The evolution of business laptops has been incredible. From bulky and heavy machines to slim and lightweight form factors, business laptops have seen it all. The slim design is great for portability, but when it comes down to serious business, these machines can sometimes heat up, causing last-minute hassles and issues. Also Read: Best business laptops under Rs 1,50,000 in India
To tackle this, Asus came up with a great idea. The brand kept their new ExpertBook series slim enough to maintain portability, while also utilising the extra space to add some much-needed upgrades that deliver better and more sustained performance even under sustained loads. 
Also Read: Best business laptops under Rs 1,00,000 in India
But are these upgrades actually needed, or just a way for the brand to upsell their ExpertBook series? Read the full review to know the truth about the Asus ExpertBook B5.
Asus ExpertBook B5 Build and Design: Elegancy meets business
The ExpertBook B5 comes with a minimal design, and the branding complements the minimalistic style. The top cover and keyboard are made of metal and Asus has nailed the premium feeling as the laptop weighs 1.75 kgs and also comes with MIL-STD 810H certification for added durability. Initially, the laptop felt slightly heavy, but over time, as I carried it in my office bag instead of my regular laptop, I realised the weight difference actually made sense. The added weight actually contributes to its solid and well-balanced build.
The laptop also passes the one-hand open test, and the lid feels sturdy with minimal screen wobble. Additionally, it comes with a physical privacy shutter for the webcam, which is a great addition for those who are concerned about privacy and security. The only downside of the design is that the lid is a fingerprint magnet and gets dirty very quickly.
Moving on to the ports, the laptop the ExpertBook B5 comes with all the essential ports. On the left side it has 2 thunderbolt 4 ports that support display and power delivery, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the right it gets another USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, RJ45 gigabit ethernet port, micro SD card reader and a Kensington lock.
Asus ExpertBook B5 Display: Smooth and appealing
On the display side, the Asus ExpertBook B5 has an excellent 14-inch WQXGA 16:10 panel, which is great for multitasking and media consumption. The display produces punchy and vibrant colors and comes with 100% sRGB coverage. The display also gets a 144Hz high refresh rate, which makes scrolling and working on the laptop feel as smooth as a hot knife cutting through butter. Another great offering is a matte display that minimises reflections.
Even in harsh outdoor conditions, the display remains clearly visible with no issues. Also, while using the laptop in pitch dark there is no flickering issue or halos which clearly shows that the display quality is top notch.
The only small drawback while viewing videos is that the speakers are downward firing so a lot of the sound gets muffled when using it on a soft surface like a bed.
Asus ExpertBook B5 Keyboard, trackpad and webcam
The keyboard on the Asus ExpertBook B5 is excellent and offers a very comfortable typing experience. The key travel is just right, and the metal keys provide a precise, tactile feel that elevates the overall experience. The keyboard is backlit and comes with three levels of brightness control, making it ideal for typing in dim lighting conditions.
Additionally, the power button has an embedded fingerprint scanner, which is quick and reliable. The touchpad is well-refined and large enough to handle all the gestures and multitasking needs of business professionals.The webcam also delivers decent quality for video calls, and with the added AI features like AI subtitles, the overall experience feels more smooth.
Asus ExpertBook B5 Performance: Solid and sturdy
Coming to the core of the ExpertBook B5, the laptop is powered by the new Arrow Lake H processor along with Intel Arc graphics. The unit I tested was powered by the Intel Core Ultra 255H, which delivers excellent performance and shows virtually no lag in day-to-day tasks. This is paired with 32GB DDR5 RAM and a 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD. The storage speeds are also super fast when tested with CrystalDisk.
Along with this Asus has also added AI ExpertMeet which is an on-device AI assistant and is helpful for taking online meetings. This AI tool captures all-important moments with AI transcripts, summaries and live-translated captions. The best part is that this is done locally which means that the data is safe and secure.
Even in benchmarks, the laptop aced in terms of numbers. In Cinebench, the ExpertBook B5 scored 12,944 in the multi-core test and 1,851 in the single-core test. In Geekbench, it scored around 2,841 in the single-core and 13,290 in the multi-core test. To check the SSD speeds, I even tried CrystalDisk, and the results were pretty good.
Asus ExpertBook B5 Battery: Gets the work done
Along with the hardcore performance, battery life is always a key concern and honestly this laptop does deliver in that area. The ExpertBook B5 comes with a 50Wh battery and includes a 65W fast charger in the box. In day-to-day use like light browsing, working on documents, and juggling multiple tabs, the laptop lasts around 7 to 8 hours which is quite good. The 65W charger tops up the battery fully in about 2 hours, making this a great option for those always on the go.
Asus ExpertBook B5 Verdict
The Asus ExpertBook B5 strikes a fine balance between performance, portability, and practicality. The Asus ExpertBook B5 starts at Rs 1,30,000 and goes up to Rs 1,45,000. For this price point, it’s definitely a premium laptop and could be a great fit for those who want a solid, reliable, and well-built professional machine that can handle large files and presentations with ease. However, if you’re someone who just needs a regular normal with similar performance, there are other options available at a more affordable price point.
