Asus Zenbook S13 OLED Review: Premium & Portable

PROS

• Aesthetic Design
• Superb Display
• Keyboard Elevation
• Compact and Travel Friendly

CONS

• Expensive
• Sub-Optimal GPU

Technical Specifications:

• Design: Aluminum body, Magnesium-aluminum alloy Lid
• Weight: 1 kg
• Dimensions: 296 x 216 x 10.9 mm
• Hinge: 180° ErgoLift hinge
• Durability: US MIL-STD 810H military-grade certification (26 tests)
• Color variants: Basalt Grey, Ponder Blue

Display

• Panel: 13.3-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) ASUS Lumina OLED
• Aspect ratio: 16:10 (11% higher vertical screen)
• Color accuracy: 100% DCI-P3 coverage, Pantone validated
• Brightness: 0.0005 - 550 nits
• HDR: VESA-certified DisplayHDR True Black 500
• Specs: Dolby Vision, 0.2 ms response time, 1000000:1 contrast

Performance

• CPU options: Intel Core i7-1355U (2P + 8E cores, up to 5 GHz), Intel Core i5-1335U (2P + 8E cores, up to 4.7 GHz)
• Node: 10 nm (Intel 7 lithography)
• TDP: 15 W (base) - 55 W (boost)
• Memory: 16GB/32GB LPDDR5 RAM (6000 MHz)
• Storage: 512GB/1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (up to 6.5 Gbps)

Convenience

• Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gb/s data, 4K display, 65W charging), USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A), HDMI 2.1 (TMDS), 3.5 mm audio jack
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Touchpad: ErgoSense touchpad (129 x 81 mm)
• Webcam: Full HD 3DNR camera with Infrared sensor and Windows Hello
• Battery: 63 WHrs, 65 W fast charging (USB Type-C)
• Audio: Dolby Atmos, Audio Booster, Smart Amp
• Keyboard: Edge-to-edge backlit chiclet keyboard, 1.0 mm travel
• Inclusions: Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021 (lifetime subscription)
• In the box: Designer sleeve

Asus Zenbook S13 OLED (2023)

Asus' Zenbook line has been synonymous with premium design, robust build quality, and top-notch performance. The company has once again raised the bar with its latest offering, the Asus Zenbook S13 OLED, which is currently touted as the world's slimmest OLED-equipped laptop, measuring just 10.9mm thin and weighing a mere 1,000 grams. But do the laptop's premium features justify its price tag? Read on to find out.

Asus Zenbook S13 OLED: Design, Build, and Ports

The Asus Zenbook S13 OLED's design is a thing of beauty. The laptop's chassis is crafted from magnesium-aluminum alloy, which gives it a sturdy yet lightweight build. Asus has played it safe with the Zenbook S13's design, opting for a matt finish on the top with a unique angular pattern on the back. Although, the matte finish is a double-edged sword. Although it accumulates dirt and fingerprint smudges, it still looks and feels premium.

The laptop's slim form factor and featherweight combination of 1cm and 1kg are phenomenal. To achieve this, Asus has implemented new CNC machining techniques, used a slimmer OLED panel design, shoehorned in thinner batteries, and used flatter fans to make the laptop even more petite.

The Asus Zenbook S13 OLED is also well-equipped in terms of ports and connectivity. The laptop has a comprehensive array of ports, including a full-sized USB-A port, an audio jack, an HDMI 2.1 port, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for charging and outputting to a 4K display. The Thunderbolt 4 ports are especially welcome, as they offer fast data transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps, which is four times faster than USB 3.2 standard. The inclusion of a microSD/SD Card reader would've been the cherry on top of the cake.

Asus Zenbook S13 OLED: Keyboard, Trackpad, and Webcam

The keyboard is a standout feature on the Zenbook S13 OLED. The keyboard is clicky and responsive despite its limited key travel, which allows it to be used comfortably for longer. The keyboard also offers three levels of backlighting, and the lowest setting is ideal for use in a dark room. I appreciate how the design ergonomics elevate the keyboard for a better typing experience. This also provides the laptop some breathing room to dissipate heat with ease.

