ASUS VivoBook 15 review: One of the best sub-$500 laptops available today

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Weighing the pros and cons

ASUS VivoBook fifteen review: Ane of the best sub-$500 laptops available today

The ASUS VivoBook 15'due south potent gear up of features makes information technology easier to ignore its shortcomings.

Source: Windows Central

The budget laptop marketplace is non an easy 1 to navigate. There are plenty of cheap laptops adorned with an bonny cost tag waiting to be purchased, but not all live upwardly to their advertised features and performance. And with then many more people needing an actress device to handle school and role piece of work from home, manufacturers have been quick to accommodate. ASUS is one of the top names when I think of affordable laptops, with its VivoBook lineup delivering a strong prepare of features at a very reasonable price. I've been using the VivoBook xv for the terminal couple of weeks to see whether or not it's worth your coin.

ASUS VivoBook 15

Bottom line: With generous port selection, fingerprint reader, decent photographic camera, comfy keyboard, and expected functioning, the VivoBook fifteen makes a strong case for itself in the sub-$500 market. Battery life is a letdown, and the screen isn't overly colorful, just these are like shooting fish in a barrel to look past when compared to the drawbacks of many other budget laptops on the market.

Pros

Lots of ports
Lightweight build
Fingerprint reader
Backlit keyboard with number pad
Decent performance from Cadre i3

Cons

Display isn't overly colorful
Bombardment life doesn't print
Brusque Air conditioning adapter cable
Speakers on the quiet side
Slow SSD

ASUS VivoBook xv: Price, availability, and specs

Source: Windows Central

The ASUS VivoBook 15 (model number F512JA-AS34) I have in for review includes a 10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor (CPU), 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD). This exact model with 15.six-inch FHD brandish by and large costs between $450 and $500, putting information technology firmly in the range of our best upkeep laptop drove. It'due south available at many major online retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, and Newegg.

Following are the verbal specs plant in my review unit.

Category	Spec
OS	Windows 10 Home in S fashion (Windows 11-ready)
Processor	10th Gen Intel Cadre i3-1005G1 two cores, iv threads Up to iii.4GHz
RAM	8GB DDR4
Graphics	Intel UHD
Storage	128GB M.ii SATA SSD
Brandish	15.vi inches 1920x1080 (FHD) Non-touch 88% screen-to-body ratio Matte
Ports	USB-C 3.1 2 USB-A ii.0 USB-A 3.ane HDMI three.5mm audio microSD menu reader
Connectivity	Wi-Fi five Bluetooth four.1
Camera	Front-facing 720p
Keyboard	Backlit Number pad
Touchpad	Precision
Security	Fingerprint reader
Bombardment	32Wh
Dimensions	14.06 x 9.06 x 0.78 inches (357mm x 230mm 10 20mm)
Weight	3.5 pounds (1.6kg)
Color	Slate Greyness

ASUS VivoBook 15: What I similar

For a fifteen-inch laptop, the VivoBook fifteen'southward plastic chassis is pleasantly light at nearly 3.five pounds (1.6kg). It might be a bit on the chunky side, but it'due south tough to get picky at this price point. The base of operations and lid are both surprisingly rigid, and I don't get the same inexpensive, hollow experience that comes with another budget options. There's zippo too bold or too manifestly about the design, and the Slate Grey color does a decent job of hiding fingerprints.

ASUS was generous with ports, offering upwards USB-C 3.1, two USB-A 2.0, USB-A 3.1, HDMI, 3.5mm sound, and a microSD menu reader. Installing benchmarking software from a microSD card posed no issues, and the HDMI port is great for connecting to a Telly or external PC monitor. Unfortunately, the USB-C port doesn't support ability delivery and so you must use the barrel charging port.

Bezel around the display, including the lesser, is pleasantly thin and gives the laptop a more modern look. Measuring colour accuracy with a SpyderX Pro colorimeter, information technology returned simply 67% sRGB, 50% AdobeRGB, and fifty% DCI-P3 reproduction. For a premium laptop used for specialty work these are not good results, merely for a budget laptop they are fair game. At to the lowest degree yous're getting an FHD resolution and up to almost 250 nits effulgence with a matte cease. The screen will be more than than enough for schoolwork and general productivity.

Source: Windows Central

The VivoBook 15's keyboard, touchpad, and photographic camera are way above what I expected from a $460 laptop.

The keyboard here is surprisingly good. I still dislike the smaller chiclet shape, merely the ample 1.4mm key travel, 3-stage backlight, and number pad more than make up for information technology. If yous're buying a budget laptop to be used for essays and drafts, this one should be quite easy to go used to. Private navigation keys are appreciated. The touchpad is adequately small, but the click is balanced and is without dead spots. Information technology might non feel as solid equally the touchpads on the best Ultrabooks, merely information technology doesn't rattle.

Embedding the fingerprint reader into the touchpad is something that I don't particularly capeesh, simply at to the lowest degree information technology's placed shut to the corner edges. In practice it works flawlessly, providing quick and secure logins through Windows How-do-you-do. This is a great feature if you're going to be working in an office or other public area.

The front-facing 720p photographic camera is surprisingly proficient, and no i seemed to find the switch during video meetings. It'southward certainly on par with (if not better than) the photographic camera in my Dell XPS xiii. The only drawback is a lack of privacy shutter.

