If you prioritize a high-resolution display, better colors, and a more robust performance for tasks like 3D rendering or engineering, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is the better choice; however, it is more expensive. It also has a longer battery life and a more portable design. On the other hand, if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option for general use, and weight is less of a concern, the ASUS Vivobook 14 offers a larger screen at a lower resolution, but with less storage, less powerful components, and shorter battery life. It would be sufficient for everyday tasks but not as well-suited for intensive multimedia work or engineering. 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 battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 14
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
6.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 excels in general use due to its higher RAM capacity and more powerful CPU, alongside a superior OLED screen which offers better color accuracy and brightness, contributing to a better viewing experience. Conversely, the ASUS Vivobook 14, while still suitable for general tasks, provides less RAM and a less powerful CPU, paired with an IPS screen that delivers lower color accuracy and brightness, thus offering a fair but less impressive performance in comparison.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS Vivobook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is good for gaming and 3D because it has a powerful GPU (Intel i7-1355U Iris Xe) and a higher screen refresh rate, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 has a less powerful GPU (Intel i5-1235U Iris Xe) and the same refresh rate but a lower quality CPU, making it fair for gaming and 3D tasks. Additionally, the Zenbook's OLED screen offers better color depth and contrast which provides a more immersive gaming experience compared to the Vivobook's IPS screen.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with a more powerful CPU, higher RAM, and a superior GPU, excels in handling demanding engineering and design applications, offering crisp visuals on a high-quality screen. Meanwhile, the ASUS Vivobook 14, while more budget-friendly and sufficiently portable for everyday use, may fall short in performance for intensive tasks due to its more modest specifications.
Content Creation
8.5/10
6.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
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
8.3/10
6.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
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
8.1/10
6.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a sharper and brighter display with higher resolution, making it excellent for general use like browsing and watching videos, and its wider color gamut supports detailed color work for engineering and design. However, its lower refresh rate could make fast-paced action less smooth, affecting gaming and 3D experiences. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 14 provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and some professional work but lacks the high color accuracy and resolution of the Zenbook, while also falling short for gaming due to similar refresh rate constraints.
Battery
11.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 14 has 7 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.
Portability
Best in Class
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS Vivobook 14 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$480
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the ASUS Vivobook 14 costs $480.
"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."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the ASUS Vivobook 14
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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