HP is updating their gaming lineup with the latest and greatest from AMD and Intel in a totally new, larger form factor. The new laptops announced are equipped with larger displays, higher refresh rates and more features to the company’s robust gaming offerings. Expanding both the OMEN by HP and Victus gaming lineups with more robust laptops and better build quality, HP is looking to bring something for every gamer.
Together with the new editions to their gaming lineup, HP Malaysia is also bringing back their HP Gaming Truck which will be making its way around Malaysia starting with the Klang Valley.
HP OMEN 16 – Supped up to Win
The new OMEN 16 expands the offerings under the OMEN by HP gaming brand with a more robust laptop with a larger 16-inch display. The OMEN 16 ushers in a new generation of OMEN by HP Gaming laptops which look to up the ante when it comes to gaming performance.
The OMEN Gaming Laptop 16 comes with an improved Tempest cooling system that brings physical changes that impact performance. The updated Tempest Cooling System comes with an added fifth heat pipe and an additional fourth outflow vent. The former allows for better heat dissipation from the processor and GPU while the latter allows the air to be channelled out of the chassis keeping temperatures lower. HP claims that these improvements have resulted in a 3% reduction in temperature at the GPU hinge and a 14% reduction in temperature on the bottom of the SSD. Aside from the increased cooling, the new Tempest system is also 5% quieter than the last generation.
In addition to the physical heating system, HP has also spent some time looking at the internals of the OMEN 16. The new generation of OMEN 16 Gaming Laptops come with 12th Generation Intel processors ranging from the Core i5 to the Core i9 internationally. In Malaysia, this caps off at the Core i7. There are also configurations supporting the AMD Ryzen 6000 SoCs. Like the Intel versions, this caps out at the Ryzen 9. These processors are complemented with at least 16GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage.
The HP OMEN 16 comes with a 16.1-inch, QHD IPS display with a refresh rate of 165Hz. It also has a 3ms response time. The display supports 100% of the sRGB gamut with a 300-nits brightness and a micro-edge design. The laptops have configurations supporting up to the NVIDIA GeForce 3070 Ti GPU. HP isn’t skimping on ports either, the OMEN 16 comes with a full array of ports including an RJ45 ethernet port, ThunderBolt 4 and USB-A ports.
HP Victus 16 – Affordable Powerhouse
The Victus inherits most of the ethos and DNA of the OMEN 16. However, it does it affordably; packing all the essentials. When it comes to processors, the HP Victus 16 comes with configurations supporting the 12th Generation Intel Core i7 and the AMD Ryzen 6000 series. This is paired with at least 8GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.
On the display front, the 16.1-inch IPS display has a 1080p FHD resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate and 250 nits brightness. The display comes with the same micro-edge design and covers 45% of the NTSC gamut. The HP Victus 16 has configurations with up to the NVIDIA RTX3050 Ti or the AMD Radeon 6500M.
Pricing & Availability
The HP OMEN 16 and Victus 16 are already available from HP via their official store or retail partners and online stores.
The OMEN 16 is priced from MYR7,599 for the AMD version and MYR7,799 for the Intel version.
The Victus 16 is priced from MYR4,299 for the AMD version and MYR3,749 for the Intel version.
Acer makes some of the most compelling thin and light laptops in the market. One of the most popular one in their stables is the Swift 5. Unlike the Swift 3 or the Swift X, the Swift 5 is made to be a full on thin and light laptop for the masses. It also does not have a discrete GPU, to ensure that it keeps to minimum weight and thickness. It also features a very pretty and handy touch sensitive display for added navigation options. There is a problem with the past two generations of Acer’s Swift 5. They both look exactly the same save for different colour options. Not the new one.
Acer Swift 5
The only thing the new Swift 5 made for 2022 with Intel’s 12th Generation processors shares with its predecessor is its Olive Green colour option which we find quite attractive on the new design. It is still made entirely out of aluminium for that premium feel and finish. This time, the Acer Swift 5 is made from a unibody aerospace grade aluminium that has been precisely CNC-machined. That also means that it should be even more durable than before.
There is a small trade off with the new Acer Swift 5 with more premium build material. The laptop has gained some weight. Instead of weighing just below 1kg, it now weighs in at 1.2kg. It is not the end of the world though, 200g of weight gain is understandable considering the build material.
While it has grown in heft a little, it remains the same 14.95mm thick as before, which is still mighty thin for a laptop with full-sized USB Type-A and HDMI ports. The new construction and some new hardware within the laptop also mean that the body is slightly more compact than before. All these and you are still getting the best Intel can offer within the body.
