ASUS Zenbook S 14: Showcasing Intel's Lunar Lake AI PC Chips with Impressive Battery Life

Asus Zenbook S 14 vs. Dell XPS 13 9345: effciency battle | Digital Trends

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us? Windows manufacturers have been hungering for a chipset that can keep up with Apple's very fast and efficient M3 architecture. Enter Qualcomm with its Snapdragon X and Intel with iLunar Lake. Each aims at providing better battery life with good performance, as well as adding faster on-device AI speeds to support Microsoft's Copilot+ PC initiative. Contents Specs and configurationsDesignPerformanceDisplayPortabilityThe Zenbook S 14 shows off Lunar Lake's efficiencyShow 1 more item The XPS 13 9345 is among the first Qualcomm laptops and the Zenbook S 14 is the first Lunar Lake laptop that we've reviewed. This makes it an important battle to see which platform can make it to our list of the best laptops. Recommended Videos Specs and configurations Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) Dell XPS 13 9345 (Qualcomm) Dimensions 12.22 x 8.45 x 0.47-0.51 inches 11.62 inches x 7.84 inches x 0.60 inches Weight 2.65 pounds 2.6 pounds CPU Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 CPU Intel Arc 140V Adreno RAM 16GB LPDDR5X RAM 32GB LPDDR5X RAM 16GB 32GB 64GB Display 14.0-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 120Hz 13.4-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS non-touch, 120Hz 13.4-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS touch, 120Hz 13.4-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED touch, 60Hz Storage 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD Ports 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack 2 x USB4 Touch Yes Optional Wireless Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 Webcam 1080p with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello 1080p with infrared camera for Windows Hello Battery 72 watt-hour 55 watt-hours Operating system Windows 11 Windows 11 on Arm Price $1,499+ $1,199+ Rating 4 out of 5 stars 3.5 out of 5 stars There's only one configuration available so far with the Zenbook S 14. Not coincidentally, it was our review unit that costs $1,500 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chipset, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display. The XPS 13 9345 starts at $1,200 for a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 13.4-inch FHD+ IPS display. Upgrading that model to 32GB and 1TB results in a $1,500 price, similar to the Zenbook. With a 3K OLED display, the XPS 13 9345 costs $1,860. You can get the XPS 13 9345 for less, but when configured the same as the Zenbook S 14, the XPS 13 is more expensive. Design The XPS 13 has perhaps the most modern designs among laptops today, with a streamlined, all-aluminum chassis and several futuristic touches inside. The thing is, the zero-lattice keyboard, hidden haptic touchpad, and row of touch LED function keys are controversial and don't really add much to the laptop's functionality. The Zenbook S 14 has a more standard design, although it utilizes a geometric pattern on the lid and an unusual texture to make its own aesthetic statement. Both laptops are solidly built. Both also have smooth hinges that allow opening the lid with one hand. In this respect, these are closely matched laptops. Now, we get into those controversial XPS 13 features. The zero-lattice keyboard has very large keycaps, but zero key spacing, and even though its switches are nice and snappy, the keyboard takes some getting used to. The Zenbook's keyboard is a more typical island keyboard, but with a better layout and equally good switches. The XPS 13's haptic touchpad works well, but it's hidden on the glass palm rest, so it's easy to lose track and swipe the palm rest. The Zenbook's mechanical touchpad is a little large, but it has a more typical feel. And the XPS 13's touch LED function keys offer no real value. Connectivity is another win for the Zenbook S 14. It has a solid assembly of Thunderbolt 4 and legacy ports. And, it has a 3.5mm audio jack, which the XPS 13 lacks. Both have the most up-to-date wireless connectivity. Both laptops have 1080p webcams with infrared cameras for Windows 11 facial recognition. The XPS 13 also has a fingerprint reader embedded in the keyboard. Both have fast Neural Processing Units (NPUs) that support Microsoft's Copilot+ PC initiative, but for now, there's not a lot of AI functionality to show off the NPUs' performance. Performance This is a battle between two new chips aimed in large part at producing Windows laptops that can compete with MacBooks in terms of efficiency. But performance matters as well. