My opinions on the Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED UX5406S series, the mid-2024 addition to the Zenbook ultrabook portfolio, are compiled in this article. This is merely a collection of my thoughts about this new model based on my experience with Zenbooks that are already out there; it is not a review. A thorough examination will be conducted later this month.
The current Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405MA (Intel) and Zenbook 14 OLEX UM3406HA (AMD) models, which we have thoroughly reviewed in earlier reviews, will be available in addition to this new Zenbook series. The standard Zenbook 14 models are not intended to be replaced by it.
Because of this, the UX5406 is a total redesign of the Zenbook 14 chassis rather than only a hardware upgrade to Intel's most recent Lunar Lake platform. It is essentially a smaller version of the Asus Zenbook S 16 that we have covered in this review, which means it is a more powerful laptop with better cooling than the standard Zenbook 14s. It also has a more elegant design and slimmer build, a deeper keyboard, and a limited screen angle. In addition to others. Below, we will go into further detail.
Please note that as this unit is an early preview sample, we are not currently talking about the Lunar Lake hardware's performance. However, as the NDA expires later this month, we will conduct a thorough review.
Ergonomics and design
With a comparable footprint and design lines, this Asus Zenbook S 14 update initially appears to be identical to the current Zenbook 14 versions.
But comparing the two generations side by side highlights a few of their distinctions.
The more recent S 14 model, for example, feels more robust, has a stiffer top and a firmer underside, and does not make any odd squeaky noises when you use, grip, or even abuse the chassis. Although the standard Zenbooks had good build quality, this version is better.
The lid and main deck of the new Zenbook S 14 are made of ceramic aluminum, or Ceraliminum as Asus refers to it, which is said to be more scratch- and fingerprint-resistant than anodized or coated aluminum. From what I understand, the same parts in the earlier Zenbooks were made of different types of metal. Similar to the 16-inch model, I anticipate that Asus will provide this S14 series in two color options: Scandinavian White and Zumaia Grey. This device is the White model, which has a silverish-white keyboard and is primarily light silver.
Aside from these differences, the S 14 is slightly lighter, thinner, and shorter than the standard Zenbook 14 versions. However, the differences are minimal.
The new model's IO is rearranged, with the majority of ports on the left side. The previous chassis placed the ports on the right, with cooling exhaust on the left. However, because it makes the right section less cluttered, I do like the IO on the left.
The actual ports have remained the same between generations, including an audio jack, a full-size HDMI 2.1, one USB-A, and two USB-Cs with Thunderbolt. These Zenbooks have all the necessary ports in contrast to other slim and light designs. Unfortunately, they are only able to be charged on one side.
What became of the exhausts, then? They are located beneath the hinge of the screen and on the back edge, just like on the Zenbook S 16. Unfortunately, this means that the screen's tilt is only about 130 degrees instead of the flat 180 found on prior Zenbooks, which is problematic for use on a couch or in a lap. Therefore, this feature represents a realistic regression for the S14 series.
Additionally, the S14 generation's front lip is much sharper than the prior Zenbooks', which can occasionally dig into your wrists. At least it is still not as sharp as on a MacBook.
Speaking of, this is how the Apple MacBook Air and Zenbook S 14 seem side by side.
Audio, inputs, and display
The display on this series is still a 14-inch 16:10 size with a 2.8K 120Hz OLED panel, same like the Zenbooks from early 2024. This unit here is touch, with a full covering of glass over the panel and glass-covered bezels. The S 14 may only be touch-exclusive, whereas other Zenbooks were available in both touch and non-touch models.
In any case, this panel's crispness, vibrant colors, and flawless contrast make it ideal for everyday usage. Though it is not very bright—it peaks at about 400 nits—flickering is a problem with OLED laptops at lower brightness, but it is less of a problem with Asus implementations if you prefer to use the Flicker Free Dimming setting in the myAsus app instead of the default Windows controls once the brightness drops below 50%.
The S 14 model's inputs have been updated, but the display settings are still the same for all of these Zenbooks.
On this laptop color option, the keyboard is grayish white, and the lighting is white. The keys are proportioned and spaced appropriately, and the keycaps are made of high-quality plastic with a faint dash that feels wonderful to the touch. The layout is typical for a Zenbook.
But because the S14 is a slimmer laptop, the keys' travel was also decreased from 1.4 mm on the earlier versions to 1.1 mm. The typing experience becomes less responsive and shallow as a result. Although most of you might feel differently, I got along well with this one because I actually like typing on short-stroke keyboards.
