Asus ExpertBook BR1204F: 30-second review

The Asus ExpertBook BR1204F is a robust and flexible laptop specifically designed for educational facilities. It provides students and teachers with workstations that meet standard academic course criteria while allowing easy upgrades and repairs.

From the ground up, this laptop is crafted with its intended audience in mind, resulting in a functional, if slightly unexciting, design. We've tested out loads of the best student laptops, and unlike many sleek modern devices with high-end CPUs, GPUs, and storage, this Asus model offers a more traditional word processing-focused approach, at least on first look.

The Intel Processor N200 easily handles Windows 11 Pro for Education and standard word processing applications. It even supports applications like Tinkercad without issues, making it one of the best laptops for engineering students and 3D modellers - but only if your needs are pretty simple or you're just starting out. While Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom can run, performance could be enhanced with a slight HD and RAM upgrade from our review unit.

While it looks like a traditional laptop, the BR1204F features a flip-over design that sees the keyboard flip under the screen, transforming the machine into a tablet and very capable creative tool. It features an outstanding touch screen protected by Gorilla Glass, ideal for less delicate students. Apps such as Microsoft's garage project Sketch360 and the native drawing app function smoothly.

Overall, this machine is designed with a focus on education. For educational-based fun and games, it performs well, though it's not intended for video or image editing. However, some graphics and creative applications are feasible with its flip screen design. It's a well-made, and designed educational tool, with straightforward maintenance requiring just a few tools.

Asus ExpertBook BR1204F: Introduction

The Asus ExpertBook BR1204F is a laptop specifically designed for education as part of Asus's Education product line. Consequently, many high-end features typically promoted are not the focus here. The Intel N200 CPU and standard Intel graphics are sufficient for office applications and academic study, rather than multimedia playback or overly distracting games.

The machine is tailored to meet classroom demands, equipped with Windows 11 Pro for Education, a stylus, and a flip screen design, enabling students to use it as a screen, tablet, or laptop, offering versatility.

When used with Microsoft Teams, the whiteboard feature is invaluable, allowing students to interact with the class by drawing directly on the board without leaving their seats. Class materials and formative and summative feedback can be easily distributed through the Teams Classroom environment.

Of course, the classroom is just part of what an education laptop needs to address. With decent battery life in use and standby mode, the system has enough power to last through a day's worth of lessons between charges. Charging is quick via a standard USB Type-C connector, and the machine offers a good array of other connection options for connecting devices such Lego Mindstorms, 3D printers, Laser Engravers and networks.

One of the most appealing features for education is the ease of maintenance, with a five-point procedure for maintaining, repairing, and upgrading, making it quick and easy for any IT technician or anyone with basic IT hardware skills.

The Asus ExpertBook BR1204F is fully geared toward education, and in that environment, the choice of hardware makes complete sense. Outside that world, the limited storage space and processing power might be restrictive.

Asus ExpertBook BR1204F: Price & availability

The ExpertBook BR1204F is designed for education and is part of the Asus Education Solution program. For more information on purchasing the machine please visit your local education supplier.

• Price: 4/5

Asus ExpertBook BR1204F: Design & build

The laptop's size is compact, measuring 297mm x 213mm x 22mm and weighing 1.47kg, making it easy to carry or fit into most bags or backpacks. Its relatively flat shape allows easy stacking of several BR1204Fs in a secure cupboard or custom computer stand.

Designed for classroom use by students, the laptop’s overall construction is tough, though not to the standards of a tough book, so it will withstand knocks and far more abuse than most but will not survive submersion in water or drops from significant heights.

The robust construction is evident when picking up the laptop, as it feels more solid than similar general-use laptops. Aside from the stylus integrated into the case design, there are no protective doors or components that can be easily dislodged. Additionally, access to the inner electronics is secured by cross-head screws to prevent young engineers from making hardware alterations in class.

Once the lid is lifted, the robust build is clear, with large, thick monitor hinges designed to be extremely strong. If a student wants to walk around with the laptop open, held by the monitor, it should withstand this handling, although it is obviously not ideal.

The general layout includes a small touchpad, a keyboard, and a 12.2-inch monitor. While the touchpad and keyboard are standard, the monitor stands out as a full touch screen toughened with Gorilla Glass, making it more resilient in a classroom.

The laptop’s left and right sides feature connection ports, including 1x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 1.4, USB 2.0 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, and the stylus on the left, and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (supporting display/power delivery), USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, and a 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack on the right.

An interesting feature are the two cameras: one above the screen and another above the keyboard. This second world-facing camera can be used with applications like Microsoft Office Lens. When the keyboard is flipped under the screen the now rear-facing camera can scan documents or students' work with the preview appearing on screen, essentially think mobile phone. The captured image can then be cast to a whiteboard or stored for portfolio work.

