The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED was already one of our favorite OLED laptops this year, so we're understandably excited by the potential for the latest model powered by an AI-infused Intel 14th Gen Meteor Lake chipset with Intel Arc graphics.
The rest of the package remains quite similar, which is great news in this case as that means the same premium build quality and a gorgeous 2880 x 1800 Lumina OLED 120Hz touchscreen display. It's also slimmed down slightly from the previous version coming in at just over half an inch and 2.82 pounds (the previous model was 0.67 inches thick and 3.06 pounds).
As with all of the Intel 14th Gen laptops we are going to need to get them in our hands and in our labs to unearth the truth about them and the wait shouldn't be too long with the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405 due to arrive in early 2024, but here's the rest of what we know so far.
The NPU of it all
One of the big focuses for the new Intel Meteor Lake laptops this year is going to be the introduction of a neural processing unit (NPU). Now we've given you a look at what is an NPU previously, but the short version is that it enables low-latency AI computing tasks that should help to speed up your computer while also extending its battery life. Hard to be mad at that. This is a key component for the AI PC, a term we expect to be everywhere this year.
While Apple doesn't use that terminology, the Apple Neural Engine that it has lavished quite a bit of attention on in Apple Silicon is just a branded NPU and while it isn't the sole resign for the outstanding performance and efficiency of the M-Series MacBooks, it is certainly a factor.
Based on the benchmarks that Asus is showing for the Zenbook 14 UX3405 it's working.
Powerhouse performance
Again we will be running all of our own tests as soon as we get a review unit, but for now we have to go off of the benchmark results that Asus offered and they are impressive.
In the 3D Mark Fire Strike test the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405 scored 7769, that's a 50% jump from last year's Intel Core i7-1360p model. The 3D Mark Time Spy benchmark showed an even bigger leap, going from 1970 last year to 3453, an astounding 75% leap.
PCMark 10 testing showed more modest, but still solid upgrades with roughly a 25% boost to the overall score, productivity, and digital content creation. Gaming was the big winner on this one with a 50% bump, while the Essentials testing backslid by 3%.
Outlook
Starting at $1,299 when it arrives early next year there is no question the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405 is a premium laptop. However, while it was previously a solid thin and light with good battery life, the injection of Intel's 14th Gen chips may open it up to buyers that perhaps felt they needed a little more performance.
The inclusion of so many full-size ports in a laptop this portable with a pair of Thunderbolt 4, a USB-Type-A, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm headphone/mic jack also make this a potential dream solution for students or frequent travelers who don't want to carry dongles around with them.
Look for our review of the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405 early next year.
