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日本ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) review – Power and Efficiency in a Premium Ultra-Thin Chassis
The first Zen 5 laptops are already on the market. The Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) is one of the first new-age ASUS AI PC with an ultraportable design. This fella is based on the AMD Strix Point chips. The top-tier laptops are offered with the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 which boasts four Performance Zen 5 cores and eight smaller Zen 5c cores alongside 24 threads and a mighty RDNA 3.5-based Radeon 890M iGPU with 16 compute units. The latter makes this super thin laptop into an entry-level gaming machine. You can even play some of the AAA titles on Low or Medium details. The more affordable notebooks are paired with a Ryzen AI 9 365 which also packs a punch with its 10 cores and Radeon 880M integrated graphics.
The HX 370 processor has up to 81 TOPs for AI-heavy tasks (actually, the dedicated NPU offers up to 50 TOPs). The connectivity is the most up-to-date combo of Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 and you also get two USB4 connectors plus an SD 4.0 card reader – nice! Don’t expect miracles when it comes to upgradability – the SSD is the only component on the inside that is replaceable. Still, even the most affordable configurations come with at least 24GB of fast LPDDR5x-7500 MHz RAM which seems enough for normal daily or office use.
To tame the multicore CPU, ASUS has installed a thin and capable vapor chamber cooling under the bonnet. This notebook has all the needed bangs and whistles for the class like a six-speaker Harman Kardon certified Audio setup with Dolby Atmos support and a great 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED with HDR capabilities and 120 Hz refresh rate.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/asus-zenbook-s-16-um5606/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 2000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 1x 2280 PCIe NVMe 4.0 x4 See photo
- RAM
- up to 32GB
- OS
- Windows 11, Windows 11 Home, Windows 11 Pro
- Battery
- 78Wh
- Body material
- Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 353.6 x 243 x 11.9 ~ 12.9 mm (13.92" x 9.57" x 0.47")
- Weight
- 1.50 kg (3.3 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 1x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
- 2x USB Type-C
- 4.0, Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
- HDMI
- 2.1
- Card reader
- SD (SD, SDHC, SDXC)
- Ethernet LAN
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11be
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- optional
- Web camera
- FHD IR with Windows Hello
- Backlit keyboard
- optional
- Microphone
- Array Microphone
- Speakers
- Stereo Speakers, Smart Amp Technology, harman/kardon
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
All ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.asus.com/laptops/for-home/zenbook/asus-zenbook-s-16-um5606/helpdesk_download?model2Name=UM5606WA
What’s in the box?
We found some manuals and a 65W Type-C adapter in the box. Depending on your region, you could also get an ASUS Pen SA203H-MPP2.0 stylus and a USB-A to RJ45 LAN adapter.
Design and construction
The design of the ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) is beautiful and minimalistic. The all-metal chassis is mind-blowingly solid for an 11.9 – 12.9 mm profile and 1.50 kg weight. This gadget is available in Zumaia Gray and Scandinavian White colors. The latter is in front of us. Actually, the top side with its typical ASUS monogram looks more or less light gray while the rest is in white.
You need one hand to open the lid which is nice to see since that’s a light device. The bottom feet provide superb grip. The lid features the so-called “Ceraluminum” material which is a combination of ceramic and aluminum transformed into plasma ceramic aluminum. It feels smooth and kind of warm to the touch and this surface picks almost zero fingerprints (which also applies to the base).
The superb OLED display looks completely black when it’s turned off and that contrasts beautifully with the light main body.
The bezels around the 3K panel are thin. The screen can be found as a touch or non-touch model. Our one supports the optional stylus which is a good choice for sketching. The 1080p IR Web camera for Windows Hello is positioned above the panel. The unit offers 3D noise-reduction technology and it also supports Adaptive Lock and Presence Sensing functions.
The lid goes back up to ~ 150 degrees.
The NumPad-less keyboard has a backlight and half-sized Arrow keys which are hard-to-hit during usage. The grill above the board is for ventilation and it has a unique geometric design because of the 3522 CNC machined vents. Pushing down hard the grill results in a minimal amount of flex so yes, once again, the rigidness of the chassis is on point. Back to the board – its big keycaps offer average travel which is normal for an ultra-thin laptop. Still, the feedback is clicky and the typing on this keyboard feels nice.
The glass-covered touchpad is gigantic (150.3 x 99.5 mm)! Its physical clicks are almost quiet. The pad is super smooth and the accuracy great.
On the bottom plate, there is a ventilation grill, two long rubber feet, and two tall speaker cutouts. The heat is guided through two vents on the back. The hinge cover is placed on top of them and that blocks the hot air from reaching the display during heavy CPU loads.
Ports
On the left, you get an HDMI 2.1 TMDS, two 40 Gbps USB4 ports with DisplayPort and PowerDelivery capabilities, and an Audio combo jack. We can see a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 2) port followed by an SD 4.0 card reader on the right.
Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles
ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) is equipped with a Touch OLED panel, model number Samsung ATNA60CL10-0 (SDC41AF). It comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and 10-bit color support. Its diagonal is 16.0″ (40.6 cm), and the resolution – 2880 х 1800p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:10, the pixel density – 212 ppi, and their pitch – 0.12 x 0.12 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 41 cm (this is based on the pixel density and the typical viewing distance at which individual pixels cannot be distinguished by the human eye).
Viewing angles are good. We offer images from different angles to evaluate the quality.
Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.
On a black background, white fill at 8% of the screen area, the maximum measured brightness in HDR On mode is 588 nits (cd/m2) and 610 cd/m2 on a white screen. The maximum measured brightness in SDR mode is 378 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 377 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of just 2%. The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 6480K („Splendid“ – „Native“; „Normal“ mode).
In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from a uniformity perspective. It’s measured for operational brightness levels (approximately 180 nits). Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0 ). The contrast ratio of OLED panels is practically infinite, due to their ability to turn off black pixels entirely.
To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy.
Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people on HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Basically, colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook.
Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.
The yellow dotted line shows ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606)’s color gamut coverage.
Its display covers 100% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976, and 100% of DCI-P3, ensuring a super vibrant and attractive picture.
The “MyASUS” app also emulates the DCI-P3 and the sRGB color spaces.
We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc.
Below you can compare the scores of the ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) with the default settings – HDR off, („Splendid“ – „Display P3“; „Normal“ mode) compared to Display P3 color space.
Also, you can see the sRGB accuracy results („Splendid“ – „sRGB“; „Normal“ mode). In both cases, the default settings are excellent.
The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light. (HDR Off)
The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is enhanced with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale, and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions.
Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the display is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606)’s display uses PWM up to 30 nits (the “Flicker-Free Dimming” function in the MyASUS app partly eliminates the issue). Above that, we see pulsations with a limited amplitude. This makes the panel relatively comfortable to use in this aspect.
Health Impact: Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile not only improves the comfort through PWM manipulation but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Health Impact: Screen Reflectance
Glossy-coated displays are sometimes inconvenient in high ambient light conditions. We show the level of reflection on the screen for the respective laptop when the display is turned off and the measurement angle is 60°.
The Vivobook S 16 OLED M5600 has a reflectance of 153 GU.
High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU
Sound
ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606)’s “Harman Kardon” speakers produce a sound of very good quality. Furthermore, the low, mid, and high tones are clear of deviations.
Buy our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) configurations with 16.0″ Samsung ATNA60CL10-0 (SDC41AF) (2880 х 1800p)OLED.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Office Work
Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.
Design and Gaming
This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.
Health-Guard
Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.
Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount
Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage
All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Best Performance” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu. Also, the “Full-speed mode” for the fan is applied in the “MyASUS” software.
The “Memory Allocated to GPU” is set to 8GB since our device has 32GB of RAM.
CPU options
This machine is offered with AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.
The laptop that we have has an HX 370 chip.
Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.
Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)
Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
GPU options
All devices of this ASUS series are iGPU-only laptops.
Our notebook has the AMD Radeon 890M.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Gaming tests
| CS:GO | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings) | HD 1080p, MAX (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 230 fps | 205 fps | 123 fps |
| DOTA 2 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 109 fps | 98 fps | 87 fps | 71 fps |
| Metro Exodus | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Extreme (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 75 fps | 29 fps | 14 fps |
| Borderlands 3 | Full HD, V.Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Badass (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 77 fps | 55 fps | 36 fps | 28 fps |
| Far Cry 6 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 68 fps | 51 fps | 43 fps |
| Gears 5 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 100 fps | 65 fps | 54 fps | 42 fps |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 67 fps | 53 fps | 43 fps | 37 fps |
In some games like Gears 5 or Far Cry 6, the Radeon 890M can give the 30W GeForce RTX 2050 a run for its money.
[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
You can make your laptop Faster. LaptopMedia has tested thousands of models in the last 15 years, and we have yet to see a notebook that couldn't be made more powerful through modifications.
That's why we decided to bundle everything we know about how to achieve this in an Easy-to-Follow, Step-by-Step, and Laboratory-Tested, all in one project.
Read more about it here:
[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
🛠️ GPU Modifications: vBIOS, Overclocking, Undervolting
⚙️ Building Fast/Reliable RAID configuration
💻 Hardware upgrade tips for best results
🖼 Display enhancing
💾 OS Optimization for best performance
Storage performance
Our notebook has a 2TB Micron 2400E (MTFDKBA2T0QFM-1BD1AABGB).
This is a Gen 4 NVMe that is decently snappy considering the QLC memory. The drive stays cool even when it’s pounded with heavy write loads, reaching just 50°C.
Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life
Max CPU load
In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.
Average P-core frequency; Average E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power
| AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (28W TDP) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | 3.00 GHz @ 2.03 GHz @ 69°C @ 33W | 2.96 GHz @ 2.01 GHz @ 78°C @ 33W | 2.68 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 83°C @ 28W |
The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 can sustain ~3.00 GHz for the big Zen 5 cores and ~2.00 GHz for the smaller Zen 5c ones in both short and medium loads. In longer stress, the package power reaches the official AMD default value of 28W and you get around 2.70 GHz / 1.80 GHz frequencies. Overall, that’s a good result for such a thin laptop.
