The Asus Zenbook S16: AMD's New Chip Brings Power and Elegance to Ultra-Thin Laptops
2025 is shaping up to be a groundbreaking year for Windows laptops, and the Asus Zenbook S16 is at the forefront of this revolution. With the introduction of a brand-new AMD Ryzen AI9 HX 370 chip, this sleek device pushes the boundaries of performance and portability. Let’s dive into what makes the Zenbook S16 a standout choice for power users and design enthusiasts alike.
AMD’s New Chip: Ryzen AI9 HX 370
First things first—let’s talk about the chip inside the Zenbook S16: the AMD Ryzen AI9 HX 370. Now, I’ll admit, the name isn’t exactly a winner. The “Ryzen AI9 HX 370” moniker sounds overly complicated, and honestly, it’s not the most consumer-friendly name. But don’t let that fool you—the performance is where this chip really shines.
The Zenbook S16 features two versions of this chip: the higher-end 370 and the base 365. Both offer impressive performance and, more importantly, exceptional energy efficiency. The 370 model is particularly powerful, delivering top-tier performance without draining your battery or creating excessive heat.
Design: Thin, Sleek, and Premium
When it comes to design, Asus has clearly focused on creating a laptop that’s not only ultra-thin but also premium and durable. The Zenbook S16 measures just 12-13mm thick, which is remarkably thin for an x86 laptop. Typically, thinner laptops sacrifice performance due to thermal constraints, but thanks to the efficiency of the new AMD chip, this laptop manages to stay cool and quiet while delivering impressive power.
Even with such a slim profile, Asus hasn’t skimped on ports. The laptop features USB-C, HDMI, USB-A, and a full-size SD card reader—all tucked neatly into its slim chassis. The laptop's top is finished in a unique ceramic polymer bonded to an aluminum base, which provides extra durability and a premium feel. This finish resembles polished concrete or stone—a fresh, modern touch that makes the Zenbook stand out.
One of the most interesting design elements is the grill with tiny perforated holes. This provides a unique look while also improving airflow and making the laptop slightly more spill-resistant than larger-hole designs. It’s a small but clever design choice that adds to the Zenbook’s overall appeal.
Display: A Beautiful OLED Screen
The 16-inch OLED display is one of the highlights of the Zenbook S16. OLED panels are known for their vibrant colors, deep blacks, and superior contrast ratios—and this laptop doesn’t disappoint. With a 120Hz refresh rate and an impressive under 1ms response time, this display is perfect for everything from media consumption to productivity.
Moreover, the display is touchscreen-enabled, with pen support in some configurations, making it an excellent tool for creatives and professionals who need precision in their work.
Performance: Efficiency Meets Power
Despite its thin build, the Zenbook S16 delivers solid performance, thanks to the AMD Ryzen chips inside. Both the Ryzen 365 and Ryzen 370 chips come with adjustable power settings. The default 17W power setting is perfect for light tasks, while the 28W high-performance mode ramps up performance for more demanding applications. In fact, the chip is capable of going all the way up to 54W in thicker devices, so there's plenty of headroom for power-hungry tasks.
The laptop’s thermal management is surprisingly good, considering its slim profile. Asus uses a vapor chamber and graphite sheets to help dissipate heat, and there are dual fans for cooling. The device stays relatively cool even when pushing the limits with gaming or video editing, though the keyboard can get warm after extended use.
On the GPU front, the Zenbook S16 is equipped with a Radeon 880M (base model) or Radeon 890M (higher-end model). These GPUs are a noticeable improvement over previous generations and work well for light to moderately demanding games. However, for serious gaming, you’ll still need a laptop with a discrete GPU from Nvidia or AMD.
Keyboard and Trackpad: Comfort Meets Practicality
The keyboard on the Zenbook S16 is comfortable and backlit, with a fast typing experience. However, due to the device’s thin design, the key travel feels a bit shallow. It’s not the most responsive keyboard compared to thicker devices, and the reviewer notes that adding an extra 1-2mm of thickness could have solved this issue, improving both the typing feel and the thermal performance.
The trackpad is large, centered, and responsive, but the edge-touch controls for volume and brightness are a bit clunky. These controls work, but they don’t feel as accurate or reliable as traditional buttons. The reviewer hopes that a software update will refine this feature.
Audio: Speaker Quality That Impresses
One of the standout features of the Zenbook S16 is its sound quality. Asus has been refining its speaker systems in recent years, and it shows here. The Zenbook S16 sounds better than most other laptops, including some premium models like the MacBook Air. While it’s not quite on par with the 16-inch MacBook Pro, it’s still impressive for such a thin device.
Battery Life: A Long-Lasting Powerhouse
With a 78Wh battery, the Zenbook S16 promises solid battery life. Thanks to the energy-efficient AMD chip, you’ll see excellent performance for light tasks like web browsing and email. If you're running more intensive tasks, expect the battery to deplete faster, but overall, this laptop is designed for great endurance.
The AI and NPU Components
The new AMD chip in the Zenbook S16 also comes with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit), which is designed to accelerate AI tasks. However, the reviewer mentions that, despite the marketing hype, there aren’t yet any killer apps from Microsoft that leverage the NPU. At the moment, the device doesn’t feature Co-pilot Plus like some Snapdragon-powered devices, though that could change in the future.
Price: Is It Worth It?
The base model of the Zenbook S16 starts at $1,399, which is definitely on the higher end of the laptop price spectrum. However, the reviewer acknowledges that the Zenbook’s combination of thin design, powerful performance, and premium finish justifies the price tag—at least for those who prioritize those features.
If you’re on a tighter budget, there will likely be other devices that are cheaper but won’t deliver the same level of thinness, performance, and battery life.
Final Thoughts: A Revolutionary Laptop for Power Users
In conclusion, the Asus Zenbook S16 is an incredibly impressive laptop. With its slim design, stunning OLED display, powerful AMD Ryzen chip, and excellent thermal performance, it delivers a fantastic user experience. While the price may be steep for some, the Zenbook S16 is a premium device that offers solid performance and innovation that’s hard to beat.
If you're in the market for an ultra-thin laptop with plenty of power under the hood, the Zenbook S16 is definitely worth considering. It's a device that truly delivers on its promises—far more than anyone expected from a laptop this thin.
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