Performance Insights of the ASUS Zenbook S 14
In an intriguing exploration of the ASUS Zenbook S 14, equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, recent benchmarks have shed light on the performance disparities between Windows 11 and Ubuntu 24.10 Linux. The device, which was originally shipped with Microsoft’s latest operating system, underwent rigorous testing to evaluate its capabilities across both platforms.
Upon receiving the notebook on September 28, I conducted a series of benchmarks using the most up-to-date Windows software available at that time. Following this initial phase, I transitioned to Ubuntu 24.10, utilizing the Linux 6.11 kernel in its near-final state as of October 4. This dual approach allowed for a comprehensive comparison of the CPU performance, particularly focusing on the unique architecture of the Lunar Lake processor.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V features a configuration of 4 Performance cores and 4 Efficient cores, totaling 8 cores and threads, with a maximum turbo frequency reaching 4.8GHz. This setup, complemented by 16GB of LPDDR5X-8533 memory, serves as the foundation for the performance metrics evaluated.
Interestingly, the OpenJDK Java performance remained relatively consistent across both operating systems on this ASUS Zenbook. However, when delving into more demanding multi-threaded tasks, such as the Crafty and TSCP chess benchmarks, Ubuntu 24.10 began to demonstrate a notable performance edge over Windows 11.
Further analysis revealed that the Kvazaar H.265 video encoder also favored Ubuntu 24.10, showcasing superior performance compared to its Windows counterpart. This trend continued with the SVT-AV1 open-source video encoder, where Ubuntu exhibited impressive gains across various tests.
In the realm of creative workloads, Ubuntu 24.10 consistently outperformed Windows 11, a trend that aligns with previous findings in Intel and AMD benchmarks. While there were initial uncertainties regarding the performance of the Lunar Lake architecture, the results reaffirmed the expectation of Linux’s strong showing in CPU-related tasks.
Even in single-threaded benchmarks, Linux maintained its lead on the Core Ultra Series 2 laptop. Across a spectrum of workloads, the Linux distribution proved to be more efficient, further solidifying its reputation for handling rendering tasks, such as those in Blender, with remarkable proficiency.
While the Xe2 graphics performance on Linux lagged behind that of Windows, the CPU performance remained robust, suggesting that the challenges faced with the graphics component are being addressed in collaboration with Intel. Overall, the benchmarks indicated that Ubuntu 24.10 was approximately 14% faster than Windows 11 out-of-the-box on this Lunar Lake-powered device.
This performance analysis not only highlights the strengths of Linux in CPU performance but also provides a promising outlook for future Intel Lunar Lake benchmarks, which will continue to be explored in forthcoming reports on Phoronix.
