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ASUS ExpertBook P5 Review: A Solid Business Laptop With AI Still in Progress


By Timothy Teoh February 15, 2025

It may have slipped under your radar, but ASUS only recently ventured into the world of strictly-business laptops with the ExpertBook series. ASUS, of course, is no stranger to high-performance laptops, having impressed us with the Zenbook and ProArt series.

With the ExpertBook series – more specifically, the ExpertBook P5 (P5405) – you get a suite of work-focused AI features out of the readily installed AI ExpertMeet application. To double down on the AI hype, the ExpertBook P5 is also a Copilot+ PC, meaning you’ll have another set of AI features accessible with a tap on the dedicated Copilot key.

Yes, AI is undoubtedly at the core of its functions, which, in theory, should make work easier and seamless (I’ll pen my experience with it later on). AI aside, the laptop boasts plenty of noteworthy hardware designed to meet the demands of the modern workforce.

We’ll be the first to say that we had zero doubts the ExpertBook P5 would deliver. However, at a steep price of RM6,859, it does beg the question: is it worth the price?

ExpertBook P5 (P5405) specs

ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 258V
Graphic CardIntel Arc GPU
RAM & Storage32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Display14″, WQXGA (2560×1600), 16:10, sRGB 100%
Battery63Whr
Security2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1x Kensington nano lock
Webcam1080p FHD w/ webcam shield
Weight1.29kg

ASUS ExpertBook P5: Getting the basics right

Built

The one thing business laptops need to be is lightweight, and ASUS has nailed this perfectly. It’s not the absolute lightest 14-incher in the ExpertBook series, as that honour goes to the ExpertBook B9 OLED and its 990g heft.

However, at 1.27kg, the ExpertBook B5 sits comfortably in the portable range, making it suitable for both office and on-the-go professionals. Despite its lightweight build, the laptop is far from flimsy, having endured MIL-STD-810H military-grade testing. It’ll shrug off a few hard knocks and unpredictable temperature fluctuations, but don’t go treating it like a punching bag when a bad email comes in.

As far aesthetics go, it’s all business here. The metallic lid is clean and minimalist, with only an engraved ASUS EXPERTBOOK badge positioned neatly off-center like a well-combed side parting.

Display

First things first, there’s no OLED display here, unlike what you’d find on the ZenBook and ProArt series. If design is of utmost importance in your profession, shifting focus to the ProArt or Zenbook series will likely be a better fit.

That being said, you don’t really need to zero in on displays with corporate laptops like this anyway. The ExpertBook P5 offers a safe and standard 14″ display with WQXGA (2560×1600) resolution in a 16:10 aspect ratio.

For what it’s worth, it boasts 100% sRGB colour accuracy, but with 400 nits brightness, it’s not the most optimal choice for outdoor work. In an office setup, or perhaps well-shaded cafes, it will get by flawlessly.

What might come in handy during team or group meetings is the laptop’s versatile 180-degree hinge, which allows it to lie completely flat on a surface.

Processors

The ExpertBook P5 is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU and an Intel Arc GPU. Our variant came with 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM paired with 1TB of SSD storage. As mentioned earlier, ASUS is investing heavily in the AI game, which means the ExpertBook P5 is facilitated with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to handle AI functions.

This is precisely what we’re focusing on, particularly the ASUS AI ExpertMeet application that ASUS has been emphasizing throughout the series.

ASUS AI ExpertMeet

In brief, the AI ExpertMeet app is ASUS’ on-device assistant designed to simplify work meetings. An important disclaimer: at the time of writing, the app is still in Beta. Nevertheless, we had the privilege of testing it ourselves to see just how useful it really is in a real work context.

At its core, the AI ExpertMeet offers three main features: AI Meeting Minutes, AI Translated Subtitles, and Watermark, which we’ll look at one-by-one.

AI Meeting Minutes

You know how every long, drawn-out meeting requires a poor soul to keep tabs on every vital topic discussed, then summarize it into a digestible format? AI Meeting Minutes automates that process by converting recorded audio into text.

