There was a time when business laptops were heavy, uninspired, and cost a pack. Asus The ExpertBook B1400 changes that benchmark by being a laptop aimed at business users at a very accessible price point while keeping it under 1.5kg for people on the go. It ticks all the boxes on security and easy manageability, which is expected from a business laptop. Here is my ExpertBook B1400 review.
Asus ExpertBook B1400 Price in India: Rs 48,900 onwards (Exclusive of GST)
Asus ExpertBook B1400 review: Design and aesthetics
The ExpertBook B1400 may not win an award for being the world’s thinnest 14-inch business notebook (the award actually goes to the ExpertBook B9), but it’s refreshing to see just how light this laptop is. It’s still slim and light at 1.45kg, which means I can comfortably work on my presentations from a nearby Starbucks. Asus used an aluminum alloy and a solid plastic base on the display’s lid to keep the notebook lightweight; Plus, the MIL-STD-810G rating ensures that it can withstand pressure, shock, drops, vibration, altitude, and extreme temperatures.
Asus used aluminum alloy on the lid of the display and a solid plastic base to keep the notebook lightweight. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The star black color of my review unit was eye-catching, far from boring and lackluster business notebooks. The display doesn’t flex and can be folded back 180 degrees. This is because of Asus’s ErgoLift hinge design. So when you open the laptop lid, the bottom edge pushes back against the table, making the keyboard more comfortable for typing.
The port selection is good – a single USB 2.0 Type-A port, a USB 3.2 Type C Gen 1 port, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a headphone jack, an HDMI port, a Kensington lock slot, a Thunderbolt 4 port that supports does. DisplayPort and Power Delivery with HDMI output, VGA port and SD card reader. Above the display, you’ll see a webcam with a privacy shutter and Windows Hello support, and there’s a fingerprint reader below the keyboard. On the inside, Asus has dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 and a TPM 2.0 chip for security.
Asus ExpertBook B1400 review: Display and speakers
The ExpertBook B1400 sports a 14-inch display, which offers Full HD (1080p) resolution. It is a non-touch, IPS panel with an anti-glare coating. The bezels are thin (Asus claims an 84 percent screen-to-body ratio). You won’t be impressed by the screen, but I found it acceptable for everyday work that involves a little bit of photo editing, researching, and consuming media.
The ExpertBook B1400 sports a 14-inch display, which offers Full HD (1080p) resolution. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express,
The display is quite sharp and bright, but it would have been great to see a bright panel in the 16:10 aspect ratio. Meanwhile, the speakers are average. They’re small and without bass, and the speakers don’t sound very loud. They are only suitable for occasional media consumption.
Asus ExpertBook B1400 review: Keyboard and trackpad
The B1400’s keyboard is serviceable, but no match for a keyboard seen on a notebook Apple And Pit, Although it offered reasonable travel, I wasn’t too happy with the keyboard. However, the level of satisfaction you get while typing is subjective. The keyboard is fully backlit and has a spill-resistant design. The trackpad is of medium size but offers smooth performance.
Although it offered reasonable travel, I wasn’t too happy with the keyboard. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Asus also gives users the option to activate the numberpad by pressing a small icon in the top right corner of the touchpad, but this feature is optional. This is a clever feature, especially for those who spend a lot of time working on MS Excel.
Asus ExpertBook B1400 review: Performance and battery
Asus is selling the ExpertBook B1400 in several configurations, and the model I reviewed came with a Core i5 11th-generation processor (1135G7). IntelXe Graphics. In addition, there’s also 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD and a 1TB SATA hard drive. The notebook performed as expected during my workday, web pages loaded faster and I was able to run Office applications side-by-side Google docs without any problems. The ExpertBook is primarily designed for business users who expect some reliability from a notebook. Windows 11 notebooks also have software utilities such as Control Center and Business Manager. While Asus’ Control Center is a centralized IT management suite capable of remote management, Business Manager lets you update the BIOS and software, and manage power consumption.
The display doesn’t flex and can be folded back 180 degrees. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
In my battery test, the ExpertBook B1400 with Core i5 processor lasted 6 to 7 hours on a single charge. This means that the 42Whr battery will last a full workday, but again it depends on the usage of your notebook. But I must say that the Apple MacBook M1 still has an edge over any Intel notebook in terms of both power efficiency and battery life.
Asus ExpertBook B1400 Review: Should You Buy It?
If you want a solid Windows-based business notebook, but don’t have an astronomically high budget, I recommend getting the Asus ExpertBook B1400. The notebook is lightweight, has almost all the ports, a fingerprint reader and other built in security and IT management suites. But its battery life is similar to that of most other laptops in the same price range.