ASUS Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) Review: A Groundbreaking Ultraportable Laptop
The Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) is a groundbreaking ultrathin 14-inch laptop that seamlessly blends performance and elegance. The ASUS Zenbook S 14 delivers a premium experience. While its sleek design and powerful internals are certainly noteworthy, two features truly stand out: the stunning OLED display and the integrated AI capabilities. Before delving deeper into the key features elevate the Zenbook S 14 above the competition, a quick look at the pros and cons of the device.
| Pros | Cons |
| Stunning Visuals: The 3K ASUS Lumina OLED display offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and exceptional clarity. | Limited Upgradability: The RAM and storage are onboard and not user-upgradable, so choose your configuration carefully. |
| Powerful Performance: AI-powered Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor (Series 2) with ultra-compact system-on-chip (SoC) design with integrated NPUs to deliver impressive performance for demanding tasks and AI workloads. | Potential for Screen Burn-in: While ASUS has implemented mitigation measures, OLED screens are still susceptible to burn-in if static elements are displayed for prolonged periods. |
| Lightweight and Durable: The Ceraluminum™ chassis is incredibly thin and light, yet remarkably durable and scratch-resistant. | No Discrete GPU: The integrated Intel Arc graphics are capable for daily tasks and some light gaming, but heavy users may require a dedicated graphics card. |
| AI-Powered Features: Enjoy enhanced productivity, personalized assistance, and improved security with AI integration. | |
| Excellent Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 support ensures blazing-fast wireless speeds, while Thunderbolt 4 ports offer versatile connectivity options. | |
| Long Battery Life: The 72Wh battery provides all-day power for work and entertainment. |
The ASUS Lumina OLED Display
The Zenbook S 14 boasts a 14-inch 3K ASUS Lumina OLED display that is nothing short of breathtaking. OLED technology delivers perfect blacks and incredible contrast, making colors pop with vibrancy and realism. Whether you're editing photos, watching movies, or simply browsing the web, this display offers an immersive visual experience that's hard to match.
Beyond its stunning visuals, the display also boasts a 120Hz refresh rate for buttery-smooth motion and touchscreen functionality for intuitive interaction. Content creators and casual users alike will appreciate the VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, ensuring deep blacks and impressive dynamic range.
The AI Advantage
ASUS has gone beyond simply slapping an "AI-powered" sticker on the Zenbook S 14. The integration of the AI-powered Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) unlocks a new level of intelligent performance.
This translates to several tangible benefits:
• Enhanced Productivity: The NPU accelerates AI-powered applications, streamlining tasks like image editing, transcription, and even creative writing.
• Personalized Assistance: With Windows Copilot deeply integrated, you get personalized support for various tasks, from scheduling meetings to summarizing documents.
• Improved Security: AI algorithms enhance security features by detecting and responding to threats more effectively.
• Optimized Performance: The AI engine dynamically adjusts system performance based on your usage patterns, maximizing efficiency and battery life.
While the Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) isn’t yet part of the Copilot+ PC program, it should be added to Microsoft’s elite AI PC platform in the near future. Even at that, users can already access a lot of the Copilot+ AI functionality using Intel’s proprietary AI Playground and existing Large Language Model systems like ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion.
Ergonomic touchpad with Smart Gesture
The ASUS Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) features a new ergonomic and responsive touchpad that measures 127.0 x 79.17 mm. It's designed for comfort and precision, with a smooth hydrophobic coating that resists fingerprints and wear. Even after extensive use, the touchpad retains its smooth glide. The click depth is optimized at 0.23 mm to provide a satisfying feel with natural feedback, minimizing accidental clicks.
Impressive Build and Design
The Zenbook UX5406 is said to be built with a material that combined the properties of aluminum and ceramic, making it particularly resistant to scratches in 2 colour variant Zumaia Gray and Scandinavian White.
The laptop's build quality and stability are impressive. The base unit only yields ever so slightly in the middle keyboard area, but this shouldn't be an issue with everyday use. Overall, the hinges have been adjusted well and enable you to open the laptop with one hand, although you can't prevent it from rocking slightly after adjusting the angle. Its maximum opening angle is 135 degrees.
Impressive Battery Life
Battery life is often the main deciding factor with thin and light laptops, especially if you don’t have the most demanding performance or display needs. Despite downloading multiple applications, running Photoshop and Steam in the background, and keeping multiple Chrome tabs open, the Zenbook UX5406SA battery life barely dipped even after a couple of hours sitting with the display on at maximum brightness.
| CPU | Up to Intel® CoreTM Ultra 9 processor (Series 2) |
| NPU performance | Up to 48 TOPS NPU |
| Display | 14.0-inch, 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate, 400nits, 500nits HDR peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 1,000,000:1, VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 500. |
| Graphics | Up to Intel® ArcTM Graphics |
| Connectivity | Tri-band WiFi 7 (802.11be) + Bluetooth® 5.4 |
| Camera | ASUS AiSense Camera FHD 3DNR IR camera with ambient light and color sensor |
| I/O ports | 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A2x ThunderboltTM 4 Type-C support display / power delivery1x HDMI 2.1 TMDS1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
| Touchpad | ASUS ErgoSense touchpad (multitouch smart gestures support) |
| Audio | 4 built-in speakers /Harman Kardon®-certified/Dolby Atmos® sound systemBuilt-in 2 microphone |
| Battery | 72 Wh lithium-polymer battery |
| Weight | 1.20 kg (2.65 lbs) |
Conclusion
The ASUS Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA is a strong contender in the ultrabook market. Its combination of a stunning OLED display, powerful AI capabilities, and sleek design make it an excellent choice for users who demand both performance and style. Whether you're a creative professional, a student, or a casual user, the Zenbook S 14 offers a compelling blend of features that are sure to impress. From its stunning design to its vivid OLED display panel, there’s plenty to appreciate about the Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406)
To learn more about the ASUS Zenbook S 14 UX5406, click here to get started.
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Source: Legit.ng
