ASUS ExpertBook P1503CVA-P516512-CB 15.6" 2024, Core i5-13420H, 16GB, 512GB SSD

The Core i5-13420H and 16GB of DDR5 RAM make this a solid workhorse for office tasks, landing at the 55th and 51st percentiles respectively. But the screen at the 20th percentile and the gaming score of 12.5 out of 100 are serious weak spots. It's a fine business laptop if you can find it at the lower CAD 899 price, but the higher listings feel overpriced.

The Core i5-13420H is an 8-core chip running at 2.1GHz base, and it's the best thing about this laptop. At the 55th percentile for CPU performance, it's solidly middle of the pack, which for a business machine means it handles multitasking well. Pair that with 16GB of DDR5 RAM at the 51st percentile and you've got a setup that won't choke when you've got 30 browser tabs, Slack, and a few Office apps open at once.

The 512GB NVMe SSD at the 52nd percentile is about average for this class. Load times are quick, and the dual-SSD RAID support ASUS mentions is a nice touch for data redundancy if you're the type who worries about drive failures. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics at the 37th percentile is underwhelming, but for a business laptop that's mostly pushing pixels for documents and video calls, it gets the job done. Just don't try to game on this thing, the gaming score of 12.5 out of 100 is one of the worst we've seen.

Stacked against the competition, the ExpertBook P1 is a tough sell. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Pro absolutely crushes it in CPU, GPU, and screen quality, though you'll pay significantly more for that privilege. The Lenovo Legion 5i 83F00008US and HP OMEN Transcend 14-fb1023dx both offer dedicated GPUs that make the ExpertBook's integrated Intel UHD Graphics look like a toy, and their screens are in a completely different league. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition is a closer competitor in spirit, with better build quality and a sharper display, though the ExpertBook's 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD match it on paper. Where the ExpertBook wins is on price, at least at the lower end of that CAD range, and on the enterprise security features like TPM 2.0 and the fingerprint sensor that most consumer laptops skip.

Pricing on this thing is all over the place. In Canada, we're seeing it listed anywhere from CAD 899 to CAD 1,349 across two listings, which is a CAD 450 spread. That's a huge range for the same laptop. At CAD 899, this is a reasonable deal for a business machine with a Core i5 and 16GB of RAM. At CAD 1,349, you're paying a premium for the ExpertBook name and the enterprise security features. The US listing at USD 1,499 feels steep for what you get, especially when the screen and GPU are this weak. If you're in Canada, hunt for the lower-priced listing and don't settle for the higher one.

The ASUS ExpertBook P1 P1503CVA is a business laptop that gets the basics right and not much else. The Intel Core i5-13420H with 16GB of DDR5 RAM lands at the 55th percentile for CPU performance in our database, which means it'll chew through spreadsheets, email, and video calls without breaking a sweat. The 512GB NVMe SSD sits right around average too, so boot times and app launches feel snappy enough for a work machine.

But the screen is where this thing stumbles. At the 20th percentile, that 15.6-inch 1080p 60Hz panel is a weak spot. It's fine for documents and web browsing, but don't expect vibrant colors or smooth motion. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics lands at the 37th percentile, which is mediocre for anything beyond basic display output. This is a work laptop through and through, and it knows it.

Skip this if you do any visual work. The screen at the 20th percentile and the integrated Intel UHD Graphics at the 37th percentile make photo editing, video work, or even casual gaming a frustrating experience. The gaming score of 12.5 out of 100 is one of the worst we've seen. Also skip it if you need lots of ports, the selection at the 32nd percentile is limited for a business machine, and HDMI 1.4b can't drive 4K displays at 60Hz. If you're paying anywhere near the USD 1,499 or the higher CAD 1,349 listing, you're overpaying for what you get.

The ASUS ExpertBook P1 is a competent business laptop that nails the fundamentals: solid CPU, enough RAM, fast storage, and enterprise security. But the screen at the 20th percentile and the integrated GPU at the 37th percentile hold it back from being a great all-rounder. If your work is mostly documents, email, and web apps, this will serve you well, especially if you can snag it at the lower end of the CAD price range. If you need anything more visual, look elsewhere.