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ASUS and AMD dominate AI notebook launches at Computex 2024

After successfully launching the two weeks ago as their first with the processor, ASUS is going all in on AI at Computex 2024, refreshing their entire notebook lineup with . And before you ask, Intel is conspicuously missing from the Computex slate because Lunar Lake simply isn’t ready yet, and according to our sources, won’t be till September 2024. So, AMD is having a field day. As AMD also has an advantage of letting Qualcomm go first, the Ryzen AI 300 APUs also boast of NPU performance of up to , slightly edging out the Snapdragon X Elite’s , making it the current fastest NPU for Windows Copilot+ integration. Now, I know, it’s not by much and we can table the whole NPU/TOPs debate for another time. Let’s look at what ASUS is announcing today. Interestingly, only the and models are refreshed with the Ryzen AI 300, while the S 15 remains as the only Vivobook featuring the Snapdragon X Elite. This feels like a deliberate attempt by ASUS to carve out a niche for Snapdragon in their Vivobook lineup without having it directly compete with the other x86 models. The S 14 and S 16 also share almost identical specifications and design, with up to , , , same I/O ports ( ), same cooling tech, and audio. The differences in size obviously affects display and weight with the S 14 starting at while the S 16 starts at . Both notebooks are equally slim at just , which is interestingly almost 1mm thinner than the Snapdragon-based S 15 (14.7mm). The S 14 has a display, while the S 16 has a slightly larger display. The premium productivity space, ASUS introduces just one new model, the . Unlike the Vivobook series, the Zenbook S 16 is so much more than just an AMD AI 300 refresh. ASUS is championing the 16-inch form factor here, showcasing all their engineering and design chops in creating one of the sexiest productivity notebooks I’ve seen. With each generation of Zenbook, ASUS has become more understated, yet refined in design. The Zenbook S 16 features a lid with ultra-clean lines, subtle logos, and boasts of a new ceramic alloy that now has a fancy trademarked name - . Inside, ASUS claims of a precise CNC-milled chassis to remove every last gramme of weight. It also has a new thermal solution for , allowing it to stay cool and silent ( ) while operating at up to than previous generations. The Zenbook S 16 also has a large yet retains the same weight as the Vivobook S 16 at . However, it’s ridiculously slim at just . The supports configurations up to , , , and . They’ve already opened pre-orders in the US and prices start at The TUF Gaming series sees the introduction of the notebook, and a model. What’s amazing about this announcement is that the specs of the new looks so enticing, they’ve basically made an affordable rival to their own ROG Zephyrus G14. Unlike previous TUF Gaming notebooks, the A14 is not a chunky monster. It supports configurations up to an APU with GPU, a that supports up to , and a 2.5K 165Hz display. All this hardware and it’s not that much thicker or heavier than the Vivobooks above. The TUF Gaming A14 is only and weighs just . I’m actually surprised that ASUS made it this sleek and compact. The TUF Gaming A16 is a more direct refresh, with an improved cooling solution that can supposedly and a redesigned chassis that’s also undergone a diet to come out at just , though it weighs 2.2kg. While the A14 maxes out with an RTX 4060, the A16 can be configured with up to a   .