Asus reveals AI Zenbook S 14 in SA

The Asus Zenbook S 14 is a first look at a laptop using the Intel Lunar Lake processor, the follow-up to the first AI processors the chipmaker introduced last year under the codename Meteor Lake.

Intel is sticking with the Core Ultra branding; this new generation of processors is simply labelled Core Ultra Series 2.

The premium Zenbook S 14 showcases a new functional aesthetic and has been completely redesigned inside and out.

Processor

With this focus on efficiency, it makes sense that the first Lunar Lake laptop is a thin and light model designed for on-the-go performance

At the core of the Zenbook S 14 is Intel’s latest Core Ultra 9 processor (Series 2), a powerhouse with up to 48 TOPS (trillion operations per second) of AI capability, enabled by the integrated neural processing unit (NPU).

But what does that mean for users in real-world applications?

While AI and performance are key selling points, the Zenbook S 14 doesn’t forget the fundamentals of a premium laptop experience.

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AI

With the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in notebook, Asus has competition from the likes of Dell and Microsoft.

Earlier this month, Microsoft South Africa said it has been trying to figure out how computers can understand humans as opposed to humans understanding computers from the outset.

With a number of brands like Acer, Samsung and Huawei among others now directing their attention to AI, the all-new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, empower users to accelerate their AI transformation journey.

The devices are part of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs portfolio, a new category of Windows PCs designed for AI.

Copilot+ PCs are currently the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built, but as technology rapidly changes, the competition is not far behind.

Review

While a full review will shed more details on the Asus, with the Zenbook S 14, you get greater processing efficiency and longer battery life, along with a huge leap in AI performance from the NPU, compared with laptops based on Intel’s previous Core Ultra chips,” according to CNET.

Intel still has a ways to go, however, to catch up to the performance and efficiency of the competing ARM-based CPUs from Apple and Qualcomm.

Local Availability

The Zenbook S 14 is available for R35,999.

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