Intel’s Lunar Lake-powered laptops are finally here, and you can buy a new Core Ultra Series 2 laptop later this month. One of the most interesting laptops from the lineup comes from Asus in the form of its new 2024 Zenbook S 14.
At just 1.1 centimeter thick and weighing 1.2 kilograms, the new ZenBook S 14 is the brand’s slimmest 14-inch laptop to date. This makes it suitable for users who prioritize mobility without sacrificing performance.
While it looks similar to the previous-gen model, the new Zenbook S 14 comes with a special outer lid made from a unique Ceraluminum (ceramic + aluminum) material. Available in two color options — Scandinavian White and Zumaia Grey — it essentially combines the feel of ceramic, almost like sandstone, with the durability of aluminum. It is similar to what we saw on the AMD-based Zenbook S 16 earlier this year.
Another interesting design aspect is the area right above the keyboard that features a geometric grille design with 2,715 CNC-machined cooling vents. According to Asus, by using this pattern, it has managed to improve airflow by up to 50% ensuring efficient heat dissipation even at its highest 28W TDP. The laptop also features an improved ultra-slim vapor chamber, a bi-layer graphite sheet, and a dual-fan solution for up to two times increased heat dissipation.
The audio system consists of four high-quality speakers, and there is also a 1080p webcam that supports various AI effects, Windows Hello face recognition, and noise cancellation for clear video conferencing.
Despite its slim design, the Zenbook S 14 is equipped with a 72-watt-hour battery for long-lasting use. In its testing, Asus says that the laptop can last up to 27 hours while running offline videos at 1080p.
The display on the Zenbook S 14 remains unchanged from early 2024 models, featuring a 14-inch 16:10 2.8K 120Hz OLED panel. This version is touch-enabled and offers 500 nits brightness with HDR enabled, 100% DCI-P3 color, and Pantone validation.
Powering the laptop is the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 2 chipsets and one can configure it with the highest Core Ultra 9 288V processor. Thanks to the new chips from Intel, the new ZenBook is now capable of delivering up to 48 tera operations per second (TOPS) on the NPU (neural processing unit) and a combined performance of 120 TOPS. It will be available 16GB or 32GB of onboard LPDDR5x-8533MHz memory (depending on the CPU), and up to a 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD.
For ports, there are two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, a USB Type-A Gen 3.2 Gen 2, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Wireless connectivity is handled by an integrated module that supports Wi-Fi 7 (tri-band) and Bluetooth 5.4.
Pricing starts at $1,400 while customers can preorder the laptop starting September 6.
Asus also unveiled the Vivobook S 14, which is a more affordable alternative to the Zenbook, featuring a slightly thicker and heavier design but still maintaining a sleek profile at 1.3 kilograms and 1.39 centimeters at its thinnest point.
Priced from $1,000, it offers robust specifications including up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, Intel Arc 140V GPU, 32GB LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. The 14-inch OLED display has a 1920 by 1200 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. It also boasts modern connectivity options like Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a 75Whr battery, which is larger than that of the Zenbook, potentially offering longer battery life.
There will also be convertible versions of the Vivobook, available in 14- and 16-inch models with 360-degree hinges for versatile use in tent, stand, and tablet modes. These models feature touch displays with inking support, up to Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPUs, Intel Arc 140V GPUs, and 75Whr batteries. The 14-inch model is particularly appealing for its balance of size and functionality, while the 16-inch model caters to those needing more screen real estate.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.