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chipset with 12 cores is very fast, although it does run on Windows on Arm, so some apps will run slower via emulation. Intel's Lunar Lake chipset, also know as Core Ultra Series 2, isn't quite the same kind of standout. We reviewed the Zenbook S 14 with the Core Ultra 7 258V, a 17-watt, 8-core, 8-thread chipset. In our benchmarks, the XPS 13 was significantly faster across the board. That includes its Adreno GPU that's a lot faster than the Zenbook's Intel Arc 140V graphics. Geekbench 6 (single/multi) Cinebench R24 (single/multi/battery) 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 2,738 / 10,734 112 / 452 3,240 Dell XPS 13 9345 (Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 / Adreno) 2,797 / 14,526 123 / 928 6,397 Display We reviewed the XPS 13 with one of three displays, an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS display running at 120Hz. There are also QHD+ IPS and 2.8K OLED options. The Zenbook S 14 has one display, a 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED display running at 120Hz. According to our colorimeters, the Zenbook's OLED panel has the usual wide colors and near-perfect blacks, although our review unit's color accuracy was way off. The XPS 13's IPS display was very bright with great contrast for an IPS display. Ultimately, both laptops have great displays, and our XPS 13 review unit offers a good choice if battery life is your primary concern. Asus Zenbook S 14 (OLED) Dell XPS 13 9345 (IPS) Brightness (nits) 313 536 AdobeRGB gamut 95% 77% sRGB gamut 100% 99% DCI-P3 gamut 100% 77% Accuracy (DeltaE, lower is better) 4.92 1.08 Contrast 28,310:1 1,940:1 Portability The XPS 13 is built around a 13.4-inch display and so is smaller than the Zenbook S14 with its 14-inch display. But the Zenbook is thinner and around the same weight. So, it's hard to say one laptop is more portable than the other. But battery life is key here, given that efficiency is a focus of both new chipsets. The Zenbook gets considerably better battery life, although its battery is a lot bigger, and that's with a more power-hungry OLED display. The thing is, the XPS 13 shows similar efficiency to most Qualcomm laptops we've reviewed -- it gets the best battery life when looping video, but that drops off with web browsing and when a demanding test is running Cinebench R24. The Zenbook's battery life was more consistently good. Both are long-lasting machines, but the Zenbook lasts longer when it's doing real work. Web Video Cinebench R24 Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 16 hours, 47 minutes 18 hours, 35 minutes 3 hour, 33 minutes Dell XPS 13 9345 (Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100) 12 hours, 29 minutes 22 hours, 9 minutes 1 hour, 37 minutes The Zenbook S 14 shows off Lunar Lake's efficiency The XPS 13 9345 is the best and worst of that laptop line's design, with several controversial features that fail to offer much advantage. It's well-built and fast, and it gets pretty good battery life. But its unusual design holds it back. The Zenbook S 14 has a more traditional design that's still very well-built and attractive, and it gets better battery life. Its performance isn't as fast, however. Overall, though, the Zenbook is a lot easier to recommend, especially considering its lower price.

Asus Zenbook S 14 vs Asus ProArt PX13 | Digital Trends

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us? Several new laptops chipsets have been introduced lately in response to Microsoft's Copilot+ PC AI initiative. They sport faster neural processing units (NPUs) to speed up on-device AI processing and make it more efficient, but they're not precisely the same. AMD's Ryzen AI 9 chipsets are aimed at overall performance, while Intel's Lunar Lake is aimed at efficiency. Contents Specs and configurationsDesignPerformanceDisplayPortabilityPower or battery life, that's the questionShow 2 more items The Asus ProArt PX13 is one of the first with AMD's chipset, and it's a highly portable 13-inch laptop. The Asus Zenbook S 14 is aimed at great battery life in a thin-and-light design using Lunar Lake. Both are some of the best laptops you can buy today, but which laptop is the better choice? Recommended Videos Specs and configurations Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) Asus ProArt PX13 Dimensions 12.22 x 8.45 x 0.47-0.51 inches 11.74 inches x 8.26 inches x 0.62-0.70 inches Weight 2.65 pounds 3.04 pounds CPU Intel Core Ultra 7 258V AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 GPU Intel Arc 140V AMD Radeon 890M Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 RAM 16GB LPDDR5X RAM 32GB LPDDR5X RAM 32GB Display 14.0-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 120Hz 13.3-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 60Hz Storage 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD 1TB SSD Ports 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack 2 x USB-C USB4 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 3.5mm audio jack 1 x microSD card reader Touch Yes Yes Wireless Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 Webcam 1080p with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello 1080p with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition Battery 72 watt-hour 73 watt-hour Windows 11 Windows 11 Price $1,399+ $1,700+ Rating 4 out of 5 stars 4 out of 5 stars Some of Asus' recent laptops have been introduced with a limited number of configurations. The Zenbook S 14 is one such example, which right now has just one available model. It's $1,500 for an Intel Core Ultra 258V chipset, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display. The ProArt PX13 has two configurations. The base model is $1,700 for an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chipset, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, and a 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED display. Its $2,000 configuration comes with a much faster RTX 4060 GPU. That makes the ProArt PX13 a more expensive laptop, but one