ASUS proves yet again that it is a top contender in today’s Copilot+ PC market with their latest and lightest AI PC to date, the Zenbook A14.

Weighing less than a kilogram, the Zenbook A14 crushes competition in terms of portability and convenience. Yet it doesn’t cut corners in screen real estate and performance, boasting a 14-inch display and a powerful Snapdragon X processor.

Before its local release here in the Philippines, ASUS gave us the opportunity to have hands-on experience with the Zenbook A14 (UX3407QA) for a week.

Here are our thoughts on ASUS’ lightest AI PC yet.

First Impressions: Peak Portability, Sophisticated Style

I was well-aware of the Zenbook A14’s next-level lightness but holding it for the first time was still a pleasant surprise.

It weighs less than a kilogram and is about 0.5” thin. On paper, it’s expected to weigh around 899g, but our test unit was even lighter at 892g.

I can easily lift it with one hand and carry it around without breaking a sweat. You’ll feel the lightness even more when you handle it with the lid open.

With this build, the Zenbook A14 easily takes the lead in the realm of ultraportable laptops. So if you’re someone who constantly carries a laptop in your bag, upgrading to ASUS’ new AI PC will instantly improve your quality of life.

The feel and style of the Zenbook A14’s chassis did not disappoint either.

Its full chassis is made of ASUS’ patented Ceraluminum material. It combines aluminum with ceramic’s rich texture and lightness, resulting in a fingerprint-resistant finish with weightlessness that still feels very premium.

As for its aesthetic appeal, this Zabriskie Beige variant stands out with its elegant neutral tone that’s reminiscent of sandstone and goes well with the laptop’s matte texture.

They also have the Iceland Gray variant which sports a more classic color that’s just as sophisticated.

EasyLift to a Sizeable Screen

Opening up the laptop has been made effortless with the ASUS EasyLift Hinge, which allows you to lift the lid smoothly and wobble-free with a single finger.

The laptop hinge is often an overlooked detail, but this kind of improvement was something I didn’t know I wanted until I experienced it first-hand.

Onto the screen, this new ASUS laptop has a 14-inch WUXGA IPS (1920 x 1200) display with 90% screen-to-body ratio.

It’s not OLED-equipped locally, but this screen setup still has a very good display that aligns with its lower price point among flagships.

Its strength also comes from the fact that the Zenbook A14 gets to be the lightest but it didn’t resort to a smaller 13-inch screen. Instead, its 14-inch size is the right balance between substantial and compact.

The 16:10 aspect ratio even offers additional productivity advantage with its added vertical space for reading web pages and documents.

The laptop also has a snappy 60Hz refresh rate, vivid 100% sRGB color gamut, and TÜV Rheinland certification for your eye protection.

The brightness goes up to 400 nits, which is fairly bright even in well-lit areas. As long as I had shade over the laptop, there was no bothersome glare while I worked at its maximum brightness.

Its dual super-linear speakers are also pretty loud and clear for a laptop this light, which complements the display when it comes to media consumption.

Smooth Typing and Touch

Working with Zenbook A14’s keyboard and touchpad also offers comfort and convenience.

I can type away smoothly with its short key travel and quick feedback. Typing feels soft and subtly clicky. It isn’t too loud and distracting which makes it perfect for shared spaces like offices, libraries, and coffee shops.

Working alone, this laptop still has the satisfying clicks of the keyboard that further motivate my writing when in a flow state.

Working in darker environments is not a problem as the keyboard backlight has three levels of brightness.

The touchpad is also made larger, with handy smart gestures that make volume, brightness, and playback adjustments easily accessible.

Heavyweight on AI Capabilities

Under the hood, the featherweight Zenbook A14 is run by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1 processor that’s designed for powerful AI computing. It’s backed by 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD.

The Qualcomm Hexagon NPU also offers up to 45 TOPS that boosts its generative AI performance and speed.

You can pull up the Copilot AI Chatbot with just a click of the dedicated button beside the right Alt key. Responses are fast and concise as long as you ask it with specific and straightforward questions.

I didn’t encounter inaccurate or outdated information, and it usually adds reference links so you know you get credible sources.

Generating images is also fairly fast and precise in its details. Just make sure you write your prompts clearly and keep it within community standards.

Using the microphone to interact with the AI chatbot has also come a long way, Copilot’s speaking voice will make you think that you’re talking to an actual human. I even used Filipino to talk with it and it answered in our language.

But the Zenbook A14’s AI capabilities are not limited to the Copilot chat. It’s also equipped with a variety of built-in AI tools that make PC use more seamless and productive:

• Paint Features: Generate images from text or using your own scribbles using Paint’s Cocreator. The app is also now capable of Generative Fill and Erase.
• Photos App Features: Generate photos with Image Creator; turn images into different styles with Restyle Image; and turn blurry photos into crisp images with Super Resolution.
• Windows Studio Effects: Control your camera’s lighting and background filter which automatically applies to all your video calls, whatever the platform.
• Live Captions: Get real-time subtitles and translations on your calls.

