When your schedule requires you to be on the go for lengthy stretches then it is good to have an ultraportable laptop computer that may final a very long time and carry out nicely whereas doing so. This is precisely what the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED was designed for.
I’ve been testing this skinny, light-weight laptop computer for over per week and it is confirmed to be a wonderful companion, each plugged and unplugged. With longer-than-average battery life, a very beautiful OLED show, and dependable efficiency it is the proper mid-range laptop computer to purchase.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Price & availability
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)
Price: $1,399.99
CPU: thirteenth Gen Intel Core i7-1355U 1.70 GHz
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 32GB
Storage: Up to 1 TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe® M.2 SSD
Display: 13.3-inch, OLED 2.8K
Battery: 12hrs 41 minutes
Size: 296.2 x 216.3 x 10.9 mm
Weight: 2.2 lb (approx.)
Asus sells the Zenbook S 13 OLED for $1.399.99, which is an inexpensive value in comparison with different 13-inch OLED laptops with an identical configuration available on the market immediately. It options an Intel Core i7-1355U in addition to an Intel Iris Xe Graphics card to deal with on a regular basis workplace duties and widespread artistic applications with ease.
The Zenbook S 13 OLED might be bought from quite a lot of retailers together with Amazon, Best Buy, and the Asus web site. It’s additionally price noting that Asus sells a number of variants on the Zenbook together with the bottom OLED, Flip OLED, Pro OLED, Duo OLED, and non-OLED choices. You can take a look at these fashions on the Asus web site to see what they provide.
Asus Zenbook S 13 Recommended Configuration
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Design & construct
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I really like the small and light-weight design of this laptop computer. At simply 2.2 kilos it is really easy for me to hold round and would not take up a ton of room on any floor I place it on. Something else I actually like is that because of the means that the show connects to the bottom of the laptop computer, the keyboard tends to tilt up at a slight angle for a extra comfy typing expertise when used at shut quarters on my lap. It additionally simply makes for an intriguing design that I discover fascinating to have a look at. In that vein, the design on the again of the Zenbook S 13 OLED’s show stands out from different laptops and is simple to determine with its stylish texture and contours.
The Zenbook S 13 OLED has the entire most important ports I want to attach with my fashionable units and screens. There are two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports with full-range charging on the left aspect together with an HDMI port. Meanwhile, the appropriate aspect contains a USB-A 3.2 port in addition to a 3.5mm headphone jack. These ports made it straightforward to attach the laptop computer to a different monitor I’ve mendacity round, and I did not have any points with my headset, mouse, or different equipment that I plugged into it.
It would have been good if the Zenbook S 13 OLED included a microSD card slot as nicely, however contemplating that is meant to be a small and light-weight laptop computer used on the go it is not stunning to see it wasn’t included.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Performance
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The Zenbook S 13 OLED is marketed initially as an ultraportable laptop computer and isn’t meant to be a powerhouse for gaming or different strenuous applications. To check how nicely it ran, I used the laptop computer for over per week whereas partaking in each work and private endeavors. I discovered that it does carry out very nicely when coping with on a regular basis duties like streaming movies, taking part in music, attending video calls, and operating conventional applications.
This is thanks partially to the Intel Core i7-1355U processor that it makes use of. It even scored an honest 5,301 within the PCMark 10 benchmark, which exams how nicely a tool performs when operating fashionable workplace duties. Typically, you need one thing that may rating 3,450 or larger as this tends to indicate a laptop computer can supply dependable system efficiency and the Zenbook was in a position to do higher than that. The followers do have a tendency to return on and blast laborious at little provocation, which might be upsetting, however I did not discover any destructive efficiency points when this occurred.
After operating a Geekbench 5 benchmark check, the Zenbook S 13 OLED scored a 7,265 multi-core rating which locations it slightly below the Razer Blade 15 (2021) and above the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro. While not tremendous highly effective, this can be a respectable processor energy rating and the laptop computer proved to run very easily throughout my time with it. This laptop computer additionally activates, opens applications, and saves in a short time as proven by its CrystalDiskMark scores — 5,177 MB/s writing and 6,792 MB/s studying. I personally by no means encountered any stuttering when operating applications and purposes all the time opened shortly after I clicked on them.
