ASUS - Zenbook S14 14" OLED 3K Touchscreen - Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 2026 - 32GB RAM - 1TB SSD - Copilot+ PC - Scandinavian White

I find myself caught between some different tasks - browsing, researching, AI agent tasks and even running a local Large Language Model and I was wondering if the ASUS Zenbook S14 could handle some of these without getting too bogged down. I’ll hit some major points and then get into the details below. Good: OLED Display / Resolution / Refresh Touch Battery Life Keyboard (backlight/quiet) Form Factor Ports CPU / RAM combo Intel NPU Color / Texture of Lid WiFi 7 3.5mm audio port Meh: Trackpad ASUS monster charger No webcam slider Bad: Nothing at all. Really. Normal Use … ASUS packaged this thing right - slim and sharp, just like the laptop itself. On unboxing, I didn’t even open the laptop and sent it right over to the charger until the orange charging light turned white, then it was time to play. I also loved the color as it didn’t become smudged with fingerprints and there seems to be a bit of a texture to it that I also liked when carrying it around. A notebook is a perfect description of this as I was carrying it around with little effort, just like I would with a notebook. Let me reiterate one part of my TL; DR above - I dislike nothing about this laptop. While I may not be a fan of the charging brick or maybe feel that the trackpad needs some extra pressing down to click - but wow, this little machine has pushed my iPad Pro M4 13” aside from when I got this for a week before I wrote this review. Microsoft’s Windows 11 setup experience doesn’t differ and still requires a Microsoft account to set it up (but you can ‘move’ to a local account after setup if you wanted). The ASUS Zenbook S14 has a glossy display that, like any glossy display, shows fingerprints and everything else that may land on the screen. And the display - shoot, OLED. Such a crisp screen that doesn’t tear letters as one of my other OLED displays does and the colors do not disappoint. The touch of the display is responsive and is there for me when I forget I’m on a laptop and back on an iPad. A 3k resolution is boasted in the specs - which was a new one to me. After looking it up, that resolution sits around 2880x1800 (one site says 2880 x 1620) and for my eyes, the recommended 200% scale zoom is perfect. In going through the menus, a 120Hz refresh rate is also available - so, I went right to that. While the world is going USB-C - this laptop is no different, however it does still have a USB-A port. I hate to say it, but yes - even as a techie, I still have some USB-A devices and one of them is a memory card reader - so grabbing a dongle all the time for USB-A support on my other laptops can be a pain. USB-C powers the laptop and also has no issues with a portable 15in display. Usage (given it’s Windows) has been stable, jitter free and when backed by 32GB of RAM and an Ultra9 processor - life is pretty easy. WiFi 7’s 6GHz offers wired speeds when running a speed test with minimal interference and obstacles. Don’t want to take the hit of 6GHz, then use a 5GHz band - or 2.4GHz if you’re far away - the same goes for any laptop or device: better speeds = less distance and few obstacles. A huge benefit to this laptop is the keyboard; smooth and quiet. I type on many types of keyboards and lots of laptop keyboards and there’s also a nice backlight that’s easily adjusted. Outside of a larger, thin “Air like” laptop, this is probably my second favorite. Not necessarily a “but” - but, the trackpad is a bit harder to click than I’d like. I thought I was having some phantom keypresses, but there are some hidden MyAsus Input settings for display, volume and forward/rewind. Pretty slick! Under the screen above the special keys is some upward heat dissipation which seems to lessen the bottom - keeping my lap from heating up too much during these wonderful summer months. Battery life you ask? Amazing. Easily 3 nights of couch browsing, researching and shopping - plus some daily tasks like email and social media. I must say, for a Windows laptop, I’m impressed. If I backed down to 60Hz - like most people will run at, I’m sure I could have squeezed out a few more minutes before I went into “power save” mode at 30% remaining battery. In some basic use, the webcam is pretty high quality however there isn’t a privacy slider - which some Windows Hello features will want to always be watching you. A few strips of tape made it blurry enough to not be able to see much, however - you forfeit using the camera regularly. It’s up to you how you feel about that, but for me, I appreciate a privacy slider. Lastly, a 3.5mm jack is there for wired non-USB headphones for those of us that still opt for a wire from time to time. Techie Notes … On top of all of the above during my normal day-to-day life, I loaded up WSL, Docker desktop and set up Ollama to run with OpenWebUI and a few mid-parameter models. Since this NPU lets you share some of the 32GB of RAM - and emulate roughly 18GB of VRAM … we’re not limited to the regular “Intel Graphics” 128MB or whatever silliness they normally run with. On top of that, 1TB of NVMe storage has plenty of room for experimentation with different tasks and models that eat up space if you forget to clean up after yourself. I read about an Intel Graphics setting (for this Intel model) that allows for 80% of the RAM to be used for VRAM - but in the Intel Graphics Software, I didn’t see it (maybe soon?). Low parameter models - like llama3.2:3b got me around 50 tokens/sec; the bigger the models, the fewer tokens. I tried DeepSeek 32b - and got a few runs before something took away some RAM and the model wouldn’t run - so it “can be done” just not easily. Why even try that? The way I see it, is that if I’m offline (crummy or super slow wifi at the car dealer), I have a portable little internet I can refer to and then double check the results of later, while not really missing any of my stride when working off a single table away from the office. Sure, some people prefer the iEcosystem to run some of this but remember - some are Windows folks. I happen to straddle both worlds and enjoy this as much as I do my Air-like laptop. Overall - what a great notebook/laptop; amazing display, great keyboard, great form factor and some oomph to run some techie LLM things. Highly, highly recommended!

