The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a high-resolution OLED display, more storage and memory, and a newer, slightly more powerful processor, but at a higher cost. It's also extremely thin and light with a premium build but has less battery capacity than the LG Ultra 13. Conversely, the LG Ultra 13 is more affordable, provides satisfactory performance for everyday tasks, and has longer battery life. However, it has a lower-resolution IPS screen and less memory and storage. If you need a laptop for more demanding tasks and can invest more, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 may be the better choice. For general use and a tighter budget, consider the LG Ultra 13. 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 speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the LG Ultra 13
The LG Ultra 13 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the LG Ultra 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers better general use performance with its high-quality OLED screen, more RAM, and a superior CPU, enhancing multitasking and visual experience, while also providing high portability and good battery life. In comparison, the LG Ultra 13 still delivers good performance for general use with a decent CPU and sufficient RAM, but with lower screen quality and less battery life; however, it maintains good portability and manages heat more effectively.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is favored for engineering and design due to its higher RAM capacity, more advanced CPU, and superior screen quality with OLED technology and higher resolution, which enhance visual precision essential for such tasks. Conversely, while the LG Ultra 13 offers decent performance with a capable CPU and adequate RAM, it falls short in screen quality with an IPS display at a lower resolution, making it less optimal for detail-oriented engineering and design work. Both are portable, but the ASUS stands out with its cutting-edge specs for demanding use.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the LG Ultra 13 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
4.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the LG Ultra 13 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
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the LG Ultra 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 boasts a higher resolution and superior brightness, which enhances the clarity and detail of images, making it a better fit for both general use and detailed engineering work. Its screen also covers a wide range of color gamuts, crucial for professionals in design, who need precise color accuracy for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its screen falls short due to a lower refresh rate, making it less smooth and responsive compared to displays optimized for such purposes.
Battery
11.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The LG Ultra 13 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.
Cost
$1,400
$529
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the LG Ultra 13 costs $529.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and LG Ultra 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers superior gaming and 3D performance due to its Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are more powerful than the Vega 7 graphics in the LG Ultra 13, and both have screen refresh rates of 60 Hz which are standard for good quality display but not high for gaming. Additionally, the ASUS has a higher-resolution OLED screen, contributing to better screen quality compared to the LG Ultra's IPS screen, enhancing the visual experience during gaming and 3D applications.
Portability
Best in Class
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook S 13 to have best in class portability, while the LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.4/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and LG Ultra 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
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the LG Ultra 13 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 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the LG Ultra 13
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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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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