Knowledgeable’s Ranking
Execs
- Sturdy construct high quality
- Engaging OLED touchscreen
- Good CPU and built-in GPU efficiency
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Design is boring
- Keyboard isn’t memorable
- Mediocre connectivity
Our Verdict
AMD’s Ryzen 7 8840HS powers the brand new Zenbook 14 OLED to robust benchmark outcomes and lengthy battery life.
AMD’s Ryzen cell chips are more and more aggressive with Intel’s Core cell lineup, and lately, AMD has taken a lead in some areas, akin to battery life. The brand new Ryzen 7 8840HS is considered one of AMD’s finest mid-range cell processors but, and it offers the Zenbook 14 OLED the sting it wants to face out from Intel-powered opponents.
On the lookout for extra choices? Take a look at PCWorld’s roundup of the very best laptops.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Specs and options
The laptop computer’s headline characteristic is actually the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor. It is a new chip from AMD, and it’ll be fascinating to see the way it performs relative to older AMD chips, in addition to Intel’s new Core Extremely 7 collection.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS
- Reminiscence: 16GB LPDDR5x
- Graphics/GPU: AMD Radeon built-in
- Show: 1920×1200 OLED 60Hz touchscreen
- Storage: 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe stable state drive
- Webcam: 1080p digital camera with IR sensor for Home windows Whats up, bodily privateness shutter
- Connectivity: 1x USB-C 4 Gen 3 with DIsplayPort and Energy Supply, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort and Energy Supply, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen , 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack
- Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Biometrics: Home windows Whats up facial recognition
- Battery capability: 75 watt-hours
- Dimensions: 12.3 x 8.67 x .59 inches
- Weight: 2.82 kilos
- MSRP: $849.99
The laptop computer in any other case embraces typical finances to mid-range specs, together with 16GB of reminiscence, 512GB of solid-state storage, and a 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen. Asus costs their Zenbook 14 OLED on the retail MSRP of roughly $850, which is certainly an affordable value for the {hardware}.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Design and construct high quality
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED, very similar to its predecessors, is a black slate adorned solely with delicate etchings throughout the show lid. I all the time grumble about this as a result of I bear in mind when the Zenbook featured a surprising concentric circle design that stood out from the group. The present Zenbook 14 OLED’s design is inoffensive, however consumers craving a extra luxurious look ought to think about the Lenovo Slim 7 14.
It’s a purposeful design, no less than. The Zenbook measures only a hair over 12 inches huge and fewer than 9 inches deep, in addition to below 0.6 inches thick. It’s additionally mild at solely 2.82 kilos. These are wonderful numbers. It’s only a tenth of a pound heavier than the MacBook Air M1 13 or Dell XPS 13, and lighter than the Lenovo Slim 7 14 or Dell Inspiron 14 Plus.
Surprisingly, the Zenbook’s light-weight design doesn’t compromise construct high quality. The chassis permits minimal flex and feels stable when dealt with roughly. A large show hinge, which is almost as huge because the laptop computer itself, gives good rigidity, but it’s nonetheless potential to open the laptop computer with a single finger. That is nice to see in any laptop computer, however particularly appreciated in a budget-friendly machine.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Keyboard, trackpad
IDG / Matthew Smith
I used to be happy, although not overjoyed, by the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED’s keyboard. Although some keys are barely undersized, such because the backspace key, the format is in any other case spacious and extra accommodating than most 14-inch laptops. There’s an excellent quantity of house on the palm relaxation as properly, so wrist cramps are unlikely.
Key really feel is suitable. There’s a affordable quantity of journey and crisp key activation, however the bottoming motion is abrupt. It’s completely usable and corresponding to many laptops however some equally priced opponents, just like the Lenovo Slim 7 14, have a slight edge. A white LED keyboard backlight is included and serves its function, offering a number of brightness ranges with none being too dim or overly vibrant.
The touchpad measures about 5 inches huge and three inches deep. That’s loads of house for mouse navigation and usually nice for Home windows multitasking gestures, with one exception. I want to see just a little bit extra depth, as three inches is barely sufficient for utilizing a two-finger gesture to scroll by means of an internet web page or doc. There’s nonetheless just a few quarters of an inch of house above and under the touchpad that Asus may handle to harness in future variations.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Show, audio
IDG / Matthew Smith
Asus equips the Zenbook 14 OLED with a 1920×1200 decision OLED touchscreen with a most refresh price of 60 Hz.
