The Zenbook Pro 14 OLED is the newest Content Creator-focused laptop to come from developer Asus. Sporting an impressive 13th generation Intel Core i9-13900H Processor 2.6GHz, 32GB DDR5 RAM and solid NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 with 8BG of GDDR6 RAM, the Zenbook Pro 14 OLED has one purpose: to be the go-to laptop for content creators.
Featuring an all-aluminum body, the Zenbook Pro 14 looks stunning with its all-black finish. This matte finish, while beautiful, is quite susceptible to fingerprint smudging. Despite this, the Pro 14 looks sharp and feels sturdy to hold. Weighing in at 3.5LBS, this 14-inch model is compact enough to easily carry around in your bag while still able to hold up to any productivity, creation or gaming task you throw its way.
Equipped with bottom-entry cooling the Zenbook Pro 14 offers a dual-fan solution (known as the ASUS IceCool Pro system) with four exhaust ports. The result is an impressively quiet gaming and editing experience. In testing the system fans never exceed volume levels that would be considered distracting even while gaming and rendering video. This is a welcome surprise, considering the 4070 tucked under the hood. In fact, ASUS has even given users manual control over the fan modes, allowing you to choose which speed you’d like to run the system at.
It is worth noting that the system did run a bit warmer than some of the modern gaming laptops we tested. Nothing alarming, simply warmer than some other systems sporting dedicated video cards. This can, at least in part, be attributed to the more compact nature of the Pro 14 vs other larger gaming laptops on the market. In regards to the aforementioned physical warmth of the system, it is felt mostly on the left side of the system, where you would traditionally rest your palm while positioning your fingers on the WASD keys.
“The Zenbook 14 Pro OLED is the perfect system for content creators.”
Speaking of the GPU, the Pro 14 comes with an impressive GeForce RTX 4070. The goal of shipping the Zenbook Pro 14 with this hefty 8GB VRAM GPU is to aid in content creation. Asus has even gone so far as to include AI-augmented process optimization. This process essentially streamlines more robust tasks such as heavy video effects and render times to speed up the overall user experience.
Indeed, in testing the Pro 14 handled video editing exceptionally well. Using the DaVinci Resolves Fusion Tab, there are no slowdowns or issues when creating or applying fusion effects to some cut-together video. Likewise, when working within the timeline under the Edit tab, the system didn’t get bogged down when adding Fusion-powered effects such as text animations or transitions. In fact, it’s one of the smoothest editing experiences I’ve had to date.
This processing and editing is further bolstered by leveraging NVIDIA’s real-time ray tracing for accelerating rendering, something that I’d not realized was possible with ray tracing. This of course is managed by utilizing the NVIDIA Studio drivers that are available through the NVIDIA Exprience app. When installed they immediately begin to leverage all the features we tend to associate with gaming such as ray tracing and DLSS 3.0 and instead utilize them for content creation and provide serious performance boots while editing.
While not specifically marketed to gamers, for the sake of science I swapped driver sets from Studio to Game Ready and ran the Zenbook 14 Pro through a gauntlet of games to see how it would hold up. For those who want to have their cake and eat it too, you’ll be happy to know that the Zenbook 14 Pro delivers. Modern Warfare 3, Diablo 4 and DOOM Eternal all ran exceptionally well especially when able to leverage DLSS 3.0 as well as some of NVIDIA’s other fun tools and settings. You can expect it to easily run any new AAA title with ease.
This, in part, is due to what is called the MUX Switch which is a part of the GPU processing on the 14 Pro. The MUX Switch allows the GPU to bypass the CPU when producing and transmitting image frames. Instead of needing to first run through the CPU and then to the display, the MUX Switch skips the CPU altogether and produces them on the display directly. The result reduced latency and a serious upgrade to framerates.
The 14 Pro is an impressively powerful editing system. Another way that Asus tries to further cator the Zenbook 14 Pro to creators is with its new ASUS DialPad. This little dial is located in the upper left-hand corner of the touchpad and is a contextual dial control that can be customized for multiple creative and productivity applications. Jog control, brush selection and saturation controls, to name a few, can all be handled by the DialPad. It’s an interesting concept that could be useful to some creators.