that promises faster performance particularly with discrete GPU options. Design Both of these laptops share the typical Asus design cues, and yet they're different. The Zenbook S 14 uses what Asus calls "ceraluminum," or aluminum that's been treated to create a ceramic-like feel and lightness. And there's a texture on the lid, which sports a geometric pattern, that feels and looks great. Interestingly, the Zenbook is considerably thinner and lighter than the ProArt PX13 thanks to those materials. For its part, the ProArt PX13 is a bit more conventional, with a simple black chassis and lines and venting that are more aggressive. It's like Asus wanted to give a hint at the power inside, and in that sense, mission accomplished. They look and feel different, but each fits its design goals. Both are very well-built laptops, with solid chassis and lids. The hinges are smooth and allow opening the lid with one hand. They're premium laptops, and they feel like it. Given that they're contemporary Asus premium laptops, they share similar keyboards. In fact, they might be identical, with spacious layouts, large keycaps, and light, snappy switches. The Zenbook S 14's touchpad is a lot larger, maybe too large resulting in too-small palm rests, but otherwise, it's similar to the ProArt PX13' mechanical touchpad. And both laptops have touch-enabled displays. Connectivity is similar, with both laptops having a similar number of high-speed and legacy ports. Both also have up-to-date wireless connectivity. The one difference is the ProArt PX13's microSD card reader, which is a nod to its creator market. Both laptops also have 1080p webcams and infrared cameras for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition. Thanks to fast NPUs, they both support Microsoft's Copilot+ PC requirements -- although support for the AI features will come to the ProArt PX13 in a future update. Performance AMD's Ryzen AI 9 chipsets are aimed primarily at very fast CPU performance coupled with a fast NPU that meets Microsoft's Copilot+ PC initiative. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 isn't aimed at efficiency, but rather throws 12 cores and 24 threads at churning through multi-core tasks. That's compared to Intel's Lunar Lake, or Core Ultra Series 2, chipsets that are specifically intended to produce longer battery life. Lunar Lake has a faster NPU, but its CPU performance isn't as impressive especially in the Core Ultra 7 258V with just eight cores and eight threads. That's exactly what we see in our benchmarks. The ProArt PX13 is a lot faster in multi-core tasks while bring roughly as fast in single-core operations. Except for the simple workflows, the ProArt PX13 will be noticeably faster. The Asus also has a discrete GeForce RTX 4050 GPU that's a lot faster than the Zenbook's integrated Intel Arc 140V graphics. It will also be faster for gaming and creative applications. Note that you can also configure the laptop with a much faster RTX 4060 GPU to boost these applications further. Geekbench 6 (single/multi) Cinebench R24 (single/multi/battery) 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 2,738 / 10,734 112 / 452 3,240 Asus ProArt PX13 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370/ RTX 4050) 2,690 / 14,423 116 / 974 15,298 Display Both laptops have 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED displays, but the ProArt PX13's 13.3-inch panel will be significantly sharper than the Zenbook S 14's 14.0-inch display. At the same time, the Zenbook benefits from a faster 120Hz refresh rate that will make for a smoother Windows 11 experience. However, both have similar colors and brightness, and the same near-perfect blacks. Our Zenbook review unit had unusually poor color accuracy, but that's likely an issue with that specific machine given OLED's usual excellent results. Asus Zenbook S 14 (OLED) Asus ProArt PX13 (OLED) Brightness (nits) 313 380 AdobeRGB gamut 95% 97% sRGB gamut 100% 100% DCI-P3 gamut 100% 100% Accuracy (DeltaE, lower is better) 4.92 0.64 Contrast 28,310:1 26,510:1 Portability The ProArt PX13 is considerably smaller in width and depth than the Zenbook S 14, but it's thicker and heavier. So the Zenbook manages to make a somewhat more portable machine even with a larger display. As mentioned above, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 chipset isn't aimed at efficiency, and that shows in our battery tests. The Zenbook with the Lunar Lake chipset is a lot more efficient -- around twice as efficient, in fact. You'll get much better battery life with the Zenbook. Web Video Cinebench R24 Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 16 hours, 47 minutes 18 hours, 35 minutes 3 hour, 33 minutes Asus ProArt PX13 (Ryzen AI 9 HD 370) 8 hours, 7 minutes 11 hours, 12 minutes 1 hour, 12 minutes Power or battery life, that's the question The Zenbook S 14 leverages Intel's Lunar Lake chipset for some impressive battery life, offering a Windows laptop with a build quality and battery life to challenge Apple's MacBook Air M3. But its performance isn't very impressive, falling behind most recent chipsets. The ProArt PX13 uses AMD's Ryzen AI 9 chipset for very fast CPU performance and then discrete Nvidia GPUs for fast gaming and creative work. It's also well-built, but it doesn't have nearly the battery life. So, that's your choice: more power or a longer-lasting laptop?