The flip screen means that the laptop can be used as a touch screen tablet or part open can be used as a stand so the laptop can sit on a desk as a handy screen, enabling class materials to be cast during presentations and the Teams Whiteboard feature to be used by the entire class for interactive sessions.

Using the laptop reveals more to its design compared to standard off-the-shelf machines, with features updated to ensure better functionality within a classroom environment.

The final aspect of the design is crucial for education IT engineers. The BR1204F is modular, meaning it can be purchased as is and expanded as needed for each intended use. Our review unit was suitable for most office applications, but with upgraded RAM and storage, it could edit HD footage and images. More importantly, the modular design simplifies maintenance.

The Panel, I/O ports, Keyboard, Thermal Module, and Battery are all quickly accessible, serviceable, and replaceable. Unlike other laptops, where removing these parts can be time-consuming and delicate, requiring specialist intervention, the modular design of the BR1204F simplifies the process significantly.

• Design: 5/5

Asus ExpertBook BR1204F: Features

The BR1204F is designed from the outset as a durable and versatile laptop, tablet, and screen for educational environments. It may not be the best rugged laptop we've tried, but built for its intended use, it's more durable than most devices of its size and specifications, meeting MIL-STD 810H US military durability standards, with a fingerprint-resistant finish, full rubber bumper, and spill-resistant keyboard.

The display is a 12.2-inch touchscreen, protected by scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass for durability, with a 16:10 aspect ratio and TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue-light emissions.

Standard storage options are relatively small at 128 GB of integrated UFS 2.1 storage, ideal for educational environments where multiple students use the same machine and files are stored in the cloud. For additional storage, there is an expansion slot for up to 1TB. The laptop also features advanced AI-powered noise-cancellation technology to isolate background noise during video calls, enhancing call quality.

Connectivity is well-catered for, with Wi-Fi 6E and 4G LTE ensuring fast connections for online learning, whether in the classroom or remote. An essential feature for tablet use is the inclusion of a garaged stylus, held on the left side of the machine and charged while docked, providing a more accurate tool than a finger for using and drawing on the touchscreen.

Beyond student use, the Asus BR1204F's design is fully serviceable, with a modular design allowing easy access and upgrades to internal components.

• Features: 4/5

Asus ExpertBook BR1204F: Performance

Ordinarily, processing power is a primary concern for any computer, but within an educational environment, you just need a machine that works, runs the necessary apps, is durable, and can be fixed when the inevitable happens. With the BR1204F, Asus has provided exactly that, and if more is needed, the RAM and storage can be upgraded.

In use for all Microsoft Office applications, the BR1204F works smoothly, handling word processing and all the features of Teams with ease. Most importantly, the connection to a wireless network is robust, and the ability to link to the wired network as a backup adds resilience compared to some alternatives.

Outside of office apps, the lack of storage at 128GB is somewhat restrictive, allowing only small additional apps to be installed before running low on space. A base of 256GB would have been better, given the size of the Windows installation.

The integration with Teams is the major advantage here, with classroom apps enabling interactive sessions, and the touchscreen allowing all class members to engage with the lesson. The touchscreen also adds flexibility to the laptop’s use, and while drawing apps are not super quick, they are fluid enough to be enjoyable.

The benchmark results for the Asus BR1204F highlight its capabilities in handling educational tasks. The 3DMark Fire Strike graphics score of 1109 and a combined score of 379 suggest it can handle basic graphics and interactive classroom applications smoothly. Time Spy's overall score of 430, with a graphics score of 376 and CPU score of 2444 highlights its ability to run multi-threaded tasks, ideal for applications like Tinkercad and Lego Mindstorms.

Cinebench R23's multi-core score of 2300 and single-core score of 794 indicate moderate performance for multitasking and single-threaded applications like Microsoft Office, so just running one possibly two applications at a time is advisable. GeekBench 5 scores, with 2754 for multi-core and 1220 for single-core, underscore its ability to handle general computing tasks and most educational software well. The CrystalDiskMark read and write speeds of 1709.58 MB/s and 923.20 MB/s respectively ensure quick data access and saving, beneficial for handling large files and applications. 

PCMark 10's score of 2824 and a Windows Experience Index score of 8 reflect the laptop's robust performance for productivity tasks, again highlighting all Office applications, making it well-suited for extensive use with Microsoft Teams and classroom features.

• Performance: 3/5

Should you buy the Asus ExpertBook BR1204F?

The Asus ExpertBook BR1204F is a solidly built, education-focused laptop offering a robust and versatile solution for students. Its durable design, coupled with a flexible touchscreen and easy maintenance, makes it ideal for the demands of a classroom environment. While the base model's storage is limited, the device's modular design allows for easy upgrades, enhancing its longevity and utility in education. Overall, it's a superb educational tool that prioritises function and durability over high-end specs, making it a worthwhile investment for schools and educational institutions.

