Luke Larsen / Digital Trends
Intel’sLunar Lakechipset is aimed at two objective lens . First , it ’s meant to leverage the popularity of generative AI with a debauched neuronic processing whole ( NPU ) that meetsMicrosoft ’s Copilot+ PCinitiative . Second , Windows laptop computer need to be a lot more efficient to contend against Apple ’s MacBooks that are both fast and get very good bombardment life-time .
TheAsus Zenbook S 14is one of the first Lunar Lake laptops , and it accomplishes both object while being a good laptop in its own right hand . TheHP Envy x360 2 - in-1stands in as a late propagation laptop that shows on the dot how close Intel has come . Is the Zenbook therefore a better fit on our list of thebest laptops ?
Luke Larsen / Digital Trends
Specs and configurations
The Zenbook S 14 is a more premium laptop overall , be around $ 1,500 for an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chipset , 32 GB of RAM , a 1 TB SSD , and a 14 - inch 2.8 K OLED display .
The Envy x360 2 - in-1 is a more budget - class car . The base model starts at $ 700 for an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U chipset , 16 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , and a 14 - inch FHD+ informatics exhibit . Max out the configuration and you ’ll drop $ 1,430 for a Core Ultra 7 155U , 32 GB of RAM , a 2 TB SSD , and a 14 - inch 2.8 1000 OLED display .
Design
The Zenbook S 14 is a very attractive laptop with a alone “ ceraluminum ” fabric that makes its form light while remain quite unbending . There ’s a coating on the lid , which is festooned with a modern geometrical shape , that makes for a prosperous smell in hand . The Envy x360 2 - in-1 is also all - aluminium , and while it ’s a more minimalist design , it ’s still quite attractive with some sleek angles . It , too , finger whole in hand . It has a slenderly less innovative look open a bigger bottom exhibit bezel to boast the more complicated convertible 360 - arcdegree flexible joint , but the departure is n’t gross .
Really , both of these laptops are a joy to use . However , the Zenbook is quite a bit thinner and lighter , which is even more of an progeny with the Envy given that it ’s meant to be used as a pad .
Both keyboards are very good , with plenteousness of key spacing , declamatory keycaps , and light and spruce switches . I ca n’t imagine anyone find either keyboard will slow up them down . The Zenbook ’s mechanical touchpad is a pile expectant than the Envy ’s mechanically skillful version , but it ’s almost too big . Both laptops have touch display , and the HP supports an dynamic pen .
Connectivity is better on the Zenbook , with an extra Thunderbolt 4 larboard and an HDMI connection . And , the fastest Wi - Fi is stock on the Zenbook and just optional on the Envy .
In term of webcams , the Envy x360 2 - in-1 has a higher - rhenium 5MP version , but its NPU is sluggish than the Zenbook ’s , meaning that it only supports the received translation of Microsoft ’s Studio Effects software , not the raise version as with the Zenbook . And , the Asus is part of Microsoft ’s Copilot+ PC first step that will eventually leverage immobile NPUs for on - gadget AI capableness that early laptops miss .
Performance
Intel ’s Lunar Lake chipsets are the verbatim successor to Meteor Lake , bid up the hope of better performance with more efficiency . The first Lunar Lake chipset we ’ve reviewed is the Core Ultra 7 258V , a 17 - watt chipset with eight burden ( four operation and four Low Power Efficient ) and eight threads lead at up to 4.8GHz . The most relevant Meteor Lake comparison is the Core Ultra 7 155U , a 15 - watt chipset with 12 heart and soul ( two Performance , eight Efficient , and two Low Power Efficient ) and 14 train of thought running at up to 4.8GHz .
In all of our benchmark , the Core Ultra 7 258V is significantly quicker , even with few cores and threads . And the newest Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics are a lot quicker than the previous generation .
The Zenbook S 14 is n’t profligate compared to some other new chipsets , but it ’s a pregnant step up from the previous generation . That shows up most strongly in the Geekbench 6 multi - core bench mark and our Handbrake tryout . And graphics , while still not fast compared to discrete GPUs , is also meaningfully better .
Display
Both laptop have similar 14 - column inch 2.8 K ( 2800 x 1800 ) OLED displays run at 120Hz . That mean you ’re improbable to notice a difference when you reboot them up .
Our tintometer control two displays with equally across-the-board colouring material and near - gross blacks , although the HP OLED display is burnished . And , our Zenbook follow-up unit had weirdly inaccurate semblance , which is unusual for an OLED control board .
Assuming that number was a one - off , both of these displays will please productiveness exploiter , creators , and medium consumers alike .
Portability
The master goal of Intel ’s Lunar Lake chipset is to offer up better efficiency than previous Windows laptops . As you’re able to see above , the Core Ultra 7 258V is faster than the previous generation Core Ultra 7 155U , in some cases importantly . And , the Zenbook S 14 does have a large barrage than the Envy x360 2 - in-1 .
However , in both of our barrage fire tests , the Zenbook lasted almost twice as long . That ’s a significant jump with sound carrying out , meaning that Lunar Lake achieved the finish of dramatically improving battery life .
Intel’s Lunar Lake is a breakthrough, at least against Intel itself
The Zenbook S 14 is n’t as fast as some other late chipsets from the likes of AMD and Qualcomm , but it ’s a great deal quicker than Intel ’s late contemporaries . And it get significantly better battery life-time , as in , doubly as much . That makes it a literal discovery .
Otherwise , the Zenbook S 14 is a more attractive laptop , but it ’s not a dark and day remainder . If you do n’t have a tidy sum of money to spend , then you may save up quite a scrap by choose a nucleotide model Envy x360 2 - in-1 . But the Zenbook is a lot easier to advocate .
