ASUS

ASUS Zenbook S14 UX5406SA Review: Ultraportable, Sleek and Powerful

October 8, 2024
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5 min read

As a follower of the ASUS portfolio of laptops, one can only be impressed at how ASUS continues to raise the bar and ante when it comes to Ultraportable laptops. The Zenbook S 14 particularly turn heads with its stunning OLED touchscreen and most importantly with Intel's Lunar Lake platform providing a solid balance between performance and battery life for everyday tasks and multitasking.

At its core, the Zenbook S 14 is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, designed with an ultra-compact system-on-chip (SoC) architecture. This design not only reduces the motherboard size by 27% but also integrates low-power LPDDR5X DRAM for enhanced bandwidth and lower latency. The result is a laptop that delivers exceptional performance with improved stability.

Key Features of the Zenbook S 14

High-Tech Ceramic ChassisThe Ceraluminum™ chassis offers the perfect blend of durability and aesthetics, available in nature-inspired colors like Zumaia Gray and Scandinavian White.
Ultraportable DesignAt just 1.1 cm thin and weighing 1.2 kg, the Zenbook S 14 is exceptionally portable, making it ideal for users on the go.
Supercharged PerformanceThe latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor with its SoC design delivers exceptional performance with improved power efficiency.
Next-Level AI Experience The Zenbook S 14 integrates AI engines to accelerate AI computing, along with Windows Copilot for personalized assistance and a suite of ASUS AI applications.
Ergonomic Touchpad and KeyboardThe laptop features a new ergonomic touchpad with Smart Gesture and a comfortable keyboard designed for optimal typing accuracy
ASUS Lumina OLED DisplayThe 14-inch 3K OLED HDR NanoEdge display offers stunning visuals with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 500-nits peak brightness, and a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut
Amazing AudioA four-speaker sound system with Harman Kardon certification and Dolby Atmos support delivers immersive audio.
Comprehensive ConnectivityThe laptop offers a variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, and an audio combo jack.
All-Day Battery LifeA 72 Wh battery provides ample power for a full day's work or play.

Design and Build Quality

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The Zenbook S 14 might look familiar at first glance, sharing a similar footprint and design language with recent Zenbooks. But don't be fooled! This S 14 variant is thinner and boasts a more robust build than its standard counterparts. ASUS stepped up their game with higher-quality metals, resulting in a chassis that feels incredibly solid and premium. Say goodbye to flex and those annoying creaks and squeaks – this machine feels like it can take on anything. In fact, the build quality is right up there with the likes of XPS and MacBooks.

The ergonomics of the UX5604 comes with a spacious interior and armrest area, good grip on the desk, lots of ports on the sides, and smooth hinges.

 ASUS offers this Zenbook S 14 in two colours: Scandinavian White and Zumaia Grey.  Frankly, neither option really blew me away. I'd probably lean towards the White, as the etched aluminum lid on the Zumaia Grey version is a bit too "look at me!" for my taste.  On the flip side, the Zumaia Grey rocks a dark keyboard with better contrast, which is a plus for visibility. Additionally, it weighs only 1.2 kg and has a side profile of only 1.1 cm, making it easy for users to carry on the go. Overall, the Zenbook S 14 (UX5604)  chassis is more refined and more premium feeling than the regular Zenbook 14 models of this generations.

Supercharged Performance

When we talk about performance, the Zenbook S 14 offers the next gen AI capabilities with the latest Intel® CoreTM Ultra series processors, powered by the Lunar Lake architecture. The laptop is redesigned to set a new bar for x86 power efficiency while delivering leading core and graphics performance with unmatched AI capabilities.

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The new Intel® CoreTM Ultra series processors integrated the new NPU 4, delivering three times more TOPS over the most recent generation, up to 48 TOPs, to accelerate AI computations with impressively low power. In addition, the new processors feature the Memory-on-Package design, enabling fast access to data and reducing latency, decreasing the overall power consumption of the system.

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 series is also available with up to up to 32 GB capacity and fast 8533 MHz LPDDR5X clock speeds to provide plenty of processing power. For storage, the ASUS Zenbook S 14 series features an M.2 slot with up to an optional 1 TB PCIe4.0 NVMe SSD.

OLED Display

The Zenbook S 14 (UX5604SA) 14 sports the same OLED panel found on other 2024 Zenbooks and Vivobooks, and in this case, it's a touchscreen. Now, that touch layer does introduce a bit of grain, especially noticeable on white backgrounds. It's not as bad as older OLEDs, but it's there if you look for it, making whites look a tad "dirty." Unfortunately, that's the current state of touch OLED tech.

But don't let that deter you! This is a fantastic screen with a sharp near-3K resolution, vibrant colors, and those signature OLED deep blacks and incredible contrast. However, keep in mind that it only gets moderately bright, topping out at around 400 nits. And with that glossy finish, using it outdoors or in bright rooms might be a challenge. The OLED panel of the Zenbook S 14 offers nearly instantaneous response times and 120Hz refresh rate, thus is an adequate panel for gaming, especially paired with the Lunar Lake hardware implemented here, which offers one of the better iGPU options available today.

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Comprehensive Connectivity

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 features two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C®. Each port can support up to 40 Gbps data bandwidth, DisplayPort, and Power Delivery. In addition, ASUS Zenbook S 14 also offers a full-sized HDMI 2.1 (TMDS) port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and an audio combo jack. This makes it possible for the Zenbook S 14 to easily connect to external 4K displays, storage devices, or expand connections.

Overall Impression:

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA) is a remarkable ultraportable laptop that pushes the boundaries of performance, design, and technology. Its high-tech ceramic chassis, ultraportable design, powerful performance, and stunning display make it an excellent choice for users seeking a premium laptop experience. The integration of AI capabilities and a focus on user comfort further enhance its appeal. Whether for work, entertainment, or creative pursuits, the Zenbook S 14 is a compelling option that redefines the ultraportable laptop category.

To learn more the ASUS Zenbook S 14 (UX5406SA), click here.

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