We’re discussing the Asus Zenbook 14 UX3405CA series in this review article, the Intel-based 2025 refresh of the popular Zenbook 14 series of mid-range thin-and-light laptops.
Asus offers both an AMD and an Intel variant for the 2025 Zenbook 14 lineup. We’ve covered the AMD model here, and in this article, we’re focusing on the Intel model and how it compares in general feel, performance, efficiency, and value for your money.
Our configuration is a higher-tier model built on an Intel Arrow Lake-H Core Ultra 9 285H processor with Arc 140T graphics, 32 GB of RAM, and a fast 1 TB SSD. Asus offers this UX3405CA series in two main variants: either the Core Ultra 9 285H + 32 GB RAM model that we have here, or a Core Ultra 7 255H with 16 GB of RAM. We’ll discuss both in the article, as well as the two OLED display options, either 2K 60Hz or 2.8K 120Hz.
I’ll also add that this is not just the regular kind of review you can find online. I’ve been using both the AMD and the Intel Zenbooks over the last 3 months and tested them over a couple of different software and driver updates. I’ve also used and tested most, if not all, ZenBooks available over the last 10+ years, as well as competing products from other brands, so I can judge the overall worth of these notebooks better than most.
Specs sheet – Asus Zenbook 14 UX3405 (2025)
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405CA, 2025 model
Screen 14 inch, OLED, 16:10 aspect ratio, non-touch or touch, glossy,
Processor Intel Arrow Lake H Core Ultra,Core Ultra 7 255H variant available as well
Video Intel Arc 140T, up to 2.35 GHz
Memory 32 GB RAM, up to 32 GB LPDDR5-7467 (soldered)
Storage single M.2 2280 slot – Samsung PM9C1 drive
Connectivity Wireless 7 (Intel BE201) 2×2, Bluetooth 5.4
Ports left: 1x USB-A 3.2 gen1,
Battery 75 Wh, 65W USB-C compact charger
Size 312 mm or 12.28” (w) x 220 mm or 8.66” (d) x from 14.9 mm or 0.58” (h)
Weight 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg) + .36 (.8 lbs) for the USB-C charger and cables, EU version2.8 lbs (1.25 kg) for the touchscreen variants
Extras clamshell format with 180-degree hinge, Ponder Blue, Jasper Gray and Foggy Silver colors,
Design and functionality Asus use almost the same chassis for their AMD and Intel variants of the Zenbook 14, with only a few minor differences between them. They do separate them based on color, though, with the AMD model available in Black, and the Intel models offered in either Silver or Blue in most markets, but also in Gray for a variant that’s mostly offered in the US market. Our review unit is the Ponder Blue model.
Here are some pictures of the AMD (in Black) and Intel (in Blue) variants.
The differences between these are extremely subtle:
the front lip is beveled on the Intel model, with a rather sharp metal cut, while the edge on the AMD model is rounder. Both can bite into the wrists, but especially the beveled design.
there’s a dip in the chassis separating the keyboard from the armrest on the Intel model, while the chassis on the AMD model is flat. That doesn’t seem to impact rigidity or functionality in any way, as the two laptops feel just the same with general use.
the Intel model gets two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4.0 support on the right edge, while the AMD model only gets a USB-C 4.0 and a USB-C 3.2.
the stickers differ based on configurations.
the black AMD unit smudges easily, the silver Intel model is much friendlier in that regard, while the gray and blue models are somewhere in between.
the Intel model is available with either touch or non-touch displays, and the touch model is a little heavier at 1.25 kilos, due to the extra Gorilla Glass layer on top of the panel.
There are a couple of other spec differences between them, with the important one being the inclusion of a WiFi 7 wireless module on the Intel model, and only a WiFi 6E chip on the AMD variants.
And here are a few more pictures of the Intel variant.
Now, since this Intel model is otherwise the same chassis as the AMD model already discussed in this article , I’m not going to reiterate my detailed impressions on the chassis design, practicality, and typing experience. Just go and read that article.
In a few words, though, the Zenbook 14 is a solid mid-range ultrabook design, well built, nice looking, and mostly ergonomic with everyday use. My main nit is with the IO mostly being placed on the right side; having the USB-C ports spread on both sides would have been more convenient. Only a handful of ultrabooks in this segment offer that, though.
