Verdict
The Asus Zenbook S 13 organic light-emitting diode ( 2023 ) had a mass to go up to , with its herald a solid challenger for the best laptop of 2022 . The 2023 model is still very good but a switch to Intel and a centering on being supremely tenuous and light has kept it from being a crowning achievement .
Pros
Cons
Introduction
The Asus Zenbook S 13 organic light-emitting diode ( 2023 ) is set to be another barnstormer from the prolific blade . On the face of it , the new version sees the 2022 model boosted with a more fashionable facial expression and an even trimmer joist aim . But , there ’s more to the narration .
TheZenbook S 13 OLED ( 2022)was our top laptop computer of last year , gaining a 5 - star reexamination . It was a sensational achievement , top out many telling devices from contender like Apple , HP , Lenovo and more .
For the new model , Asus is not resting on its laurels , attempt to raise what the previous version did best and fix a key criticism . It ’s not an easy chore and the consequence demonstrate the pursuit of perfection can lead to you taking one step onwards and two step back . Here ’s my full reexamination .
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Design and Keyboard
The fresh Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED is one of the most impressive laptops on the market right now when it come in to plan . The old model was n’t much of a dish but it was impressively lightweight in its own right .
With the 2023 looping , Asus has managed to enhance this somewhat further but , also , with a fresh design eyelid , make this laptop quite the peach . The new hat is , both , stylish and middle - catching . It ’s a massive stride up from the bland 2022 model and offers something unique when compare with challenger ’ relatively unornamented designs . The unequaled hat is spring of blood plasma ceramic Al , giving it a tactile feel . That ’s the most eye - catching part of what Asus calls its “ most sustainable Zenbook ever ” , with post - consumer recycled , post - industrial recycled and ocean - hold fast material used throughout as part of the all - metal chassis .
The dimension come in at 296.2 x 216.3 x 10.9 mm and 990 GiB , and the proof is in the holding . Picking up this laptop computer , it often feel like you ’re lifting up a dummy model of a gadget , not something wielding the latest productivity element . It ’s astonishing . Not even Apple’sMacBook Airgives off this point of tremendous design vibes – only aniPad Prosurpasses this laptop computer in the jaw - droppingly slender - and - light airstream .
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Asus jell a high streak for itself when it do to keyboards , with its gambling laptop computer headstone being some of the dear around . The S 13 organic light-emitting diode does n’t quite experience up to this standard , but it ’s largely expected , with such a slight chassis . The leanness intend there is n’t a immense amount of change of location and , when you ’re in full current , it can palpate like you ’re thud against the laptop ’s hard deck of cards . But , it ’s a passable experience overall .
The trackpad is signally big for such a modest gadget , with a responsive and pleasing click from corner to corner .
You ’ll also find boosted ports compared with the previous generation . The 2022 model offered a paltry natural selection of just threeUSB - Cports and a phone jackass . This time out , there are twoThunderbolt 4ports , a USB - A , an HDMI 2.1 and an audio combo diddly-squat . That boost up to Thunderbolt 4 come with the switch from AMD to Intel for the 2023 version . The webcam is substantial , offer a Full HD resolution and an overall pleasant picture , but nothing rotatory .
Display and Sound
As a equipment for medium playback , the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED is a mixed , if mostly positive , bag .
The 13 - inch 16:10 2.8 1000 OLED panel is nothing short of arresting . It offers a solid max cleverness of 355nits , which is hike up even further for HDR mental object . But where this OLED truly glow is with its colourful performance .
It ’s remarkably exact , with a coverage of 100 % sRGB , 94 % Adobe RGB and 100 % DCI - P3 . As an organic light-emitting diode , the line comes in at a perfect 0:1 .
The result is a display that ’s a joy to take care at in almost any scenario . The contribute pixels and squarer aspect proportion make this an idealistic laptop computer for productivity , even at its small 13.3 - inch size . The vibrant attend make this phenomenal for watch out television anywhere too , greatly boosting the visuals of the most cinematic movies .
Unfortunately , the sound does n’t astound in the same way and does n’t come close to the best productivity laptop verbalizer on the market from the ilk of theMacBook Air M2 .
The speakers are by no agency bad , offering average levels of detail that do n’t disappear at eminent bulk and a smidge of freshwater bass . But , paired alongside this wondrous screen , it would dramatically reduce the cinematic enhancement they provide . You should probably just go with headphones . But , for the rum TV or podcast - listening session , they are absolutely fine .
Performance
The operation that the Zenbook S 13 OLED manages to achieve adds up to a strong productivity performing artist – no ill there . But , how this laptop computer deal with thermals as well as the reduced multi - core and graphical capabilities does keep back it back .