That is an entry-level OLED show, and its decision is decrease than the 2880×1800 shows which can be widespread in lots of costlier laptops. Nevertheless, it nonetheless delivers the perks that may be anticipated from an OLED show, together with a superb distinction ratio and vivid colours. Motion pictures and video games look reasonable and vibrant.
I respect that the show is a touchscreen, as properly. This isn’t true of all aggressive laptops, as some manufacturers select to avoid wasting the touchscreen for 2-in-1 gadgets. I all the time discover contact a pleasant possibility when utilizing apps which can be optimized for it, and it’s good to see it included in a finances laptop computer.
Although vibrant sufficient, the OLED show could be troublesome to make use of in a vibrant room or open air, an issue not helped by the extremely reflective show coat. HDR is supported and works moderately properly for a laptop computer however, as talked about, the show’s most brightness isn’t up for delivering a really sensible HDR image. To be truthful, that is additionally true of equally priced opponents.
Audio efficiency is a nice shock. The laptop computer has downward-facing audio system with Harman Kardon branding, they usually present an important expertise with a excessive most quantity and a good quantity of bass when required. The sound can turn into a bit muddy when listening to advanced music at most quantity, but it surely’s an fulfilling expertise total, and house owners with much less essential ears received’t hear a cause to make use of exterior audio system or a headset.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
A 1080p webcam is stuffed within the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED’s high bezel. It gives crisp video with good colour replica with balanced publicity. I don’t assume the webcam’s high quality stands out in 2024, as most laptops have now moved to 1080p webcams as properly, but it surely stays wonderful for video calls and different much less demanding video recording wants. The laptop computer additionally contains a number of AI-powered options together with background blur, automated framing, and eye contact correction.
Asus gives a bodily privateness shutter that slides over the digital camera and utterly blocks it. The shutter is vibrant purple, so it’s straightforward to inform when it’s activated (or not). The shutter doesn’t deactivate the microphone.
The laptop computer’s microphone array captures audio with clear, crisp replica, and it simply picked up my voice even once I spoke softly. AI-powered noise cancellation is included and might take away most repetitive background noise. The laptop computer additionally contains a number of noise canceling modes for various conditions: a single presenter, a number of presenters, and a “360-degree” mode for capturing all sounds across the laptop computer. These modes considerably modified how the microphone carried out, so it’s essential to make use of the precise mode for the job.
Biometric login is supported by means of Home windows Whats up facial recognition. It really works properly, as common, with quick and dependable login as soon as the characteristic is ready up. Nevertheless, the Zenbook lacks the automated human presence detection characteristic discovered on some alternate options, just like the Lenovo Slim 7 14. That laptop computer can robotically detect whenever you strategy the laptop computer after which activate Home windows Whats up for seamless, zero-touch login.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Connectivity
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED’s connectivity is a bit slim however covers all of the bases. It has one USB-C 4.0 port and one USB-C 3.2 port; each of those assist DisplayPort Alternate Mode and energy supply. Meaning each could be linked to an exterior monitor or be used to cost the laptop computer.
These ports are complemented by one USB 3.2 Gen 1 port for connecting older wired gadgets. The laptop computer additionally has a single HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5 mm combo audio jack. I’d have preferred to see an extra USB port, and there’s actually room on the laptop computer for it. Ethernet is absent, as properly, so wired web isn’t an possibility with out an adapter.
The wi-fi connectivity spans Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. I want to see Wi-Fi 7 supported because it’s the latest customary, but it surely’s not widespread amongst finances laptops. Wi-Fi 6E might be satisfactory for a few years in any case, as most individuals have but to improve their routers to that older customary. I additionally discovered the Wi-Fi to be speedy and dependable because it carried out properly, even in my indifferent workplace, which is a number of partitions and over 50 toes away from my router.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Efficiency
The Zenbook 14 OLED’s efficiency is noteworthy because of its AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor. This new chip from AMD options eight cores and 16 threads, and is manufactured utilizing TSMC’s comparatively new 4-nanometer course of. The processor additionally integrates AMD Radeon RX 780M graphics with 12 compute models, which is essentially the most succesful model of Radeon built-in graphics accessible at present.
