AMD is showing what x86 has to offer up in this new geological era ofWindows laptop computer . Ever since the debut of the Snapdragon X Elite andCopilot+ laptops , we ’ve been in a hold pattern to see what AMD — andeventually Intel — can bring to the table . And we ultimately have our answer with the Asus Zenbook S 16 pack the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 .
I ’ll assure you right now that AMD wo n’t blow you by with performance with its newZen 5 - based CPU . It ’s fast , but being at the top of the chart is n’t what matters most for laptop computer in 2024 . It ’s about being effective and well - rounded , and that ’s something AMD and Asus have run on masterfully in the Zenbook S 16 . The time to come of Windows laptops is n’t quite here yet , though .
Asus ZenBook S 16 specs
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
AMD Radeon 890 M
Let’s talk about the laptop
I ’m mostly focalize on the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 inside the Zenbook S 16 , but I do n’t require to ignore the laptop entirely . It ’s fantastic . The first thing you ’ll notice is how fragile and light up it is . It clocks in at less than half an inch thick , and it weigh just 3.31 pounds . That ’s a tomentum thinner and more than a Irish punt lighter than theMacBook Pro 16 . In fact , the Zenbook S 16 clock in at the same weight as theMacBook Air 15 , which is seriously impressive .
Looks are off the chart , too , thanks to subtle Zumaia Gray and Scandinavian White colorways , a aslope innovation on the lid , and Asus ’ fantastic Ceraluminum stopping point on the chapeau . The Zenbook range has always stood as a symbol of how far Windows laptops have come , and the S 16 is no different .
Asus is backing up the looking at and portability with some fantabulous specs , too . First and foremost , you ’ll getting an OLED showing , which has been a basic of the Zenbook range on devices like theZenbook S 13 . Here , it ’s a 3 green display — 2880 by 1800 with a 16:10 aspect proportion — that can go up to 120Hz . This is far from a gaming laptop , but the 120Hz refresh charge per unit does wonders for the feel of using the laptop .
For connectivity , you get one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port ( Type - A ) and two USB 4 ports that are Type - C ( one of which you ’ll use for charge with the 65W adapter ) . Asus also includes a full - sizing SD bill of fare reader , 3.5 millimeter headphone jack , and an HDMI 2.1 port . Wirelessly , Asus even supports Wi - Fi 7 , usurp you have a router in reality capable of extradite those speed .
Otherwise , the keyboard is one of my front-runner ( scan ourZephyrus G16 reviewfor more on that ) , and the trackpad is massive . The laptop barely makes a whisper under loading , too , though it gets a bit hot , particularly near the display .
The only point of contention are the speakers . We ’ve witness what Asus can do in a 16 - in laptop computer with the Zephyrus G16 , and the speakers here shine short . They get plenty loud , but they lack low - end and the sound is focused toward the mall of the laptop .
Digging into performance
operation is where it counts for AMD with its new generation . The Zenbook S 16 I take a look at packs the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 — a 12 - core processor that can boost up to 5.1GHz and operates at 28 watts . We do n’t have Intel ’s Lunar Lake CPUs yet , but we ’ve already see what Qualcomm has to put up with the Snapdragon X Elite . And it ’s not a clear - cut win for AMD .
This CPU is able to fit the Snapdragon X Elite in theSamsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 , offering somewhat good performance in the default option power mode and slightly risky functioning in the performance mode . TheXPS 13also declare oneself stiff competition despite a much little form . Elsewhere , the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 lose to the Core Ultra 9 185H inside theLenovo Yoga Pro 9i , but it cope to outclass AMD ’s last - gen Ryzen 7 8840HS in theYoga 7 14 , and by a fairly extensive tolerance .
practical software public presentation is similarly competitive . AMD was capable to match Intel ’s Core Ultra 7 155H in the Yoga 9i in Premiere Pro , as well as lead theZenbook 14 OLEDwith the same chip , showcasing what the extra sizing does to meliorate performance . The MacBook Air M3 prove that that there is a enceinte difference between Windows and macOS in some applications , with it posting a much gamy musical score despite deliver watery computer hardware on paper .
Photoshop shows a slightly dissimilar side of this microchip . It was capable to outclass the Core Ultra 9 185H in the Yoga Pro 9i and the Core Ultra 7 155H in theDell XPS 16 . That ’s o.k. , but what ’s really surprising is that both of those laptops have a discrete Nvidia GPU . This laptop computer does n’t , and Photoshop definitely brings your GPU into the par . The CPU side of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is n’t anything to write family about . But the RDNA 3.5 graphics stand out .
Before getting to those , PCMark 10 provides a looking at light tasks across the full organisation . Here , AMD is winning against everything it ’s in direct rival with , from the Core Ultra 9 185 hydrogen in theSamsung Galaxy Book4 Ultrato the Ryzen 7 8840Hs in the Lenovo Yoga 7 14 .
The CPU performance here is n’t anything staggering , with last - gen options often swop blows with AMD ’s late and gravid . As mentioned , this chip really is n’t about topping the chart . It ’s not obtain peak performance , and it does n’t seem like that was ever intended . Right now , it ’s competitive with the current landscape of laptop CPU . The tangible time value here lies in graphics and barrage fire life .
