202
Geekbench GPU: 56,031
PCMark Overall: 7,567
Cinebench Multi: 14,212
Cinebench Single: 2,056
Fire Strike Overall: 11,821
Fire Strike Graphics: 14,099
Fire Strike Physics: 25,358
Fire Strike Combined: 3,925
Time Spy Overall: 5,485
Time Spy Graphics: 5,105
Time Spy CPU: 9,501
Wild Life Overall: 32,544
Steel Nomad Overall: 1,155
Windows Experience: 8.9
The laptop is aesthetically stunning and, with its design and overall ergonomics, is clearly aimed at the business workplace and for executives who need a powerful machine on the move.
However, as you begin to use the laptop day-to-day, you discover that, as expected, it devours anything natively Microsoft. Windows 11 Pro runs exceptionally smoothly, as do all productivity apps such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Aside from the screen size, there’s little room for improvement in terms of speed and performance.
Even when plugged into a larger 4K monitor for more workspace, the machine is more than capable and handles everything with ease. As I pushed the system, first loading video, then Premiere Pro and Photoshop, it soon became apparent that while this might be aimed at the business user, it can pretty much handle anything you throw at it, so if you need to edit some video or enhance image this machine has the power. Obviously there are limitations but with reason shot 4K productions edit smoothly.
What’s more impressive is that even with its slimline profile, it remains relatively quiet and cool. It’s nice to see ASUS incorporate a decent cooling system into this machine, which prevents any thermal throttling or performance drop while processing 4K video.
As I ran through software tests, partly due to the aesthetics, I didn’t expect it to be quite as capable, but through productivity apps, creative applications, and even high-end games such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Hogwarts Legacy, and Cyberpunk 2077, the machine didn’t seem to slow down. While the settings might not have been pushed to the max, performance remained smooth and playable, far more than any other 14-inch laptop I’ve used.
The Intel Arc B390 GPU, while only in the mid-range of integrated CPUs, certainly impressed. For creative use through to gaming, it was able to handle high-demand processing without too many issues.
Checking through the results, the biggest surprise was the SSD speed, with a read speed of 14,001 MB/s, considerably faster than any other laptop or mini PC SSD I’ve tested. This explains why it handles large-scale applications with such ease.
As I ran many applications, it became clear that the AI CPU and NPU offer a substantial processing boost. Running Copilot within Word to quickly enhance documents showed just how handy AI enhancements can be.
On previous Asus machines, one standout aspect has been the additional extras. With the ExpertBook Ultra, it’s no different. The integration of ASUS software, including MyExpert, provides access to a quick chatbot and knowledge hub that helps with frequently used tools and advanced file search, well beyond what standard Windows integration offers.
While AI app integration is still in its infancy, you can already see how it helps everyday productivity. This laptop shows the benefit of having AI enhancement built into the hardware rather than relying on cloud services.
To test this, I used Adobe Photoshop’s AI generative tools to expand a crop within an image. On a non-AI-enhanced MacBook Pro, results can vary, and the cloud service is usually more reliable. But on the Asus ExpertBook Ultra, the difference was clear, not only were the results better, but they were also far faster.
By the end of testing, it was obvious just how powerful a laptop this is, ideal for any business as a portable computing solution. The combined power of the CPU, GPU and NPU offers one of the smallest, most slimline machines I’ve seen and it can cope with a high level of demand from users of all types with a slant towards business.
ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026: Final verdict
At the start of the test, the laptop instantly struck me as being of exceptionally high quality. As it’s a pre-release model, I had no idea of the pricing. But checking a few specifications, it was clear it wasn’t going to be cheap. It was only when I began loading productivity applications such as Excel and PowerPoint that I saw what it was really capable of.
There are many laptops that can handle Microsoft applications well. But during the creation of several presentations, not even the largest Excel document caused a glitch.
To push things further, I moved into creative applications, including Photoshop and Premiere Pro. Photoshop, alongside Bridge (to manage my image files), loaded quickly and without issue, even with RAW files over 100MB. It rendered thumbnails instantly and opened the files exceptionally quickly from an external drive.
Photoshop didn’t miss a beat, and enhancements could be made without slowdown. Even with PSD files reaching 500MB, the machine handled the data efficiently.
Switching to the next level, I loaded Premiere Pro with 4K video footage from the Sony A7 V. Again, I was impressed by the machine’s speed. With 2TB of SSD storage, I was able to edit video directly from the internal drive, ideal for editing, especially considering the high transfer rates.
Here, the laptop truly impressed, not slowing when applying colour correction, exposure tweaks, audio, or J-cuts across five plus channels in the timeline. This small machine handled it all, something lesser laptops would struggle to match, even with basic editors like CapCut.
While the applications ran exceptionally well, the benchmarking results highlighted just how capable the machine is. The processing power challenges many mini PCs, including the superb Sapphire Edge AI9HX, and even stands up to the company’s own ProArt StudioBook 16 H7606WX, although that one does hold an edge due to its massive GPU.
Overall, this is an extremely capable laptop. It’s worth noting it has fewer ports than the ProArt machines, but for most business users, what you need is a very solid, portable, robust and stylish laptop. The Asus ExpertBook Ultra delivers, even at a premium price.
Should I buy the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra 2026?
|
Value |
There’s no doubt this is an expensive laptop, but considering the power, it is a good value. |
4.5 |
|
Design |
The slimline design, sturdy build, and lightweight make it a great option if you travel frequently. |
5 |
|
Features |
The main features here are incredibly powerful: CPU, GPU and NPU, with one of the fastest SSDs on the market. General and AI performance provide a huge boost. |
4.5 |
|
Performance |
Even when weighed against desktop machines, the processing power is exceptional. |
5 |
|
Overall |
If you’re a business user and the price is acceptable, this is a solid enterprise option. |
4.5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
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