Since the release of Apple's M1 processors in 2020, MacBooks have been the laptops to beat when it comes to balancing portability, performance, and power efficiency. That first M1 launch was a signal of change in the computing industry. We've watched other chipmakers scramble to keep up in the years since. Intel's new Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" series is the latest attempt to chip away at that MacBook supremacy.
The Asus Zenbook S 14 UX5406 (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V) is one of the first and most compelling Lunar Lake laptops so far, and we're pitting it against the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M3). The Zenbook S 14 is similarly ultra-light and thin, so while it isn't fanless like the MacBook Air 13, the two laptops are rivals in ultra-sleek designs.
