Asus Zenbook S14 with Intel Lunar Lake (review) - two steps forward, one step back!

Summary

This video review introduces Intel's new Luna Lake CPU architecture in the Asus Zenbook S14, comparing it to Qualcomm and AMD's latest offerings. While the CPU performance isn't groundbreaking, the focus is on efficiency and GPU power, delivering a solid integrated graphics experience. The Zenbook S14 is praised for its premium design, excellent battery life, and quiet operation. Though Intel sacrificed some raw CPU power, the trade-off for better user experience and lower power consumption makes Luna Lake a strong contender for lightweight laptops. The review concludes by discussing potential user preferences and future developments.

Takeaways

• 💻 The time for previews is over, and the new Intel Luna Lake CPU architecture has been tested in laptops.
• 🔋 Intel's focus with Luna Lake is on efficiency and GPU performance, moving away from brute-force power.
• ⚙️ The first laptop featuring Luna Lake is the ASUS Zenbook S14, a scaled-down version of the S16.
• 🎨 The Core Ultra 7 258V CPU with integrated Arc Graphics 140V is at the heart of this new architecture.
• 🖥️ The Zenbook S14 offers a 2.8K OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, delivering high brightness and excellent color accuracy.
• 🛠️ The laptop's all-metal chassis, solid build, and great port selection (Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1) add to the premium feel.
• 🧠 CPU performance is good but not class-leading, with single-core performance showing more improvement than multi-core.
• 🎮 The integrated GPU, Arc Graphics 140V, delivers excellent performance, making the laptop suitable for creators and light gaming.
• 🔇 The laptop excels in noise control, with quiet operation, especially in standard mode, thanks to its efficient cooling system.
• ⏳ Battery life is impressive, with over 14 hours of Wi-Fi use and up to 20 hours of video playback, positioning the Zenbook S14 as a strong contender for productivity on the go.

Q & A

What new CPU architecture is the video discussing?

The video discusses Intel's new Luna Lake CPU architecture, which is designed for thin and light notebooks, focusing on efficiency and GPU performance.

How does the Intel Luna Lake architecture differ from previous designs?

Intel's Luna Lake shifts focus from brute force CPU performance and power consumption to improving efficiency and GPU performance, offering better power management and integrated graphics capabilities.

What are the key specifications of the Asus Zenbook S14 mentioned in the video?

The Asus Zenbook S14 is equipped with Intel's Core Ultra 7 258 V CPU, integrated Arc Graphics 140V, 32 GB of soldered RAM, 1 TB of storage, and a 2.8k OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate.

What is the significance of the integrated Arc Graphics 140V in the Luna Lake CPUs?

The integrated Arc Graphics 140V in Luna Lake CPUs makes it the fastest integrated GPU currently available, improving performance in graphics-intensive tasks like content creation and gaming.

How does the Zenbook S14 perform in terms of CPU performance?

In terms of CPU performance, the Zenbook S14's Core Ultra 7 258 V performs well in single-core tasks but falls short in multi-core performance compared to competitors like Apple's M3 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite.

How does the battery life of the Zenbook S14 compare to other devices?

The Zenbook S14 offers competitive battery life with over 14 hours in simulated Wi-Fi tests, 10 hours at full brightness, and 20 hours of video playback, making it suitable for a full workday or media consumption.

What are the benefits of the improved efficiency in Intel's Luna Lake architecture?

The improved efficiency in Luna Lake architecture results in quieter fan noise, lower temperatures, and longer battery life, creating a better overall user experience, particularly in thin and light notebooks.

What limitations does the Zenbook S14 have in terms of maintenance?

The Zenbook S14 has limited maintenance options, with soldered RAM and limited access to components like the NVMe drive, restricting upgrade possibilities.

What is the target audience for the Zenbook S14?

The Zenbook S14 targets users who need a balance of portability, productivity, and light content creation capabilities, without requiring the highest CPU performance for tasks like complex simulations.

What is the general takeaway regarding Intel’s Luna Lake architecture from the video?

