One of the best business laptops: ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED review

The business laptop category rarely boasts anything interesting and modern. Businesses prioritize security and cost over the latest developments. And the relative simplicity of these laptops is understandable. But even here, there are exceptions to the rule that can still surprise with their components and overall experience. One of the examples is the ASUS ExpertBook line. Its classic portable flagship receives regular updates, and today we will get acquainted with its newest version – ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED (B9403CVAR, Series 1 Intel).

Specifications of ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED (B9403CVAR)

Package contents

The classic laptop package includes only a power supply. However, many ASUS ExpertBook models are accompanied by some accessories. In the case of the new ASUS ExpertBook B9, the “bonuses” include an Ethernet adapter, which has long been an integral part of such a model.

One of the organizational parts of the box can also be a free laptop stand. It’s not the first time I’ve seen such an element not only from ASUS. And despite the fact that I’ve never heard of anyone using it, it’s quite possible that someone will find it useful.

Design and usability

One of the important features of this model is its body. A laptop is still one of the most compact solutions in principle, which is really an important characteristic of a working tool for people who are often on business trips. And, in fact, at first glance, it is clear that the updated model maintains this criterion at the proper level (even though there were lighter models among the ExpertBooks).

The case continues to be made of magnesium-lithium alloy. There is only one color available – Star Black (although it still has a dark blue tint). The material is pleasant to the touch and quite durable. At the same time, its dimensions are 311×215×15.7-16.9 mm, and it weighs 990 grams. In addition to the fact that such a laptop can easily find a place even in a small backpack, it will really leave a lot of space for other useful things on long trips. And even during normal use, it’s very easy to change workplaces or just plop down on the couch and watch the next episode of a TV series.

The body of the ASUS ExpertBook B9 remains standard, without the ability to rotate the display 360° or anything like that. But the features accumulated by experience have not changed. Among them is the passage of MIL-STD 810H “endurance” certification. Also, the display lid still slightly raises the topcase when open, creating a little more room for airflow. It may be a small thing, but it still adds some aesthetics and confidence to the device.

The laptop owner’s “free time” indicator also remains on the case. Not long ago, ExpertBook models featured a small diode next to the logo on the outside of the screen unit, which can signal that the owner has no free time or is in a meeting. This way, colleagues can see that it’s not the right time for a coffee break.

The bottom cover has four rubber supports (along with two on the screen unit). They are all of different sizes and try to fix the laptop well on the work surface. This helps the case not to move during operation. But due to its light weight, it still won’t stay in place if you accidentally hit the power cable, for example. So extra caution is still in order.

However, it is worth noting that there are practically no significant changes compared to previous models. The updated ASUS ExpertBook B9 completely repeats the appearance of its predecessor. Only those buyers who have previously owned laptops of this line and want something new will not like the design consistency. However, there are also those who will be more comfortable with the familiar design. In any case, the new B9 is very comfortable, mobile, and still looks good. As for me, the model is surprisingly successful.

Ports

Since the body has not undergone major changes, the ports and their location have not been touched either. Therefore, the new model will also offer Kensington Lock, HDMI 2.1, a pair of Thunderbolt 4, micro HDMI (for an Ethernet adapter), and a combined 3.5 mm Jack on the left side, as well as USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 on the right.

Given the general concept of the model, the set of ports is sufficient. However, users with a large number of external devices will find it difficult to do without additional hubs or docking stations. But it’s easy to understand the manufacturer here, because there’s no room to install anything else on the small topcase. 

Display

One of the things you could complain about in business-class laptops before was the poor quality of the screens. But this is no longer the case with the latest models. Last year, ASUS ExpertBook B9 basically got an OLED display, which has not been updated yet, and there is no option with such a touchscreen. And yes, compared to what you could get from screens 5 years ago, this is an incredible leap forward.

The 14-inch screen has a resolution of 2880×1800 pixels with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The settings include pixel saving, backlight flicker reduction, automatic minimization of the taskbar, and more.

The color reproduction is also excellent. The manufacturer emphasizes 100% coverage of the sRGB color space and a brightness level of up to 400 cd/m² (with an automatic adjustment option). The user can choose a standard or more saturated image, or set a comfortable color temperature level. But the main thing is that even without this, the image is immediately very good, and there are no problems with viewing angles. For laptops with this purpose, such a display is an exception to the rule.

What I would still like to improve a bit is the protective coating. It is glossy and some glare is noticeable. An additional anti-reflective layer would be nice. Not that it creates a lot of discomfort, but in certain situations it would be more pleasant to have it. However, this is unlikely to be a problem for those users who mostly work indoors.

Safety

It’s nice that ASUS ExpertBook B9 offers many ways to authenticate. For starters, the webcam and IR sensors can scan the owner’s face. The function works quickly and accurately in any lighting conditions.

Additional sensors can also lock the laptop when the user is away for a certain period of time and automatically unlock the system when they return. This is quite convenient if the office has a rule to lock the system when the laptop is left alone. 

The power button has a built-in fingerprint scanner. It requires a little extra movement, but it works just as quickly and provides access to the system. You just need to adapt a little to its location, because it is not visible from the side. But it takes a couple of days to adapt.