“The Zenbook 14 Pro OLED is one of the best laptops I’ve worked with this year…”
The most impressive feature of the DialPad is how customizable it is. Thanks to the PROART Creator Hub software suite, the DialPad can be customized to work with an array of different software, both creative and productivity orient. The software itself is easy to use and streamlined, meaning you’ll spend less time trying to customize and more time working.
While the DialPad does work decently, after a week of editing video, audio and photos I still found myself wanting to default back to other control methods. While the Dial does work, it simply didn’t speed up or make a more efficient workflow for my content creation. It also struggled from time to time to be sensitive enough for the type of work I was doing, and more than once jumped further than intended despite consistent pressure application. With some more refinement to the software, though, there is an opportunity for the DialPad to become a staple tool in a creator’s toolbox.
Stepping back to the processing and power of the Zenbook Pro 14 OLED the 13th Gen i9-13900H is a seriously impressive CPU. When coupled with the RTX 4070 along with the aforementioned 32GB of DDR5 RAM the result becomes is a powerhouse tucked in an impressively compact form factor.
For those concerned with storage, ASUS made the smart choice to include a 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD(up to 2TB supported). This offers a great amount of storage accessible at blistering speeds. All of this, once again, speaks to the mission of creating a laptop specifically geared to creators.
This couldn’t be more evident than with the inclusion of a gorgeous 14.5” 2.8K (2880 by 1800) 120 Hz OLED display. This touchscreen-enabled display is absolutely beautiful to behold and use. With a 16:10 aspect ratio, 550 nit peak brightness and a seriously fast 0.2ms response time, it’s the icing on the cake for this impressive laptop.
The 16:10 aspect ratio allows for a higher resolution without needing to push the overall price point up with a more expensive 4K module. Additionally, with a 90% screen-to-body ratio, the bezel is almost non-existent when viewing the display. The result is a beautiful OLED display that shows every detail of your timeline.
As for IO, the Zenbook hosts two USB-C ports (one Thunderbolt 4, one USB 3.2 Gen2), a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A, an Audio combo jack, HDMI 2.1 and an SD card reader. All of these speak to the needs of content creators who leverage external drives for accessing content.
The only critique of the IO is the inclusion of a barrel plug-style DC-in port. While I can appreciate the desire for a dedicated power input it would have been nice to see a USB-C power supply and input option which would have better future-proofed the Zenbook Pro 14. This is a minor critique honestly as, overall, the IO is smartly selected and laid out to cater to a creator’s needs.
The Zenbook 14 also comes equipped with Dolby Vision/Atmos support for those needing the extra Audio support. The built-in Smart AMP Technology, combined with Dolby software, actually does a decent job at leveraging the power of the small speakers, creating a decent audio experience. While still limited by the overall quality and size of the onboard speakers, these tools really do leverage every ounce of power they can to deliver a solid audio experience to the user.
As for the built-in keyboard and mouse, both are quite impressive to use. Both leverage the ASUS ErgoSense tech and provide a comfortable and responsive experience. The keyboard actuation feels good while typing and gaming while the touchpad is one of the best I’ve tested this year. The overall experience feels both smooth and natural.
The Zenbook 14 Pro also comes with a 76WHrs, 4-cell Li-ion battery. It’s rated for around 10 hours of continuous use with an emphasis on productivity. In testing, it has no problem holding up for an 8-hour workday of editing and administrative work. As for gaming, it is easily handled over 2.5 hours of Diablo 4 before reaching the 20% mark. It’s a solid offering and comparable to what I’ve measured on my M1 Macbook Pro.
As with the ASUS Zenbook 14X that we reviewed earlier this year, the Pro leverages the MyASUS Software suite. This wonderful little suite allows users an impressive amount of control over many aspects of the system all from a centralized, easy-to-use interface. WiFi, fan control, display colour profiles, and even system diagnostics can all be easily accessed through MyASUS. It is one of the better suites I’ve used in recent years and I’m glad to see it back for the 14 Pro.
The Zenbook 14 Pro OLED is the perfect system for content creators. Its compact design allows for easy transportation, while its powerhouse hardware means you’ll always be ready to create your next project. A solid battery, great IO and smart design all work together to create a versatile laptop to take on any task you throw its way. While some things could use some refinement, the Zenbook 14 Pro OLED is still one of the best laptops I’ve worked with this year. Priced at USD $1999.00 it’s work considering.
