Choosing between the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS Zenbook 14 depends on what's most important for you. The Zenbook S 13, being more expensive, offers higher performance, more memory, and a lighter, thinner design, making it suitable for intensive tasks and easier to carry around. On the other hand, the Zenbook 14, despite less performance and memory, has a larger screen and is more affordable, which might be valuable for everyday use and when on a budget. Consider the Zenbook S 13 for demanding applications or travel convenience, and the Zenbook 14 for general use without stretching your wallet. 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
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 leads in general use largely due to superior CPU, larger RAM capacity, and a brighter, higher quality screen, supporting more vivid colors, making it better for varied tasks and media consumption. Meanwhile, the ASUS Zenbook 14, while still capable, offers less storage and less RAM which may limit multitasking and storage-intensive tasks, though it does boast a larger battery, possibly offering extended usage away from power sources.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 excels in engineering and design due to its superior processing power with a higher-tier CPU, more RAM for multitasking, and a higher quality screen with better color accuracy and brightness, essential for detailed design work. Meanwhile, the ASUS Zenbook 14, while still capable for engineering tasks, offers less storage and a lower-tier CPU, which may slow down more intensive processes, although it compensates with a larger screen and a slightly more robust battery.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
8.3/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
8.1/10
8.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14 for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Zenbook 14 both have high-resolution displays with vibrant colors and brightness that make them suitable for tasks like browsing the web, working with documents, and watching videos, which are common in general use. Their screens cover a wide range of colors, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which is crucial for professionals in engineering and design who require color accuracy for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced visuals are key, the refresh rate on these laptops may not be high enough, leading to less smooth motion and potentially a less immersive experience.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 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
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the ASUS Zenbook 14 costs $300.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is favored for gaming and 3D tasks due to its stronger Intel i7 processor paired with the Iris Xe GPU, whereas the ASUS Zenbook 14, with an Intel i5 and the same GPU, delivers adequate but less impressive performance for such demands. Despite both having OLED screens, the higher CPU power in the S 13 model contributes to better handling of gaming and 3D graphics.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.8/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 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 Zenbook 14 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the ASUS Zenbook 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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