Head-to-head · Best Thin and Light Laptops

ASUS Zenbook S14 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.8). The gap is mostly about business travelers, developers, and writers who value keyboard quality and long-term durability — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #5 in Best Thin and Light Laptops

ASUS Zenbook S14

4.5

$1,299

The Zenbook S14 is the Windows OLED pick. 3K OLED in a 2.65-lb chassis with Ceraluminum finish — a different aesthetic from ThinkPad business and Apple minimalism. Best for design-conscious Windows users who want OLED at this size.

Strengths

— Ceraluminum chassis — ceramic-aluminum composite that resists scratches
— 14" 3K OLED display
— Intel Core Ultra 7 with NPU + Copilot+ PC features

Watch-outs

— Ceraluminum finish shows fingerprints easily
— Keyboard travel is shallow even by ultrabook standards
— ASUS warranty service slower than Lenovo or Dell in the US

$1,299 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Thin and Light Laptops

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

4.8

$1,899

The X1 Carbon Gen 14 is the best-overall thin-and-light pick. Lenovo's flagship business ultrabook at 2.17 lb. Class-leading keyboard, repairable internals, and a 5-year support cycle make it the long-term durable pick.

Strengths

— 2.17 lb — lightest 14" laptop in this lineup, period
— Carbon-fiber lid and magnesium-alloy chassis
— Industry-best keyboard for typing, with TrackPoint nub

Watch-outs

— $1899 is the most expensive pick — ThinkPad pricing has always been a premium
— Display is matte 1080p IPS standard — pay extra for 2.8K OLED upgrade
— Speakers are functional, not impressive

$1,899 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

ASUS Zenbook S14

Best Windows OLED in lineup. Lighter than XPS 14. Heavier than ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Distinctive Ceraluminum finish.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

Lightest pick. Best keyboard. Most repairable. More expensive than MacBook Air M4 or XPS 14.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	ASUS Zenbook S14	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 7	Intel Core Ultra 7
Display	14" 3K OLED	14" 1080p IPS (OLED upgrade)
Weight	2.65 lb	2.17 lb
Thickness	1.1 cm	—
NPU	Yes (Copilot+)	—
RAM	—	16GB
Storage	—	512GB

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