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AMD recently announced their latest processor releases for both desktop and laptop computers, and the Asus Zenbook S 16 OLED is one of the first laptops to feature the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU. The inclusion of the latest tech from AMD brings a whole host of new features, such as Radeon 890M graphics, on device AI processing and claimed improvements to efficiency and battery life. This is all packaged in a slim and lightweight laptop, finished partially with a mixture of ceramic and aluminium, which Asus call ‘Ceraluminum'. We put the Zenbook S 16 OLED through it's paces to see just how good it really is…
Timestamps
Specification
- Processor – AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370 Processor 2.0GHz (36MB Cache, up to 5.1GHz, 12 cores, 24 Threads); AMD Ryzen™ AI up to 81 TOPs
- Graphics – AMD Radeon™ 890M Graphics
- Neural Processor – XDNA up to 50TOPs
- Display – 16.0-inch, 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate
- Memory – 32GB LPDDR5X on board
- Storage – Micron 2400 1TB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 4.0 SSD
- I/O
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
- 2x USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C support display / power delivery
- 1x HDMI 2.1 TMDS
- 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
- SD 4.0 card reader
- Keyboard and Trackpad – Chiclet Keyboard, 1.1mm Key-travel, Precision touchpad, With Copilot key
- Camera – FHD camera with IR function to support Windows Hello
- Networking – Wi-Fi 7(802.11be) (Tri-band)2*2 + Bluetooth® 5.4 Wireless Card
- Battery – 78WHrs, 2S2P, 4-cell Li-ion
The core specs can be confirmed with the following CPUZ and GPUZ screenshots
The system ships with the fan configured in the balanced profile within the MyAsus software. Asus recommend changing this setting to the performance profile to ensure optimal performance from the CPU. This can be confirmed in the following Cinebench R23 multicore results, obtained from an average score from a set of 3 sustained 10 minute benchmark tests.
The laptop and specifically the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU impressed us in regards to efficiency. Achieving good results during Cinebench R23 multicore tests while using just 28w over a sustained test.
Finally, the overall system performance when measured with PC Mark 10 did fall short of some comparison systems and processors, namely the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS found in the Geekom A7 Mini PC we reviewed on the channel a while ago.
However, this may be due to the new AMD architecture still being very fresh to the market and we may see scores improve as testing software is tweaked to account for these changes.
Overall the Zenbook S 16 OLED impressed us. It's an efficient laptop that can deliver great performance while using very conservative amounts of power. For full details and a much more in-depth set of testing and benchmark results watch our full video review over on YouTube.
The ‘Cerluminum' finish on the top case is gorgeous and feels robust and very good quality. The 3K OLED Asus Lumina screen is sharp, vibrant and punchy and leave little to be desired. The laptop is slightly let down by an average keyboard and trackpad.
You can purchase the Asus Zenbook S 16 OLED from most major UK tech retailers, starting at £1599.99.
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Pros:
- Exceptional battery life.
- Vibrant, 3K OLED Screen.
- Premium ceramic and aluminium finish on the top lid.
- Good performance.
- On device AI processing.
Cons:
- Poor quality trackpad.
- Only average keyboard.
- Chassis flexes too much.
KitGuru says: The Zenbook S 16 OLED is an efficient and powerful laptop, with great battery life, gorgeous 3K OLED screen and a stunning design.
