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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers portability and a high-quality OLED display, ideal for users who need a lightweight laptop with a good screen for general use and business tasks. It has more storage and memory, better for multitasking and storage-intensive applications. However, it comes at a higher price. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16, on the other hand, is tailored for gaming with a dedicated GPU and a screen with a higher refresh rate, which also aids in engineering applications. It has a larger screen and extended battery life, but it's heavier and not as portable. If gaming or intensive engineering software is a priority and you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the TUF Gaming A16 could be your choice, but if you prioritize screen quality, lighter travel, and are willing to invest more, the Zenbook S 13 is better suited. 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 engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class portability
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.6
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is favored for general use due to its high-resolution OLED screen, more RAM, and powerful CPU combined with superior portability and very good speaker and keyboard quality, making it ideal for a variety of daily tasks with clear visuals and comfortable use.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with its OLED screen and Intel Iris Xe graphics, offers vibrant colors and good performance for gaming and 3D, but its refresh rate is standard. In contrast, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has an AMD RX 7600S GPU paired with a higher refresh rate IPS screen, providing smoother visuals in fast-paced games and 3D applications, albeit with potentially less striking color quality than OLED.
Content Creation
8.5
7.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
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.
Software Development
8.3
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 A16 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
7.5
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers superior visual clarity and color accuracy, with high resolution and brightness, making it ideal for everyday tasks and professional design work where fine detail and color representation are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate detracts from the gaming experience, where smooth motion is key. In contrast, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a balanced display that supports general and engineering needs adequately, but lacks the higher refresh rate needed for optimal 3D gaming visuals.
Portability
Best in Class
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
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 A16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$930
$0
$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 A16 costs $930.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook S 13 to be very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with a high-quality CPU, abundant RAM, and a superior GPU, excels in demanding engineering tasks and offers a crisp screen for detailed design work, while the TUF Gaming A16, though strong on performance, has features more tuned for gaming that also suit engineering use but may not match the Zenbook's screen fidelity. Both laptops are fairly portable with quality keyboards, but the Zenbook tends to have a less noisy operation and somewhat better speakers, which could enhance the overall user experience during prolonged work sessions.
Battery
11.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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 A16 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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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | ASUS TUF Gaming A16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $930 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 4.85 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 294 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 A16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | May 2023
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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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