5 Stars for ASUS solid metal build and cooling improvements and lite travel use for functionality. 5 stars for a well-built ultra lite travel laptop. 5 stars for looks. 5 stars for speed. 3 stars for one M.2 slot and a unknown drive. ASUS - Zenbook S14 14" OLED 3K Touchscreen - Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 2026 - 32GB RAM - 1TB SSD - Copilot+ PC - Scandinavian White Model: UX5406AA-ZB/S14_90 SKU: 6671015 This unit has significant improvements over most laptops. Examples are; very lite, extremely fast, compact, cooling, keyboard layout, and basic well designed laptop for functionality. Someone at ASUS has been good about pushing the quality up. Very nice! One drive is a definite downgrade. 1. Very sturdy all Aluminum white body! 2. Worked on first boot / no issues in updates 3. Twelve months parts and labor warranty 4. Complete printed manual with extended warranty options online and also in the MY ASUS APP 5. Side cooling/grip slots for back cover for removal (be sure you have all the 10 T4 screws removed/ one stays in but loose) See note below! Also, they have gone back to size T4 screws. Be sure to magnetize a bit in advance. 6. No heat shield for the M.2 4.0 drive. If you swap out/clone drives, be sure to turn off drive encryption in the settings. 7. Internal drive is fine the way it is! No upgrade needed but only one M.2 slot with no heat shield. Use the clone software that works for you. I could not get any software to recognize this drive. Samsung Magician could not recognize this drive even though it is a Samsung product (MIC). This is the second time I have had a M.2 4X4 drive that was not properly recognized. If you forget to turn off drive encryption before you start you will be in for a bad day at best. I discovered, by accident, that Acronis can wipe a drive if you select a data only un-encrypted drive to clone and stop it after 20 minutes. Also, there is a free software online (on initial use) that you can wipe the drive. 8. Small USB charger works great and fast 9. Never use additional security software with Microsoft built in complete security system 10. Keep MY ASUS (important FW update needed) and set up your account online/register for service. After warranty runs out consider delete if needed for space! Run the complete update in this APP! 11. Go into Microsoft settings and turn off everything you can live without. On initial setup say no to everything in life as you can always say yes later (exception security log ins). 12. Fully install XBOX and try to claim the 3-month pass. Having severe issues with 3- month free pass as it is broken as of today. If you are already a member this will not work. 13. Perfect business travel laptop 14. One USB A and 2 USB C make mouse, keyboard, and USB stick options easy 15. HDMI is a nice option but your 2 USB C (type 4) connections are a one place stop for everything. Full 3K external video with the ARK Intel video chip! 16. Installed 4 small stick-on furniture pads on the bottom for additional ventilation space! Be careful not to cover and vents. 17. WF 7 BE connections were perfect as I have a full WIFI 7 BE mesh network 18. Checked the WIFI 7 and it displays all my options and not just locked into one connection type. Extremely fast connection speeds. 19. Ten T4 screws and the clips are nicely weak. Don’t do this unless you have to. M.2 drive Philips screw in tight! 20. Cloning could not be done as the drive is not recognized as Samsung product. I had to remove the drive from the unit and do an external clone on another machine. Be careful! Turn off encryption! 21. The ASUS APP is a very nice product to keep you unit updated. 22. Sound is fine. 23. Battery life is phenomenal 24. Windows Hello is quick and accurate. 21. Most parts made in China. Installed XBOX Ultimate and played several games (Fight Simulator 2024, Minecraft Bedrock, Warcraft 3, etc). Fans were on the highest speed in auto mode for the high-end games. Cooling is sufficient. When completely finished setting the unit up, I updated the BIOS FW in the ASUS APP. Critical update for this unit. Windows update should catch all the rest. The 10 T4 head screws for back access panel were easy to find. If you are not an experienced hardware technician, you may want to skip this step. Fans came on at the right temperatures. Also, the keyboard FN keys allow you have multiple functionalities. Cloning software failed. XBOX-X controller is the best bet for games. The i9 CPU showed its strength in gaming mode as I was surprised how quick it was. The external mouse and keyboard were ok for some gaming with the lighted keys. I use an external XBOX controller for most games. For additional cooling, I bought an elevated laptop stand and can place a fan under it for extremely intense games (decided it was easier to place 4 furniture pads under the raised feet of the laptop). Not needed for 99% of the games. Read the manual on how to use the FN keys. The manual is your friend. Also, the