Neon numpad meets dazzling display

What is it?

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA) laptop excels at tackling light tasks, like streaming videos, web browsing, and using Microsoft suite applications. However, its Intel Core Ultra Ultra 7 155 processor, Intel Arc graphics, and 32GB of RAM also deliver good performance for heavier applications.

The device features a beautiful 3K (2880×1800) OLED display that supports a refresh rate of up to 120hz. It has an aspect ratio of 16:10 and measures across at 14 inches. Dynamic switching is available to provide smoother motion at the cost of a higher power consumption. Its bright screen, coupled with clear, and loud audio from its speakers, delivers an excellent video streaming experience. A touchscreen variant of the display is available, but this model did not have it.

The quiet keyboard offers three brightness levels, and an option to turn the light off. Despite lacking a physical numpad, the touchpad offers a distinct feature: touching the top right corner activates a neon blue numpad overlay. The numpad’s brightness can be lowered, and it functions well as an alternative to its traditional physical version.

During my gaming session of Overwatch 2, a first-person shooter, I encountered regular frame drops within the initial 25 minutes while running on low graphics with constant power supply. However, these disruptions became infrequent as time progressed. Despite this, the game managed to maintain a playable framerate, fluctuating between 40 and 60 frames per second, ensuring a smooth overall experience. The device became hot after a while, but not to an uncomfortable temperature.

This device has an aesthetic dark blue finish (ponder blue), and the back of the display features a stylish line design. It is thin, and satisfies the military grade standard (MIL-STD 810H). The display’s rear is somewhat susceptible to fingerprints.

It features the following ports: two Thunderbolt 4,1, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, an HDMI 2.1 (TMDS), and an audio jack. However, it lacks a microSD slot, and an ethernet port. It features WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth connectivity.

After using the laptop for 3 hours on lightweight tasks at full display brightness, the refresh rate set to dynamic, and full keyboard brightness, it still had an impressive 75% remaining. Asus says that the battery can last up to 15 hours. One charges the device via either USB C port. When testing, it charged quickly from 50% to 90% in about 35 minutes.

The FHD camera captures decent quality, and supports auto-framing, background blur, and eye contact features. Facial recognition is supported, and the device unlocks automatically on detecting one’s face, provided there is sufficient lighting. A physical privacy shutter is present.

How much does it cost?

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA) is available at a recommended retail price of R24,999 on the Asus website.

Why does it matter?

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405MA) is a solid device. It delivers impressive video streaming, fast performance, and is comfortable to use. The device does become somewhat warm when running power-intensive applications.

Unlike the Asus Zenbook S 13 (UX5304), the Zenbook 14 does not become uncomfortably hot, features a numpad, and supports a higher refresh rate (60hz compared to 120hz).

Accompanying the device is a soft laptop sleeve, which also functions well as a mousepad. However, it cannot accommodate more than the device itself, preventing the packing of the laptop and its charger together.

What are the biggest negatives?

• Gets hot when running power-intensive applications.
• Frequent frame drops during initial gaming sessions.
• No microSD slot or ethernet port.

What are the biggest positives?

• Beautiful display, and impressive audio.
• Long battery life, and charges quickly. 
• Efficient performance.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and writer for Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Threads at @jas2bann.