It’s simple enough that even your less tech-savvy coworkers can navigate. You only need to boot up the AI ExpertMeet app, head to the AI Meeting Minutes tab, and press the red record button at the bottom left. Once the meeting is done, press stop recording, and the app will transcribe everything said over the span of the discussion.

Alternatively, you can also import audio files into the app, and it will transcribe them for you.

AI Meeting Minutes transcribes any audio file you upload to the app

Like all AI features that have to do with transcription, the question of accuracy arises. Having tested it on a podcast audio file, I was quite impressed that it delivered near-perfect accuracy. There were some words that were transcribed incorrectly, or even not detected at all, but these to me were minor. You do have the option to edit the transcript if you spot any mistakes.

You can easily edit the meeting minutes script to make corrections

There are a few other things here that I feel are worth highlighting. Firstly, Multiple Speaker Recognition is, for the most part, highly accurate. It can detect the number of speakers and label them with impressive precision. However, it does help if each speaker has a distinct voice.

The timestamps also work great if you need to home in on a particular point (or count how many times you’ve been interrupted).

Perhaps the most crucial of all is the Summary function, which funnels the discussion into simple point form. What’s great here is that it not only summarizes the overall meeting but also breaks it down into a speaker summary, summing up all the key points brought up by each speaker.

The overall summary of the audio file
The summary of each speaker detected in the audio file

Overall, my impression of the feature is positive. Even in its Beta stage, I can see AI Meeting Minutes becoming a heavily utilized time-saving tool for SMEs and small businesses. However, for high-stakes corporate discussions where leeway for mistakes is slim, it’s probably still best to rely on a trusty human.

AI Translated Subtitles

AI Translated Subtitles is exactly what the name suggests. It provides real-time subtitles for any audio detected from your company meetings or content, with the option to translate it into a language of your choice.

It’s a spectacular idea in theory, but I feel its execution still needs work, particularly in terms of the speed at which the subtitles appear. It seems a little sluggish, and often lags behind by a few sentences. I get that if you’re consuming content in a foreign language, the delay might not be as noticeable, since you don’t speak the language anyway.

The AI subtitles tend to be sluggish, lagging behind by a few sentences

However, I did find that even for English content, the subtitles were prone to errors. Punctuation also tends to be wayyy of, often adding full stops when the speaker only meant for a slight pause. It does translate good portions of the video accurately, but unless the speaker is talking with robot-like precision in pronunciation and tone, you’ll have a hard time deciphering the subtitles.

A few examples of wrongly interpreted subtitles

Another thing to note is that Bahasa Malaysia is not yet supported. For now, it can detect English, Traditional Chinese, Italian, German, and Portuguese, with the option to translate into English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese.

If none of these apply to you, worry not – we’ll likely see more supported languages as the ExpertMeet app moves out of the Beta phase.

Watermark

The next feature isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but it’s useful nonetheless. The Watermark feature, although not AI-powered, can be activated on the AI ExpertMeet app.

It allows you to display your virtual business card and contact information during online meetings, which is especially useful for virtual meetings with new clients and online conferences. At least for Google Meet, it automatically integrates the business card into the screen. So, turning on the Watermark feature in AI ExpertMeet will also enable it on Google Meet.

Additionally, the Watermark feature includes an option to place large watermark strips across the display for highly confidential meetings that might be screen-recorded.

ASUS ExpertBook P5: Worth the RM6K AI hype?

Tagging a heavy price comes with high expectations to deliver. Forking out over RM6,000 isn’t something done casually, even under company budget, so it needs to be well-justified.

There’s no doubt that ASUS has great intentions with the on-device AI ExpertMeet app. And indeed, features like AI Meeting Minutes exceeded my expectations and hold great promise for the future. However, from a strictly AI standpoint, there are also areas that require significant refinements before I can be fully convinced by the ‘AI-driven’ hype.

This sentiment isn’t exclusive to ASUS, by the way. Everywhere you look, brands are doubling down on the AI PC hype, promising AI features that claim to make life easier when they are still mostly half-baked.

AI aside, the ExpertBook P5 does have excellent hardware, along with commercial-grade security features such as TPM 2.0 and a Kensington Nano Security Slot, making it a solid choice if your work requires top-level protection.

