ASUS has launched its latest Zenbook S model at the ongoing IFA 2018 tech exhibition in Berlin, Germany. The new ASUS Zenbook S comes with the model number UX391UA and it comes with several upgrades over the previous models. The new Zenbook S 2018 will be available in two variants, both packing the latest eighth generation of Intel “Whiskey Lake” processors that was unveiled earlier this week. Another aspect where the new ZenBook S dazzles is in the battery aspect. The model promises up to 20 hours of use on a single charge.
The new Zenbook S comes with an all-metal unibody with a Deep Dive Blue colour finish and diamond-cut Rose Gold highlight on the edges. There is also a Burgundy Red colour variant as well. The Notebook PC is ultra-thin and lightweight, weighing just 2.31 pounds and 0.50 inches thick. It’s based on an all-metal unibody finished with a Deep Dive Blue color and diamond-cut Rose Gold edge highlights (Asus has a Burgundy Red version too). The company says this two-tone finish is based on a two-phase anodizing process “normally reserved for jewellery or luxury timepieces.”
The new Zenbook S models feature a 13.3-inch touchscreen display screen with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels on the higher model and a 1,920 x 1,080 pixels resolution on the lower model. The version with 1080p resolution also come in an anti-glare non-touch display version. According to ASUS, “For outstanding ergonomics, ZenBook S incorporates the new ErgoLift hinge mechanism, an innovative design that raises and tilts the keyboard by 5.5 degrees — the optimum angle for comfortable typing.” The hinge has a maximum opening angle of 145 degrees which is wider than most laptops too, so users have more freedom to choose the best screen angle. The ErgoLift mechanism doesn’t affect the sleek profile of the Zenbook S as it is completely hidden when the laptop is closed.
The higher variant of the Zenfone S is powered by Intel’s new Core i7-8565U chip which replaces the Core i7-8550U released in August 2017. The chip is a Quad-core chip with a base speed of 1.8GHz, a maximum speed of 4.5GHz, and a power draw of 15 watts. On the other hand, the lower Zenbook variant packs a Core i5-8265U which replaces the Core i5-8250U that was also released last year. The chip is also a Quad-core chip with a base speed of 1.6GHz, a maximum speed of 3.9GHz, and a power draw of 15 watts. They’re all backed by Intel’s integrated graphics and either 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR3 system memory clocked at 2,133MHz. In terms of the storage, the new ZenBook S is available in 512GB or 1TB on a PCI Express 3.0 x4 SSD, or 256GB on a PCI Express 3.0 x2 SSD. In addition, the laptop comes with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one USB-C port at 5Gbps, and one audio combo jack. For wireless connectivity, there is Bluetooth 5.0 and Wireless AC onboard.
Related: Asus ups the game with the near bezel-less Zenbook 2018 lineup
Despite its sleek, thin body, the Zenbook S is built to be tough as it meets the MIL-STD 810G standard for toughness. The laptop is also touted to feature an “uprated” cooling design which ensures it can run at 41 degrees cooler than the previous ZenBook S generation. Details of its pricing and release date are yet to be disclosed.
