REVIEW: ASUS Vivobook S 15 is excellent for productivity

O ASUS Vivobook S 15 It is a super compact notebook with processor Snapdragon X Elite developed by Qualcomm. It is light and thin, but maintains a very high performance potential. Is it the right choice for work and to carry in your backpack? That is what I will explain in detail in the full review. Come with me!

Design

As soon as I took the Vivobook S 15 From the box, it looked much smaller than it actually is. At first, I thought it would be smaller, at 13 inches, but as the name suggests, we have a 15-inch notebook. The thing is that because it is very thin, it gave me a different impression. Its body is all silver, a color that I like, but I have to be honest that the design does not have any distinguishing features that make it stand out from other models, especially cheaper models.

On the top of the carcass we have the name “ASUS VIVOBOOK” studded with a shiny detail, so that it stands out in any direction. On the bottom, there is a space for the air vents and rubberized details so that it stays on a table and does not slip.

When you open the lid, the first thing you notice is the screen. Unlike cheaper models, the bezels here are minimal and this also helped me to have a very different impression at first, especially when compared to my notebook, which is more modest and has a screen with more visible bezels.

The bezels here are only at the bottom to once again remind us of the product's name and at the top with the notebook's camera. It's an excellent use of space and may seem strange at first, but it's very easy to get used to. A cool detail is that the screen opens up to 180º.

Moving down a bit, we come to the keyboard and there things start to get cool and weird in equal measure. The Vivobook S 15 chose to follow the silver design throughout its structure, including the keyboard. The cool detail here is that this keyboard is backlit, which I love, but we have some problems with this decision.

During the day, the keyboard works very well, as long as you don't turn on the lights. The LEDs light up in a very strange way that makes it difficult for the user to see the keys clearly in bright light, and it is 100% recommended for use only in the dark. You can control the brightness level of the LEDs, but it doesn't seem to make a big difference.

As for the design of the keys themselves, I like where each one is located and it's pretty easy to get used to. In addition to having the numeric keypad, the difference here is that we have a dedicated key for artificial intelligence. Copilot. At first, I confused the key a lot with the Alt GR, but it was a matter of adaptation.

Last but not least, we have the touchpad. The sensor size on this model is great and perfect for use on your lap. It has all the gestures already known in Windows, but ASUS It brings some exclusive features that I can comment on later and that integrate with the Windows system.

Fabric

O Vivobook S 15 brings a 15,6″ screen OLED, which ensures excellent colors and contrast. To go with this, the resolution is 2880 x 1620, called “2,8k” by ASUS. In the 16:9 standard, these specifications are super visible and great for watching movies, series and also for working and playing games.

This screen is a great friend for those who work with audiovisual, or any other profession that deals with images in general. The colors are vivid and you can change their pattern in the option splendid in the app My Asus to better suit your use, such as sRGB ou DCI-P3.

I don't usually watch movies on my laptop because I find it uncomfortable and too big to hold or look at. However, if you already have this habit, this screen will make all the difference, as long as you create the right setting for it. But it's worth remembering that, just like with TVs, it's no use having the best one and a place with direct light on the screen.

This is perhaps one of the points that makes this notebook more expensive, since we know how expensive OLED screens are, given the price of televisions and monitors with this technology. Is it worth it? I think it is always worth having a screen with this technology, but it also depends on the size of your budget.

Processor

One of the distinguishing features of this model is that it is a notebook with an ARM architecture processor. An ARM chip is the same one used in smartphones, generating less heat and consuming less energy, perfect for a productivity notebook.

The model chosen for the Vivobook S 15 it was the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, the most advanced model to date for Windows PCs. In terms of graphics, it features a GPU Adreno 741. This combination delivers very interesting and effective performance, even when not plugged in, but just like the chips in the line M For Macs back in 2021, there is a low availability of apps and games.

It's true that a lot of things are already working very well here, including things from Adobe such as Photoshop and video editors like Davinci Resolve. However, it is still a challenge for those who are used to dealing with all the possibilities of cards and drivers on a normal PC to come across the limitations here.

A practical example was the use of headphones and external cable connections on the PC. When I'm playing on the PlayStation 4 and I need to use the Discord, I make a connection that links the PC's headphone output to the controller, but changing the output function to line input, so that this cable passes the sound from the control to the headphones that I connect via USB to another port on the notebook.

Due to a hardware limitation, this notebook with an ARM processor doesn't let me do this, requiring me to buy an external sound card if I wanted to keep these functions with this model.

I know this is a very specific case, but it shows us that, even though it is a PC, the fact that we have a “cell phone processor” means that the same limitations of a mobile device are brought to it, and that bothers me. Will time improve this? I hope so, but so far it is not possible to say “yes” in these cases.

Gaming performance

Now, bringing it to a more understandable reality, let's talk about games. We don't have a standard for what runs or not. The hardware itself can handle several games, but the issue of compatibility is a problem. Games indie Overall they did very well.

Broforce, Mark of the Ninja, Celeste's e até Sonic Mania opened without any problems, apart from the performance, which, apart from the Broforce, delivered at least 60 FPS in all of them, showing that for this type of game, notebooks with ARM are already a very interesting option.

On the other hand, in heavier games we had a division. Sunset Overdrive, even though it's an old game, it didn't run well. It gives a message about incompatibility when opening, but it opens and runs the game very poorly, having to lower the resolution to get close to 60 FPS.

Interestingly, Portal 2 It opened immediately and with almost everything on ultra and reaching a mark of 70 or more FPS. I was unable to test other Valve games, but I liked this result. Another old game that I tested and worked well was the first The Witcher, allowing you to activate everything in the graphics part and still have a high FPS rate.