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OWC Jupiter Mini: 30-second review

In the background of most offices and studios, there's usually some form of server with access to mass storage working away. This storage is typically found in a secluded area and accessed only by a qualified IT professional. While such network systems are complex and can be tricky to administer, their functionality is essential for any business, essentially supplying a centralised resource where all staff can access shared files of all types. 

The OWC Jupiter Mini is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system that, while not a fully integrated server, performs all the storage jobs that larger enterprise technology handles in large institutions. The Jupiter Mini, though smaller and easier to administer, still offers the potential for a substantial amount of storage, up to 100TB and can be accessed by multiple users without the system slowing down, making it an ideal solution for small to medium-sized businesses and professionals working with TB of photos or video files and needing a professional storage solution.

The Jupiter Mini integrates with your network and can be subdivided into network drives (datasets) that can then be accessed by anyone on that network or remotely, given the correct permissions.

While there are many alternative NAS systems on the market, which may seem considerably cheaper, the Jupiter Mini offers incredible value, considering the performance, storage, and support provided. Unlike many consumer units designed for occasional access, this NAS can connect to the network with a 10GbE connection and is supported by powerful internal hardware capable of handling substantial data flow and multiple concurrent connections without faltering.

We've tried out plenty of the best NAS devices, and in our tests, the speeds over the wired connection were impressive. 140 GB was transferred to three machines in around 30 minutes, which is significantly faster than a consumer unit used to compare.

The speed of the connection makes a considerable difference when storing files, allowing multiple users easy access over the network in a small studio setting using smb shares. This means project folders and files can be quickly downloaded to a working drive and restored once finished. Additionally, equipment forms, risk assessments, and other regularly accessed files are easily reachable on-site, which is invaluable when internet connectivity is unreliable.

Ultimately, if you're a small to medium-sized business and need an easy mass storage device that is fast and easy to access with great support, then there is little to fault with the OWC Jupiter Mini.

OWC Jupiter Mini: Price & availability

The OWC Jupiter Mini is available directly from OWC and from many technology outlets. However, buying directly ensures that you get the exact specifications and build you require, whether for personal use or your business. Units start at the base level of 20TB, which we've examined in this review, and begin at $2,999.

• Score: 4/5

OWC Jupiter Mini: Design & build

NAS boxes typically have a functional style with quick-access drive slot doors on the front and various ports around the back, often resembling an enlarged external hard drive. OWC, however, has enhanced this design principle with the Jupiter Mini, adding aesthetic touches such as blue anodised door lever locks on the front, giving the drive a stylish edge over competitors.

Despite its aesthetic appeal, this unit's true value lies in its features and functionality. The drive is available pre-configured from OWC and many other retailers, saving at least a couple of hours of setup time. This means it can be quickly integrated into your network and ready for use, providing instant, high-capacity storage without much fuss.

For many small businesses, this easy access to large storage capacity will be more than enough, having a drive that you can simply plug in and then browse the network located the drive login, and the Jupiter Mini network drive just appears on your desktop, ready to use, all very simple. However, the Jupiter Mini is far more, and the appeal of the machine isn't just the simplicity of connection but the ease of use when it comes to the administration of that storage for the people accessing the drive. Administration is handled by the TrueNAS interface, which is pre-installed and enables an administrator to log in and allocate different storage areas to groups or individuals in the form of datasets, as well as enable external sharing and check drive health. 

The drive also offers future expansion options, so you can start with the 20TB version and then expand the storage as needed. Drive replacement is made possible in a couple of ways, either by replacing the drives physically in the mini and then creating a new pool/dataset/share with the new drives. Or replace one drive in the pool with the larger one, let it resolve, replace another, let it resilver, and continue until you have replaced all 5 drives. Once this is done, you can then expand the pool to take up additional space on the drives, which is done with a single button press in TrueNAS.

If you like to explore the system, you can connect to the Jupiter Mini directly. It has a VGA port at the back and can be connected to a keyboard and mouse. This approach is far more akin to enterprise-level solutions, and for most users, the GUI of the TrueNAS browser version will be a far easier environment to navigate.

• Score: 4/5

OWC Jupiter Mini: Features

The hardware of the Jupiter Mini is designed to meet the needs of creatives and support the large file types that tend to be handled in these environments, which is where similar capacity but lesser-powered NAS boxes struggle. The Jupiter Mini base capacity is 20TB (expandable to 100TB) and uses ZFS RAID for data protection; this leaves 16TB of usable space. The box comes pre-configured as RAIDZ1 (similar to RAID 5). One of the advantages of this is that the ZFS automatically caches your most frequently used and recent files in RAM, providing faster access to files at flash-like speeds. It also features a high-speed 10GbE network connection, providing faster file access compared to standard NAS drives, with all the processing down to its enterprise-grade Xeon Processor and 32GB of ECC RAM. Using the Jupiter Mini as part of a studio or office setup allows multiple users to access the NAS simultaneously, with automatic file caching for swift retrieval of frequently accessed files.

