Asus Zenbook A14: Two-minute assessment
Regardless of it solely being February, Asus has already had it’s fair proportion of laptops revealed this 12 months. From the model new Asus Zenbook Duo showcased at CES, all the way down to the shiny ROG Ally gaming strains, it’s clear that Asus has been busy within the workshop. The Asus Zenbook A14 is not any stranger to the limelight, and this new 2025 version may simply be the best Asus laptop you may choose up proper now if not one of many best laptops in the marketplace.
Coming in at lower than a kilo, the Asus Zenbook A14 is extraordinarily light-weight, to the purpose I typically forgot it was in my backpack making it an important laptop computer to make use of on the go. Regardless of being so small, you additionally get a formidable battery life with Asus promising as much as 32 hours of video playback, which though the laptop computer didn’t fairly stay as much as, the battery was nonetheless fairly spectacular.
Whereas you could find different laptops which might give you an analogous efficiency at a less expensive value level, the Asus Zenbook A14 additionally encompasses a beautiful show which makes utilizing this machine to look at motion pictures an absolute pleasure.
Nevertheless, with nice efficiency and a few wonderful options comes a excessive value level. In the event you’re not able to splash the money with a value level of $1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899, then this may not be the proper one for you.
Asus Zenbook A14: Worth and availability
- How a lot does it value? $1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899
- When is it accessible? Obtainable now
- The place are you able to get it? Obtainable within the US, UK, and Australia
You possibly can at the moment choose up the Asus Zenbook A14 in most areas, although sure configurations are usually not accessible within the US. Sitting at a fairly steep $1,399.99, it’s undoubtedly a premium choice on the planet of productiveness laptops. It’s at the moment on sale within the UK, coming down to only £1,099.99 over on the Asus web site, however nonetheless costing above the £1,000 mark, there’s little doubt the Asus Zenbook A14 is dear.
Alternate options in the marketplace at this value level embrace the Apple MacBook Air 2024 edition, which options the M3 chip and is available in at $1199. You can too choose up the Microsoft Surface Laptop which is available in at round $1,099 for 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, whereas it doesn’t have a flashy OLED display screen, the specs are very related for $200 much less.
Worth: 3 / 5
Asus Zenbook A14: Specs
The Asus Zenbook A14 is available in 2 configurations, with the principle distinction being the CPU. You can too go for totally different RAM choices, however general you’ll discover a main leap within the efficiency of the upper specification laptop computer in comparison with the extra finances pleasant choice. Both means, you get your fingers on a fully beautiful show and light-weight chassis.
As of proper now, whereas the second mannequin is listed on the Asus web site, no retailers are stocking it and no costs are proven simply but.
|
Mannequin: |
UX3407QA |
UX3407RA |
|---|---|---|
|
Worth: |
$1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899 |
N/A |
|
CPU: |
Snapdragon X X1 26 100 Processor with Qualcomm Hexagon NPU as much as 45TOPS |
Snapdragon X Elite X1E 78 100 Processor; Qualcomm Hexagon NPU as much as 45TOPS |
|
Graphics: |
Qualcomm Adreno GPU |
Qualcomm Adreno GPU |
|
RAM: |
16GB LPDDR5X on board |
32GB LPDDR5X on board |
|
Display screen: |
14.0-inch, WUXGA (1920 x 1200) OLED 16:10 facet ratio, LED Backlit, 0.2ms response time, 60Hz refresh charge, 400 nits |
14.0-inch, WUXGA (1920 x 1200) OLED 16:10 facet ratio, LED Backlit, 0.2ms response time, 60Hz refresh charge, 400 nits |
|
Storage: |
1TB SSD |
1TB SSD |
|
Ports: |
1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Sort-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack |
1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Sort-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack |
|
Wi-fi: |
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (Twin band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.3 |
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (Twin band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.3 |
|
Digicam: |
FHD digicam with IR operate to assist Home windows Good day |
FHD digicam with IR operate to assist Home windows Good day |
|
Weight: |
0.98 kg (2.16 lbs) |
0.98 kg (2.16 lbs) |
|
Dimensions: |
31.07 x 21.39 x 1.34 ~ 1.59 cm (12.23 x 8.42 x 0.53in ~ 0.63in) |
31.07 x 21.39 x 1.34 ~ 1.59 cm (12.23 x 8.42 x 0.53in ~ 0.63in) |
As of proper now, you may’t alter every of those specification choices individually. If you need the SnapdragonX X1 with 32GB of RAM, then you definately’re out of luck. It’s additionally price noting that the reminiscence within the laptops is maxed out too, so when you choose up a mannequin with 16GB of RAM, you may’t add extra your self.
Asus Zenbook A14: Design
When first unboxing the laptop computer, the packaging already blew me away. Coming in an ultra-thin, light-weight field, I initially wasn’t even positive there was something in it due to how mild the laptop computer is. When choosing it up and shifting it round, the laptop computer felt extra like an iPad or pill by way of thickness and weight. Measuring in at simply 1.34cm (0.53 in) thick, the Asus Zenbook 14 was virtually thinner than my fingertip, and whereas my present Macbook Air is thinner at 1.13cm (0.44 in), the Zenbook truly felt lighter and smaller because of the sleek casing.
Whereas being glossy and beautiful, the aluminum casing on the laptop computer does really feel considerably like plastic making for a seemingly low cost end. You possibly can choose up the laptop computer in a Zabriskie Beige, which we examined, or an Iceland Grey. Trying again, I might have opted for the Grey model as an alternative because the beige considerably resembles the colour of recycled cardboard.
