Laptops

ASUSPRO B9440UA Review: Business-minded laptop

Published

July 21, 2017

Marvin Velasco

Don’t let its confusing — and we mean confusing — name turn you off. The ASUSPRO B9440UA means serious business.

As part of ASUS’ more professional segment, this rugged-looking laptop comes with Military-grade durability and a magnesium alloy construction which the company claims is the lightest in its class.

Coupled with stylishly slim bezels around the 14-inch display and a well thought-out hinge design, we’re looking at a recipe for success. So, the question is: Could this be your GadgetMatch?

Let’s start with a full view of the laptop

Total weight is only 1.05kg

Look at how thin the bezels are!

The top and side borders measure only 5.4mm

Its hinge lifts the laptop up when the lid is opened

This gives the keyboard a more comfortable angle to type on

Sadly, there are only two USB-C ports

You can charge the laptop using the left port

This is how far the lid can open up

Useful for writing in all sorts of sitting positions

The keyboard has a nice, tough feel to it with good spacing in between

Comes with spill resistance and backlighting

Heat stays away from your lap with these well-placed vents

Fans can get a little loud under heavy load, though

Both stereo speakers can be found underneath

They provide a surprisingly loud kick!

Placement for the fingerprint sensor is great; not so much for the power button

Expect accidental shutdowns when aiming for the delete button

Trackpad lacks precision and often caused missed clicks

There were times it wouldn’t even respond to my fingers or gestures

Does it perform well?

Behind the rugged exterior is a smoother user experience than you’d expect. With an Intel Core i7-7600U processor, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of SSD storage, you shouldn’t hope for anything less.

Minus the lag I experienced while using the inaccurate trackpad, I was never bothered by poor performance or slowdowns when running Chrome and Photoshop at the same time. Adding more applications like Spotify and file transferring didn’t affect the fluidity, either.

Considering its integrated graphics chip, I didn’t bother playing games, but it can surely handle light games and mainstream titles at lowered settings on its native Full HD 1080p resolution.

I also appreciate how cool the unit runs and the way it shoots hot air upwards, away from my face or lap. Combined with the ergonomic keyboard, I barely felt tired after long sessions with this laptop.

Can it last a whole day?

This comes down to each person’s unique usage patterns, but my experience wasn’t so great.

Even with brightness set to 50 percent and charging the notebook to full before leaving the house, I couldn’t get the battery to last more than five hours of continuous usage.

Blame it on the power-hungry Core i7 processor or the slimmed down battery capacity, but the fact remains you can still get a lot of work done during the time this machine is on.

There’s something missing…

If you’ve noticed something lacking, you have sharp eyes. If not, know this: There’s no front-facing camera on this thing.

At first, I figured this was a compromise that needed to be made to cater to business-minded individuals, but then I realized that these people need webcams for conference video calls, as well. Now that’s a strange omission!

And while it isn’t a total exclusion, having only two USB-C ports hurts the productivity of this notebook. ASUS bundles a dongle that provides an extra full-sized USB port and HDMI, but that still doesn’t give you a card reader or DisplayPort.

But don’t worry, there’s a 3.5mm audio port on the left for your headphones.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

On one hand, the B9440UA excels at its specialties, which are the solid build quality and buttery smooth performance; on the other hand, excluding the webcam and limiting the number of ports are potential turnoffs.

For the starting price of US$ 1,000, I would’ve liked to see a touchscreen built in, as well. With the laptop laid down flat on the table, presenting with touch gestures would be a lot more seamless — and give you an alternative to the finicky trackpad.

When it comes down to it, the B9440UA is all business. Pay the premium, and you get a machine built to last. Our particular high-end variant retails for PhP 89,995 in the Philippines.

SEE ALSO: ASUS ROG Zephyrus Review: So thin, so powerful
[irp posts=”16053″ name=”ASUS ROG Zephyrus Review: So thin, so powerful”]

Laptops

Hands-on: NEW iPhone 17e, iPad Air, MacBooks, Studio Displays

What Apple has announced other than the MacBook Neo

Published

March 9, 2026

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

The MacBook Neo was the star of yesterday’s Apple event, and it has every right to be but it’s been a big week for Apple.

