Hands-On

The ASUS ZenBook S13 does the job while looking good

Those bezels are really slim!

Published

February 26, 2019

Some laptops are meant to look flashy, while some focus on a specific feature to make them stand out. It looks like ASUS came up with something that ticks both of those in the form of the ZenBook S13. It’s got a premium-looking design, the slimmest bezels in town, and specs that allow you to do more.

Since the ZenBook S13 is about accomplishing things and looking good while doing it, you won’t see cheap plastic on this laptop. The S13 is built with an all-metal chassis with a spun-metal finish for that signature ASUS touch. It’s not just made for show as it’s durable as well.

ASUS says the laptop goes through a series of stress tests during production that include drop, shock, vibration, and even altitude tests. This ensures each unit meets the military standard for extra toughness. So don’t worry about accidentally subjecting it to stress inside your bag, for example.

Design-wise, the company went with an elegant Utopian Blue color and an ErgoLift that we’re pretty familiar with. Once the lid opens, it lifts the chassis for a more comfortable typing experience and better audio performance through its down-firing speakers. But, the most important function of this design is to allow airflow underneath for better cooling so it can perform longer and faster.

When you get past the entertaining lifting action, you will then be greeted by its 13.9-inch display that maximizes its borders. On paper, the company is proud to claim the title of the world’s slimmest bezels at 2.5mm and world’s largest screen-to-body ratio at 97 percent. The thin border does make the Full HD screen pop out more, especially when you’re watching videos online and on full screen.

The company was also able to make the laptop smaller than previous 13.9-inch models like its very own ZenBook 3 Deluxe. Weighing a little over a kilo, the ZenBook S13 is really easy to carry around and is compact enough to seamlessly fit inside backpacks.

As we mentioned during our first look, the clickable trackpad doesn’t give much space to move around. Although we really couldn’t expect much considering how thin and compact this thing is. Good news, though: There’s an embedded fingerprint sensor on the upper-right corner for an added layer of security. It scans fast and is a quicker way to access your account than typing your password.

Speaking of typing, the keyboard is a joy to use. The keys have good travel, are easy for fast typing, and are back-lit so using it at night or in a dimly lit environment is never a struggle. It’s an immediate appreciation for how it feels natural while typing.

Sound quality is sometimes overlooked, and I’ve always wanted my laptop to have good speakers. The ZenBook S13 features a bottom-firing Harman Kardon sound system and they actually deliver great quality. It can get pretty loud, too, filling up an average living room easily.

In terms of connectivity, there are two USB-C ports on the left side with support for fast charging, data transfers, and external displays. Meanwhile, a single USB-A is on the right side along with a 3.5mm audio jack for microphone/headphones input. These total to three USB 3.1 ports that are ready to accommodate input for working alone or presenting on a meeting. Oh, and there’s a microSD reader built into the S13.

And if you still need more, ASUS says there’s a bundled Mini Dock that adds two extra USB ports and HDMI for the S13. It basically has your necessities covered to deliver that presentation.

Of course, all these features mean nothing if the internals are not up to the task. Inside, this thin laptop is equipped with up to an 8th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA MX150 GPU. ASUS takes pride in the S13 being the world’s slimmest laptop with a dedicated discrete graphics.

If needed, you can add up to 16GB of RAM to maximize what it can do and thanks to this tandem, I was able to sit down, pull it out of my backpack, and do light video editing even on the go. It runs Windows 10 Pro and storage comes in at up to a 1TB SSD for faster boot up from sleep when you resume working.

For this part, I probably know what you’re thinking: How’s the battery life on something this small with not-so-basic internals and a larger display? Well, ASUS claims a battery life of up to 15 hours on a single charge.

In real-life usage, I was able to use it to browse the internet for a good hour and a half, edit photos while blasting music through its loudspeakers, and edit videos for about four hours before needing to plug in again. Basically, it lasted longer compared to similar laptops I’ve used before. As a cherry on top, it has fast charging, achieving about 70 percent of juice within an hour.

There hasn’t been an official list of prices for the different configurations, but according to reputable websites that have the same specs (Core i7, GeForce MX150, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD), it retails for US$ 1,399.

Hands-On

OPPO Reno15 F 5G hands-on

More question marks than exclamation points?

Published

March 6, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G made its way to the Philippines last month, and reception has been pretty great so far.

With a powerful camera package, AI, and a slew of upgrades, there’s a lot to love and not much negative to say. But that’s with both the standard and Pro models.

On the other hand, with the Reno15 F 5G — the series’ supposed budget-friendly “lite” variant —there were more question marks than exclamation points.