My verdict? If you’re sold on the AI hype, I’d suggest waiting for later editions of the ExpertBook, when the AI features are a little more established. For any other reason – such as hardware performance or portability – this is a premium yet solid choice that will keep you in good company.

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    Best Handheld Gaming Consoles You Can Find in Malaysia (besides the Nintendo Switch)


    By Timothy Teoh February 05, 2025

    Handheld gaming consoles are resurging in all their glory, much to the delight of avid gamers longing for a portable solution. While the Nintendo Switch has been a fan favourite throughout the decade, it’s safe to say it has been without solid competition until recently. Valve can take credit for ushering in the modern era of gaming handhelds with the Steam Deck, but that was back in 2022.

    Now, in 2025, newer and fiercer contenders have made themselves known in the arena, with more set to come as the year progresses. Whether you’re making the switch (pun very much intended) from Nintendo, or just getting into the gaming handheld scene, you’ve got some powerful options to choose from.

    Here are the best handheld gaming consoles you can find in Malaysia – besides the Nintendo Switch.

    1) MSI Claw A1M

    Price starts at RM3,299 in Malaysia; Launched in March 2024

    The MSI Claw A1M might not be the strongest in the Claw series; nevertheless, you can still count on its Intel chipsets to deliver an unrivalled gaming experience. In Malaysia, the Claw A1M comes in two variants, with the series-topping model powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 155H, 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD. The other runs on a more than capable Core Ultra 5 processor 135H, with the same 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, but a smaller 512GB SSD.

    Through gripping one-on-ones or team battles, the MSI Claw puts you in good stead with its palm-friendly ergonomic contours. This isn’t a result of guesswork. MSI has gone to great lengths to gather feedback from “thousands of sample data collected from around the world”, all to bring you an ergonomic design tailored to all hand sizes.

    Beyond that, you’ll have a 7″ IPS panel offering Full HD (1920×1080) resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 100% sRGB coverage to deliver immersive visuals no matter the game.

    MSI Claw A1M key features
    ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 155H
    Intel Core Ultra 5 135H
    Operating SystemWindows 11
    RAM/Storage16GB LPDDR5, Up to 1TB SSD
    Display7″ IPS, FHD (1920×1080), 120Hz, 500 nits, 100% sRGB
    Battery53Wh, with support for 65W charging
    ControlABXY buttons, L&R joysticks, L&R triggers, L&R bumpers, D-Pad, View button, Menu button, MSI Center M button, Quick Settings button, Macro button (M1/M2), HD haptics
    I/O Ports1x combo audio jack, 1x Thunderbolt 4 (DP/ PD 3.0), 1x MicroSD card reader
    Wi-Fi & BluetoothWi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
    Weight675g

    2) ROG Ally X

    Priced at RM4,299 in Malaysia; Launched in July 2024

    The first ROG Ally might have had its critics, but the revamped ROG Ally X is a worthy contender in every aspect. It’s evidently more expensive, but rest assured you’ll be getting plenty of top-tier specs to take on the gaming gauntlet.

    This is yet another handheld running Windows 11, meaning you can hook it up to an external monitor and essentially run it like a full-fledged PC. The gaming threshold is through the roof thanks to the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset. It runs both indie games and AAA titles with ease, including fan favourites such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Grand Theft Auto V, and Cyberpunk 2077.

    The Ally X ships with 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. If you need to ramp up your gaming catalogue, the console supports M.2 2280 storage for a seamless upgrade. Additionally, its 80Wh battery is impressive, and is the largest on this list.

