Today, we examine a cutting-edge laptop equipped with the new AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 processor. This is our comprehensive review of the ASUS Zenbook S16, an ultra-portable model built around a 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreen display, weighing in at just 1.5 kg. It’s an ideal choice for those seeking exceptional portability without sacrificing screen size, or even significant performance, as we will explore further.
ASUS Zenbook S16 Technical Specifications
| ASUS Zenbook S16 | |
|---|---|
| Design | Ceraluminum chassis in Scandinavian white US MIL-STD 810H military-grade certification |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 Gorgon Point with TSMC 4nm FinFET lithography 4 Zen 5 cores @ 5.0 GHz (8 threads) 6 Zen 5c cores @ 3.3 GHz (12 threads) TDP: 28W default / 15W – 54W configurable 10 MB L2 Cache + 24 MB L3 Cache |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon 880M 12 cores @ 2.9 GHz |
| NPU | AMD Ryzen AI with 50 TOPS |
| Memory | 32 GB LPDDR5X @ 8,528 MHz |
| Storage | 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD |
| Display | 16-inch ASUS Lumina OLED touchscreen 3K – 2,880 x 1,800 pixels (16:10) 120 Hz – 0.2 ms 500 nits – 1000 nits (HDR) Contrast: 1,000,000:1 1.07 billion colors DCI-P3 @ 100% Pantone Validation VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 1000 ASUS OLED Care |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C 4.0 Gen 3 (DisplayPort, PD Charging, 40 Gbps) 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen2 HDMI 2.1 TMDS video output SD 4.0 card reader |
| Audio | Stereo speakers with Smart Amplifier Technology Microphone array with AI noise cancellation 3.5 mm TRRS jack (headphone and microphone combo) |
| Networking | MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925 + Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Other | HD IR Webcam compatible with Windows Hello Chiclet keyboard with white backlighting and Copilot key |
| Battery Life | 4-cell 4S1P Battery – 83 Whr 68W USB-C adapter (supports up to 100W) |
| Dimensions | 353.6 x 243 x 11.9 ~ 12.9 mm |
| Weight | 1.5 kg |
Packaging and Accessories
The Zenbook S16 arrives in a neutral cardboard box, which, with the help of thick internal frames made of the same material, perfectly protects the product and its accessories.
Inside, an additional, more aesthetically pleasing box serves as a double protector for the laptop, while the power adapter is housed in a separate, neutral box.
Beyond the documentation, the only significant accessory included is the 68W USB-C power adapter. This adapter is very compact and lightweight, featuring a high-quality braided detachable cable.
ASUS Zenbook S16 – Design
Let’s first focus on the design of the Zenbook S16. This model features a Ceraluminum chassis in Scandinavian white, a proprietary material that enhances on classic aluminum. It presents a super clean and minimalist aesthetic, exuding a strong sense of quality and balance in hand.
US MIL-STD 810H Military-Grade Certification
Furthermore, this model boasts a US MIL-STD 810H military-grade certification, ensuring its robustness against numerous environmental challenges. These include:
- Operation at 15,000 feet altitude at 5/40 ºC for 12 hours
- 8 drops from a height of 100 mm
- Storage at 33-71 ºC for 168 hours
- Vibrations from 5 – 500 Hz for 60 minutes
- Usage at 30-43 ºC for 72 hours
- Usage at -25-33 ºC for 168 hours
- Usage between -21-32 ºC for 72 hours
- Storage between -51-71ºC for 1 hour, 3 cycles
- Resistance to suspended dust at 60 ºC
- Solar radiation of 1,120 W/m2 at 49 ºC for 24 hours, 3 cycles
- 95% RH humidity for 10 days
With dimensions of 353.6 x 243 mm and a thickness of just 11.9 ~ 12.9 mm, it’s a remarkably compact model for a 16-inch screen. This, combined with a weight of 1.5 kg, makes it exceptionally portable and comfortable to carry anywhere, without sacrificing screen real estate.
