Asus Zenbook A14 Review: The Best Copilot Plus COMPUTER So Far

8.5/ 10
RATING

Asus Zenbook A14 (UX3407)

Pros

• Incredibly slim and light-weight with out actually feeling light-weight.
• All- day-and-all-night battery life.
• OLED show display screen at this price is an excellent shock.
• Ample RAM and cupboard space for the price as effectively.

Cons

• Meh effectivity from Snapdragon X CPU.
• Meh mechanical touchpad.
• Meh audio audio system.

The Asus Zenbook A14 remodeled heads at CES 2025 for its ultralight but remarkably rigid Ceraluminum framework and a case of 30 hours (!) of battery life no matter together with an OLED show display screen that usually eats battery sources at the next clip than an LCD panel. After evaluating, benchmarking and banging on the Zenbook A14, we put together to supply it a further honor. It gained a Best of CES Award for best laptop computer laptop and may presently name itself a CNET Editors’ Choice honor victor.

Built round an Arm- based mostly Qualcomm Snapdragon X cpu, the Zenbook A14 is the lightest Copilot Plus COMPUTER I’ve checked and the second-longest working. Its effectivity is nice for primary utilization, nonetheless it’s completely an motion or 2 behind varied different Copilot Plus Computers with Snapdragon X Plus or Elite CPUs and people with Intel Core Ultra 200 assortment chips. And whereas the overall type is excellent, the touchpad and audio audio system are simply extraordinary for an ultraportable.

Nitpicks aside, you’ll not uncover a further 14-inch OLED laptop computer laptop that evaluates a lot lower than 2.2 additional kilos with a battery lifetime of larger than 24-hour. If transportability is vital, the Zenbook A14 is the selection.

The Asus Zenbook A14 I checked (model UX3407) is available from Asus andBest Buy for $1,100 It features Qualcomm’s brand-new Snapdragon X X1-26-100 cpu, which rests one known as listed under contribute the Snapdragon X Plus assortment and a couple of rungs listed under these within the Snapdragon X Elite assortment. It has the exact same 8-core CPU matter because the lower-end Snapdragon X Plus cpus nonetheless performs at a considerably slower clock charge– 3GHz versus 3.2 GHz– with out improve regularity.

The Zenbook A14 UX3407 is or else absolutely geared up, with 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. It depends upon Qualcomm’s included Adreno GPU and contains the exact same neural dealing with system environment friendly in 45 trillion procedures per 2nd, which certifies it as a Copilot Plus COMPUTER. The show display screen is a 14-inch OLED panel with a pedestrian 1,920×1,200-pixel decision and no contact help.

Asus prepares a 2nd Zenbook A14 anticipated to strike Best Buy’s racks on the finish ofMarch It will definitely set you again $900 and embody a CPU improve– a Snapdragon X Plus– and half the RAM and storage room. It does have the exact same OLED show display screen, nonetheless. Yes, you try that correctly: The less expensive model has a faster cpu. You’ll have the flexibility to tell each aside since they may definitely be varied shades; my examination model is what Asus refers to as Iceland Gray, and the assorted different model will definitely be furnished inZabriskie Beige The spotlight is not any paints are made use of; the shades are developed with an oxidation process of the metal framework.

The Asus Zenbook A14 (UX3407) costs £1,100 in the UK and isn’t but supplied in Australia.

Asus Zenbook A14 effectivity

The Zenbook A14’s effectivity in laboratory screening resembled the confide in A Tale of Two Cities: It was the simplest of instances, it was probably the most terrible of instances. It ended up close to or on the finish of the pack of varied different Copilot Plus Computers based mostly upon Snapdragon X Plus or Elite cpus and people with Intel’s Lunar Lake Core Ultra 200V assortment chips on our software standards, Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024. It likewise tracked the M3 MacBook Air on these examinations.

The Zenbook A14 was incapable to run PCMark 10, which highlights the Windows- on-Arm compatibility downside. Before buying the Zenbook A14 or a further Copilot Plus laptop powered by a Snapdragon X, examine to ensure that the functions you make the most of are compatible with Arm.