Another item that needs to be mentioned is the LED lights. They are uniformly white, but even at the lowest level, they are incredibly bright, which can be a big problem for people who want to use their computers in a dark room at night. In that instance, the LEDs are simply too bright, similar to the Zenbook S 16 model.
Overall, the Zenbook S 14 has a decent keyboard, although it is not as nice as the earlier models. The LED lights are too bright for comfortable use in dimly lit areas, and the feedback is shallower.
The touchpad has also been redesigned, including thinner bezels and an even larger glass surface. Even if the surface extends all the way up to the Space key, it functions well with regular use and appears to have palm rejection. The tactile clicks in the corners are quiet and smooth, and the entire implementation is robust and does not rattle when you touch on it.
However, when using the laptop on the couch or in your lap, I do not like having a huge touchpad with a little front lip because it can result in ghost swipes and touches from your clothing.
Although there is not a finger sensor for biometrics, the camera has IR functionality and supports Windows Hello.
Regarding audio, the Zenbook 14 version incorporates upgraded speakers that sound richer and more powerful despite being physically larger.
Internals and hardware: Arc XE 140V iGPU, Intel Lunar Lake, and upgraded cooling
This device is a top-spec version of the 2024 Asus Zenbook S 14, code name UX5406SA, featuring a fast 1TB gen4 SSD, 32 GB of LPDDR5x-8533 memory, an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor, and Intel Arc XE 140V integrated graphics.
Asus will probably provide this series in a few different configurations, but it is crucial to comprehend the unique features of the Lunar Lake platform and the cooling system used here.
The CPU, GPU, NPU, cache, RAM, networking, and a few more components are all integrated on a single chip in Lunar Lake's SoC (System on a Chip) design.
Since HyperThreading is not enabled on this hardware, the CPU has four Performance Cores and four Low Power Efficiency Cores, for a total of eight Threads. Compared to the Redwood Cove P Cores used in Meteor Lake hardware, the Performance Cores, which are based on the Lion Cove Architecture, offer double-digit increases in IPC and up to 20% more efficiency. The Crestmont E-Cores used in earlier Intel platforms have been replaced by the LP Cores, which are based on the Skymont architecture and promise a considerable boost in performance. When we are able to thoroughly test a completed implementation, we will be able to observe how these translate into practical capabilities.
As previously stated, Lunar Lake hardware incorporates RAM into the SoC, and the Core Ultra 9 288V processor has 32 GB of RAM. The third digit in the names of these processors indicates that; an 8 denotes 32 GB of RAM, whereas a 6 denotes 16 GB. Thus, there are no longer any Lunar Lake processors with 8 GB of RAM, and the popular Core Ultra 7 256V or Core Ultra 5 226V CPUs have 16 GB of RAM. Thus, 16 GB is the initial quantity.
In terms of graphics, these Lunar Lake processors combine 2nd generation Xe Cores with Arc Xe iGPUs. There will not be a significant difference in total graphics performance across the Core Ultra 5, 7, and 9 SKUs because most CPUs get an iGPU with 8 execution cores, while some only get 7.
However, with a peak power of about 37W and a continuous power of 28W on the Performance/Full Speed modes, the overall power settings of this 14-inch Zenbook are quite similar to those of the 16-inch model that was previously tested. with respectable temperatures and noise levels, although there are notable variations depending on whether the laptop is kept flat on a desk or elevated on a stand.
Expect single-core performance to be faster, multi-threaded performance to be somewhat lower, and iGPU performance to be slightly better on this Core Ultra 9 288V implementation than on the Core Ultra 9 185H hardware used in the Zenbook 14. See the review for further information. In addition, new Core 200H models will be released eventually, beginning with Arrow Lake later this year. These are more potent chips designed for bigger gadgets.
With a module comprising dual fans, dual radiators, and a tiny vapor chamber, the cooling module was also upgraded over the previous 14-inch Zenbooks due to the changed internal arrangement.
Although the metal chassis heats up significantly above the keyboard and on the underside, near the CPU area, mostly because of how thin this laptop design is, this cooling module, which is supported by the hardware, enables silent daily use and fine cooling performance with continuous loads. Similar results were also observed on the 16-inch Zenbook. With FLIR and noise readings in the finished product, we will investigate this further.
But speaking of efficiency, I should point out that this early sample outperformed the AMD Strix Point and Intel Meteor Lake machines in terms of running time with minimal usage. In real use, it should be easy to multitask for 7–10 hours a day and stream Netflix for more than 12 hours. Indeed, Asus makes claims of up to 24 hours, but you are aware of how these marketing claims actually work in practice.
