Asus is set to go up against Apple's laptops with the launching of ZenBook 3. Asus Chairman Jonney Shih claims the Zenbook 3 is lighter than Apple's lightest laptops, and it has a processor two times more powerful than MacBook. Now, here's what is currently known about Asus ZenBook 3 release date, specs and features.

Asus revealed the ZenBook 3 at Computex event in Taiwan. This laptop only weighs two pounds and measures 11.9mm thick. As we mentioned earlier, it is both lighter and thinner lighter than Apple's already crazy portable MacBook. Inside, it is equipped with speedy Core i5 and Core i7 processors, so it can stand toe-to-toe against MacBook's Core M CPU.

ZenBook 3's body has an all-metal design for durability. Asus also used a specialized form of aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, which it claims 40% tougher than the materials used in other Ultrabooks.

While other tech companies only released thin notebooks with Intel Core M-series CPU, Asus managed to fit in Core I-series CPUs to ultra-thin ZenBook 3. Tech Radar says Asus accomplished this by developing 3mm fan. Furthermore, the laptop's 12.5-inch display is protected by a sheet of Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for extra durability. However, it can only provide Full HD resolution.

The body of ZenBook 3 has a full-size keyboard, a glass-covered touchpad, and a fingerprint scanner. The latter provides secure access to Windows Hello.

In terms of battery power, Asus claims the laptop can last for up to nine hours of usage. It is also equipped with fast charging technology through the USB-C port that can charge the device for up to 60% in just 49 minutes.

ZenBook 3 will become available with three colors: Royal Blue, Quartz Grey.

The Verge reported the laptop will come in two variants. The base model, which is priced at $999, features Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. For those who want more, the top-spec model boasts Core i7 processor, 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM and an added fingerprint scanner. This variant has $1,999 price tag.

Asus has not yet announced when the ZenBook 3 will be available, but some websites claim it could hit tech stores in the third quarter of the year.

Aside from ZenBook 3, Asus also introduced the ZenFone 3 at the Computex event. This smartphone packs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 650 CPU, 3 GB of RAM and fingerprint sensor.