Many manufacturers have taken advantage of the renewal of Intel’s family of processors, and ASUS does not want to be left behind and has just presented the latest model of its ultraportable, the ASUS ZenBook S (UX393), which was announced a few weeks ago along with other ASUS devices that were also being renewed internally.
The model maintains an ultra-thin design and a screen with a unique resolution, but also brings the advantages of the new 11th generation Intel processors and especially its Intel Iris Xe graphics chip and its Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and Thunderbolt 4 ports.
ASUS ZenBook S (UX393) Features
| ASUS ZenBook S (UX393) | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 13.9 “NanoEdge Touch 3,300 x 2,200 pixel resolution, PANTONE certified 3:2 aspect ratio, 500 nit brightness |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1135G7 Intel Core i7-1165G7 |
| Memory | 8/16 GB LPDDR4x 4266 MHz |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| Storage | 256/512/1024 GB SSD PCIe 3.0 |
| Connectivity | Intel Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), microSD card reader, headphone jack, 1 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1) HDMI |
| Sound | Haman Kardon speakers, ASUS SonicMaster stereo sound Microphone array with Cortana and Alexa recognition |
| Battery | – |
| Others | Backlit keyboard, 720p webcam (Windows Hello) |
| Dimensions | 306 x 224 x 15.7 mm |
| Weight | 1.35 kg |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64 bit |
| Price | $1,699 |
Design: An Ultra-thin Device
The new ASUS netbook has been manufactured with a magnesium alloy unibody chassis that according to the manufacturer offers great strength, lightness, and portability. A good example of this is the thickness of only 15.7 millimeters, which is certainly remarkable.
This idea is to offer compact and light equipment that is also noticeable in some screen frames. Even if it’s not the thinnest in the market, it does stand out for being uniform on all four sides of the screen.
In the upper frame, there is the webcam and the IR camera with support for facial recognition through Windows Hello, and the entire casing is finished in “black jade” with details in copper-red.
The ErgoLift hinge of previous models is once again the highlight of a simple opening of the laptop, and the keyboard is generously sized and extends practically from one edge of the computer to the other.
The ZenBook S also takes advantage of the company’s equipment legacy and has an ASUS NumberPad 2.0 touchpad, which in addition to functioning as a touchpad can also be used as a numeric keypad.
Well assembled and with a screen that changes the format
ASUS launched the previous model with a 16:9 screen format, but with the UX393 it has made a curious breakthrough in terms of the design and has decided to integrate a 3:2 screen format.
This 13.9-inch screen is touch-sensitive and stands out for its PANTONE validation – which guarantees its chromatic fidelity – and for its 3,300 x 2,200 – pixel resolution, which will undoubtedly make the definition of all visual elements outstanding.
In addition to that, this display has a maximum brightness of 500 nits and a DCI-P3 color space coverage of 100%, in addition to 133% sRGB.
The equipment arrives with the new 11th generation Intel processors in which the CPU performance improves when compared to last year’s models, but the main improvement is in the integrated graphics that make a qualitative leap with the new Intel Iris Xe chips.
Connectivity is also a key issue: ASUS maintains a USB-A port with a USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface but also integrates two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 interface, a full-size HDMI port, and even a Micro SD card reader.
Wireless connectivity is also well-covered thanks to the support of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. Additional improvements include a new noise cancellation technology that will isolate our environment in video conferences where for example not even our fingers will be heard when typing or clicking on the touchpad.
Price and availability of the ASUS ZenBook S (UX393)
The new ASUS ZenBook S (UX393) is available in stores, and its recommended starting price is $1,699.
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