The Intel Evo device is powered by Intel’s latest 12th Generation Core processors with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. You get up to an Intel Core i7-1260P processor for thin and light laptops. You also get up to 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM to go with the powerful CPU. Unfortunately, the RAM is not expandable. Storage comes in the form of a 1TB NVMe SSD, which is plenty enough for all kinds of work you can do with the Swift 5 plus a few movies for your entertainment needs. Keeping everything cool and comfortable is a brilliantly designed backlit keyboard which also acts as the air inlet for the laptop.
All of these power keeps Windows 11 running smoothly on its brilliant 14-inch touch-sensitive display. The IPS panel boasts 2,560 by 1,600 pixels, effectively a WQXGA 16:10 panel for improved productivity and flexibility with more real estate. If you need to quickly get a photo or video edited, the 100% sRGB rating should do your photos and videos justice. The thin bezels surrounding the 14-inch panel is kept to a minimum too, just to get the device to fit as snuggly in your bag as before. The Corning Gorilla Glass with Antimicrobial coating to ensure that the display is protected from all kinds of abuse.
Other than the two full-sized ports mentioned above, you get two more USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 and 65W PD support and a 3.5mm combo jack. To ensure that you look your best in video calls, you get a Full HD webcam with SHDR support. You also do not need to carry your charger around too much with up to 9 hours of quoted battery life.
Acer Aspire Series
Alongside the new Swift 5, Acer also launches their new Aspire series laptops. The Aspire series are not made to be as thin and as light as the Swift 5. They are not made to be the most premium laptops in the market either. They are built to be value-for-money laptops for the mainstream market.
Update to Intel’s 12th Generation processors, the 15.6-inch Aspire series also receives an update in the looks department. The Acer logo is now smaller than before and placed at the top part of the shell instead of the middle. To be fair, most of Acer’s newer laptops feature similar design language.
Alongside the powerful Intel processors, you get up to 8GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. The RAM is expandable with an extra slot, while the storage can be expanded as well with a SATA SSD or HDD. You also get to spec your Aspire 3 with up to NVIDIA’s GeForce MX550 discrete GPU for some extra processing power for quick games or video editing use cases. The Aspire 5 with up to an Intel Iris Xe Graphics also features two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support so that you can hook up two more 4K displays.
Price and Availability
The Acer Aspire 3 and Aspire 5 comes in a few attractive colours, including the new Willow Green colour scheme. The Aspire 3 retails from MYR 2,499 while the Aspire 5 starts from MYR 2,599. The new Acer Swift 5 comes only in Mist Green colour option and starts from MYR 4,699. You can get your hands on the Acer’s latest Swift 5, Aspire 3, and Aspire 5 from Acer’s eStore, Shopee, Lazada, and all authorized retailers immediately. For more information on Acer’s latest offerings, you can head over to their website.
Thin-and-light notebook PCs are some of the most popular choices today in the laptop market. The appeal of a thin-and-light notebook is technically in its name; it is thin, and it is light. You can take it anywhere and set it up anywhere you want to and get productive whenever. You don’t have to break your back carrying lugging your work set-up around. In the current pandemic situation, where remote working is a norm, this format of computing solution has proven to be the most versatile for the general workforce too.
Choosing the right thin-and-light notebook is not as crucial as making a life-and-death decision. But choosing the right one will not only help with your productivity, but it could also save you from a lot of trouble. It could also be the difference between taking hours to set-up or getting work done whenever you need to. So, what do you get?
You could consider this, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.
Microsoft should know a thing or two about making laptops for Windows 11. They are the makers of Windows 11 operating system, after all.
To recap, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is Microsoft’s take on what a thin-and-light laptop for the discerning professional. It weighs just a little over 1.1kg and is entirely made from aluminium. It looked good too in its Platinum metal finish.
Open its sleek metal clamshell and you are met with a 3:2 12.4-inch PixelSense display that is also touch sensitive. Above the display is also an HD camera with dual Studio mics for crystal clear video calls.
Source: Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Underneath the large trackpad and keyboard is a very powerful 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor. The processor is paired with an 8GB RAM and up to 256GB in SSD storage. Of course, there are no discrete GPU within the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2. Instead, it has Intel’s Iris Xe graphics to ensure that the laptop can still edit 4K videos.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is now available in Malaysia via Microsoft’s commercial authorised reseller. You can also get your hands on one from Maxis and Microsoft’s authorised retaliers across the nation. It starts at MYR 3,488 for a 128GB SSD variant and up to MYR 3,788 for a 256GB SSD variant. More on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 can be found on their website.
