Intel’s Lunar Lake processors make this one merely unimaginable

Pros:
– Strong effectivity
– Massive enhance graphic effectivity
– Gorgeous OLED present
– Excellent battery life
– Solid port selection
– Premium design
– Strong constructed top quality, no matter thin-and-light sort difficulty
– Solid Harman Kardon audio system

Cons:
– Slightly costlier that it have to be
– Web cam will probably be disappointing at events
– Trackpad lacks haptic ideas, and could also be very tight

Price: Starts at Rs 149,990/-
Rating: 4.5/5

The Asus Zenbook S14 is probably going one of many first ultrabooks to pack Intel’s new Lunar Lake processors, additionally known as the Core Ultra 7 200 sequence chips. These are the successors to ultimate 12 months’s Meteor Lake processors and convey some massive enhancements, notably spherical effectivity. Intel has made these new chips further battery-friendly, with larger CPU effectivity, an enormous graphics improve by the use of the built-in Arc GPU, and a slight enhance in AI effectivity because of the NPU.

Intel has a fairly clever method proper right here, notably when you concentrate on Qualcomm’s cope with battery life. Intel has been making processors for ages, and x86 has confirmed itself over time. Nearly all software program program is constructed spherical x86, so it’s a secure different for a lot of people. ARM, alternatively, supplies distinctive battery life and portability, nonetheless it nonetheless struggles with compatibility for positive video video games and productiveness apps — notably in firm settings. While the situation’s enhancing, ARM isn’t pretty there however for everyone.

Intel is positioning itself as the upper different for people who need these apps to work successfully, promising that its latest Core Ultra 200 chips provide comparable effectivity and performance-per-watt to ARM. In some situations, the x86 route is solely the smarter different.

That brings us to the Zenbook S14. This laptop computer laptop is great slim — merely half an inch thick — and weighs spherical 1.2 kg, making it extraordinarily moveable. And that 3K OLED present? Gorgeous.

But does the Zenbook S14 dwell as a lot because the hype? Is x86 really nonetheless your best option, or is ARM the best way through which forward? Let’s uncover out.

Asus ZenBook S14 OLED Review: Design and assemble top quality
The Asus Zenbook S14 OLED stands out with its fashionable portability, as a consequence of Intel’s new Lunar Lake processors. This ultrabook combines a 14-inch present with an impressively slim profile, making it an ideal companion for anyone who needs a robust however lightweight laptop computer laptop.

Weighing merely over 1.2kg, it’s easy to slip proper right into a bag, so carrying it spherical doesn’t actually really feel like a chore. Whether you’re engaged on the go or simply desire a compact machine for frequently duties, the Zenbook S14 delivers with out weighing you down.

When it includes design, the Zenbook S14 retains points fascinating with its daring, angular strains. Asus has gone for a further distinctive look compared with the additional minimalist designs from opponents like Apple and Microsoft.

The keyboard choices sharp, squared-off keys, and the heat grille above the keyboard supplies a nice contact of character. The complete influence is a recent, utilitarian look that’s not afraid to face out.

A highlight of the Zenbook S14 is its hinge. It’s secure, clear, and very easy to open that you’ll be able to do it with just one finger. Plus, it stays common even when bumped, making sure that the show doesn’t wobble uncontrollably.

Another notable operate is the Ceraluminium finish on the lid, combining ceramic and aluminium to create a contemporary, geometric design that feels premium to the contact. The flooring has a fragile, practically paper-like texture, together with a tactile layer to the laptop computer laptop’s elegant look. It is accessible in Scandinavian White and Zumaia Grey, though the matte finish can current fingerprints, notably throughout the darker colours.

We moreover identical to the geometric grille design of the vents on the excessive of the laptop computer laptop, merely above the keyboard. Asus tells us that it’s made using CNC machining, and tremendously helps with the thermals. The cherry on excessive of the improved thermal administration could possibly be how aesthetic it appears.

