Cheap Windows laptops are still boring — but this $599 AI PC changes everything. Here’s why.

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Editor’s Comment: Zachary isn’t exaggerating his praise for this laptop. With a decade of experience in using laptops, I can confidently say that it is one of my top picks and a strong candidate for the title of Laptop of the Year. The $599 price tag is incredibly affordable considering the device’s excellent performance and impressive battery life. It’s not just my opinion; 113 reviews on Best Buy give it a rating of 4.7 out of 5, and for good reason. — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-chief, WindowsCentral.com

Regardless of your identity, it’s hard to argue against the fact that Windows laptops have made significant strides in quality during the past few years, particularly in the mid-tier and luxury market categories.

Inexpensive and reasonably priced Windows laptops are unfortunately still known for being dull and frequently below par, and this becomes even more evident when compared to the Apple MacBook Air, which is now available for under $800 on BestBuy.com.

Recently, I’ve begun using a new laptop, and I’m already sensing the trajectory of my assessment. Despite the general mediocrity, there’s been an exceptional standout: the ASUS Zenbook A14.

I can’t emphasize enough how enjoyable the process of reviewing this laptop was for me, and I continue to believe it ranks among the top (and often overlooked) Windows laptops currently available. In the upcoming Back to School period, you can grab it at an incredible 40% discount, which brings the price down to a mere $599.99 on BestBuy.com, making it hard to find a better deal out there.

As light as air, but rock solid throughout

Although Asus didn’t use the “Air” label associated with Apple, it’s important to note that the Zenbook A14 isn’t a budget imitation of the MacBook.

The ASUS Zenbook A14 is fully covered in their exclusive “Ceraluminum” material, which is essentially magnesium layered with ceramic. This unique combination offers a distinctive appearance and texture that sets it apart from many other laptops. What’s more, the Zenbook A14 stands out as one of the lightest 14-inch laptops available on the market, weighing less than a kilogram and being over 20% lighter than Apple’s top-selling model.

The Zenbook A14 is remarkably lightweight compared to many other laptops, yet it maintains its durability, battery power, and variety of ports without compromise.

Regardless of its lightweight nature, the Zenbook A14 surprisingly has a robust construction that I find delightful. Its high-quality build is seldom seen in the budget market, and I can’t help but appreciate it. Notably, ASUS has managed to incorporate a generous 70Whr battery, along with an assortment of ports such as two USB4 ports compatible with Thunderbolt 4, a traditional USB Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

At first glance, you’ll notice an attractive OLED screen. Although it’s only FHD+ (1200p) and 60Hz, it offers a significant improvement over typical budget laptops. It’s vibrant and colorful, making it ideal for productivity tasks, creative work, and media enjoyment. Despite not being as smooth and sharp as the highest-end laptop screens, it still represents a notable upgrade in visual quality.

I frankly adore this hardware, but that’s not all that makes the Zenbook A14 stand out in my eyes.

Reliable performance and all-day battery life

Windows laptops often face criticism for their relatively poor battery lives compared to MacBooks from Apple. However, despite significant advancements by Intel and AMD in this area, Apple consistently excels. This success can be largely attributed to the use of ARM64 architecture in their devices.

The long-lasting battery life that MacBooks are known for is due to the ARM64 technology used by Apple, a key factor contributing to their superiority in this aspect compared to most Windows laptops.

As a researcher delving into the advancements in technology, I’m excited to share that the mobile chipsets we’ve long appreciated in our smartphones are now being scaled up and power-boosted for use in laptops. Apple is already leveraging its own silicon in the MacBook, while ASUS Zenbook A14 is capitalizing on the best offerings available on the Windows side – the Qualcomm Snapdragon X series.

Although Apple maintains a lead in overall performance, let me clarify that the Zenbook A14 is no pushover. Its 8-core chipset handles most everyday tasks with ease, such as web browsing, email management, Microsoft Office work, video conferencing, media consumption, light photo and video editing, and even casual gaming for 95% of users.

The Zenbook A14 is the perfect showcase for the benefits of Qualcomm’s ARM64 chipsets.

One major advantage is its efficiency: Weighing just over 2 pounds, the Zenbook A14 can handle a full day’s workload with ease. In my trials, it was quite capable of delivering 10-12 hours of screen-on usage without compromising performance or disabling any features.

As a tech enthusiast, I can certainly appreciate the allure of a more traditional x86 processor from Intel or AMD, especially for hardcore gaming or specialized use cases. However, for many of us, the advantages of Qualcomm’s chipsets are undeniable. The Zenbook A14 is an exceptional demonstration of those benefits.

In my review, I had one significant issue with the Zenbook A14: its initial price was higher than anticipated, and the configuration I initially tested didn’t live up to the performance of the current model on sale. However, now that it’s 40% off, I honestly can’t find another laptop I would suggest at this price range as compelling as the Zenbook A14.

The ASUS Zenbook A14 (2025) is currently priced at $599.99 on BestBuy.com, but this offer won’t last forever, so don’t miss out and grab it while you can!

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2025-07-31 00:11