Asus has announced a refresh of its flagship ExpertBook B9, which it describes as the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop. There really should be a ‘still’ in that claim as it’s the same 880g as its predecessor.
With similar features to the previous model, the laptop now has a choice of 11th-gen Intel Core processors with Intel Iris X graphics.
The newest features are AdaptiveLock proximity sensor, which enables fast logins, and also AI integrated noise-cancellation technology for clearer video calls, something that is particularly useful with the increase of remote working these days.
AdaptiveLock technology detects when you’re sat in front of the ExpertBook B9 and uses an infrared camera to recognise your face before logging you into Windows 10.
When you step away, the laptop automatically locks itself, rather than waiting for an idle period.
Alongside this, the ClearVoice Mic feature can be found in the MyASUS app. It filters out ambient noise and normalises individual voices from different positions for clearer conference call quality.
This is achieved using machine learning in combination with the Quad 360 far-field microphones that also works with Cortana and Alexa voice-recognition.
The ExpertBook B9 can run two 4K displays, one 8K or an external GPU.
The laptop will be available from October 2020, starting at £1,699.99 (approx $2260). For that, you get an Intel Core i7-1165G7, 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD and a Full HD IPS screen.
Author: Hannah Williams, Small Business Editor
Hannah is Small Business Editor. She writes news, tutorials and buying advice tailored to very small companies, covering software from Excel to Sage and hardware including laptops.