For the original German review, see here.

Everything began two years ago with the UX21E and the UX31E, Asus' first two ultrabooks which laid the foundation for a new high-end series - the Zenbooks.

Much has changed since 2011: Sandy Bridge CPUs came and went, only to be followed by the more powerful Ivy Bridge chips. New variants such as the UX51VZ diversified the product portfolio. But, one thing remained true: Zenbooks still stand for luxurious hardware, premium materials and supreme mobility. Asus has built itself such a premium brand that new superlatives have to be found in order not to lose its reputation.

This is where the recently presented Zenbook UX301LA (also called Zenbook Infinity) is supposed to come into play. The specs sure look pretty: The UX301 is one of the first notebooks ever to make use of Intel's new Core i7-4558U, a more powerful Low Voltage CPU with the fast Iris Graphics 5100. 8 GB RAM, a 256 SSD RAID system and - last but not least - a 13.3-inch IPS display with multi-touch and an almost insane resolution of 2560x1440 pixels help to turn the UX301 into an outstanding device, at least on paper.

So where do we even find suitable competitors? Even such a premium brand as Apple only offers less well-equipped (MacBook Air 13) or much heavier alternatives (MacBook Pro 13 Retina). Thus, the Zenbook more or less creates its own class - an impression that is only corroborated by its price point. Approximately 1800 Euros (~$2450) may be fair, but it is still quite a lot. So let us have a closer look at one of the most exciting reviews of 2013.