I’d also make sure to have realistic expectations on the overall feel and build quality of this series. It is made well and all the parts are metal, but it doesn’t have the material heft of premium models such as MacBook or a Dell Premium. If that’s what you’re after, Asus also offers a Zenbook S 14 series as well , but make sure you understand its particularities before deciding whether that’s worth the significant price premium over one of these regular Zenbook 14 variants.
Keyboard, touchpad The Zenbook 14 offers some of the better inputs you can find on portable notebooks today.
Having the Intel and AMD models side by side, the keyboards on these are the exact same layout and feel the same. Somehow, though, I was able to type a little more accurately on the Intel version, but I can’t pinpoint why.
The keys on the Intel models don’t smudge as easily. The silver variant in particular is as carefree as it gets, although on that one, the contrast between the silver keycaps and white lighting isn’t ideal.
The keys are backlit, with white LEDs. There are three brightness levels to choose from, and some light bleeds out from underneath some of the keys, such as the top row of Function keys and the Copilot key.
The touchpad is matte glass, wide and tall enough. It worked flawlessly during my time with these laptops, and even the physical clicks are smooth and not that clunky.
Having the clear separation from the top and bottom might not seem like much, but actually makes the overall experience more convenient, preventing ghost swipes when typing and especially ghost touches from your clothes when using this on the lap ot on the thighs. I find these very annoying on the Zenbook S14 or on my MacBook Air, due to their touchpads being stretched to the front of the chassis. So this older-styled touchpad here isn’t as tall, but is much more practical.
As for biometrics, there’s IR with Hello support in the camera ensemble at the top of the display, but no finger sensor.
14-inch OLED display There’s a 14-inch 14:10 display on all Zenbook 14 models, with average-sized bezels. That means there’s a chin underneath separating the display from the exhaust part under the hinge, and there’s a forehead for all the cameras and sensors at the top.
For this generation, Asus offer the series with an OLED 2K (1920 x 1200 px) 60Hz panel or a higher-tier 2.8K (2880 x 1800 px) 120Hz OLED implemented in either non-touch or touch variants. My unit is the non-touch 3K panel, and we’ve tested the 2K non-touch option in the AMD model.
With non-touch OLEDs, whites look clean and beautiful, but there is a slight grain effect that you will notice on the touch variant, added by the digitizer layer. Thus, I preffer the non-touch implementation if given the choice.
Otherwise, all these panels are standard Samsung OLEDs with beautiful image quality and deep blacks, 400-nits of max brightness, and 100% DCI-P3 colors. The 3K 120Hz option is sharper and faster in games, but the 2K option is fine for general use as well, while also being more affordable and more efficient. You’re not really given the choice between the two, though, as the 2K option is generally bundled with the lower-tier Core Ultra 7 model, while the Core Ultra 9 configuration tends to get the 3K panel in most markets.
I’d also make sure an OLED is right for your needs. This article explains the particularities and potential concerns around OLED panels on laptops, particularly PWM flickering and potential image retention over time if not used properly.
Hardware and performance Our test model is a top-specced configuration of the 2025 Asus Zenbook 14, code name UX3405CA, with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor and Intel Arc 140T graphics, 32 GB of LPDDR5-7467 memory, and a midling 1 TB gen4 SSD.
Disclaimer: This is a retail unit provided by Asus for this article. We tested it over the last three months, the latest results being recorded on the software available as of mid-August 2025 (BIOS 307, MyAsus 4.0.42.0, Intel Driver 32.0.101.6989). This is a mature software package, and almost nothing can change at this point with future updates.
Spec-wise, this series is based on the 2025 Intel Arrow Lake H hardware platform , with Core Ultra 200H processors and Intel Arc 140T graphics.
Our configuration is a Core Ultra 9 285H processor, a hybrid design with 6 Performance Cores, 8 Efficiency Cores, 2 extra Low Power Efficiency Cores, and a total of 16 combined Threads. This laptop is a lower-powered implementation of the hardware, though, at around 28-30W sustained on Performance mode.
Graphics are handled by the integrated Intel Arc 140T chip, with 8x Xe2 compute units and clock speeds of up to 2.35 GHz.
Our configuration also comes with 32GB of LPDDR5-7500 memory.
16 GB configurations are also available, mostly paired with the more mainstream Core Ultra 7 255H processor, and Core Ultra 5 235H configurations should be available as well. The Ultra 7 255H is almost similar to the Ultra 9 in functionality, with a similar 16C/16T design, but slightly lower max speeds. It bundles the same Arc 140T iGPU, but running at up to 2.25 GHz. So the only real difference between the Core Ultra 9 285H and Ultra 7 255H configurations is the amount of included RAM.
