Update : Zenbook S16 UM5606 broken webcam
This is in reference to my previous post: Link
TLDR : Camera internal chip corrupted, new lid needed. Butter smooth RMA process.
I decided to investigate further into this issue, given how reports of this are surprisingly common. I went back and forth extensively with GPT 5.5 on Codex, allowing it full access to all system logs.
It performed detailed testing and figured out that the since the camera is connected via a USB bus, it must have its own processing and firmware instead of the more modern way of having it part of the CPU. It then figured out through automated testing of launching camera app and reading the logs that :
Camera chip is stuck on some kind of corrupted firmware state. It only advertises 120p YUV and the other modes are not available.
In Windows 11 Copilot laptops the webcam is not directly connected to the OS, they are routed through the Studio Effects component. This component does not consider 120p YUV as an acceptable stream and shows the "Camera cannot start error". Codex confirmed this by disabling the Studio Effects component entirely and now the YUV 120p feed appeared in the Camera app.
Now at this stage my ASUS RMA request went through and an Onsite Engineer was assigned. He brought a new laptop lid with him as the camera is embedded in the OLED display. The swap took 15 minutes total and now the webcam is working. This confirms Codex's entire analysis from above – something is causing the camera firmware to get corrupted beyond repair and only a lid replacement can fix it as it has a new camera with working firmware.
I now have a fully working laptop with a free new lid display and webcam. I am actually quite impressed at ASUS service, especially in a country like India. I just filed an RMA online, and one call and email later, guy came to my office and replaced my lid no questions asked!
I am however concerned that this happened on month 14 of ownership. What if I hadn't bought the extended warranty + accidental damage protection? I STRONGLY urge everyone to buy the highest protection plan possible for your expensive laptops!