What you need to know
- ASUS announced new AI PCs from its Zenbook, Vivobook, ROG Zephyrus and TUF Gaming lineups at Computex 2024.
- The laptops are powered by AMD’s “Zen 5” Ryzen AI 300 processors, also announced at Computex.
- With strong NPU performance, ASUS laptops pave the way for advanced Copilot+ AI features in Windows 11.
- Three new ProArt portable studios were also announced, including the ProArt PZ13 as a Surface Pro competitor with Snapdragon X.
The “Great Reset” in the Windows PC industry, as our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino calls it, is in full swing with new Copilot+ PCs featuring ARM64 Snapdragon It already has a more powerful Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that is compatible with Copilot+ AI features in Windows 11.
ASUS followed up AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 announcement by unveiling a number of new AI PCs from the Zenbook, Vivobook, ROG Zephyrus and TUF Gaming series. They look like hugely impressive Windows laptops for a wide range of users, and we’ve outlined all the details we could find on these new PCs so far.
The ASUS Zenbook S 16 has an OLED display and “Ceraluminum” lid
The ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) stands out as a sleek and powerful AI PC built for makers. It’s just 1.1cm thin and weighs 1.5kg, which is particularly impressive for a 16-inch device made almost entirely of aluminium.
ASUS uses something called “Ceraluminum” for the lid cover, a new material that ASUS says feels like ceramic but is strong like aluminum. As someone who often puts a skin on my laptop, this ASUS exclusive material might make me want to keep the chassis bare. You can obtain the Zenbook S 16 in the colors Scandinavian white or Zumaia gray.
ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606)
CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 or Ryzen AI 9 365
GPU: AMD Radeon 890M or Radeon 880M
RAM: Up to 32GB LPDDR5x
SSD: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Display: 16 inches, OLED, 3K, 16:10, 120 Hz
Webcam: FHD+IR
Ports: Two USB4, USB-A 3.2, HDMI, SD card reader, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 78Wh
Speakers: Six with Dolby Atmos
Weight: 3.2 pounds (1.5 kg)
Price: From $1,400
The laptop is powered by AMD’s new Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor (CPU), which was also announced at Computex 2024. The CPU has 12 cores and 24 threads, a boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz and a TDP of 28 W, but the important news for AI tasks is the Ryzen AI NPU with 50 TOPS of power.
That’s well above the 40 TOPS threshold Microsoft set for Copilot+ features in Windows 11, and it’s even better than the 45 TOPS available through Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips. ASUS says the Zenbook S 16 will have up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage and up to 32GB LPDDR5x RAM. It all runs on a large 78 Wh battery.
As far as the touch screen goes, ASUS doesn’t mess around. It measures 16 inches with a 3K resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, a 120 Hz refresh rate and an OLED panel for deep colors and contrast. Above the screen is an FHD webcam with IR and what sounds like human presence detection functions.
The laptop’s 16-inch frame allows ASUS to pack six speakers with Dolby Atmos, as well as a generous selection of ports, including two USB4, USB-A, HDMI, 3.5mm audio and an SD card reader.
The Zenbook S 16 can already be pre-ordered at Best Buy. A model with a Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU, 24 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, and a 3K OLED screen starts at $1,400.
ASUS Vivobook S 14, S 15 and S 16 models get a makeover
We got our first look at an ASUS Copilot+ laptop on May 20, 2024 when the company announced the Vivobook S 15 (S5507), powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite System-on-Chip (SoC).
ASUS has returned to give the entire Vivobook S series – including Vivobook S 14 (M5406), Vivobook S 15 (M5506) and Vivobook S 16 (M5606) – a refresh for AMD’s new Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and Ryzen AI 9 365 CPUs .
ASUS says these laptops are thinner and lighter than their predecessors, with all-metal construction. The Vivobook S 14 starts at just 1.39cm (0.54 inches) and weighs 1.3kg (2.8 pounds). The updated Vivobook S models will be available with up to 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM and a 1 TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.
There’s no word yet on availability or pricing for the new Vivobook S laptops with AMD Ryzen AI 300 chips.
