Starting at $1,000, the ASUS Zenbook A14 may be one of the absolutebest Windows laptops of 2025… Is the display comfortable and bright?
Is the performance reliable?
Do I have the ports I need?
Sleek, capable, and just a little bit confusing.
Will the battery last me the entire day?
I can and will answer those questions and more.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by ASUS.
ASUS had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
I’ll update my review again once we’ve gone hands on with that model.
The only configuration you’re able to purchase right now is the version I was sent to review.
I like this little ASUS logo.
This laptop is covered by ASUS' 12-month standard warranty, which covers OLED display burn-in.
However, the Zenbook A14 avoids feeling cheap because of its material of choice: Ceraluminum.
ASUS didn’t cut corners with the ports, either.
HDMI 2.1, dual USB4, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an LED power indicator takes up a lot of this side.(Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)
Those aforementioned USB4 ports supportThunderbolt 4connections, so you have a lot of options.
The Zenbook A14 supports up to three 4K/60Hz external monitors in addition to its native display, too.
If there’s one weak point, it’s a trade-off ASUS made.
A singular USB Type-A port adorns the other side.(Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)
Overall, though, I love this laptop’s design.
Most people would never ask for more than that.
This 14-inch, FHD (or 1200p), 60Hz screen is clear, consistent, and colorful.
It’s not my favorite display on a laptop, but it’s quite good for the price point.
It’s sharp enough, but text can still look fuzzy.
It’s smooth enough, but scrolling can still feel jagged.
That’s not the version I have, though.
ASUS excels at its factory color calibration, and MyASUS still gives you multiple preset color profiles and ways to adjust color temperature.
Let’s get one thing straight, though: the ASUS Zenbook A14 performs totally fine.
The Zenbook A14 and its low-powered Snapdragon X was more than capable of handling my mobile workload.
At least, that’s true on paper.
The Snapdragon X series has been wonderful for me, but the new entry-level chip definitely has its weaknesses.
Ah, it’s hardly surprising.
It’s a clean, stable build of Windows with some added ASUS features built on top.
Of course, theNeural Processing Unit (NPU)inside this laptop also makes it a full-featuredCopilot+ PC.
This is a fast SSD, which is great to see at this price point.(Image credit: Windows Central)
To put that into perspective, the similarly sized Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon only boasts a 57Whr cell.
You get incredible endurance, and the Zenbook A14 really delivers here.
I’m at 40% battery life.
In Cinebench’s ARM64 version, the Snapdragon X actually does keep up with many modern systems.(Image credit: Windows Central)
There’s no absurd throttling being done to achieve that endurance, either.
There’salmostnothing to really criticize.
Except, ASUS' new keyboard coating isn’t my favorite.
The gap is more pronounced in Geekbench 6, but the Snapdragon X is hardly slow.(Image credit: Windows Central)
This feature works great, but it would besignificantlybetter if ASUS would embracehaptic touchpads.
You also getDolby Atmossupport for enhanced spatial audio.
Turning back to the webcam, it’s supported by an IR sensor that enablesWindows Hellofacial recognition.
CrossMark is where the performance deficit is more noticeable, as overall productivity capabilities take a dip.(Image credit: Windows Central)
I’ve had to input my PIN a lot.
You also get a proximity sensor and ambient light sensor.
Finally, wireless connectivity is fast and reliable thanks toWi-Fi 6Eand Bluetooth 5.3.
Qualcomm and AMD perform great with video encoding, and the Snapdragon X is still up there.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Battery
A humungous cell and efficient chipset make class-leading battery life possible.
This is more than an all-day machine, regardless of what you do with it.
Except now that model is here, and it costs $100 more than expected.
MyASUS is probably my favorite OEM software for managing your device.
Full display brightness, full keyboard backlighting brightness, a multitude of apps and browser tabs open, battery saver disabled entirely… And I’m still on track to get nearly three hours of use on a quarter battery?
ASUS has been making some great keyboards, and I like this one, too. I just wish the keys weren’t quite as slick.
An impressive array of sensors and mics, but I do wish the facial recognition was more reliable.
Dual bottom-firing speakers are never going to break the mold, but ASUS did a pretty great job making these sound as good as possible.
If ASUS ever makes a more premium Zenbook A14 “Ultra” with Snapdragon X Gen 2, a sharper and faster display, and a haptic touchpad, I’m fairly confident it’d end up being my favorite laptop ever.