Compatibility likewise enters have enjoyable with our 3DMark Time Spy examination. It doesn’t run natively on Arm nonetheless with the built-in Prism emulator, which causes an effectivity hit. But its end result was insufficient additionally amongst the Snapdragon X-based Copilot Plus Computers, consisting of the HP OmniBook X 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

While the Zenbook A14’s software and graphics effectivity tracked varied different Copliot Plus Computers, it nonetheless offers ample effectivity for primary utilization. Competing Copilot Plus Computers may be a lot sooner, nonetheless they don’t provide a further course of laptop. These are all general-purpose laptop computer computer systems that depend upon included graphics which can be a lot better matched for office jobs than requiring graphics job or video gaming.

The Zenbook A14 did a lot better on Procyon’s AI Computer Vision normal, ending up within the heart of the assorted different Copilot Plus Computers we’ve got really checked. This outcome isn’t surprising contemplating that each one of many Snapdragon X CPUs embody the exact same 45-TOPS NPU, and the contending Intel Core Ultra 7 258V offers a comparable 48-TOPS NPU.

The best of instances gotten right here with battery screening. The Zenbook A14 is simply the 2nd laptop computer laptop CNET has really assessed with a battery lifetime of larger than 24-hour, additionally if it was simply by 7 minutes. The A14’s battery time is 2nd simply to the HP OmniBook X 14, which lasted 1 hour and 5 minutes for much longer. The Zenbook A14’s lengthy life is maybe much more excellent than the OmniBook X 14’s because it contains an OLED show display screen, which usually drains pipes the battery a lot sooner than an LCD.

Asus states the Zenbook A14’s battery can final as a lot as 32 hours. On our battery examinations, it confirmed up a few hours besides that quantity, nonetheless our examination of frequently streaming a YouTube video clip is much more requiring than an everyday utilization occasion. At any sort of value, the Zenbook A14 offers such an in depth battery life you could go days without delay in between billing it.

Ceraluminum is unquestionably wonderful

Many instances, when a provider tries an ultralight type, the end result is a room that basically feels as effectively mild, with slim magnesium alloy, mild weight aluminum or plastic floor areas that bend and flex below the tiniest stress. With the Zenbook A14, you possibly can have your agility and power as effectively. It features a Ceraluminum framework that’s a mixture of mild weight aluminum and ceramic merchandise. Adding ceramic to the construction contains plenty of power and resilience, which permits the Zenbook A14 to be unbelievably mild with out actually feeling light-weight or low-cost.

The Zenbook A14 evaluates merely below 2.2 additional kilos, or a lot lower than a kg. By distinction, the somewhat smaller sized 13.6-inch MacBook Air M3 is over half an additional pound bigger at 2.7 additional kilos. Heavier nonetheless is the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and 14-inch HP OmniBook X 14, that are nonetheless 2 of the lightest Copilot Plus Computers we’ve got really checked at roughly 3 additional kilos. The Zenbook A14 likewise has somewhat energy block that evaluates a lot lower than half an additional pound, so the general touring weight is lighter than that of the MacBook Air by itself.

Asus consists of a lightweight pure leather-based sleeve in an exquisite, beige shade. If you permit the Zenbook A14 with the facility cable and touring sleeve, you’ll nonetheless lug simply 3.1 additional kilos.

The Ceraluminum product not simply causes an ultralight but extraordinarily rigid laptop computer laptop, nonetheless it’s likewise scrape, spot and finger print immune. I equivalent to the looks of the matte gray coating of our examination system– it notes a separation from the combed mild weight aluminum coating that’s come to be so typical– and it stored its tidy look all through each weeks I utilized it. And I’m incessantly snacking whereas functioning, and the key-board, touchpad and the rest of the framework stayed smudge-free.

The rigid key-board deck assist the keying expertise on the Zenbook A14. The methods use superficial touring nonetheless an organization motion. Any flex within the key-board deck would definitely make the shallow-travel methods actually really feel mushy, nonetheless reasonably, they actually really feel quick and trendy. The key-board is likewise spacious with out decreased methods that it’s best to uncover to go well with.

The touchpad is likewise spacious and contains clever motions alongside the aspect and main sides to readjust show display screen illumination and amount and management video clip playback. I actually didn’t uncover myself using the edges to extend or decreased illumination or amount since I’ve expanded aware of using the function methods for these, and the Zenbook A14 has really dedicated function methods for each. There aren’t any media management kind within the Zenbook A14’s function row, nonetheless, so I did make the most of the main aspect of the touchpad for rubbing onward and again on YouTube video clips and situated it actual ample to make the most of correctly.