Acer’s Nitro 5 was always known for its strong value proposition and being the budget champion in gaming laptops. 2021 was a little bit of a turning point for the Nitro 5 though. It stopped becoming an entry-level option. You still can get the Nitro 5 with entry-level specs and a price to match, but the Nitro 5 expanded its option pool to hit the upper echelons of gaming with AMD’s Ryzen 9 and NVIDIA’s RTX 3080 bundle option. It was shocking to say the least, but a welcome.
Fast forward to 2022 though, there is a new Nitro 5 in town, and it looks good.
We start with what it packs. It is a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 (up to) that is paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (up to). While it just stops shy from its higher-end cousin that tops out at an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, the RTX 3070 Ti is plenty powerful enough for any sort of gaming situations. You also get to pack it with up to 32GB DDR4 RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. There is an additional SATA slot to give users the option to upgrade the notebook with another SATA storage.
The powerful insides keep games running optimally at up to 165fps on the 165Hz refresh rate QHD display (up to). You can opt for a Full HD 144Hz display if you are on a budget. The display also boasts 100% of DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage which means that it is even more colour accurate than before. At the same time, if you are looking for a laptop for both work and play, especially if you are in the creative industry, the colour accuracy is what you want.
Underneath the 4-zone RGB, Acer’s improved cooling system for the new Nitro 5 allows Acer to increase the maximum power draw of the GPU to extract even more performance and power from the GPU. At the same time, the Killer DoubleShot Pro wireless network module and WiFi 6E ensures that the Nitro 5 is always connected to the fastest available internet source.
The Acer Nitro 5 is now available from Acer’s own eStore, and official online stores on Shoppe and Lazada. You can also find the Acer Nitro 5 in Acer’s authorized retailers nationwide. It will set you back from MYR 4,399 all the way to MYR 8,699. For more information on the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop, you can head to their website.
Gaming laptops today are wonderful things. They are still not as powerful as their desktop counterparts, but still, they come close enough today. Because gaming laptops today packing the kind of power they do, they become some of the most popular choices even for among the hardcore gamers.
Even in 2021, before Intel introduced their most powerful CPUs ever, gaming laptops were the in thing. The Predator Helios 300 of 2021, for example, was a potent machine that could really take your gaming to the next level, anywhere and anytime. It packed Intel’s 11th Generation CPUs with the latest generation NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series cards for the best-in-class performance. It is 2022 though and the world needs something new, something a lot more powerful.
Welcome to the 2022 version of the Predator Helios 300. To be fair, this product should not be entirely new to you. It was launched globally a while back at one Next@Acer conference. It finally hits the shores in Malaysia though.
To recap, the new Predator Helios 300 is expected to be the weapon of choice for any sort of gamers everywhere. Its 15.6-inch display is a rather compelling one at QHD resolutions as well. It also boasts 165Hz refresh rate with 3ms response time for fast and smooth visuals in all sorts of gaming situations. At the same time, it is one display you can also rely on when you work with colour grading tools and editing tools with 100% of DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage.
Keeping the screen happy and maxing the 165Hz refresh rate, the Helios 300 now comes with Intel’s 12th Generation Core CPU (up to Core i7). You get to pair it up with up to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3080 and 32GB of 4800MHz DDR5 RAM memory. While that may not sound like it will amount to too much of a performance gain compared to the older Helios 300, Predator has given it a treatment like no other to make it outperform the older laptop by a significant margin.
Instead of the traditional regular thermal paste to keep the CPU die attached to the heat transfer panels, Predator now uses liquid metal. That should also translate to better thermal transfer performance which should also directly translate to a bump in CPU performance. You also get the help of Predator’s 5th generation Aeroblade 3D which is redesigned for even better airflow without compromising noise and therefore better cooling.
The overall improvement in cooling performance also allows Predator to also increase the power draw of the GPU to increase its performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti now draws up to 150W of power to really give games a punch. You can also monitor the temperature of the Predator Helios 300 with the proprietary PredatorSense.
Besides up to 2TB in SSD space, the Predator Helios 300 now comes with mini-LED RGB backlit keyboard, which is an upgrade over the older Helios 300. You also get WiFi 6E connectivity with Killer DoubleShot Pro for more stable and faster internet speeds. Of course, there is always a Turbo button for you to overclock the laptop and make it even faster.
The Predator Helios 300 is now available from Acer’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada. You can also head to Acer’s authorized retail partners to get your hands on one. There will be no other colour option for it, but it is still a good-looking laptop, especially with the new light bar at the bottom of the laptop. It will set you back MYR 7,999 onward and tops out at 11,999. For more information on the Predator Helios 300, you can visit their website.
Hot off their global announcements of brand new Zenbooks and Vivobooks, ASUS is bringing an out of this world lineup of Zenbooks to Malaysia. Spearheading the new lineup is the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition which celebrates the anniversary of the first ASUS laptop to break the stratosphere.
