The 2024 Asus Zenbook 14 quietly became one of the most practical Windows 11 laptops for people who value battery life, a bright OLED screen, and a light, durable chassis — and for many buyers in 2025 it still outperforms several newer, more expensive alternatives when judged on real-world value and day-to-day usability.
Background
The Zenbook 14 (2024/UX3405 family) sits squarely in the thin‑and‑light Ultrabook category: a 14‑inch OLED laptop built with aluminum, an emphasis on portability, and Intel’s newer Core Ultra silicon available in multiple SKUs (Core Ultra 5, 7, and 9). ASUS ships this model with a 75 Wh battery, a high‑quality OLED panel that can run at up to 120 Hz, and a compact chassis that aims for long runtimes without a heavy weight penalty. These characteristics are central to why the machine remains a strong recommendation for many buyers even a year after launch.This article summarizes the Zenbook’s strengths and risks, verifies key specs against manufacturer and independent reviews, and places the laptop in practical buyer-focused context so readers can decide whether an older‑generation Zenbook is the right choice over newer models.
Overview: Why an older Zenbook still matters
- The 2024 Zenbook 14 combines a light, aluminum chassis, an OLED 14‑inch display, and modern Intel Core Ultra CPUs with an NPU-enabled platform that delivers strong everyday performance without exotic pricing.
- Real‑world battery tests by reviewers and lab testers consistently place the Zenbook in the long‑runtime category for ultraportables; measured WLAN runtimes around the ~10–12 hour mark are common depending on refresh rate and brightness.
- The Zenbook's biggest practical trade-off is thermal behavior. Multiple review sources and community reports note high surface temperatures under load and a chassis that can feel uncomfortably warm while charging or during heavier tasks. That thermal profile is the single most important caveat when recommending this laptop.
Design and build: thin, light — and premium-feeling
The Zenbook 14’s shell is primarily aluminum and the company stressed both durability and portability. The quoted weight and thickness vary by configuration and region, but ASUS’s official pages list a compact 14.9 mm thickness and a sub‑3‑pound footprint in many SKUs (ASUS lists 1.2 kg for some variants). Retail listings sometimes show slightly different weights depending on the configuration and included accessories. In short: it’s a genuinely light machine for its class.Key physical highlights:
- A predominantly aluminum unibody for a premium feel and rigidity.
- Thin display bezels and a 16:10 aspect ratio that improves vertical workspace.
- Corning Gorilla Glass protection on the display in certain SKUs for added scratch resistance.
Display: OLED, vivid colors, and a modern refresh rate
ASUS equipped the Zenbook 14 with a 14‑inch OLED panel that supports high color coverage and up to 120 Hz variable refresh on supported SKUs. The panel tends to be bright, supports wide color gamuts (Pantone validation on some configurations), and delivers the kind of contrast and subjective sharpness OLEDs excel at. This is a strong point when comparing to many newer midrange Windows laptops that still ship IPS panels.Practical notes:
- Resolution and color: higher‑end SKUs use 3K (2880×1800) panels; other SKUs may use Full HD/WUXGA 1920×1200 variants. The visual experience is excellent even on the lower‑res 14‑inch option because of OLED contrast and color precision.
- Refresh rate and power: ASUS’s power profiles typically reduce refresh rate on battery, which meaningfully helps battery life when 120 Hz isn’t required. This is one of the design choices that helps the Zenbook achieve long runtimes in real tests.
Performance and on‑device AI: Core Ultra silicon and NPU assistance
The 2024 Zenbook ships in variants that include Intel Core Ultra 5 (e.g., 125H), Core Ultra 7, and up to Core Ultra 9 — chips designed around Intel’s newer Meteor Lake/Panther Lake architecture family. These CPUs are explicitly paired with integrated graphics and an on‑board NPU (neural processing unit) in many SKUs to accelerate AI tasks and lighten CPU/GPU load for targeted workloads.What the NPU provides:
- Offloads certain AI workloads (inference, local model acceleration, image/video effects) from the CPU/GPU, improving responsiveness in supported apps.
- Improves multitasking responsiveness for everyday productivity tasks by handling background AI inference jobs.
