With its laptop designs, Asus doesn’t fear trying out fresh thoughts. The ZenBook Pro 16X is evidence for such an assertion because it has a keyboard that rises unexpectedly when the lid is opened and RGB lights underneath each side that flash in response to different system activities.
Thankfully, this one doesn’t have to depend on the success of its gimmicks because the laptop’s performance is just as strong as the quality of its construction; it’s much more than just smoke and mirrors.
Price and Configurations
The ZenBook Pro 16X is available in two configurations. An Intel Core i7-12700H processor, 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, a 1TB PCIe 4 SSD, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, and a UHD+ (3,840 x 2,400) OLED display were included in my $2,600 review model. The most expensive setup costs $3,000 and includes the same OLED panel, the RTX 3060, a Core i9-12900H processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Although pricey, given the components and design, it is not outrageously so.
Design
The new Star Trek-like Asus logo on the lid shines in unison with the rest of the lighting setup. By the additional mechanism visible from the side that appears a little odd, you can tell it is different.
It becomes interesting when you open it up. Along with the display, the keyboard raises to a full seven degrees, resulting in an inclined typing surface and 30% more ventilation. Your attention is drawn to the Asus Dial to the left of the sizable touchpad, which gives the keyboard deck a futuristic appearance. Additionally, side RGB lightbars highlighting the chassis’s borders just beneath the keyboard supplement the keyboard’s built-in lighting. A huge laptop with a 16:10 16-inch display, the ZenBook Pro 16X is also fairly tall.
Performance
One of two 45-watt, 14-core/20-thread Intel 12th-generation CPUs can be chosen to power the ZenBook Pro 16X. The Core i7-12700H can run at a maximum speed of 4.7GHz, and the Core i9-12900H can reach 5GHz.
In performance mode, the ZenBook Pro 16X was aggressively tweaked, reaching 100 degrees Celsius and throttling. Nevertheless, it operated well during most testing while maintaining high frequencies.
The ZenBook Pro 16X performs admirably and punches a little above its CPU class, competing with faster CPUs. The most demanding artists and productivity users can utilize this laptop as a formidable workstation.
Gaming
Asus picked Nvidia’s Studio drivers as they are designed for dependable and quick performance in scientific, engineering, and artistic applications. The corporation targets this laptop for software rather than games, such as AutoCAD and Adobe’s creative suite. Even so, one can hope for at least a passable gaming performance with an RTX 3060 installed.
Display and Audio
My colorimeter indicates that every parameter of the display is exceptional, except brightness, which, while exceeding our 300-nit criterion, isn’t the brightest OLED panel I’ve tested. However, the color gamut is quite wide at 100% of sRGB and 98% of AdobeRGB, and the color accuracy is superb, with a Delta-E of 0.84 (anything less than 100% is undetectable by the human eye). As with all OLED screens, the contrast is also quite strong, displaying deep blacks.
Webcam and Privacy
The webcam Asus ZenBook Pro 16X is a 1080p version with infrared, an RGB color sensor, a time of flight sensor, and brightness and color temperature adjustments for the display based on ambient lighting. With 3D noise-reduction technology, the webcam produces a superb video image that is clear and detailed in all sorts of lighting.
With the help of the Intel Visual Sensing Controller, Asus integrates its AdaptiveLock technology, which locks the laptop when the user walks away and wakes it up when the user returns. When the user turns their gaze away, the screen may also darken. The infrared camera and the power button’s integrated fingerprint reader support Windows 11 Hello passwordless access. Both approaches were successful.
Battery Life
Even 96-watt-hours of battery life aren’t much when a 45-watt CPU and a sizable, high-resolution OLED display are involved. Given its performance-oriented design, it would be absurd to expect the ZenBook Pro 16X to have outstanding battery life.