The general takeaway is that Intel’s Luna Lake delivers on its promise of improved GPU performance and efficiency, making it a solid choice for thin and light notebooks, though it sacrifices raw CPU power in favor of a better overall user experience.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Intel's Luna Lake Enters the Stage: A New Era of Notebook CPUs

The video opens by discussing the recent wave of new CPU architectures, with Intel's Luna Lake now joining Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and AMD's Strix Point. This marks a significant change, as Intel shifts focus from raw performance to energy efficiency and GPU power for thin-and-light notebooks. The speaker highlights the new Zenbook S14, which features Intel's Core Ultra 7 258 V processor and Art Graphics 140V GPU. This new CPU emphasizes efficiency rather than chasing after sheer CPU gains, making the Zenbook a strong option for creators and productivity users. The discussion also touches on the confusing naming schemes across different chip manufacturers, including Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD.

05:01

🔋 CPU Performance vs. Efficiency: The Luna Lake Balancing Act

This paragraph delves into the balance between performance and efficiency in modern CPUs. While multi-core performance might not seem impressive for the new Luna Lake processors, the focus on efficiency is key. The speaker argues that high performance isn’t always necessary for thin laptops, with quieter operation and better battery life being more important for day-to-day tasks. On paper, Apple and Qualcomm still surpass Intel in efficiency, but the Zenbook S14 performs well in real-world scenarios, especially in terms of power consumption and GPU improvements.

10:03

🎮 GPU Gains and Real-World Performance of Luna Lake

The main strength of Intel’s Luna Lake appears to be its integrated GPU, which outperforms previous generations in synthetic tests. While it may not dominate in every performance mode, it offers a solid boost in gaming and other GPU-heavy tasks. The speaker emphasizes that the Zenbook S14’s quiet operation and efficient performance in gaming and applications make it a standout, even compared to similar laptops powered by AMD and Qualcomm CPUs. Battery life and fan noise also play a key role in the overall user experience.

🎥 Real-World Usability: Fan Noise, Battery Life, and Longevity

Focusing on practical usage, this section discusses how the Zenbook S14 handles everyday tasks, fan noise, and battery life. With up to 14 hours of battery life in Wi-Fi tests and 20 hours during video playback, the Zenbook provides reliable longevity for both work and leisure. The speaker compares it to competing devices, noting that while it may not lead in every category, the overall experience is favorable, especially with its efficient GPU performance and quiet operation during regular use.

📊 Final Thoughts on Luna Lake: Is It Enough?

The video concludes with reflections on whether Intel’s Luna Lake is worth considering. While Qualcomm’s Snapdragon laptops haven’t revolutionized the market as expected, and AMD continues to excel in limited devices, Intel’s Luna Lake positions itself well for mobile users who prioritize efficiency over raw power. The speaker highlights that Intel delivered on its promises by creating a well-rounded, efficient CPU that doesn’t push performance extremes but offers a solid balance for most users. The closing thoughts encourage viewers to weigh in with their own opinions on Luna Lake's results and performance, directing them to further reviews and data on the website.

Keywords

💡Luna Lake

Luna Lake is Intel's new CPU architecture featured in the video. The script discusses the release of laptops powered by Luna Lake, emphasizing its focus on efficiency and GPU performance over raw CPU power. The Zenbook S14 uses the Core Ultra 7 258 V processor from the Luna Lake lineup, which reflects Intel’s shift away from brute performance to more balanced computing.

💡Core Ultra 7 258 V

The Core Ultra 7 258 V is a processor from Intel’s Luna Lake lineup. It integrates art graphics and is featured in the Zenbook S14. This processor represents Intel's new approach, focusing more on power efficiency and GPU performance rather than pure CPU gains, as seen in its ability to handle productivity and creative tasks efficiently.

💡integrated GPU

Integrated GPU refers to a graphics processing unit built into the processor, rather than being a separate component. In this video, the new Intel architecture features the 140v integrated GPU, which is the fastest of its kind. The Zenbook S14 leverages this GPU to handle creative and productivity tasks while maintaining efficiency.

