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Lightweight laptops continue to get better and better. If it's been a while since you've been shopping for one, you'll be pleasantly surprised to discover that you no longer have to sacrifice battery life or performance to keep your portable PC light enough to lug around easily.
This is particularly true with the Asus Zenbook A14.
It somehow squeezes more than a full day's battery charge out of a device that weighs less than 1KG.
I've been using the Asus Zenbook A14 as a daily driver for the past two weeks (swapping this for my M4 MacBook Air, which is a very comparable laptop). While I have a few qualms, overall, this laptop is a top pick for anyone who values portability as paramount but still needs to tap into some high-performance tasks from time to time.
Asus Zenbook A14 (UX3407QA) Review
This specific laptop
I'm using this device on loan from Asus. They shipped me the Snapdragon X processor (there's an Elite processor for people who need even more performance) with 16 GB of RAM (you can upgrade to a model that has 32 GB) and the finish on mine is Zabriskie Beige (you can also get Iceland Grey).
For further context, my main PC laptop is a Zenbook S14 with 32 GB of RAM and an Intel Ultra Core Ultra 7 processor, so I have a bit of experience with Asus laptops, though less experience with Snapdragon processors. This review isn't a deep dive. I'm not going to Geek Out over specs and processors and differences. My intent with this article is to consider what an average person (like my parents or friends), who are less tech savvy, would want to know when considering a new laptop and speak to those points.
For those who prefer a video review, check it out on YouTube.
With that context, here are my thoughts on the latest Asus Zenbook model!
3 Main Pros of the Asus Zenbook A14
There is a lot to like about this laptop. The first thing I noticed is the striking and unique "beige" colour (the fact they call it beige is a mistake because it doesn't do justice to how unique and cool this looks in-person).
Obviously, though, colour isn't a great reason to buy or not buy a laptop, so let's look at the things that matter.
1. Battery Life is Amazing
Asus says this laptop will last 32+ hours on a charge. While I've never experienced that long of battery life, I can say this is a computer that allows you to safely leave the charging cable at home while you're using the device all day without regrets.
If you haven't had a new laptop in a long-time, this truly is a game-changer. It means no more searching around your office, the airport, or a cafe for a power source. Plus, it saves room and bulk in your backpack, further enhancing the portability of this incredibly thin and incredibly light laptop.
When gaming on-the-go (where "on-the-go" means not plugged in), battery life dipped noticeably. I'm currently flipping between a 25-year-old game on Steam (Deus Ex) and the new Indiana Jones game (because this laptop came with three free months of PC Game Pass, woo-hoo!), which would be fine examples for casual-modern gaming.
If you were a hardcore PC gamer, this laptop likely wouldn't cut it. But if you're a person who wants to play some modern games from time to time, or revisit old favourites, this laptop provides good performance when running most games and a nice display for enjoying them on.
2. Ports Galore
While this isn't a pro laptop, it shares features of many pro model laptops in the port department. Lots of ports take up lots of space, so many thin laptops ditch them to save room for the battery and maintain the machine's sleekness.
In the case of the Asus Zenbook A14, you get both: lots of ports and a thin laptop.
Asus managed to fit a full-size HDMI port, two USB4 ports with transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps (the same speed as Thunderbolt 4), a 3.5-mm audio jack, plus an A-style USB port.
This means you can connect to multiple external displays, transfer data between external drives at a high speed, and connect to legacy USB devices.
You don't get an SD card reader or hard-wired internet connection, but if you need those things, then just choose a decent dock or an adapter for the few times those things pop up.
3. AI Functions
Okay…here we go…the big buzz word of the past two years everyone uses to try and differentiate their products, let's talk about AI on this laptop.
The most meaningful way AI is being used on this device is something you'll never have to pay attention to, and that's the way the Snapdragon processor continually optimizes your device's performance supporting that super long battery life.
