Asus Zenbook 14 (UX3402)
Price: £1,100 from fave.co/39t6oxB
he Asus Zenbook 14 (UX3402) is the new-look version of Asus’s flagship Ultrabook series for 2022.
Refining the theory rather than reinventing the wheel, the Zenbook 14 (UX3402) is slimmer than its 2021 counterpart, but it’s available in the same trademark Asus dark blue, and once again the trackpad doubles as a numeric keypad, a feature we’ve seen on Zenbooks for quite a while now.
To see where the new Zenbook 14 goes one better than last year’s UX425 models, you need to look under the hood – they feature more up-to-date Intel processors, 12th-gen Alder Lake-P vs 11th gen Tiger Lake. The latest chips feature more cores, allowing you to run more things at once, as well as promising an overall boost in performance.
The presence of Alder Lake-P also means that the new Zenbook 14 can come with newer LPDDR5-type RAM, and a Wi-Fi 6E module. In simple terms, this means that stuff should run a bit more quickly than before, and also your Wi-Fi will be a bit faster (provided you’re connected to a fancy new router).
DESIGN
Asus Zenbook laptops have long been stylish and snazzy, and the 2022 model is no exception. It’s a very slim-looking device that you’ll be able to easily stow away in a messenger bag or rucksack.
It follows design cues set by previous Zenbooks, but instead-esque ‘A’ logo into a flat finish. The usual curved corners are also out, with Asus now opting for a more angular look. The deck is trapezoidal, with the widest part facing up. Aesthetically, it’s still miles away from something like the Asus TUF Gaming A15 (2022), but it’s a step change.
