Into the lab testing 'military standard' durable laptops

Asus details the testing process for the Asus ExpertBook business laptop line, with diverse models for many different business groups from SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses) to large corporations, with a commitment to support reducing long-term operating, IT and maintenance costs.

In fact, “military-tested” is not a single certification, but a shorthand for a product tested against the MIL-STD-810 standard issued by the US Department of Defense since 1962, which was designed to test military equipment when operating in harsh environments. The latest update, MIL-STD-810H (released in 2019), includes more than 25 tests that simulate situations that the device may encounter during use.

However, there is no rule that requires a device to pass all of them, each manufacturer will choose and combine the tests that are appropriate for the product. Therefore, one laptop line can undergo 12 methods and dozens of testing procedures, while another product applies a different combination. This helps ensure that the test results are close to the actual conditions of each device and the environment of use.

With all products in the Asus ExpertBook business laptop line, Asus ensures that from popular to high-end lines, they all undergo at least 24 tests, exceeding the number of tests commonly seen in the computer industry.

Test for impact, vibration, and thermal shock

In the lab, Asus ExpertBook series are subjected to impact tests that simulate situations where the device is dropped while in use, collided during transportation, or subjected to sudden external forces - similar to a user accidentally dropping the device from a desk or having their backpack crushed while traveling on a long bus.

Next is a series of vibration tests, in which the machine is placed on a table that vibrates continuously at a frequency range of 5-500 Hz, simulating the jolts of moving on bad roads or riding a motorbike.

An Asus ExpertBook series under vibration test conditions similar to motorcycle riding (left), and as in shipping/container transport (right).

Next, in the temperature tests, the laptop must demonstrate its ability to operate stably when running continuously in environments ranging from minus 6 degrees to 49 degrees, as well as when transported in harsher conditions, from minus 46 degrees to 71 degrees. In particular, the device must also pass the thermal shock test: being suddenly taken from a cold environment of minus 51 degrees to a hot environment of 71 degrees and vice versa. It may sound unrealistic, but these scenarios are very familiar: Bringing the laptop from an air-conditioned room to the 40-degree heat of Hanoi in the middle of summer, or leaving the machine in a closed car for many hours in the sun and then immediately bringing it into a cold room. These seemingly everyday situations are a big challenge to the lifespan of the device if it is not designed to endure.

In parallel, there is a humidity test. The device is placed in an environment with humidity up to 95% at a temperature of 30-60 degrees continuously for 10 days. These tests help ensure that the laptop is not affected by weather changes and monsoon climate, especially the prolonged humidity in Northern Vietnam.

The test simulates laptop operation in high humidity, exposure to sudden temperature changes, in fine dust and blowing sand, and operation in very cold temperatures.

Another test item that ensures the device’s ability to withstand frequent incidents that can lead to equipment failure is its resistance to sand and dust. In the lab, the device is placed in a fine dust environment with a density of 10 g/m3, then continues to be challenged with sand blowing at a wind speed of 28 m/s, as harsh as a desert environment. With the conditions in Vietnam, this test is especially close to reality: Road dust when traveling by motorbike, sand and dust at construction sites, or warehouse environments with many fine particles.

157 exclusive tests from Asus for business laptops

Asus doesn't stop at military standards, though. The entire ExpertBook line also has to pass 157 Asus-exclusive durability tests designed specifically for the business environment.

The device’s keyboard was tested with 10 million keystrokes, equivalent to typing continuously for 4 hours a day for 6 years; the hinge was opened and closed 50,000 times, equivalent to 12 times a day for more than 11 years. Drop resistance was also proven, with the device still working after a fall from a height of 120 cm onto a concrete floor. Meanwhile, the spill-resistant keyboard can withstand up to 405 ml of direct liquid spillage and drain quickly to help limit damage.

Tests for falling objects on the screen, folding and opening the device up to 50,000 times, drop resistance from a height of 1.2 m, and durability of the connection port.

Lesser-known but frequently occurring situations are also tested, such as the ability to withstand a pressure of up to 50 kg, simulating a backpack being crushed while moving, or the durability of the connection port, tested by plugging/unplugging devices into the USB Type-C port up to 15,000 times. These tests ensure that the laptop does not encounter problems with seemingly small details that can cause major disruptions to work.

To achieve this extreme durability standard, Asus Expert Series is equipped with a reinforced shell, a sturdy chassis structure and an internal component protection system that helps the machine not only "survive" the accident, but also continue to operate stably immediately afterward.

Diverse ecosystem for small and medium enterprises

The Asus Expert Series' superior durability standards are applied from the ExpertBook P series for small and medium-sized businesses, which prioritize durability and reasonable cost, to the ExpertBook B series aimed at professionals, leaders and large organizations with high requirements for performance, mobility and security. In addition, there are also compact Asus ExpertCenter desktops and AiOs, suitable for many flexible working models.

The diverse ecosystem of Asus Expert Series ranges from laptops, desktops to AiOs, serving the diverse needs of SMBs as well as corporations.

However, in Vietnam, many small and medium-sized enterprises still have the mentality that "business laptops are only for large corporations", making them hesitant to invest in upgrading. Mr. Rex Lee, Deputy General Director of Asus Corporation, said this is a barrier that the brand wants to change.

Instead of focusing solely on the project channel, Asus has brought the Expert Series to retail systems such as Phong Vu, An Phat, Phuc Anh, Hacom and e-commerce platforms. Thanks to that, even when purchasing only a single device, small and medium-sized enterprises can still enjoy all the benefits of a business laptop: Durability, stability, security and flexible on-site after-sales service nationwide.

Source: https://znews.vn/vao-phong-lab-test-laptop-ben-chuan-quan-su-post1586002.html