ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) Review — never gonna let you down

ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5402C)

7.5

The ASUS ExpertBook B5 is the perfect laptop for the modern boss. It's powerful, reliable, and stylish.

What's Good?

• Military-grade durability
• 1.27kg is a breeze to carry around
• Good performance with impressive battery life
• Well thought-out array of ports

What's Not?

• 17.9mm is a bit too thick for my liking
• Pricey for the hardware offered

The ASUS ExpertBook B9 is likely one of the best business laptops in the market right now. But, it is also likely to fall outside the budget of most IT departments. But hey, you run a tight ship, and you need gear that doesn’t slow you down. Your laptop is more than just a tool; it’s your digital command center. So, when it comes to choosing the right one, you need something that’s as reliable and powerful as you are. Enter the ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5402C).

Durable and Secure

This isn’t your average workhorse. The ASUS ExpertBook B5 is designed to handle the demands of a busy professional without breaking a sweat. Solid magnesium-aluminum alloy and structural reinforcements ensure that this is a laptop that can take a beating. It’s built like a tank with its MIL-STD 810H durability, and yet you wouldn’t know it, with its 1.27kg weight and well-crafted design. Sleek, professional, and built to last – it’s the kind of laptop that says, “I mean business.”

Next up: security. With the recent CrowdStrike fiasco, we know that even a huge global industry leader can mess up. That’s why the ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) comes packed with features to keep your data safe from the hardware level. A fingerprint sensor ensures only authorized users can access your machine, and the TPM 2.0 chip adds an extra layer of protection. It’s like having your own personal bodyguard for your digital world. Last but not least, a privacy shutter covers the camera, providing your privacy a last line of defense even when all else fails.

Powerful and Enduring

Featuring 13th Gen Intel Core processors ranging all the way up to the Intel Core i7-1370P, the ASUS ExpertBook B5 delivers on excellent performance for anything you throw at it. Need to crunch numbers for your next quarterly report? No problem. Editing videos for a marketing campaign? Easy peasy. Whatever your business demands, the ExpertBook B5 is ready to deliver. Our test configuration comes with a proven Intel Core i5-1340P, 8GB RAM and 512GB of storage. But if you ever need more, it’s also upgradeable, with an empty SO-DIMM slot and a second M.2 slot for up to a total of 40GB RAM and 4TB storage.

Despite all that raw power, the ability to keep going is more important to most businesses. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all, right? Let’s talk about those long days when you’re on the go. The ExpertBook B5 has got you covered with its impressive battery life thanks to its large 63WHr battery. No more worrying about finding a power outlet. You can work, meet, and even stream your favorite shows without running out of juice. In our use, we saw close to seven hours away before needing to plug it in for a quick recharge.

Stay Connected

Business is all about the right connections, right? You have a full array of ports here with the ASUS ExpertBook B5. Two Thunderbolt 4, full-sized HDMI and two USB-A ports and a RJ45 LAN port ensures you’re well-covered from all aspects. Be it projecting your presentations or amping up performance with a Thunderbolt 4 external GPU, the ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) is sure to help you get it done.

This laptop is smart, too. With features like AI-powered noise cancellation, you can take those important conference calls without getting drowned out by background noise. And the user-status indicator lets your colleagues know when you’re available, so you can focus on the task at hand without interruptions.

ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) Specifications

ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) — should you get this?

The ASUS ExpertBook B5 is the perfect laptop for the modern boss. It’s powerful, reliable, and stylish. I would say get it. The only thing that doesn’t quite fit modern laptop design conventions is probably its 17.9mm thickness, which looks pudgy beside ASUS’ other offerings recently. But perhaps its meant to make it more comfortable to hold. In any case (pun somewhat intended), the 1.27kg weight does more than make up for it, and you will appreciate a light laptop than an ultra-thin one.

If you or your company is shopping for a business laptop with top-notch peace of mind, the ASUS ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) comes in from just RM5,699, in a slightly different hardware configuration touting double the RAM and storage than the unit we reviewed (16GB RAM + 1TB storage). There are plenty of consumer options that offer better hardware at this price, but definitely not the same aftersales support of the ASUS ExpertBook B5, which sports 3-year global warranty with local on-site coverage, 3 years of battery warranty, and 1st year Perfect Warranty. For more info about the ExpertBook B5: https://www.asus.com/my/laptops/for-work/expertbook/expertbook-b5-b5402c-13th-gen-intel/

ASUS 4A Guarantee

ASUS elevates your peace of mind with Assured Quality via rigorous testing to meet US military-grade standards, 24/7 Always-on Support, All-around Coverage with easily accessible services all around the world and Added-value Experience with comprehensive warranties that even cover accidental damage. For more info, check out ASUS 4A Guarantee at https://www.asus.com/my/microsite/4aguarantee/.