Two of the lightest-ever Windows laptops launch soon — here's how Lenovo and ASUS with Snapdragon and Intel CPUs compare

Lenovo and ASUS both unveiled new featherlight 14-inch laptops at CES 2026, and they're both expected to launch in Q2 this year.

The ASUS Zenbook A14, now in its second generation after a glorious debut in 2025, looks like it will remain the best option for budget shoppers, whereas Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition (what a mouthful) will appease those who want more premium features and Intel hardware.

I put together this in-depth comparison to help you make the right decision when these laptops launch.

How do Yoga Slim 7i Ultra and Zenbook A14 specs compare?

Here's a look at the raw specs that go into these two laptops. Lenovo already has a fairly detailed spec sheet available, while the Zenbook A14 (2026) could have more configs when it launches.

Can I buy the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra and Zenbook A14 right now?

Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition and the ASUS Zenbook A14 (2026) are not yet available to buy. They are both expected to launch in Q2 2026.

Lenovo mentioned a $1,499.99 starting price at its CES 2026 reveal, although whether or not that price sticks due to DRAM and NAND shortages remains to be seen.

Based on the first-generation PC, I am expecting the ASUS Zenbook A14 for 2026 to launch at a more affordable price compared to the Yoga laptop. You can still find the original Zenbook A14 from 2025 starting at $699 at Best Buy.

Two featherweight 14-inch laptops; which one has the better features?

The original Zenbook A14 that launched in 2025 absolutely blew us away with its lightweight chassis and overall sleek design. Former Windows Central laptop expert Zachary Boddy noted in their Zenbook A14 review:

"With a magnesium chassis as light as air and as tough as stone, Snapdragon X series chipsets that barely sip on the physics-defying massive battery, and a great balance of practical function and aesthetic form, the Zenbook A14 is one of the best laptops of the year."

This brilliant design really isn't changing for the new 2026 model. Compared to the new Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, the Zenbook A14 will have a slightly smaller footprint while weighing about 13 grams more.

It's also going to offer a much more varied port selection, with dual USB4 (which uses the USB-C form factor), USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2), HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, on the other hand, offers three Thunderbolt 4 ports. It's far more likely you'll need to add a Thunderbolt docking station to the Yoga laptop in order to connect all your accessories.

Lenovo does a great job with its laptop cameras and speakers, and that's no different here. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra comes with a quad-speaker setup with 8W of total output and Dolby Atmos tuning.

The new Zenbook A14 only lists stereo speakers. The original Zenbook A14 did have Dolby Atmos tuning, so I'm expecting it to return for the second-gen model.

Lenovo's camera is set at 5MP with an IR sensor for Windows Hello. The Zenbook A14 also has an IR sensor for that added layer of facial recognition security, but its camera tops out at 1080p (or about 2MP).

The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra has a small, raised camera bar along the top of the display, which allows it to house the superior hardware. I love the look, but others might prefer the straight Zenbook A14 top bezel.

The keyboard and touchpad quality will need to be tested, but I can say that Lenovo and ASUS both make great keys. The same goes for touchpads, with both PCs offering a spacious pointer.

OLED or pOLED? Lenovo and ASUS use slightly different displays

Lenovo and ASUS are each using 14-inch displays in their new laptops. For Lenovo, it's a Plastic OLED (pOLED) display that's more durable and resistant to drops. ASUS is using standard OLED tech, which should mean it has a glass covering. In any case, both displays come with a glossy finish.

Lenovo and ASUS both appear to be offering just one display option. In the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra, you get a 2880x1800 (2.8K) resolution, touch, 500 nits brightness (up to 1,100 nits with HDR), a 120Hz refresh rate, DisplayHDR True Black 1000 certification, Dolby Vision, and perfect color reproduction across sRGB and P3 gamuts.

Here's where I imagine a lot of the price difference comes into play. The Zenbook A14's screen hits a lower 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution, a lower 60Hz refresh rate, and a lower peak brightness of 600 nits with HDR enabled. It does have DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification.

Ultimately, Lenovo's Yoga display should be the right choice for creators who need the extra pixels. However, the Zenbook A14's FHD+ display should save battery life while still delivering the outstanding color and contrast you expect from OLED tech.

Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 or Intel Core Ultra Series 3?

These two laptops are both using the latest hardware from Intel and Qualcomm, and the performance differences will be interesting to check out once we have an opportunity to benchmark firsthand.

I can, however, make some key initial comparisons when looking at the higher-level platforms.

Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" mobile chips are a big step forward, especially in regard to the integrated GPU. The Yoga Slim 7i Ultra will come with up to a Core Ultra X7 385H chip with 16 cores, an Arc B390 integrated GPU with power nearing a discrete RTX 4050, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with 50 TOPS of power for AI workloads.

Lenovo will also offer a couple of wimpier Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 chips for its more affordable configurations. Make no mistake; these are still excellent performers.

ASUS has upgraded to the Snapdragon X2 Elite; more specifically, the X2E-88-100 with 18 cores, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, and an NPU capable of 80 TOPS of AI power.

Generally speaking, you should expect superb productivity performance and efficiency from the Snapdragon X2 chip, with Intel Panther Lake delivering stronger GPU performance and no need for emulating certain programs and games.

Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition vs. Zenbook A14 (2026): Which should you buy?

Both of these thin and light laptops are expected to launch in Q2 2026, and we'll soon have more information as to how exactly they perform, how well the designs work, and what the displays look like in real life.

As it stands now, the Zenbook A14 (2026) should remain the go-to lightweight PC for budget shoppers. No, the display, speakers, and webcam aren't as impressive, but that won't matter for a ton of people who just want a reliable PC that's easy to carry around.

Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition, thanks to its set of more premium features, is expected to cost more, but will be more appealing to creators thanks to its high-res display and strong Intel Panther Lake integrated graphics.

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