Once opened and powered on, the Zenbook S16 reveals a display that utilizes 90% of the available surface area with remarkably thin bezels. It maintains a minimalist aesthetic with the screen edges flush and in black, contrasting with the Scandinavian white of the keyboard area. The keyboard also features attractive, subtle white LED backlighting.
Turning the laptop over, the base rests on two large rubber feet. It also has a perforated area to facilitate airflow for the cooling system, which we will discuss in detail later.
16-inch ASUS Lumina OLED Touchscreen
The 16-inch ASUS Lumina OLED touchscreen of the Zenbook S16 is truly impressive. It utilizes an OLED panel with 3K resolution (2,880 x 1,800 pixels in a 16:10 aspect ratio), specifically the SDC422C model. This display offers a 120 Hz refresh rate and a 0.2 ms response time for incredibly fluid visuals, along with a brightness of 500 nits, peaking at 1,000 nits for HDR content. Combined with a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and a palette of 1.07 billion colors, it achieves VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 1000 and Pantone validation, covering 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. For those concerned about OLED burn-in, rest assured thanks to ASUS OLED Care technology, which virtually mitigates this issue.
Integrated Peripherals
As mentioned, the Zenbook S16 features a chiclet-style keyboard with white LED backlighting. The keys offer a 1.1 mm travel for a good tactile feel and dual functionality on the F keys when combined with the FN key. Unfortunately, the arrow keys are half-sized, making them less comfortable than expected.
Below the keyboard, centered on the chassis, is a generously sized touchpad. It offers a very smooth and silky feel, responding well to system multi-gestures.
Inside the chassis, a pair of stereo speakers enhanced by Smart Amplifier technology deliver more than adequate sound for a laptop.
Above the screen, an HD IR webcam compatible with Windows Hello is found, accompanied by a trio of AI noise-canceling microphones to enhance video calls.
ASUS Zenbook S16 Connectivity
As is common with most laptops, the connectivity of the Zenbook S16 is distributed along both sides. On the left side, there’s an HDMI 2.1 TMDS video output, two USB-C 4.0 Gen 3 ports (up to 40 Gbps, supporting DisplayPort video output and PD charging), and a 3.5 mm TRRS jack for headphones and microphone. Meanwhile, on the right edge, we find an SD 4.0 card reader and a USB 3.2 Gen2 port (up to 10 Gbps).
To this connectivity, we add a MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925 wireless network card, which also provides Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity.
ASUS Zenbook S16 Hardware
Let’s now delve into the hardware that powers the Zenbook S16.
AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 Processor
First, we focus on its AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 processor, a latest-generation model from the Gorgon Point family. This processor consists of 4 Zen 5 cores up to 5.0 GHz and 6 Zen 5c cores up to 3.3 GHz, doubling the thread count for all of them to achieve a total of 20 threads. This processor features 10 MB L2 Cache and 24 MB L3 Cache, offering a default TDP of 28W, though it’s configurable between 15W and 54W according to specifications.
32 GB of LPDDR5X Memory at 8,528 MHz
Paired with the processor, we find 32 GB of LPDDR5X RAM at 8,528 MHz soldered to the motherboard. This is an excellent value in terms of speed and more than adequate in terms of capacity, especially given current demands.
Integrated AMD Radeon 880M Graphics and NPU
The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 processor in the Zenbook S16 includes integrated AMD Radeon 880M graphics, comprising 12 cores running at 2.9 GHz. Additionally, it features an AMD Ryzen AI NPU capable of up to 50 TOPS, which assists with basic artificial intelligence tasks.
1 TB SSD Storage
For data storage, the Zenbook S16 comes with an M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD. Specifically, this model includes a 1 TB Sandisk PC SN5100S drive, which offers very good performance as shown below.
