Asus Zenbook S16 with Ryzen AI 9 Hits European Markets

Asus has officially opened European pre-orders for the Zenbook S16 (UM5606), positioning it as a premium productivity laptop for professionals needing both portability and performance. This global counterpart to China's Zenbook 16 Air arrives with significant hardware upgrades over previous generations.

What's New
The Zenbook S16 debuts AMD's latest Ryzen AI 9 465 processors paired with 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM – a notable jump from the 24GB configurations previously available. Both UK and Polish models include a 16-inch 3.2K OLED display (120Hz refresh rate) and an 83Wh battery. Storage varies by region: UK units ship with 2TB SSDs (£1,699.99/$2,345), while Polish configurations include 1TB SSDs (PLN 7,499/$2,218). Asus plans to ship orders in early February.

How It Compares
Compared to its predecessor (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370), the new model delivers improved NPU performance and power efficiency via AMD's Gorgon Point architecture. At 1.5kg, it remains exceptionally light for a 16-inch device – undercutting competitors like Dell's XPS 16 (2.1kg) and Apple's MacBook Pro 16 (2.2kg). The OLED panel offers superior contrast over IPS alternatives in this class.

Pricing reveals regional disparities: The UK gets higher storage capacity at a premium, while Poland's lower price reflects the SSD difference. Notably, Asus UK confirmed an upcoming Ryzen AI 7 445 variant with 32GB RAM/1TB SSD at £1,499.99, though pre-orders aren't yet live.

Who It's For
With its 32GB RAM and workstation-grade processors, this targets creative professionals handling photo/video editing or data analysis. The lightweight chassis makes it viable for frequent travelers, while OLED suits color-sensitive work. Users needing maximum storage may prefer the UK SKU, though external drives offset Poland's smaller SSD.

Availability remains limited to Poland and the UK initially, with Germany expected soon. US buyers currently only find older models like the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 via retailers like Amazon. For full specifications, see Asus' regional stores: UK | Poland.