AMD is set to make its mark in the AI PC market with the Ryzen AI 300 series processors. After the underwhelming performance of the previous Ryzen Pro 7000 and 8000 series, the new Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 promises significant improvements, with its NPU capable of delivering up to 50 TOPS. This is a substantial leap compared to the previous generation, which topped out at just 16 TOPS. In our in-depth review of the Asus Zenbook S16 we see how the laptop marries new AMD power and AI.
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Paired with a powerful 12-core/24-thread Zen 5 CPU and a Radeon 980M GPU, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is poised to deliver exceptional performance for AI tasks, gaming, and general productivity.
One of the first devices to showcase the power of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is the Asus Zenbook S16. This sleek and stylish laptop combines a stunning display with a robust feature set, making it an ideal platform for AI-powered applications.
Design & Build
Most major laptop brands offer a premium thin-and-light series, but Asus brings a unique touch with its Zenbook S16, blending elegance with a large 16-inch display. Measuring 353.6 x 243mm and only 11mm thick, the laptop has a sleek profile without sacrificing build quality or comfort. The spacious keyboard and large 15 x 10 cm trackpad allow for a relaxed typing experience, with solid construction throughout and no uncomfortable edges.
Asus distinguishes itself with its materials, using a Ceraluminium finish that combines the durability of aluminium with a matte, ceramic-like texture. The Zumaia Gray model is particularly striking, with a metallic pattern on the lid and white backlit keys that add a refined look.
The keyboard layout is comfortable, with crisp key feedback despite limited 1.1mm travel. Though smaller Shift and Ctrl keys on the left and a single-height Enter key may throw some users off, the layout is intuitive overall. The dedicated Copilot AI key beside the Alt Gr is a handy addition, and after a brief adjustment, I was typing at full speed.
The touchpad is a highlight, offering ample space, a smooth feel, and precise control that enhances navigation and creative work. Left and right clicks are responsive, and single- or double-finger taps work seamlessly.
For connectivity, the Zenbook S16 includes two USB 4 Type-C ports with DisplayPort and USB-PD support, one HDMI 2.1, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port. One USB-C port will be used for charging, but with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, a docking station is hardly necessary. Overall, the Zenbook S16 combines high-end design with excellent usability and connectivity.
Display
While the Zenbook S16’s Ceraluminium finish is eye-catching, the true standout is its OLED display. This screen is big and brilliantly bright, reaching 400 nits in SDR and 500 nits for HDR content. During testing, the SDR brightness measured slightly lower at 382.7 nits, but colour performance was outstanding. Thanks to OLED’s infinite contrast and a superb colour accuracy the display is perfect for creative work and truly enhances everyday tasks.
With a resolution of 2880 x 1800 and ample screen real estate, the Zenbook S16 is ideal for multitasking, allowing you to manage multiple windows comfortably on a split-screen view. For entertainment, streaming content like Netflix is a visual delight.
The Zenbook S16 pairs this display with impressive audio, offering rich, full sound for both media and clear audio for calls. The 1080p webcam performs well, capturing sharp, well-lit images in varied lighting conditions. Additionally, the Zenbook S16 includes an infrared sensor, enabling quick and secure sign-ins via Windows Hello face recognition whenever you’re in front of the laptop.
Hardware & Performance
The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 performs well against Qualcomm and Intel’s latest offerings, especially considering that the Zenbook S16 runs it at a relatively low 33W power configuration. With a thermal design power (TDP) range from 15W to 54W, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370’s performance could improve further in higher wattage configurations.
In Geekbench 6, it leads in single-core performance, scoring 2782 over the Huawei Matebook X Pro’s 2405 (Core Ultra 9 185H) and the Snapdragon X Elite-powered Asus Vivobook S15’s 2427. On multi-core tests, it holds up closely with 13,508, trailing only slightly behind the Matebook X Pro at 13,635 and the Vivobook S15 at 14,337. However, it edges out the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H in the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED. Given these results, higher-power configurations of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 promise even greater potential.
For 3D performance, the Ryzen’s Radeon 980M GPU outshines competitors, scoring 3725 in 3DMark TimeSpy and 580 in Steel Nomad. These results easily top the Vivobook S15’s 1848 in TimeSpy and 495 in Steel Nomad. Notably, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 can run Cyberpunk 2077 at 32.2 fps at 1080p on Medium settings, or 44.42 fps with AMD’s FSR, showing clear gains over Qualcomm and Intel.
When it comes to AI performance, the Ryzen 9 HX 370 also impresses, scoring 3308 in the Geekbench ML benchmark against the Vivobook S15’s 2804 with Snapdragon X Elite.
Overall, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 may not fully surpass Intel and Qualcomm at lower wattages, but it’s highly competitive and balanced, offering solid CPU, GPU, and NPU performance. In daily use, the Zenbook S16 with Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 performs smoothly in productivity and creative apps, delivering a polished experience.
Battery
The 2024 Asus Zenbook S 16 is equipped with a 78 Wh battery—well-sized for a slim, lightweight laptop, though not the largest in its class.
In our battery tests, with the screen set to 120 nits brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate, the Zenbook S 16 showed strong battery performance. At idle, it consumed around 5W, lasting roughly 15 hours, while light tasks like text editing used 6-8W, providing 10-12 hours of runtime. Streaming 1080p videos on YouTube and Netflix drew about 5.5-6W, resulting in around 13 hours of playback. Web browsing consumed slightly more power, 8-10W, offering 8-10 hours of use. Gaming was the most demanding, with most games drawing 40W and depleting the battery in about 2 hours. Overall, the device delivered efficient battery life for daily tasks, although gaming remains energy-intensive.
These are impressive runtimes, owing to the AMD Strix Point hardware platform and a sizeable battery. Notably, the laptop runs on early software, so battery life could improve with future updates.
The Zenbook S 16 includes a compact 65W USB-C charger with a long, thick detachable cable. It’s a single-piece design that fully recharges the battery in about two hours.
Conclusion
The Zenbook S 16 UM5606 is an excellent daily driver for casual use, including web browsing, streaming, Office tasks, and light to moderate multitasking. While it’s a large-screen ultrabook—larger than many compact laptops—it remains lightweight and easy to carry to school or work.
This series stands out for its stunning design, robust build quality that surpasses other Zenbooks, vibrant display, and powerful speakers. The hardware is well-balanced, delivering smooth, cool, and quiet performance for everyday tasks, along with impressive battery life.
However, this laptop isn’t designed for heavy-duty workloads. Although the AMD Ryzen AI hardware is faster than competing models, Asus prioritized portability and thus implemented a mid-powered version of the chip. While it handles daily tasks seamlessly, it’s best suited for moderate usage rather than intensive processing. As long as you understand these strengths and limitations, the Zenbook S 16 will serve you well.
