But there’s really no replacing a laptop. Phones are great for checking in and replying to emails and messages, maybe some editing here and there as well.
But when it comes down to serious work, it’s easier and more intuitive to bear down on a bigger screen. That’s why a laptop is still an essential part of my EDC (everyday carry).
With our work taking us from the studio, streets, and everything else in between, we need something portable and one that will at least last a good part if not the whole day.
That’s exactly what we found with the ASUS Zenbook A14 (UX3407QA). Ultra-light, incredibly capable, and built to keep up with an on-the-go lifestyle, it makes a very strong case for being a part of your EDC.
Ultra-Lightweight, ultra-portable
You know it’s ultra-lightweight when you forget it’s even in your bag – and that’s exactly our experience with the Zenbook 14.
At just 899g, it’s even lighter than the 1L water bottle I carry around daily. It’s small, slim, and easy to toss into a backpack even when you don’t need it.
Interestingly enough, despite its featherlight and delicate feel, it’s actually very tough and durable. Both its portability and durability are thanks to Ceraluminium™ – an advanced ceramic alloy that’s stronger than plastic, lighter than regular aluminum, and provides scratch and shock resistance, too.
The Zenbook 14 is the first to have a full Ceralminum™ chassis and we can probably expect more from ASUS in the future.
Beyond durability, it stays surprisingly clean. It won’t matter if you’ve got keys or coins loose in the same pocket, scratches are hard to come by. I also found it’s rather smudge-resistant and fingerprints don’t mark even if you handle it frequently.
The perfect café companion
Setting up shop at a café for a few hours isn’t a rarity in my life, and there’s more to why I loved using the Zenbook A14 in cafés than just its ultra-portability.
First, it just looks the part. The Zabriskie Beige in particular just fits the café girl aesthetic effortlessly. While probably not what I’d pick, Iceland Gray is just as elegant but more discreet.
I also love how easy it is to open. Because of the new EasyLift hinge, I wouldn’t need to put down my coffee since the lid can be lifted with just one finger. The laptop won’t budge at all. Arguably a small detail for some, but makes everyday use just feel smoother.
But being café-worthy isn’t just about looking good in photos (but it helps!), practicality still matters. One of things I look out for is noise. Thankfully the Zenbook A14 is whisper-quiet even with dual fans built in.
When it’s working hard, the noise maxes out at about 25db but this isn’t enough to pull you out of focus or distract other nearby café customers.
With the Zenbook A14, I can also sit wherever I want. Thanks to its long battery life, I won’t need to fight over the often-occupied seat near a socket. ASUS claims the Zenbook A14’s 48WHr battery can last up to 23 hours of offline video playback.
For a typical café workday, which involves being online, watching videos, and checking in on social media, 4 hours of almost continuous use barely made a dent leaving me still above 80%.
But should you ever catch yourself needing a top-up, the Zenbook A14 also supports fast charging and fetches you about 60% in just 49 mins.
It isn’t an OLED panel however and the reasoning behind this is to make the laptop more efficient. It still provides you with 100% sRGB color though so you’ve still got an accurate 14-inch display here. The bonus of having an IPS display? Barely any glare at all so you can work inside or outside without sacrificing visibility.
Finally, the last café-worthy feature is that it supports both Snapdragon Sound and Dolby Atmos. If you’ve got a pair of headphones or earbuds that support hi-fi, then it’s easy to zone out and focus on the work.
Fit for that on-the-go lifestyle
The Zenbook A14 is one of the first few laptops to be powered by the new Snapdragon X processor with 45 TOPS. It’s because of this chip that the Zenbook A14 is very efficient with its battery. It also powers AI-enhanced Copilot features making it easy to integrate into the daily workflow.
Cocreator in Microsoft Paint, for example, works without a hitch (as long as you have a stable network connection) and helps me create my own royalty-free images even when I have no talent in drawing.
Paint even has generative fill and erase tool now, too, so you won’t need Photoshop or other paid software. But even if you do use Photoshop AI, or any other AI for that matter, the Zenbook A14’s Snapdragon X processor is equipped for just that.
There are also times when I need to extract info from a video – but sometimes the main source is in another language. Instead of generating and translating a video transcript which would take up more time, I use live captions instead.
So the latest tech news from Japan, China, and others are easily within reach. Currently, Live Caption supports 44 instant translations.
The Zenbook A14 also has a Copilot button which has me relying on search engines a lot less.
Instead of opening a new tab on my browser, I just head straight to Copilot. Since it’s conversational, I don’t need to think of keywords or phrases to help me look for what I need. I just need to ask it like a normal person and more often than not, I get more information than what I need. All in just a few seconds or mere minutes.
It’s also helped speed up my workflow by quickly summarizing meeting notes or articles, helping me write social media copy, and much more. Its Snapdragon X processor is also powerful enough to handle multi-tasking without slowing down.
Where it falls short would be with heavy media or content creation tasks. It’s not impossible to edit photos and videos but you will have to manage your expectations. I didn’t get to test it, but I’d think gaming wouldn’t be its strong suit either. Maybe cozy games will do.
Finally, connectivity wasn’t an afterthought. Despite its thin and light construction, the Zenbook A14 is built with all the essential ports including Type-C and Type-A ports, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack. This means you can leave that dongle/hub at home for the most part which makes your EDC even lighter and less cluttered.
You can also opt out of bringing a mouse because the Zenbook A14 gives you a large enough trackpad with smart gestures, making navigation and control more intuitive.
But the best thing and what makes the Zenbook A14 a great daily carry really is its efficiency. It’s consistent and delivers the same performance whether you’re plugged in or not.
Final thoughts
The ASUS Zenbook A14 is easily one of those laptops that just lives in your bag – no second guessing or debating whether the extra weight is worth lugging around.
I mean, my water bottle is heavier and chunkier. If I can carry that around, I can easily slip the Zenbook A14 as well.
And because the battery lasts pretty much the whole day, I’ve been living life less tethered. I can pick the prettiest or the cutest café/restaurant and not worry if they have sockets around.
But what pleasantly surprised me is how effortlessly the Copilot+ experience is woven into my workflow. The Snapdragon X processor isn’t just for efficiency, it makes the laptop smarter – like having an extra pair of hands that can handle menial tasks like summarizing notes, translating captions, and even creating images.
While it isn’t meant for heavy tasks like gaming, you’re still getting a capable device for office work or entertainment.
If you’re after an everyday laptop, it shouldn’t be bulky. It shouldn’t be complicated. And it should easily adapt to your lifestyle and not the other way around. That’s exactly the experience with the Zenbook A14.
Pricing and details
The ASUS Zenbook A14 will be available for PhP 65,995 in the Philippines in March, and can be purchased through ASUS Exclusive stores. Each purchase includes the ASUS Service Package (2-year International Warranty and a 1-year Accidental Damage Protection), Lifetime Microsoft Office Home 2024 subscription, and 1-year access to Microsoft 365 Basic
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This post is sponsored by ASUS Philippines. Words and thoughts are the author’s own.