Comfort during full load
When the processor is stressed to the max in “Full-speed mode”, the two fans are audible but not noisy which is great. In this scenario, the middle of the keyboard reaches ~ 51°C, and the hot spot in the top row of keys hits 54°C. Also, the lower bezels of the display don’t get hot (42°C) and the temperature around the hinges (which are close to the rear exhaust vents) is ~45°C. Moreover, the keyboard doesn’t feel scorching hot which is good considering the 12-core CPU and the compact dimensions of this notebook.
You get four fan profiles at your disposal in the MyASUS app.
The “Full-speed mode” and “Performance mode” offer (almost) virtually the same clocks and power targets (~30W) when the CPU is pushed to its limits. The frequencies of the “Standard” preset look adequate (2.20 / 1.55 GHz) for a 17W power limit.
“Full-speed mode”
“Performance mode”
“Standard mode”
“Whisper mode”Battery
Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows’ Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. The 78Wh battery pack lasts for around 14 hours and a half of video playback. The result is very good given the high-res OLED display and the powerful CPU. To achieve that, you have to apply the “Power Efficiency” preset in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu, select the “Standard” fan mode, and use the “Dynamic refresh rate” option in the MyASUS app.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance
To gain access to the internals, you have to undo 11 Torx-head screws. If you are brave and careful enough, you can pop the bottom plate by raising it in the speaker cutout sections and then pry the sides with a thin plastic tool. The other method is to pry the top two corners, pop the rear with a lever tool, and work your way around the sides and the front.
There are two dust filters for the ventilation grills on the inside of the bottom plate.
This laptop has a 78Wh battery. To remove it, pull out the connector from the motherboard and undo the 9 Phillips-head screws that fix the unit to the chassis. The capacity is enough for around 14 hours and a half of video playback.
The memory is soldered but at least you get up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-7500MHz in dual-channel mode which seems plenty. We can also have a look at the RAM modules. The Wi-Fi card on the left is also soldered.
For storage upgrades, there is just one M.2 slot compatible with 2280 Gen 4 SSDs. The preinstalled NVMe is covered in foil with a long thermal pad on top.
The thin vapor chamber cooling comprises two fans. Some of its other components are also visible like the pair of heat sinks.
Verdict
The ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) combines tons of processing and AI power thanks to the all-new AMD Zen 5 CPUs with a dedicated NPU. Despite the thin profile, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 can sustain a 28W power limit plus ~2.70 GHz / 1.80 GHz clock for performance and efficient cores in long loads which is a good result for a machine that weighs a kilo and a half. The AMD Radeon 890M can show more than 40 FPS on Ultra details in games such as Far Cry 6 and Gears 5 which is a respectable score for an iGPU.
The comfort under load is surprisingly good. The keyboard doesn’t feel too hot to the touch even when the CPU is loaded at 100% and the fans aren’t intrusive when the “Full-speed mode” or “Performance mode” mode is applied. The noise is greatly reduced in “Standard” mode as well as the CPU power limit (~17W). Speaking of which, the board is comfortable for typing and the huge touchpad amazes us with its smoothness and accuracy.
The 3K 2880 x 1800p OLED display Samsung ATNA60CL10-0 (SDC41AF) is great! This panel has a 120Hz refresh rate and it’s perhaps a dream come true for content creators because of the full DCI-P3 coverage and the superb color accuracy. The ”Flicker-Free Dimming” feature can be found in the MyASUS app and could be useful to users who are sensitive to the typical OLED flicker.
The high price of this machine is its main con. The 78Wh battery provides more than 14 hours of video playback. The port selection is modern but could be a limitation factor for some users because of the Type-C charging. When the adapter is plugged into one of the fancy USB4 connectors, you can rely on just one Type-C and Type-A port.
The Zenbook S 16 is a thin, portable yet powerful device with a long battery life, outstanding OLED display, comfortable input devices, and modern hardware.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/asus-zenbook-s-16-um5606/
Pros
- Great OLED display with 100% sRGB and DCI-P3 coverage (SDC41AF)
- Infinite contrast ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, and 2880 x 1800 resolution (SDC41AF)
- 588 nits in HDR and 378 nits max brightness in SDR mode (SDC41AF)
- Tremendous color accuracy (SDC41AF)
- Good audio setup
- “OLED Flicker-Free Dimming” mode in MyASUS software
- Comfortable well-illuminated keyboard
- Huge smooth touchpad
- 1080p IR Web camera
- Very good overall CPU and iGPU performance given the thin profile
- The fans are noisy even in “Full-speed mode” mode during full loads
- Up to 32GB of soldered LPDDR5x
- Long battery life
- The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 can maintain 28W plus ~2.70 GHz / 1.80 GHz for the P and E cores
- Great solid premium build quality
- 2x USB4 ports + Type-C charging
Cons
- PWM usage without the “Flicker-Free Dimming” mode (SDC41AF)
- Only one M.2 slot + soldered RAM
- High price
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