Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) Review

So for the past week, I’ve been using the Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED UX7602. And this Creator’s laptop, is one of the best laptops I’ve used in 2023. And there are a few reasons why. It’s not perfect, though. We’ll get into the reasons why I think it falls just a little bit short of being perfect. But it does have a gorgeous 16-inch OLED display. It’s 120 hertz, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. It also has pen support, and it comes with the Asus Pen 2.0. Additionally, it has a beautiful keyboard that gives you a nice raised typing angle when you’re using it.

We’ll get into that a little bit. It also provides good airflow and has the Asus dial, which is very Surface Dial-like. So we’re going to get into why I think this is one of the best laptops, especially if you’re a content creator, and if you’re looking for a Windows laptop. So let’s deep dive in-depth Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) Review.

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Specs and Price

Display	16″ 16:10 (3200 x 2000) 120Hz OLED Touch Screen
CPU	Intel CoreTM i9-13905H
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce RTX4080 with 12GB GDDR6 VRAM Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Memory	Up to 32GB 7467 MHz LPDDR5X onboard
Storage	Up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVME M2 SSD
Battery	96Wh lithium-polymer battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) + Bluetooth 5.2
Size and Weight	355 x 251 x 16.9mm, Weight Approx 2.4 kg/ 5291 lbs
Camera	FHD Camera with IR Windows Hello With privacy shutter
Ports	2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1x Full-size HDMI 2.1 1X SD Express 7.0 Card reader 1x 3.5 mm Audio Combo Jack
Price	$3,400 at Asus.com and Also View at Amazon

Unboxing, Design and Weight

Inside the box, we get the Asus Pro 16x laptop itself. It’s made of some pretty nice durable material. We also receive some documentation, the power charger, the Asus pen 2.0, a 280-watt power charger, the laptop comes with 4080 RTX graphics card, a barrel pin connection, and, of course, the power cord. Additionally, we receive an Ethernet adapter of Type A, which is quite interesting.

The weight of the laptop itself is 2.424 kilograms. If we include the power cord and the 280-watt power charger, the weight increases to 3.208 kilograms or around 7 pounds. Adding the pen to the total travel weight, we have 3.224 kilograms. Asus Pro 16x laptop is definitely a big boy, but it packs a lot of power under the hood.

Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) Ports

As for the ports On the left side, we have the power port, followed by a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port. It’s good to see that there are two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports that offer full functionality, supporting data transfer, charging, and display output. On the right side, there’s a full-size SD card reader, a 3.5-millimeter microphone/headphone combo jack, and finally, an HDMI 2.1 FRL port. These ports round out the options on Zenbook Pro 16X OLED (UX7602) laptop. it’s a good port selection overall, and include an ethernet port adapter in the box.

Internals and User Upgradeability

The SSD in Zenbook Pro 16X OLED is indeed user-upgradable, and the excellent read and write speeds, the included SSD is really good, especially for 2023. It’s very fast. Unfortunately, the RAM is soldered into the motherboard, so as a user, you cannot upgrade it yourself, which is a little bit unfortunate. This is something to keep in mind. In my review unit, there are 32 gigabytes of RAM running in dual-channel mode. It’s worth noting that the RAM is very fast, with a speed of 7467 megahertz. That’s pretty impressive. Additionally, you have the option to order Zenbook Pro 16X OLED (UX7602) laptop with up to 64 gigabytes of RAM. As for the wireless connectivity, it’s working well. You have Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The combo card for wireless connectivity is soldered into the motherboard and cannot be upgraded by the user, but both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are working flawlessly.

Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) Display

Asus Pro 16X has 16-inch 3.2K OLED display. It is absolutely stunning. The display has a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 3200 by 2000. It boasts a quick 0.2-millisecond response time and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, providing a delightful experience whether you’re gaming or operating throughout the OS. However, it’s important to note that operating at a high refresh rate may impact battery life, which we’ll discuss below.

In terms of color accuracy, Zenbook Pro 16X oled (UX7602) display is exceptionally accurate, making it an excellent choice for content creators who work with programs like Lightroom, Photoshop, video editing, and color grading. It offers excellent coverage of the color gamut, displaying vibrant colors with deep blacks and high contrast the hallmarks of an OLED display. Everything truly pops off the screen. The peak brightness measures 550 nits, providing a bright and sharp viewing experience, especially with high dynamic range (HDR) content. For standard dynamic range (SDR) content, I measured a brightness of 404 nits. Despite being a glossy display, I didn’t notice significant screen glare or reflections, likely due to its brightness. Overall, the touch layer is highly responsive, allowing for smooth navigation through the operating system and easy pinch-to-zoom functionality.

