I knew I’d found my favorite CES 2025 computer early last December, long before I had the chance to see what most other PC makers were up to. It comes from ASUS and it is the new Zenbook A14, a system that the company had joked about calling the Zenbook Air.
To be fair, the name would have been appropriate: The laptop weighs less than 2.2 pounds (or 1 kg), half a pound lighter than Apple’s slimmest MacBook Air. In almost every way, the ZenBook A14 outperforms Apple’s ultraportable, with specs like a 14-inch OLED display and up to 32 hours of battery life. The only problem is that it runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X and X Elite chips, which limits compatibility with older Windows apps (as well as some devices).
What’s most remarkable about the Zenbook A14 is that it simply feels great to hold. Lightweight is a big part of it, but it’s also covered in ASUS’ unique Ceraluminum material, which is distinctly different from a typical metal case. ASUS has been rolling out Ceraluminum in its high-end lineup for years, but this is one of the first times we’ve seen it on virtually every surface of a laptop (the top lid, keyboard, and bottom).
The Zenbook A14 also features many thoughtful design elements. It’s easy to open with one hand, thanks to a fancy hinge that counteracts the laptop’s small frame. It also has a surprising number of ports, including a USB Type A connection, two USB C ports, HDMI 2.1, and a headphone jack. That’s all the connectivity we’ll never see on a MacBook Air.
During my short time with the Zenbook A14, its keyboard and trackpad were also relatively comfortable. ASUS claims the keys offer 1.3mm of travel, and while they could always be deeper, they seem fine for casual typing. The laptop also sports a 1080p IR camera, speakers with Dolby Atmos support, and Wi-Fi 7. Basically, it has everything we would want in a high-end laptop in 2025.
The ASUS Zenbook A14 starts at $900 with a Snapdragon X Plus processor and 16GB of RAM (in a slightly larger 2.4-pound body). The lightest model at 2.18 pounds is available for $1,100 with a Snapdragon X Elite chip and 32GB of RAM.