ASUS Zenbook S14 review: A showpiece for Intel's Lunar Lake AI PC chips

It looks great and has the best battery life we've ever seen from an Intel laptop. ASUS's latest Zenbook S14, much like the Zenbook 14 OLED we reviewed last December, is a solid ultraportable with one major selling point: It's among the first laptops to use Intel's newest CPUs. In this case, it's the Core Ultra 7 258V, a processor that sits in the mid-range of the company's "Lunar Lake" lineup. While Intel touts these chips as its most efficient ever, I've been curious about what that means for raw performance, especially since they top out with just eight cores. Based on my testing, I can confirm that the Zenbook S14 delivers the best battery life we've ever seen from an Intel laptop. It reached 16 hours and eight minutes in the PCMark 10 battery benchmark. In comparison, the Zenbook S16 powered by AMD's new Ryzen AI 9 365 chip only hit 12 hours and 47 minutes. The Intel system's timing is close to the 17 hours and 45 minutes we saw from the Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ , which is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite. While it's astounding to see how much progress Intel has made with battery life, that does come with some compromises. In a few benchmarks, the Zenbook S14 doesn't score much higher than Intel's last-gen Core Ultra chips, and it's often bested by AMD's Ryzen AI on multithreaded tasks. But, as we often say, benchmarks don't tell the entire story. When I reviewed the Zenbook 14 OLED a year ago, I couldn't help but point out how dated it looked. It was practically the same as ASUS' laptops from a decade ago (albeit with slimmer screen bezels). Not so with the Zenbook S14. It's impressive the moment you open it up and feel its lid, which is built with a material ASUS calls "Ceraluminum." As the name implies, it's a combination of ceramic and aluminum, and it feels almost uncanny, like something between high-end plastic and smooth metal. It's still premium, but it's also distinctly different from most other laptops. Combining ceramics and aluminum isn't exactly new -- ASUS notes that it's a popular option for aerospace and watch designs -- but we haven't yet seen it deployed in laptops. It's not just for looks, either. The material should also be more durable than standard metal. The rest of the Zenbook 14 S's body is made out of a solid block of metal, but ASUS added some unique tweaks there as well. The lower part of the case features a geometric grille above the keyboard, consisting of 2,715 circular cooling vents. ASUS claims this design enhances airflow while also keeping dirt and dust out. ASUS 14-inch 3K "Lumina" OLED display dominates the Zenbook S14, and it delivers everything I want from a modern laptop screen. It sports a fast 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of peak brightness. While its bezels are relatively thin compared to older ASUS systems, they're still noticeably chunkier than Dell's latest InfinityEdge screens on the XPS 13 and 14. The system would look much sleeker if ASUS could shave off more of its bottom and side bezels. Most importantly, though, the OLED display looks glorious, with deliciously dark black levels and colors that pop off the screen. The Zenbook S14 is surprisingly sturdy for a 14-inch laptop that weighs 2.65 pounds and measures 0.47 inches thin. It's slightly lighter and a hair thicker than the most recent 13-inch MacBook Air, and feels similarly polished. Notably, it also offers many more useful ports than Apple's ultraportable. The S14 includes two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C connections, a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port, a headphone jack and even an old-school USB Type-A port. The only thing it's missing is Ethernet and an SD card slot. Unfortunately, ASUS couldn't get everything right with the Zenbook S14. Its quad-speaker audio system is serviceable, but the sound loses any sort of depth and detail as you ramp up the volume. And while it's nice to have a Windows Hello-compatible webcam for fast logins, the 1080p sensor looks far grainier and less detailed than Dell's XPS line and the MacBook Air. Its keyboard also feels merely serviceable, with little responsive feedback while typing. That's a particular shame, since that's