So as promised, we also went hands-on with every other device announced this week: iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and the new Studio Displays.

Hands-On

Apple MacBook Neo Hands-on

Say Hello to Apple’s Most Affordable Laptop!

Published

March 5, 2026

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

Apple finally has a MacBook for the budget-conscious!

In this video, we take a look at the latest MacBook Neo — Apple’s most affordable laptop at $599.

It’s the perfect first computer for students, families, and anyone who’s always wanted a Mac but couldn’t justify the price.

Here’s our exclusive hands-on with the all-new MacBook Neo for you to check out.

Laptops

MacBook Neo enters the chat with a $599 starting price

Here comes a new challenger

Published

March 5, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Apple has a new contender in the ring. And if you grew up on fighting games, the reveal almost feels like that classic moment when the screen flashes: Here comes a new challenger.

Meet the MacBook Neo — Apple’s newest and most affordable laptop yet. Starting at just US$599 (US$499 for education), it aims to bring the Mac experience to a much wider audience.

Despite the lower entry price, Apple isn’t treating this like a stripped-down Mac. The new machine still carries a full aluminum design, a vibrant display, and Apple silicon performance — the same core pillars that define the modern Mac lineup.

The goal is simple: make the Mac more accessible without losing the parts that make it feel premium.

A colorful new entry

At first glance, MacBook Neo looks every bit like a modern Mac. It features a durable aluminum enclosure with soft rounded edges and weighs just 2.7 pounds, making it easy to toss in a backpack or handbag.

Apple is also leaning into color here. The laptop comes in four finishes: blush, indigo, silver, and citrus. The Magic Keyboard matches each colorway with lighter shades, creating a cohesive look across the entire device.

Front and center is a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2408 × 1506 resolution, 500 nits of brightness, and support for one billion colors. Apple says the panel delivers sharper text and brighter visuals than most laptops in this price category.

It’s a display designed to make everyday tasks — browsing, watching videos, editing photos — feel a little more vibrant.

A18 Pro powers everyday performance

Under the hood, MacBook Neo runs on Apple’s A18 Pro chip — the same architecture that powers some of Apple’s most advanced mobile devices.

Apple says the chip delivers up to 50 percent faster everyday performance compared to the bestselling PC powered by Intel Core Ultra 5. For AI-heavy tasks like applying advanced photo effects or running on-device intelligence features, the system can be up to three times faster.

The chip also includes a 16-core Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence features and a 5-core GPU for graphics workloads. The system is completely fanless, which means silent operation even under load.

In practical terms, that translates to smooth multitasking across apps like Messages, Safari, Canva, Excel, and more.

Built for all-day use

Battery life is another highlight. Thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon, MacBook Neo can run for up to 16 hours on a single charge.

The laptop also includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with improved image processing, along with dual microphones that use directional beamforming to reduce background noise during calls.

For audio, dual side-firing speakers support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos for a more immersive listening experience.

The device features Apple’s Magic Keyboard and a large Multi-Touch trackpad, while select models include Touch ID for quick and secure logins.

Connectivity includes two USB-C ports for charging and accessories, a headphone jack, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 6.

The Mac experience, now more accessible

MacBook Neo ships with macOS Tahoe, complete with built-in apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. It also supports Apple Intelligence features such as Writing Tools and Live Translation.

For users already in the Apple ecosystem, Continuity features make switching between devices seamless. Tools like Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and iPhone Mirroring let users move between Mac and iPhone without breaking their workflow.

With its $599 starting price, MacBook Neo now becomes the most affordable entry point into the Mac lineup — a position long rumored but never quite realized until now.

In fighting game terms, Apple didn’t just add another character to the roster.

It added one meant for a whole new set of players.

Pricing and availability in Singapore and the Philippines

In Singapore, the MacBook Neo starts at S$849 and S$729 for education. Customers can pre-order the new MacBook Neo from Friday, March 6.

In the Philippines, Apple’s friendliest-to-the-budget MacBook starts at ₱39,990 and ₱33,990 for education. They will be available soon on apple.com/ph/store and Apple Authorized Resellers.