keys are clearly tagged as to functions. No separate number key pad area (no issue). The sound worked perfectly on startup with no adjustments needed. The screen will open to 140 degrees. I could not find a function to turn on dedicated WASD key lighting Final thoughts! This a compact robust laptop. Fast and portable. Not being able to clone the drive without removing the 4X4 M.2 Stick was a significant setback. Wound up removing the drive and doing a very painful external clone on my desktop. Features! • Copilot+ PC on Windows 11 Home Copilot+ PC on Windows 11 Home brings you smarter search, quick summaries, and seamless task assistance—right when you need it. • Brilliance You Can See Experience brilliant visuals on a 14-inch OLED WQXGA+ 16:10 touch screen with vibrant color, deep contrast, and up to 1100 nit HDR brightness. • Effortless Performance, Elevated Powered by the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor with up to 50 TOPS, performance stays smooth and responsive through every task. • Smooth, Reliable Graphics Intel Graphics delivers smooth visuals and responsive performance for everyday work, play, and creative tasks. • Fast Memory for Smooth Multitasking With 32GB of high speed LPDDR5X RAM, apps stay smooth and responsive, letting you switch tasks, edit content, and work across multiple windows without slowdowns. • Spacious Storage for Everyday Files A spacious 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD ensures quick boot times, fast file access, and ample room for large projects, keeping heavy workloads feeling smooth and effortless. • Slim. Light. Effortlessly Luxurious. Remarkably slim at just 0.51″ and weighing only 2.65 lbs, Zenbook S14 delivers effortless elegance in every moment. Designed for true mobility, it’s the perfect balance of sleek sophistication and everyday portability. • Bright, Comfortable Typing Enjoy comfortable, precise typing with a sleek chiclet-style keyboard that stays clear and easy to use—even in low light environments, thanks to its built in backlighting. • See Clearly. Sign In Instantly The FHD front camera with IR support delivers crisp video quality and enables fast, secure Windows Hello facial login, making every call and sign in smooth and effortless. • Hear Every Detail Smart Amp speakers and an array microphone deliver rich, detailed sound and clear voice pickup, creating a more immersive audio experience whether you’re on calls, watching content, or working on the go. • Strength for Every Day US MIL STD 810H certification means it withstands rigorous durability testing, giving you confidence and reliability through commutes, travels, and everyday moments. • Connected with Ease Enjoy versatile connectivity with USB A, dual Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5 mm audio jack—ready for your displays, accessories, and everyday convenience. What's Included Zenbook S 14 14" 3K OLED Touch Screen Laptop - Copilot+ PC - Intel Core Ultra 9 - 32GB Memory - 1TB SSD, Power Cord, Power Adapter Specifications • Key Specs Screen Size 14 inches Screen Resolution 2880 x 1800 Touch Screen Yes Refresh Rate 120Hz Brightness 1100 nits Processor Model Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 3 CPU Base Clock Frequency 2.1 gigahertz Storage Type SSD Total Storage Capacity 1000 gigabytes System Memory (RAM) 32 gigabytes Graphics Intel Graphics Display Connector(s) 1 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x Thunderbolt 4 Battery Chemistry Lithium-ion Backlit Keyboard Yes • General Brand ASUS Model Number UX5406AA-ZB/S14_90 Product Name Zenbook S14 14" OLED 3K Touchscreen - Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 2026 - 32GB RAM - 1TB SSD - Copilot+ PC Color Scandinavian White Year of Release 2026 • • Display Display Type OLED Screen Size 14 inches Screen Resolution 2880 x 1800 Touch Screen Yes Refresh Rate 120Hz Brightness 1100 nits • • Processor Processor Brand Intel Processor Model Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 3 Processor Model Number Ultra 9 386H CPU Base Clock Frequency 2.1 gigahertz CPU Boost Clock Frequency 4.9 gigahertz Number of CPU Cores 16-core Number of CPU Threads 16 Neural Processing Unit (NPU) Yes Maximum NPU Performance 50 trillions operations per second • • Storage Storage Type SSD Total Storage Capacity 1000 gigabytes Solid State Drive Capacity 1000 gigabytes Solid State Drive Interface PCIe 4.0 • • Memory System Memory (RAM) 32 gigabytes Type of Memory (RAM) LPDDR5X System Memory RAM Speed 8533 megahertz • • Graphics Graphics Type Integrated GPU Brand Intel Graphics Intel Graphics • • Compatibility Operating System Windows 11 Home • • Connectivity Display Connector(s) 1 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x Thunderbolt 4 Number of HDMI Outputs (Total) 1 Number of Thunderbolt Ports (Total) 2 USB Ports 1 x USB-A 3.2, 2 x USB-C 4 Number of USB Ports (Total) 3 Number of USB-A Charging Ports 1 Number of USB-C Charging Ports 2 Headphone Jack Yes Microphone Input Yes Wireless Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Wireless Standard BE Wireless Networking Standard Wi-Fi 7 • • Cooling C