Audio and Sound Test

The sound quality of Zenbook Pro 16x OLED laptop is exceptional. It features a six-speaker sound system and incorporates Dolby Atmos technology to enhance the spatial audio experience. Overall, the sound on this laptop is among the best I have encountered in a Windows laptop in a long time.

Pen Support, IR Cameras and Mics

The Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) includes pen support, and they provide the Asus Pen 2.0 in the box. It’s a great addition for taking notes, sketching artwork, and creating diagrams. The pen functionality worked well.

The camera on the Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) offers 1080p video at 30 frames per second. It’s worth noting that Zenbook Pro 16X laptop features an IR camera, allowing you to log in using face recognition with Windows Hello. Additionally, there is a camera shutter switch, which is a dedicated key on the keyboard, providing added security and privacy. For those who prefer it, there’s also a fingerprint scanner available. These options give you choices in terms of authentication methods.

Performance and Gaming

PCMARK 10	8,525
GEEKBENCH 6 (Single-Core)	2,802
GEEKBENCH 6 (Multi-Core)	15,589
CINEBENCH R20	7,496
CINEBENCH R15	3.081 CB | 204.62 FPS
3DMARK Fire Strike	34.304
3DMARK Time Spy	16.941

Asus ZenBook Pro 16X Oled runs on a powerful processor, the Core i9-13905H, which is a 45-watt CPU with 14 cores. It consists of eight efficient cores and six performance cores. The benchmarks clearly demonstrate the excellent single and multi-core performance.

CINEBNCH R23	Single-Core	Multi-Core
Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED Core i9-13905H	2,034	18,869
Dell XPS 15 9530 Core i9-13900H	1,980	17,010
Dell XXPS 17 9730 Core i7-13700H	1,891	14,855
Samsung galaxy Book 3 Ultra Core i7-13700H	1,853	14,457
Apple MacBook Pro 16 M2 Max	1,765	14,382

When running the Cinebench R23 benchmark, it achieved an impressive single-core score of 2034, surpassing other competitors such as the XPS 15, XPS 17, Galaxy Book 3 Ultra, and even the MacBook Pro 16 with the M2 Max. In terms of multi-core performance, it achieved a score of 18869, once again leading the pack and outperforming the XPS 17, MacBook Pro 16, Dell XPS 15, and Galaxy Book 3 Ultra.

Laptops	Time
Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED Core i9-13905H, RTX 4080	1:32
Dell XPS 17 9730 Core i7-13700H, RTX 4070	1:47
Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro	3:23

I was particularly curious to test its performance in 4K video editing, and I must say I was not disappointed. When rendering a three-minute H.264 4K video in DaVinci Resolve, it completed the task in just 1 minute and 32 seconds, outperforming the XPS 17 (which took 1 minute and 47 seconds) and the Apple MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro (which took 3 minutes and 23 seconds). Zenbook Pro 16X truly proves to be a powerhouse for video editing.

Games	Low	Medium	High	4K
The Witcher 3	433 FPS	400 FPS	322 FPS	106 FPS
GTA V	183 FPS	181 FPS	175 FPS	138 FPS
Dota 2 Reborn	205 FPS	188 FPS	172 FPS	149 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077	143 FPS	137 FPS	125 FPS	37 FPS

Not only is it great for content creation, but it also allows for gaming, thanks to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 with a total TGP of 160 watts. The results indicate very playable frame rates, even on popular titles. Even more demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 performed well with playable frame rates, even at resolutions below 4K.

Overall, Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED laptop excels in performance, making it an excellent choice for both content creators and gamers alike.

Thermals, Surface Temps and Fan Noise

Zenbook Pro 16X features a mux switch, allowing you to choose between using the discrete GPU or switching to hybrid mode, which dynamically switches between the discrete and integrated graphics. Having this control is beneficial. Additionally, you can select from different modes such as performance mode, standard mode, and whisper mode in the fan profile of the My Asus app.

When it comes to thermals, there’s good news. During the Time Spy stress test, it achieved a passing score of 98.7 percent, indicating minimal to no thermal throttling under heavy load. That’s a positive outcome. Furthermore, under heavy load, the surface temperatures remained relatively cool, thanks to the implementation of vapor chamber cooling and liquid metal cooling, as specified by Asus.

However, it’s worth mentioning that the fan noise can reach around 53-54 decibels in performance mode under load. While it may not be very noticeable during normal tasks, you will definitely notice it during gaming and similar activities. Despite the fan noise, the laptop delivers pretty amazing performance, making it a worthwhile trade-off for many users.

