Asus Zenbook A16 (2026) Review: Savor the Power, Ignore the Beige

So, what’s not to like? Well, early compatibility issues slowed down the Snapdragon X’s initial speed, and the CPU’s integrated graphics performance became much worse. And to date, powerful onboard AI features have not proven important, as most AI workloads are still being performed in the cloud. With the second-generation X2, Qualcomm is ready to deliver on the original promise of faster performance.

But what does “fast” actually mean? As with most claims in the PC computing arena, it’s all about the benchmarks. On the ZenBook A16, the tests I conducted actually showed exemplary performance from the X2 Elite Extreme in some of the most widely used benchmarking tools like Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024. (I don’t have enough competitive Cinebench 2026 results to make a comprehensive comparison on that benchmark yet.)

The performance boost on Geekbench is particularly notable, with the A16 scoring 50 to 100 percent higher than competing systems from AMD and Intel. It’s also faster than the Apple MacBook M4 Pro, the last Mac for which I have comparable benchmark scores. However, that Mac beats the Asus on the Cinebench benchmark, but not by much, and the Asus now stands firmly in second place in my test collection.

Graphics performance is significantly better than previous generations of Snapdragon X chips, with frame rates quadrupling on average, depending on testing. This is a dramatic and much-needed improvement for the CPU, and although no one would accuse the A16 of being a gaming rig, it at least offers a workable experience with low-end games and graphics-heavy workloads.

beige bellies display

Photograph: Chris Null

I’m quite happy with where the Snapdragon

Under the hood, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E94100 CPU is complemented by 48GB of RAM and a 1-TB SSD. The 16-inch touchscreen offers a solid resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels, and it’s incredibly bright. The weight of 2.9 pounds is impressive (if not unheard of) for the 16-inch category, and at 0.65 inches (at its thickest), it has a spacious, fairly portable carrying feel. Asus’s Ceraluminum technology (now with added magnesium) is used in the lid, base, and keyboard frame of the machine. This helps keep it thin and light, although when adjusted or touched, the screen shines more than I expected.