Is there a better alternative?

The most obvious competitor to the ZenBook 15 is the Dell XPS 15, and it’s really no contest — you can buy an XPS 15 with a quad-core i5-9300H, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a superior Full HD display for as little as $1,030. For close to the same money, you can get a faster laptop (with a six-core i7-9750H) and better battery life with the Dell.

　　Another clamshell that you should look at is Microsoft’s new 15-inch Surface Laptop 3, which you can pick up with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD for $1,500. You’ll love the display, which is a very high-res 3:2 aspect ratio for great productivity. Finally, the HP Spectre x360 15 (non-AMOLED) is in the same pricing ballpark as the ZenBook 15 and it offers a 4K display, better battery life, and superior 45-watt performance — albeit in a larger and heavier convertible 2-in-1 chassis.

　　The Surface Laptop 3 would be a good comparison here, since it also tops out at a quad-core processor and 15-inch screen.

　　

How long will it last?

The ZenBook 15 is built well enough that you’ll be upgrading before it wears out years down the road. It’s relatively well-equipped, although no Thunderbolt 3 is disappointing. The 1-year standard warranty is augmented by a year of accidental damage protection, which is a nice bonus.

　　

Should you buy it?

No. The ZenBook 15’s standout feature, its small chassis, doesn’t stand out enough against some stiff competition, and the ScreenPad 2.0 feels like a gimmick and not a must-have feature.