ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED Review: A Fairly Good All-rounder

ASUS has recently launched the latest Zenbook 14 OLED, featuring the AI-powered Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and Intel Arc graphics. If you're on the lookout for a laptop that blends style and performance, especially emphasising portability, this one deserves your attention.

First things first, this thing is seriously thin and lightweight. We're talking 14.9mm thin and a mere 1.2 kg. Its sleek and modern design is complemented by a premium finish, giving it that sophisticated and professional look. However, it's worth noting that the darker Ponder Blue colour tends to catch fingerprints easily.

To achieve this level of sleekness, some sacrifices were made in the I/O department. You get 2 USB-C ports, 1 headphone jack, 1 HDMI port, and 1 USB-A port. Not a lot, but enough for those on-the-go situations. All the Type-C ports are on the right side, which got a bit annoying when I needed to use the laptop while charging. For those of us who rely on a mouse, having the ports on the right side can be a minor inconvenience as they tend to obstruct the workspace.

Like previous models, you can use the touchpad as a numpad, which is handy for entering numbers without a dedicated physical keypad. 

The Face ID feature is included, but unfortunately, there is no fingerprint reader. On the bright side, there's a camera privacy shield on top of the webcam, which is a bonus if you’re privacy-conscious.

Let's talk about that OLED HDR display – it's simply stunning. At 14-inches with 3K resolution, you can clearly see how the colours are vibrant, and the details are razor-sharp. Whether I'm watching movies, editing photos, or crunching numbers in spreadsheets, the visuals on this laptop are nothing short of breathtaking. Even though I don't use the touchscreen a lot, it's a nice feature to have.

Under the hood, the Zenbook 14 OLED packs a punch with the latest AI-powered Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and an integrated NPU AI engine. This ensures smooth and responsive performance, allowing me to multitask effortlessly and take advantage of the latest AI-enabled applications. With up to 32 GB of LPDDR 5x memory and a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, there’s ample storage space and memory for files and applications.

Now, let's talk about the benchmarks. We ran Geekbench 6, and the CPU's single-core result wasn't mind-blowing, with a score of 1317, but the multi-core performance hit a decent 9087. The GPU OpenCL score performed quite well with a solid 24439.

In my day-to-day use as a work companion – scripting, web browsing, watching shows, and even some light video editing – everything went smoothly with no lag whatsoever. I even tried gaming on it, and surprisingly, the experience wasn’t bad. Just don't expect high FPS counts, and you might need to tweak the graphics settings of more demanding games like CS2.

The keyboard is a pleasure to type on, featuring a comfortable layout and responsive keys. The 4-level brightness LED backlighting though is a bit dark even at maximum brightness. Then again, that soft backlighting does contribute to eye comfort during prolonged use.

In terms of audio, the Zenbook 14 OLED impresses with its Harman Kardon-certified Dolby Atmos system, delivering immersive and high-quality sound. The bottom placement of the speakers, however, can lead to slightly muffled audio when you use the laptop on your lap or on your bed.

A standout feature is the impressive battery life. With a 75 KWh battery, the Zenbook 14 OLED managed to keep up with my demanding usage, lasting a solid 5-6 hours without even activating the power saver feature. The option for fast charging is a convenience that I've come to appreciate, providing a quick recharge whenever I find myself running low on battery.

Priced competitively at S$1999, the Zenbook 14 OLED offers great value for its features and performance, making it a worthwhile investment for both professionals and casual users.

In summary, the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405) offers a comprehensive package, seamlessly combining style, performance, and versatility. With its stunning OLED display, powerful AI-powered processor, comfortable keyboard, and remarkable battery life, it caters to the needs of business professionals, students, and casual users alike, surpassing expectations in the realm of computing experiences.