Asus has kick the bucket with a 13th Gen Intel U - serial chip for the Zenbook S 13 organic light-emitting diode , which makes sense given how supremely slender this laptop is . Our reexamination model comes with an Intel Core i7 - 1355U ( the onlyCPUoption coming to the UK , but a Core i5 version will be useable in some region ) , 1TBSSDand 16GBRAM .
On the human face of it , the combination is more than enough for serious productivity usance and it does take a peck to get this simple machine to bug out to stall – think upwards of 20 - 25 tabs . That ’s seemly but not remarkable . you’re able to see from our benchmarking tests above that this machine mostly stay fresh up with fundamental rivals but it ’s obvious that Intel ’s uranium - serial publication deficiency in the multi - core department for more demanding workloads .
The SSD speeds are extremely competitive , if not some of the best around . The solution come in at 6892.75MB / s read and 5165MB / s write , pinch Samsung’sGalaxy Book 3 Prowrite speed comfortably and destroying the Acer Swift Go 14 across the instrument panel .
Further , the graphic operation is drastically shrink from the previous contemporaries . Our 2022 S 13 organic light-emitting diode followup blow its capability as a low - end gambling and creativity automobile but the 2023 modeling is n’t up to that at all . Its capability only come in at scraping by with the most canonical low - requirement gaming and editing , and nothing close to the Medium quality games public presentation we found with last year ’s interlingual rendition .
If you ’re in this for productivity , that wo n’t worry you all that much . However , the veridical problem here is the fans . The fans sound off in early on and aggressively . As soon as I began with some moderate multitasking or launched up of 7 - 9 tab , the sports fan haphazardness was loud and quite richly - pitched . It ’s enough to stimulate concern on my part and , sure , enough that I ’d not advocate this laptop to anywhere who wants anything like a quiet laptop experience . The fans are fast-growing and eager .
There is a godsend in the form of Asus ’ Whisper Mode , which hold back the fans and still offers middling productivity performance . But , forfend such pestering devotee noise should be the default and not require you to dive into the configurations and fix performance .
Battery Life
The bombardment capacity of the Zenbook S 13 organic light-emitting diode has drop down to 63Wh from the 67Wh of the previous role model , and it shows . Instead of letting you scarper well into the next day , you just get a scrap extra in the tank for the following forenoon .
In our benchmark testing , that added up to just under 12 hour . That ’s a few hours less than theMSI Prestige 13 Evo , which features a similar bod but a worse IPS LCD presentation . Nevertheless , the result comfortably tops many rival productivity machines , including theGalaxy Book3 Proand its largerZenbook 15 OLEDstablemate .
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Should you buy it?
This laptop computer is a remarkable feat of invention that is usually reserved for luxury brand like Apple . The gorgeous OLED display matches up to this standard too .
The 2022 S 13 OLED declare oneself substantial productiveness as well as surprising gambling capability . The new exemplar miss graphic and multi - core power , while also featuring consistently irksome fan noise .
Final Thoughts
The Asus Zenbook S 13 organic light-emitting diode ( 2023 ) is n’t the best laptop computer of 2023 , mark off a footmark backwards from the stunning2022 manikin . The move to Intel ’s U - serial chip and a desire for even greater lightweight dimensions has see Asus come a cropper . A high start price of £ 1499/$1399.99 , with only the Core i7 model available in the UK , also starts it off on unsteady ground .
It ’s not a immense fall from free grace though , with the devotee noise being the largest irritant , but it can be dodged with Asus ’ Whisper Mode . The productiveness capabilities are up to sniff and it ’s remarkably portable , while the succulent OLED display is a phenomenal coup d’etat for this laptop computer . But , just do n’t expect much in the direction of gaming or creative capabilities .
If you want thebest Windows laptopfor fashionable lightweight design , this is still right up there , and the shelling liveliness remains strong too . But , for a more well - round off bundle , view rivalry in the signifier of theMacBook Air M2,Samsung Galaxy Book3 ProandAcer Swift Go 14 . Or , even , debate theAsus Zenbook S 13 OLED ( 2022)if you’re able to find it for a reduced price as it remains a 5 - star simple machine .
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How we test
Every laptop we go over go through a serial of uniform checks designed to approximate key things including physical body quality , performance , screen quality and barrage life .
These include conventional man-made benchmarks , written tryout and a series of real - world checks .
FAQs
No , the OLED panel on the Zenbook S 13 organic light-emitting diode is not a skin senses display .
The latest edition of the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED will be released in July 2023 .
No , the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED comes with RAM solder to the motherboard and , as such , is not user upgradeable .
Test Data
Full Specs
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