💡efficiency

Efficiency is a key theme in the video, with Intel focusing on optimizing battery life, lower power consumption, and reducing fan noise with Luna Lake processors. The script highlights how Intel sacrificed some CPU performance to achieve better efficiency, which results in quieter operation and longer battery life for thin and light laptops like the Zenbook S14.

💡Zenbook S14

The Zenbook S14 is a thin and light laptop from ASUS, used to showcase Intel’s Luna Lake processor in the video. It is described as a scaled-down version of the S16 and is praised for its balance of performance and portability. The laptop’s design, including its high-quality all-metal chassis, advanced integrated GPU, and solid battery life, reflects the benefits of the Luna Lake architecture.

💡performance modes

Performance modes refer to the different power settings available on the Zenbook S14, which affect the balance between performance and energy efficiency. The video explains how the standard mode offers a good compromise between power and quiet operation, while higher performance modes can boost GPU performance for more demanding tasks.

💡OLED display

The Zenbook S14 features a 2.8k OLED display, which is highlighted in the video for its vibrant colors, high contrast, and fast response times. OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays are known for their superior image quality, and this one supports a 120 Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for creators and professionals who need high-quality visuals.

💡battery life

Battery life is emphasized as one of the main benefits of Intel's Luna Lake architecture. The Zenbook S14 delivers more than 14 hours of battery life in Wi-Fi tests, 10 hours at full brightness, and 20 hours for video playback, making it a strong option for users looking for a reliable device throughout a workday or media consumption.

💡qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite is a competing processor architecture mentioned in the script. Like Intel's Luna Lake, it focuses on efficiency and GPU performance for laptops. The video compares these architectures, noting that Qualcomm’s new chips have not yet revolutionized the notebook market, leaving Intel with an opportunity to gain an edge.

💡multi-core performance

Multi-core performance refers to how a processor handles tasks that are split across several CPU cores. The video mentions that Luna Lake’s multi-core performance is middle-of-the-road compared to other processors like Apple’s M3 and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite. The focus of Intel’s Luna Lake architecture is on balancing power with efficiency, rather than maximizing multi-core output.

Highlights

Intel's new Luna Lake architecture focuses on efficiency and GPU performance rather than brute-forcing CPU power.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V with integrated Arc Graphics 140V provides the fastest integrated GPU performance currently available.

The Zenbook S14 is a smaller version of the S16, optimized for the new Intel silicon, making it a great fit for creators and productivity users.

The Zenbook S14 features a high-quality all-metal chassis with minimal flex and sturdy hinges, providing an overall high-quality build.

The laptop includes a solid array of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, catering to various connectivity needs.

The 2.8K OLED display on the Zenbook S14 offers high brightness, excellent contrast, color accuracy, and fast response times.

While Intel's new CPU lags behind in multi-core performance compared to competitors like Apple and Qualcomm, it excels in single-core performance.

Intel's focus on efficiency allows for quieter fan noise, better thermals, and extended battery life in lightweight devices like the Zenbook S14.

Despite not leading in raw CPU power, the Zenbook S14 performs well in daily tasks due to its balanced efficiency and GPU performance.

In terms of GPU, the integrated Arc Graphics 140V demonstrates impressive gains, offering a significant performance boost over previous models.

Battery life in the Zenbook S14 is solid, with up to 14 hours in Wi-Fi tests and 20 hours during video playback.

Intel has successfully delivered a well-rounded CPU with Luna Lake, emphasizing low temps, quiet operation, and long battery life over raw CPU performance.

The Zenbook S14 offers great value as a capable productivity machine with efficient performance, especially in GPU-intensive tasks.

The trade-off in raw CPU power allows the device to focus more on user experience, making it ideal for lighter workloads and creators.

Intel Luna Lake marks a significant shift in their approach to mobile computing, focusing on real-world efficiency rather than purely performance gains.