been a constant complaint we've had with ASUS keyboards. At least the touchpad is large and responsive to swipes and multi-finger gestures. You can also adjust the volume and other settings by sliding your finger along the sides of the touchpad. Thanks to Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V chip, the Zenbook S14 felt impressively zippy from the start. I breezed through the Windows setup process, downloaded the latest updates and installed my usual testing programs in just a few minutes. It didn't sweat whenever I needed to jump between apps like Spotify, Slack and Evernote, and I didn't notice any of the lag I often see on Windows notebooks bogged down by third-party bloatware. It was always ready to get work done. In PCMark 10, the Zenbook S14 scored almost exactly the same as the Surface Laptop 7 for Business, which uses the last-gen Core Ultra 7 165H. It also matched the XPS 13 Copilot+ edition, which had a Snapdragon X Elite chip, in the PCMark 10 Applications benchmark. The Zenbook's multithreaded performance was noticeably worse than either of those machines in Geekbench 6, likely due to the reduced core count this generation. The big selling point for Intel's Lunar Lake chips is their dramatically improved NPU (neural processing unit), which can reach up to 47 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of AI performance. In comparison, the previous Core Ultra chips had a significantly less powerful 11 TOPS NPU, while AMD's new Ryzen AI chips reach up to 50 TOPS. (More powerful Lunar Lake chips can hit up to 48 TOPS.) Higher TOPS figures means Copilot+ PCs like the Zenbook S14 will be able to tackle demanding AI workloads more quickly, without impacting overall CPU performance. Unfortunately, there still aren't a ton of AI features to test at the time of this review. Microsoft's Copilot+ Windows 11 update for Intel and AMD systems isn't arriving until November, and even that will only include a beta version of the controversial Recall feature. It's also hard to find apps that take advantage of a local NPU -- most entries in the Windows Store "AI Hub" rely on cloud AI processing. At least there's Audacity's OpenVino plugin, which Intel developed to show off its AI PC hardware. It offers NPU-powered features like noise suppression and transcription, but it also requires an involved setup process that may be confusing to Audacity novices. I was able to completely remove incessant jackhammering from a five-minute clip in one minute and eight seconds using the NPU alone. That's not very fast in the world of audio editing (CPU rendering can tackle a noise-filled 90 minute file in three minutes and thirty seconds), but what's key is that the NPU handles the same work using very little power. That could be important if you're stuck editing on battery in a plane or remote location. I was also impressed by Intel's latest Arc 140V GPU, which let me play Halo Infinite between 35 fps and 45 fps in 1080p with low quality graphics settings. That's far from a smooth experience, but it's fascinating to see it from a built-in GPU. Intel's graphics also scored well above the Snapdragon X Elite across the board, especially in the Geekbench 6 GPU test. ASUS launched the Zenbook S14 with a starting price of $1,500, but it's already slightly discounted at Best Buy for $1,400. That configuration gets you a Core Ultra 7 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. That's not too shabby, considering the XPS 13 Copilot+ system with a Snapdragon X Elite costs $1,800 when equipped with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an OLED display. The Zenbook also doesn't have the compatibility issues inherent with Snapdragon systems, which have to emulate older Windows apps and can't run many popular games at all. As usual, ASUS also delivers far more value than Apple. A MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD costs $1,700, and that's also stuck with a 60Hz LCD screen. The Zenbook S14 leans more on efficiency than raw power, but it's still an incredible achievement for Intel, a company that used to be infamous for energy-devouring mobile chips. While the Lunar Lake chip's NPU makes the Zenbook ready for Copilot+ and AI features, its true selling points are its excellent battery life, slick ASUS design and gorgeous OLED display.

