One of the downsides of laptops is that they can break easily, but Asus is hoping to fix that with durable notebooks for everyday life.
Deciding on a laptop isn’t always easy with the sheer number of choices out there, but it can be hampered if you’re looking for something that lasts. Theoretically any laptop can last several years if treated right, but not everyone is going to treat their computer well.
Some might drop it, or it might fall, or it might just not survive the rigours of every day life inside of a backpack or bag with everything else going on.
The point is that laptops are typically a little more fragile than most other gadgets you might own, possibly because they’re typically not encased in the protective gear we throw on our phones and tablets, and may not even be as built up.
We wouldn’t recommend throwing a MacBook Air about the place, because while it’s made of metal, it can still break if you don’t treat it properly.
However some laptops are designed and treated with that in mind, just in case it slips, falls, and tumbles towards a death unknown. Asus has one on the way with that in mind, and a focus on kids that might be a little less careful with a computer.
It’s coming in the Asus Flip BR1100, a laptop that can quickly become a tablet thanks to a 360 degree hinge, but also more important comes with ridges on the back to make it easy to grip as well as a design that has seen it pass military grade testing, MIL-STD 810H.
Much like the IP ratings phones get for water resistance, “MIL-STD” is a test that basically sees it tested against drops, shock when hitting a ground, vibrations, sand, dust, and extreme temperatures, with this one passing. Asus has added to that with spill resistant testing and drops from 120cm, essentially making it durable for young people, or anyone else.
The Flip BR1100 isn’t a super fast computer, sporting relatively basic specs of either and Intel Celeron or a Pentium with 128GB storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, and USB ports, plus Windows 10 Home. There’s a relatively small 11.6 inch HD 1366×768 touchscreen, but that’s intentional, because this computer is focused on kids, and comes with a stylus to let them write and draw.
The durability focus is one of the main things here, though, and arrives in a computer that will cost $559 when it lands in late May.
It’s not the only computer Asus is launching like this, with one focused on adults, as well.
A little bit different, the Asus “ExpertBook B9000” gets the same rugged focus with military standards, but switches to a 14 inch Full HD screen and more performance-focused processors, opting for an Intel Core i5 or Core i7, plus WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5, upgrades on what the smaller computer has.
Granted, this one skips the touchscreen in exchange for being a proper laptop, but aims for all-day battery life and Thunderbolt 4, with Windows in a durable laptop that features an LED illuminated touchpad that works as a number pad, too.
At a starting price of $2299, the Asus ExpertBook B9 is a different type of machine than the school-focused B1100, but both have ruggedisation in mind, making them less likely to fall apart when you need accidentally drop them.
