Almost any laptop computer with a quick CPU and GPU presents the efficiency desired by “creatives” and “creators” however, as Apple has confirmed with its long-standing MacBook Professional, particulars like weight, connectivity, and battery life matter.

The Asus ProArt P16 pays consideration to those particulars but additionally manages to cap the laptop computer’s MSRP at a high-yet-not-excessive $2,300. It’s a strong mixture, although the P16 doesn’t win in each class. 

Additional studying: Finest laptops for video enhancing 2024: Work quicker with these professional picks

Asus ProArt P16: Specs and options

The Asus ProArt P16’s headline function is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 370 HX. It has a 12-core processor (4 efficiency cores with eight environment friendly cores). It additionally has a 50 TOPS NPU and AMD Radeon 890M built-in graphics—although, for essentially the most half, the 890M will solely be used when the laptop computer is on battery energy. 

• CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 370 HX
• Reminiscence: 32GB LPDDR5X
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 4070 with as much as 105 watt TGP
• NPU: AMD XDNA NPU as much as 50 TOPS
• Show: 3840×2400 OLED 16:10 side ratio 60Hz refresh price, 500 nits HDR peak (claimed)
• Storage: 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 strong state drive 
• Webcam: 1080p 30fps digital camera with IR for Home windows Whats up
• Connectivity: 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort and Energy Supply, 1x USB-C 4.0 Gen 3 with DisplayPort and Energy Supply, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x SD card reader 
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Home windows Whats up facial recognition
• Battery capability: 90 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 13.97 x 9.72 x 0.68 inches
• Weight: 4.08 kilos
• MSRP: $2,299.99

Whereas the Ryzen AI 9 processor takes the highlight, Asus packs quite a lot of extras into the ProArt P16. Notable options embrace a 4K OLED show, 2TB strong state drive, a USB-C 4 port with 40Gbps information speeds, an SDcard reader, and Wi-Fi 7. 

The Asus ProArt P16 I examined was a mid-range mannequin. Asus additionally presents an entry-level mannequin with the identical processor and RAM, a 1TB strong state drive, and RTX 4060, for $1,899.99. On the flip facet, a mannequin with the identical specs because the laptop computer we examined however an improve to 64GB retails with an MSRP of $2,699.99.

Asus ProArt P16: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Asus ProArt P16 is the sort of laptop computer that could be taken to conferences with shoppers and colleagues recurrently, so Asus opts for a conservative, inoffensive look. It’s basically a black slab with a small Asus brand tucked away in a single nook.

There are some positives to the design. Asus’ supplies really feel sturdy and the steel end reveals a pleasant luster when mild hits the laptop computer. And whereas the design is discreet, I’ll give Asus credit score for sustaining consistency throughout ProArt merchandise. This laptop computer appears to be like related not solely to different Asus ProArt laptops but additionally Asus ProArt screens.

Seems apart, the ProArt P16’s design is akin to its competitors. It’s a considerably giant laptop computer because of the 16-inch show, however the skinny bezels maintain its footprint small—lower than 14 inches large, beneath 10 inches deep, and fewer than seven-tenths of an inch thick. Asus has a bonus in weight, because the ProArt P16 is simply 4.08 kilos. That’s lower than the MacBook Professional 16, Dell XPS 16, or Razer Blade 16. 

Asus ProArt P16: Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

The typing expertise is a power of the Asus ProArt P16. The laptop computer options a big center-aligned keyboard with a spacious structure, together with giant keycaps for many keys and ample house between them. Key journey feels beneficiant, though the bottoming motion is wood and obscure.

On the entire, the typing expertise can’t match leaders like Lenovo ThinkPads or the Apple MacBook Professional 16, however I discovered it to be on par with, if not higher than, the Dell XPS 16 or the Razer Blade 16.

The Asus ProArt P16 deserves reward for its giant touchpad, which measures six inches large and 4 inches deep. Though it could not surpass rivals just like the MacBook Professional 16 or the Razer Blade 16, it nonetheless presents extra space than most. Home windows multitouch gestures really feel easy, and there’s ample room for executing gestures that require a number of fingers such because the five-finger swipe to reduce all home windows.

The touchpad doesn’t have haptics however bodily clicks when tapped. I believe a well-executed haptic touchpad is healthier, however some could benefit from the bodily motion.

Asus additionally offers a small, round etch within the higher left nook of the touchpad which may act as a Home windows scroll wheel. As somebody who creates content material for my YouTube channel, Pc Gaming Yesterday, I admire this function.

I discovered the software program a bit finicky, although, which pressured me to dive into Asus’ settings to manage the wheel’s perform and sensitivity on a per-app foundation. Which may flip off customers who simply anticipate the wheel to work for scrolling in all apps proper out of the field. It’s admittedly been a while since I final used Microsoft’s Floor wheel, however I recollect it required much less configuration. 

