The Asus Zenbook Pro 14 is a powerful notebook aimed at creative users or content creators. It features a regular design without the second screen found on the Zenbook Pro Duo, which addresses some of the disadvantages such as a thicker case, increased weight, and the positioning of the keyboard.
Despite its compact size, the Zenbook Pro 14 manages to accommodate efficient cooling for its fast RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, which is quite impressive for a 14-inch device. The GPU operates at 95 watts, although you may need to enable the optional Performance mode to fully utilize its power. The performance of the Core i9-13900H processor is also commendable.
Asus utilizes OLED displays in many of its devices, and the Zenbook Pro 14 is no exception. It features a first-of-its-kind 120 Hz OLED display, which enhances the smoothness of movements on the screen. However, the subjective image impression is not perfect due to the touchscreen, which introduces a slight grainy effect. Nevertheless, the display meets the typical specifications for current OLED screens, offering an SDR brightness of around 360 Hz and a maximum HDR brightness of over 550 cd/m². Color accuracy is excellent thanks to preinstalled profiles, and the display covers the P3 color space fully. It’s worth noting that at brightness values of 50% and above, DC dimming is employed, including the traditional and potentially harmful PWM flickering. However, Asus provides flicker-free OLED dimming as an option, allowing brightness reduction without entering the harmful PWM range. It would be beneficial if this feature were integrated directly into the regular Windows brightness control, eliminating the need to rely on the MyAsus software.
Specifications:
| Processor | Intel Core i9-13900H 14 x 1.9 – 5.4 GHz, 120 W PL2 / Short Burst, 90 W PL1 / Sustained, Raptor Lake-H |
| Graphics adapter | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU – 8 GB VRAM, Core: 2310 MHz, Memory: 2000 MHz, 90 W TDP ( including 15 W Dynamic Boost), GDDR6, 531.61, Optimus, MUX |
| Memory | 32 GB, DDR5-4800, Dual-Channel, 16 GB onboard + 16 GB SO-DIMM, max. 48 GB |
| Mainboard | Intel Alder Lake-P PCH |
| Storage | Micron 3400 2TB MTFDKBA2T0TFH, 2048 GB, 1833 GB free |
| Additional features | Speakers: Stereo Keyboard Light: yes Keyboard: Chiclet, 200W PSU, Stylus, Sleeve 24 Months Warranty |
| Soundcard | Intel Raptor Lake-P/U/H PCH – cAVS |
| Weight | 1.678 kg ( = 59.19 oz / 3.7 pounds), Power Supply: 556 g ( = 19.61 oz / 1.23 pounds) |
| Size | height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 321.8 x 223.3 ( = 0.7 x 12.67 x 8.79 in) |
| Battery | 76 Wh, 4920 mAh Lithium-Polymer |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 11 Home |
The Zenbook Pro 14 competes directly with Apple’s MacBook Pro 14, especially in terms of pricing. In terms of HDR capabilities, Apple has an advantage as its implementation of HDR in the operating system works flawlessly, and the mini-LED screen can reach over 1,500 cd/m² with suitable content. Additionally, the MacBook Pro boasts longer battery life and superior speakers. However, it lacks upgrade options, and the raw performance of the Zenbook Pro 14 surpasses it, at least when connected to a power source.
The Asus Zenbook Pro 14 offers a compelling option for creative professionals, with its powerful hardware, OLED display, and competitive pricing when compared to its Apple counterpart.
