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If you're on the market for a new laptop, then there is no better time than Amazon Prime Day to take the plunge and find the best option for your specific needs. And as a fan of the Asus Zenbook line, I'm very happy to see that the 2024 version is discounted to a very much affordable $999.
For what you get out of the Zenbook line, that is a tremendous deal and anybody looking for a new laptop this year should definitely consider picking this one up.
Why the Zenbook 2024 stands out
If you're looking for portability, long battery life and a stunning display then the Zenbook line fits the bill perfectly. It's why I've personally purchased the 2022 and the 2023 models and why I use both daily to drive a large portion of my workload. Because there is alot to like here.
The display
The Zenbook S 13 2024 features a 13.3 inch 3K OLED display with a peak nit brightness of 400. It is by far my favorite screen to develop on so far, as it makes my code pop when using a darker theme in VS Code.
Portability
This is where ASUS really stands out above the rest when it comes to form factor balanced with power, because the Zenbook line is known to be some of the slimmest and most lightweight laptops on the market, while not skimping on performance.
The Zenbook S 13 2024 comes in this year weighing 2.2lbs and measuring just .46 inches. For the nomadic person, this is the most ideal size.
I personally take it with me wherever I go as it barely makes a dent in my daily carry backpack.
Battery life
Windows machines aren't known for the stellar battery life, at least when compared to something like a Mac. However, ASUS makes up for that fact by including a decently large battery coming in at 63Wh.
They promise around 13+ hours of battery in general, however, as with most things results will vary.
Both of my 2022 and 2023 models however are very much capable of giving me an entire day of work on a single charge.
Full connectivity
Perhaps the biggest surprise with the Zenbook line is that even though it comes in as one of the most portable laptops on the market, ASUS did not skimp out on the port selection. You get a full HDMI port, 1 USB A and 2 USB C Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 3.5mm audio jack.
This is one of the main reasons why it has become my daily driver, because I don't have to worry about setting up any of my peripherals, such as external keyboards, multiple monitors and SSD drives.
Performance
Despite the small form-factor, Zenbook laptops come decently equipped to handle most people's day to day workloads. The $999 model comes with 16GB of RAM and an Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor which itself is a powerful chip with an onboard NPU.
From a programmer's perspective, that's more than enough power to handle even the most complex of development tasks.
Runner up picks
If the Zenbook S 13 just isn't quite for you though, there are a few other notable deals on Amazon currently.
SAMSUNG 14" Galaxy Book4 Pro - $1149
MSI Katana A15 AI 15.6” 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop - $1104
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) - $1099
Final Thoughts
The Zenbook S 13 2024 model is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-performance, portable laptop. With its stunning display, powerful specs, and sleek design, it's sure to meet all your computing needs.
As a full-time software engineer that travels a fair amount throughout the year, the Zenbook line has definitely kept up with all of my needs and I'm sure it will do the same for many others as well.
Walter Guevara is a software engineer, startup founder and currently teaches programming for a coding bootcamp. He is currently building things that don't yet exist.
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