The trackpad is impressive, with a large surface area that makes it easy to perform high-motor-skill tasks, such as highlighting text and precise selection of specific screen area. Unfortunately, there is no fingerprint sensor on the device, but Windows Hello face unlock is a fast and reliable alternative.

Asus Zenbook S13 OLED: Display and Speakers

The Asus Zenbook S13 OLED's 13.3-inch Lumina OLED display is a thing of beauty. It boasts a resolution of 2,880x1,800 pixels, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and an 85% screen-to-body ratio. The OLED panel provides excellent contrast, with deep blacks and rich colors that really pop. It produces vivid colors and deep blacks, making the viewing experience immersive and delightful.

The display is also HDR certified and can achieve a peak brightness of 550 nits, making it one of the brightest OLED displays on the market. The Dolby Vision feature is another welcome addition, which makes the visuals even more engaging.

The device's above-average stereo speakers produce clear and crisp sound, but lack bass and volume. Since the device is Harman Kardon-certified, I would recommend using headphones to unleash the true potential of the audio system.

Asus Zenbook S13 OLED: Performance

Under the hood, the Asus Zenbook S13 OLED is powered by an Intel Core i7-1335U processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. This configuration lends itself well to productivity workloads, such as web browsing, document editing, and photo editing.

During my time with the laptop, I found that it performed quite well, and I experienced no lag or stutters when multitasking. The laptop also has an Intel Evo rating, which means that it officially meets Intel's rigorous criteria for fast boot-up times, performance, and at least 9 hours of battery life.

The Performance profile is designed to handle high loads more efficiently. However, it also makes fan noise noticeable. Whisper mode is suitable for less demanding tasks, as it minimizes fan noise. However, for optimal performance, I recommend using the Standard mode, as it can prevent lagging and stuttering.

Although Asus includes pre-installed software on the Asus Zenbook S13, I wouldn't consider it a bad case of bloatware. Most bundled programs are either genuinely useful, or can be uninstalled easily.

Performance-wise, the Asus Zenbook S13 is powered by Intel Iris Xe graphics alongside the 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. This combination delivers enough power for everyday tasks like web browsing, video conferencing, and word processing.

For more demanding tasks like photo/video editing or gaming, it gets the job done. That said, don't expect to play the latest AAA titles at high settings. The laptop can still handle most older games or less demanding titles.

The onboard Intel Xe graphics solution is fine for content creation and light gaming. Although it may not be as powerful as a dedicated graphics card, it can still deliver reliable performance for most day-to-day tasks.

Asus Zenbook S13 OLED: Battery life

The Asus Zenbook S13 OLED's 63Wh lithium-polymer battery provides a battery life of up to 14 hours (video playback), as advertised by the manufacturer. During my real-world testing and usage conditions, I found that the battery life was indeed great, with the laptop lasting almost the entire workday (8 hrs) on a single charge. For reference: my workday typically involves using Microsoft Word and Google Docs to write scripts, replying to emails, testing gadgets such as Bluetooth earphones, and streaming content on YouTube. The included 65W Type-C charger is also fast and efficient, capable of charging the laptop from 0% to 60% in just 49 minutes. This is incredibly helpful if you need to quickly top up before heading out for the day.

Asus Zenbook S13 OLED: Conclusion

The ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED UX5304 is an excellent laptop that offers portability, durability, and performance. Its slim and lightweight design makes it ideal for people who are always on the go, while its OLED display, spectacular battery life, and high-end specs make it a reliable and powerful machine for office work, content creation, and casual gaming.

While it is an excellent laptop, it is not without its drawbacks. The ultra-low-power processor prioritizes endurance over performance, and users who require a laptop for heavy workloads may need to consider other options. Additionally, the laptop's price point may be a bit steep for some users.

Overall, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED UX5304 delivers premium features, durability, and an outstanding OLED display. It is perfect for professionals requiring a reliable and portable machine that can handle moderate workloads with ease.