Asus ProArt P16: Show, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

Asus doesn’t pull any punches with the ProArt P16’s show. It encompasses a 16-inch OLED panel with a 16:10 side ratio and a decision of 3840×2400. That’s pretty much as good because it will get for a contemporary Home windows laptop computer show, with the debatable exception of some mini-LED shows, which may obtain increased brightness ranges on the whole use and in HDR.

The show is a superb alternative for a laptop computer geared toward skilled creatives and customers. It has the pixel rely to view 4K footage at its native decision, and the decision is helpful when enhancing high-resolution photographs and pictures. It boasts an unimaginable coloration gamut and deep distinction, too, making certain that content material seen on the show will look each correct and enticing.

Nevertheless, as with different OLED shows, brightness and glare could be a problem. The show is vibrant sufficient for indoor use in a room with some mild management, however it will possibly seem dim if used close to a sunny window or outside. The display is shiny, so glare and reflections can at instances make the show tough to view.

Asus sticks with a 60Hz refresh price. I desire to see a refresh price of as much as 120Hz on high-end laptops, because it delivers a smoother and extra responsive expertise, however 60Hz is typical for 4K OLED shows in laptops. I believe most creatives might be keen to miss this draw back.

Audio high quality is nice, however not nice. The ProArt P16 has a pair of upward-firing audio system positioned on either side of the keyboard. They ship clear, crisp sound at reasonable volumes and deal with much less complicated audio, like podcasts, nicely. Nevertheless, music and video games at increased volumes can overwhelm the audio system, muddying the soundstage considerably and leading to an irritating audio expertise. 

Asus ProArt P16: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

Asus ships the ProArt P16 with a 1080p webcam that delivers efficiency akin to rivals. The picture appears to be like moderately sharp and colourful in good lighting, however it will possibly begin to look grainy when room lighting is much less favorable. It’s a very good webcam and serviceable for calls on Zoom or Microsoft Groups.

I’ve an analogous opinion of the microphone. It captures clear audio and does an honest job of eradicating background noise. Nevertheless, like different laptop computer microphones, it will possibly sound hole and distant. Once more, it’s akin to options: most are nice, however I can’t recall once I final examined a laptop computer microphone that left me shocked by its audio high quality. 

The laptop computer helps biometric login by way of Home windows Whats up facial recognition. It’s straightforward to arrange, dependable, and works in each vibrant and darkish rooms. A fingerprint reader is just not obtainable.

Asus ProArt P16: Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

There’s no scarcity of connectivity on the Asus ProArt P16. It options two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and an SD card reader. Ethernet is the one port some buyers may miss, however many laptops now exclude it, so the ProArt P16 is not any totally different from most rivals right here.

One of many USB-C ports helps USB 4.0 with information charges as much as 40Gbps, whereas the opposite helps USB 3.2, and each assist DisplayPort Alternate Mode for video output to an exterior show in addition to USB Energy Supply for charging the laptop computer. The USB-C ports high out at 100 watts of energy, although, which is half the wattage delivered by the proprietary 200W energy adapter included with the laptop computer. The facility adapter is required to realize the very best efficiency and charging speeds.

The inclusion of two USB-A ports is useful for supporting legacy connectivity and older gadgets. It’s additionally good to see a full-sized SD card slot, particularly in a laptop computer meant for creatives. You may take an SD card out of a typical DSLR digital camera and pop it into the laptop computer.

Wi-fi connectivity is nice, too, because the laptop computer helps Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. These are the latest variations of every wi-fi normal, so the ProArt P16 will assist all the newest wi-fi options at the very best speeds.

The ProArt P16 has an edge over rivals, together with the Apple MacBook Professional 16, Dell XPS 16, Razer Blade 16, and Lenovo Yoga 7i 16. These rivals usually omit some elements of connectivity which are discovered on the ProArt P16. For instance, the Dell XPS 16 doesn’t have any USB-A ports and the Lenovo Yoga 9i 16 lacks Wi-Fi 7.

Asus ProArt P16: Efficiency

The Asus ProArt P16 is an intriguing laptop computer from a {hardware} perspective, because it’s one of many first to have AMD’s new Ryzen AI 9 370 HX chip. It features a twelve-core processor (4 efficiency and eight environment friendly cores) with a base clock of 2GHz and enhance clock as much as 5.1GHz. On this laptop computer, it’s paired with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 strong state drive. The Ryzen AI 9 370 HX is a robust processor—however it’s not setting data.