Besides its charitable dimension and clever motions, the touchpad is prime, with a mechanical click on motion. I loads select the dynamic and constant click on motion from the haptic touchpad of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7. The Zenbook A14’s mechanical touchpad’s click on motion offers approach an excessive amount of touring close to its decrease aspect and never practically sufficient in direction of the highest– the dreaded driving board outcome. At the Zenbook A14’s price, nonetheless, it’s asking approach an excessive amount of to acquire each an OLED show display screen and a haptic touchpad.

And you do get hold of an OLED. It’s not a high-resolution OLED panel, nonetheless acquiring any sort of kind of OLED on a $1,100 laptop computer laptop is a profit. It’s a 14-inch OLED show display screen with a 1,920x-1,200- pixel decision. That’s a excessive ample decision for a 14-inch show display screen that message and pictures present up crisp– merely not as sharp as the image you get hold of with the two.8 Okay OLED on the Asus Zenbook S 14. The HP OmniBook X 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 have somewhat higher-res 14-inch screens, nonetheless they’re IPS LCD panels and never OLEDs.

I’d a lot as a substitute have the Zenbook A14’s OLED show display screen than both LCD (and the included pixels) that you just get hold of with the OmniBook X 14 or Surface Laptop 7. The very good comparability and deep black levels of the Zenbook A14’s OLED show display screen are distinctive. Color effectivity is likewise stable; my examinations with a Spyder X colorimeter revealed 100% safety of the sRGB and P3 rooms and 97% of AdobeRGB. It likewise strikes 391 nits of illumination, which is a superb quantity for an OLED that usually has a decreased optimum illumination than an LCD.

Along with the prosaic decision, the Zenbook A14’s show display screen likewise offers a standard 60Hz revitalize value. You’ll require to speculate much more to acquire a laptop computer laptop with a high-res OLED with a speedy 120Hz revitalize that causes smoother motion.

My varied different small downside in regards to the or else very good OLED show display screen isn’t in regards to the panel itself nonetheless the plastic bezels bordering it. They launch price range plan emotions on a laptop computer laptop the place just about each little factor else in regards to the type seems spendier than its $1,100 price would definitely recommend. I ask your self simply how a lot much more a clean, edge-to-edge glass remedy would definitely contribute to the Zenbook A14’s expense.

To end the show display screen dialog on a positive be aware, I’ll focus on the show display screen joint. Similar to a MacBook’s, it’s a solitary joint that runs just about the scale of the show display screen. And it’s fantastic, offering an actual, one-finger opening of the show display screen nonetheless nonetheless ample resistance to take care of the show display screen at your chosen angle with marginal wobble.

At the power of the main cowl rests one other little little bit of budget-ness: the “ASUS Zenbook” wordmark. The font type is monotonous, and the spacing in between the letters seems off– why are the letters so generally spaced? I would definitely’ve preferred a repeat of Asus’s elegant “A” that reveals up over the key-board on the quilt. Or merely choose a a lot better font type with much better spacing.

The twin audio audio system launch extraordinary laptop computer laptop sound, which is to assert it’s not glorious. The audio is enough for YouTube video clips and Netflix applications and video clip conversations, nonetheless you’ll need earphones or an out of doors audio speaker for songs and a few movement photos– dramatization the place dialogue is gently talked or exercise flicks with large surges and extreme outcomes.

The 1080p cam created a reasonably sharp image in screening, nonetheless the picture was oversaturated. The cam has an IR sensing unit so you possibly can put it to use for Windows Hello logins. That’s your simply biometric selection because the Zenbook A14 doesn’t have a finger print customer.

Is the Asus Zenbook A14 a superb laptop computer laptop?

It’s a improbable laptop computer laptop, particularly in case you’re trying to find an ultralight, ultralong-running laptop computer laptop for touring. Its Ceraluminum room is each rigid and lightweight, and the Snapdragon X cpu permits it to run across the clock. Plus, its show display screen is the topping on this Copilot Plus laptop cake at this price.