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition
The new Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition celebrates the 25th anniversary of the ASUS P6300 laptop being launched into space. The P6300 spent 600 days in orbit aboard the Mir Space station. The laptop managed to stay in orbit and remain functional amidst power outages and fires aboard the Mir.
To commemorate the feat, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is getting a make over. Aesthetically, the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition will be sporting a Zero-G titanium colour and is emblazoned with etchings which hearken back to the Mir space station. In addition to the unique design, the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition is also getting a durability update. It’s got SMC-S-016A durability which is 4 times stronger than the military standard we are now accustomed to.
The ZenVision Smart Display also makes its debut with the space themed Zenbook. The interactive 3.5-inch screen on the cover of the chassis allows you to express yourself in new ways. You can display custom messages and designs on the ZenVision Smart Display.
Powering the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition is Intel’s 12th Generation Core i7 H-series processor with Intel® Iris® Xe graphics. Complementing this is 16GB of RAM and PCIe Gen4 compatible SSD Storage. It comes with a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The display is also PANTONE validated and has a 90Hz refresh rate.
Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED
Together with the Space Edition, ASUS is also bringing a new Zenbook 14 Pro experience with two screens. The new Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED brings the dual screen experience that was once reserved for larger laptops to a more accessible size. The new Intel EVO certified laptop comes with a 14.5-inch OLED display with a 2.8K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate. Together with this screen is a next-gen 12.7-inch ScreenPad Plus secondary display with touch capabilities. ASUS also incorporates a new AAS Ultra auto-tilting design that helps with cooling and makes working on the dual screen setup more ergonomic.
Powering the new Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is Intel’s 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H. This is complemented by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and 16GB of RAM. Completing the setup is a 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD.
Zenbook Pro 16X OLED
ASUS is also debuting its first creator focused Zenbook with the Zenbook Pro 16X OLED. The supersized Zenbook comes in a 2.4kg unibody carved out from aerospace grade 6000-series aluminium alloy. It’s also only 16.9mm thin. It’s also equipped with a PANTONE Validated, 16-inch 16:10 4K OLED display with a 60 Hz refresh rate, HDR and touch capabilities. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut.
The NVIDIA Studio certified laptop is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. This is paired with a 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H and 16GB of RAM and 1TB of PCIe 4 SSD storage. ASUS is also introducing their IceCool Pro cooling system to keep things chilly for the best performance. The two IceBlade fans cool the vapour chamber. Hot air is then vented to the exterior via the AAS Ultra mechanism.
The Zenbook Pro 16X also brings the creator centric ASUS Dial rotary controller. This feature was reserved for their ASUS ProArt lineup until now. The dial allows creators to easily access their brushes, settings and more with simple, intuitive controls for finer control of functions. In addition, it also has the all new White-RGB ASUS Intelligent Lighting System that allows interactive indicators for power or performance status.
Zenbook 14 OLED
Rounding up the new lineup is the Zenbook 14 OLED. The new Zenbook 14 OLED brings an elegant, lightweight design which features ergonomic, productivity focused features for the go-getter.
The Zenbook 14 OLED is running on Intel’s 12th Generation Core i7 and Core i5 processors with 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe Gen4 storage. All versions of the laptop come with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. It’s also fully equipped with a full array of ports including an HDMI and microSD card slot.
ASUS Numpad 2.0 also makes a return to the Zenbook 14. In addition, ErgoLift makes typing on the keyboard a more ergonomic experience keeping carpal tunnel syndrome at bay. Display wise, the Zenbook 14 comes with the same display as the Zenbook 14X OLED.
Pricing and Availability
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition will be available in two configurations. The i7 version will be retailing at MYR6,499 while the i5 version will be retailing at MYR5,599.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED will be available in two colours: Ponder Blue and Aqua Celadon. The i7 version of the 14 OLED will only be available in Ponder Blue and will retail for MYR5,599 while the i7 version will be priced at MYR4,399.
The Zenbook Pro 16X OLED will be available for MYR11,999 while the smaller Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED will be priced at MYR8,999.
All the laptops will be on display at the ASUS roadshow which is happening at MidValley Megamall until 29th May 2022. You may also be able to walk away with free gifts with every purchase made at the roadshow.
Acer’s Swift lineup of thin and light laptops gets a much needed boost with OLED technology. The company announced an all new OLED edition of their mid-range offering, the Swift 3. The new Swift 3 OLED joins the stable of impressive thin and light offerings which have seen much success for both their features and price point.
