In this article we’re discussing the 2023 update of the Asus ZenBook 14X series.
Last year, the 14X was the most powerful 14-inch Asus ZenBook available in stores and my favorite mid-sized Zenbook design ever, as concluded in our detailed review available here. I was still a fairly compact and portable laptop, and came in that geeky Space Edition variant.
This year, the 2023 ZenBook 14X UX3404 series is a completely new chassis, with an improved display and updated hardware specs, but is no longer the most powerful ZenBook, as Asus now offer a new ZenBook Pro 14 series as well (which we discuss here).
For now, I got to spend a little time with a preview sample of the updated 2023 ZenBook 14X, and down below I’ve gathered my thoughts on the important changes and features of this generation, in comparison to the previous series from 2022.
Asus Zenbook 14X UX3404 (2023) vs ZenBook 14x UX5401 (2022)
But first, here’s a full specs sheet of the two ZenBook 14X generations.
| Asus Zenbook 14X UX3404 – 2023 model | Asus Zenbook 14X UX5401 – 2022 model – review | |
| Screen | 14.5 inch, 16:10, glossy, touch, OLED 2.8K 2880 x 1800 px, 120 Hz, 600 nits, 100% DCI-P3 |
14.0 inch, 16:10, glossy, touch, OLED 2.8K 2880 x 1800 px, 90 Hz, 500 nits, 100% DCI-P3 |
| Processor | Intel Raptor Lake 13th gen, up to Core i9-13900H, 6C+8c/20T | Intel Alder Lake 12th gen, up to Core i9-12900H, 6C+8c/20T |
| Video | Intel UHD, 96 EUs + optional Nvidia RTX 3050 4GB, without a MUX |
Intel UHD, 96 EUs |
| Memory | up to 32 GB LPDDR5-4800 (soldered) | up to 32 GB LPDDR5-4800 (soldered) |
| Storage | 1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD (Samsung PM9A1), single M.2 2280 slot | 1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD (Samsung PM9A1), single M.2 2280 slot |
| Connectivity | Wireless 6E (Intel AX211), Bluetooth 5.2, Ethernet with included USB adapter | Wireless 6E (Intel AX211), Bluetooth 5.2, Ethernet with included USB adapter |
| Ports | 1x USB-A 3.2 gen1, 2x USB-C 3.2 with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, audio jack | 1x USB-A 3.2 gen1, 2x USB-C 3.2 with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.0b, microSD card reader, audio jack |
| Battery | 70 Wh, 100W USB-C charger with quick-charging | 63 Wh, 100W USB-C charger with quick-charging |
| Size | 322 mm or 12.24” (w) x 226 mm or 8.7” (d) x from 16.9 mm or 0.67” (h) | 311 mm or 12.24” (w) x 221 mm or 8.7” (d) from 16.9 mm or 0.67” (h) |
| Weight | ~3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) + charger | from 3.15 lbs (1.42 kg)+ .88 lbs (.4 kg) charger + cables, EU version |
| Extras | white backlit keyboard, glass NumberPad, FHD webcam with IR + ALS, no finger sensor, stereo bottom speakers, made from PEO aluminum, updated single-radiator thermal design | white backlit keyboard, glass NumberPad, HD webcam without Hello, finger sensor in the power button, stereo bottom speakers, made from anodized aluminum |
Update: If interested, here’s our coverage of the newer Intel Zenbook 14 UX3405 series, the 2024 update built on Intel Meteor Lake hardware with Core Ultra processor and Arc graphics.
First off, the 2023 14X is a little bigger and heavier than the previous generation. However, the difference in size is within mm, and the difference in weight is within tens of grams, so won’t noticeably affect your everyday use experience.
Then, the updated Zenbook 14X looks and feels different than the previous model.
It’s still an entirely metal chassis, but the pieces of aluminum are no longer anodized, but instead are this newer ceramic-like finishing called PEO – Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation. It’s supposed to be more durable than anodized aluminum, a lot more eco-friendly, and better at dealing with smudges and finger oil.
Asus offers the laptop in two color versions, a lighter one called Sandstone Beige and a darker one called Inkwell Gray. Here are some preview pictures of the two.
The one I’ve got my hands on is the Gray model, and throughout the article, I’ve included a few more real-life images of it.