For storage, there’s a M.2 2280 SSD slot inside. Asus implemented a Samsung PM9C1 SSD on my unit, which is actually a little slower than the Micro 2450 implemented with the AMD configuration. I’d expect the bundled SSD to differ between configurations and units, and the included units are mid-level gen4 drives, fast enough for most use cases. There’s no support for PCIe gen5 storage on these Zenbooks.
The SSD and the WiFi chip are upgradeable. Getting to the components is fairly simple; you need to take care of a few Torx screws and take out the back panel. The screws are all the same size, unlike on older Zenbooks.
As far as the software goes, this ZenBook gets the standard MyAsus app, which allows control over the power profiles, battery and screen settings, updates, etc.
There are three performance/thermal profiles to choose from:
Full-Speed – ~28-32W sustained TDP and up to 60W PL2, with the fans up to ~42 dB;
Performance – allows the hardware to run at ~28-30W sustained TDP and up to 60W PL2, with the fans up to ~42 dB;
Balanced/Standard – ~20-22W TDP in sustained loads, with the fans up to ~35 dB;
Whisper – limits the CPU to 15W TDP to favor fan noise of sub 30 dB.
I’d keep the laptop on Standard for general use, plugged in or unplugged, but the laptop still feels perfectly snappy with general use on Whisper mode. Performance is reserved for sustained loads, where the higher power settings would justify the increase in noise. At 42 dBA, the 2025 generations of the Zenbooks are rather loud for ultraportable levels. Both the Intel and the AMD variants are set similarly.
We’ll get to that in a bit, but first, here’s what to expect in terms of speeds and temperatures with daily chores such as streaming video, editing text, or browsing the web.
CPU Performance and Benchmarks – Arrow Lake-H Core Ultra 9 On to more demanding loads, we start by testing the CPU’s performance in the Cinebench R15 loop test. We place the laptop on a stand for this test, and do not keep it flat on the desk, ot prevent any overheating limitations. There aren’t any to report on this device, but internal temperatures do run higher with sustained loads when having it flat on the desk.
On Performance mode, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor runs at ~60W for a few seconds, and then quickly stabilizes at around 28-33W. At that level, the laptop scores ~2250 points in this test, with internal temperatures in the low-80s °C and fan-noise levels of ~42 dBA.
There’s also a Full Speed mode, which allows for slightly higher sustained power in this test and a score increase of up to 5%. The CPU runs a little warmer, though, in the higher 80s °C.
The Standard mode keeps the fans quieter, at around 35 dBA, and the CPU stabilizes at 20-22W of sustained power, with lower temperatures in the low-70s °C, and scores of around 1550 points.
Whisper mode keeps the fans barely audible, at sub 30 dBA, with the power stabilizing at around 15W sustained. That translates to scores of around 1100 points, less than 50% of what this laptop can do in Performance mode. Internal temperatures are low, in the mid-60s °C.
Finally, Performance mode unplugged from the wall allows for the same findings and scores as Performance mode plugged into the wall.
All these are illustrated in the graph below.
To put these in perspective, here’s how this Core Ultra 9 285H implementation fares against other hardware platforms available in current and past-generation thin and light laptops .
It scores 10-15% higher than the AMD Krackan and Intel Meteor Lake platforms. It also trails the Strix Point Ryzen 9 by 10-15% at similar power around 30W.
At the same time, the Ultra 9 285H can scale up in performance if supplied with extra power, averaging 3000+ points at 75W of power in the Zephyrus G16.
But in this sort of portable chassis, we’re rather more interested in how the platform performs at lower power, and I’ve added the Ultra 9 285H next to the Ryzen 7 AI 350, since both are offered in these 2025 Zenbook 14s.
The Intel hardware comes on top on the Performance profile, but the AMD platform gets an advantage at 20W in the Standard profiles, and a significant lead at 15W on the Whisper mode. This doesn’t just impact benchmark performance, but also the overall performance with daily use on those profiles.
We then went ahead and further verified our findings with the more taxing Cinebench R23 loop test and in Blender. We measured mostly similar performance, power limits, fan noise, and temperatures as described above (~32W for Full-Speed, ~30W for Performance, ~22W for Standard, 15W for Whisper).
We then ran the 3DMark CPU profile test on Performance and Whisper modes.
