The ASUS Zenbook A16 is a flagship Windows on ARM64 Copilot+ PC made by ASUS, launched in early January 2026, initially priced at $1,599 in the US. It earned a 5-star review from Windows Central before ASUS raised the price to $1,699 at Best Buy — hours after that glowing coverage went live.
Key Takeaways
- The ASUS Zenbook A16 launched at $1,599 but jumped to $1,699 within hours of its US debut.
- Windows Central called it “practically perfect” and “absurdity in terms of sheer value” at the original price.
- The price hike is part of ASUS-wide adjustments effective January 5, 2026, driven by rising DRAM and NAND storage costs.
- The touchscreen model (UX3607OA) was a Best Buy exclusive; the non-touch UX3607 sold via the ASUS eShop.
- In the UK, the non-touch model starts at £2,099.99 at the ASUS eShop.
What Made the ASUS Zenbook A16 Stand Out at Launch
At $1,599, the ASUS Zenbook A16 was genuinely difficult to argue against. Windows Central’s review stated the laptop “borders on absurdity in terms of sheer value,” positioning it as a better deal than the Microsoft Surface Laptop and a credible challenger to Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup. That’s a bold claim — and the specs backed it up.
The Zenbook A16 ships with a Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E-94-100 processor, 48GB of LPDDR5X-9600 RAM, and a 16-inch OLED display running at 3K resolution (2880 x 1880) with a 16:10 aspect ratio and switchable 60Hz/120Hz refresh. ASUS also claims 21-plus hours of battery life for multitasking, though that figure comes from ASUS’s own product page rather than independent testing. The ultra-lightweight chassis makes the specs-to-weight ratio look even more compelling on paper.
The touchscreen variant, model UX3607OA, was a US exclusive at Best Buy. The non-touch UX3607 was available through the ASUS eShop. Both launched at $1,599 — a price that put them within striking distance of mid-range MacBook Pros while offering significantly more RAM than most Windows competitors at that tier.
Why the ASUS Zenbook A16 Price Jumped Hours After Launch
ASUS raised the Zenbook A16’s price from $1,599 to $1,699 shortly after launch — a $100 increase that arrived with almost no warning for buyers who had read the launch-day reviews. The timing was jarring. The 5-star Windows Central review specifically praised the $1,599 price point as a core part of the value proposition. That review was already live when the price changed.
ASUS has been transparent about the broader reason. The company confirmed price adjustments starting January 5, 2026 — the first day of CES — citing rising memory (DRAM), storage (NAND and SSD), and supply chain costs driven by global demand and AI workloads. In a statement, ASUS said: “After carefully reviewing market conditions, supply stability, and our commitments to product quality… ASUS plans to implement strategic price adjustments for certain product combinations starting January 5th, 2026. This adjustment is a necessary decision after absorbing and responding to cost pressure over an extended period.”
The Zenbook A16 isn’t alone. The same adjustment wave affects ASUS laptops, gaming hardware, desktops, and handhelds including the ROG Ally. The Zenbook A14, for context, is now priced at $1,349 post-adjustment. These aren’t isolated decisions — ASUS is repricing its entire lineup in response to component cost pressures that are squeezing the whole industry.
How the Price Hike Changes the Value Calculation
At $1,699, the ASUS Zenbook A16 is still a competitive machine, but the narrative shifts. The original $1,599 price was the story — it was the reason reviewers called it practically perfect and the reason it undercut Apple’s MacBook Pro at a meaningful margin. A $100 increase doesn’t change the hardware, but it does change the conversation. You’re now paying more than the reviews you read were based on.
That’s not a trivial distinction. Buyers who read Windows Central’s 5-star review and headed to Best Buy expecting $1,599 found a different price waiting for them. The review’s framing — that the Zenbook A16 is better value than the Surface Laptop — was written against a price that no longer exists. Whether it holds at $1,699 is a judgment call, but buyers deserve to make that call with accurate information.
Is the ASUS Zenbook A16 still worth buying at $1,699?
The Zenbook A16 remains a strong Windows on ARM machine at $1,699. The Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip, 48GB of fast LPDDR5X-9600 RAM, and a 3K OLED display are genuinely premium specs, and the lightweight design adds to its appeal. What’s changed is the competitive positioning — the gap between the Zenbook A16 and its rivals narrowed the moment the price moved. If you were sold on the $1,599 value story, recalibrate before buying.
Does the price hike affect other ASUS products?
Yes. ASUS confirmed company-wide price adjustments effective January 5, 2026, affecting laptops, gaming desktops, handhelds like the ROG Ally, and other hardware. The increases are tied to rising DRAM and NAND storage costs driven by AI workloads and global supply chain pressures. The Zenbook A14 is now listed at $1,349 as part of the same adjustment wave.
How does the Zenbook A16 compare to the MacBook Pro?
At its original $1,599 launch price, the Zenbook A16 was positioned as a direct challenge to Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup, offering a Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processor and 48GB of RAM at a price point that undercut comparable MacBook Pro configurations. At $1,699, the gap narrows but doesn’t disappear — the Zenbook A16 still offers competitive specs for the price, though Apple’s ecosystem advantages and build quality remain factors for buyers weighing both platforms.
The ASUS Zenbook A16 is a genuinely impressive machine let down by a genuinely poor launch experience. Raising prices hours after reviews go live — reviews that explicitly praised that price — is the kind of move that erodes trust fast. The hardware hasn’t changed, but the value story has. If you’re in the market for a high-spec Windows on ARM laptop, the Zenbook A16 at $1,699 still deserves serious consideration. Just don’t buy it based on what the launch-day reviews said it would cost.
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: Windows Central
