ASUS unveils ZenBook 3 Deluxe with 14-inch 1080p display, three USB-C ports, i7 Kaby Lake CPU, up to 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, available in May starting at $1,699
Tom Warren / The Verge :
Context & Ripple Effects
ASUS is scaling up last year's ZenBook 3, which pitched itself as thinner, lighter, and faster than Apple's MacBook at $1,999 with an i7, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. The Deluxe keeps that spec sheet but moves to a 14-inch display, adds two more USB-C ports, and drops the entry price to $1,699.
The timing matters: this lands ahead of the May launch window where ASUS also ships the Zenbook Flip S convertible with a 4K display and 11.5 hours of battery life at $1,099, giving the company a layered premium Windows lineup rather than a single MacBook challenger.
First-order effects
- Buyers get a larger-screen version of ASUS's flagship ultraportable for $300 less than the original ZenBook 3 launched at, with three USB-C ports replacing the single-port design that defined the first model.
- Apple's MacBook now faces a Windows rival that undercuts it on price while matching its headline specs — RAM, SSD capacity, and Core i7 silicon.
Second-order effects
- Three USB-C ports on a consumer laptop raises the baseline for what a thin-and-light must offer, pressuring rivals still shipping one-port designs to follow.
- The $1,099 Flip S and the $1,699 Deluxe bracket the premium segment together, squeezing competitors who lack a convertible-plus-clamshell pairing at those price points.
Third-order effects
- If the pattern holds, ASUS keeps pushing thin chassis into ever-larger and more elaborate displays — the trajectory visible in the Zenbook Pro 15 with six-core CPUs and an optional discrete GPU and later the dual-screen ZenBook Pro Duo — moving the brand from MacBook imitation to its own premium identity.
The trend: ASUS's ZenBook line is evolving from direct MacBook clones into a self-styled premium Windows family defined by bigger screens, more ports, and aggressive pricing.