Source: Windows Central

The tenth Gen Core i3-1005G1 does a decent task feeling well-baked when focused on one task at a fourth dimension. Its dual cores exercise suffer if you begin throwing multiple requests their mode, so you'll want to reserve this laptop for lighter duties. And don't buy information technology expecting a gaming laptop; Intel UHD graphics don't have the power required for anything other than very light titles. Our drove of the best gaming laptops has more information on that front end. The sizable fan and copper heat pipe easily go along the Core i3 cool, and fan noise is never really an issue.

Have a wait at how the VivoBook xv compares to a agglomeration of other laptops we've recently tested.

Pulling off the back embrace reveals an accessible SODIMM RAM slot for DIY upgrades. 4GB of RAM comes soldered, with another 4GB module installed from the factory. The VivoBook 15 isn't loaded down with bloatware like some budget PCs. In that location's an ASUS app that handles system diagnostics and support, and a McAfee antivirus app that can be promptly removed.

ASUS VivoBook 15: What I don't like

Source: Windows Central

In that location are certainly some drawbacks to the VivoBook 15 owing to its ultra-budget price, just nothing that should make or break your determination to buy. Kickoff upward is battery life, which in PCMark 10's Modern Role rundown exam lasted merely v hours and 37 minutes. That'due south not a long time for a Core i3 system with FHD brandish, and using the laptop regularly drops that number down to about iv and a half hours. You'll demand to carry the small Air-conditioning adapter with yous unless it's a short outing. On that note, the short length of the AC cable is an badgerer.

The laptop's audio is not the loudest, merely at least sound is articulate without any buzzing. You're non going to exist able to entertain a room full of people with music, just yous will be able to hear video chats without outcome. Finally, the included Thou.ii SATA SSD is rather wearisome. You tin can upgrade it yourself after purchase with one of the best M.2 PCIe SSDs for much better operation. In that location'due south also infinite for a 2.5-inch SATA SSD or HDD, though there doesn't appear to exist any hookup; this probable has to be configured from the factory.

ASUS VivoBook fifteen: Competition

IdeaPad 3 fifteen. Source: Windows Fundamental

I recently reviewed the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15, a $400 laptop aimed at the same market as the VivoBook 15. Its keyboard is cracking but lacks a backlight, in that location's a camera shutter, RAM and SSD are upgradeable, it has meliorate audio, and battery life is considerably better.

Even so, at that place are a few reasons why the IdeaPad doesn't make the list of the best budget laptops. Its touchpad is pocket-size and loose, the HD display (which tin be upgraded to FHD for extra coin) is dreadful, there's no USB-C port, and there'due south quite a bit of flex to the plastic chassis. Performance betwixt the IdeaPad 3 15 and the VivoBook fifteen is about the same, but the ASUS laptop'south extra features push information technology ahead of the Lenovo device.

Acer Aspire 5. Source: Windows Fundamental

At that place'south also the Acer Aspire five in the same price range. It has an 11th Gen Intel Core i3 CPU for ameliorate functioning, and information technology offers considerably ameliorate battery life. However, the unabridged experience is marred by an awful FHD display. Between the Acer and the ASUS, I'd get for the better display over slightly improve operation and amend battery life.

If yous're in search of a more premium 2-in-1 build with less functioning simply better brandish, the Surface Get ii or Surface Go 3 might exist what yous're looking for. Have a look at our picks for best Windows laptops for more than options.

ASUS VivoBook xv: Should you buy information technology?

Source: Windows Central

Y'all should buy this if ...

You want to pay less than $500 for a laptop
Yous want a comfy keyboard and touchpad
You want a 15-inch display with FHD resolution

You shouldn't buy this if ...

Yous want to game or get into specialized work on your laptop
Yous want all-day (8+ hours) battery life
You want a xv-inch laptop that's as sparse and light as possible

You tin can't expect a laptop that costs effectually $470 to be perfect. That's not why the VivoBook 15 exists. Buying laptops that cost less than $500 really comes downwardly to weighing pros and cons and finding the right device for your needs. In that frame, the VivoBook 15 is fairly well rounded in terms of features and operation; notwithstanding, information technology'southward not without flaws.

The screen is thankfully 1920x1080 for a far clearer moving-picture show than Hard disk drive, though it does lack some color and maxes out at 250 nits brightness. The screen is perfectly usable when paired with the Core i3 CPU, and I had no issues with discussion processing, electronic mail, heavy web browsing, and streaming. Things like photograph editing — which requires a potent CPU and precise color reproduction — aren't really recommended on this system, but that'south expected.

Battery life is likely the biggest drawback here, lasting between four and half-dozen hours depending on the chore at hand. That'due south not a great number, merely if you're using the laptop around the business firm it shouldn't exist as much of an issue. The slow SATA SSD is also a letdown, but at least that'southward hands replaced subsequently purchase.

The VivoBook fifteen makes up for its shortcomings with a comfortably backlit keyboard, sturdy Precision touchpad with embedded fingerprint reader, and great port selection that includes a microSD card reader and USB-C. The 720p camera is also fashion better than what I was expecting.

Bottom line? Compared to other budget laptops I've tested recently — including the IdeaPad 3 15 and Acer Aspire 5 — the VivoBook fifteen does the all-time job of balancing pros and cons. It's not a perfect laptop by any ways, simply it is one that I'd recommend for anyone who needs a inexpensive full general-purpose PC around the firm.

ASUS VivoBook 15

The ASUS VivoBook 15 does information technology improve than many other budget laptops. It has a comfy keyboard and touchpad, fingerprint reader, FHD brandish, upgradeable RAM and SSD, and tons of ports with USB-C. Battery life is disappointing, and the display isn't particularly powerful, but I would recommend this over the IdeaPad 3 fifteen and Acer Aspire 5.

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