ASUS Zenbook A14: Ultra-Lightweight Wonder Compromised by Performance Limitations

By introducing the Zenbook A14, ASUS has achieved a remarkable level of portability. Weighing in at only 2.2 pounds, this 14-inch laptop feels more akin to a tablet than a traditional laptop when lifted. Its distinctive Ceraluminum exterior, combining ceramic and metal elements, positions the Zenbook A14 as a higher-end option compared to LG’s flimsy ultra-light Gram models. However, the tradeoff between size and performance exists, and in this instance, ASUS has introduced the slowest Copilot+ PC that we have encountered thus far. But this characteristic enhances its appeal as a genuine lightweight.

To clarify, the Zenbook A14 is suitable for basic productivity tasks. Equipped with at least 16GB of RAM as a Copilot+ AI PC, it handles multiple browser tabs and standard office and photo editing applications with ease. Yet, the Snapdragon X X1 chip limits its capacity for more demanding tasks, so it’s not ideal for gaming or video rendering. Additionally, this Arm chip necessitates the emulation of Intel and AMD applications, resulting in slower performance. Some software, particularly older applications, may not be compatible at all, including games like Fortnite that utilize anti-cheat mechanisms.

While the Zenbook A14 may initially appear as a rival to the MacBook Air, it more accurately highlights Apple’s prowess in balancing performance and design. Though it is slightly heavier at half a pound, the MacBook Air can handle video editing, 3D rendering, and casual gaming effectively. The limitations in performance you’ll inevitably encounter with the Zenbook A14 won’t be present with the MacBook Air.

ASUS

78100Expert Score

ASUS Zenbook A14

The Zenbook A14 is incredibly light and aesthetically pleasing, but its performance is hampered by its sluggish Snapdragon X processor.

Pros

• Remarkably slim and light
• Stunning 14-inch OLED display
• Reliable keyboard
• Abundant ports available

Cons

• Noticeably slow Snapdragon X chip
• Too pricey considering its capabilities
• Trackpad sensitivity is lacking

$1,100 at Best Buy

Nonetheless, there is still a market for an ultra-lightweight laptop with modest power. The A14 is particularly suited for on-the-go writing, boasting an impressive battery life of 18 hours and 16 minutes according to the PCMark 10 test. Plus, the Zenbook’s average gaming ability could inadvertently enhance your productivity.

If you already own a desktop or a bulkier laptop, the A14 could serve as an excellent secondary computing device. For casual web browsing, responding to emails, and watching videos, you may not even notice its performance limitations.

Hardware

Unboxing the Zenbook A14 creates an astonishing first impression. The packaging feels astonishingly light, and the reality of a 14-inch laptop weighing only 2.2 pounds is remarkable. Additionally, it has a well-balanced feel in hand, akin to a fine chef’s knife. My appreciation for ASUS’s ROG Zephyrus G14 and G16 from the previous year is amplified by the Zenbook A14’s demonstration of the company’s evolution beyond creating basic MacBook imitations.

The quality of the Zenbook A14 is also highlighted by its comfortable-to-hold Ceraluminum case. This material feels cozy and warm in hand, contrasting sharply with the cold touch of Apple’s MacBooks and most all-metal laptops, particularly in frigid office environments. Furthermore, Ceraluminum feels solid, eliminating any flex within the A14’s slim design.

ASUS clearly dedicated effort to enhance the usability of such a lightweight device. The innovative hinge design ensures the A14 remains stable when the screen is lifted with one hand. In contrast to previous light notebooks, which required both hands to operate, the A14 simplifies opening with just one hand—an essential feature for multitasking parents.

This laptop also boasts an impressively slender profile, yet it remains steady enough to avoid display wobble while typing on your lap. This may appear to be a trivial point, but unstable screens in thinner laptops have become a major grievance for me. It reinforces ASUS’s attention to detail in the A14.

