Asus ExpertBook P1 review: The business laptop that doesn't break the bank

Time of India

25-05-2025

In a market filling in with flashy gaming rigs and ultra-premium ultrabooks, the
Asus ExpertBook P1
arrives with a different proposition entirely. This isn't a laptop trying to be everything to everyone, it's a machine with a clear mission: delivering dependable business performance without the enterprise price tag.
The
ExpertBook
P1 occupies a middle ground. It's substantial enough to handle serious workloads yet accessible enough for small businesses and individual professionals who've been priced out of traditional enterprise solutions. The question isn't whether it can compete with premium ultrabooks, it's whether it can redefine what we expect from a business laptop at this price point.
Taking the 'design' high road
The ExpertBook P1 makes no apologies for its utilitarian appearance. Wrapped in a matte grey finish, it embodies the philosophy that good business tools should be noticed for their reliability, not their aesthetics. The 19.7mm thickness might seem generous by today's ultrabook standards, but every millimetre serves a purpose.
This isn't accidental bulk, it's intentional engineering. The thicker chassis accommodates a comprehensive port selection that eliminates the dongle dance plaguing thinner machines. Full-sized HDMI, dedicated Ethernet, dual USB-A ports, and twin USB-C connections create a connectivity ecosystem that actually enhances productivity rather than hindering it. The left-side port placement is particularly thoughtful, keeping your mouse area unencumbered during extended work sessions.
Despite the plastic construction, which admittedly feels less premium than aluminium alternatives, the laptop maintains reassuring solidity. The 180-degree hinge isn't just a design flourish; it transforms the device into a collaborative tool during impromptu presentations or team discussions. Military-grade MIL-STD-810H certification backs up the sturdy feel with quantifiable durability metrics, including resistance to 50kg of pressure and protection against 66cc of liquid spills on the keyboard.
What strikes you most about the physical design is its honesty. There are nno unnecessary flourishes or attention-seeking elements. The webcam privacy shutter, reinforced hinges tested for 50,000 cycles, and tool-free battery access panels all speak to a machine designed for the long haul rather than the short impression.
The keyboard strikes a careful balance between comfort and functionality. The full-size layout with 1.35mm key travel creates a satisfying typing experience for extended document work, though the lack of backlighting on some configurations can prove frustrating in dimly lit environments. The spill-resistant design adds practical value for coffee-fueled work sessions.
The trackpad presents a mixed experience. While generous in size and responsive to multi-touch gestures, the integrated fingerprint sensor reduces the usable surface area noticeably. Users accustomed to larger, uninterrupted trackpad surfaces might find the adjustment period longer than expected, though the security convenience often compensates for the spatial compromise.
Choosing practicality where it should be
The 14-inch Full HD IPS display won't win any awards for colour accuracy or brightness, but it accomplishes something more valuable, it works consistently well across various environments. The 300-nit brightness combined with anti-glare coating creates a viewing experience that prioritises functionality over visual drama, though you'll notice the limitations when working outdoors or in brightly lit spaces.
This is decidedly not a content creation display. The 45% NTSC colour gamut coverage makes that clear from the start, and the somewhat uneven backlight illumination becomes apparent during darker scenes. However, for its intended audience, professionals juggling spreadsheets, documents, presentations, and video calls, the display proves entirely adequate. Text remains crisp, web content appears balanced, and the wide 178-degree viewing angles ensure presentations remain visible even when sharing the screen with colleagues.
The 16:9 aspect ratio feels refreshingly traditional in an era of increasingly tall displays. For business applications, this format maximises horizontal workspace, making side-by-side document comparison more natural. The thick bezels, while aesthetically dated, serve a practical purpose, they provide something to grip when carrying the laptop open between meetings.
Perhaps most importantly, the display doesn't tire your eyes during extended use. The anti-glare treatment effectively reduces reflections, while the absence of PWM flickering ensures comfortable viewing even during marathon work sessions. It's a display that quietly does its job without calling attention to itself, exactly what many business users actually need.
Surprising strength in familiar packaging
The
Intel Core i7-13620H processor
