First Experience: Asus Zenbook 14X Space Edition Laptop
Asus sent its Laptops to space and it's been 25 years since it happened. On the silver jubilee of the occasion, Asus launched a special laptop just for the galaxy lovers - Asus Zenbook 14X Space Edition this is a unique laptop with killer features. We got to play around with the laptop for quite some time and this is the Asus Zenbook 14X Space Edition laptop review you need to read before you purchase it. because we will be taking you through the unboxing journey of this masterpiece.
Design and Display
We have come to expect amazing screens from Asus laptops, and the Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition does not disappoint. The laptop features a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate, a feast for the eyes. In addition, the display is Pantone-validated and has a screen-to-body ratio of 92%. Everything from binge-watching movies to playing games looks beautiful on the laptop display.
Thanks to OLED technology, colors are vibrant, and blacks are deep and profound. Asus has also tried to keep the problem of burn-in at bay with the help of Pixel Shift technology, and Dark Mode enabled by default.
The notebook is by no means aimed at gamers, but the 90 Hz is a nice addition as it improves the gaming experience a bit. Beyond that, navigating and scrolling in Windows 11 feels much smoother.
Let us start with the most striking aspect of the Zenbook 14X Space Edition, the design. At first glance, the laptop looks unlike anything else on the market, and the back is full of Easter eggs. The space station theme starts on the back of the notebook and continues inside once you open the lid. All the space nerds out there will surely appreciate the overall design.
Another cool feature is the small display on the back that can show various information and is easily customizable via the laptop settings. You can personalize text displays and animations and create a QR code that other users can scan to get the information they need.
A fingerprint scanner above the keyboard works quite well and unlocks the device every time without problems.
Before I get into the laptop’s performance, I want to take some time to appreciate the laptop’s unboxing experience. When I first unboxed the laptop, I was impressed with the overall packaging and how everything was put together; even the charger was included in the Space Edition. And that’s not even the best part; the charger box also doubles as a laptop stand; how cool!
Performance
Stepping into the arena of performance, the Asus Zenbook 14X Space Edition laptop has a lot to offer. Some of its great features we have already spoken about in the Design section below under, now let’s further take a look at its configuration. The one we tinkered with had an Intel Core i9 (12th gen, 12900H) CPU that has a clock speed of 2.5GHz normal and 5GHz (boosted) and has a whopping 14 cores. With it, 32GB of LPDDR5 4,800MHz RAM is available. For storage, a 1TB of PCIe SSD has been put in that has a read speed of 6,500+ MB/sec. The only thing missing in the configuration is the kitchen sync. Asus does end up giving you the absolute best in this notebook.
Spec-wise, this is based on the 2022 Intel 12th-gen Alder Lake hardware platform. Our configuration is the top-tier Core i9-12900H processor, the hybrid design with 6 Performance and 8 Efficiency Cores, as well as 20 combined threads. This ultraportable implementation supplies the CPU with up to 50W of power in sustained loads, so don’t expect this i9 to match the higher-power implementations in full-size computers.
Graphics are handled by the integrated Iris Xe chip, with 96 EUs and frequencies of up to 1.45 GHz. The power settings allow this to run close to its maximum potential in GPU loads and games.
Our configuration also comes with 32 GB of LPDDR5-4800 memory, in dual-channel. 8, 16, and 32 GB configurations are available for the series, and the memory is onboard and non-upgradeable.
Inside you’ll notice the redesigned motherboard with the new thermal module, as well as the battery and speakers. The SSD is still placed right near the CPU, but Asus included a large thermal pad that prevents overheating.
Keyboard and trackpad
The taller format of the ZenBook 14X chassis allowed Asus to implement a slightly taller keyboard layout and a larger clickpad on this lineup compared to the previous ZenBook 14 models, particularity of this Space Edition variant is the color-matched keyboard color, with titanium keycaps and a slightly rougher finishing than on the standard ZenBook keyboards.
This finishing doesn’t smudge as easily, but it’s also not as practical in certain conditions (see the picture below), as it’s pretty much a variation of the dreaded silver keycaps with white backlighting combo that I’m not a fan of. In real life, that means you’ll want to make sure to switch off the illumination in good lighting, and only activate it at night. There’s no light sensor to do this automatically for you.
The backlighting system is fine as well, with white LEDs and three brightness levels to choose from. The layout includes indicators for Caps-Lock and for the camera/mic on the F9/F10 keys, and the light reactivates with a swipe over the clickpad when it times out.
Battery Life and Charging
The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition has a 63 Wh battery and 100 W fast charging, but how does it perform in practice? Well, let us take a look at it.
I usually have at least 15 Firefox tabs running while music plays over the speakers in the background, and for this kind of usage, the battery life was pretty average. I averaged 4.5 to 5 hours on the laptop, which is not bad, but I was hoping for more.
Since this is a 14-inch laptop, you’ll have to do without a full-size numpad on the keyboard deck, but you will not have to sacrifice functionality. Like other Asus Creator series laptops, you can enable a numpad on the trackpad, a nice little addition, and a party trick up your sleeve. The trackpad is fairly smooth and large, allowing Windows 11 gestures to work flawlessly.
Specs
Specs:- Asus Zenbook 14X UX5401ZAS Space Edition:
Asus Zenbook 14X UX5401ZAS Space Edition
Screen: 14.0 inch, 2.8K 2880 x 1800 px, 90 Hz, OLED, glossy, touch, 550+ nits, Samsung SDC4154 panel
Processor: Intel Alder Lake 12th gen, up to Core i9-12900H, 6C+8c/20T
Video: Intel UHD, 96 EUs
Memory: up to 32 GB LPDDR5-4800 (soldered)
Storage: 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
Ports: 1x USB-A 3.2 gen1, 2x USB-C 3.2 with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, microSD card reader, audio jack
Battery: 63 Wh, 100W USB-C charger with quick-charging
Size: 311 mm or 12.24” (w) x 221 mm or 8.7” (d) x 16.9 mm or 0.67” (h)
Weight: 3.17 lbs (1.44 kg)+ .88 lbs (.4 kg) charger + cables, EU version
Verdict
The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition is unique and looks unlike anything else on the market.
The space edition retails for Rs. 1,14,990 for the i5 variant, Rs. 134,990 for the i7 variant and Rs. 1,69,990 for the i9 variant respectively. Surely, it’s on the pricier side of thin and light laptops, but it offers many unique features like the overall design and esthetics, customizable outdoor screen, and more.
Overall, not looking for something as unique as the Space Edition and want to save some money, the recently launched Zenbook 14 is worth a look.
( With inputs from Nitish Rampal)
