ASUS ExpertBook P3 review: A dependable workhorse, ready for more

New Delhi: For a long time, I have avoided taking office laptops and really prefer to take mine everywhere. It is light, and I have become rather used to it. Plus, that would also mean my personal laptop is being used and not sitting somewhere collecting dust. However, when the ExpertBook P3 turned up for a couple of weeks, I decided to give it a bash. I hadn’t owned a Windows laptop in more than 4 years and hadn’t used one since my God-awful days working in a tiny little IT company.

Of course there is a big learning curve coming from a MacBook. It is a bit like going from regular cars to driving American ones, where everything is reversed. Of course, with a laptop, things are not so much reversed as they are an alternate philosophy of school. It takes time to get used to, from the keypad to where the window control bars are. 

A lot of the interface, both software and hardware-wise, felt very familiar. The ExpertBook is an office laptop meant to handle really heavy workloads. We used it for our work in the office, including some editing as well. ASUS always makes amazing, sturdy-looking laptops. They are meant to take on everyday workloads, do creative business and then look good. 

A quick look at ASUS ExpertBook

Design and build 

The ASUS ExpertBook P3 comes in two screen sizes, 14-inch and 16-inch, with the smaller model weighing 1.49 kg and the larger model starting at 1.80 kg. We got to test the 14-inch one. Its A, C and D chassis components are made of ABS and polycarbonate materials with internal metal reinforcements for better structural strength while keeping the laptop lightweight. I should mention that, while it feels sturdy, it is still lightweight and comparable to the MacBook Air I use every day.

The laptop has a 180-degree lay-flat hinge that allows the display to open completely flat, making it easier to share content during meetings and collaborative work. ASUS states that the hinge has been tested for up to 50,000 opening and closing cycles. In our usage, there was no flimsy feel to it, and though it is new, it still looked the part.

Performance and hardware

The ASUS ExpertBook P3 is powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, with configurations available up to the Intel Core Ultra 7 series. The product guide specifically mentions the Intel Core Ultra 7 225H and Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processors.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 225H configuration delivers up to 83 TOPS of combined AI processing performance, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H configuration offers up to 96 TOPS. The processor also features an integrated NPU delivering up to 13 TOPS, alongside Intel Arc 140T integrated graphics with up to 74 TOPS of GPU performance.

The laptop supports up to 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM through dual SO-DIMM slots. The guide also mentions that certain configurations can be upgraded to up to 96GB, depending on the supported memory configuration.

For storage, the ExpertBook P3 features two M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD slots in 2280 and 2230 formats. ASUS lists support for up to 6TB of combined storage, with configurations and upgrade limits depending on the model. The guide mentions preconfigured options of up to 512GB plus 512GB or a single 2TB SSD, while self-upgrade support is listed at up to 4TB plus 2TB.

The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, although Wi-Fi 6 is specified for models featuring an all-plastic chassis. Its processor can operate at up to 35W in Performance mode.

Keyboard

The keyboard is nice, and the touch and feel from ASUS laptops in general is amazing, and it is the same here. Coming from Apple, I did wish the keyboard had a backlight. I did feel the Caps Lock button light could have been slightly brighter, like the mute button. I also didn’t like the co-pilot key, and it was slightly unnecessary. The fonts are quite subtle and go well with the professional attire of the laptop.

For keys, you have 0.2 mm key dish that follows the natural shape of the fingers, 1.5 mm key travel and a 19.05 mm key pitch for comfortable spacing between keys. I also prefer power buttons that are single-press and not long-press. The fingerprint sensor and face recognition have been slightly less accurate in my case.

Touchpad

The laptop also features a larger touchpad designed for better navigation and workflow efficiency. The P3606CCA has a touchpad that is 94 per cent larger than the previous-generation P1503CVA. The touchpad also controls volume, brightness, media playback and launching ASUS ScreenXpert. Though I felt it could sometimes assume command of selecting text and the other jazz without being meant to.  Overall, it was quite good and purpose-built.

Ports 

ASUS ExpertBook P3 offers a comprehensive selection of connectivity options, including two USB Type-C ports, with support for Power Delivery, DisplayPort and data transfer. It also has two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 TMDS port, an RJ45 Ethernet port with BC1.2 support, a 3.5mm combo audio jack and a Kensington Nano Security Lock slot. The laptop supports connecting up to three external 4K displays through its USB-C and HDMI 2.1 ports. As a work laptop, I think it has plenty.

