The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with a higher resolution OLED screen and more RAM, excels in performance for demanding tasks and offers better visual quality, ideal for engineering or creative professionals. In contrast, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14 provides a touch screen, which may be preferred for interactive tasks and general use. Based on storage and memory capabilities, the ASUS is superior, particularly for intensive engineering or multimedia work. The HP is better suited for general use, with touch capability as a bonus. The ASUS's higher cost reflects its advanced display and performance specs, while the HP offers moderate savings with competent performance and touch versatility. Opt for the ASUS if your work demands top-tier visuals and processing power; choose the HP for a balance of functionality and value. 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 engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class portability
Advantages of the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
8.0/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" are both very good for general use, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 stands out for general use with its higher RAM and OLED screen offering vibrant colors and contrast, making it suitable for tasks requiring visual clarity and multitasking, while being lightweight and offering good battery life ensuring portability. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14", with its larger screen, has a good balance of CPU and RAM for general use, complemented by a touchscreen and excellent speaker and keyboard quality, although it is a bit heavier and could have slightly shorter battery life compared to the ASUS.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is considered very good for engineering and design due to its higher RAM capacity and the use of an OLED screen for superior color accuracy and contrast, making it ideal for detailed design work, whereas the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a strongly performing CPU and is lighter with a longer battery life, but its screen and GPU are less suited for the most demanding engineering and design tasks. Despite these differences, both laptops offer high-quality keyboards and manageable noise levels, but if screen quality and GPU performance are a priority, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 stands out, whereas for those prioritizing portability and a balance between performance and usability, the HP Dragonfly Pro might be a better option.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
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 HP Dragonfly Pro 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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
7.1/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a brighter, higher-resolution display, which enhances everyday activities such as browsing and watching videos, resulting in a visually pleasing experience for general use. For engineering and design, the Zenbook's adherence to professional color gamuts ensures that the colors you see on the screen are more accurate, which is critical for tasks requiring precise color work. However, due to its lower refresh rate, it falls short for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion and rapid response are essential for an immersive experience.
Battery
11.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has 10 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
3.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook S 13 to be very good for software development, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 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.
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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14" costs $1,400.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 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."
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the HP Dragonfly Pro 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.
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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
125,295
Recommendations made
27,148
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.