It's official -- Intel now holds the Windows battery life crown | Digital Trends

A new era in Windows computing is here, built around Microsoft's Copilot+ PC initiative and a few new chipsets. While the most hype is around artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and performance thanks to faster Neural Processing Units (NPUs), the biggest changes today are in performance and battery life. And that's a good thing for Windows, because the platform has been struggling against Apple's Silicon MacBooks that have very good performance and much better efficiency. Contents PerformanceBattery life The new chipsets include Qualcomm's Snapdragon X, AMD's Ryzen AI 300, and Intel's Lunar Lake. Each chipset has an NPU that exceeds Microsoft's 40 tera operations per second (TOPS) requirement, but while AMD focuses on performance, both Qualcomm and Intel are focused on efficiency. So, how does each chipset rank? Recommended Videos Performance It's still early, and so our review database isn't fully fleshed out. That's particularly true with Lunar Lake, as we've only reviewed two machines so far and Intel hasn't rolled out the entire lineup. I'm going to focus on CPU performance here because none of the integrated GPUs in these chipsets are meaningful upgrades over their predecessors. That is, maybe they're faster, but they're not as fast as even entry-level discrete GPUs like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050. None of them make for good gaming or creator laptops unless they feature discrete graphics. I'm also not going to talk about AI performance with the faster NPUs because, frankly, the benchmarks just aren't there yet. And, discrete GPUs will be the performance champs regardless, with NPUs offering more efficient on-device AI rather than superfast AI performance. Cinebench R24 (single/multi) Geekbench 6 (single/multi) Handbrake 3DMark Steel Nomad Light Asus ExpertBook P5 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 122 / 471 2679 / 10821 104 2636 Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 112 / 452 2738 / 10734 113 3240 HP OmniBook X (Snapdragon X Elite / Adreno) 101 / 749 2377 / 13490 N/A 1953 Asus Vivobook S 15 (Snapdragon X Plus / Adreno) 108 / 724 2417 / 11319 N/A 1137 Asus ProArt PX13 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 / RTX 4050) 116 / 897 2710 / 14696 54 7648 Asus Zenbook 14 Q425 (Core Ultra 7 155H / Intel Arc) 103 / 631 2279 / 11806 82 N/A Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 (Core Ultra 7 155U / Intel Arc) 97 / 517 2103 / 8558 101 1523 MacBook Air (M3) 141 / 601 3102 / 12078 109 3378 Right now, AMD is in the lead among the chipsets we've reviewed. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chipset is very fast at CPU-intensive tasks, particularly in its multi-core performance. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite comes in a close second. Intel's Core Ultra 7 285V comes in last place, but notably, it's essentially a low-power version of the Lunar Lake lineup and, as we'll see, it's a lot stronger in efficiency than sheer performance. Specifications are important here. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chipset has 12 cores and 24 threads, running at up to 5.1GHz. It's a 28-watt chip that's configurable between 15 watts and 54W, making it the most power-hungry of the new chipsets. Its 12 cores are apportioned between four full-size Zen 5 cores and eight Zen 5c cores that are more compact, but just as fast. So, it doesn't have low-power cores. There are other versions of the chipset, but we've only reviewed the HX 370. The other major variant is the Ryzen AI 9 365 with 10 cores and 20 threads running at up to 5GHz. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X has several versions that we've tested, including variations of the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets. The graphic below provides information on the full lineup. Qualcomm doesn't publish the thermal design power (TDP), but from various sources, it varies from 23 watts for the Snapdragon X Plus to 45 watts nominal (up to 80 watts) for the Snapdragon X Elite. The efficiency with these chips is apparently highly variable based on how demanding the task is in a way that Lunar Lake and Apple's M3 chipsets are not. Intel Lunar Lake also has several iterations, With the Core Ultra 5 and 7 Series 2 versions running at a base TDP of 17 watts and the