Graphics are a strong point
This is n’t a gambling laptop , but man , the RDNA 3.5 GPU here is impressive . AMD packs its Radeon 890 M in with this splintering , and it puts the contest from Qualcomm and Intel to shame . In 3DMark Time Spy , you ’re looking at close to double the performance with this chip compared to the Snapdragon X Elite inHP Omnibook X , and competitive public presentation with the Core Ultra 7 155H in theZenbook Duo . I ’ve also let in the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i to ground this conversation — these may be substantial integrated graphics , but even a low - end discrete GPU mop the floor .
The late 3DMark test , Steel Nomad Light , also exhibit the gain for AMD . The MacBook Air M3 is amazingly a bit quicker , but the Intel and Qualcomm rivalry does n’t hold up . AMD also deal to beat its last - gen Ryzen 7 8840HS in the Lenovo Yoga 7 14 , showcasing that the RDNA 3.5 update is indeed doing something .
This is n’t close to a gaming laptop , and that ’s deserving recapitulate , but the integrate graphics are competent enough . You ’re look at slight advance over AMD ’s late generation , a competitive jump over Intel ’s integrated Arc nontextual matter , and a massive leap over what Qualcomm has to offer .
In material games , I was able to pick up light indie titles without any issuance , as well as a few heavy game likeHalo : The Master Chief CollectionandElden Ring . public presentation was n’t always smashing in these heavier titles , specially at higher graphic mount . But I was able to attain 60 frames per 2nd ( fps ) through a combination of graphics setting , as well as AMD’sRadeon Super Resolution ( RSR)andFluid Motion Frames ( AFMF ) .
You might forget the NPU
The Ryzen AI HX 370 is our first discernment of AMD ’s XDNA 2 neuronic processing unit ( NPU ) , and it ’s a bigger deal than you might suspect . For dispatcher , it ’s the fast NPU we ’ve see yet , and it take care like AMD will retain that treetop this generation . Qualcomm and Intel both claim 45 TOPS , while AMD push ahead to 50 top of the inning . There is n’t a direct translation to operation , and there are n’t enough AI applications to really find that small of a compute dispute . But AMD has the most powerful hardware by the number .
Outside of just TOPS , the actual development here is the Block FP16 instruction type . AMD did n’t create this didactics , but this is the first NPU we ’ve consider with bread and butter for it . Without digging too deep into the technical detail , Block FP16 offer the speed of 8 - bit and the accuracy of 16 - bit pedagogy . In edict to get larger models to run on relatively miserable - power NPUs , the simulation needs to be quantized down to a smaller instruction sizing , fall back truth in the process . Block FP16 gets around that issue , permit you to run more accurate modelling at the same speeds .
That ’s nifty , and it ’s relevant if you ’re digging through Hugging Face or Github for AI modeling and diligence . There are plenty of them out there , but none that the immense bulk of exploiter are interacting with . For the moment , the XDNA 2 NPU here is a wasted piece of silicon that occasionally step in for background fuzz and other Windows Studio Effects . Once Microsoft decides to unlock its Copilot+ software , you ’ll be able to leverage it for more , including Live Captions and Windows Recall . AMD says that that should be enabled by the remnant of the twelvemonth , but it ’s not here yet .
Although there ’s a valid intellect to have an NPU , we ’ve already discover that the main driving force behind the recent buying upsurge in laptops is n’t AI prowess — it ’s well battery life . The NPU is here , and it ’s impressive hardware . But it ’s not a ground to break up up one of AMD ’s new CPUs unless you have a very specific exercise case .
Unfortunately , I was n’t able to straight off test the NPU in the few benchmarks we have — namely Geekbench ML and Procyon . The GPU and CPU are open of handling AI workload , but we still do n’t have a slating of apps hard leveraging the NPU beyond Studio Effects .
The big question
This is some of the best battery aliveness we ’ve run across out of a Windows laptop computer . AMD is going toe - to - toe with Qualcomm here , and sometimes even come out ahead . You ’re not getting MacBook grade of bombardment life , but AMD is blowing away the competition from Intel and offer between 10 to 12 time of day of battery life-time under unvarying manipulation — and sometimes even more .
Our web browsing test , which loop through various websites until the battery dies , indicate AMD ’s improvements in action . From the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 to theLenovo Yoga Slim 7x , AMD is matching Qualcomm . The only Snapdragon bit that shows a exonerated lead is the one in the Surface Pro 11 . Intel is lagging far behind in the Dell XPS 16 , and AMD ’s last - gen CPUs are far back in theFramework Laptop 16 , as well .
A raw run we ’ve been running is with Cinebench R24 . This push the gimmick to its limit and hold for the battery to quickly drain , and I expected AMD to get bat by the competition . Not the case . In fact , the Zenbook S 16 survive longer than every Qualcomm laptop computer we ’ve scat through this mental test , only fall short of the MacBook Air M3 .
This feel like an whole novel family of laptop computer . Windows machines still ca n’t match Apple , but they ’re much closer than before . More than anything , however , the battery life AMD and Asus have on display here provide a bit of evidence that an x86 CPU still has what it get hold of .
Should you buy the Asus Zenbook S 16?
I focused chiefly on the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 here , but it ’s an excellent fellow traveler to the Zenbook S 16 . If you look at your other options around this price , Asus is follow in cheaper as well . The company asks $ 1,700 for the model I review — a cheap model is available for $ 1,400 — and that ’s better than the Dell XPS 16 and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 , both of which cost over $ 1,700 and come with only 16 GB of memory board .
If anything , this laptop and the new AMD chip powering it dislodge the focusing away from peak operation . The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 still put up some telling resolution , but the real profit here are offer outstanding public presentation with solid battery liveliness . That ’s somewhere Asus and AMD have really surpass .