Windows continues to develop more exciting updates for Copilot+ PCs with the following AI tools slated to further streamline your workflows and organize your digital workspace:

• Recall: This app creates a timeline of your PC screen snapshots. When you need to find something you saw on your screen, whether it’s in an email, webpage, or document, you simply describe it and the AI will find it for you instantly.
• Improved Windows Search: Looking for your files is no longer constrained to specific file names and content. Just describe what’s in the photo or file you’re looking for in your own words and Windows Search can now understand it.
• Click to Do: This feature offers advanced options when you click on a type of content. You can swiftly rewrite and refine text, remove or blur image backgrounds, and so much more with just a click.

Even without the use of its AI capabilities, the Zenbook A14 is also an excellent daily driver PC. Working with multiple tabs is a breeze while the lightweight dual fan setup keeps the ultraportable cooled and quiet.

Its performance also doesn’t change whether it’s plugged or running on battery. Work with your PC’s full potential even when you’re out and about and far from the nearest electric outlet.

For a closer look at how this AI PC fares in terms of processing power, here are our unit’s benchmark scores:

CineBench R23 – 916 (Single-Core); 4960 (Multi-Core)
GeekBench 6 – 2110 (Single-Core); 10540 (Multi-Core)

Ports & Power for On-The-Go Professionals

When an ultraportable pushes its boundaries, connectivity is usually compromised. ASUS made sure that you still have access to PC peripherals with the Zenbook A14’s full lineup of ports.

On its left is an HDMI 2.1 port, 3.5mm combo audio jack, and two type-C USB 4 ports with display and power delivery. Meanwhile, on the right side is a single type-A USB 3.2 port.

Powering this laptop is a lightweight 48Wh battery that takes advantage of the Snapdragon X chip’s generally lower battery consumption.

The Zenbook A14 promises up to 23 hours of offline video playback, but we also tested it for its intended use.

The usual productivity tasks such as browsing the internet and typing documents consumed 11% to 13% of the battery every hour. Interacting with Copilot, the laptop lost only 5% of battery at the 30-minute mark.

As for media consumption, watching videos online decreased the battery by 9% every hour.

All these tests were done under Balanced Mode and with settings that suited my well-lit and quiet workspace: 40% brightness and 50% volume. If you want to save battery, you can always switch to Best Power Efficiency mode.

Juicing up the laptop is a very compact 65W fast charger with the Ultra Mini Universal Adapter. When powered off, I got my test unit charged from 0% to 55% in just 30 minutes, and to 86% in the 1-hour mark.

The Zenbook A14 didn’t just showcase portability through its weight, it’s also highly flexible with its array of ports, and balances lightness with long-lasting productivity.

Our Verdict: Today’s Lightest AI PC Goes Beyond The Grams

It’s an impressive feat that the Zenbook A14 achieved a featherweight form that even beats 13-inch ultraportables. And it didn’t lose its Zenbook identity in the process, remaining a full-fledged 14-inch laptop with a stylish look and even more AI capabilities.

With the Snapdragon X chip at its core, they were able to tuck in a smaller battery that doesn’t drain as fast while the dedicated 45 TOPS NPU works wonders in bringing the full power of a Copilot+ PC to your fingertips.

Whether you’re a student, an office professional, or a digital nomad, this laptop makes both physical and digital work a lot lighter without breaking the bank.

The Zenbook A14 is truly built for the kind of productivity that takes you places.

You can now get the ASUS Zenbook A14 for P65,995 inclusive of a free laptop sleeve, a lifetime subscription to Microsoft Office Home 2024, and 1-year access to Microsoft 365 Basic.

It also comes with an ASUS Service Package with 2-year international warranty and 1-year accidental damage protection.

Buy your ASUS Zenbook A14 today from your nearest ASUS authorized store.

Quick Specs

Model	UX3407QA
Operating System	Windows 11 Home
Processor	Snapdragon X X1 26 100 Processor; Qualcomm Hexagon NPU up to 45TOPS
Graphics	Qualcomm Adreno GPU
Memory	16GB LPDDR5X on board
Storage	512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
Display	14.0-inch, WUXGA (1920 x 1200), 16:10, IPS-level, LED Backlit, 60Hz, 400 nits, 100% sRGB, Anti-glare, TÜV Rheinland-certified, 90% screen-to-body ratio
Battery	48WHrs, 3-cell Li-ion
Weight	Around 899g
Dimensions	12.23″ x 8.42″ x 0.53″ ~ 0.63″
Ports	1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2x USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C (display/power delivery), 1x HDMI 2.1, and 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (Triple band) 2×2 + Bluetooth 5.3
Colors	Zabriskie Beige, Iceland Gray
Price	P65,995