Question Do you have experience with Asus laptops about durability?

[Manuel Jordan]

Hello Friends

A member of my family has the intention to buy a new Asus laptop (ZenBook serie). A friend told him that the new Asus models since few years ago are not the same than 10/15 yrs about its durability. Thus it would pass away in 5/6 yrs.

His nephew would be able to buy other for him to be used with Windows/Linux. Reason of this post too.

Do you have a kind of experience about this? It about its durability and performance throughout the latest years.

Perhaps by yourself, member of your family, co-worker, neighbor etc …

Thanks for your understanding

 

[Lutfij]

A friend told him that the new Asus models since few years ago are not the same than 10/15 yrs about its durability.
This is true for pretty much everything now these days(2024, since the pandemic hit). As time moved forward, companies tried looking into degrading the quality of their products without affecting their prices. If you're looking for quality, you will need to pay a premium, in most cases.

It about its durability and performance throughout the latest years.
What sort of tasks will the purchased laptop undergo? If it's daily tasks, you should be fine. You might not be able to retain the laptop for more than 5 years anyway since Windows launches a new OS about every 5 years and if the current trend continues, you will run into a wall when you're unable to update the OS(due to lack of support from Microsoft). If it's Linux, that's kind of moot, since the smart folks who use them tend to make a lot of things work under any hardware spec, IMHO.

 

[BFG-9000]

If they want longevity in a laptop, then it's hard to argue with Framework which is user upgradeable. Even between Intel and AMD, and they have inexpensive cases to reuse the old hardware as a mini-PC.

Nearly all laptops regardless of brand, are manufactured by one of 6 Taiwanese companies: Compal, Foxconn, Inventec, Quanta, Pegatron and Wistron. Framework use Compal as their OEM, while ASUS spun off Pegatron for board manufacturing and Unihan for cases and molding so probably use them. In any case congressman Seth Moulton and former National Security Adviser Robert C. O'Brien have called for bombing TSMC if Taiwan is captured by China, so this laptop may have to last them awhile.

ASUS have the resources to let R&D engineering staff minimize costs more than just about any other manufacturer. Think of them as the General Motors of laptops, and they've been like this since their el-cheapo Eee-PCs and Chromebooks. Yes, they feel flimsy but last well enough and things like hinges don't break any more often than other manufacturers.

I suppose that's better than being the Chrysler or Fiat of laptops, where they don't actually have the money to pay the engineers so have to guess, and random things you wouldn't expect to ever break like door latches or hood release cables fail. But for laptops that mostly just means they'll choose not to customize the reference platform supplied by their Taiwanese OEM and it should still be OK, just not as svelte or stylish.

 

[Manuel Jordan]

Thanks to both for the replies

Lutfij

This is true for pretty much everything now these days(2024, since the pandemic hit). As time moved forward, companies tried looking into degrading the quality of their products without affecting their prices.

Oh Ok

If you're looking for quality, you will need to pay a premium, in most cases.

What do you mean with that? Is that a special line/series of the manufacturer or is about extra time warranty?

What sort of tasks will the purchased laptop undergo? If it's daily tasks, you should be fine.

If the laptop is shared with my uncle:

• Uncle: Web Browser, Adobe Reader, MS Office, Outlook, Skype
• Cousin: for developing in the university with Java and Linux

You might not be able to retain the laptop for more than 5 years anyway since Windows launches a new OS about every 5 years

I am assuming that is true for Windows 11 to forward because I bought an Asus at 2016 and works so far very good with Windows 10 Home. I think its EOF is this either 2024 or 2025

and if the current trend continues, you will run into a wall when you're unable to update the OS(due to lack of support from Microsoft)

Agree, something like from 10 to 11.

. If it's Linux, that's kind of moot, since the smart folks who use them tend to make a lot of things work under any hardware spec, IMHO.