-Source: Acer
The Swift 3 OLED stands out due to its 14-inch WQXGA+ OLED display; a first in the laptop series. The display comes with a 2.8K resolution and comes with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s also got an impressive 92% screen-to-body ratio. The display is also one of the most colour accurate displays with 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut. What’s more it’s also VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified. It’s one of the most vibrant displays on an Acer laptop.
Intel’s latest 12 generation Core H-series processors power the experience on the Swift 3 OLED. The laptop is an Intel Evo Platform verified device. This means that it will be able to provide at least 10 hours of use on a single charge and supports instant wake from sleep. You’ll also be able to get over 4 hours of usage from a 30-minute charge. On the graphics end of things, the laptop will be relying on the integrated Intel Iris® Xe graphics which should be more than enough for basic photo editing and creative work.
Staying true to their Earthion platform, Acer has also incorporated ocean bound plastics in their new Swift 3 OLED. The track pad of the laptop is made of OceanGlass which is made from ocean bound plastics. The 1.4kg laptop is made of a slim 17.9mm thin aluminum chassis providing it with sturdiness and rigidity. Acer is also upping the ante with its cooling with a unique keyboard design with an inlet that helps dissipate up to 10% more heat. It’s also equipped with all the connectivity options that we’re accustomed to when it comes to Acer Swift Laptops including the latest WiFi 6E connectivity.
Pricing & Availability
The Swift 3 OLED will be available starting in May 2022 in China and in July 2022 for the rest of the world. It will cost RMB4,999 (MYR3,253.12) in China, USD$899.99 (MYR3,955.88) in North America, and EUR999 (MYR4,598.46) in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
It’s not every day that we see something new and interesting when it comes to laptops. We’re so used to seeing the mundane clamshell form factor with new insides, displays and ports. However, ASUS has been on a roll lately with a slew of laptops that bring fun, new features as well as new hardware that is truly revolutionary. Over the past year, they’ve been adamant about equipping their laptops with OLED displays which are certified for their colour accuracy.
With their Zenbook Duo lineup, they’ve brought an interesting approach to multiscreen productivity. But what happens when you take multiscreen productivity and fit it into a space once exclusively reserved for the trackpad? You get the hallmark feature of the ZenBook 14X’s hallmark feature: the Screen Pad. Does this new approach make sense? Is productivity enhanced or deterred by the feature and is it here to stay?
We’re looking to answer those questions and also the most pertinent one when it comes to any piece of tech, “Is it worth my money?”, in our in-depth review of the ZenBook 14X OLED.
Design
The ZenBook 14X OLED has its origins in the ZenBook’s early days as a flagship. It’s equipped with a machined aluminium body with a brushed finish and made of premium build materials; like any other ZenBook. However, the thing that makes the laptop stand out is the sheer sleekness and miniature form of the laptop overall. ASUS has made the ZenBook 14X OLED one of the smallest and sleekest laptops in its lineup. However, its minute stature isn’t where the story ends.
When it boils down to it, the ZenBook 14X OLED distinguishes itself with its brushed aluminium top. However, it doesn’t give in to the incessant need to be thin as paper. Instead, it’s thicker and more substantial than its predecessor and competition. Coming in at just under 17mm, the laptop strides the line of being just thin enough and being thick and chunky in this day and age. That said, the added thickness and sturdy build materials provide the top lid with added stability and rigidity. This also prevents the display from flexing which can be detrimental to the laptop.
That said, the ZenBook isn’t only sturdy, but it’s also well designed. ASUS has made sure that while the ZenBook 14X OLED is slim and light, it’s also well equipped for working on the go. It comes with a good range of ports – which we will elaborate on later in the review. That said, these ports don’t break the overall aesthetic of the laptop. Instead, ASUS has made them flush seamlessly into the aluminium chassis. The thickest point of the laptop is also used to house the largest ports: USB-A and HDMI ports.
The small body of the laptop doesn’t hinder ASUS from equipping the laptop with a tactile keyboard that emblazons the entirety of the main body. It’s only complemented by the chamfered dip which adds to the aesthetic of the laptop. That same aesthetic dip also highlights a change in materials as the top plate of the keyboard and ScreenPad isn’t made with the same aluminium. Instead, it feels a little more like plastic. That said, the plate is still encased within the aluminium frame.
Hardware
The ZenBook 14X OLED isn’t just about the aesthetics, it’s built for productivity. To achieve this, ASUS has packed the laptop with rather commendable insides which allow the ZenBook to stride the fine line between battery life and performance.