ASUS Zenbook S16 Performance Tests
Upon powering on the Zenbook S16, we are greeted by Windows 11 Home. The initial setup is straightforward and user-friendly. Once ready, we can begin analyzing its performance.
Focusing on the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 processor, we observe performance that positions it in the mid-range segment. It delivers strong single-thread performance, placing it more in the upper-mid range, while its multi-thread performance falls into the lower-mid range.
The 32 GB of LPDDR5X RAM at 8,528 MHz certainly contributes to this performance. It offers high speeds, with read and copy rates around 82 GB/s and write speeds of approximately 103 GB/s.
If you’re considering the Zenbook S16 for content creation, whether photo editing or video creation, you’re in luck. Its capabilities are quite good for on-the-go work, though rendering longer videos might require a more extended period.
For AI tasks, its AMD Ryzen AI NPU offers fundamental capabilities, allowing efficient work with smaller models. However, for larger-scale models, dedicated graphics would be required, which this laptop does not have.
Gaming Performance
While the Zenbook S16 is acquired for professional use, it’s good to know it has enough power for some casual gaming. The integrated AMD Radeon 880M graphics offer performance somewhere between an older GTX 1650 Mobile and a GTX 1060 Mobile, both dedicated graphics cards from a few years ago.
Regarding gaming performance, at Full HD resolution with low settings, we could achieve 60 FPS with the help of FSR technology and frame generation. Very modern or highly demanding titles might not run optimally, but with games two or three years old and these technologies, you shouldn’t encounter excessive problems. Of course, you won’t experience games at their maximum graphical fidelity, but you’ll be able to play them with reasonable fluidity.
Temperatures and Acoustics
Inside the Zenbook S16 lies a dual-fan cooling system with a vapor chamber, covering the surface of the processor, VRM, and memory modules. Thanks to this system, the processor and graphics card remain around 61 ºC under full load, with peaks up to 70-71 ºC. The best part is that these temperatures are achieved with a noise level of only 42.6 dBA, which, while audible, is not bothersome.
ASUS Zenbook S16 Battery Life
Also inside the Zenbook S16 is a 4S1P 4,825 mAh battery capable of delivering 83 Whr. This battery occupies more than half of the laptop’s internal surface, a common trend in many modern models. With it, you can achieve up to 10 hours of video playback on YouTube and up to 3 hours of gaming. These are very good figures, especially considering the 16-inch display of this model.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Zenbook S16 stands out for its remarkable portability. Its compact dimensions, thinness, and weight are surprising for a laptop housing a 16-inch display. Internally, the new AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 processor with integrated AMD Radeon 880M graphics provides ample power for daily tasks and even content creation, though it’s not designed for intensive gaming. It features 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory at 8,528 MHz, a generous amount in today’s landscape, and a 1 TB SSD. Furthermore, it offers excellent connectivity, highlighted by its two USB4 ports and high-performance Wi-Fi 7 connectivity.
Availability and Price
However, the significant hurdle for the ASUS Zenbook S16 is its price: 1,999.99 euros. While it is an exceptional ultra-portable laptop with a stunning OLED touchscreen display, it noticeably sacrifices raw power compared to other models in its price range.
| Main Advantages | |
|---|---|
| + | Excellent design with Ceraluminum chassis, less than 13 mm thin |
| + | Great portability with a weight of only 1.5 kg |
| + | High-quality 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreen display |
| + | Powerful and efficient AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 processor |
| + | Fully controlled acoustics and temperatures |
| + | Very good connectivity with USB 4 and Wi-Fi 7 |
| + | Very good battery life: up to 10 hours multimedia, 3 hours gaming |
| Negative Aspects | |
|---|---|
| – | Very high price due to its great portability |
| – | Integrated Radeon 880M graphics are somewhat weak, especially for gaming |
| Other Aspects | |
|---|---|
| * | HD IR Webcam compatible with Windows Hello |
| * | Keyboard with white LED backlighting |
