The needs of business travelers have always been challenging to address for notebook manufacturers. On one hand, business users absolutely need all of the power that a notebook can provide. Whether users are working with large spreadsheets or using their devices to give presentations, the notebooks they choose must support a variety of programs and applications. These notebooks also need to be lightweight; business travelers have enough to haul around without heavy computers weighing them down.
Many manufacturers have historically skewed their business notebooks toward one set of needs or another. Business notebooks were either powerful, desktop-like systems that tipped the scale at up to 10 pounds or they were smaller, with limited functionality. Only recently have technology and design caught up to the point where these two factors are coming into balance.
Into this new world comes the innovative ASUSPRO P5440. It’s clear that ASUS understands what business users need: The P5440 comes with the fastest Intel processor available and 16 gigabytes of speedy DDR4 RAM. It also has a beautiful 14-inch screen with a native HD resolution of 1366x768. There is even an anti-glare coating covering the LED panel.
A Machine That's Both Strong and Lean
To reduce weight and add stability, the case of the P5440 is made with a durable magnesium alloy. In additon to providing a professional look, the casing allows for thinner-than-standard components. The LED panel, for example, is less than a quarter-inch thick, but still is able to resist many of the knocks and bumps that come with business travel. Altogether, the P5440 only weighs only 2.71 pounds.
In terms of raw performance, the P5440 scored 4,241 on the PassMark Performance Benchmarks, putting it in the 80th percentile of performance by all notebooks. That’s impressive given the portability of the ASUSPRO. In terms of real-world performance, it was able to open large Excel, PowerPoint and Photoshop documents with very little delay. And because of the solid-state hard drive, among other components, the P5440 could fully boot up in less than 10 seconds every time.
Business users will find much to admire about the ASUSPRO P5440, which combines a stylish, professional look with a good balance of performance and portability.
A Notebook That Matches Comfort and Performance
Packing performance into a small space is great for business travelers, but so is making the experience comfortable. ASUS has done that in a big way with the P5440’s research-based keyboard.
First, the keys are full size with a 19.05 millimeter key pitch, so they have the exact right spacing between them as well. They’re made from a soft but firm material and are slightly concave so they gently cradle the user’s fingers. Each key is actually a dish set in a 0.15-millimeter dome. Each key travels exactly 1.5 millimeters to record a press. That means you won’t often accidentally strike them, but you don’t need to put a lot of force into recording a keystroke.
The result is that a user can type for hours without getting fatigued. One might even wish that the P5440 keyboard could be transferred over to a desktop workstation.
Another design feature business travelers will appreciate that is that the LED screen folds all the way back until it is completely flat. This makes it good for presentations or collaborating with others in a small conference space.
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The Ability to Connect to Any Device
There are also a generous number of ports that enables it to connect with a multitude of devices. There are three USB 3.1 ports and another 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A slot for charging devices like smartphones, an SD card reader, HDMI output for connecting with a larger monitor or projector, and a combination audio jack for private listening or teleconferencing.
For extra security, there is even a small fingerprint reader sitting unobtrusively beside the touchpad. When combined with a password, that will provide two-factor authentication for business users without getting in the way of productivity.
It’s nice to find a business-class notebook that is powerful, portable and packed with features that make it easy and comfortable to use. It would be quite an asset for any businessperson to take on the road.
ASUSPRO P5440
PROCESSOR: Intel Core i7-8565U 1.8GHz
HARD DRIVE: 512GB solid-state drive
RAM: 16GB DDR4 SDRAM
OPERATING SYSTEM: 64-bit Windows 10 Professional
DIMENSIONS: 12.8x9x0.7 inches
WEIGHT: 2.71 pounds
DISPLAY: 14-inch LED
