ASUS Vivobook 15 Review: Keeping to the basics and doing it right
Finding a laptop that strikes the balance between durability and performance can be a tough feat, especially within the RM3,000 range. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of options out there; but the market is just so saturated that it’s hard to zero in on one.
To test every laptop available within that price range is simply not feasible. But we do have on our hands the ASUS Vivobook 15, which we had the privilege to take for a spin and pen our thoughts.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 (A1504) retails with a starting price of RM2,599; but this is if you opt for the 12th Gen Intel model. We were handed the upscaled unit, which packs a 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1335U and retails at RM2,799 (though at the time of writing, it’s been slashed down to RM2,699).
Regardless of the CPU variant, the Vivobook 15 comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD storage.
ASUS Vivobook 15 Review
Our first impression of the Vivobook 15 was that it is a sturdy laptop. It has a pretty solid chassis with some heft to it. Maybe it was the Cool Silver colour that we got which gave it that metallic impression, but upon picking it up, it was much lighter than expected – which is a good thing. Nevertheless, this is a thick device, despite marketing efforts telling you otherwise.
We wouldn’t put it down as the most portable device you’ll find. It’s more lightweight than it appeared to be, but it definitely doesn’t fall under ‘ultraportable’ category like the Zenbook S13 OLED.
The Vivobook 15 comes in two other colours, Quiet Blue and Terra Cotta (basically pink). It may be different for the other colours, but our Cool Silver did seem to attract a lot of fingerprint smudges on the lid as well as the body, which may be something you’d want to consider if aesthetics plays a factor in your decision.
Moving on to performance, thanks to the 13th Gen Intel Core i5, the Vivobook 15 is a reliable choice for day-to-day work and personal use. It runs if your routine consists mostly of internet browsing, Microsoft software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc), YouTube, and the likes; and the 15.6″ FHD screen is decent enough for binging content.
It must be said that volume on the Vivobook 15 is noticeably softer than other laptops I’ve used. While I’m usually within the 40-70 volume level on my own personal laptop, I found myself constantly toggling between 70 all the way to 100 on the Vivobook 15.
Battery life was nothing remarkable. We managed to squeeze out about 5 and a half hours comfortably (battery percentage at that point was less than 30%), although it wasn’t heavy usage; mainly a 10-hour-long YouTube video playing constantly, with intermittent usage of other apps and web browsing.
But back to the good stuff – the backlit keyboards are always going to score some marks. It’s perfect for working in dim environments where you don’t have control over lighting, say, a cafe with muted yellow lights. Typing experience was nothing to shout about, although personally, it’s not something I harp too much over anyway. The keycaps are coated in some kind of rough, sort of rugged texture which I quite liked.
The touchpad is wide and spacious with plenty of room to maneuver. At the top right of the touchpad is the fingerprint sensor which you can set as an option to sign in. A nice feature that the Vivobook 15 has is the 180° lay-flat hinge, which allows you to tilt the screen back until it is horizontal.
The Vivobook 15 nails port availability. It comes with 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Type- A, 1x USB Type- C, 1x HDMI 1.4, as well as a 1.35mm audio jack.
Overall, the ASUS Vivobook 15 is a solid laptop choice at RM2,799. A 13th Gen Intel processor, coupled with a healthy 8GB RAM and 512GB storage and additional features such as a backlit keyboard, a full HD display, and ample amount of port options makes it a good buy for those looking for a laptop below RM3,000.
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