Agree, that is the "breathe" for my cousin because when Windows be obsolete he is going to buy a new SSD and move to Linux in peace. Of course the Linux teams involved make a big effort to make this happens

BFG-9000

If they want longevity in a laptop, then it's hard to argue with Framework which is user upgradeable. Even between Intel and AMD, and they have inexpensive cases to reuse the old hardware as a mini-PC.

What do you mean with "framework"? Remember it is about a laptop. The NUC idea was there too but to not complicate my uncle as final user it was discarded.

Nearly all laptops regardless of brand, are manufactured by one of 6 Taiwanese companies: Compal, Foxconn, Inventec, Quanta, Pegatron and Wistron. Framework use Compal as their OEM, while ASUS spun off Pegatron for board manufacturing and Unihan for cases and molding so probably use them. In any case congressman Seth Moulton and former National Security Adviser Robert C. O'Brien have called for bombing TSMC if Taiwan is captured by China, so this laptop may have to last them awhile

Interesting feedback, thank you

ASUS have the resources to let R&D engineering staff minimize costs more than just about any other manufacturer. Think of them as the General Motors of laptops, and they've been like this since their el-cheapo Eee-PCs and Chromebooks. Yes, they feel flimsy but last well enough and things like hinges don't break any more often than other manufacturers.

Again it is interesting, thank you

I suppose that's better than being the Chrysler or Fiat of laptops, where they don't actually have the money to pay the engineers so have to guess, and random things you wouldn't expect to ever break like door latches or hood release cables fail. But for laptops that mostly just means they'll choose not to customize the reference platform supplied by their Taiwanese OEM and it should still be OK, just not as svelte or stylish.

About that: so if you are able to buy a new laptop up to black Friday: Would be Asus your first manufacturer to choice?

Thank you

 

[BFG-9000]

What do you mean with "framework"? Remember it is about a laptop.

Framework is a brand of laptops designed for serviceability and upgradability + as I pointed out, made by Compal (who are 2nd largest in the world and also make laptops for Dell, HP, and Toshiba). As even the usual business-class laptops such as Latitude or Thinkpad have started to feel flimsy as an ASUS and with service going downhill, someone decided to make a laptop where the user can easily replace parts such as hinges without voiding the warranty, plus even if major parts get smashed they can be replaced relatively inexpensively. While they were at it they made it so you can upgrade motherboards and GPUs to the latest generation (like a desktop) to keep the laptop current well into the future. If you want a laptop to last more than 6 years then this is the one to choose, unless you need some kind of ruggedized laptop which will be a lot sturdier and waterproof but much slower. If you will replace it before that like most people, then ASUS is fine--it may feel flimsy from all the flexing but it's really not. You will be stuck with the CPU it came with though so if some security vulnerability mitigation later tanks performance, well tough.

Their 13 model is an ultraportable and the much larger 16 a workstation/gaming type laptop.

 

[Manuel Jordan]

Framework is a brand of laptops designed for serviceability and upgradability + as I pointed out, made by Compal (who are 2nd largest in the world and also make laptops for Dell, HP, and Toshiba). As even the usual business-class laptops such as Latitude or Thinkpad have started to feel flimsy as an ASUS and with service going downhill, someone decided to make a laptop where the user can easily replace parts such as hinges without voiding the warranty, plus even if major parts get smashed they can be replaced relatively inexpensively. While they were at it they made it so you can upgrade motherboards and GPUs to the latest generation (like a desktop) to keep the laptop current well into the future. If you want a laptop to last more than 6 years then this is the one to choose, unless you need some kind of ruggedized laptop which will be a lot sturdier and waterproof but much slower. If you will replace it before that like most people, then ASUS is fine--it may feel flimsy from all the flexing but it's really not. You will be stuck with the CPU it came with though so if some security vulnerability mitigation later tanks performance, well tough.

Their 13 model is an ultraportable and the much larger 16 a workstation/gaming type laptop.

Really huge thanks for the detailed feedback, now is really clear the scenario

Again huge thanks!