ASUS has unveiled its refreshed flagship Windows laptops for 2026, the ZenBook S14 and ZenBook S16, now powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 and AMD Ryzen AI 400 series chips, respectively.
Both S14 and S16 models are Copilot+ capable, with NPUs outputting 50+ TOPS of power. The S14 is 1.1cm thick and 2.65lbs light, making it one of the thinnest and lightest 14-inch notebooks on the market.
The S14's display is also still excellent, featuring a 2880x1800 resolution in a 16:10 aspect ratio. It's one of the sharpest displays on a 14-inch laptop, meaning text and images look crisp and clear. It also has a high-refresh-rate 120Hz panel, which makes scrolling apps and moving windows smooth as butter.
Specification | 90NB16Q4-M00CU0 | 90NB16Q5-M00E00 |
|---|---|---|
Year | 2026 | 2026 |
Operating System | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro |
CPU | Intel Core Ultra X9 (Series 3); Intel NPU up to 50 TOPS | Intel Core Ultra X7 (Series 3); Intel NPU up to 50 TOPS |
GPU | Intel Arc Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics |
Memory | 32GB LPDDR5X on board | 32GB LPDDR5X on board |
Storage | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD |
Display | 14" Touch 3K OLED, 120Hz, 1100 nits HDR peak | 14" Touch 3K OLED, 120Hz, 1100 nits HDR peak |
I/O Ports | 1× USB 3.2 Gen2 Type‑A | 1× USB 3.2 Gen2 Type‑A |
Camera | FHD IR Camera | FHD IR Camera |
Wireless | Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) + Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) + Bluetooth 5.4 |
Audio | Smart Amp, Speaker, Array Microphone | Smart Amp, Speaker, Array Microphone |
Color | Scandinavian White | Antrim Gray |
Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 2.65 lbs |
Dimensions | 12.22" × 8.45" × 0.47"–0.51" | 12.22" × 8.45" × 0.47"–0.51" |
Battery | 77Wh 4‑cell Li‑ion | 77Wh 4‑cell Li‑ion |
AC Adapter | 100W USB‑C | 100W USB‑C |
It's the same story for the S16, which features a larger 16-inch display at the same 3K resolution, same 16:10 aspect ratio, and same 120Hz refresh rate. Both models are touchscreen too, and are capable of 1100 nits of peak brightness for HDR content.
The S16 features a larger 83Whr battery and AMD's new Ryzen AI 400 series chips instead of Intel, offering similar performance gains over the last-gen S16 with the AMD Ryzen AI 370 HX. Both the S14 and S16 can be configured with 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage.
Specification | 90NB17H6-M00HL0 | 90NB17H4-M00EH0 | 90NB17H4-M00KC0 |
|---|---|---|---|
Year | 2026 | 2026 | 2026 |
Operating System | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home |
CPU | AMD Ryzen AI 9 465; AMD XDNA NPU up to 55+ TOPS | AMD Ryzen AI 5 445; AMD XDNA NPU up to 55+ TOPS | AMD Ryzen AI HX 470; AMD XDNA NPU up to 55+ TOPS |
GPU | AMD Radeon Graphics | AMD Radeon Graphics | AMD Radeon Graphics |
Memory | 32GB LPDDR5X on board | 32GB LPDDR5X on board | 32GB LPDDR5X on board |
Storage | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD |
Display | 16" Touch 3K OLED, 120Hz, 1100 nits HDR | 16" Touch 3K OLED, 120Hz, 1100 nits HDR | 16" Touch 3K OLED, 120Hz, 1100 nits HDR |
I/O Ports | 1× USB 3.2 Gen2 Type‑A | 1× USB 3.2 Gen2 Type‑A | 1× USB 3.2 Gen2 Type‑A |
Camera | FHD IR Camera | FHD IR Camera | FHD IR Camera |
Wireless | Wi‑Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi‑Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi‑Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 |
Audio | Smart Amp, Speaker, Array Microphone | Smart Amp, Speaker, Array Microphone | Smart Amp, Speaker, Array Microphone |
Color | Antrim Gray | Scandinavian White | Scandinavian White |
Material | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Weight | 3.42 lbs | 3.31 lbs | 3.31 lbs |
Dimensions | 13.92" × 9.57" × 0.47"–0.51" | 13.92" × 9.57" × 0.47"–0.51" | 13.92" × 9.57" × 0.47"–0.51" |
Battery | 83Wh 4‑cell Li‑ion | 83Wh 4‑cell Li‑ion | 83Wh 4‑cell Li‑ion |
AC Adapter | 100W USB‑C | 100W USB‑C | 100W USB‑C |
New for this generation is a redesigned lid, which has been simplified with the ASUS ZenBook branding. It places it more in line with the ZenBook A14 and A16, which were also just announced. Overall, this is a great refresh to two already amazing products, bringing them up to date with the very latest mobile processors on offer from Intel and AMD.
Perhaps worryingly, ASUS has not mentioned pricing for these new laptops. The company recently announced that it expects prices for its products to go up across the board this year in the wake of the RAM shortage crisis, which means the new S14 and S16 might be more expensive than their older generation counterparts.
What are your thoughts on the new ASUS ZenBook S14 and ZenBook S16? Let us know in the comments!
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