Core Ultra 9 Series 2 at a base TDP of 30 watts. Each chipset is configurable between 17W and 37W. Lunar Lake is the most direct replacement for Intel's U-series Meteor Lake chipsets that runs at 15 watts. As you can see below, the 8-core (four Performance and four Low Power Efficient), 8-thread chipsets aren't as fast as Intel's Meteor Lake H-series chips that run aground 28W. Intel's mobile Arrow Lake chipsets will take over there with, presumably, higher performance. And as we'll see below, Lunar Lake does succeed in being more efficient. It's important to mention Apple's M3 chipset as well, given that it's the performance-efficiency leader that these Windows chipsets -- at least Intel's and Qualcomm's -- are aimed at defeating. For our purposes, we're mostly talking about the base M3, which comes in both 8-core CPU/8-core GPU and 8-core/10-core GPU versions. Apple doesn't publish much detailed information on things like TDP and clock speeds, but suffice it to say that the M3 offers a very solid combination of performance and efficiency. I'm only including those chipsets aimed at thin-and-light laptops, which excludes Apple's M3 Pro and Max and Intel's faster Meteor Lake chipsets. From the laptops we've tested so far, the clear performance leaders are the AMD and Qualcomm chipsets. Intel's Lunar Lake is a step up from Meteor Lake U-series, but it's not impressive among today's leaders. Apple's M3 chipset is quick enough and it leads in single-core performance. The M4 will be faster yet. Battery life As mentioned above, efficiency is the name of the game, at least for Qualcomm and Intel. That's where Apple Silicon has led the way, and where Windows laptops have lagged the most. Looking at early results, it looks like Intel's Lunar Lake might indeed win out against Qualcomm's Snapdragon X, but not quite against Apple's M3. And the M4 is likely to be even more efficient. Looking at this data, we see that the Asus Zenbook S 14 with the Intel Core Ultra 7 is the best overall performer in terms of battery life. I've been in touch with Asus and it's possible that my ExpertBook P5 review unit had a problem that showed up in its web-browsing battery life. I'll reserve judgment and update this information when I have a chance to test a new unit. I'll also update this information as we add new machines to our database, and it's important to note that these results don't adjust for differences in display technology. Web browsing Video Cinebench R24 Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V) 16 hours, 47 minutes 18 hours, 35 minutes 3 hours, 33 minutes Asus ExpertBook P5 (Core Ultra 7 258V) 8 hours, 54 minutes 16 hours, 29 minutes 2 hours, 15 minutes HP Omnibook X (Snapdragon X Elite) 13 hours, 37 minutes 22 hours, 4 minutes 1 hour, 52 minutes Asus Vivobook S 15 (Snapdragon X Plus) 13 hours, 10 minutes 16 hours, 19 minutes N/A Asus ProArt PX13 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370) 8 hours, 7 minutes 11 hours, 12 minutes 1 hour, 12 minutes HP Spectre x360 14 (Core Ultra 7 155H) 8 hours, 6 minutes 13 hours, 3 minutes N/A Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 155U) 8 hours, 45 minutes 12 hours, 25 minute N/A Apple MacBook Air (Apple M3) 19 hours, 38 minutes 19 hours, 39 minutes 3 hours, 27 minutes But going by the Zenbook S 14, which uses an OLED display, we see consistently excellent battery life not only in the least demanding video-looping test, as with Qualcomm, but also when running more intensive tasks like web browsing (still not very demanding) and churning through the Cinebench R24 multi-core benchmark. The AMD chipset isn't meant to break any ground in efficiency, and so it's in last place. And Intel's Meteor Lake chipsets have performed similarly. That leaves the Apple M3 chipset in first place, although not by as significant a margin, and Qualcomm showing that it's most efficient when its CPU isn't being pushed very hard. Apple's lead will likely increase when the M4 MacBook Air is introduced, but Lunar Lake is by far the strongest chipset yet for Windows laptops. This isn't the entire story, not by a long shot. We'll need to continue gathering data as we review more laptops with each chipset and more chipsets, like Intel's Arrow Lake mobile and Apple's M4, roll out. For now, Windows laptops have never been better, and Intel is mostly leading that charge when it comes to the important element of battery life.

