ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) vs Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3)
51.6Performance30.7
38.4Display26.5
70.7Battery33.3
79.4Portability76.6
8 spec wins — ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606)1 spec wins — Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3)
InnoReviews verdict
ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) wins this laptop face-off, 57.5 to 38.5, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+37) and performance (+21). Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606)
- Stronger performance score: 52 vs 31
- Stronger display score: 38 vs 27
- Stronger battery score: 71 vs 33
- 300% higher RAM: 32 GB vs 8 GB
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
Reasons to pick the Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3)
- 13% lower weight: 1.3 kg vs 1.5 kg
- Lower launch price: $699 vs $1,700
Display
| Spec | ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″+31% | 12.2 ″ |
| Panel type | OLED touchscreen (Lumina, 100% DCI-P3, HDR True Black 500) | LCD (glass, convertible touchscreen, MPP 2.0/USI 2.0 stylus support) |
| Resolution | 2880x1800 | 1920x1200 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz+100% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits+25% | 400 nits |
Performance
| Spec | ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Intel Core 3 304 |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon 890M Graphics | Intel Graphics (1 Xe3 core, up to 2.3GHz) |
| RAM | 32 GB+300% | 8 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (on board) | DDR5-6400 (SO-DIMM) |
| Storage | 1,024 GB+100% | 512 GB |
| Storage type | M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD | M.2 2230 NVMe SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,817Top 43% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 13,363Top 50% | — |
Battery
| Spec | ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 78 Wh+56% | 50 Wh |
| Charging | 65 W+8% | 60 W |
Design
| Spec | ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.5 kg | 1.3 kg+13% |
| Thickness | 11.9 mm+36% | 18.5 mm |
| Material | Ceraluminum | Overmolded shock-absorbing TPU over plastic with an internal metal structure |
Connectivity
| Spec | ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x USB4 Type-C (40Gbps, display/PD), 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, SD 4.0 card reader, 3.5mm combo audio jack | 4x swappable Expansion Cards (2x rear Thunderbolt 4, 2x front USB 3.2 Gen 2; USB-C/USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, microSD/SD options), 3.5mm combo jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) | Wi-Fi 7 (Intel BE213) |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Webcam | FHD with IR | 1080p 30fps (2MP OmniVision OV02C sensor, 80° FOV), hardware privacy switch |
| Biometrics | IR camera (Windows Hello) | None on this configuration — fingerprint reader is bundled only with the Core 5 320/Core 7 350 pre-built tiers, not Core 3 304 |
Software
| Spec | ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) | Framework Laptop 12 (Intel Core Series 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Pro | Fedora 44 (KDE Plasma) (Windows 11 Home/Pro option available) |
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