Asus Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA laptop 14" WUXGA OLED Core Ultra 5 226V 16/512 GB

The Zenbook S 14 weighs 1.20 kg, which is very little for a 14-inch laptop: you can carry it in a shoulder bag all day without noticing. At the same time the battery is rated at 72 Wh and made up of four cells — a large battery among thin laptops. The manufacturer does not give a runtime in hours, but paired with the efficient processor it is designed for a long day away from the socket.

In an OLED panel every pixel produces its own light, so blacks are deep and contrast is far higher than on a regular LCD screen. Unlike many glossy OLED displays, this one has an anti-glare surface, so reflections are less distracting next to a window or on a train. The 1920 × 1200 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio give more rows in documents, and the refresh rate is 60 Hz.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V is an eight-core processor with a 2.1 GHz base clock and boost up to 4.5 GHz. The V series is designed for thin laptops where power efficiency and quiet operation matter most. Core Ultra processors also include a built-in artificial intelligence accelerator, used by Windows AI features and video call effects such as background blur.

The 16 GB of LPDDR5X is fast, power-efficient memory that handles a browser, office software and video calls at the same time. The 512 GB SSD boots the system quickly and holds documents, photos and applications. The integrated Intel Arc Graphics are suited to photo editing, watching video and light video editing, and an external monitor connects over HDMI.

Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) gives higher speeds and lower latency with a suitable router, and Bluetooth 5.4 keeps headphones and a mouse reliably connected. The FHD webcam with IR function lets you sign in with your face through Windows Hello. The backlit keyboard has a US International layout, and the Zumaia Gray chassis has an understated look that suits meetings as well as lectures.

Travellers and consultants for whom every gram in the bag counts; students who carry their laptop from lecture to lecture and need long battery life; office workers who split their time between home, the office and cafés; and anyone who wants an OLED screen without the reflections of a glossy finish.