Review of the ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED M4 Pro

If you’re a digital nomad or a remote professional, you’ll be well aware of how important your laptop is. Functioning as an office, studio, meeting room, and creative space all in one, it needs to be something you can rely on for work and personal use whenever and wherever you need it.

Effectively, this means that finding the right machine isn’t just about picking something with flashy specs. Rather, you need a device that is lightweight, reliable, and powerful enough to handle everything from video calls and spreadsheets to creative apps and content planning.

Released in 2024, the ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED (M4 Pro) has been launched as an ultralight business laptop that is built specifically with flexibility and travel in mind. Overall, it delivers excellent performance, all-day battery life, and rocks a sleek and ultra-light design.

Here is our detailed review of it.

Specs Overview

The ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED can be described as a compact powerhouse. Here’s a quick rundown of its key specs:

• CPU & GPU: Up to Intel Core i7-1355U with Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• RAM: Up to 32GB LPDDR5X (onboard)
• Storage: Up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
• Display: 14-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10, 100% DCI-P3, 400 nits
• Battery Life: Claimed up to 16 hours; real-world usage ~9–10 hours
• Weight & Build: ~2.18 lbs (990g); magnesium-lithium alloy chassis
• Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm jack, Micro HDMI (RJ45 adapter included)
• Operating System: Windows 11 Pro

Portability & Build Quality

At just 990g (2.18 lbs), the ExpertBook B9 OLED is one of the lightest 14-inch laptops available on the market. This makes it an ideal machine to use in various scenarios when travelling, not least because it is easy to slip into your backpack.

Despite having an ultra-slim profile (just 15.7mm thick), the device isn’t flimsy. That is because it has a magnesium-lithium alloy chassis, which meets MIL-STD 810H durability standards.

Its sturdy hinge allows for easy one-handed opening, which feels solid when you use it. In other words, no wobbly screen or creaky parts. Moreover, the spill-resistant keyboard has satisfying 1.5mm travel. So, you should find it pretty comfortable when partaking in long typing sessions.

The glass touchpad is another notable feature. It is large, smooth, and includes a built-in virtual numpad, which is handy for quick calculations on the go.

Battery Life

ASUS claims that this device comes with up to 16 hours of battery life. But unfortunately, real-world results don’t quite reach that mark. That said, as you can expect, about 9 to 10 hours during normal work (i.e. web browsing, Slack, document editing, Zoom calls) and about 7 to 8 hours for streaming video or running heavier programs, they are still impressive enough.

What is worth championing is its fast-charging capabilities. The device comes with a 65W USB-C charger, which means you’ll get about 60% charge in under an hour, and a full charge in around 1 hour and 40 minutes.

For digital nomads who bounce around between coworking spots or need a quick charging top-up for flights, that’s a serious plus.

Performance

Make no mistake, the ExpertBook B9 OLED was built to be productive. The Intel Core i7-1355U paired with up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM makes multitasking smooth. This means you can run 20 Chrome tabs, attend a video meeting, or edit docs in the cloud without experiencing any notable issues.

If you are a designer, writer or marketer, you’ll be pleased to read that apps like Photoshop and Figma run well for light to moderate workloads. However, don’t expect this device to handle intense video editing or gaming, since it relies on Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics.

It has to be said that ASUS has done a great job with thermal management, too. Thanks to the dual-fan cooling system, the laptop stays cool and whisper-quiet even when under load. In fact, benchmarks show solid performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of ~8,500, putting it firmly in the high-performing ultrabook category.

Display & Audio

One of the first things you’ll notice when you use this ExpertBook is that the 14-inch 2.8K OLED display is a standout feature. Comprising 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, Pantone validation, and a peak brightness of 400 nits, it delivers rich contrast, deep blacks, and sharp details. This makes it ideal for creatives and anyone spending hours in front of a screen.

Sadly, it’s not a touchscreen, which is something you would hope would be addressed in later generations. But the display’s quality more than makes up for it. For instance, the 16:10 aspect ratio also gives you more vertical screen real estate, which makes it perfect for writing, browsing, and editing.

In terms of sound, the stereo speakers are decent. They offer clear mids and highs with moderate loudness, so they are good enough for calls and casual streaming. Unfortunately, they won’t give you booming bass, though.

Another plus is that the AI noise-cancelling microphones do a great job of filtering out background noise during video calls. This means you can use it in a noisy café or shared workspace and still maintain a level of corporate professionalism.

Ports & Connectivity

Despite its slim frame, ASUS have managed to include a versatile set of ports in this device. They include:

• 2 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C (data, charging, display)
• 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
• 1 x HDMI 2.1
• 1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack
• 1 x Micro HDMI to RJ45 (adapter included)

You’ll notice it is missing a full-sized SD card slot, which may matter to photographers. However, a USB-C hub can solve that.

For wireless, it’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 will provide you with a quick and stable connection wherever you’re working from. Hence, there is no need for a dongle.

Software & Features

Out of the box, the ExpertBook B9 OLED runs Windows 11 Pro, to give you advanced productivity and security features that are ideal for business use.

It includes a few helpful preinstalled tools like MyASUS, which handles updates, battery health, and fan control, along with ASUS Business Manager for enterprise users. Thankfully, there’s no annoying bloatware or junk software.

On the smarter side of things, the AI-powered webcam keeps you centred, adjusts exposure, and blurs backgrounds. The gesture control lets you do things like mute your mic with a wave, which can be genuinely useful in meetings.

Security-wise, the device is well looked after. It has facial recognition (Windows Hello), a fingerprint sensor, a TPM 2.0 chip, and a physical webcam shutter that provides you with privacy.

Pricing & Value

At the time of writing, the ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED M4 Pro retails for between $1,449 and $2,159 USD, depending on which configuration you purchase.

You should find the base model with a Core i7, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD for around $1,449, while the top-tier version with 32GB RAM and 2TB storage hits the upper end.

Comparable laptops in this premium space include the Dell XPS 13 Plus, HP Spectre x360, and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. All of them are strong options, but the ExpertBook B9 arguably has the edge over them because of its lighter weight, better port selection, and longer battery life.

Ideal Use Cases

Overall, this laptop is probably best suited to those who need a fast, reliable, and ultra-portable machine.

It is not designed for gamers or heavy video editors because the integrated graphics won’t keep up with demanding rendering tasks. But if that’s not your workflow, this is one of the leading professional laptops currently available on the market for digital nomads, business travelers, consultants, writers, and hybrid workers

Pros & Cons

The ExpertBook B9 OLED packs serious performance into one of the lightest business laptops around. However, while it’s designed for professionals who work on the move, it does lack in some areas. Here is a quick overview of its pros and cons.

Pros:

• Ultra-light and durable
• Gorgeous OLED display
• Long battery life
• Solid port selection

Cons:

• Expensive
• No discrete GPU
• No SD card slot

Final Verdict

The ASUS ExpertBook B9 OLED (M4 Pro) absolutely delivers on its promise of being a lightweight, high-performance business laptop for people who work from anywhere. From its premium OLED screen and excellent battery life to its smart features and durable build, it’s clearly made with remote professionals in mind.

It’s not cheap, but if you can afford it, this device does offer excellent value for serious users whose lifestyle requires a laptop that has flexibility, power, and portability.