The design resembles that of the standard ZenBook 14 UX3402 , with the minimalist branding elements and the few straight lines on the lid, and I found it an improvement of the previous ZenBook design language, with the concentric circles on the lid.
The ceramic coating feels grippy and a little rough to the touch, like fine sandpaper. It was also capable of better hiding smudges than I expected on this dark-gray model – I did clean it a bit for the photos, but didn’t have to insist much.
That aside, the larger chassis allows for a 14.5-inch 16:10 display with fairly sized bezels all around. The panel could have been implemented in a more compact chassis, though, as there’s still a noticeable chin underneath the display.
The panel itself is the newer 14.5-inch OLED from Samsung, with 120Hz refresh and fast response times, excellent contrast and blacks, up to 600 nits of HDR brightness (and around 450 nits SDR), and 100% DCI-P3 color coverage. This is a little larger than the 14-inch screen on the previous ZenBook 14X, as well as a little brighter – this is greatly appreciated on this sort of glossy displays. It supports touch and pen input, and the hinges allow the screen to fall back flat to 180 degrees.
The inputs are fine on this laptop, the standard ZenBook assortment with one of the better keyboards in the space and a spacious glass touchpad that doubles as a NumberPad. Asus offers color-matched inputs on the two color versions.
Unlike on the previous ZenBook 14X, there’s no longer a finger-sensor in the power button (key) with this generation.
Biometrics are handled by an updated camera with IR and ALS support, as well as higher 2MPx image resolution.
The speakers haven’t changed, and fire through the bottom side of the laptop, from the grills on the tapered edges.
Speaking of, here’s the underside of this laptop.
It’s different than on the previous ZenBook 14X UX5401 series, and so is the entire IO layout. That’s because the previous generation implemented a dual-fan dual-heatpipe thermal module with radiators on the left and right edges, while this generation implements a single radiator on the right edge. This is one more aspect that the 14X UX3404 series shares in common with the ZenBook 14 UX3402 models and the older 2021 ZenBook 14X UX5400 design.
As a result, the IO is mostly grouped on the left side of the laptop, where you’ll find all the ports except for the USB-A slot, placed on the right. There seems to be no microSD card reader included with this 14x generation (to be updated), but the full-size HDMI port is now 2.1 and the USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 with full capabilities. An audio jack is available as well.
I do worry about the cooling capabilities of this design. I wasn’t allowed to open up this sample, and from what I can tell, the thermal module consists of a single fan, two heatpipes, and a single side radiator, like on the 2021 ZenBook 14X UX5400 series – I haven’t reviewed that one, but from the existing reviews, it didn’t run as cooly as the dual-radiator design in the ZenBook 14X UX5401. And yes, I know, these Asus product names are very confusing.
Nonetheless, the thermal design is going to be crucial on this ZenBook 14X update, as this generation can be specced up to a Core i9-13900H processor and an RTX 3050 4 GB dGPU now (probably running at around 35W or so). That means the cooling must tame around 50W of sustained combined power, which is no easy feat in this sort of thin chassis. Look for more details on this matter in our future review.
The internal specs also include up to 32 GB of RAM (DDR5, soldered on the motherboard), gen 4 SSD storage (single slots, M.2 2280 format), and a 70Wh battery, a little bigger than the 63 Wh battery in the previous ZenBook 14X. This laptop still charges via USB-C and comes with a compact 100W charger.
As far as pricing and availability go, there’s little I can share at this point, but I’d expect the ZenBook 14X UX3404 in stores in the next few weeks with mid-range prices around the 1300-1500 USD/EUR level (to be updated).
That’s about it for now on this 2023 update of the Asus ZenBook 14X series.
I’m surprised Asus chose to continue developing this series from what was previously the 14X UX5400 chassis with Core U processors and mid-level cooling capabilities, instead of following up on the ZenBook 14x UX5401 model with the dual-radiator cooling, but hopefully, this design can handle the updated specs in this generation, and won’t cause this laptop to run hot and/or noisy under load.
This aside, the 2023 Asus ZenBook 14X looks like a solid update, with faster specs, a bigger battery, and an updated display, as well as arguably a more practical and friendly construction. I’m curious about your thoughts on this update, though, so get in touch down below.
Darryl
January 5, 2023 at 12:39 am
The design is very attractive, especially the sandstone color.
