A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers superior performance with more RAM and storage, making it well-suited for intensive engineering tasks or 3D/machine learning applications, backed by a higher-quality OLED display with better color coverage. However, it is more expensive, slightly less portable due to its heavier weight, and has about the same battery life as its competitor. The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is slightly less expensive, very customizable with available RAM and storage slots, and has a repair-friendly design. Its IPS screen is larger, but with a lower pixel density, and it offers a good balance for general use with a high portability score. Both lack a dedicated GPU, therefore aren't ideal for intensive gaming or tasks that require hardware ray tracing and DLSS. 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
Advantages of the Framework Laptop 13 (2023)
- The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.5
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
472.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) 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
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
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 Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 boasts a high-resolution OLED screen and superior RAM, making it exceptional for design tasks that demand high color accuracy and multitasking capacity. In contrast, while the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is praised for its repairability and customization options, it may not match the ASUS's performance due to its lower RAM and screen quality.
Content Creation
8.5
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) 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
7.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) 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
7.4
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
472.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Framework Laptop 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you need a laptop with a vibrant and sharp display for tasks like document editing or web browsing, the Asus Zenbook S 13 stands out because it likely has a high resolution and bright screen. For engineering and design, where color accuracy is crucial, this same laptop likely offers a wider color gamut, ensuring that colors in your projects appear more accurately. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its poorer screen quality suggests a lower refresh rate, which means the laptop may not handle fast-moving images as smoothly, making it less ideal for high-speed gaming or intensive 3D modeling.
Battery
11.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Framework Laptop 13 has 7.5 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
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$1,079
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) costs $1,079.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.3
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
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 Framework Laptop 13 (2023) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its higher-performance i7 processor compared to the Framework Laptop 13 (2023)'s i5 processor and also because of its OLED screen, which typically offers better color representation and contrasts, enhancing visual experience for such tasks, despite both having similar Intel Iris Xe graphics and 60Hz screen refresh rates.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | Framework Laptop 13 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,079 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 11.7'' x 9'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 2.95 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 9.01" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i5-1340P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 472 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook S 13
See more
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."
Framework Laptop 13 (2023)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Wired
Scott Gilbertson | July 2023
"If you’re thinking of investing in your first Framework, now is the time. The kinks and rough edges have all been smoothed out and this is a very nice machine with a bright, upgradable future. The only reason I can think of to wait is the AMD model, which I’ll be sure to test as soon as I can get my hands on one."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Framework Laptop 13 (2023)
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.
About Framework
Framework is a new American laptop manufacturer, specializing in modular and repairable laptops with the goals of promoting longevity and reducing electronic waste. They are a strong proponent of the right to repair movement. Framework laptops have replaceable RAM, storage, ports, keyboards, display bezels, mainboards, and more, making them a great choice for repairability-oriented individuals.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare ASUS Zenbook S 13 vs. HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
VS
Compare ASUS Zenbook S 13 vs. MSI GP66 Leopard
VS
Compare ASUS Zenbook S 13 vs. Acer Swift 14
VS
Compare Framework Laptop 13 (2023) vs. Samsung Galaxy Book3 360
VS
Compare Framework Laptop 13 (2023) vs. Acer Nitro 5 15
VS
Compare Framework Laptop 13 (2023) vs. LG Gram 17
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,695
Recommendations made
22,468
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