Transcripts

hi there my fellow notebook afficionados

I almost feel like sounding like a

broken record since for the third time

in about as many months I can tell you

that the time of previews is finally

over and we have been able to properly

test a laptop with a completely new CPU

architecture and following qualcomm's

Snapdragon X Elite silicon and amd's

tricks point it is now Intel's turn with

Luna Lake after EA just a few weeks ago

we have all been pretty optimistic with

what the new architecture brings to the

table four Fin and light notebooks with

Intel finally saying goodbye to brute

forcing performance with more power and

instead focusing on efficiency and GPU

performance and without wanting to spoil

our riew too much we are in fact dealing

with the fastest igpu but there was a

reason Intel did not speak that much

about pure CPU performance gains during

the preview events like with the new

Qualcomm and AMD CPUs the first notebook

you will see all over your YouTube start

page today is again from isus the

Zenbook S14 is pretty much a scaled down

version of the s16 which was our first

Stak Point laptop and it's a great fit

for the new silicon not only for a

Computing but thanks to the boosted

integrated GPU it turns the slim 14

incher into a capable Creator and

productivity machine but as always let's

start at the

beginning our sample of the sbook S14

comes with the new mainstream option in

in its lunar Lake lineup the core Ultra

7 258 V with its integrated art Graphics

140v the new CPU family's naming will

definitely be something to get used to

but unfortunately this holds true for

Qualcomm and AMD as well since it seems

like all chip manufacturers are trying

to win the prize for the most cryptic

naming schemes in addition to the new s

so we get 32 gigs of sold out and

pleasingly fast RAM and 1 TB of storage

in addition to a 2.8k OLED running at up

to 120 HZ I know you all here for the

juicy CPU detailed so I will only give

you a brief overview of the sbook itself

again like its bigger product the 14

iner presents itself in a very high

quality all metal chassis with a Susa

signature seral loonum display lit which

I personally like a lot both in terms of

looks and feel overall stability for the

Sleek laptop is excellent with only

minimal Flex around the keyboard stiff

enough hinges and no creaking bending or

anything else that would take away from

the overall highquality impression the

ported uration is great for a notebook

of this class with a pair of USBC

thunderboard 4S HDMI 2.1 and thankfully

a usba 3.2 gen2 on the opposite side you

get what you would expect from a premium

notebook regarding wir transfers both

for older standards and for the latest

Wi-Fi 7 connections the webcam won't

blow your socks off but it delivers a

usable and natural looking image for all

of your zo call needs as I mentioned

before the memory is soldered and the

config is also tied to specific CPU

models which you should look out out for

when shopping for a new lunar Lake

laptop this also means that your

maintenance options inside the sbook are

limited to the nbme drive and maybe some

occasional cleaning duties when it comes

to inputs we have nothing to complain

about and the keyboard offers a

sufficient amount of travel a tech TI

feel and satisfying feedback and it is a

great fit even for longer texts and

emails the touchpad comes with

additional controls for volume and

display brightness and worked well

without any hiccups during our testing

on the display side we get a typical s

OLED experience with ocas brightness

great contrast and color G coverage and

excellent Factory calibration as a

typical for the display Tech you can

also enjoy Snappy response times and as

usual for isus you get a relatively high

pwm frequency of 480 HZ and their custom

software brightness control to rely on

the potentially less problematic DC

dimming but let's finally talk about the

new heart of the zbook the 258 v as

always we did some initial testing in

all of the in for power profiles and

decided to do most of our testing in

standard mode since it gave us the best

compromise between performance and very

quiet operation kicking things off in C

bench 24 and well there's only so much

for performance and for efficiency

course can do and given that the

majority of the competition is betting

on more cores which are sometimes even

hyper threat and capable these numbers

should not really be a big surprise in

multi-core scenarios single core is

looking a lot better right off the bat

with only Apple's M3 and qualcomm's

fastest X Elite being able to beat Team

pl's new silicon geekbench paints a

similar picture when it comes to Raw

multicore performance basically

everything else out there is quite a bit

faster while the new s so is very

middleof the road in single core in our

CPU performance rating which basically

sums up a lot of different tests both in

single and multi-core and across a wide

range of different benchmarks you can

easily get the impression that Intel

kind of screwed up here releasing a CPU

that can barely hold a candle against

even the in-house competition but

performance is only one piece of the

puzzle and efficiency is another I said

