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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers portability and sufficient performance for everyday tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and media consumption due to its slim design and lighter weight. However, it may not handle intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or high-end gaming as well as the ASUS TUF Gaming A15, which is built with stronger graphics and processing power to tackle demanding applications and games. The TUF Gaming A15, while usually slightly more expensive and heavier, thus less portable, has better performance for engineering, gaming, or any graphics-intensive tasks. Its battery life may also be shorter due to its powerful components. Consider the Zenbook if you prioritize portability and general use over performance, and the TUF Gaming A15 if your work requires more computing power, even if it means extra weight and potentially higher cost. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class portability
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming A15
- Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.9
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 excels in general use due to its high-quality OLED screen, larger memory, and lightweight design that offers excellent portability with good battery life and heat management. In contrast, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15, while still suitable for general use, is bulkier and less portable, focuses on performance with a dedicated gaming GPU and robust processor, but has less memory and a lower-quality screen, making it a better fit for gaming rather than for premium general use experiences.
Gaming and AI
6.5
8.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a high-resolution OLED screen which excels in screen quality, providing vivid colors for an immersive gaming and 3D experience. On the other hand, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 features a high refresh rate IPS display and a more powerful GPU, making it better suited for fast-paced gaming with smoother visuals and enhanced graphics performance.
Software Development
8.3
7.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.1
7.2
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
271.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a high-resolution display and excellent brightness, making it great for general use and detailed engineering work due to its sharp image and vibrant color reproduction. However, its lower refresh rate compared to dedicated gaming laptops can make it less suitable for fast-paced 3D gaming, where smoother motion is key. The ASUS TUF Gaming A15, while offering good overall screen quality, may lack the superior color accuracy and wider color gamuts that professionals in engineering and design need for precise color work.
Portability
Best in Class
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 costs $1,650.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, equipped with a high-resolution OLED screen, 32GB of RAM, and a capable Intel CPU with integrated graphics, is tailored for engineering and design with its superior screen quality and ample memory for multitasking, while preserving a form factor that enhances portability.
Content Creation
8.5
8.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS TUF Gaming A15 are both very good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Battery
11.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has 11 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Build Quality
7.6
7.2
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS TUF Gaming A15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | ASUS TUF Gaming A15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,650 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 13.9'' x 9.9'' x 0.93'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 4.85 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 13.94" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | AMD Ryzen 7 7940HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 271 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
ASUS TUF Gaming A15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"With the release of the TUF Gaming A15, Asos have concentrated on the essentials: gaming performance. Our base version, which can be had for around $1,169, already provided enough power to play current games smoothly in a native resolution of 1080p and with maximum details - thanks to its new Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop. If you utilize upscaling, then you can even manage to run ray tracing."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the ASUS TUF Gaming A15
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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