The system comes preloaded with the TrueNAS SCALE, which enables the easy management of the drive and its storage. This allows different network drives to be created and access permissions granted, ensuring a straightforward setup and management and a system that is fully compatible with both Mac and PC systems.

While the drive's overall handling is quite straightforward, if you do get stuck, there's plenty of documentation online, as well as a comprehensive single-source warranty and outstanding Pro Support from OWC. This support offers assistance during the setup and beyond, ensuring that help is just an email away if you have any questions or issues that may arise.

• Features: 4.5

OWC Jupiter Mini: Performance

Network storage is a significant asset in any studio or office environment. It enables the sharing of large-format files among colleagues. In a studio setting, this is particularly beneficial for transferring large video files across the network, eliminating the need to copy everything onto portable hard drives and move them from one person to another.

While there are plenty of NAS solutions available, the Jupiter Mini stands out as one of the few options tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, boasting ease of use and operation, power, and scalability without requiring extensive IT experience.

The initial setup and use of the Jupiter Mini were notably straightforward, with the device connecting to the back of the EERO 6 wifi router and becoming accessible throughout the studio and home. This centralised resource proved its value by allowing quick access to essential video and image files for projects. The speed of file transfers was instantly impressive over the wifi connection, with 140GB of data downloading in about an hour and a half, compared to six hours with our existing NAS. 

However, when connected to the studio's wired network, the download time for the same files dropped to less than 30 minutes as the files were transferred to the OWC ThunderBlade X8. The OWC ThunderBlade X8 was used as a local working drive and enabled the fast transfer speeds required by the best video editing software for cutting and grading. 

In the test, the network here is not the fastest 10GbE network at 2.5GbE. However, the speed was impressive for a self-managed system. After a week, the potential of faster network storage became obvious, and TrueNAS was used to create additional datasets for different groups and users. This enabled different areas of the storage to be assigned as a network drive, with permissions to users and groups assigned. Once the dataset is created, it can then be shared through smb. Another nice feature is that you create a zvol, which then enables you to format that segment of the drive in another file format. There is also a host of apps that can be downloaded and used if you need an on-site web development environment, and again, you can assign part of the storage to this. 

Through the test all administration was managed through the browser TrueNAS GUI. While there was a learning curve, it proved to be a powerful tool with plenty of documentation to support its use. As previously mentioned, if you do want a little more, then you can access the command-line version of TrueNAS by using a VGA monitor, keyboard, and mouse, a setup more common in server environments than in small offices.

One key consideration was whether the OWC Jupiter Mini could serve as shared network editing storage for software like Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Premiere Pro. While technically possible with the correct setup and network speed, this NAS is not specifically designed for such intensive tasks, a role better suited to more powerful and expensive solutions like the OWC Jellyfish. However, lighter tasks, such as a centralised resource for photo or graphic design, are well within the Jupiter Mini's remit.

The OWC Jupiter Mini offers an easy-to-maintain, out-of-the-box NAS solution that provides enterprise-level performance, far surpassing what is achievable with consumer models and is scalable up to 100TB to meet the growing data storage needs of home, office, or studio environments.

• Performance: 5/5

Should you buy the OWC Jupiter Mini?

The OWC Jupiter Mini is designed for creative professionals and small businesses that require a commercial network storage solution with substantial storage potential without the need for extensive IT know-how. Commercial NAS boxes, although ideal in functionality, often become completely impractical due to their design, cost, and often complex command-line administration. Conversely, smaller consumer models may offer ease of use but rarely offer the speed or power for multiple concurrent connections, capacity, connection features or ready support. These are all areas where OWC and the Jupiter Mini excel.

As a basic NAS, the Jupiter Mini is straightforward and efficient, making it particularly attractive to videographers and photographers needing reliable storage for projects and files. Its compatibility with the ThunderBlade X8 as a local working drive enhances its functionality. In a home environment, investing time in TrueNAS allows for segmenting the storage and providing dedicated areas for network or shared storage needs within the office or household.

The real advantage lies in its appeal to those seeking commercial-grade network storage that is both high-performing, expandable and reliable. The system includes a built-in support email system to alert users of potential issues with the hardware, preventing drive failures or other significant problems. In an office or studio setting, this single unit can be configured to provide various storage spaces for different groups, with tailored allocations and access, mirroring the capabilities of a large company's IT system.

Although the initial investment in the OWC Jupiter Mini is significant, the value it offers in storage capacity and the ability to self-manage—backed by OWC's excellent support—makes it a great choice. For studios or small offices in need of a network storage solution, the OWC Jupiter Mini stands out as one of the fastest, easiest-to-use, and most versatile systems available.

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