Expert assessment
Advantages
- Good performance
- Brilliant OLED screen
- Compact and lightweight
cons
- Noisy fans
- Relatively expensive
Our verdict
The Zenbook S 13 OLED has great performance, good battery life and an excellent display, all within a device that weighs just 1kg. But the price tag and cooling mean it’s not the best ultraportable laptop you can buy, especially given the noise it makes.
Price at review
$1,399.99
Best prices today: Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304)
$1399.99
Opting for a thin and light laptop usually means making significant sacrifices elsewhere.
Performance, battery life, ports and display are among the most common compromises, but the 2023 Zenbook S 13 OLED manages to avoid them all.
Besides the premium price tag, are there any other reasons not to buy it? The short answer is yes, although they may not be deal breakers.
Design and build
- First-class design
- Extremely thin and light
- Feels very sturdy and durable
The ultralight Asus Zenbook models we’ve tested before varied widely in weight and were rarely among the lightest. That changes with this year’s flagship model, which is one of the lightest of 2023 so far at just under 1kg.
Even before you turn on the Zenbook S 13 OLED, it’s a striking computer
According to Asus, it is “lighter than any other 13.3-inch laptop in its class”. But what does that actually mean? There are other 13-inch laptops that weigh 1kg or less, so the more pertinent question is what Asus means by “its class”.
Judging by how it looks, we are talking about premium devices. Even before you turn on the Zenbook S 13 OLED, it’s a striking computer. The clean design and the cutouts in the display lid, inspired by the new Asus logo, make it unmistakable.
Mattias Inge
It’s a traditional approach to a laptop of this size, with the 13.3-inch display adopting the classic 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio.
The device is made of sturdy pieces of lightweight metal and has a rigid shape, although it creaks a bit when you turn it over. You don’t have to worry about long-term durability, though, with military-grade certification for impact resistance.
When opened, the back of the screen cover drops slightly behind the keyboard. This raises the back about an inch, leading to a more comfortable viewing angle and more effective cooling.
Specifications and Performance
- 13th Gen Intel or Ryzen 7000 CPUs
- Impressive all-round performance
- Fans can get annoying
The Zenbook S 13 OLED is one of the more expensive ultralight laptops you can buy, but you still get a lot of performance for your money.
With a powerful Intel Core i7 processor of the latest 13th generation, 16 GB of RAM, a massive 1 TB SSD and a high-resolution OLED display on the model I tested, expectations were high. Fortunately, Asus certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the performance of the Zenbook S 13 OLED.
It’s worth noting that a cheaper AMD Ryzen 7 version is also available in some countries, offering the same amount of RAM and SSD storage. But I can’t comment on performance or power efficiency since the one we received is the Intel version.
The latter is fast and broadly matches an M2 MacBook Air in most tests. There is a degradation in graphics performance, reflecting the choice of integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics rather than a discrete GPU.
Asus certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the performance of the Zenbook S 13 OLED
However, with a read speed of 7 Gbps, the SSD storage is also fast. To boost speeds even further, there’s the option to double the RAM to 32GB, though you’ll pay a premium.
Some rival laptops offer similar specs, but the lack of effective cooling systems can often limit performance. On the Zenbook S 13 OLED, the cooling is solid, but not the most subtle.
In “performance” mode, which should have the most active cooling, fans kicked in during simple tasks like watching YouTube or installing a new app. They can get annoying during more demanding workloads, but it’s the constant whining in the background that proves most distracting.
Mattias Inge
Like many laptops, the Zenbook is prone to overheating on the underside. This is a device that should be used on a table – not on your lap.
But despite the challenge of cooling in such a compact chassis, the hardware provides sufficient processing power. You can easily edit videos and photos with a high resolution, something that can’t always be said of thin and light laptops.
Display, audio and keyboard
- 13.3 inch OLED screen
- Impressive color accuracy
- Decent stereo speakers
ccc. It’s an OLED panel and offers all the vibrant colors and excellent contrast we’ve come to expect from them.
