First Look: Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED, a Powerful and Pliable Professional 2-in-1

TAIPEI—Asus had plenty to show off at Computex 2023, but what caught our eye wasn’t some outside-the-box innovation or a dazzling RGB-lit design. Instead, it was the Asus ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED, which distinguishes itself as the world’s lightest 16-inch business laptop yet still packs in plenty of features and capabilities without adding weight. From the 2-in-1 design and gorgeous OLED display to the 13th Generation Intel hardware inside, it’s one of the most impressive business machines we’ve seen in a while.

(Credit: John Burek)

Another Awesome Asus OLED

As you can tell from the name, the ExpertBook B5 Flip OLED has an impressive 16-inch OLED panel. With a generous 16:10 aspect ratio—a notable improvement over the recent Asus ExpertBook B9—and a 4K (3,840-by-2,400-pixel) resolution display, Asus claims it delivers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut for vivid, cinematic picture quality, including HDR support.

It’s easily one of the best-looking screens we’ve seen to date, and Asus added touch capability to support the 2-in-1 functions. The ExpertBook is literally and figuratively flexible, converting from laptop to tablet with just a flip of the lid.

(Credit: John Burek)

Under the hood, the machine is powered by a 13th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor, as well as optional Intel Arc graphics—up to an Intel A350M—making it one of the first laptops we’ve seen to feature Intel’s discrete GPU technology. Memory support ranges from the pedestrian (8GB) to the impressive (up to 40GB), and dual SSD slots with RAID support provide up to 4TB of total storage space.

(Credit: John Burek)

An Office and IT-Friendly Laptop

The whole thing is cooled by a dual-fan design that’s built to support powerful performance while also staying very quiet, which your office mates will surely appreciate.

Your IT department will like this ExpertBook too, thanks to Intel vPro, TPM 2.0, and several BIOS-level security features protecting the machine so company data stays safe. A fingerprint sensor in the power button makes secure logins a breeze, and an IR webcam lets you sign in with your face. You can also physically secure the laptop with a Kensington lock, or use LoJack tracking in the event of a theft.

(Credit: John Burek)

Ultimately, It’s All About the Feathery Weight

Asus rates its own battery to last up to 12 hours, for all-day power, and the laptop’s build quality is lightly ruggedized, getting MIL-STD 810H military-grade protection against the bumps and jostles of everyday use.

But the most impressive thing about this feature-filled business 2-in-1 isn’t the new processor and graphics, the security features, or even the drool-worthy OLED display—it’s the weight. At just 1.4kg (3.08 pounds), it’s the lightest 16-inch system business users can get, and it flirts with being light enough to be called an “ultraportable,” a rare designation for a 2-in-1 with a larger display.

Unfortunately, Asus hasn’t yet issued a price or release date for its new business-grade 2-in-1, but we’ll be keen to review one once it’s available—hopefully later this year.