Despite its slim physique, the Zenbook S14 is constructed to ultimate. It’s MIL-STD-810H military-grade licensed, so it’d cope with just some knocks all through journey with out worrying about damage. The laptop computer laptop’s improvement feels secure, and whereas there’s a tiny amount of flex when making use of pressure to the centre of the keyboard, the show stays largely rigid, a testament to its sturdiness.

Connectivity-wise, the Zenbook S14 covers the entire requirements with one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, HDMI 2.1 for exterior exhibits, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It would’ve been good to see an SD card slot for people who rely upon it for footage or video modifying, nonetheless in another case, the port selection is spectacular for such a slim design.

On the wi-fi entrance, you get dual-band WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, making sure clear, high-speed internet and gadget connections. We moreover don’t get any LTE selections.

Asus ZenBook S14 OLED Review: Keyboard and trackpad
The Asus Zenbook S14 OLED incorporates a keyboard and touchpad that actually really feel premium however smart. The keys have a fragile, barely textured finish that’s satisfying to sort on, offering merely the right amount of ideas.

The keyboard’s low-profile design doesn’t actually really feel gap, because of the secure lower casing that enhances the typing experience. The keystrokes are fast nonetheless deep enough to make typing comfortable. Plus, the keyboard has an especially vibrant backlight, making it easy to see in quite a few lighting circumstances.

Surprisingly, the journey is respectable, notably given the Zenbook’s slim assemble. In phrases of typing comfort, I’d say that is seemingly one of many larger ultrabooks spherical.

However, the trackpad is a bit of little bit of a letdown. While it’s an excellent measurement, glass, and clear to the contact, it feels a bit sluggish and stiff in movement. On the plus side, it handles gestures successfully, and Asus has added just some additional choices, like amount and brightness administration, along with video scrubbing, using edge gestures. While the trackpad works, it’s not as fluid or responsive as I’d like, notably compared with the rest of the laptop computer laptop’s fashionable design.

Asus ZenBook S14 OLED Review: Webcam and Speakers
The Asus ZenBook S14 OLED comes outfitted with the ASUS AiSense Camera, a full HD digital digital camera with an IR sensor that helps Windows Hello. Positioned on the thin excessive bezel, this digital digital camera supplies clear 1080p resolution for digital conferences, making sure clear video top quality. It moreover choices auto-reframing, which mechanically adjusts the sector of view, a wonderful addition for people who generally tend to maneuver spherical all through calls.

Thanks to the extremely efficient NPU, the laptop computer laptop completely helps Windows’ AI-powered Studio Effects, part of Copilot+, bringing enhanced video top quality and real-time modifications.

While the Windows Hello-compatible webcam supplies useful logins, the 1080p digital digital camera doesn’t current the sharpest aspect. It appears significantly grainy, notably in low light, which could possibly be a draw again if you happen to occur to’re used to high-end cameras.

As for audio, the ZenBook S14 OLED doesn’t disappoint. Equipped with Harman Kardon-branded audio system and Smart Amp Technology, it supplies surprisingly good sound top quality for a thin ultrabook.

The 4 drivers produce secure amount, with respectable bass and minimal distortion, even when quite a few audio tracks are collaborating in. By default, the audio system have dynamic loudness, nonetheless you’ll be capable to fine-tune them for a further refined sound. Whether you’re on a reputation, listening to music, or watching a video, the sound is apparent and full, making it certainly one of many better-sounding Windows laptops on this class.

Asus ZenBook S14 OLED Review: Display
The Asus Zenbook S14 OLED’s 14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED touch-enabled present is definitely spectacular, offering sharp, vibrant visuals that make it stand out throughout the ultrabook class. With a 16:10 side ratio and a 120Hz refresh cost, the show offers a clear experience, whether or not or not you’re procuring, engaged on paperwork, or streaming movement footage.

Its 500 nits peak brightness makes it vibrant enough for a lot of indoor environments, though it struggles a bit in direct daylight. While it might not be the best choice for out of doors work on sunny days, it’s really not a dealbreaker for a lot of prospects.