Speaking of thoughtful design, I was delighted to find that ASUS has included an impressive range of ports: two USB-C ports, one USB Type-A, a full-sized HDMI output, and a headphone jack. In comparison, Apple’s MacBook Air only offers two USB-C ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack.

Performance: A Functional Arm-based Windows Laptop

It is unfortunate that ASUS’s well-thought-out hardware is compromised by the Snapdragon X X1, an eight-core system-on-chip (SoC) aimed at ultra-slim, low-power devices. In both benchmarks and real-world usage, this processor is noticeably slower than the X Elite and X Plus chips found in devices like the Surface Pro. As previously mentioned, this is a crucial tradeoff that ASUS accepted to achieve such a slim form factor, which may prove to be a dealbreaker for some users.

Nonetheless, the Zenbook A14 manages my essential productivity routine well: browsing on Chrome and Edge with numerous tabs open, along with running Slack, Spotify, and occasional photo editing applications. However, when compared to the Surface Pro and Laptop, it resembles a base model vehicle, lacking the luxury features one would expect. This is especially disheartening given its similar pricing to those PCs. Currently, Best Buy lists our review unit, featuring 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, for $1,100. If a better processor were paired with these specifications, I would view the A14 as a wise investment. As it stands, this is a device that feels more suited for a price below $1,000, ideally with 16GB of RAM and a smaller SSD.

While using Edge and Chrome, I experienced minor lags when switching between tabs and multiple windows, particularly with native apps built for Arm processors. Additionally, Snapdragon chips have to emulate previous x64 and x86 Windows applications, leading to further performance degradation. During this review’s writing in Evernote (a x64 program), the A14 occasionally struggled with smooth scrolling through lengthy notes and took extra time to load older data. (Notion, the owner of Evernote, actively states that they «do not officially support ARM processors at this time,» leaving users vulnerable to significant issues.)

One advantage of utilizing a comparatively slow processor is remarkable battery performance. In PCMark 10’s battery evaluation, the Zenbook A14 lasts for 18 hours and 16 minutes, exceeding Dell’s Copilot+ XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite by roughly 30 minutes, and lasting two and a half hours more than last year’s Intel Core Ultra-run Zenbook S14.

I found the Zenbook A14 most beneficial when I wasn’t scrutinizing its specifications or searching for its rare slowdowns. It serves exceptionally well for writing tasks, managing emails, or finishing tedious corporate training. Its keyboard is both responsive and enjoyable to type on, although I do wish the touchpad registered clicks with better precision.

The Zenbook A14 also excels when it comes to watching Netflix in bed since it feels almost weightless, and its 14-inch OLED display renders video beautifully. However, the speakers are rather tinny, making headphones a better option for extended viewing sessions. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of its 1080p webcam, which provides decent video and supports easy login using Windows Hello IR.

Should you consider the Zenbook A14?

Due to the combined struggles with Arm compatibility and the slow processor, I cannot recommend the Zenbook A14 as a primary laptop for most users, even though its pricing positions it as a competitor to the MacBook Air. This seems more of a trial by ASUS to gauge consumer openness to compromises for such a lightweight laptop. Instead of this underwhelming ultra-thin device, many could find greater satisfaction with a model like the Zenbook 14 OLED, priced at $1,050 for 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. Although it weighs 2.8 pounds instead of 2.2, it remains quite portable.

Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air, starting at $999 with an M4 chip, is heavier than the Zenbook A14 but offers considerably more performance. Even the older M2 chip surpasses the Snapdragon X in speed, and macOS supports a broader range of Arm-compatible applications with more efficient emulation than Windows.

Conclusion

If ASUS aimed to create a remarkably chic ultra-light laptop, they nearly succeeded with the Zenbook A14. Despite its advantages in weight and cost compared to the MacBook Air, its subpar processor limits its overall capability. Perhaps future versions with upgraded hardware could finally realize the vision of a powerful ultraportable laptop weighing close to two pounds. For now, it might be wise to hold off on purchasing until you can find a discount, allowing the A14 to fulfill a role as a secondary machine.