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However, you shouldn’t plan on doing any intensive gaming on this laptop computer. The Intel Iris Xe Graphics card can solely deal with easy recreation graphics and won’t be able to deal with the newest AAA video games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor nor will it deal with the upcoming PC recreation, Diablo 4.
This is additional demonstrated by its decrease 3DMark Time Spy and Cinebench R23 benchmark outcomes, that are good in that they’re the place we would count on them to be based mostly on the processors used however additional illustrate that the CPU and GPU simply weren’t designed for graphics-heavy applications. The laptop computer ought to have the ability to deal with visually easy video games like Among Us, Stardew Valley, or retro classics comparatively simply, although.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Display
As I anticipated, the 16:10, 2.8K, 13.3-inch OLED panel is totally lovely to have a look at and shows vibrant and clear imagery. It provides as much as 2880 x 1800 decision and might attain as much as 550-nits permitting it to get somewhat shiny. As is often the case, I merely go into the settings menu or use the handy brightness perform keys to shortly regulate the dimness degree.
In regard to paint and particulars, black hues come by means of very deep on this OLED show and it is simple to see coloration in darker scenes with none cloudiness such as you get on LCD panels. It provides as much as a 60Hz refresh fee, which is nothing astounding however suits according to the laptop computer’s configuration and will serve you nicely.
| Setting | Brightness | Black | Contrast | White Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 0.9 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 5300 (0.337, 0.343) |
| 25% | 24.5 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 6700 (0.311, 0.320) |
| 50% | 80.2 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 6800 (0.390, 0.319) |
| 75% | 192.0 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 6900 (0.308, 0.317) |
| 100% | 379.5 | 0.00 | 0 : 1 | 6800 (0.310, 0.319) |
After operating a colorimeter check on the OLED show, I discovered that it produced 100% DCI-P3 identical to Asus marketed. It additionally shows 100% of sRGB and 96% of Adobe RGB, that are excellent scores and proves that the panel does a wonderful job displaying coloration and lightweight throughout the spectrum.
Unlike many different shows nowadays, the Zenbook S 13 OLED’s will not be a touchscreen, so do not count on to have the ability to faucet on purposes and browser tabs together with your fingers.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Battery life
These days, a very good laptop computer ought to run for eight to 10 hours when unplugged and beginning at full battery. I used to be completely satisfied to notice that the Zenbook S 13 OLED ran a very good quantity longer than this. It reached 12 hours and 41 minutes in my testing when at 50% brightness and whereas performing numerous fashionable workplace duties like collaborating in video calls, operating purposes, opening net pages, and watching movies.
Asus states the laptop computer can final for as much as 14 hours and that is doubtless the case when the show is at its lowest brightness setting. However, humidity, temperature, and the depth of any operating applications can even have an effect on battery life.
While not the longest quantity I’ve seen in a laptop computer, that is very respectable and longer than common. It as soon as extra lends to the Asus Zenbook S 13 being a wonderful on-the-go laptop computer that may serve you nicely wherever you’re no matter if there may be ample shops to accommodate it.
The included charging cable is a 65W quick charging adapter, which permits the Zenbook S 13 OLED to shortly replenish itself. To check its recharging velocity, I let the laptop computer’s battery deplete to the purpose that it would not activate after which plugged within the adapter and saved observe of time. It reached 70% inside roughly 45 minutes and obtained to 100% at about an hour and quarter-hour.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Keyboard & touchpad
I’ve completely no complaints relating to the keyboard and touchpad. The keys click on in properly with a satisfying springiness and the touchpad could be very giant permitting me to simply navigate the place I wish to with out it taking longer than needed. The proper and left click on buttons on the touchpad really feel good to press and the design made it in order that I by no means by accident clicked with my wrist when typing on the keys, which typically occurs with different laptops I’ve examined.
As is common, handy perform keys share the area of the quantity keys alongside the highest of the keyboard. Here I can discover buttons that shortly regulate speaker quantity, mute the laptop computer, change brightness, disable the touchpad, regulate keyboard backlighting, convey up the show settings menu, and open the Snipping Tool. It makes it very straightforward to make use of the laptop computer and entry these ceaselessly used choices.