The standout operate of this present is its colour accuracy. The Zenbook S14 OLED is Pantone-validated, which suggests the colours are true-to-life, making it wonderful for people who need actual colour copy for duties like image modifying. The present can be TUV Rheinland-certified

With a 100 per cent P3 colour gamut and VESA HDR True Black certification, the present covers a big shade fluctuate, making sure vibrant pictures, deep blacks, and crisp whites. Watching motion pictures or engaged on spreadsheets feels further immersive with such rich and detailed visuals. Plus, with its sRGB 100 per cent colour home safety, the Zenbook S14 OLED is an excellent different for anyone who enjoys media consumption or needs colour accuracy for expert work.

Thanks to intensive viewing angles of the present, you acquired’t lose colour consistency even when viewing from the side. However, the shiny touchscreen flooring can usually select up reflections from surrounding light, which could be a bit distracting in some settings. The touchscreen itself is clear and responsive, making navigation easy and intuitive, whether or not or not you’re scrolling by the use of paperwork or using gestures to swipe between apps.

The 16:10 side ratio moreover supplies useful vertical home, which may be very helpful for productiveness duties. Whether you’re engaged on an enormous spreadsheet or going by the use of a protracted PDF, the extra show precise property is extraordinarily useful.

Asus ZenBook S14 OLED Review: Performance
The Asus ZenBook S14 OLED is provided with Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V chip, a secure mid-tier processor from the model new Core Ultra 200 sequence. Though it’s not the top-of-the-line chip, it supplies a wonderful stability of effectivity, effectivity, and vitality monetary financial savings. The chip is constructed using TSMC’s N3B lithography and packs 4 Performance-cores and 4 Efficiency-cores, offering a whole of 8 cores and eight threads.

This setup doesn’t embody hyper-threading, which limits multitasking barely, nonetheless the chip makes up for it with great single-core effectivity. The base clock is 2.2GHz for every P-cores and E-cores, with the P-cores turbo-boosting to 4.8GHz and the E-cores reaching 3.7GHz. This makes the ZenBook S14 fast and setting pleasant for frequently duties.

In phrases of RAM, the ZenBook S14 comes with 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM clocked at 8533 MT/s in our check out unit. For storage, we get 512TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD, although you’ve got an selection for 1TB SSD as successfully. Because the Intel Core Ultra 200 processors are an SoC, the RAM, iGPU NPU and controllers are all designed into the Chip. That is why, we’re going to solely see a restricted variation in memory configurations accessible to the buyer. Our suggestion could possibly be to on a regular basis go for the most effective RAM variants you might accommodate in your funds.

This is bigger than enough for a lot of office functions, light ingenious work, and even gaming, as a result of the laptop computer laptop runs simply with no noticeable slowdowns. The Intel Smart Cache, with a functionality of 12MB, moreover helps velocity up duties by retaining ceaselessly used data accessible.

When it includes AI effectivity, Intel’s onboard Intel Arc 140V iGPU delivers 64 TOPs, whereas the NPU supplies one different 45 TOPs, giving the ZenBook S14 a whole of 115 TOPs. While not the proper measurement for complete effectivity, this setup makes the laptop computer laptop a robust contender in AI-related duties, notably for machine learning and processing.

In phrases of real-world effectivity, the ZenBook S14 handles typical enterprise duties with ease. Intel has prioritized single-core effectivity and built-in graphics, resulting in larger effectivity and battery life than earlier generations. The chip performs continually whether or not or not the laptop computer laptop is plugged in or working on battery vitality, making it good for purchasers on the go.

For gaming, the Intel Arc GPU proves its worth. Games like F1 23 and Cyberpunk 2077 run simply at Full HD resolution with Intel’s XeSS upscaling enhancing the seen top quality. While it’s not an alternative to a loyal gaming laptop computer laptop, the ZenBook S14 can cope with casual gaming successfully enough, with setting pleasant vitality utilization as nicely.

Even all through gaming intervals, the laptop computer laptop maintains an reasonably priced 28W vitality draw, making sure larger effectivity with out sacrificing battery life. During video video games, it would go as a lot as 35W nonetheless for ought to of the day, all through irregular use, it would hold spherical 18W.

