ASUS' thin ZenBook Pro 15 packs a punch with Core i9 CPU, GTX 1050 graphics

ASUS this week took the wraps off of its new ZenBook Pro 15, and if you're looking for impressive specs with a thin profile, it fits the bill (via PCGamer).

When maxed out on specs, the ZenBook Pro 15 can be equipped with up to an Intel Core i9-8950HK hexa-core processor, which is a relative rarity for a laptop at the moment. Other processor options include Intel's Core i7-8750H or Core i5-8300H.

That's rounded out by discrete NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics which, while not the most powerful gaming chip, should be more than enough graphical oomph to eke out solid performance in at 1080p resolutions.

The 15.6-inch display on the ZenBook Pro 15 is available in either 4K touchscreen or 1080p resolutions (touch is optional on the 1080p panel). There's also support for either 8GB or 16GB of RAM, along with up to 1TB of SSD storage.

What's msot impressive is that all of this is packed into a frame that is 0.74 inches (1.89 cm) thick and weighs 4.1 pounds. For comparison, those dimensions are fairly close to Dell's XPS 15 (9570), which weighs in at 4 or 4.5 pounds and is between 0.45-0.66 inches thick, depending on configuration.

ASUS estimates you'll be able to pull around nine hours of battery life out of the ZenBook Pro 15. The laptop also includes an optional Windows Hello fingerprint sensor and precision touchpad. ASUS did skimp a bit on the webcam, fitting the laptop with a VGA shooter. However, the company did throw in two USB Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 2 (with Thunderbolt 3) ports, along with two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a single HDMI port, and a MicroSD card reader.

There's currently no word on pricing or availability, but we should learn much more soon.