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Zenbook will get off to a superb begin in PCMark 10 with a rating of 6,772. That’s larger than most comparable laptops, apart from the Dell Inspiron 14 7440, which squeezes out a win by a margin of some hundred factors. Asus’ victories over the Lenovo Slim 7 14 and Acer Swift Go 14 are notable since they’re direct, equally priced opponents.
IDG / Matthew Smith
Cinebench R20, which is a short-duration, closely multithreaded CPU benchmark, produces a consequence just like PCMark 10. As soon as once more, the Zenbook is a tad behind the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, but it surely defeats different lately examined laptops with an Intel Core Extremely 7 155H processor. The brand new Zenbook enjoys a major enchancment over the older Ryzen 7 7730U, which we examined in final yr’s Zenbook 14 OLED.
IDG / Matthew Smith
Handbrake shakes up the rankings a bit. It is a lengthy, period, closely multi threaded CPU benchmark, so it gives extra room for a laptops cooling resolution to higher outline it’s efficiency as many laptops might be encountering thermal limits on this check. Nonetheless, the Zenbook result’s fairly respectable and lands in the course of lately examined finances and mid-range laptops.
IDG / Matthew Smith
Subsequent up is 3DMark Time Spy, which we use to check laptops with built-in graphics. The brand new Zenbook posts a wholesome, but mediocre results of 3,160. On the plus aspect, that is fairly a robust rating for built-in graphics, and it’s an enormous improve over the prior AMD Ryzen-powered Zenbook 14 OLED. Nevertheless, this consequence does land just a little bit shy of Intel’s Arc built-in graphics. The distinction isn’t sufficient to return throughout in real-world gameplay, but it surely’s there.
The Zenbook 14 OLED shouldn’t be a gaming laptop computer, and it received’t carry out properly in cutting-edge AAA video games that focus on current-generation sport consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Sequence X. Nevertheless, it may well deal with most video games from the prior console era, albeit in some circumstances at low to medium settings.
It’s clear AMD has a winner on its fingers with the Ryzen 7 8840HS, and that works within the Zenbook’s favor. Its efficiency matches or barely exceeds that of laptops geared up with Intel’s Core Extremely 7 155H, which is in style on this value bracket. I additionally seen that the Zenbook was quiet, with the followers solely turning into noticeable throughout essentially the most demanding benchmarks. It’s an important alternative for anybody who needs a fairly fast but reasonably priced machine.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Battery life
A 75 watt-hour battery gives the Zenbook 14 OLED with its juice when away from an influence socket. That’s not an unusually giant battery for a 14-inch laptop computer, but it surely’s larger than common, as most opponents have a battery with round 65 watt-hours. The big battery, alongside the power-efficient AMD Ryzen processor, ends in wonderful battery life.
IDG / Matthew Smith
I noticed over 16 hours of battery life in our customary battery check, which loops a 4K file of the brief movie Tears of Metal. That result’s properly forward of many opponents and in some circumstances about 50 p.c higher than the outcomes recorded from alternate options, such because the Acer Swift Go 14 and Lenovo Slim 7 14.
Actual-world battery life was equally wonderful in my day-to-day expertise. Utilizing the laptop computer continuously for my common each day workflow, which includes loads of writing, some net shopping, and a little bit of photograph enhancing, drains roughly 15 p.c of the battery each two hours. I sometimes use a laptop computer for half my workday, so I solely needed to cost the laptop computer as soon as each three days.
It’s essential to notice the battery may, in concept, be drained way more shortly in a heavy and sustained workload (like 3D gaming or encoding a prolonged video), which is true of all trendy laptops. However the battery life is spectacular in typical use.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED: Conclusion
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED UM3406 is an distinctive finances laptop computer. Although it’s not a lot to have a look at, it gives nice efficiency throughout all kinds of benchmarks, lengthy battery life, stable construct high quality, a superb OLED display screen, robust audio system, and a high quality webcam. Even the laptop computer’s weaknesses, akin to its keyboard and connectivity, are common for the worth and aggressive with alternate options. This isn’t a efficiency or gaming laptop computer, so it has its limits—however in case you’re in search of a superb all-around Home windows laptop computer at a decent value, it’s laborious to beat.