is a little dated, and it won't be any newer later on, but it still delivers a contemporary performance that exceeds expectations. This 10-core processor, paired with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, creates a computing environment that handles demanding multitasking scenarios with remarkable composure – though the single-channel RAM configuration does leave some performance on the table that dual-channel memory would unlock.
Loading heavy Excel workbooks while running multiple browser tabs, Zoom calls, and background applications rarely triggers any performance hiccups. The processor's hybrid architecture, combining performance and efficiency cores, proves particularly effective for business workloads that mix intensive calculations with lighter maintenance tasks, even if the thermal constraints prevent it from reaching its full turbo potential during sustained loads.
Photo editing in
Lightroom
proceeds smoothly for most adjustments, while
Premiere Pro
handles basic video editing tasks without significant struggle. However, the integrated
Intel UHD
graphics clearly shows its limitations when pushed beyond basic productivity tasks. This won't leave you stranded if occasional multimedia work emerges, but creative professionals will quickly bump against the GPU's ceiling.
The thermal management deserves praise despite the system's tendency to run warm during intensive tasks. Asus's ExpertCool technology maintains consistent performance without the aggressive fan curves that plague many business laptops. Even under sustained loads, the system remains relatively quiet, crucial for open office environments and video conferences. The rear vent design prevents hot air from flowing back toward the user, though the laptop can become uncomfortably warm on your lap during extended use.
The 512GB PCIe 4.0 drive provides ample speed for business applications, while the second M.2 slot offers straightforward expansion options for users requiring additional storage. The 32GB of RAM might seem excessive for basic business use, but it transforms the multitasking experience, allowing virtual machines, large datasets, and multiple productivity applications to coexist without performance degradation.
Practical endurance for working professionals
Battery performance on the ExpertBook P1 reflects its business-first approach, prioritising consistent availability over headline-grabbing endurance figures. The 50Wh battery delivers approximately 7-8 hours of mixed usage, encompassing typical business workloads including document editing, web browsing, video calls, and light multimedia consumption, though this falls short of the all-day performance many modern ultrabooks achieve.
This isn't the marathon computing experience promised by some competitors, but it aligns well with realistic business usage patterns. Most professionals work near power sources, making the ExpertBook P1's battery life sufficient for meetings, travel between locations, and temporary disconnection from desk setups. Power management proves intelligent across different usage scenarios, with light productivity tasks extending battery life noticeably while video conferences and processor-intensive applications draw more power as expected.
The fast-charging capability becomes more relevant than raw endurance, reaching 60% capacity in under 50 minutes transforms brief breaks into substantial battery recovery periods. The 65W USB-C charger adds versatility to the charging equation, with its compatibility with PD and PPS standards meaning it can charge smartphones and other USB-C devices, reducing cable clutter in mobile work setups.
Redefining business values
68,990 for the Core i7 configuration, it competes favourably against consumer laptops while offering superior durability, security features, and serviceability. Yes, the plastic build feels less premium than aluminium alternatives, the display won't satisfy creative professionals, and the single-channel RAM configuration leaves performance untapped. The battery life trails modern ultrabooks, and the integrated graphics struggle with anything beyond basic tasks.
But here's where the ExpertBook P1's shines: these limitations don't detract from its core mission. The plastic construction proves remarkably durable while keeping costs reasonable. The basic display excels at business tasks without the colour accuracy premium most users don't need. The modest battery life aligns with real-world business usage patterns, while the comprehensive port selection eliminates dongles that would otherwise drain battery faster.
The ExpertBook P1 isn't trying to be the best laptop for everyone. Instead, it excels at being exactly what many business users actually need: a dependable, capable, and reasonably priced tool that gets out of the way and lets you focus on your work. It proves that business laptops can prioritise function over form, substance over style, and long-term value over short-term impressions, even when that means accepting certain compromises.
Our rating: 3.5/5
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