Ultraportable Green OLED Laptops

The Zenbook S 13 OLED UX5304 is a slim ultraportable laptop from ASUS, an industry leader in laptops and, more recently, handheld computers. This laptop is positioned as a premium eco-friendly device for users who travel often and need reliable processing power while on the go. In this regard, the Zenbook S 13 OLED positions itself next to slim and powerful laptops like the Macbook Air. In ASUS' marketing materials, it highlights the inclusion of post-consumer, post-industrial recycled materials, and the importance of carbon neutrality in tech. Due to its usage of recycled and upcycled materials, the UX5304 exceeds the 'ENERGY STAR' energy efficiency standard by 43%, making it one of the most sustainable laptops on the market.

ASUS captures the premium feel it is targeting with each aspect of this device. Given that this is a 13-inch laptop barely thicker than a USB port (less than one centimeter thick), it is natural to expect that the device may come with some compromises. However, with the UX5304, this is not the case. It achieves a battery life of more than 12 hours when charged with its 63 Wh battery and efficient i7 processor, though the device can also be ordered with a slightly lower-power i5 CPU at a lower price. This ultraportable is equipped with a stunning 2880 x 1800 resolution OLED screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. This screen boasts a 0.2ms response time and 550 nits of peak brightness, meaning it is comfortable to use, even in direct sunlight. The snappy response time makes mouse movements feel precise, while any content displayed on the screen feels smooth and fast.

Continuing on the screen, the combination of the high-resolution display and the modest 13.3-inch screen size results in a pixels-per-inch of 255. In practical use, this means there is never visible pixelation when using the device from a standard sitting distance away. Additionally, the near-infinite contrast ratio and perfect black levels provided by the OLED technology make viewing media content a best-in-class experience on this panel.

Moving on from its screen, the speakers on the UX5304 are competitive with laptops well above its size and weight. ASUS packed dual Dolby Vision / Atmos speakers certified by Harman Kardon. These speakers deliver a sensory surround sound experience with an impressive peak volume. While there are no specific decibel levels given, ASUS claims its speaker array delivers 350% louder, distortion-free audio due to its integrated Smart Amplifier, which does hold up, as the device gets far louder than needed given its size. On top of this, the fan in the device is completely inaudible under normal operation, and can only be heard when stressing the device and placing it in ASUS' Performance Mode.

One notable aspect of the UX5304 is its overall frame build quality. The backlit keys on the keyboard have a mushy but satisfying feedback, and the frame under the keyboard does not flex when pressed, giving the device a more premium feel than many Windows laptops around its price point. The same can be said about the palm rests. Despite being made of post-consumer and post-industry recycled materials, the device is remarkably sturdy and produces very minimal flexing when pressed down. The trackpad is similar, with a sleek metal feel and a rather large size at
129 x 81mm, making even corner-to-corner mouse movements possible in one swipe.

The panel behind the display has a unique pattern with angular lines cutting through, resulting in a sleek geometric pattern. The bottom corner of the device shows the product line's logo stating 'ASUS Zenbook,' though this is compact and muted, showing the brand's commitment to professionalism with its Zenbook lineup.

In terms of its performance, the included Intel Core i7-1355U is a 10-core processor running at 1.7 GHz. This is a power-efficient processor, as denoted by the 'U' in the name. This affects its core count in the sense that of the 10 cores, two are Performance cores while eight are Efficiency cores. In testing through 3DMark, the device achieved an overall score of 1,495 in TimeSpy while on battery life, and a score of 1,758 while plugged in. This means that the device will rarely, if ever, lag while navigating through the web or through Windows, and, while the device is not designed for it, it could play lighter-weight games at more-than-acceptable framerates.

The ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED UX5304 is a premium eco-friendly laptop that boasts specifications competitive in each aspect. The device is available in a number of configurations with either an i5 or i7 13th-gen processor, either 16 or 32GB of DDR5 RAM running at 6,000Mhz, and up to a 1TB SSD running at 6,500 MT/s. The device comes in two colors; Basalt Gray or Ponder Blue, and prices begin at $1,049 USD. However, the device is available at various retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon, and more, meaning it is often possible to find the device on sale. Overall, the UX5304 is an excellent choice for portability and on-the-go productivity.

Image Credit: ASUS