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ASUS Zenbook S 14 is a skinny and light-weight Home windows 11 laptop computer.
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The system is powered by Intel’s newest Core Extremely 7 (Collection 2) processor and comes with a 47 TOPS NPU for AI-based duties.
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Regardless of a couple of minor points, Asus has constructed a 14-inch laptop computer that is a pleasure to make use of.
Asus’ Zenbook line of laptops has an extended historical past, and the corporate has lengthy provided a variety of skinny and light-weight Home windows 11 computer systems. The newest member of the product vary, the ASUS Zenbook S 14, is launching quickly.
Home windows 11 has performed a task in revitalizing the considerably stagnant PC market, and by 2024, competitors from Dell, HP, Floor and others shall be fierce. The query right here is whether or not Asus’ new 14-inch laptops with new Intel chips need to be ranked among the many greatest. I took out the Zenbook S 14 and gave it a attempt to discover out.
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ASUS Zenbook S 14
A skinny and light-weight Home windows 11 laptop computer geared up with the most recent Intel Core Extremely 7 (Collection 2) processor and a 14-inch 3K OLED show.
- Good bodily situation
- One-hand lid operation
- Consists of Home windows Good day and presence consciousness
- No tactile trackpad
- USB-C ports are on one aspect
- Processor with AI assist, however not a lot AI to talk of
Worth, availability and specs
The ASUS Zenbook S 14 is a 14-inch laptop computer, however its footprint would lead you to imagine it has a 13-inch panel. The general dimensions of the system are 12.26 x 8.42 x 0.47 ~ 0.51 inches (31.15 x 21.39 x 1.19 ~ 1.29 cm). The wedge-shaped design makes the laptop computer barely slimmer, starting from 0.51 inches at its thickest to 0.47 inches at its thinnest. Mixed with a weight of two.65 kilos (1.20 kg), the pocket book turns into slim and straightforward to deal with.
The star of any trendy laptop computer is its show, and the Zenbook S 14 would not disappoint – Asus has geared up the system with a 14-inch 2880 x 1800 pixel decision OLED panel with a quick 120Hz refresh fee, 500nits peak brightness HDR brightness, and elective contact display configuration that helps pen and ink writing.
Beneath the hood, you may discover one in every of Intel’s newest chips, configurable upward into Intel Core Extremely 7 (Collection 2). That is an x86 processor, which suggests it is totally suitable with quite a lot of Home windows functions and legacy packages. That is in stark distinction to the ARM-based Snapdragon X processors utilized in merchandise like Asus’ personal ProArt PZ13 hybrid PC.
In relation to port choice, the Zenbook provides quite a lot of choices. The twin Thunderbolt 4 USB Kind-C sockets are naturally welcome, as is a further USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-A port for connecting to conventional peripherals. There’s an HDMI 2.1 port right here, making it simple to attach an exterior monitor, in addition to a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Zenbook S 14 is obtainable in Zumaia Grey and Scandinavian White, with a instructed retail worth beginning at $1,500. The bottom mannequin comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and the RAM could be configured as much as 32GB.
Why I just like the ASUS Zenbook S 14
The laptop computer’s “Ceraluminum” lid materials lives as much as its identify
From the seems to be of it, the Zenbook S 14 is gorgeous. The clear traces and minimalist design language are proper up my alley, and I respect Asus attempting to create a product that’s visually distinct from the Apple MacBook and Microsoft Floor. The highest cowl is product of a ceramic materials Asus affectionately calls “Ceraluminum,” and it feels as nice because it seems to be.
“Ceraluminum” feels pretty much as good because it seems to be.
The corporate describes the hybrid materials as having the elasticity of ceramic and the lightness of steel, with delicate geometric patterns including a contact of character to the combo with out trying cheesy. I examined the Zumaia grey model and located it collected fingerprints simply. Should you choose to keep away from wiping your system with a microfiber fabric to protect its pristine situation, the Scandinavian white mannequin could also be higher.
The laptop computer additionally handed the lid opening take a look at with flying colours. Time and time once more, I used to be in a position to open the lid with one finger with out the remainder of the laptop computer shifting or getting in the way in which of the hinge’s simple motion.
The laptop computer additionally handed the lid opening take a look at with flying colours.
Once I opened the lid with satisfaction, I used to be greeted by a shiny and exquisite OLED show panel. The display might be my favourite facet of the Zenbook S 14—the colours pop, the brightness is satisfying even in shiny environments, and the 120Hz refresh fee makes Home windows 11 feel and look smoother. I am pleased to report that Asus has opted for a 16:10 facet ratio right here, reasonably than the extra commonplace (and cheaper) 16:9 widescreen panel. The added vertical house is important for the workplace work I do repeatedly in my day by day life.