- Enables a subset of “Copilot+” or on‑device features in apps designed to use platform NPUs — though app support is the limiting factor, not the hardware alone.
Battery life: realistic numbers and what to expect
ASUS advertises 15+ hours on certain Zenbook 14 configurations under optimized scenarios; reviewer tests and lab results give more conservative, but still impressive, numbers:- NotebookCheck measured almost 12 hours in WLAN web‑surfing tests at moderate brightness, and longer video runtimes in specific conditions.
- Independent reviewers and hands‑on tests (and user reports aggregated in forums) commonly report 10–12 hours in balanced settings and lower numbers under “Best Performance” or with 120 Hz at full brightness. These real‑world windows match what you’d expect from a 75 Wh battery combined with energy‑efficient Ultra silicon and DRAM/storage choices.
Input, webcam, and I/O: ergonomics and practical connectivity
ASUS outfitted the Zenbook 14 with ergonomics that reviewers praise: a comfortable keyboard tuned with ErgoSense key design and 1.4 mm key travel, and an anti‑fingerprint treated trackpad. The webcam is a 1080p unit (FHD) on many SKUs with basic privacy features — an upgrade over older ultraportables that shipped 720p cameras.Ports are minimal but sensible:
- Two USB‑C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB‑A, HDMI, and a 3.5 mm audio combo jack on typical configurations. This covers the essentials for most users without the clutter of legacy ports.
The thermal problem: why “runs hot” isn’t just an anecdote
The Zenbook’s thin metal chassis and compact cooling solution make it vulnerable to higher surface temperatures and thermal throttling under sustained load. This complaint crops up in lab reviews and user forums alike.Evidence and verification:
- NotebookCheck’s tests show strong battery and single‑burst performance, but sustained stress tests reveal temperature increases and the associated falloff in performance when the CPU/GPU are pushed hard for extended periods.
- Community reports (forum threads and Reddit threads) repeatedly describe the machine getting “very hot” to the point of being uncomfortable to type on while plugged in or during CPU‑heavy work. These are not isolated complaints; they form a corroborated pattern across many users.
- ZDNET’s hands‑on write‑up — the review excerpt many readers are familiar with — specifically calls out the warmth issue and the real usability impact (uncomfortable keyboard, difficulty using on the lap while charging). That practical perspective is consistent with the lab measurements.
- If your workflow includes long, sustained CPU/GPU tasks (video export, heavy multitask compiling, extended gaming, or long AI model runs), the Zenbook 14 is not the best pick; a thicker, heavier machine with a robust cooling design will sustain higher performance longer.
- If your use is mostly browsing, office work, meetings, and occasional creative tasks — things that come in bursts rather than lengthy sustained loads — the Zenbook’s thermal behavior is a manageable trade‑off for the portability and battery life.
- Use the Balanced or Power‑Efficient power profile for everyday use to keep temperatures reasonable.
- Avoid prolonged heavy rendering or game sessions while on battery or plugged in without proper ventilation.
- Consider a laptop cooling pad if you frequently run long workloads on this chassis.
- Keep firmware and BIOS updated; OEM updates can sometimes improve fan curves and thermal management.
Audio and speakers: competent but constrained
ASUS fits “Superlinear” stereo speakers in the Zenbook and they are powerful for a thin laptop, but the downward‑firing placement leads to muffled character on soft surfaces. At high volumes, some distortion is audible depending on audio content. For conference calls and casual media the speakers are more than adequate; for critical audio work, an external speaker or headphones remain the better choice.Price and configurations: where the value sits
When this Zenbook family launched it targeted multiple price points depending on CPU, RAM, and storage. In secondary markets, clearance, and retail promotions, some Zenbook 14 SKUs have dropped into aggressive price territories that provide exceptional price‑to‑feature value compared with newer models that carry a premium for incremental AI or GPU performance. Retail price snapshots and promotional listings show significant SKU variance, so verify the exact CPU, RAM, and display resolution before you buy.Buying guidance:
- If you want the best value: hunt for a configuration with at least 16 GB RAM and an SSD (512 GB or larger), and prioritize a 3K/120 Hz OLED if display fidelity matters.