There can also be a fingerprint reader button to the appropriate of the quantity keys, and this was very straightforward for me to arrange in simply a few minutes. Being in a position to unlock the laptop computer just by placing my hand on that button could be very handy. If you do not wish to use this fingerprint unlock skill, then you do not have to.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Cameras & audio
In addition to the perform buttons, I discussed earlier, there’s additionally a button that toggles whether or not or not the digicam activates. That means, I can really feel safer figuring out that I’m not being captured with out my information when the digicam is toggled off. I used to be additionally in a position to get facial login arrange very simply through Windows Hello and labored nicely every time I used it after that.
As far as digicam high quality goes, the Zenbook S 13 OLED is phenomenal, choosing up colours and particulars crisply. This is partially because of the FHD 1080p digicam however is helped immensely by Asus AiSense digicam results like background blur, lighting correction, movement monitoring, eye correction, and extra that enhance video high quality to indicate me off to my finest benefit. For occasion, regardless of being in a comparatively darkish room, the digicam was in a position to lighten the scene and give attention to me if I moved away from the middle of the shot.
The Zenbook S13 OLED video name talents are additional superior with the assistance of the noise-cancelling microphone, which does a wonderful job of reducing out background sounds just like the whirr of my robotic vacuum to hone in higher on my voice.
The two built-in audio system enhanced through the Dolby Atmos sound system play a lot clearly and handle to hit a very good vary of notes. After downloading the free Dolby Access app, I used to be in a position to customise sound settings additional. However, the audio system do not get as loud as another laptop computer audio system I’ve heard. But in case you actually care about sound high quality, you may need to buy exterior audio system as is often the case with laptops.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Competition
If you are wanting on the Zenbook S13 OLED, you then’re doubtless fascinated by an ultraportable laptop computer, of which there are a lot of superior choices available on the market. We actually like HP’s choices and as famous in our HP Pavilion Plus 14 evaluate, this explicit “mid-range laptop computer punches above its weight.” It provides a 90Hz OLED show and there are three CPU courses to select from when choosing your configuration and pricing choices.
Of course, in case you just like the look of the Asus Zenbook, however wish to peruse extra choices then you possibly can take a look at the bottom Zenbook, premium Zenbook S, professional-grade Zenbook Pro, 2-in-1 convertible Zenbook Flip, or the foldable Zenbook Fold. All of those choices supply totally different configurations however are in the end designed round transportable efficiency.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED: Should you purchase it?
You can purchase this if…
- You desire a laptop computer that is small and straightforward to hold round with you.
- You’d like an OLED panel that reveals off visuals to beautiful impact.
- You’re searching for a laptop computer that may final a very long time unplugged.
You shouldn’t purchase this if…
- You do not wish to hear followers come on that often.
- You’d want a laptop computer that has loud audio system.
- You desire a laptop computer that may deal with intensive gaming.
If you are searching for an simply transportable laptop computer that may final you a very long time every day when uplugged then the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED is a unbelievable alternative. While not essentially the most highly effective laptop computer available on the market it provides excellent efficiency and can deal with video calls, fundamental applications, net searching, and music/video streaming with ease. The OLED panel actually reveals off imagery in a phenomenal means and the digicam is designed to make you look good in any video calls you attend. Plus, being small and very light-weight makes the Zenbook S 13 simpler to hold round whether or not you are taking courses, are on a piece journey, or are touring for enjoyable.
The greatest downside is that the audio is somewhat underwhelming and would not get very loud in comparison with different laptops I’ve examined. However, it can get the job completed in case you’re sitting proper in entrance of the laptop computer to look at a film or take heed to music. Another a part of the sound high quality is that the laptop computer’s followers are likely to blast on with little prompting, so it may be somewhat loud.
Still, it is a well-priced, ultraportable laptop computer that shall be an important alternative for anybody wanting a modern OLED show and lengthy battery life.
With its slim, light-weight design, its beautiful OLED show, and its dependable efficiency the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED is a unbelievable laptop computer for anybody. Thanks to its small footprint, it’s totally straightforward to move and would not take up a ton of desk area.
