When choosing between the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16, the Zenbook offers a lighter and more compact build, making it more portable, but with a smaller screen size. It uses an AMD processor and comes with an OLED display that does not support touch input. The Zenbook also has a higher contrast ratio and covers a broader range of colors, important for visuals. On the other hand, the Flex 5 has a larger, touch-enabled screen with a taller 16:10 aspect ratio and uses an Intel processor. Although heavier, it provides a higher RAM capacity out of the box and claims slightly longer battery life. If your primary need is a vivid display and portability, consider the Zenbook. In contrast, if you value screen real estate and touch functionality for potentially more productivity-oriented tasks, the Flex 5 could be a better fit. Both are priced in the lower midrange segment, with the Zenbook being slightly more expensive and the Flex generally costing less. 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 13
Excellent portability
Good speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 for general use, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 likely has a high resolution and brightness with a premium panel type, making it excellent for general use and detailed work in engineering and design, while its richer color gamut ensures accurate color reproduction vital for such tasks. However, its lower refresh rate impacts its performance for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial. In contrast, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 still offers a good quality display adequate for general tasks and engineering, but like the ASUS, it lacks the high refresh rate needed for optimal gaming and 3D experiences.
Battery
9.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$890
$740
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $740.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its lightweight design and an OLED screen, is highly portable and offers a superior visual experience, making it excellent for general use, particularly where good screen quality and battery life are very important. The Lenovo Flex 5 16, on the other hand, provides more RAM and a larger, higher-resolution touchscreen which can be beneficial for multitasking and interactive use, though it is less portable due to its larger size and weight.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its AMD Ryzen 7 5700U Vega 8 graphics and Lenovo Flex 5 16, with its Intel i7-1255U Iris Xe graphics, are both suitable for moderate gaming and 3D work due to their fair integrated GPUs, which can handle some graphical demands but are less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs. Both have screens with a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, beneficial for general use but potentially less smooth for fast-paced games that benefit from higher refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
7.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is better suited for engineering and design tasks than the ASUS Zenbook 13 primarily because it has double the RAM and a higher screen resolution, which are crucial for running engineering software and detail-oriented work. While the Zenbook 13 offers portability and an OLED screen, the Flex 5 16 provides a larger screen with touch capability, essential for designers who may benefit from hands-on interaction with their content.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.6/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3/10
7.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for software development.
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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 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 13 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, 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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