Specifications
ASUS ZENBOOK 14 | UX5400E
As tested
Processor (clock)
Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 processor 2.80 GHz quad-core with Turbo Boost (up to 4.70GHz) and 12MB cache
GPU
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics NVIDIA GeForce MX450
Display
14” OLED 2.8K (2880 x 1800) resolution 16:10 aspect ratio Touch Panel anti-glare screen 550nits brightness
Memory
16GB LPDDR4X 512GB PCIe® NVMe™ 3.0 x2 M.2 SSD
Networking and Connections
Intel WiFi 6 with Gig+ performance (802.11ax) Bluetooth 5.0 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C® 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 Standard HDMI 2.0 1 MicroSD card reader 1 Audio Combo Jack
Battery
63Wh lithium-polymer battery Up to 8.3 hours of battery life 100W Type-C power adapter (Output: 20V DC, 100W, Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal)
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Miscellaneous
HD camera ScreenPad Backlit Keyboard Stereo Speakers Microphone DisplayPort over USB-C Thunderbolt 4 MIL-STD 810H Durability
Features
The mainstay of the ASUS ZenBook OLED 14X is undoubtedly going to be its ScreenPad. However, it’s not the only feature that comes with the laptop. It comes with a slew of software and hardware features that make this laptop a real contender if you’re in the market for a new one.
Almost everything you want for connectivity
ASUS has proven time and time again that compact, thin laptops need not be handicapped when it comes to connectivity. The Zenbook 14X OLED comes with all the connectivity options that you need – well – unless you’re looking to take over the internet. It comes with two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, a single high-speed USB 3.2 Type A port, an HDMI 4.0 port, a combo audio jack and even a micro USB card slot. With these essential ports, you’re pretty much covered when it comes to plugging in. That said, you also charge with USB-C ports, so, if you’re charging the laptop, you’ll have one less USB-C port. The only physical port missing is an ethernet port but you have WiFi 6 connectivity with a high enough throughput that you can even do online gaming.
Since we’re already on the topic, the Zenbook 14X does come with all the bells and whistles when it comes to wireless connectivity on laptops. Aside from WiFi 6, it also comes with Bluetooth 5.0. So you’ll be able to stream and connect to your wireless keyboard, mouse or even headphones without much hassle.
ASUS ScreenPad
ASUS’s novel ScreenPad is definitely a unique feature of their Zenbook series. It brings a whole new level of productivity. You’re presented with an additional screen from the get-go when you purchase it and given the norm of having more than one screen nowadays, it’s a welcomed addition to a laptop purchase.
The ScreenPad brings an additional 1080p screen albeit a little smaller than we’re used to. It allows you to use apps on the track pad which makes so much sense especially if you’re working with a mouse. The extra screen real estate allows you to use the calculator more naturally, refer to a website or document or even control your media while keeping productive. ASUS has also integrated their multiscreen setup with Link to MyASUS more deeply. A lot of the functionality that we’ve come to expect from the Link to MyASUS app is now natively integrated into ScreenPad with the Screen Xpert software. You can get prompts for messages and phone calls on the ScreenPad while you work and even use the ScreenPad to mirror your smartphone.
While all that is fine and dandy, the ScreenPad comes with a steep learning curve. It brings a layer of complexity to functions that many people expect to “just work” on Windows. One of the most irritating issues that we faced during our time with the Zenbook 14X OLED was the fact that the ScreenPad added an additional screen when it came to projecting displays. This was due to Windows recognising it as a display but it not showing on the display setup in Windows’ settings menu. To make things work as you would expect, we had to put the ScreenPad into trackpad mode which turned off the screen functionality.
In addition to this, you also need to get used to a new set of gestures that allow you to use the ScreenPad more effectively. The most essential is a three-finger swipe that will allow quickly toggle the track pad function. However, this toggle is only temporary – a fact we found out in the most annoying way. Due to the track pad function being temporary, we would be toggling apps unintentionally. This became an irritating occurrence particularly when we were trying to get urgent work done.
While it does seem like a deal-breaker, we have to keep in mind that the Zenbook is one of the only laptops with the ScreenPad. This also means that we have a little bit of learning when it comes to the novel features of the laptop. After using the laptop for a week, the gestures and extended functionality became second nature.
That said, when it came to working on the go, we found ourselves turning the ScreenPad off all together. This was due to the fact that having it on while on battery had a significant impact on battery life. We noticed about 20-30% less battery life with it on. That equated to about 4-5 hours of battery but without it, we got about 8 hours.
AI Powered Clear Voice, Quick Sign In with Windows Hello & Linking Up
Hardware aside, ASUS has also bolstered the laptop with a whole bunch of AI enhancements. One of our favourites is the ClearVoice mic. With ASUS’s ClearVoice, the integrated microphones can intelligently suppress background noise and detect and enhances the speaker’s voice. So, you won’t be cut off by a passing vehicle or even a crying baby when you’re taking your video call. Given the work from anywhere reality that is quickly becoming mainstream, this is definitely a welcomed feature. In fact, during our review time with the laptop, the feature was so good that people didn’t realise that we took a call from a café as the background noise was so minimal.