- If you need the lightest weight and longest battery: a lower‑power SKU with 8/16 GB and the WUXGA panel will likely extend battery life further.
- If you want extra thermal headroom and raw performance: look instead at thicker Zenbook Pro or creator‑focused rivals (Asus ProArt, Lenovo Legion, Dell XPS/Precision lines).
How it compares to newer “AI‑focused” laptops
Newer laptops tout larger TOPS numbers for their NPUs, discrete GPUs, or higher power envelopes. The Zenbook positions itself differently:- Strengths vs newer AI‑first machines:
- Better price/performance for everyday tasks.
- Lighter and more portable than many new AI‑first designs that prioritize cooling and GPU power.
- Excellent OLED display options for color‑sensitive work.
- Weaknesses vs newer AI‑first machines:
- Lower sustained thermal headroom and therefore less capable for extended GPU/AI workloads.
- NPUs in some newer machines are larger (higher TOPS) and paired with 32 GB RAM and larger SSDs, enabling heavier local AI tasks.
Who should buy the Zenbook 14 in 2025?
The Zenbook 14 is a strong recommendation when:- You prioritize battery life and OLED display quality over raw sustained compute.
- You need a thin, light Windows 11 laptop for travel, meetings, and content consumption.
- You want modern features (Thunderbolt 4, FHD IR webcam, OLED colors) at a reasonable price, especially if you find a discounted SKU with 16 GB RAM and an SSD.
- You run prolonged CPU/GPU workloads daily and require sustained peak performance.
- You need a completely cool chassis when charging or during multi‑hour content renders.
- You require extensive legacy ports without docking hardware.
Practical buying checklist (step‑by‑step)
- Confirm the exact SKU (model number, CPU SKU e.g., Core Ultra 5 125H vs 7/9) and verify RAM/storage. Don’t assume all Zenbook 14s are equal.
- Check the display spec you care about (WUXGA vs 3K OLED) and whether it’s 60 Hz or 120 Hz in that SKU.
- Verify weight and dimensions on the retailer page — weight can vary by configuration.
- Read independent lab reviews (thermals and battery tests) for the exact configuration you intend to buy. NotebookCheck’s WLAN and stress tests are particularly useful for thermals and battery life comparisons.
- If you’re sensitive to heat, bring the laptop into a store or test it under realistic workloads and check the keyboard/chassis temperature while plugged in.
- Keep firmware/BIOS up to date post‑purchase; OEM updates can improve stability and fan control over time.
Risks, support, and long‑term considerations
- Thermal throttling and surface heat are the primary functional risk for sustained workflows. The thin metal design contributes to surface heat, and user reports show real discomfort under heavy charging workloads.
- Software and firmware maturity matter. Updating MyAsus, BIOS, and drivers can materially change fan behavior and throttling curves; buyers should keep the device patched.
- NPU and app support: on‑device AI benefits depend on application integration. The NPU is a real advantage only if the apps you use utilize it; otherwise it remains underutilized hardware. This is a broader platform caveat across many modern laptops.
Conclusion: the pragmatic recommendation
For many Windows users in 2025 the 2024 Asus Zenbook 14 remains a very sensible purchase: it delivers a premium OLED display, strong day‑to‑day performance with Intel Core Ultra silicon and an NPU assist, and all‑day battery life that outclasses many newer, heavier machines. These advantages put it ahead of many newer models for users prioritizing portability, display quality, and battery life.That said, the Zenbook’s thermal profile under sustained load is its clear Achilles’ heel. If your workload includes long video renders, multi‑hour compilations, or heavy local AI model runs, a thicker chassis with better cooling and a stronger sustained power budget is a better choice. Verified lab tests and community experience both demonstrate this pattern — the choice between the Zenbook and a newer “AI‑first” laptop should be made by matching the machine’s thermal/design envelope to the actual workload profile.
Bottom line: if you want a lightweight, long‑running Windows 11 laptop with a gorgeous OLED screen and solid everyday performance — and you can live with the heat caveat under heavy load — the 2024 Zenbook 14 is still one of the best value buys on the market today.
Source: ZDNET I recommend this older Windows 11 laptop over some newer models - here's why
