ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED Review: A portable option that performs beyond the mark
ASUS continues to build on its reputable Zenbook series with the 2023 Zenbook S 13 OLED. This time, with an added emphasis on sustainability.
Will the push towards eco-conscious products hinder performance? Or did ASUS manage to get it right in all areas both green and powerful?
Curious ourselves, we managed to get a test unit to see how the ‘most eco-friendly Zenbook ever made’ (their words, not ours) fares in everyday usage.
Here’s our review of the ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED.
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED (UX5304) Specs
Here are the specs of our review unit, which retails at RM4,999.
| Processor | 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1335U |
| Graphic Card | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| RAM/ROM | 16GB LPDDR5 on board |
| Storage | 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD |
| Display | 13.3-inch, 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, 60Hz refresh rate, 550nits HDR peak brightness |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) (Dual band) |
| Battety | 63WHrs, 2S2P, 4-cell Li-ion |
There is also an upscaled variant utilizing an Intel i7-1355U with 1TB SSD storage, which retails at a higher price of RM5,999.
Design and Built
This year’s Zenbook S 13 gets a huge nod of approval from us in terms of aesthetics. They’ve swapped out the ASUS monogram logo on last year’s Zenbook to a pattern of lines that cuts across the entire laptop lid.
It still forms the ‘A’, but is now much more distinctive and noticeable, which is a good thing when it comes to branding. Just as how people know from sight that someone has a Mac in hand, will people soon know when you’ve got a Zenbook?
Aesthetics aside, the lid and the chassis on the Zenbook S 13 OLED is a refreshing step away from the usual plasticky/metallic feel on most laptops. It’s more rugged this time, and maybe even a little stone-like? Whatever it is, it definitely feels like a solid and hardy device.
ASUS attributes this to the use of Plasma Ceramic Aluminium (PCA), which aside from being fingerprint-resistant, is also fully recyclable. Note that PCA is only used in the Basalt Gray model – which we fortunately got hold of – and not in the Ponder Blue variant.
Other than that, the Zenbook maintains the super sleek <1cm profile, making it a great portable option for on-the-go users. The ErgoLift hinge, which raises the Zenbook slightly off the surface for airflow, is also kept.
Displays and Keyboard
In true ASUS fashion, the Zenbook S 13 OLED continues to deliver top-class OLED visuals. For casual users, the display is all you can ask for and more. But designers, videographers, and photographers in particular will appreciate that it is Pantone Validated and True Black 500 certified.
It is a solid and portable option if visuals is a key factor in your day-to-day. The Zenbook S 13 OLED is 13.3″, with 3K (2880 x 1800) resolution and 550nits peak brightness. Refresh rates however, are only at 60Hz.
The Zenbook S 13 OLED isn’t touchscreen though, which would’ve been a nice-to-have feature to go along with the 180° flat-lay hinge.
On that note, even at its full range of 180°, the screen somehow doesn’t lay flat on the surface. Instead it sort of hovers slightly over the surface at an angle. It isn’t anything major since you probably won’t be working with screens flat on the table anyway.
A mild annoyance, but nevertheless the versatility is useful especially if you find yourself succumbing to awkward positions while on your laptop (say, when you’re binging Netflix on the couch?).
Typing and scrolling – if you’re nitpicky about those things – was pleasant. The touchpad is nice and wide, and you’ve for got some travel distance for your fingers before reaching the borders.
We’re glad ASUS included the Keyboard Light, which illuminates the underside of the keycaps if you’re working in the dark. Which by all means you should refrain from. But if you’re caught in that situation, the Zenbook S 13 OLED is TÜV Rheinland and SGS Eye Care certified, so at least you’re covered to that extent.
Performance and Ports
There are two processors you can choose from for this year’s Zenbook S 13 OLED. You could go with the higher-scale variant with i7-1355U CPU with 1TB storage, which retails at RM5,999. Or, opt for the i5-1335U variant with 512GB storage which retails at RM4,999.
For our review unit, we got the i5-1335U CPU with 512GB storage.
The Zenbook S 13 OLED best functions as a working laptop. Your entire suite of Microsoft and Google products will run without problems. It’s powerful enough to run even demanding software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, and the likes.
One particularly great app for seamless photo sharing is the Phone Link app, which connects your Android or iOS smartphone to the laptop. Once connected, recent photos taken from your phone will appear on the Phone Link app on your laptop, which you can then immediately download. You can also make calls, and send SMS messages via the app.
On the gaming front, the Zenbook S 13 OLED isn’t really the go-to option (it is after all, a productivity laptop). Casual gaming – such as your Counter Strikes and Valorant – will run just fine. Trying to load anything akin to World of Warcraft and Call of Duty may require you to compromise on graphics, or deal with a rapidly whirring fan on overdrive.
Batteries remain excellent, and you should be able to squeeze out 8 – 12 hours comfortably depending on usage.
For ports, the Zenbook S 13 OLED has 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, one of which will be used as the main power charger; 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A, 1x HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Eco-friendliness
The one thing you’ll notice when unboxing the Zenbook: no plastics.
As part of their push towards sustainability, ASUS has swapped out plastic and styrofoam with cardboard instead.
Product packaging? Cardboard.
Box handles? Cardboard.
Package cushioning? Cardboard.
In fact, the entire packaging unit of the ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED is recyclable. According to ASUS, everything is sourced from FSC Mix-certified paper; meaning it is made from responsibly managed forests.
Aside from packaging, the Zenbook S 13 itself is built with recycled components. For instance, you’ll find traces of post-industrial recycled (PCR) material in the chassis, keyboard cover, and keycaps.
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED – The Verdict
If you’ve made it to this point, you can probably already tell – there’s not much negatives to say about the Zenbook.
All in all, it can be described as a portable option that performs beyond the mark. A combination of great displays, easy-to-carry portability, decent processors, and a design that’s both solid and eye-pleasing makes it a great device for anyone.
The 2023 Zenbook does bag a steeper price tag, but it’s an option you can’t go wrong with.
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