A maximum brightness of around 350 nits is fairly typical for a modern laptop, but it makes outdoor visibility a bit of a challenge. You may be able to get higher by turning on the HDR mode, with the latter delivering a truly impressive HDR experience.
Mattias Inge
Compared to the OLED screen on Acer’s Swift Go 14, you can also expect better color accuracy. Four presets are available: Native, sRGB, DCI-P3 and Display P3. All four look great, while the AdobeRGB coverage is equally impressive – you’re looking at around 96%.
The display of the Zenbook S 13 OLED is perfectly suited for its intended purpose
The Zenbook S 13 OLED has stereo speakers built into the bottom of the computer, plus Dolby Atmos support on the software side. As a result, you can expect a rich and full sound. Music has a distinctive sound and lots of bass, while the audio has great depth when watching movies or TV shows.
Below the screen is a full-size keyboard, though Asus has left wide margins on all sides. Being such a compact device means there’s relatively little key travel, something even more pronounced on Shift and Tab keys.
However, it’s still a comfortable keyboard to type on. It feels clicky and responsive, while the backlight is suitable for all ambient lighting conditions. The large touchpad is also impressive, delivering a precision you don’t always get on laptops.
Ports, webcam and software
- Many ports
- Impressive 1080p webcam
- Clean version of Windows 11
Despite being so thin, the Zenbook S 13 OLED packs an impressive number of ports. Both USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 (on Intel models) and can be used for charging, while you also get a USB-A and an HDMI port.
Devices like the Dell XPS 13 Plus make big sacrifices in this area, only offering USB-C. Fortunately, Asus has opted for something more practical. Wireless connections via Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are also solid.
Despite being so thin, the Zenbook S 13 OLED packs an impressive number of ports
Above the screen you will find a sturdy Full HD (1080p) webcam. It handles lighting well and offers decent colours, although you’ll need good ambient light for best results.
Asus also has an AI-assisted mode, which can blur the background, maintain eye contact with the camera, or keep your face in view at all times. It works well, but puts a strain on the processor and produces intense fan noise.
Mattias Inge
The Zenbook S 13 OLED runs on Windows 11 and there’s relatively little extra software. Besides Realtek and Dolby audio tuners and Intel chipset software, MyASUS is the only other additional pre-installed app. It includes several additional customization options, such as those for the display, cooling, and webcam. It’s a valuable addition.
Price and availability
The Zenbook S 13 OLED is a premium laptop, and the price reflects that.
In the US, you can pick up the reviewed Intel Core i7 model for $1,399.99 from both Asus and Best Buy.
The product page is live on the Asus UK site, but not yet available for purchase. We don’t yet know how much it will cost there.
Nevertheless, that US price puts it in direct competition with some of the best laptops money can buy. Among 13-inch devices, it’s arguably more rounded than the Dell XPS 13 Plus or Microsoft Surface Laptop 5.
Pronunciation
If you need a premium laptop, but portability is your number one priority, the Zenbook S 13 OLED is definitely worth considering.
Despite being just 1.2cm thick and weighing 1kg, none of the typical compromises are evident here. Performance is impressive, battery life is solid, and there are even plenty of ports. With a sleek design and an OLED screen to rival some of the best out there, there’s a lot to like here.
However, it is by no means perfect. The fans kick in regularly and can get annoying, while the keyboard lacks real depth.
It’s also relatively expensive, so the Zenbook S 13 OLED isn’t an immediate recommendation for everyone. But it’s a great laptop.
Specifications
- Screen: 13.3in, 16:19 OLED, 2880×1800, 60Hz
- Processor: Intel Core i7-1355U
- Graphics card: Intel Iris Xe
- Memory: 16GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Ports: 2x USB-C (both Thunderbolt 4), 1x USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack
- Camera: 1080p front-facing
- Wireless: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery: 63Wh
- Charging: 65W USB-C (included)
- Operating System: Windows 11 Home
- Colours: basalt grey
- Weight: 1kg
- Dimensions: 29.6 x 21.6 x 1.2 cm
This article was translated from an original posted on PC for Alla.
