Asus has announced the Zenbook 14 Air 2026 in China, unveiling a lightweight AI-focused laptop aimed at users who prioritize portability without giving up performance. The device was revealed at the company’s latest AI PC launch event, alongside the dual-screen Zenbook 14 Duo.

Processor and AI Performance

The Zenbook 14 Air runs on Intel’s third-generation Core Ultra processors built on the 18A process, with configurations topping out at the Core Ultra 9 386H with boost speeds of up to 4.9GHz. Asus also offers a Core Ultra 7 variant, with both chips using a 16-core architecture that combines performance, efficiency, and low-power efficiency cores.

The Core Ultra 9 model includes an upgraded neural processing unit capable of delivering up to 50 TOPS of AI compute. This enables on-device AI features such as image generation, language modeling, and Windows Copilot support.

Design and Build

The laptop weighs 1.19kg and measures 1.1cm thick, placing it in the ultraportable category. Asus uses a CNC-machined unibody chassis with a Ceraluminum lid that blends ceramic and aluminum to improve durability, offer a warmer touch, and resist fingerprints and stains.

A hidden hinge design and geometric grille increase airflow efficiency by up to 50%, according to the company.

The Zenbook 14 Air 2026 features a 14-inch OLED display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel reaches up to 1,100 nits of peak brightness and carries VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification. The Zenbook 14 Air 2026 is available in Snow White and Mountain Mist Grey.

It supports 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, 10-bit color depth, and factory-calibrated color accuracy with Delta E below 1.

Memory, Battery, and Cooling

The laptop supports up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM running at 8533MT/s and up to 1TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. Asus rates the 77Wh battery for up to 29.5 hours of local video playback.

Thermal management relies on a dual-fan system with an ultra-thin vapor chamber and graphite sheets. Asus says fan noise remains below 25dB during light workloads.

Connectivity and Features

The Zenbook 14 Air supports Wi-Fi 7 and includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10Gbps USB-A port, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Other features include a 1080p IR webcam with Windows Hello, AI noise reduction, a quad-speaker Dolby Atmos audio system, and a 5.9-inch touchpad with gesture shortcuts and a 240Hz touch sampling rate.

Pricing and Availability

Asus has priced the Core Ultra 9 configuration at $1,438. Pricing for the Core Ultra 7 variant has not yet been announced.