And if that’s not enough, the trackpad has a built-in NFC sensor. With the appropriate card, the laptop can be unlocked by lightly touching the center of the touch surface. This is, of course, the least convenient option, but it is still faster than entering passwords.

Controls and multimedia

And the manipulators also remained relatively old. The new ASUS ExpertBook B9 has a familiar full-size island keyboard. The backlighting of the keys is not very bright, but this is probably the only drawback (if any). The key layout and mechanisms are in perfect order: “blind” typing is successful, the keystroke is quite tangible, the sound is pleasant (although not the quietest). 

At the same time, the manufacturer left four additional function keys. Thus, the Fn+1 combination controls the aforementioned indicator, Fn+2 turns Wi-Fi on/off, Fn+3 is responsible for Motion Tracking (a webcam function similar to Apple’s Center Stage), and Fn+4 switches operating modes. Their functionality can also be customized.

The trackpad hasn’t shrunk either, with dimensions of 130×82 mm. The sensor allows you to control the cursor perfectly and responds to gestures just as well. It can be used to replace a mouse for normal work. In addition, it also contains a NUB block marking, if the user really misses it for work. To be honest, it’s hard to say how convenient it is, because I don’t often have to use this part of the keyboard, but given that ASUS still offers such functionality in the trackpad, there is still a demand for it.

Sound is provided by two speakers, which are traditionally located at the bottom of the topcase. And for this category of laptops, they are very good. Of course, they lack bass, but the overall quality is still much better than you might think. There are also several different sound profiles. They are definitely enough to accompany TV shows or various YouTube videos, not to mention simpler scenarios for online communication or notifications. I would still like to see more for music, but it’s definitely not a primary requirement for a business laptop.

The 2-megapixel AiSense webcam is also quite good. In addition to decent image quality, it also offers additional features such as user tracking with automatic zooming, lighting and skin correction, and more. Of course, the camera is involved in unlocking, and there are additional sensors to correct the display backlight and track motion (the laptop will automatically lock if the user is away for a certain time and unlock when the owner returns). And if the user cares about privacy, the camera can be physically closed.

The built-in microphones also use artificial intelligence to improve conversations. And it works very well. The owner’s voice is easily captured and transmitted into the conversation without unnecessary sounds or distortion. This is definitely better than most microphones, such as TWS headphones. So you can rely on these microphones when communicating with loved ones and participating in work calls.

Performance and software

The new ASUS ExpertBook B9 is offered with several processor options, but it is not yet known which ones will be available to Ukrainian buyers. Our text copy has a 10-core Intel Core 7 150U (2 powerful cores with a frequency of up to 5.4 GHz, 8 energy-saving cores with a frequency of up to 4 GHz, 12 threads, 12 MB cache) and exclusively integrated Intel Graphics. Other regions also offer processors with the Intel vPro platform, but again, it is not known whether they will come to Ukraine.

This is complemented by 32 or 64 GB of LPDDR5X, which are soldered directly to the motherboard. The NVMe drive of the PCIe 4.0 standard can have a capacity of one or two terabytes. Fortunately, there is a free slot for permanent memory.

For communication, the laptop uses a Wi-Fi 6E receiver, and there is also Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless accessories. Some ExpertBook models also have LTE modems, but the B9 does not.

The performance of Intel Series 1 chips, even in such a thin case, is certainly not outstanding. Such a laptop will not be an ultimatum machine for work and entertainment, so you won’t have to count on gaming. Nevertheless, the test laptop didn’t have any problems with everyday work, browsing, email, calls and other simple tasks. That is, as expected of such a laptop, it will be really useful in the office and will easily entertain you with a movie at home.

ASUS ExpertBook B9 also has three different operating modes: Performance, Standard and Whisper. Comparing the maximum performance option with the power connected and battery operation in the maximum charge saving mode, you can see a significant loss. However, in fact, the laptop can handle basic office workloads without any problems, so you can work on the road with a fairly good level of comfort.

If the laptop is overloaded, the cooler alone will not be enough. As the stress test demonstrated, a slight loss of performance will be permanent, and the average temperature will reach almost 97°C. And yes, the case heating will be noticeable. Although the noise of the cooling system can be called moderate compared to larger laptops. However, this is still an exception to the rule, because during normal operation, cooling is almost inaudible, and the topcase remains barely warm.

And to control the system, only the familiar MyASUS application is provided. It contains basic information about the device, all the settings for picture, sound, system and battery modes, diagnostic functions, firmware updates, and more. Interesting for models with OLED screens is the Target Mode function, which highlights only the active window, darkening everything in the background. There’s also ASUS ExpertWidget, which allows you to customize function keys.

Battery life

The small body and not the most demanding processor have a 63 Wh battery. Additionally, we keep in mind that an OLED display should be more economical in terms of power consumption. As a result, the PCMark 10 office test lasted more than 8 hours, which is quite good, although not a record. At the same time, in real use, for example, a two-hour movie with comfortable display brightness and volume settings took less than a quarter of the charge.

The small 65W power supply weighs only 340 grams. It also doesn’t take up much space, and the extra weight is barely noticeable in the backpack. With battery saving options turned off, it takes almost two and a half hours to fully charge the battery. But the good news is that the laptop charges via USB-C, so a third-party charger will also work.