Thin-and-light laptops have come a long way in recent years and notebook computers from Asus in its Zenbook series are a perfect example of how increased portability doesn’t have to mean decreased performance. The latest Asus Zenbook A14 (UX3407) is one laptop that not only runs Microsoft Copilot+ features, you should check out for its sleek design and powerful Snapdragon X Series processor. At `1 lakh, it is expensive but given the hype today around AI PCs, you will be amazed at this Asus laptop’ speed and performance around work, gaming, streaming and more.
Let’s first talk about the design. The Zenbook A14 is lightweight (980g) and portable, allowing you to engage in your work anywhere. It has an extremely minimalist design too; after unboxing, the only thing that I was curious about is how Asus managed to pack so much into a 14-inch laptop weighing less than a kilogram. Also, the laptop lid, keyboard frame, and base are crafted from Ceraluminum, a high-tech ceramic material that gives it anti-wear, anti-scratch and smudge-free properties. The notebook offers a stone-like texture that’s as tactile as it is tough. It is available in Iceland Gray and Zabriskie Beige colours.
The Zenbook A14 comes in two variants: the Snapdragon X Elite (up to 45W) for intensive creative workloads, and the Snapdragon X (up to 28W) for efficient, on-the-go performance. Both feature the Qualcomm Hexagon neural processing unit (NPU), delivering up to 45 TOPS of
AI power for features like real-time language translation, intelligent power management, and adaptive multitasking.
Let me explain a bit here. These Copilot+ PCs need a fast NPU (that is part of their main processor) to run tasks such as live captions for videos or automated video special effects for your conference calls. Basically, the NPU in such AI PCs works in tandem with the CPU and GPU to optimise overall system performance. While the CPU handles general com
puting tasks and the GPU excels at rendering graphics, the NPU is dedicated to processing AI algorithms. In the case of Zenbook A14, you will breeze through your most demanding tasks.
‘Moving further, the 14-inch Asus Lumina OLED display impresses with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 1920 x 1200 resolution, and 600 nits peak brightness. Technically speaking, it is certified with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut and VESA DisplayHDR 600 True Black. For an ordinary user, this means vibrant and true-to-life visuals. While the OLED panels offer good picture quality, these are susceptible to burn-in where static images can leave a permanent imprint on the screen due to the organic materials used in their construction. OLED Care features on the Zenbook A14, like pixel shift and brightness adjustments, help mitigate this risk and extend the lifespan of the display.
The Zenbook A14 comes with up to 32 hours of battery life, advanced ambient cooling, and connectivity like USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 (on the Elite variant). There are dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support too. The keyboard and trackpad are also good.’Moving further, the 14-inch Asus Lumina OLED display impresses with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 1920 x 1200 resolution, and 600 nits peak brightness.
Technically speaking, it is certified with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut and VESA DisplayHDR 600 True Black. For an ordinary user, this means vibrant and true-to-life visuals. While the OLED panels offer good picture quality, these are susceptible to burn-in where static images can leave a permanent imprint on the screen due to the organic materials used in their construction. OLED Care features on the Zenbook A14, like pixel shift and brightness adjustments, help mitigate this risk and extend the lifespan of the display.
The Zenbook A14 comes with up to 32 hours of battery life, advanced ambient cooling, and connectivity like USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 (on the Elite variant). There are dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support too. The keyboard and trackpad are also good.
Key takeaways: The Zenbook A14 is thin and light and a powerful machine when it comes to work. A good combination of speed, efficiency & power. Highly recommended.
SPECIFICATIONS
n Display: 14-inch FHD+ Lumina OLED
n Processor: Snapdragon X Series
n Operating system: Windows 11 Home
n Memory: 16GB 8448 MHz LPDDR5X
n Storage: 512GB PCle 4.0 x 4 NVMe M.2 SSD
n Connectivity: Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 & Tri-band Wi-Fi 6
n Battery: 70 Wh Lithium polymer battery
n Estimated street price: Rs 99,990