The Zenbook 14X OLED also comes with an integrated fingerprint sensor in its power button. This has to be one of the most welcomed features on the laptop. With the integration, the laptop seamlessly powers on and signs in with one click. This is bolstered by the SSD in the Zenbook 14X OLED. It boots and is ready for use in a matter of seconds.
Of course, with the Zenbook 14X, you get multiple options when it comes to keeping connected with your smartphone. You have Windows Phone Link (previously Your Phone) and Link to MyASUS. The latter provides even more functionality in our opinion. The Link to MyASUS app not only integrates seamlessly with the ScreenPad, but it also allows you to use tablets and large phones as an external display. This allows you the flexibility of being able to have multiple screens on the go. The wireless connection does have a little lag when it comes to interactions but if you’re simply using it to refer to documents or even to play media while working, you won’t even notice it.
PERFORMANCE
ASUS’s commitment to creating powerful, versatile, thin and light laptops shines through in the Zenbook 14X OLED. The laptop doesn’t perform like your typical thin and light. The thought that ASUS put into the design and feel of the laptop allows it to be one of the most sturdy and powerful small form factor laptops out there. While it’s no gaming laptop, it’s able to handle nearly workloads we don’t typically expect from a thin and light.
During our review period with the Zenbook 14 OLED, we were editing video and even doing some light gaming on the laptop without much hassle. When it came to editing video, we had source footage at 1080p resolution. The edit had about 3 layers with subtitles and effects and it was exported to a 1080p video for YouTube. While it did send the fans into overdrive, the laptop was able to handle it without overheating. In fact, aside from a longer export time, it was very seamless.
Gaming on the Zenbook 14 OLED is best left for proper gaming laptops. It goes without saying that AAA titles really taxed the processor and the NVIDIA GeForce MX450 GPU of the laptop. However, if you’re playing games like City Skylines or even Star Craft 2, the Zenbook 14 can definitely handle the load. You may not be able to play on maxed out settings, but you will definitely have a good experience playing it.
Other than those taxing activities, the Zenbook 14 OLED was able to handle everything else. Word processing and even large Excel files were a breeze for the laptop. Even if there was some slowdown, it was only with active tasks. Once those were over, the laptop performance was seamless and back to being smooth as butter. It could even handle Firefox and Chrome with multiple tabs open at the same time. It didn’t slow down but it did get a little warm which kicked the fans into overdrive.
Battery life on the laptop is typical of one as small and power packed as the Zenbook 14 OLED. It lasted about 8 hours on a single charge without the ScreenPad on. However, when the ScreenPad was turned on, this generally dropped to about 4-5 hours. This is partially due to the extra power drawn by the ScreenPad’s screen. That said, the high resolution and luminance of the main display are also factors. However, if you’re running low on charge you’ll be able to use a USB PD compatible charger to get the charge up to about 50% in forty minutes. The Zenboook picks about its chargers, more often than not, it will ask that you plug it into its original charger, however, GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers with about 85W capacity seems to work as well – keep in mind, that the original charger in the box is rated at 100W.
Display
The focus that ASUS has on bringing colour accurate OLED displays is really apparent in the Zenbook 14 OLED. This is partially because of the contrast between the screen quality of the main display and the ScreenPad’s IPS panel. However, the differences were mainly apparent when it came to viewing content and content creation.
The main display produced vibrant and saturated colours. While being saturated and vibrant, they were also relatively accurate colour reproductions. The accuracy was spot on and allowed us to colour grade video and photos when we were using the laptop on the go. The high resolution also gave us more visual real-estate when it came to doing programs like Adobe Illustrator. That said, the effect of this was relatively minute considering the 14-inch size of the display.
While 14-inches may seem like a very small screen, it actually strikes a balance when it comes to size and productivity. It feels close to what we can consider a goldilocks zone for compact laptops. It’s just enough real estate that you have enough detail and clarity while keeping the size of the laptop portable.
The ability to use touch to navigate brought an added simplicity to interacting with the PC. The touch input allowed us to scroll through websites in what felt like a more natural way and also interact directly with links and the like. It also complemented the ScreenPad as you didn’t need to have it in trackpad mode to get things done.
Taking Multitasking to a Whole New Level with a Steep Learning Curve to Boot
The Zenbook 14 OLED is a machine built for multitasking and for productivity. It excels at being a machine for productivity and creativity. It’s one that allows you the freedom of multitasking in a way that makes sense to you while having a beautiful screen and a complementary ecosystem with Screen Xpert 2 and Link to MyASUS. All in all, it’s a machine that dedicates most of its resources to enabling its users to be creative, productive and even let loose with some light gaming.