ASUS TUF Gaming A14 and A16 laptops combine AMD and NVIDIA
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2024)
CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
GPU: Up to NVIDIA RTX 4070 laptop GPU (140W)
RAM: Up to 32GB LPDRR5x-7500MHz
SSD: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Display: Up to 16 inches, 2560 x 1600 (QHD+), 165 Hz, anti-glare, 16:10, G-Sync, 400 nits
Audio: Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
Ports: USB4, USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 90Wh
Weight: 2.8 pounds (2.2 kg)
ASUS didn’t just stop at AI laptops for professionals and multitaskers. The company also announced two new budget-friendly TUF Gaming laptops with up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU and discrete NVIDIA GPUs. That’s a powerful combination of AI performance, especially now that NVIDIA has announced it’s bringing Copilot+ to RTX-powered laptops.
Not only is the NPU in AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 chips capable of up to 50 TOPS of performance, but you also get up to 321 TOPS of power with the RTX 4070 Laptop GPU (140W) available in the ASUS TUF Gaming A16.
ASUS first focused on the larger 16-inch laptop and redesigned the chassis so that it now measures 1.79cm (0.7in) at its thinnest point. It features a wide choice of ports, including USB4, USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack, and supports Wi-Fi Fi 6E with Bluetooth 5.3.
The 16-inch screen has a 2560 x 1600 (QHD+) resolution, a 165Hz refresh rate, an “IPS-level” panel, and an anti-glare finish. It also supports NVIDIA G-Sync for less screen tearing.
ASUS lists up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-7500MHz RAM and up to a 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD to run alongside the AMD Ryzen AI 300 chips. A 90 Wh battery is included.
ASUS TUF Gaming A14 (2024)
CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
GPU: Up to NVIDIA RTX 4060 laptop GPU (100W)
RAM: Up to 32GB LPDDR5x-7500MHz
SSD: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Display: Up to 14 inches, 2560 x 1600 (QHD+), 165 Hz, 16:10, 400 nits, G-Sync
Audio: Dolby Atmos
Ports: USB4, USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, UHS-II microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 73Wh
Weight: 3.2 pounds (1.46 kg)
Now looking at the smaller TUF Gaming A14: it is a 14-inch laptop with a 2560×1600 (QHD+) screen. It’s essentially identical to the A16’s screen aside from size, with a 165Hz refresh rate, an “IPS-level” panel, and NVIDIA G-Sync.
It also has an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, but it tops out with an NVIDIA RTX 4060 laptop GPU. However, it does achieve a TGP of 100 W, which is higher than many competitors. Like its bigger sibling, it comes with up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-7500MHz RAM and up to a 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.
Ports are slightly different and your workflow can help you decide between the two laptops. The TUF Gaming A14 drops the RJ45 Ethernet port but adds a UHS-II microSD card reader, something I use much more often than wired internet.
The TUF Gaming A14 is understandably lighter at 3.2 pounds (1.46 kg) and slightly thinner at 0.66 inches (1.69 cm). Due to the smaller size, the battery capacity is limited to 73 Wh.
There’s no word yet from ASUS on when these new laptops are expected to launch, or at what price.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 gets AMD Ryzen AI
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) we reviewed is our favorite gaming laptop right now, and its bigger Zephyrus G16 sibling gets the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU for strong local AI acceleration.
The Zephyrus G16 (2024) doesn’t really change physically, and you still get the same sleek design with customizable angled lighting on the lid. ASUS says it will offer the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chip alongside an NVIDIA RTX 4070 laptop GPU, itself capable of 321 TOPS of AI performance.
You can configure with up to 32 GB of LPDDR5x-7500MHz RAM, Wi-Fi 7 and an SD card reader that supports the new SD Express 7.0 standard. ASUS has not yet said when the Zephyrus G16 with AMD Ryzen AI chips will be available or how much it will cost.
What about the new ASUS ProArt laptops?
ASUS did not stop without announcing some new ProArt laptops compatible with Copilot+. The ASUS ProArt PZ13 is a 2-in-1 laptop that should compete well with the Surface Pro 11, and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips. You can read more about the new ProArt PZ13 in our separate announcement post.
ASUS also unveiled ProArt P16 and ProArt PX13 laptops powered by AMD Ryzen AI 9 chips. They are more traditional laptops in terms of notebook and convertible form factors, and they should compete well with the MacBook Pro for makers and designers who prefer to use Windows. Our separate ProArt P16 and PX13 announcement has more details.