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

First up is PCMark 10, a normal system benchmark meant to imitate a spread of day-to-day and productiveness duties. Right here the Asus ProArt P16 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 370 HX turned in a mediocre rating of seven,608. That’s undoubtedly not dangerous, however it’s a mid-pack end result and one which falls nearly 1,000 factors behind main laptops with 16-inch shows. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

Cinebench R20 is a extra targeted have a look at a short-duration, closely multithreaded workload, however it doesn’t change the story a lot. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 delivered a powerful rating of 8,578, however it didn’t outrun best laptops. Intel Core i7-14700HX and Core i9-14900HX laptops have the sting on this check.

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

Subsequent up is Handbrake, a video encoding app that we use to encode a two-hour-long 1080p film from MP4 to MKV. It’s an extended length multithreaded workload. Intel tends to edge out AMD on this check, and the Asus ProArt P16 doesn’t buck that pattern. It took 961 seconds to finish the duty, which isn’t dangerous (something beneath 1,000 is kind of good). However Intel’s 14th-gen Core i7 and Core i9 processors win by throwing tons of cores, and no scarcity of energy, on the drawback.

In abstract, the ProArt P16’s processor efficiency is fast however simply okay when in comparison with the options. It’s a succesful system for all kinds of inventive skilled apps. Nevertheless, it’s clear that the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is just not a frontrunner however, as a substitute, simply aggressive. As I discussed in my Asus Zenbook S 16 evaluate, I’ve a beef with AMD’s branding. To me, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 doesn’t really feel worthy of the “Ryzen 9” model and would have felt extra applicable if bought as a “Ryzen 7” chip.

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

Subsequent up is our first graphics check, 3DMark Time Spy. Right here the Nvidia RTX 4070 within the ProArt P16 delivered a reliable results of 10,608. That’s decrease than gaming laptops with RTX 4070 GPUs—the ProArt P16 proved itself extra succesful in real-world recreation exams. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is an efficient instance of a demanding and graphically feature-rich recreation that got here out of the PlayStation 4 / Xbox One console era. It doesn’t pose a lot problem for contemporary laptops even at 1080p and Highest element, so the ProArt P16 fortunately churns out a median of 142 frames per second. That even matches some gaming laptops, such because the Gigabyte Aorus 16X. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

It’s an analogous story in Metro: Exodus, the place we noticed a median of fifty frames per second within the recreation’s benchmark at 1080p and Excessive setting (however with ray-tracing disabled). Exodus could be an older recreation at this level, however the Excessive element preset lives as much as its title, so this can be a wholesome end result. 

We examined Cyberpunk 2077 to gauge how the laptop computer carried out in newer titles. It averaged a pleasing 73 frames per second at 1080p and Extremely. Upgrading to the Ray-traced Overdrive preset, nonetheless, tanked the framerate to only 20 frames per second. Each outcomes are with out DLSS. Avid gamers in search of a playable expertise in Cyberpunk 2077 ought to strive 1080p on the Excessive RT preset with DLSS 3 Body Era and Tremendous Decision turned on. On this situation, the ProArt P16 achieved 88 frames per second. 

I’ve one remaining observe concerning the Asus ProArt P16’s efficiency and that’s warmth. The laptop computer can get sizzling at full load: I measured a most exterior temperature of 125 levels Fahrenheit. The warmth is most intense on the rear backside of the laptop computer when the laptop computer is plugged in. So, should you plan to run an intensive workload with the laptop computer plugged in, then I like to recommend you don’t do it with the laptop computer in your lap. 

Asus ProArt P16: Battery life

AMD’s processor efficiency may not match Intel—however, then once more, AMD processors additionally are inclined to throw much less uncooked wattage on the drawback. Whereas that may harm them in multithreaded workloads, it will possibly show a profit in battery exams. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Asus ProArt P16 endured over 9 hours of our normal battery check, which loops a 4K file of the quick movie Tears of Metal. That’s a superb end result that defeats most comparable Intel-powered laptops. Along with a extra miserly processor, the ProArt P16 makes good use of switchable graphics, flipping from the Nvidia RTX 4070 to the built-in Radeon 890M when applicable. 

Asus ProArt P16: Conclusion

The Asus ProArt P16 is a laptop computer with a selected viewers—inventive professionals and prosumers—and it hits the goal. The ProArt P16 has many options this demographic will crave together with a variety of connectivity, a spectacular 4K OLED show, a big touchpad with digital scroll wheel, and good battery life. 

Efficiency is a bit compromised, although, and prevents the ProArt P16 from acquiring the next rating. Make no mistake: it’s nonetheless a fast laptop computer and certain greater than enough for the wants of most individuals it targets. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Intel-powered rivals can ship higher multithreaded efficiency. And whereas the Nvidia RTX 4070 performs nicely, gaming laptops will usually present the identical degree of efficiency at a cheaper price.

However that additionally demonstrates why the ProArt P16 works for its viewers. It’s not the quickest 16-inch laptop computer, however it does a very good job of balancing velocity with portability, weight, dimension, and value—a recipe that makes it a strong alternative.