This rugged laptop weighs less than 1000g and has one of the brightest screens we’ve ever seen

Asus ExpertBook B9450 - $1,670.98 at Amazon
(£1,632.97/AU$2968.79)
$1,670.98 at Amazon US

Asus ExpertBook B9450 - $1,670.98 at Amazon
(£1,632.97/AU$2968.79)
Before the new Portégé models drop, check out the current lightweight champion: the Asus ExpertBook B9450. It weighs less than 900g and has a massive 14-inch display, an estimated one-day battery life and runs on enterprise-grade Windows 10 Pro.

Dynabook has unveiled two new additions to its Portégé range of business laptops, one of which really caught our eye.

At just over 900g, the Portégé X30L-J is only very slightly heavier (by about a feather) than the current weight champion: the Asus ExpertBook B9450FA.

It runs on the latest 11th generation Intel Core “Tiger Lake” processors - which include new Intel Iris Xe graphics - and will come in i3, i5 and i7 flavors. A Celeron version will also be available, although Dynabook has not provided specifics.

Portégé

Despite its diminutive size, it can accommodate two 16GB memory modules in dual-channel configurations, as well as a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, while offering up a 15-hour battery life thanks to a 4-cell 53WHr battery.

A magnesium alloy chassis, meanwhile, allows the device to remain super lightweight, despite its MIL-STD-810G rating.

Also worth noting is the option for a Sharp IGZO low power, high brightness 13.3-inch full HD display, with a brightness that goes all the way to a staggering 470 nit - far higher than most laptops on the market. 

As for connectivity, there’s WiFi-6, Bluetooth 5.1, two Type-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB Type-A slots, one HDMI port and even a Gigabit Ethernet port. It also boasts a facial authentication camera with shutter, a proprietary BIOS and a fingerprint reader.

Dynabook also launched the Portégé X40-J, a 14-inch alternative that is heavier by more than 50%, lacks the high brightness screen option and has a lower battery life. 

Both devices will be available to purchase from November.

Desire Athow
Managing Editor, TechRadar Pro

Désiré has been musing and writing about technology during a career spanning four decades. He dabbled in website builders and web hosting when DHTML and frames were in vogue and started narrating about the impact of technology on society just before the start of the Y2K hysteria at the turn of the last millennium.