Finally, we ran our combined CPU+GPU stress tests on this notebook, on the Performance profile. 3DMark stress runs the same test for 20 times in a loop and looks for performance variation and degradation over time. This unit easily passed the test both flat on the desk or when placed on the stand, which means component thermals are not impacting the performance in any notable way in longer-duration sustained loads.
Benchmark results and performance summary With that out of the way, let’s get to some benchmarks. We ran our standard set of tests with the laptop on Performance mode (~28-30W sustained TDP) and the screen set at its default 2.8K resolution.
Here’s what we got.
3DMark 13 –CPU profile: max – 9852, 16 – 9849, 8 – 7272, 4 – 3800, 2 – 2446, 2123 – 1255;3DMark 13 – Fire Strike: 8629 (Graphics – 9307, Physics – 27479, Combined – 3351);3DMark 13 – Steel Nomad Light: 3150;3DMark 13 – Time Spy: 4472 (Graphics – 4036, CPU – 11560);3DMark 13 – XeSS: XeSS Off – 8.83 fps, XeSS On – 23.13 fps, 161.9% performance difference.
Uniengine Superposition – 1080p Extreme: 2403;Uniengine Superposition – 1080p Medium: 6223;
PCMark 10: 7788 (Essentials – 10867, Productivity – 10587, Digital Content Creation – 11144);GeekBench 6.2.2 64-bit: Multi-core: 15433, Single-Core: 2789;CineBench R15 (best run): CPU 2827 cb, CPU Single Core 314 cb;CineBench R20 (best run): CPU 6033 cb, CPU Single Core 784 cb;CineBench R23: CPU 15812 pts (best run), CPU 14474 pts (10 min loop test), CPU Single Core 2100 pts (best run);CineBench 2024: CPU 846 (10 min run), CPU Single Core 125 pts.
And here are some work-related benchmarks, on the same Performance profile:
Blender 4.3.2 – BMW Car scene- CPU Compute: 2m 32s ;Blender 4.3.2 – Classroom scene – CPU Compute: 7m 00s;Blender 4.3.2 – Classroom scene – GPU Compute, OneAPI: 1m 38s;
SPECviewperf 2020 – 3DSMax: 29.17;SPECviewperf 2020 – Catia: 23.20;SPECviewperf 2020 – Creo: 34.95;SPECviewperf 2020 – Energy: 6.57;SPECviewperf 2020 – Maya: 117.12;SPECviewperf 2020 – Medical: 16.93;SPECviewperf 2020 – SNX: 5.63;SPECviewperf 2020 – SW: 42.12;V-Ray Benchmark: CPU – 10813, CUDA – 282.
These are solid results for a mid-range ultrabook platform today.
On the CPU side, this isn’t quite as fast as a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 in multi-threaded loads, but still comes within 90-95% of what that can score at around 30W. Single-core performance is on par as well.
At the same time, this is faster than a Ryzen AI 7 350 by 5-15% in multi-threaded sustained loads. It’s also faster than Lunar Lake V hardware, which, of course, does not excel on CPU multi-core performance, but is also faster by 10-20% than previous-generation Intel and AMD hardware, again, at similar power levels.
Of course, the Arrow Lake H hardware can scale higher if supplied with 50-80W of power, but that’s not up for discussion on this sort of format.
On the GPU side, the Arc 140T chip outscores the Radeon 890M (bundled with the Ryzen AI 9) by 20-30% in synthetic benchmarks, and the Radeon 860M (bundled with the Ryzen AI 7) by 25-50% between tests. These differences aren’t as wide with actual use in workloads and games, but they still favor the Intel platform.
Furthermore, the Arc 140T is generally faster in tests and use than the Arc 140V bundled with Lunar Lake V ultrabooks. It’s more or less the same chip, but runs at higher clocks in this Arrow Lake H variant.
More importantly, the iGPU performs well even at 30W total CPU power, making this hardware well-suited for thin-and-light devices. On the AMD side, you generally need at least 35W total power to get the most out of the Radeon 800M chips.
So all in all, this Intel Arrow Lake platform is a solid performer in this segment, allowing this Zenbook to outperform its AMD Krackan counterpart across the board in tests and real use loads.
The quieter Standard and Whisper modes This laptop runs rather noisily on Performance mode at 42 dBA at head-level (as well as quite hot), so I’d reckon many of you will be interested in what this is capable of on the quieter profiles.