Intel Vision 2022 is here! Their keynote was two hours long, but it was not for nothing. They touched on plenty of things that they are working on in the background. Most of it has to do with their corporate businesses and corporate initiatives. One of it though has to do with mobile workstations and that is one we were interested in. They announced the new 12th Generation Core HX processors for workstations. In other words, they have released their most powerful mobile CPUs yet.
Intel already has their 12th generation Intel Core processors on the mobile platform before this. While they are largely of similar build and architecture, they are different products, this Core HX one and the ones before. As Intel puts it, the Core HX is made for professionals and creators.
At the top, the 12th generation Intel Core i9 with Core HX still packs up to 16 cores. Eight of the cores are efficiency cores while the rest are performance cores. In their forms, they are still the same 10nm processors with the new big-small architecture. The new Core HX processors also still support the same DDR5 at 4800MHz speeds where available.
Where the new Core HX differs to the outgoing 12th generation Intel Core processors is in its multi-threaded performance. Intel claims that the Core HX delivers 65% more multi-threaded performance compared to the regular Core processors. 65% is a significant amount and important when it comes to creative use. It means less rendering and processing time in video production, 3D rendering, and even animation purposes. The 12th generation Core HX processors, in this case, will see the most benefit in CAD, animation, and visual effect applications. How it will compare to team red is yet to be seen though.
Still, just because the Core HX processors are optimised to be workhorses in creative and professional applications, does not mean that Intel has forgotten their core strength. The Core HX processors are still powerful gaming processors at their hearts. Of course, if you are building a gaming rig, there are other Intel products that might suit you better, this one should be more of an all-rounder for those who needs the versatility.
With Core HX, Intel has introduced seven new processors in their 12th generation Core line-up. The seven new processors are spread out between the Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9 offerings. Because they are mobile processors, we will have to wait and see what Intel’s manufacturing partners can come up with later in the year with the Core HX solutions. For more information on Intel’s Core HX processors, you can visit their website.
Being environmentally friendly and creating products that fits the bill should not be something new. It is, however, now cool to do it. Take the recently launched Acer Aspire Vero National Geographic Edition for example, even a world renown organisation dedicated to global preservation recognises Acer’s effort in reducing their carbon footprint.
Acer is not the only company that is jumping on the ecologically friendly product bandwagon though. Dell has quietly been on that bandwagon for a while now, not the extremes of Acer, but they have been cutting down wherever they can. Now, we can add Lenovo to that list.
They have launched the new Yoga Slim 9i, a flagship that is created with carbon neutrality in mind. In fact, Lenovo’s new flagship thing-and-light has been certified as a carbon neutral product by TÜV Rheinland. They have also launched the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 series built for creators who are constantly on the move.
Carbon Neutral is Cool
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
Source: Lenovo
It is the first laptop device in the world to be certified by TÜV Rheinland as a carbon neutral product. How? Lenovo never specified how. We speculate that Lenovo must have somehow offset the carbon footprint of the product in one way or another since they did not claim that the laptop has been made with recycled or recyclable materials.
While eco-friendliness can often be associated with lower build qualities and lack of durability, this is not the case with the Yoga Slim 9i. As its name suggests, the flagship laptop device is 14.9mm thick, or thin, depending on how you see it. The slim and svelte body is encased in durable 3D glass with smooth contours just to make sure that the laptop is comfortable in your hands.
The high-end device packs a 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and boasts up to 4K in resolution. It is an OLED PureSight display too so colours are sure to be as vibrant and true as they can be on the laptop. The OLED panel is also a Vesa Certified Display HDR True Black 500 and 10-bit colour depth to get a good 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. The vibrant and immersive display is supported also by a powerful Bowers and Wilkins speakers for a great audio experience.
Inside the premium chassis, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i packs a lot of punch with Intel’s 12th Generation Core processors with Intel EVO certification. It also packs something called Lenovo A.I. Core 2.0 to automatically optimise performances and secure the laptop. It also ensures that the fans are always spinning adequately enough to ensure that your laptop always stays cool.
Prices and Availability
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i will be available in a few configurations. You can get it with an Intel Core i7 or an Intel Core i5. Both devices pack Intel’s Iris Xe graphics technology. You can also get spec it with either a 2.8K or 4K OLED display. It also only comes in one colour option, not black, they call it Oatmeal. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i will be available in the United States (U.S.) starting June 2022 onward for US$ 1,799 (MYR 7,865*). There are no confirmations on its local availability or prices so far.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.37 as of 06/05/2022 on xe.com
