The Zenbook S 13 offers a lighter, more compact design with impressive battery life, excelling in general use; it's great for those who prioritize portability and battery efficiency for routine tasks. The Zenbook Flip S13, featuring a touchscreen with a higher resolution, caters to those who need versatile use, like tablet mode or creative work needing a sharp display. While the S 13 may cost less, the Flip S13 provides additional flexibility at a higher price, potentially benefiting users engaged in more diverse activities like drawing or presentations that take advantage of its flipping capability and touch functionality. Give Feedback
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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 Zenbook Flip S13
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with a more recent and capable CPU, double the RAM, and a high-contrast OLED display, offers superior performance and screen quality for engineering and design tasks compared to the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13, which has a slightly older CPU, less RAM, and an IPS display. However, the Flip S13's touchscreen and 2-in-1 convertible form factor may appeal to those prioritizing versatility and direct screen interaction.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
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 Zenbook Flip S13 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
7.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 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
7.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Flip S13 boast high-resolution displays and excellent brightness, making them ideal for everyday tasks like browsing, document editing, and video streaming, which greatly benefit from clear and vibrant visuals. For engineering and design professionals, these laptops offer wide color gamut coverage, ensuring accurate color reproduction crucial for detailed and color-sensitive work. However, for gaming and 3D applications which thrive on smooth motion and fast refresh rates, these laptops fall short, as their screens prioritize resolution and color over the higher refresh rates gamers typically seek.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 mainly because it features a more recent processor and therefore a newer integrated graphics unit. Both laptops have a similar screen refresh rate and high-quality displays, but the improved graphical processing capabilities in the Zenbook S 13 enhance its ability to handle visually demanding tasks.
Battery
11.0 Hours
10.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has 10.5 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
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook S 13 to have best in class portability, while the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.8/10
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 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.
Cost
$1,400
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 costs $1,400.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 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."
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 Flip is an ultra-sleek 2-in-1 convertible. A gorgeous OLED screen and lightweight magnesium chassis make this convertible a traveller’s dream. Its SSD isn’t fast, but it won’t hold you back in everyday use. Its battery life also isn’t class leading, but it’s hardly off the pace. Overall, the Zenbook S 13 Flip OLED holds its head high in the premium convertible category and is a smaller alternative to the Spectre x360 13.5 and the Yoga 9i Gen 7."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13
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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