Did you know that in 2019, computer makers shipped over 261 million PC units all over the world? Of these, six companies stood out (and sold) the most, including Lenovo and Asus.
Both Lenovo and Asus are from Asia, but their market reach spans the globe. Their other primary competitors, including HP, Dell, and Apple, all hail from the US.
With that said, you may be wondering how Lenovo vs. Asus compete against each other. Which of these two is the better laptop brand, and which one should you invest in?
We’ll answer all these questions in this comparison guide, so be sure to read on.
A Quick History Lesson on Lenovo
Lenovo, once also known as “Legend,” is a Chinese computer technology maker. “Legend” has been around since 1984 in Beijing, but it only became “Lenovo” in 1988. Its official business name is Lenovo Group Limited, with headquarters in Hong Kong.
According to www.Lenovo.com, it services 180 markets all over the world. It also boasts of 63,000 employees, 3,000 of whom work in its US-based headquarters. That makes Lenovo one of China’s biggest companies.
In fact, Lenovo has grown so much that it has been a Fortune Global 500 company for 10 years now. It ranks 224th in the most recent 2020 prestigious list. Fortune reports the company’s 2019 fiscal year revenues to have reached $50 billion.
A Look Into AsusTek as a Company
Asus, or AsusTek, is a PC hardware and consumer electronics company based in Taipei, Taiwan. It’s interesting to note that “Asus” is a derivative of “pegasus,” as in the four-winged horse.
Asus has been around since 1989, and it’s most well-known for its motherboard and gaming units. However, the Taiwanese tech maker now also develops and sells smartphones and tablets. It even recently launched a smart home robot.
Unlike Lenovo, though, Asus isn’t big enough to make it to the prestigious Fortune Global 500 list. However, Fortune has listed AsusTek Computer as one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies.” This 2020 is the fifth consecutive year the Taiwanese tech maker received this award.
Lenovo Popularity vs. Asus Users
Lenovo Group Limited is no doubt far more popular and better-selling than AsusTek.
In the third quarter of 2020, Lenovo’s global shipments totaled more than 18.31 million units. That equates to 25.7% of all PC shipments within that period. That also means that over one in four computers shipped during the quarter was from Lenovo.
In the same quarter, Asus shipped only a little over 4.74 million units. That represents 6.7% of all shipments at that time. So, for every one AsusTek computer sold, there were four Lenovo units sold.
All in all, Lenovo is the most popular and best-selling computer maker in the world. It has been since 2013, only losing once (in 2017) to Hewlett-Packard by a mere 0.2% in terms of market share. In fact, Lenovo’s primary competitor is HP, as Asus has never gone past the 4th spot in sales and shares.
Lenovo vs. Asus Laptop Range
Lenovo has six different laptop brands, the “Lenovo” brand being one of them. IdeaPad, Legion, ThinkBook, ThinkPad, and Yoga make up the rest. It also boasts more than a dozen laptop series, such as its famous X and X1 series.
ThinkPad is one of Lenovo’s most popular brands, having sold 130 million units from 1992 to 2017. Today, the most applauded model under this series is the 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
Asus also has quite an extensive product line, one of which is its namesake, “Asus Laptop Series.” It has five “Book” series, including ZenBook, ExpertBook, VivoBook, StudioBook, and Chromebook. Others include the Q Series and the Asus TUF Gaming Series.
Asus’ ZenBook, VivoBook, and Chromebook series also come in 2-in-1 versions.
Lenovo’s Cheapest Laptop Prices vs. Asus’ Lowest-Cost Offers
As both Lenovo and Asus offer Chromebooks, they offer laptops that cost under $300. Lenovo’s cheapest unit, the 100e Chromebook, comes with a web price of $214. Asus’ contender, in this case, is the Chromebook C223NA-DH02, which costs $229.99.
Lenovo’s 100e Chromebook comes with a dual-core 7th Generation AMD A4-9120C processor. As a Chromebook, it runs Chrome OS, and it also features a 4 GB DDR4 soldered memory and 32 GB hard drive. It also features an 11.6-inch HD screen with a built-in 720P camera.
