Zenbook 14 Flip OLED: Can you find a better-looking laptop at the same price?

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you stumble upon a laptop that leaves you speechless. And for which the only word that comes out of your mouth is simply “Wow”. This is the reaction I had when I opened the Asus Zenbook 14 Flip OLED for the first time, worth € 1210.

It has, by far, the most beautiful OLED screen I’ve seen all year. Some have come close to this level of visual quality, but this laptop stands well above the others, in my opinion.

When I turned on the device for the first time, I was greeted by an explosion of colors. I was amazed at how gorgeous they were. This richness of color is the direct result of several factors. The Zenbook 14 Flip covers the entire DCI-P3 color gamut with a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.

This figure is remarkable because it allows the 14-inch screen to reproduce the level of detail that our eyes can see in everyday life. The display is so clear that I can see every pixel on the screen. It looks like fish scales pressed tightly together.

As you can imagine, watching content on this laptop is second to none. The shine it offers is fantastic. But of course, you can’t enjoy a good movie without good sound, and this computer has what it takes in its trunk. The Harman Kardon audio brand provides powerful speakers whose performance is further enhanced by the Dolby Atmos system. The result is an immersive sound bubble that engulfs you.

I tested the laptop while watching some episodes of the Netflix anime Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, a series that gives pride of place to the colorful gore. The rainbow of zombie bodies flooded my eyes with its saturated hues. The backgrounds are vibrant.

Cesar Padlock/ZDNET

And the speakers delivered details that I hadn’t noticed before. For example, I heard zombies giggling in the background whose existence I did not suspect. A truck hurtling down a street in a scene seemed to come from outside my apartment. And the clink of a piece of samurai armor seemed realistic.

Of course, the Zenbook 14 Flip is not limited to its screen, nor to its audio performance. The keyboard is nice and roomy, occupying a large part of the lower half. The trackpad may be a little small for some people. It is limited in height, but it is quite wide. As the name suggests, the touch screen can be completely tilted backwards, thus turning the laptop into a tablet. What I found interesting is that the hinges that connect the two parts of the machine are not fragile. On the contrary, they are robust.

As cool as the flexibility of the Zenbook 14 is, however, I wonder about the possible damage. Folding the screen places the keyboard outside, so you will have to pay attention to what is around. The case is made of aluminum, which gives it a form of solidity and lightness: it weighs 1.4 kg.

Cesar Padlock/ZDNET

As for the other internal components, the Zenbook 14 Flip will not win prizes. It is equipped with a 13th generation Intel Core i5-1340P processor and an Iris Xe graphics card. The RAM is set at 16 GB, which is enough for most casual tasks and some demanding tasks.

For a laptop for work and everyday entertainment, this configuration is perfect. However, I don’t recommend it for most creative activities. The screen would be perfect for drawing or work requiring precise colors, but I don’t see the usefulness of this laptop for rendering high-level 3D graphics or video editing. It simply does not have the necessary power.

However, everything is not limited on this side. The storage capacity is 512 GB, which is a good amount for a work laptop. The battery life is about eight to eight and a half hours before you have to plug the charger back in, which will allow you to last all day. It is even equipped with a decent number of ports: a USB-A input, two USB-C inputs, an HDMI port and a headphone jack. I expected ASUS to install only one USB-C port for charging and stick with it, so I am pleasantly surprised that the company decided to include all five ports.

ZDNET’s buying tips for the Zenbook 14 Flip

If you are looking for a laptop to accompany you in your business or during your moments of entertainment, I don’t think you can have better than this machine. I really enjoyed my week of using the computer and I would definitely recommend it to other people around me.

There are, however, several configurations. To find out from the Asus manufacturer himself on his website or on those of merchant sites where we found the same configuration as that of the laptop tested here. At the price of 1210 €. Among the competition, there is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano, whose screen is a little worse and which has fewer ports. I dare anyone to find me a €1,210 computer that has the same value as this one.

I sincerely think that the Zenbook 14 Flip has the potential to become my favorite laptop of the year. At a minimum, he is in the top 5.

Source: “ZDNet.com “