The processor has an NPU (neural processing unit) to handle AI tasks to free up your CPU and GPU to do other stuff. The CPU and GPU wouldn't be very efficient if they were continuously running AI functions (like the noise cancelling that happens on video calls with this laptop's built-in microphone) but the NPU was literally built for that kind of stuff. That's why you can get such good battery life out of this machine without needing a big, bulky battery.
Aside from that, most of the AI functions you'll encounter are things that are based on Windows, rather than this PC specifically (like interacting with Co-Pilot or using generative fill tools in Paint). So, while those are AI things and they're cool (well, Paint is pretty meh), you'll have a similar experience on most Windows laptops.
3 Main Cons of the Asus Zenbook A14
Overall, this laptop is very good, but there are a few sticking points that stood out while I was testing this.
1. Laptop Feel
My eyes were dazzled when I first saw this beautiful-finish on the laptop. Then, my hands were extremely confused when I picked it up.
The laptop feels cheap when you're holding it (spoiler, it's not). In your hands, it feels like a plasticky demo unit, like when stores put out a fake cell phone instead of the real one, so customers can see what it looks like.
I assume this has to do with the combination of materials needing to be light. It's difficult to strike the balance between something feeling solid and also maintaining a light weight. Even when you're typing and feeling the laptop under your wrist, something feels off.
I have to mention the feel because it was a shocking disconnect between how good this laptop looks and performs compared to the physical feel of it.
2. Fan Noise
Having a compact laptop and keeping it cool is another big design challenge. Overall, I think Asus did a very good job with this device. However, when the fan does kick in, it's quite noticeable.
When the machine is in performance mode, the device is working much harder and heats up quicker, so the fans need to kick in. When they do kick in, you definitely hear it.
Having said that, it was very rare that the fans activated in standard mode, so it's quite possible a casual user wouldn't even activate the fans. It mostly happened for me during video renders and gaming.
3. Price Point
I'm in Canada, and this laptop retails for about $1,400. While this is a very, very nice laptop, it's a tricky price point to shop in.
It's at the in-between price among Asus Laptops. Where this one shines most is for the portable weight to performance ratio. However, consider your needs carefully. If this is a basic browser, or you're doing mostly emails and documents, you might not need something this robust.
If you're seriously shopping and like what Asus brings to the table, consider taking a peek at a Vivobook S14 (the flip model has a unique form factor and is a little less powerful, but it's also quite a bit cheaper), and also take a look at the Zenbook S14 (it's heavier but has a nicer display and comparable AI tools).
Is the Asus Zenbook A14 worth it?
If you want one of the lightest laptops in this performance class, you will be extremely happy with the Asus Zenbook A14.
Premium Portability
Asus Zenbook A14
Geeking Out Shop
For its exceptional battery life and amazingly lightweight form, the Asus Zenbook A14 is great for those people who want to take their laptop everywhere they go. The generous sampling of ports keeps you productive. While the look is elegant, the feel is a little less premium. But, ultimately, this is a very capable machine to meet the needs that many people would look for in a laptop.
It has a phenomenal battery life, is extremely light to carry in your bag all day long, and that Ceraluminum finish is gorgeous. Plus, this thing has many more ports than basically any other laptop this thin and light that I have ever seen.
With the ports, performance, and battery life, this can help you stay very productive while on-the-go.
Aside from the cons I listed earlier, I did find the front-facing camera was a bit slow in lower light to unlock the device. And the battery life was impacted quite a bit while gaming (though, that's to be expected). And for me, personally, the display is a bit small for use at home, but if you pair this with a desktop monitor, then that's a non-issue.
And beyond the pros I mentioned, there is something delightful about how shockingly thin that display is and, if you're so inclined, you can upgrade the storage relatively easily if you find a good deal on a solid state drive.
For people prioritizing portability, and who don't mind paying just a little extra to get there, the Asus Zenbook A14 is a choice laptop you'll enjoy using for a long time.
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