ASUS Launches Zenbook S 14 UX5406 Featuring Intel Core Ultra Series 2 Processor

ASUS has introduced the Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) in the United States, available for purchase through the ASUS Store and Best Buy. This model is equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processors (256V and 258V variants), positioning it as one of the most portable and compact 14-inch laptops in its category. The Zenbook S 14 is constructed using ASUS's proprietary Ceraluminum material, a ceramic hybrid that enhances durability while maintaining a lightweight profile. The device measures just over 0.4 inches in thickness, achieved through advanced CNC machining techniques that also contribute to its unique geometric grille design and expanded touchpad area. It is offered in Zumaia Gray and Scandinavian White, reflecting a functional aesthetic that blends technical performance with minimalist design. The Zenbook S 14 is engineered to deliver performance in a slim form factor, leveraging next-generation AI capabilities. Powered by Intel's Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processors with a system-on-chip (SoC) design, the laptop benefits from a 27% reduction in motherboard size, which enhances cooling efficiency. The integration of LPDDR5X DRAM allows for higher bandwidth and lower latency by minimizing the distance between the CPU and memory. This configuration supports up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe® 4.0 SSD, ensuring high performance and reliability for demanding applications. The device also features a 72Wh battery, providing extended usage time. User interaction is streamlined with a dedicated Windows Copilot key and an enlarged touchpad that supports smart gestures for adjusting settings like audio and brightness. Connectivity options include two Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, HDMI® 2.1, and an audio combo jack, all supported by WiFi 7 with ASUS WiFi Master Premium certification for optimal network performance. In terms of audiovisual capabilities, the Zenbook S 14 is equipped with a 3K 120Hz Lumina OLED display, which is Pantone Validated and DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified, ensuring accurate color reproduction and high dynamic range performance. The audio system is developed in collaboration with Harman Kardon, delivering multi-dimensional Dolby Atmos® sound for an immersive listening experience. The laptop incorporates an advanced vapor-chamber cooling system with dual IceBlade fans, maintaining ambient noise levels below 25dB while supporting up to 28W TDP performance. Security features include Windows passkeys, Microsoft Pluton integration for enhanced protection, and Windows Hello facial recognition for secure and convenient access. Additionally, the ASUS AiSense IR camera supports Adaptive Lock and Adaptive Dimming, which monitor user presence and adjust screen brightness to protect privacy. The Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) is priced starting at $1,399.99 Model ASUS Zenbook S 14 - UX5406SA-S14.U71TB ASUS Zenbook S 14 - UX5406SA-PH79T Processor Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor 256V (4 x P-Core up to 4.8GHz, E-Core 3.7GHz, 47 TOPS, 8MB LLC) Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor 258V (4 x P-Core up to 4.8GHz, E-Core 3.7GHz, 47 TOPS, 8MB LLC) Graphics Intel Arc 140V GPU (up to 1.95GHz) Intel Arc 140V GPU (up to 1.95GHz) OS Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Home Display 14", 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate, 500nits HDR peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 1,000,000:1, 1.07 billion colors, PANTONE Validated, Glossy display, 70% less harmful blue light, SGS Eye Care Display, Touch screen, (Screen-to-body ratio)90%, With stylus support 14" 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate, 500nits HDR peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 1,000,000:1, 1.07 billion colors, PANTONE Validated, Glossy display, 70% less harmful blue light, SGS Eye Care Display, Touch screen, (Screen-to-body ratio)90%, With stylus support Memory 16GB LPDDR5X 8533 MHz (onboard memory) 32GB LPDDR5X 8533 MHz (onboard memory) Storage 1 TB M.2 2280 PCIe® 4.0 SSD 1 TB M.2 2280 PCIe® 4.0 SSD IO 2 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.1 TDMS 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack 2 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.1 TDMS 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack Keyboard White backlight chiclet keyboard White backlight chiclet keyboard Camera FHD with IR and Windows Hello support FHD with IR and Windows Hello support Audio 4 speaker setup (2 x 1W Woofers and 2 x 1W Tweeters) Harman/Kardon, Smart Amp Technology, Dolby Atmos Built-in array microphone 4 speaker setup (2 x 1W Woofers and 2 x 1W Tweeters) Harman/Kardon, Smart Amp Technology, Dolby Atmos Built-in array microphone WiFi / Bluetooth Wi-Fi 7(BE201) (Dual band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 7(BE201) (Dual band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.4 Battery 72 Wh 72 Wh Adapter TYPE-C, 65W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 3.25A, 65W, Input: 100-240V AC 50/60GHz universal TYPE-C, 65W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 3.25A, 65W, Input: 100-240V AC 50/60GHz universal Dimensions 12.22" x 8.45" x 0.47" ~ 0.51" 12.22" x 8.45" x 0.47" ~ 0.51" Weight 2.65 lbs 2.65 lbs Color Zumaia Gray Scandinavian White MSRP (USD) 1399.99 1499.99