And all this whereas, the laptop computer laptop stays cool, as a consequence of Asus’ clever thermal decision that makes use of a mixture of bi-layer graphite sheet, and vapour chambers.

Although we did run just some benchmarks, we’ve to say that at this deadline, they’re pretty pointless for one simple trigger — Intel’s main objective with the Core Ultra 200 sequence is Qualcomm and ARM processors. In some benchmarks, Intel outscored Qualcomm, and in some Qualcomm received right here out on excessive.

We moreover get just some nifty AI choices from Asus. For occasion, StoryCube is an efficient media organising instrument that makes use of AI & ML to sort, tag and uncover your media from all through devices and functions into one neat window.

What exacerbates this sentiment further is the reality that ARM nonetheless can’t quite a few the largely used software program program with out important glitches goes to be a sore stage for some. The Intel Core Ultra 7 200V processors, in that case, develop right into a no-nonsense engine for a laptop computer laptop which will merely work — on a regular basis.

Asus ZenBook S14 OLED Review: Battery
Intel clearly designed the model new Core Ultra 200 sequence of processors with effectivity in ideas, and it really displays in our battery exams. The ZenBook S14 OLED packs a secure 72WHr, 4-cell Li-ion battery, which performs admirably all through our typical use. In actuality, the ZenBook S14 lasted virtually 15 hours — 14 hours and 50 minutes to be precise — whereas now we have been coping with emails, writing, and leaping between video calls.

While it couldn’t totally outpace the MacBooks or Qualcomm-powered devices that boast 18+ hours, the ZenBook stays to be remarkably shut and delivers unbelievable outcomes for a Windows laptop computer laptop.

In phrases of charging, this laptop computer laptop doesn’t disappoint. It comes with a 65W fast charger throughout the discipline, and the speed at which it juices up is spectacular. In practically half-hour, the battery bills to 50 per cent, and inside an hour, it’s completely topped up. This means you acquired’t ought to waste lots time prepared for a price when you’re in a rush.

One of the proper choices proper right here is the minimal battery drain in sleep mode. Close the lid with out completely powering down, and likewise you’ll barely uncover any drop in battery proportion. This is an enormous enhance compared with older Windows laptops that used to empty quite a few battery whereas in sleep. With the ZenBook S14 OLED, you’ll be capable to rest assured that your battery will final extra and value shortly, making it a reliable companion for prolonged hours of labor and play.

Asus ZenBook S14 OLED Review: Verdict
The Asus ZenBook S14 is an precise standout, offering a wonderful combination of effectivity and magnificence. Powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V processor, this ultrabook is all about delivering secure effectivity whereas retaining points setting pleasant. Even though it’s not the top-of-the-line chip from Intel’s Core Ultra 200 sequence, it’s higher than capable of coping with frequently duties with ease. Thanks to 32GB of RAM and the built-in Arc GPU, the ZenBook S14 doesn’t break a sweat with electronic message, web procuring, video calls, and lightweight productiveness work.

While the laptop computer laptop might not crush multicore-heavy benchmarks, it excels in single-core effectivity, making it quick and responsive for a lot of makes use of. It’s moreover not designed to be a gaming machine, nonetheless for casual gaming, it does merely good, coping with video video games like F1 23 and even Cyberpunk 2077 with just some tweaks. And with the onboard NPU, you get right of entry to some neat AI choices that enhance your complete experience, even after they’re nonetheless a chunk in progress.

The 3K OLED present is gorgeous, offering crisp visuals and vibrant colours. Whether you’re working, watching content material materials, or just procuring, the show is a pleasure to utilize. The keyboard is comfortable, and the Ceraluminum chassis affords your entire laptop computer laptop a premium, sturdy actually really feel.

The trackpad might use barely further responsiveness, and the digital digital camera isn’t the proper, nonetheless these are minor complaints. Overall, the ZenBook S14 is a unbelievable ultrabook that checks the entire containers for effectivity, design, and usefulness. It’s a wonderful different for anyone searching for a well-rounded, setting pleasant laptop computer laptop.