    ASUS ROG Ally X key features
    ProcessorAMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
    Operating SystemWindows 11
    RAM/Storage24GB LPDDR5 (12GB*2), 1TB SSD
    Display7″ IPS, FHD (1920×1080), 120Hz, 500 nits, 100% sRGB, Gorilla Glass Victus w/ DXC coating
    Battery80Wh, with support for 65W charging
    ControlABXY buttons, L&R joysticks, L&R triggers, L&R bumpers, D-Pad, View button, Menu button, Command Centre button, Armoury Crate button, 2x grip buttons (rear), HD haptics
    I/O Ports1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (DP / PD), 1x Thunderbolt 4 (DP 1.4 with FreeSync support / PD 3.0), 1x UHS-II microSD card reader
    Wi-Fi & BluetoothWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
    Weight678g

    3) Lenovo Legion Go S

    Priced at RM3,299 in Malaysia; Launched in February 2025

    The new kid on the block – and arguably one of the most anticipated – is the Lenovo Legion Go S. Like our MSI recommendation, the Legion Go S isn’t the series-topping model, but it still excels in gaming performance with an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor in its engine.

    An ideal option for blockbuster games, the Legion Go S also has plenty of screen for you to marvel at pretty visuals. The 8″ WUXGA (1920×1200) IPS display supporting a 120Hz refresh rate leaves plenty to be excited about. Not only that, its adjustable trigger, which senses both short and long presses, gives you the edge in first-person shooters and racing games.

    FYI, more Lenovo Legion Go models are on the horizon, including a flagship variant featuring the Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor. With the product page already up and running on Lenovo Malaysia’s website, we can expect an announcement in the foreseeable future. Until then, stay tuned and we’ll see if it makes the list!

    Lenovo Legion Go S key features
    ProcessorAMD Ryzen Z2 Go
    Operating SystemWindows 11
    RAM/Storage16GB LPDDR5X, 512GB SSD
    Display8″ IPS WUXGA (1920×1200), 120Hz, 500 nits, 100% sRGB
    Battery55.5Wh, with support for 65W charging
    ControlABXY buttons, L&R joysticks, L&R triggers, L&R bumpers, D-Pad, View button, Menu button, Legion Space button, Adjustable trigger switch, Y1&Y2 button
    I/O Ports2x USB 4 (DP 1.4, PD 3.0), MicroSD card reader, Headphone/mic combo
    Wi-Fi & BluetoothWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
    WeightStarts at 730g

    4) Zotac ZONE

    Priced at RM3,899 in Malaysia; Launched in December 2024

    How about something a little more ambitious? The Zotac ZONE is an option that’s a little under the radar, but it shouldn’t take away from what it has to offer. A high-performing processor in the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U makes it a great option for a vast catalogue of indie games. It’s no exaggeration to say that the Zotac ZONE’s display is unparalleled, featuring a 7″ AMOLED panel with FHD (1920×1080) resolution and 800 nits of brightness. Plus, its 150% sRGB guarantees richer, more vivid colours that shine when you’re venturing through open-world fantasy maps.

    This is also one of the only gaming handhelds that integrate dual trackpads (much like the Steam Deck) to maximize compatibility with PC games and desktop navigation. Plus, it comes with a built-in kickstand!

    Couple all this with the 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB SSD, and you’ll have a handheld gaming experience like no other.

    Zotac ZONE key features
    ProcessorAMD Ryzen 7 8840U
    Operating SystemWindows 11
    RAM/Storage16GB LPDDR5X, 512GB SSD
    Display7″ AMOLED, FHD (1920×1080), 120Hz, 800 nits, 150% sRGB
    Battery48.5Wh, with support for 65W charging
    ControlABXY buttons, L&R joysticks, L&R triggers, L&R bumpers, D-Pad, View button, Option button, More button, Home button, ZONE button, 2x programmable grip buttons, 2x trackpads, 2x radial dials
    I/O Ports2x USB 4, MicroSD card reader, 3.5mm stereo analog audio
    Wi-Fi & BluetoothWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
    Weight692g

    More to come…

    We mentioned earlier that the flagship Lenovo Legion Go could be making its way to our shores soon. But that’s not the only gaming handheld slated to launch here. Acer, too, looks to be joining in with its series of Nitro Blaze gaming handhelds. Product pages for the Nitro Blaze 7, Blaze 8, and Blaze 11 are already up, but there’s no confirmation of pricing or availability just yet.

    Not only that, but Nintendo has also given us a first look at the updated Switch 2, set to launch sometime this year.

    We’re certain we’ll see more gaming handhelds in due time. Until then, check back on this page from time to time, and we’ll update you with the latest!

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