Photo: The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
Asus markets the Zenbook Pro 16X OLED as “re-defining what creator laptop should be” to “take your creativity to the next level”.
Let’s be clear: this is not an oversell. This Zenbook instalment comes with a smorgasbord of design features specifically created to help you create.
It looks beautiful, the colours are bright and crisp, and the battery easily gets you through a day.
While both pretty and powerful, there are a few niggles. Let’s take a peek under the hood.
The biggest hassle in my opinion was the weight. The Zenbook Pro 16X clocks in at 2.4 kilogrammes due to its all-metal design.
The chassis and outer case is made of aluminium and glossy detailing. It’s sleek and stylish, but could be a hinder for minimalist, one-bag travellers.
If you’re the type of person who can pack their entire life in a backpack and hit the road, you’re going to need a bigger-than-usual, sturdier bag.
But, don’t get me wrong, I say it’s a beautiful machine and I mean it.
And it’s tough. According to Asus, the “unibody is CNC-machined for solidity from super-tough aerospace-grade 6000-series aluminium alloy”.
A definite plus point for me was the anti-fingerprint coating. The backlit monogram ‘A’ logo is a nice touch too.
The 4K OLED HDR touchscreen produces vibrant colours while also reducing eyestrain, thanks to its TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue-light emissions.
It is also equipped with VESA DisplayHDR™ True Black 500 “for the deepest blacks to give you ultra-realistic detail in even the darkest scenes”.
The expansive 16:10 aspect ratio gives you all the screen real estate a 16:9 doesn’t – and while this might not mean much to an everyday user, graphic designers would appreciate the advantage.
16:10 made a resurgence about two years ago with the Asus ProArt Studiobook. I could just be biased because 16:10 is close to the golden ratio (1.618) but that’s a debate for another day.
Apart from its vivid reproduction of colours, the OLED panel features 3840px x 2400px resolution with HDR-enhanced realism, and up to 550 nits of brightness – with some limitations.
To tap into that 500 nits, you’d have to use the HDR mode. In regular environments, you’d get about 400 nits, which is ideal for indoors but will proof to a struggle outdoors.
Asus said the touchpad (which is approximately 84% larger than in previous models) uses “linear resonant actuator (LRA) technology for precise haptic feedback”.
In plain terms – there are pressure sensors underneath the trackpad “so you can tap anywhere and it will understand what you want to do”.
Neat, right? But wait, there’s more.
The Zenbook Pro 16X OLED also has an Asus Dial which “allows precise fingertip control of creative parameters in Adobe apps”.
According to Asus, it’s the “world’s first physical dial enabling fast and intuitive control”, thanks to the 3.2 mm thin rotary mechanism.
It also has a glass-covered surface to making gliding easier. Anyone who has ever created digital artworks will appreciate the efficiency it offers to change brushes and other settings in Photoshop.
“The hydrophobic coating applied to our touchpad has a high water-contact angle. This means the nanotech-like surface provides smoother feedback for every scrolling movement. It’s like touching silk!”
It’s compatible with Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Photoshop Lightroom Classic, After Effects and Illustrator. You can also use the Asus Dial to adjust the screen volume and brightness.
It’s better than using a mouse or stylus, although it would take some time to get used to.
It’s elevated! Enough said!
Actually, let’s talk about this. Apart from the massive haptic touchpad, the Zenbook Pro 16X OLED a full-size keyboard deck which lifts from the main chassis.
The 7-degree-angle slope might sound minuscule, but your wrists will thank you. Trust me on this. The ergonomic typing experience on its own is already a big win for me.
All this is possible due to Asus’ new Active Aerodynamic System Ultra (AAS Ultra), which means the elevated keyboard also helps cool the laptop down by allowing 30% more airflow.
“The precision-engineered AAS Ultra mechanism raises the rear of the keyboard by up to 14.5mm, tilting it by 7° – the perfect angle for comfortable typing. It also enhances cooling.”
My biggest gripes with most laptops are keyboard and IO ports, and typing on this beast is an absolute dream because the key-cap dish matches the shape of your fingertips. It’s like typing on a cloud.
You’ll find dual Thunderbolt 4 ports along with a USB Type A and the power input on side of the Zenbook, along with an HDMI 2.1 port, an audio jack and a card reader on the side.
My gripe here is the one Type A port; I would have appreciated more. My work setup consists of a laptop riser with external keyboard and mouse.
This, however, is not a deal-breaker – if you’re going to use it in a fixed position, get external ports, and if you’re going to take it on the road (despite the weight) then no problem.
The Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED is equipped with a Core i9-12900H processor, along with 32GB of RAM (soldered), and an Nvidia RTX 3060 with 6 GB RAM.
A beast, indeed. That said, using all of that to its full force will heat this laptop up something fierce. But fret not.
Asus included an IceCool Pro system to keep everything fresh and breezy. You might think all of that would put strain on the battery, but I managed to get through an extensive work day without have to charge.
In three words: It’s big, bold and beautiful. The angled keyboard and Asus Dail was a game-changer for me, and the large track trackpad makes navigation all that much easier.
This laptop is made for creators and designers. It’s capable of gaming – Cyberpunk 2077 managed quite well on FHD+ – but don’t buy it if gaming is your only checkbox.
It’s expensive though… Starting at R59 998.
ALSO READ: Asus Zenbook 14x OLED review: Brilliant all-rounder with secondary screen
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