Display

The ASUS ExpertBook P3 comes with a 16:10 WUXGA display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. It uses an anti-glare IPS panel designed to reduce reflections and improve visibility in different working environments. Personally, it didn’t strain my eyes, and with the little editing that was required, it was quite an easy task to take.

The display comes with a 60Hz refresh rate, 300 nits of brightness and 45 per cent NTSC colour coverage. The screen-to-body ratio is listed at 90 per cent for the 16-inch model and 88 per cent for the 14-inch model. We got the 14-inch one for review. The laptop also has an optional wide-view display with viewing angles of up to 178 degrees, letting colours and contrast remain consistent when viewed from different positions.

Speakers

For a work laptop, ASUS ExpertBook P3 are simply fabulous. It features stereo speakers rated at 2W each, offering a combined audio output of 4W. It also comes with ASUS audio technology, including AI-powered noise reduction and Voice Focus, which are designed to improve voice clarity during calls. 

The Voice Focus feature uses AI to filter background sounds such as traffic, sirens and distant music while retaining and amplifying human speech. 

It also supports AI de-reverberation to reduce echoes and AI acoustic echo cancellation for clearer communication. You can enjoy movies and other content, giving it more dimensions than one.

Webcam and Microphone

The ASUS ExpertBook P3 comes with dual-array microphones featuring two-way AI noise cancellation. Its AI-powered communication features include Voiceprint Noise Reduction, which can identify and isolate a registered user’s voice using just 15 seconds of voice enrolment. 

It also offers multiple-presenter modes that prioritise the main speaker, suppress background conversations and improve voice pickup during group meetings. The AI camera features include lighting optimisation, motion tracking, appearance filters, gaze correction and background blurring. The laptop also gets a physical webcam privacy shield that can be slid over the camera when it is not in use. I am not a big fan of webcams on laptops, as none of them seems to be getting it right, and the ExpertBook is no different. 

Cooling 

The ASUS ExpertBook P3 features ASUS ExpertCool thermal technology, which uses a rear-vent design to prevent hot air from flowing back into the laptop. The system also has an air-intake mesh to reduce dust accumulation and help maintain long-term thermal performance. ASUS claims that the laptop can sustain a 28W TDP in Standard mode and up to 35W in Performance mode, irrespective of whether the lid is open or closed. 

The laptop has a reported noise level of 24.33dB at idle and 35.07dB under 100% CPU load, indicating a focus on quieter operation even during demanding workloads. In our usage, we didn’t find the upper part of the keyboard and the area under the screen getting hot even under extreme use and load. 

Software

The software experience on the ASUS ExpertBook P3 is focused more on productivity and business use than flashy features. ASUS MyExpert and AI ExpertMeet bring together tools for everyday work, including AI-powered meeting transcription, summaries, translation and noise cancellation. These features are great to use for people who regularly attend online meetings, having several applications and tools to work with may take some time to get used to. 

You also get MyASUS for system diagnostics, settings, updates and support, while ScreenXpert is designed to make multitasking and managing multiple windows easier. On the security front, ASUS ExpertGuardian adds protection across the hardware, firmware and software, with features such as BIOS recovery, firmware tamper detection and downgrade protection. ASUS also promises five years of BIOS and driver security updates following the product announcement.

Performance

In most of our tests, we were happy with the results, and this is really meant for taking on heavy office work. It is efficient and can handle heavy office suites and big multi-tab web browsing, heavy spreadsheets and much more without much issue. For our editing with different software, we found the laptop to be quite capable.

However, heavier 3D rendering or 4D video editing is better suited for dedicated GPU workstations. We liked how conveniently it was able to jump between windows and functions seamlessly with multiple windows open. During long hours, the underbody tends to get warm, but that is negligible.

Battery performance

The battery performance was quite good with regular usage. Despite being much newer, I did feel the battery in my regular laptop to be slightly better, and it runs endlessly with much more software and tasks in the background. The better part, though, is that the ExpertBook charges quite fast, and that makes it quite versatile in our opinion. The performance, though, remains constant.

Verdict

In my verdict, my return to a Windows laptop was to a great machine. I might not exchange it for my MacBook right now, but it is just down to my user preference and doesn’t reflect on the ExpertBook at all. I personally feel that for the everyday task that many take up the corporate ladder, this laptop, with its weight, performance and size, gives run for its rivals.

In its long list of offerings, ASUS has some amazing nameplates that we love, and the ExpertBook deserves to wear the brand’s tag on the back.