There’s not much difference between this Lenovo Chromebook and the Asus Chromebook C223NA-DH02. Asus’ offer has the same memory, HD, and screen specs, except that it uses Intel Dual-Core Celeron N3350. It is lighter, though, weighing only 2.2 pounds compared to the Lenovo 100e Chromebook’s weight of 2.68 pounds.
AMD says that Chromebooks run faster with the AMD A4-9120C than the Celeron N3350. For instance, A4-9120C-equipped Chromebooks are 17% faster when it comes to web browsing. They’re also 26% quicker in running Google Docs and 18% in spreadsheets.
In this case, Lenovo’s cheapest Chromebook may be a better choice than that of Asus’. It’s not only cheaper; it also tested faster on Chromebook activities. So, if you need a low-cost laptop that can perform basic tasks, you might want to go with the Lenovo 100e Chromebook.
The Best Lenovo Laptop vs. The Best Asus Laptop
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is no doubt one of, if not the best Lenovo laptop available today. As for Asus, a close contender is the ZenBook 13 UX333FA.
Let’s take a closer look at the specs of these two laptops.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8
There are nine different configurations you can get for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8. The base model, however, starts with a web price of $2,279.00. However, you may be able to snag it for as low as $949.99, thanks to Lenovo’s deals,
Most ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 laptops boast a 14-inch FHD screen, including the base model. However, there’s a configuration available for a Wide Quad HD (WQHD). There’s also one for an ultra high definition (UHD) screen.
The base model comes with the latest 10th generation Intel Four-Core i5-10210U Processor. It also features an 8 GB soldered memory and a 256 GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD).
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 comes equipped with a 4 cell 51Wh battery. According to Lenovo, this can last between 13.5 and 19.5 hours between charges. The chief difference lies in the tasks performed while you keep the laptop unplugged.
One of the most awesome features of the X1 Carbon Gen 8 is its spill-proof keyboard. This is really nifty, considering that as many as 60% of laptop repairs have to do with liquid spills.
Of course, it’s always a smart idea to keep your tumbler sealed while using an X1 Carbon Gen 8 laptop. However, its spill-proof feature can give you peace of mind just in case.
The Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA
According to Asus, its ZenBook 13 UX333FA is the “world’s smallest 13-inch laptop.” As tiny as it is, though, it packs a solid punch and has even won the 2019 IF Design Award. It does look pretty and fancy, with its eye-catching “Royal Blue” housing.
This ZenBook has a 13.3-inch FHD display screen with LED backlight technology. Unlike the Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 8, though, it doesn’t come with a WQHD or UHD configuration.
Still, the Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA beats the X1 Carbon in terms of cost, with its standard price of only $849.
For that price, you get an Intel Four-Core i5-8265U processor. You also get 8 GB of soldered RAM and a 256 GB SSD.
Several configurations are available, such as a memory boost of up to 16 GB. You can also go with the highest available storage, which is 1 TB.
As for its juice, the Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA comes equipped with a 50Wh li-polymer battery. According to the Taiwanese company, this can last up to 14 hours between charges.
The Winner
Lenovo wins in more categories, including configuration availability, battery, and screen size. The X1 Carbon Gen 8 also comes with more bells and whistles, such as its spill-proof keyboard tech.
However, the Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA costs less than the X1 Carbon Gen 8. Even with the massive discount, Lenovo’s offer is still a hundred dollars pricier.
If you’re on a tight budget, you may want to go with Asus. However, if you can afford to spend a bit more on a more powerful device, go with Lenovo.
Use This Guide to Help You Choose Between Lenovo and Asus
As detailed in this Lenovo vs. Asus comparison, Lenovo has a more extensive product range. Because of this, the China-based PC maker also has far more laptops that suit all levels of budget and needs. However, Asus is still great, especially its innovative design and craftsmanship.
However, if you need a long-lasting laptop with better safety and security, go with Lenovo. On the other hand, consider Asus if you need a lower-cost laptop with mid-level functions.
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