STACK #246 April 2025

TECH REVIEW

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REVIEW

Hunting for a keenly priced Windows 11 laptop with some impressively top-line specs, and the latest in Copilot+ AI support?The slick new ASUS Zenbook A14 may just tick all your boxes. Words Amy Flower ASUS ZENBOOK A14: WITH COPILOT+, EVERYTHING’S ZEN

Check the specs The Zenbook A14 range starts with a Snapdragon X Plus X1P 42 100 processor featuring a 30MB cache, up to 3.2GHz, eight cores, and eight threads, coupled with a 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The next step up packs in a Snapdragon X Elite X1E 78 100 processor with 42MB cache, up to 3.4GHz, 12 cores, and 12 threads. It comes with 1TB of SSD storage and 32GB of RAM.

dedicated key to call up your AI helper – to the right of the spacebar – and amongst the usual function keys there’s one for the very handy keyboard backlighting, one to turn off the inbuilt Full-HD webcam, and even one for emojis! Respectable battery life is another must-have in a good laptop, and the Zenbook A14 packs a huge 70WHr battery that promises up to 32 hours from one juicing up, enough to get you through workdays with ease. It’s also worth noting that the charger is satisfyingly small, making it easy to stuff into your laptop bag just in case. Another critical feature

W hether you’re after a workhorse for business, or a machine to get creating with, there are features to suit – all in one of the lightest laptops to have ever graced our desk. The Zenbook A14 weighs just under 1kg, belying the power that’s within. There are two models available – the differences being the power of the Snapdragon X processor at its heart, and whether there’s 512GB or 1TB of speedy SSD storage onboard, and 16GB or 32GB of RAM. While new to the PC space, the Snapdragon has proven itself in top-line smartphones for many years and delivers serious punch when coupled with Windows 11. From web browsing to the Microsoft Office suite, and even some workhorse graphics tools, everything we threw at it zipped along at a very serviceable clip.

Then we come to the Zenbook A14’s AI credentials. Its task-dedicated NPU is capable of up to 45 TOPS – that’s trillions of operations per second. Yes, it’s seriously powerful, which means less waiting around for AI tasks, and more time getting things done. Good looks never hurt in a laptop and the Zenbook A14 really shines, with a sleek matte finish made of a ceramic/aluminium hybrid that’s, not surprisingly, called

Ceraluminum. Not only does it have a premium feel, but it also serves as quite the suit of armour to protect your investment. Opening the Zenbook

of a laptop is, of course, connectivity. The Zenbook A14 has a full-size HDMI port for connection to an external TV or monitor, one USB-A, two USB-C

A14 reveals the quite stunning 14-inch, 16:10 ratio, 2K OLED screen. OLED is renowned for being the peak of screen technology, delivering brighter whites and perfect blacks, in this case aided with HDR support. Tested indoors, the screen performed brilliantly, and the big surprise was when we went outside for a bit of fresh air and still found the screen to be crystal clear, even in bright sunlight. The display also boasts low blue light emission certification to reduce eyestrain. With its solid keys, the keyboard has very pleasing feel, while the large, one-piece trackpad is super-responsive. Being the latest in Copilot+ PCs there’s a

(including one for the power block), and a 3.5mm port for

wired headphones or external speakers.

Online connectivity uses Wi-Fi 6E as standard, while Bluetooth v5.3 effortlessly handles peripherals like a mouse, external keyboard, or wireless ear gear. Audio-wise, internal stereo speakers perform pretty well for a laptop of this size, which is great for streaming when headphones aren’t required. The Zenbook A14 is a really capable laptop that delivers some very desirable bells and whistles, especially when it comes to up-to the-minute AI support, and it doesn’t cost crazy dollars.

48 APRIL 2025

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