I am a giant fan of Home windows Good day facial safety recognition, and the Zenbook S 14 manages to squeeze it into its small prime show bezel. The inclusion of presence-sensing {hardware} is one other constructive, permitting the display to dynamically activate and off relying on whether or not I am sitting at my desk. Home windows 11 provides native assist for this characteristic, and I hope to see it change into a normal throughout the PC {industry} sooner reasonably than later.
The brand new Intel Core Extremely 9 (Collection 2) processor carried out properly in my exams and was greater than able to all of the duties I repeatedly threw at it. For reference, the system has a Geekbench 6 single-core rating of 1,384 and a multi-core rating of seven,536. Like different thin-client laptops, the Zenbook S 14 is not greatest fitted to graphics-intensive gaming or hardcore video modifying. It performs properly for lighter gaming and modifying wants, however actually, it isn’t constructed for these duties.
For reference, the system has a Geekbench 6 single-core rating of 1,384 and a multi-core rating of seven,536.
For workplace work, together with phrase and spreadsheet processing, the Zenbook S 14’s keyboard gives a pleasing typing expertise. The 1.1mm key journey is comfy for lengthy durations of typing, and I discovered the stability between clickiness and springiness to be good.
What I don’t like concerning the Asus Zenbook S 14
The trackpad is sweet, nevertheless it considerably detracts from an in any other case nice consumer expertise
Whereas the keyboard could also be fairly good total, the Zenbook S 14’s trackpad is a bit more subtle. It is good and massive, and really correct by way of gesture efficiency, however I can not assist however want it have been powered by haptics reasonably than a bodily diving board mechanism. In my view, the haptic suggestions actually enhances the laptop computer expertise and I really feel prefer it’s excellent for a tool of this caliber. The present click on feels good by conventional trackpad requirements, nevertheless it’s not on par with units like a post-2015 Macbook or Floor Laptop computer 7.
Zenbook S 14 has a wide array of ports, with the Thunderbolt 4 port offering a powerful 40Gbps knowledge bandwidth. In sensible phrases, this implies the laptop computer can join 2 exterior 4k displays on the similar time with none fuss. A small niggle, however price noting nonetheless: As with many different PCs, the 2 USB-C ports are on the identical aspect of the unit. In relation to handy charging and peripheral growth, having a port on either side is right.
This laptop computer chip comes with a 65W USB-C charging adapter, and the system is powered by a 72Wh energy pack. Asus says the system provides all-day battery life, and I discovered that to be usually the case for my private workflow. Intel’s newest chips are extra vitality environment friendly than earlier generations, however nonetheless not on the identical stage as ARM-based processors. Battery life and charging pace are good, however positively not industry-leading.
Then there’s synthetic intelligence – the Intel chips within the laptops have neural processing models (NPUs) able to 4 tera operations per second (TOPS), which is considerably decrease than the 45 TOPS output of the rival Snapdragon X processor platform. That stated, Home windows 11 would not benefit from this in lots of significant methods, even contemplating Microsoft’s current Copilot+ AI PC initiative.
The Zenbook S 14 will not obtain the upcoming Home windows Timeline characteristic for AI-based snapshot indexing, nevertheless it does provide some primary Home windows Studio digital camera instruments.
The Zenbook S 14 will not obtain the upcoming Home windows Timeline characteristic for AI-based snapshot indexing, nevertheless it does provide some primary Home windows Studio digital camera instruments for blurring backgrounds and extra. Nonetheless, the NPU future-proofs the system considerably, and it is good to know that the {hardware} will no less than be capable of ship some natively accelerated AI efficiency for future apps and options.
Must you purchase the Asus Zenbook S 14?
If you’d like a skinny and light-weight Home windows 11 pc with good built-in capabilities and native assist for Intel x86 apps, the Zenbook S 14 is price contemplating
General, Asus’ new Zenbook S 14 is a really strong 14-inch skinny and light-weight Home windows 11 laptop computer. Construct high quality and aesthetics are top-notch, the port choice is in depth, and it provides further quality-of-life extras like Home windows Good day and Presense know-how.
The OLED show is engaging, and its bezels are skinny, making the system really feel trendy and premium. Whereas the keyboard was a pleasure to kind on, I discovered myself eager for a tactile trackpad the whole time I used the laptop computer.
Newer Intel-based PCs, together with the Zenbook S 14, have come a great distance by way of vitality effectivity, and I by no means discovered myself dissatisfied with battery life throughout day-to-day use. Nonetheless, by way of sheer effectivity, ARM-based Snapdragon X merchandise simply beat Intel.
Should you’re out there for a top quality Home windows laptop computer and do not thoughts (and even choose) Intel’s x86-based computing structure and its related app compatibility, the Asus Zenbook S 14 is certainly price contemplating.
The system was supplied to Pocket-lint by ASUS.
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ASUS Zenbook S 14