My wish is an AMD version with phoenix point 7840HS.
And can I open the chassis without removing the rubber strip? If not, that would be a dealbreaker. If there is a fan in there, at some point I'll probably need to remove the lid and clean or replace the fan …
Baby Yoda
January 10, 2023 at 8:29 am
This is "the" kind of article and coverage that really matters. After all the noise and excitement for new tech (rollables, foldables etc.) dies down, I think most people still want and need laptops in more standard form-factors, i.e. clamshell, 2-in-1 or kickstand-y like Surface Pro. And Zenbook 14X is exactly the type of machine that I assume a lot of people would consider. Not even Zenbook Pros with a secondary touchscreen, but this particular class of laptops that hits the sweet spot in portability and performance. Please keep covering no-frills laptops like this that might fall under the radar.
Peter
January 14, 2023 at 6:11 pm
Did you noticed any graininess on white backgrounds on the OLED touch panel on this new model?
Andrei Girbea
January 14, 2023 at 6:16 pm
yes, it's the same as on the previous OLED touch screens. same tech, so the grain is still there.
Saman
August 16, 2023 at 11:18 pm
Good to know. I hate that graininess. It defeats the high resolution advantage. I think mini-LED is way to go. It's 2023 but most PC vendors can't get the screens right.
Mike
January 26, 2023 at 1:38 pm
Hi, do we have any update regarding availability in Europe?
Andrei Girbea
January 26, 2023 at 1:47 pm
not yet. I'd expect them around the end of Q1
Mike
January 26, 2023 at 2:47 pm
As I need to buy laptop in feb latest, do you see any alternative to new 14/14x with max 14inch as daily driver available sooner?
No gaming, just photo editing from time to time.
Thanks a lot.
Andrei Girbea
January 26, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Why not the previous gen models? There's also a good list of OLED laptops here: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/61635-oled-laptops/ . I guess you'd want an OLED for the image quality.
Johnny Tan
February 5, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Can I have the price , and when it’s launch.?
Jesus
March 8, 2023 at 4:51 pm
When this will be available in USA and where? Which store?
Meesha Kropp
April 4, 2023 at 4:58 pm
Yay! Finally – have been in search of laptop under 4 lbs with 32gb ram and a dedicated graphics card, touchscreen and pen support. I don't understand why that has been impossible to find! ASUS has the additional benefit of the number pad in the touchpad which means I can go with a 14" screen. Can't wait until US release date!
Tina
April 20, 2023 at 11:59 am
I'm in the market for a new 14" ultrabook, and the zenbook ux3404 looks very nice, especially as I've been using zenbooks since ever and love their keyboards. I don't really need a dedicated videocard, but at least 16gb rom and 1tb disk are a must. Important is weight (up to 1.4kg), sturdy enough for traveling with hand luggage only, and very good battery time. Preferably silver/sand keyboard and not black/dark but that's not a total dealbreaker. I do prefer a matte screen and don't need glossy touch screens.
Do you happen to know the European/NL name for the matte UX3404? Asus customer service is as useless as usual. Are there other current ultrabooks in a similar price range I should be looking at? I don't think it would be an option as I need to travel to NL in order to buy it (thus buy and have it delivered to store for pickup there) because I don't want a notebook with a German keyboard. Which is all that's available here. Hence I can't test the keyboard and form factor beforehand.
Andrei Girbea
April 20, 2023 at 5:23 pm
Not sure about the exact model names, but the version without an OLED panel and without a touchscreen would most likely be matte. However, that might not actually exist in stores in most regions, as per our experience with the previous generations.
Other options worth a look are the Asus ExpertBook series, the Acer Swift 3/5 models, or the Lenovo Yoga Slim series. MSI have a Prestige lineup as well. You'll have to look around and see what's available in your area.
Julie
June 1, 2023 at 1:25 am
Hi. Does it have PWM?
Clifford
June 3, 2023 at 8:28 pm
What is PWM?
ur mum
July 29, 2023 at 10:10 am
Yes, same technology as previous one. You can turn it off in the MyAsus app but only if you turn off HDR in Windows' Settings (turning it off causes colours to be oversaturated).
Clifford
June 2, 2023 at 10:32 pm
June 2023- anyone seen this avail in the US?