Here are some benchmark results for the Standard mode (35 dBA):
3DMark 13 –CPU profile: max – 9664, 16 – 7790, 8 – 5232, 4 – 3722, 2 – 2256, 1 – 1255;3DMark 13 – Fire Strike: 8045 (Graphics – 8805, Physics – 23551, Combined – 3054);3DMark 13 – Time Spy: 3939 (Graphics – 3635, CPU – 7501);Uniengine Superposition – 1080p Extreme: 2246;CineBench R23 (10 min loop): CPU 11591 cb, CPU Single Core 2109 cb;Blender 4.3.2 – Classroom scene – CPU Compute: 9m 44s.
Compared to Performance mode, this profile delivers about 70-75% of the CPU’s sustained capabilities, 90% of the CPU’s short-term performance, and around 90% of the GPU potential. That’s excellent for daily use, multitasking, and occasional work/leisure sustained loads.
And internal/external temperatures are generally lower than on Performance mode.
And here are some benchmark results for the Whisper mode (sub 30 dBA):
3DMark 13 –CPU profile: max – 5970, 16 – 5560, 8 – 3926, 4 – 2535, 2 – 1873, 1 – 1108;3DMark 13 – Fire Strike: 5493 (Graphics – 6646, Physics – 15183, Combined – 1686);3DMark 13 – Time Spy: 2811 (Graphics – 2658, CPU – 4181);Uniengine Superposition – 1080p Extreme: 1517;CineBench R23 (10 min loop): CPU 8720 cb, CPU Single Core 2002 cb;Blender 4.3.2 – Classroom scene – CPU Compute: 12m 56s.
About 60% of the CPU and GPU capabilities on the Performance profile. Not bad, and with almost imperceivable noise and comfortable thermals in the mid-60s °C internally and 35-45 °C at chassis level.
Gaming Performance We also ran a couple of DX11, DX12, and Vulkan games on the Performance and Battery profiles of this Intel Core Ultra 9 285H + Arc 140T configuration, at FHD+ resolution, with Low/Lowest graphics settings. I included a few other competing platforms for comparison.
Low settings Zenbook 14 2025, Zenbook 14 2025 ,Yoga Pro 14 2024 ,Zenbook S 14 2024 ,Zenbook S 16 2024 ,Zenbook 14 2024, Zenbook 14 2024,
Dota 2 80 fps (50 fps – 1% low)
76 fps (52 fps – 1% low)
74 fps (48 fps – 1% low)
82 fps (46 fps – 1% low)
80 fps (46 fps – 1% low)
81 fps (58 fps – 1% low)
76 fps (44 fps – 1% low)
Far Cry 6 52 fps (36 fps – 1% low)
50 fps (42 fps – 1% low)
48 fps (34 fps – 1% low)
52 fps (38 fps – 1% low)
54 fps (46 fps – 1% low)
43 fps (28 fps – 1% low)
46 fps (34 fps – 1% low)
Horizon Forbidden West 44 fps (30 fps – 1% low)
40 fps (30 fps – 1% low)
40 fps (32 fps – 1% low)
45 fps (32 fps – 1% low)
40 fps (30 fps – 1% low)
34 fps (25 fps – 1% low)
35 fps (26 fps – 1% low)
Shadow of Tomb Raider 72 fps (48 fps – 1% low)
63 fps (46 fps – 1% low)
72 fps (56 fps – 1% low)
66 fps (26 fps – 1% low)
72 fps (56 fps – 1% low)
54 fps (30 fps – 1% low)
65 fps (48 fps – 1% low)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 66 fps (54 fps – 1% low)
56 fps (40 fps – 1% low)
46 fps (34 fps – 1% low)
78 fps (56 fps – 1% low)
60 fps (38 fps – 1% low)
44 fps (26 fps – 1% low)
45 fps (33 fps – 1% low)
Horizon, Dota 2, Witcher 3 – recorded with MSI Afterburner in game mode;
Far Cry, Tomb Raider – recorded with the included Benchmark utilities.
This is the fastest iGPU technology on the market, not considering the Radeon Strix Halo chips. It’s slightly faster than the Arc 140v chip in the Lunar Lake laptops, and 5-10% faster than the Radeon 890M iGPU on the AMS Strix Ryzen 9 implementations, and 15-25% faster than the Radeon 860M in the AMD Krackan Ryzen 7. The latter is implemented on the AMD variant of this 2025 Zenbook.
Here’s what to expect if you plan on running games on the quieter modes.
