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The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (2024) continues to impress as a versatile ultraportable laptop, offering a blend of sleek design, vibrant display technology, and competitive performance. Targeted at students, professionals, and creatives, this laptop aims to deliver premium features at a sub-$1,500 price point. Here’s a detailed breakdown of its strengths, weaknesses, and real-world performance.
Design and Build Quality
The Zenbook 14 OLED sports a minimalist yet sturdy aluminum chassis, available in colors like Ponder Blue and Foggy Silver. Weighing between 2.82–3.06 lbs and measuring just 0.59 inches thick, it’s highly portable, though the lid attracts fingerprints easily. Build quality is robust, with minimal flex in the keyboard deck and a hinge that allows one-handed opening. However, the design is divisive—some appreciate its understated look, while others find the etched geometric lid pattern dated.
Display: OLED Brilliance with Caveats
The star of the show is the 14-inch OLED panel, available in 60Hz FHD+ or 120Hz 2.8K resolutions. Key highlights:
- Vivid Colors: Covers 100% DCI-P3 for accurate color reproduction, ideal for photo/video editing.
- Deep Contrast: Inky blacks and HDR support enhance media consumption.
- Brightness: Ranges from 350 nits (SDR) to 500 nits (HDR), though it struggles in bright environments due to a glossy finish.
- Burn-In Risk: Long-term static content use may lead to permanent OLED burn-in, a common drawback of the technology.
Performance: AMD vs. Intel Configurations
The 2024 Zenbook 14 OLED comes in AMD Ryzen and Intel Core Ultra variants, catering to different needs:
AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS Model
- CPU/GPU: 8-core Ryzen 7 with Radeon 780M integrated graphics.
- Strengths: Exceptional battery life (15+ hours in video playback), outperforming Intel models.
- Use Cases: Ideal for productivity, light gaming, and multitasking. PCMark 10 scores (~6,772) rival pricier laptops.
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H/185H Model
- CPU/GPU: 16-core Intel CPUs with Arc integrated graphics.
- Strengths: Better single-core performance for burst tasks (e.g., Geekbench 5: 1,809 single-core).
- Weaknesses: Throttling under sustained workloads (e.g., Cinebench scores drop from 13,843 to 8,000).
Creative Work: The Intel model handles 4K video editing in DaVinci Resolve but lags in color grading and multitasking when unplugged. For GPU-heavy tasks, consider the Zenbook 14 Pro OLED with RTX 4060.
Battery Life: A Tale of Two Chips
- AMD Model: 15+ hours of light use, making it a standout for students and travelers.
- Intel Model: 8–10 hours of mixed usage, requiring midday charges for heavy tasks.
Keyboard and Input
- Keyboard: Spacious layout with decent key travel, though some find it mushy compared to rivals like the Lenovo Slim 7.
- Touchpad: Large and responsive, with optional numeric keypad lighting (AMD model).
- Stylus Support: Included with Intel models, but lacks magnetic storage.
Ports and Connectivity
The Zenbook 14 OLED offers:
- AMD Model: 2x USB-C (USB4/3.2), 1x USB-A, HDMI 2.1, and a headphone jack.
- Intel Model: 2x Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, and microSD (varies by config).
Drawbacks: No Ethernet, and limited ports compared to Acer Swift Go 14.
Audio and Webcam
- Speakers: Harman Kardon-tuned speakers deliver loud audio but lack bass depth.
- Webcam: 1080p with AI features (background blur, auto-framing) and a physical privacy shutter.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stunning OLED display[3][8] | Throttling under sustained loads[8] |
| Lightweight, durable build[7] | Mediocre port selection[3] |
| Strong battery life (AMD)[3] | Soldered RAM (no upgrades)[8] |
| Competitive pricing[8] | Reflective screen coating[7] |
Verdict: Who Should Buy It?
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED excels for:
- Students: Long battery life, portability, and a vivid screen for note-taking and streaming[2].
- Professionals: Sturdy build, Thunderbolt 4 (Intel), and color-accurate display for office tasks[8].
- Casual Creatives: OLED panel suits photo editing, but opt for 32GB RAM to avoid slowdowns[8].
Alternatives:
- Dell XPS 13 (2024): Brighter display, better battery.
- MacBook Air M2: Superior speakers and performance consistency[8].
- Zenbook 14 Pro OLED: Discrete GPU for heavy workloads.
Final Thoughts
The Zenbook 14 OLED strikes a balance between affordability and premium features, though its quirks (throttling, port selection) may deter power users. For under $1,300, it’s a compelling choice for those prioritizing screen quality and portability. Just keep your charger handy if you opt for the Intel model.