ASUS has done something genuinely impressive with the Zenbook S14. Instead of just trying to make the fastest laptop possible, they clearly focused on making a machine where the battery actually lasts all day and the laptop doesn't turn into a loud, hot fan on your lap. Packed with 32GB of memory, this sleek model makes a compelling case for a premium daily driver, but it comes with a few design and performance trade-offs that any everyday power user should consider before buying. For my workflow, these specific design choices mean it doesn't have to do absolutely everything. It fits perfectly into my dual-laptop setup as a dedicated work and productivity machine, allowing me to leave the heavy lifting and modern AAA gaming to my separate gaming laptop. Since the Zenbook handles almost every task outside of heavy video rendering with absolute ease, leaning into its strengths as a pure productivity tool is a no-brainer. Right out of the box, the first thing you notice is the lid. ASUS uses a unique ceramic-aluminum blend they call "Ceraluminum." Instead of the familiar smooth metal feel found on most laptops, it offers a distinct, matte, stone-like texture that feels incredibly durable and stays completely free of smudges throughout the day. At just half an inch thick and weighing a featherlight 2.65 lbs, the entire frame feels remarkably solid and premium when you pick it up. In fact, it is actually lighter than my previous daily driver, the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro, which tipped the scales at 2.72 lbs with its keyboard attached. While the Zenbook can't double as a tablet like the Surface, walking away with a larger display and even better battery life in an overall lighter package is a fantastic trade-off. Much like the Surface, the Zenbook's ultra-slim profile means the keys don't travel very deep when pressed. However, because it is a rigid, traditional clamshell base rather than a detachable fabric keyboard, the deck has absolutely zero flex. The tactile response feels crisp and incredibly stable, making it an easy adjustment if you are used to typing on a thin, highly portable device. The centerpiece of this machine is the 14-inch 3K touchscreen. Because it uses OLED technology, the colors are incredibly vibrant, the contrast is perfect, and blacks are genuinely black. It also uses a taller screen shape, which gives you extra vertical workspace, which is perfect for reading long documents, managing large spreadsheets, or keeping multiple windows open side-by-side. What is genuinely surprising is the audio. For a laptop this thin, the speakers deliver a full, rich sound with an unexpected amount of bass, easily beating out most standard Windows laptops. For day-to-day work, the laptop handles heavy multitasking, dozens of browser tabs, and photo editing with absolute ease. However, because of the way this computer is engineered to save power, there are several performance quirks to keep in mind. First, the 32GB of memory is permanently attached inside for maximum efficiency, meaning it cannot be upgraded later. Buying this specific version is the smartest move to ensure the laptop stays fast for years to come. Second, while it is lightning-fast for normal tasks, it will slow down compared to rival chips if you push it with sustained, heavy-duty workloads like rendering complex 4K video projects. The massive benefit to this internal design is the battery life. In real-world use like web browsing and streaming video, it easily lasts between 11 and 15 hours on a single charge while staying virtually silent and cool on your lap. Finally, while it handles casual games smoothly, it lacks the horsepower to run the latest blockbuster gaming titles, though that is a non-issue if you already have a secondary machine handling your gaming needs. Unlike many modern ultra-thin laptops that force you to carry around an annoying adapter just to plug things in, ASUS deserves credit for keeping a highly functional physical layout. The chassis manages to include a standard HDMI port to plug into a TV or projector, a traditional USB port for older accessories, two modern USB-C ports, and a headphone jack. Ultimately, the ASUS Zenbook S14 is a beautifully made, premium laptop that finally gives Windows users the luxury build quality and all-day battery life usually reserved for a MacBook Air. Realistically, you can't serious game on a MacBook Air either, and that is precisely the point. When you treat this machine as the ultimate thin and light companion for heavy office productivity, web work, media streaming, and light creative projects, the lack of gaming muscle completely fades away. It stands out as a phenomenal, highly portable package that easily gets you through a full workday without a charger, leaving the gaming to the hardware actually built for it.