Zenbook 14 2025 – Performance – 30W, Standard – 22W, Whisper – 15W, FHD+ 1200p, <30 dBA
Far Cry 6 52 fps (36 fps – 1% low)
46 fps (30 fps – 1% low)
34 fps (22 fps – 1% low)
Horizon Forbidden West 44 fps (30 fps – 1% low)
40 fps (30 fps – 1% low)
34 fps (26 fps – 1% low)
Shadow of Tomb Raider 72 fps (48 fps – 1% low)
68 fps (44 fps – 1% low)
52 fps (34 fps – 1% low)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 66 fps (50 fps – 1% low)
62 fps (48 fps – 1% low)
52 fps (24 fps – 1% low)
Standard mode is a well-balanced performer, within 10-15% of Performance mode and much quieter at 35 dBA. Whisper mode is quite interesting as well.
And here are some logs.
On Performance mode, the CPU runs at 30W total power, and that allows the GPU to run at about 95% of its potential.
With the laptop flat on the desk, internal temperatures average around 80-82 °C. With the laptop on a stand to favor better airflow into the fans, the hardware averages 75-77 °C. The gaming performance is identical between the two scenarios.
Running games on Full Speed doesn’t lead to any different results.
On Standard mode, the CPU runs at 22W, with the GPU still running at 85-90% of its capacity. Whisper mode is much more limited, though, at 15W of power, only enough for about 70% of the iGPU’s capacity.
The following logs are for Standard and Whisper modes with the laptop raised off the desk, on a stand.
Finally, Performance mode on battery power delivers the same 30W of total power with solid GPU speeds. Don’t expect to run games on battery for longer than 2 hours, though.
Noise, Heat, Connectivity, speakers, and others Asus went with a single-fan dual-radiator single-heatpipe thermal module here.
This is a minimalist power design. It’s fine for a mid-range ultrabook, but not quite ideal for sustained loads. I would recommend placing that laptop on a stand when running longer work/gaming sessions, which would allow internal temperatures in the mid-70s °C. Flat on the desk, those would jump to low-80s °C. I’d also refrain from using the Performance mode as much as possible. Standard mode runs cooler and quieter and still provides solid overall performance for most chores.
As far as the noise levels go, expect 42 dBA on Performance, 35 dBA on Standard, and sub-30 dBA on Whisper mode.
With daily use, the fan is more active on this Intel model than on the AMD variant. You’ll constantly hear the fan’s hiss on the Performance mode when using the laptop plugged in, but it’s active on Standard as well, which means you’ll have to resort to Whisper mode to keep the noise down. And even on Whisper, the fan doesn’t idle while the laptop is plugged in. Whisper mode limits performance with demanding loads, but at least it still feels smooth and snappy for daily use.
Unplugged, the fan is still way more active than on the AMD model, where it idles most of the time. Over here, the fan never idles: it spins inaudibly with light use on battery power, but still spins, and ramps up quickly with multitasking.
I’ll also mention that the hardware tends to run at slightly higher power and 5-10 degrees hotter with general use on this Intel model, which could explain why the fan needs to be more active. It’s hard to properly compare the two, but for the most part, the AMD variant runs cooler and quieter with general use and multitasking, both on battery power and plugged in.
Back to our review unit, the chassis stays cool with light use, with temperatures in the low 30s around the keyboard.
*Daily Use – streaming Netflix in EDGE for 30 minutes, Whisper Mode, fans at <30 dB
With demanding loads, Performance mode leads to a hotspot of 50+ °C at the top side of the chassis, and close to 60 °C on the underside. Just like the AMD model, this Intel variant runs hot with sustained loads.
The areas that you’re regularly getting in touch with don’t go over 45 °C, though, but the metal frame can end up feeling uncomfortably warm when running heavy chores for hours. With its thin metal format and minimalist cooling, this Zenbook 14 chassis isn’t ideal for heavy use.
The chassis runs significantly cooler on the Standard and Silent modes, at least, once more suggesting these are the ideal profiles for such a device.
*Gaming – Performance mode – playing Witcher for 30 minutes, fans at ~42 dB
For connectivity, there’s WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 on this laptop, so not WiFi 6E as on the AMD variant. I didn’t notice any issues during my time with the notebook.
Audio is handled by a set of stereo speakers that fire through grills positioned on the side and bottom of the chassis. They sound alright for this class, with good volumes and decent quality. Not MacBook levels by any means, but pretty good overall.