Battery Life

Laptops	PCMARK 10 MODERN OFFICE	PCMARK 10 Video Playback
Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED  (UX7602) 96Wh, Core i9-13905H	4 Hours 49 Minutes	8 Hours 29 Minutes
Dell XPS 17 9730 97Wh, Core i7-13700H	8 Hours 44 Minutes	9 Hours 07 Minutes

While this laptop has many strengths, there is one aspect that falls short, and that is the battery life. Asus ZenBook Pro 16X OLED is equipped with a 96 watt-hour battery. To provide some context, the Dell XPS 17 9730, which I recently reviewed, has a slightly larger 97 watt-hour battery and performed significantly better on the PC Mark 10 Modern Office battery test. The Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) achieved a battery life of 4 hours and 49 minutes in that test, whereas the Dell XPS 17 lasted for 8 hours and 44 minutes.

In terms of video playback, the Zenbook Pro 16x OLED fared slightly better, managing 8 hours and 29 minutes, while the Dell XPS 17 achieved 9 hours and 7 minutes. It’s important to note that these tests were conducted with the 120 hertz refresh rate enabled. If you were to lower it to 60 hertz, you could expect better battery life, possibly an additional hour or hour and a half. However, it’s not surprising that when gaming on battery power, the battery life was quite short, lasting only 2 hours and 14 minutes.

Considering the overall performance and features of this laptop, the battery life is the Achilles heel. Users should be aware of its limitations and plan accordingly, especially when engaging in power-intensive tasks or gaming.

Hinges, Keyboard And Haptic Touchpad

For those of you wondering, you can easily open the lid of Zenbook Pro 16x oled (UX7602) laptop with just one finger, and the hinges are securely built. The Ergo Lift hinge design is particularly noteworthy. When you lift the lid, it raises the keyboard, providing a comfortable typing angle and improving airflow for better thermals. It’s a well-thought-out design that enhances both ergonomics and performance. Typing on the keyboard feels really good, with adequate key travel and a comfortable typing experience, even during long typing sessions for documents and emails. The keys offer good feedback and tactility. The keyboard also features a multi-stage backlight, allowing you to work in dimly lit environments or dark rooms, which works effectively.

Now let’s talk about the touchpad. It utilizes haptic technology, and the feedback from the haptic engine is excellent. The touchpad is highly responsive, making scrolling smooth and all the gestures work seamlessly. The implementation of the haptic touchpad is spot on, and the engineers at Asus have done a great job in ensuring its functionality. Kudos to them for their efforts. Additionally, this laptop includes a numpad, which is a useful feature when you need to perform calculations quickly. Although having a dedicated numpad with physical keys would be more ideal, having it integrated into the touchpad serves as a handy solution when needed.

ASUS Dial

And When working with software like After Effects or other Adobe applications such as Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro, the Asus Dial allows you to scroll through the timeline smoothly. It provides convenient contextual features tailored to those specific applications. Additionally, when using the laptop on the desktop or throughout the operating system, the Asus Dial can be used to adjust the volume or screen brightness. I found it to be very responsive, similar to what we have seen with the Surface Dial. It works seamlessly with a wide range of functionalities.

Final Thought

In my opinion, the Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) is one of the best laptops for creators in 2023. Its stunning 16-inch OLED display with a 3.2K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 0.2-millisecond response time truly impressed me. The performance delivered by its Core i9 processor and RTX 4080 graphics card was excellent, especially for demanding tasks like video editing. However, the weak point of this laptop is its battery life. It didn’t perform as well in terms of longevity compared to the XPS 17 that I recently reviewed. Nevertheless, considering that many users will primarily use it at a desk, its weight and portability are acceptable. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to have the charger handy as the battery won’t last for extended periods. Despite this drawback, I believe the Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED offers an outstanding package for creators.

91%

91%

Best for Content Creators, Videographers, Freelancers and Hybrid Workers Executives

The Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED (UX7602) is an exceptional laptop that offers a wide range of features. While it may come with a higher price tag, the value you get in return is significant. Therefore, I highly recommend the Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED UX7602 for those looking for a top-of-the-line laptop in 2023.

• Design

  10
• Hardware

  10
• Ports

  9
• Display

  10
• Keyboard and Touchpad

  9
• Audio

  10
• Webcam

  9
• Thermals / Fan Noise

  8
• Performance

  10
• Battery Life

  6
• User Ratings (4 Votes)
  6.5