ASUS ZenBook ASUS ZenBook Flip S 13 Ultra Slim Laptop, 13.3" 4K Review
The ASUS ZenBook Flip S 13 wows with its design and 4K OLED screen, but its performance hardware feels outdated for its premium price.
Overview
The ASUS ZenBook Flip S 13 is a slick, ultra-portable 2-in-1 that's all about style and that stunning OLED screen. It's thin, light, and built like a premium gadget, with a fancy Jade Black and copper trim look that stands out in a sea of silver laptops.
Performance
That 4K OLED display is the star here, hitting the 92nd percentile for screens. It's gorgeous for movies and creative work. But the 11th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU and integrated Iris Xe GPU land in the 18th percentile, so raw power isn't its game. It's fine for office tasks and web browsing, but don't expect to edit 8K video or play modern games. The 1TB SSD is fast, and battery life from the 67Wh cell is decent for a 4K screen.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong compact (94th percentile) 95th
- Strong screen (92th percentile) 94th
- Strong port (85th percentile) 83th
- Strong storage (78th percentile) 82th
Cons
- Below average gpu (18th percentile) 16th
- Below average cpu (18th percentile) 19th
- Below average ram (32th percentile) 19th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core i7 1165G |
| Cores | 4 |
| Frequency | 4.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | Iris Xe Graphics |
| Type | integrated |
| VRAM Type | Shared |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Storage Type | NVMe SSD |
Display
| Size | 13.3" |
| Resolution | 3840 (4K UHD) |
| Panel | OLED |
Connectivity
| Thunderbolt | 2 x Thunderbolt 4 supports display / power delivery |
| HDMI | 1 x HDMI |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
Physical
| Weight | 1.2 kg / 2.6 lbs |
| Battery | 67 Wh |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro |
Value & Pricing
At over $2,100, the value proposition is tough. You're paying a huge premium for the ultra-slim form factor and that beautiful OLED panel. The actual performance hardware inside is a couple of generations old now and wasn't top-tier even when new. You're buying the design and screen, not the speed.
vs Competition
Against a base Apple MacBook Pro 14, you lose the incredible M-series chip performance and battery life but gain a touchscreen and 2-in-1 flexibility. The ASUS ZenBook Duo offers more screen real estate and newer Intel CPUs for similar money. And if raw power is your goal, a gaming laptop like the MSI Vector 16 will run circles around this for less cash, but you'll carry three times the weight.
| Spec | ASUS ZenBook ASUS ZenBook Flip S 13 Ultra Slim Laptop, 13.3" 4K | ASUS ROG Flow ASUS ROG Flow - AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 AMD Radeon | Apple MacBook Pro Apple 14" MacBook Pro (M5, Silver) | Lenovo ThinkPad Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 16" UHD+ OLED Touchscreen | MSI Creator MSI Creator M14 A13V A13VF-081US 14" 2.8K Laptop, | HP ZBook HP 14" ZBook Ultra G1a Multi-Touch Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7 1165G | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | Apple M5 | Intel Core Ultra 7 165H | Intel Core i7 13620H | AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 395 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 128 | 32 | 64 | 32 | 128 |
| Storage (GB) | 1024 | 1024 | 4096 | 2048 | 2048 | 2048 |
| Screen | 13.3" 3840x2160 | 13.4" 2560x1600 | 14.2" 3024x1964 | 16" 3840x2160 | 14" 2880x1800 | 14" 2880x1800 |
| GPU | Intel Iris Xe Graphics | AMD Radeon 8060 | Apple (10-Core) | NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 | AMD Radeon |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | macOS | Windows 11 Pro, English | Windows 11 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business) | Windows 11 Pro |
| Weight (kg) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.5 |
| Battery (Wh) | 67 | 70 | 72 | 90 | - | 74 |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
Verdict
Buy this only if you absolutely need the thinnest, lightest convertible with a knockout screen and money is no object. For everyone else, a modern ultrabook or a MacBook offers much better performance for the price, even if you sacrifice the OLED or the 360-degree hinge.