it already in the past but CPU

performance is already quite high with

all modern CPUs and especially in finina

and lighter devices I would argue that

you absolutely do not need the fastest

mobile CPU possible but rather a solid

mix between performance and a better

overall user experience with low

attempts quieter fans and longer run

times but looking at our numbers it

doesn't look too good for Luna Lake once

again at least on paper both apple and

Qualcomm are more efficient in single

core scenarios while multi-core results

will be very dependent on the chosen

performance mode if you want to learn

more about our efficiency testing we

have a separate article on our website

with quite a bit of additional data so

please feel free to check it out after

the video so how about the GPU side of

things in the end it seems like this was

Intel's main focus for any additional

performance Gams with the new mobile CPU

generation and while in our sythetic

tests the 140v is indeed the fastest

integrated GPU you can get right now

given it gets enough power but even in

the Zenbook standard mode which is

exceptionally quiet but more than that

later Luna leg is about on par of stxs

point and easily beats qualcom but we

have seen this before and the question

is how well all synthetic results

translate to the real world with games

and applications and we got good news

here even in standard mode desend book

is just slightly behind at slower and

stck point equip VI book sibling even

though that one runs on a lot more juice

while it can secure the top spot in the

Sleek notebook's performance mode as

always this will depend greatly on the

games you are playing but overall we did

get a solid boost in GPU performance

almost across the board and this is

especially impressive when looking once

again at our efficiency measurements

which paint a very favorable picture for

team blue and it's been quite a while

since we have been able to say that but

numbers and measurements are great and

all but how does all of this translate

to the real world when it comes to Fan

noise and battery life I mean in the end

this will be what affects your

individual user experience the most and

the Zenbook is doing really well here

with very subtle fan noise especially in

its standard mode if you do not need the

full capabilities of the build in GPU

you do not really need to use the higher

performance modes at all and can enjoy a

pretty quiet notebook during most daily

tasks as always we prepared some more

subjective noise samples for you and for

all of our juicy measured results please

want once again head on over to our

written reviews

[Music]

[Music]

away from the wall we get very good but

not class leading results which is well

okay I guess meet you Lake Toops in a

similar form factor get left behind

quite significantly while Qualcomm and

STX Point notebooks perform similarly to

the sand book but with more than 14

hours in our simulated Wi-Fi tests with

the display at 150 nits a respectable 10

hours at full brightness and 20 hours of

video playback the sandborg is a great

companion for a full workday at the

office and the Netflix Marathon alike

and it's going to be very interesting

how Luna Lake performs in general which

we will only be able to judge once we

get more devices in all right folks so

should you care about Luna Lake well

given that Snapdragon laptops have been

a bit of a let down or well at least

they have not been able to revolutionize

The Notebook Market as much as we all

thought they would and AMD with their

STP CPUs once again delivers a great

ship you can only get in very few

devices intel was actually in a very

good spot with their new mobile

architecture as long as they don't screw

it up big time once again an Intel Luna

Lake equipped laptop like this end book

with not transform the way you work with

your notebook or give you a tremendously

different experience but Intel basically

delivered exactly what they promised a

solidly performing s so with a boosted

GPU better efficiency that allows for

low attempts and fan noise and longer

battery life yes they had to sacrifice

pure CPU grunt to get there but I am

totally fine with it since the question

really is how much faster you want this

class of devices to be I mean not all of

us run complex simulations on small

notebooks all day and given that a lot

of applications offload the big chunks

of their Computing to the GPU anyway

Luna lake is moving in exactly the right

direction if you ask me but of course I

would love to hear what you have to say

are you happy with those results did you

expect more and now that everything is

out of the B which mobile s so will

drive your next finelite notebook sound

off in the comments below again if you

want to dive deeper into all of our data

check out our corresponding articles on

our website I will link them all in the

description that should should be it

from my end today please leave your like

and sub if you liked our content and

maybe check out some of our recent

videos If you simply cannot get enough

of tech and laptops thanks a ton for

watching my name is Alex you have been

fantastic and I will see you all in the

next one take care