The keyboard may be very low profile however nonetheless makes for satisfying key presses with giant spaced-out buttons to stop an excessive amount of fats fingering when typing. You additionally get a big, easy trackpad which has a spread of different capabilities constructed into the perimeters corresponding to growing the quantity and brightness.
You get just a few ports on the Asus Zenbook A14, together with one USB-A port, two USB-C ports, a HDMI port and an audio jack. Whereas this can be a first rate quantity of ports by fashionable laptop computer requirements, it definitely wasn’t sufficient for me when plugging in peripherals corresponding to a mouse, USB headset, further displays and so forth. I used a USB extender more often than not I used the laptop computer. I ideally would have had an additional USB-A port.
Design: 4 / 5
Asus Zenbook A14: Efficiency
Typically, utilizing the Asus Zenbook A14 has been an important expertise and I’m truly disenchanted that my assessment interval with it’s coming to an finish. Proper off the bat, having a laptop computer this light-weight is such a pleasure, I can take it wherever with me and don’t must assume twice. Typically I get annoyed taking my laptop computer on the go as a result of weight and impending again pains however I didn’t really feel that for a second with this machine.
When truly booting up the Zenbook, the very first thing I observed was how lovely the display screen was. The OLED panel is past spectacular and watching motion pictures or movies on this factor was nice. Given how related specs for laptops might be these days, the principle standout for me is when a tool can ship energy in addition to some flashy options, and the OLED display screen does simply that.
Asus Zenbook A14: Benchmarks – Laptops solely
Here is how the Asus Zenbook A14 carried out in our suite of benchmark assessments:
3DMark: Evening Raid: 16215; Hearth Strike: 3606; Time Spy Excessive: 507
GeekBench 6: 2103 (single-core); 8793 (multi-core)
CrossMark: Total: 913 Productiveness: 764 Creativity: 1135 Responsiveness: 817
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 17h 16 min
TechRadar film take a look at: 22h 25 min
Whereas the Asus Zenbook A14 didn’t ship the most effective rating in our Time Spy Excessive take a look at, this machine clearly isn’t made for gaming or excessive intensive processes. In the event you’re intending to finish professional stage duties in your laptop computer, like 4K video rendering, then this in all probability isn’t the laptop computer for you. I did try some enhancing on Photoshop whereas additionally being in a video name on Groups and the machine didn’t stutter even for a second, which was a breath of recent air from my Macbook Air which begins screeching if I open too many Chrome tabs without delay.
Even when having a load of various applications open without delay, or whereas placing the laptop computer by its paces throughout benchmarking, it stayed extraordinarily quiet the entire time. At first I used to be fearful it wasn’t cooling very effectively but it surely stayed at an inexpensive temperature whereas additionally being quiet sufficient for me to barely hear it – it is an important selection when you don’t need to disturb everybody round you when you use your laptop computer on a prepare or airplane.
Efficiency: 5 / 5
Asus Zenbook A14: Battery life
One of many fundamental promoting factors of the Asus Zenbook A14 is the battery life, with Asus claiming 32 hours of video playback on one cost and I’ve to say it undoubtedly felt like I used to be capable of stretch the battery out of this factor. Regardless of utilizing it day by day for work after which watching motion pictures and movies on it within the night, a single cost would final a few days simply.
In my PCMark 10 battery life take a look at, I discovered that regardless of turning off the lighting on the keyboard, it could generally come again on periodically. I might then flip it again off with the faucet of the F4 key, nevertheless this does make me imagine that I in all probability may have gotten some extra utilization outing of the machine had this not occurred. My TechRadar film take a look at felt a bit extra correct because of the lighting staying off, coming in at over 22 hours.
Whereas neither of those scores stack as much as the promised 32 hours, when not utilizing the laptop computer with fixed video playback, it is clear that you simply’ll get your cash’s price out of the battery.
Battery: 4 / 5
Ought to I purchase the Asus Zenbook A14?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Worth: |
Laptops with related specs and processing energy can are available cheaper, nevertheless you do get further options with the Asus Zenbook A14 like a stunning display screen. |
3 / 5 |
|
Design: |
The Asus Zenbook A14 is glossy and beautiful, it’s so light-weight I typically forgot it was even in my backpack. Nevertheless it may do with an additional port or two. |
4 / 5 |
|
Efficiency: |
Utilizing the machine was a pleasure, and I had not a single concern the entire time. For these on the hunt for an important productiveness laptop computer to make use of on the go then the Asus Zenbook A14 is perfection by way of efficiency. |
5 / 5 |
|
Battery: |
Fairly spectacular battery, nevertheless not precisely in step with the claims made by Asus. |
4 / 5 |
|
Common Ranking: |
Total the Asus Zenbook A14 is a strong laptop computer, offering you with strong efficiency, wrapped up in a light-weight, moveable and glossy chassis. |
4 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally Contemplate
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How I examined the Asus Zenbook A14
I spent two weeks utilizing the Asus Zenbook A14, changing my typical laptop computer for on a regular basis utilization. I used the laptop computer for productiveness together with work functions in addition to leisure and leisure like watching movies and flicks.On prime of typical on a regular basis utilization, I benchmarked the laptop computer utilizing a variety of software program corresponding to 3DMark, Geekbench and PC Mark.
First reviewed Feb 2025