I attack this piece once more from a consumer standpoint: shelling out PhP 23,000 to PhP 26,000 for a midrange smartphone that feels and performs like it’s a few notches below its segment doesn’t sound too pleasant.

Performance

With a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, the OPPO Reno15 F performs pretty much like any sub PhP 20,000 mid-ranger. It’s acceptable, but does not punch above its weight as expected.

No major hiccups for light and casual usage. But performance struggles a lot for demanding video games.

It also heats up significantly just 10 minutes into a title like Honkai: Star Rail. This is a stark contrast to the marketed 25℃ and up to 10 hours straight of smooth gameplay.

Although, the experience was still enjoyable with several wins and MVP runs in Call of Duty Mobile. It only means the F variant remains a more camera-centric phone rather than an a hard-hitting all-arounder.

As with other devices, the 7000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC is a strong suit. You’re fueled from dawn ’til dusk, with much to spare. Recharging takes a breeze, too.

Display

The OPPO Reno15 F has a 6.57-inch 120Hz display, with a 92.8% screen-to-body ratio. At least, that allows you to focus on content on the screen.

Content leans more towards the cooler tone, so you’ll have to adjust it manually if you want a warmer or more vivid look.

The 397ppi pixel density is fine to ensure sharper visuals, while the 1400 nits peak brightness is helpful outdoors.

Camera

The device’s 50MP main camera captures decent quality. The color science leans on being natural anew, without being too dull nor washed out. You can pull off smooth portraits too.

I hardly used the phone for stills as I focused on videos, but here are some samples, on the occasions I was able to take the handset with me:

The 50MP front camera is an intriguing add-on, as it is capable of up to 4K video and a wide 100° field of view.

What this does is it essentially removes the need to flip your phone for the popular “0.5” shots. And the quality doesn’t get compromised given the pixel count.

Here are some selfies from different focal lengths:

To its credit, filming with the back camera at 60fps does look and feel smooth, although it can be improved.

Same with the front camera; and the zoom range can be switched from 0.6 to 2x without cutting the recording.

Although, it’s still best to use a selfie stick or small tripod if you’re just after talking head videos.

Speaking of which, here are a few I’ve made with just this device:

@manilaconnoisseur

Naka 99 pesos pala ‘yung large Golden Milk Tea ni @highlandscoffeeph until February 28! Oolong base, cream, and okay pala ang chickpeas as sinker along with red jelly. #highlandscoffee #goldenmilktea #oolongmilktea #freeupsize

♬ Kìa Bóng Dáng Ai – Pháo

@manilaconnoisseur

Laging sold out ‘yung fun run? Try The Conqueror Virtual Challenges. Stay motivated in your running era, make every run count, and get cool medals after every completed challenge. You can even get a free run or discounted bundles! @theconquerorchallenges #virtualrun #funrun #runningera #staymotivated

♬ original sound – Manila Connoisseur – Manila Connoisseur

But for travel and on-the-go captures, as OPPO markets for the series in general, even the Reno15 F can cover a lot of background along with your or your groups’ faces.

Make no mistake, there are some useful AI editing features here. In particular, AI Portrait Glow gives your raw capture an effect to make it look it was taken with flash.

I do not recall the device heating up as well when taking many photos or videos, so you can say it’s more optimized for that task rather than gaming.

Connectivity issues

Meanwhile, AI LinkBoost 3.0, as in the case of the OPPO A6 Pro, doesn’t seem to punch above its weight either.

Once, I also played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and the session opened to a jittery start despite being on Wi-Fi and having a stable connection. I don’t know what triggered this.

Design, feel

We got the Aurora Blue variant which does kind of resemble the northern lights when you tilt the phone a certain way and when light hits its back panel.

View this post on Instagram

The cursive “Reno” on the large, protruding camera island gives it more style.

However, it’s all just aesthetics. On the downside, the phone is all sorts of slippery.

I couldn’t hold it properly without think of it slipping away from my hands; nor could I put it on my lap with confidence.

So I guess it’s good that it has structural integrity and waterproofing, because you’ll need that.

oplus_16

The 6.57-inch body does have a good balance between being too compact and too large, like ultras and pro maxes.

It has a squarish body and has already adapted to the premium, aluminum frame look from the sides.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Sadly, the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is a Swipe Left unlike its bigger, more capable siblings. There are plenty of plus points for the camera package but take that away, and I don’t see much difference between the Reno15 F and something like the A6 Pro.

Granted, the asking price of this phone will drop significantly in a few months. But throw in a little more, and you’ve got a legitimate mid-ranger that’s more on the premium side rather than the cheap end of the spectrum.