Finally, there’s a 2MPx camera placed at the top of the screen, flanked by microphones, the IR, and the ALS sensors. The camera gets a physical cover, and the image quality is decent in good lighting.
Battery life – not bad with Arrow Lake There’s a 75 Wh battery inside this 2025 Asus Zenbook 14, plenty sized for its segment.
Here’s what we got in our battery life tests, with the screen’s brightness set at around 120 nits (~50 brightness) and at its default 120Hz refresh rate (the system doesn’t automatically switch to 60Hz refresh when unplugging the laptop, but you can do it manually). I’ve also set the Windows 11 power modes to Best Power Efficiency.
These results are on the latest BIOS 307 available as of mid-August 2025.
5 W (15 h of use) – idle, Standard Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;7 W (~10-11 h of use) – text editing in Google Drive, Standard Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;7 W (~10-11 h of use) – 1080p fullscreen video on Youtube in Edge, Standard Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;7.5 W (~10 h of use) – Netflix fullscreen in Edge, Standard Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;8-12W (~7-9 h of use) – browsing in Edge, Standard Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;38 W (~2 h of use) – Gaming – Witcher 3, Standard Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON.
Previously, with BIOS 304, the system ran a little more efficiently with light use and streaming, allowing for 1-2 extra hours of runtime. But it seems that Asus changed the settings and increased the idle power setting for Whisper and Standard mode with the latest BIOS, perhaps to make the general use experience smoother.
Keep in mind this review unit is the 2.8K 120Hz display option, and you could expect slightly longer runtimes with light use and streaming with the 2K 60Hz variant.
Overall, these are solid runtimes. Not quite on par with the AMD configuration, but close for general multitasking, and still plenty for streaming and light use. It’s also not quite as efficient as the Lunar Lake platform for light use. But the 75Wh battery on this Zenbook helps deliver solid all-day runtimes.
The laptop ships with a compact 65W USB-C charger. It’s a single-piece design with a long and thick cable and a USB-C plug. I’ve illustrated the US variant, but the EU variant is the same, just with a different plug.
Price and availability- Asus Zenbook 14 OLED The Asus ZenBook 14 UX3405CA is widely available across the world at the time of the article. However, configurations differ between regions.
In the US, I mostly found this in the Jasper Gray colors variant with the 2K OLED display, either a Core Ultra 7 255H with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD (for $999) or a Core Ultra 9 285H with 32 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD (for $1199).
Over here in Europe, you get all sorts of variants, mostly in silver or Blue. The top Ultra 9 + 32 GB RAM model goes for £ 1199 in the UK and €1399 in Germany. But the Ultra 7 variant can be found as well, for around 1200 EUR.
Follow this link for updated prices and configurations in your area .
Final thoughts- Asus Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405CA review Much like the AMD Zenbook 14 variant, this UX3405CA Zenbook 14 series, built on Intel hardware and with a few extra features, is also an excellent daily-use ultrabook.
It tends to sell for 100-200 more than the AMD model, and for that, you’re getting somewhat faster hardware in sustained loads and games, Thunderbolt 4 and WiFi 7, and a few different color options. There’s also a fair chance you’ll mostly find the Intel model with the 2.8K 120Hz display in your region, especially on the Ultra 9 configurations, while the AMD model is mostly offered with the 2K 60Hz OLED.
At the end of the day, though, this series is not quite meant for sustained performance. Both the AMD and the Intel versions run rather hot and noisy on their higher Performance profiles, while delivering good performance (especially the Intel model), but not quite in par with what you can get with options built on more powerful hardware and with better cooling.
And when it comes to general use, I lean towards the AMD Zenbook 14 variant that provides a much quieter daily-use experience and longer runtimes on battery power. This Intel model is snappy with general use as well, but keeps the hardware at higher power, and that’s why the fan is way more active and never seems to idle, unlike on the AMD unit.
On the other hand, if you need the extra features offered by the UX3405CA variants, or the extra performance delivered by the Arrow Lake hardware, especially on the GPU side, this Intel Zenbook 14 is a fine choice as well. Just keep it on Whisper mode for daily use in order to tame down that fan.
Anyway, that wraps up my time with the Asus Zenbook 14 UX3405CKA series. Looking for your thoughts and feedback further down in the comments section.
