Review Asus Zenbook S 14 UX5406

Asus Zenbook S 14 UX5406 · Core Ultra 7 258V · Arc 140V · 120Hz OLED · Review

Asus Zenbook S 14 UX5406 · Core Ultra 7 258V · Arc 140V · 120Hz OLED

Intel Core Ultra 7 258V · Intel Arc Graphics 140V · 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 (onboard) · 1TB SSD (WD SN560) · 14″ 2880×1800 OLED 120Hz glossy · 1.179 kg
Slim and stable casevery fast iGPU, great 120-Hz OLED display, very good system performance, quiet operation, even under load, Thunderbolt 4, USB-A & Wi-Fi 7, comfortable keyboard, good sound system, excellent battery life. RAM can't be upgraded, PWM flickering, no SD card reader, comparatively low multi-core performance. A great allrounder with a fast GPU and quiet fans – one of the best 14-inch ultrabooks.

Display – 14″ OLED · 2880×1800 · 120Hz · 100% sRGB · 99% P3

Panel: ATNA40CU09-0 – 14″ 2880×1800, OLED, glossy, 120Hz, HDR.

SpecificationValue
Brightness (centre)~381 cd/m² (SDR), 615 cd/m² (HDR)
Contrast∞:1 (OLED)
sRGB coverage100%
AdobeRGB coverage89.2%
Display P3 coverage99%
Response time (B/W)0.71 ms
Response time (grey)0.7 ms
PWM480 Hz (detected)
FinishGlossy
  • Excellent color accuracy and coverage (P3, sRGB)
  • Very fast response times (OLED)
  • PWM flickering at 480 Hz (though amplitude is low)
  • Glossy – reflections outside
Panel FRU: ATNA40CU09-0 (14″ 2880×1800 OLED, 120Hz, glossy)
ICC profile available – calibrated ΔE 1.0
PWM at 480 Hz – most users won't notice, but some may be sensitive.

Processor – Intel Core Ultra 7 258V · 8c/8t · Lunar Lake

  • Model: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V – 4× Lion Cove P-core + 4× Skymont E-core
  • Boost: 4.8 GHz (P-core) / 3.7 GHz (E-core)
  • TDP: 37 W PL2 / 17 W PL1 (sustained)
  • Cinebench R23 Multi: ~9,114 pts
  • Excellent single-core performance, multi-core lags behind competitors
CPU FRU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake, soldered BGA)

Graphics – Intel Arc Graphics 140V · Xe2 · fastest iGPU

  • Model: Intel Arc Graphics 140V – 8 Xe2 cores, up to 1.95 GHz
  • 3DMark Time Spy: ~3,857 pts (Standard mode) / ~4,118 (Full Speed)
  • Cyberpunk 2077 (FHD Ultra): ~24.3 fps (Standard) / ~25.9 (Full Speed)
  • Very fast iGPU, beats Radeon 890M in some tests
BenchmarkScore (Standard)
3DMark Time Spy3,857
3DMark Fire Strike8,243
3DMark 11 Performance10,811
Cyberpunk 2077 (FHD Ultra)~24.3 fps
GPU FRU: Intel Arc Graphics 140V (integrated, Xe2)

Memory – 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 · onboard · not upgradeable

  • Capacity: 32 GB LPDDR5x-8533 (dual-channel, onboard)
  • Soldered – not upgradeable
RAM soldered – cannot be upgraded.
RAM FRU: LPDDR5x-8533 (onboard) – not replaceable

Storage – 1TB WD SN560 · PCIe 4.0 · M.2 2280 slot

  • Drive: WD PC SN560 SDDPNQE-1T00 – 1 TB, PCIe 4.0
  • Seq. read: ~4,982 MB/s
  • Seq. write: ~3,366 MB/s
  • M.2 2280 format, replaceable
SSD FRU: WD PC SN560 SDDPNQE-1T00 (1 TB, M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0)

Battery – ~14.3 hours · 72 Wh

  • Capacity: 72 Wh
  • WiFi surfing (150 nits, 60 Hz): ~14.3 hours
  • Excellent battery life – among the best in class
Battery FRU: 72 Wh (internal) – user-replaceable
AC Adapter FRU: 65W USB-C (Asus)

Chassis & Connectivity – Ceraluminum · Wi-Fi 7 · 2× Thunderbolt 4 · HDMI · USB-A

  • Materials: Ceraluminum (ceramic + aluminum) – scratch-resistant, premium feel
  • Weight: 1.179 kg (2.6 lbs) – very light
  • Dimensions: 310 × 215 × 13 mm
  • Left: HDMI 2.1, 2× USB-C Thunderbolt 4 (PD, DP)
  • Right: USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
  • 2× Thunderbolt 4
  • Wi-Fi 7 (BE201)
  • No SD card reader
WLAN FRU: Intel BE201 (Wi-Fi 7) – soldered (not replaceable)

Serviceability – SSD replaceable · RAM & Wi-Fi soldered

ComponentReplaceable?Notes
SSD✅ YesM.2 2280 – replaceable
RAM❌ NoSoldered – not upgradeable
Wi-Fi❌ NoSoldered – not replaceable
Battery✅ YesUser-replaceable
Keyboard❌ NoBuilt-in, not user-replaceable
CPU/GPU❌ NoSoldered BGA
RAM and Wi-Fi soldered – cannot be upgraded or replaced.
SSD and battery are user-replaceable.

Components FRU / Model Numbers

ComponentFRU / Model
CPUIntel Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake, soldered)
GPUIntel Arc Graphics 140V (integrated, Xe2)
RAMLPDDR5x-8533 (32GB, onboard) – not upgradeable
SSDWD PC SN560 SDDPNQE-1T00 (1 TB, M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0)
Display PanelATNA40CU09-0 (14″ 2880×1800 OLED, 120Hz, glossy)
WLANIntel BE201 (Wi-Fi 7) – soldered
Battery72 Wh (internal)
AC Adapter65W USB-C (Asus)

Procurement & Reseller Recommendations

CPUUltra 7 258V – fast single-core
RAM32GB soldered – not upgradeable
GPUArc 140V – fastest iGPU
DisplayOLED 120Hz, P3 – excellent
Battery14.3h – outstanding
Value~$1,500 – premium

Key Selling Points vs. Competitors

Strengths

  • Slim and stable case
  • Very fast iGPU
  • Great 120-Hz OLED display
  • Very good system performance
  • Quiet operation, even under load
  • Thunderbolt 4, USB-A & Wi-Fi 7
  • Comfortable keyboard
  • Good sound system
  • Excellent battery life

Weaknesses

  • RAM can't be upgraded
  • PWM flickering
  • No SD card reader
  • Comparatively low multi-core performance
Pro tip for resellers & repair professionals:
Highlight OLED display (120Hz, P3 coverage) and fast iGPU – key selling points.
Excellent battery life and quiet fans – great for mobile users.
RAM and Wi-Fi are soldered – warn customers about upgrade limitations.
PWM at 480 Hz – mention for sensitive users.
Multi-core performance lags behind competitors – but sufficient for most tasks.
Great all-rounder for everyday use and light gaming – one of the best ultrabooks.