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Review by: Andrei Girbea
Andrei Girbea is a Writer and Editor-in-Chief here at Ultrabookreview.com . I write about mobile technology, laptops and computers in general. I've been doing it for more than 15 years now. I'm a techie with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I mostly write reviews and thorough guides here on the site, with some occasional columns and first-impression articles.
SIVAKUMAR B
August 24, 2025 at 4:34 pm
The ASUS ZENBOOK 14 UX3405CA-PZ164WS comes with Core Ultra 9 285H with 32GB RAM. But the ASUS ZENBOOK 14 UX3405-PZ163WS comes with Core Ultra 7 255H and with 32 GB RAM. The Core Ultra 7 255H with 32GB RAM is available in India. But the 32 GB Core Ultra 7 255H is not found available anywhere except India. The Asus Zenbook UX3405CA-PZ163WS with Core Ultra 7 255H with 32 GB RAM comes in Ponder Blue colour while the Asus Zenbook UX3405CA-PZ348WS with Core Ultra 7 255H with 32 GB RAM comes in Foggy Silver colour. Asus Zenbook UX3405CA-PZ349WS with Core Ultra 9 285H with 32 GB RAM also comes in Foggy Silver colour. Please note the Model Number change with the colour Change. I now wish to buy the Asus Zenbook UX3405CA-PZ163WS with Core Ultra 7 255H with 32GB RAM which comes in Ponder Blue. As I am unable to afford its current price, I am waiting for a slashed price tag. Core Ultr 7 255H with 32GB RAM would be an ideal choice for me as it does not produce as much heat as the Core Ultra 9 285H model. Besides, the performance difference between the Core Ultra 7 and Core Ultra 9 is negligible and unnoticeable, with the Core Ultra 7 255 with 32GB RAM would be an ideal choice for all general works.
Elliot
September 9, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Is it possible to know the FPS of CS2 between Zenbook 14 and Zenbook S14?
Andrei Girbea
September 15, 2025 at 1:05 pm
I don't test CS2, sry
SIVAKUMAR B
September 15, 2025 at 5:26 pm
I believe the FPS for CS2 won't be as good as a gaming laptop as both the Zenbook 14 & S14 have integrated Graphics. First of all, one should have the basic understanding that Zenbooks are NOT built for gaming.
Gippy
September 20, 2025 at 7:42 am
I really wish Asus would go back to their 10th/11th-gen Intel Zenbook design. Those were perfect and I still use my UX425EA. The 14" inch laptops had an extra column of dedicated Home/PgUp/PgDn/End navigation keys and made the keyboard reach the edge of the chassis. I use these keys all the time for Internet browsing, and can't imagine using a laptop without them anymore. I would also still prefer a 16:9 option rather than 16:10 as this laptop is effectively 13.6" when viewing any 16:9 content.
Instead, people complained about the lack of a headphone jack and Asus put that back in. They also seemed to listen to the complaints about the power key being on the top right, which is why the power and delete key have swapped positions. Neither of these were an issue for me. Sigh. Maybe next generation…
Artem
September 24, 2025 at 9:38 pm
I wonder how you got such low numbers for power draw. Watching youtube in 1080p60 gets me 16W, and I have a slightler less performant version with 255H but still 2.8K OLED screen. Tried going Linux thinking it's Windows issue but no luck.
Andrei Girbea
September 29, 2025 at 11:20 am
interesting. I haven't done anything special, just standard settings. Perhaps check the Intel driver?
Artem
October 3, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Drivers are all up-to-date for sure. I've also been struggling with Windows 11 power management settings (there seems to be some sort of bug which switches off Balanced mode on Battery after power cord is ejected from laptop). In the end I've simply set it to always be in "Energy saver" (while still keeping 120Hz refresh rate). This results in avg power draw of 9W in Edge in 10W in Firefox during 1080p60 video in Youtube; this is already something manageable even though not ideal.
SIVAKUMAR B
September 29, 2025 at 11:34 am
The Core Ultra 7 255H has less TDP of 28W than its couterpart Core Ultra 9H which has a TDP of 45W. May be, I think that results in drawing less power by Core Ultra7 255H which produces lesser heat than Core Ultra8 285H which runs hot even under normal circumstances. If not doing anything more intensive, Core Ultra7 255H would be the better choice as it has less TDP and less Power draw.
Andrei Girbea
September 29, 2025 at 11:36 am
that doesn't matter with light and casual use, plus 28/45W is design TDP, none work at the design TDP in this chassis, as explained in the article. The two should require more or less the same amount of energy with general use.