Now some games that didn't run were: Fortnite, Death Stranding, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Call of Duty: Warzone and others. In some cases the reason was displayed on the screen with a message, but in most cases I only had one attempt to open it and then the game closed.

Insights

I tested the Vivobook S 15 in some Benchmark programs and below you can see the results:

Cinebench

O Cinebench R23 is focused on using the processor to render 3D projects and gives a score that can be used as a comparison. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 achieved 12.002 points in the Multi Core test and 1074 points in the Single Core test.

For comparison, the Galaxy Book4 Ultra, reached 14.246 points in the Multi Core test and 1526 points in the Single Core test. Which can put the notebook with processor from Qualcomm below the Samsung model with first-generation Intel Core Ultra (Raptor Lake architecture).

Something curious about the test Cinebench was that, instead of using the name of the cpu Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, the program took the name of Virtual CPU. This may also be related to the issue of incompatibility, using a simulation of the CPU instead of the physical part of it. Despite this, the tests went all the way through and the fans were at maximum speed during the tests.

CrystalDisk

CrystalDisk puts the SSD through different reading and writing situations to see how far it can go and, in the end, gives a score so that the user knows how well the notebook can perform on a daily basis.

System and interface

O ASUS Vivobook S 15 bring the Windows 11 as an operating system and so far no surprises. The Windows in itself it doesn't bring anything different to this model, especially because we don't have a notebook with functions that require this.

However, the app My Asus comes equipped on the notebook and we have some exclusive features that can add to the PC experience. The app offers information and diagnostics about everything on your machine, but it is in device settings that the differential occurs.

Divided into several categories, this tab offers a range of possibilities for the notebook, such as, for example, configuring the screen refresh rate, the color type, PC fan usage modes, as well as specific care for the OLED screen, the battery and many others.

This is also where you can customize the RGB keyboard, both in terms of colors and patterns. It's not a robust setup like that of a gaming PC, but with patience you can make it interesting.

Copilot+

Um Copilot+ PC is a category of Microsoft for AI PCs, that is, computers with Artificial Intelligence. Before going into the merits of how the Vivobook S 15 work on this issue, let's remember what is necessary for a PC to qualify as a Copilot+ PC:

• Have at least 16 GB of RAM memory;
• Have storage of at least 256 GB via SSD;
• Have an integrated NPU with at least 40 TOPS of performance;
• Have a key dedicated to artificial intelligence Copilot on the keyboard;
• There is no notch on the display.

We have a whole post dedicated to explaining this issue and where it comes in. NPU in this story, but now let's continue with the ASUS model.

This was the first notebook in this category that I was able to test, and here are some highlights. Yes, it has an exclusive button for Microsoft's AI, which made me misspell a few times. As we say later in this text, memory and storage issues are also not a problem for the ASUS notebook.

Because it is integrated into the system, on these PCs, you can ask Copilot to do things related to it, such as, for example, changing the color of the system from light to dark, similar to what Alexa can do in a smart home, as long as it is configured correctly.

The highlight is the NPU, a dedicated part of the processor. Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite which is responsible for handling things related to AI. Let's get into the details.

The NPU

The Neural Processing Unit (NPU) is a part of the processor that works exclusively to work on things related to Artificial Intelligence. Here we have the Qualcomm Hexagon as NPU.

For notebooks without a dedicated graphics card, it can be essential. But as you can see in the text we wrote about the AI PCs, using Artificial Intelligence for those who have a good video card is nothing new. However, we have some interesting features that I was able to test on the Vivobook S 15.

One good example is video call effects. Using NPU processing, you can add special effects, background blur, and even slightly creepy things like keeping your eyes on the camera.

Another feature that comes with it is real-time subtitles. It captures what you say into your PC's microphone or what you're watching and subtitles it wherever you choose on the screen. I don't know if it will eventually become a translation function, but for now, it hasn't.

Finally, you can call the Copilot through a single button, which is very practical. I honestly can't make this a common use yet and I end up using the browser, even because I use the Chat GPT. Now if you are already a Copilot user, this is a very useful key.

Another thing I noticed is that when using the Microsoft Edge, now I have the option to ask the Copilot for help with the keys Alt+I so that he can review and try to improve your text. I tested it on my conventional notebook and the function does not exist.

O Paint also received special attention. Now, when drawing there, you can activate the option co-creator. From this you can create a prompt on the right side for the AI ​​to help you. From there, you can add more or less detail, the type of drawing, and even whether you want more or less creativity from the AI.

I don't like the idea of ​​AIs invading the field of creativity like in drawing apps, since the artistic part and even the artist himself begins to die and even be replaced by machines in an empty way. You can see in the example above that I don't draw well, especially with the touchpad, but the prompt understands the context well and transforms sketches into a plausible drawing.

Memory and storage

O Vivobook S 15 comes equipped with 32GB of RAM LPDDR5X with incredible 8.448 MHz speed, ensuring fluidity in all tasks. To help with this, you also have a 4.0TB PCIe 1 SSD to be able to install all the apps, games and files you want or need.

A ASUS It does not offer other variants of the product, but I don't believe there is anyone to complain about these specifications either. It is a hardware that will handle all functions, especially in the field of productivity and work.

ports and connectivity

This is a notebook with the best technologies when it comes to connectivity. Thinking about ports, it brings 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A on the right side, so you can use older devices and even transfer data at speeds of up to 5gbps.

On the other side, you will find 2 USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C with display/power delivery support. Next door, you will also find a HDMI 2.1 TMDS to connect to TVs, monitors and other devices. Finally, you also have a 3,5mm headphone/microphone jack and a card reader MicroSD.

This physical connectivity part is very up-to-date and allows you to use the notebook in different ways. The limitation is due to things I mentioned earlier because of the ARM chipset that can cause incompatibility with some program or device.

The networks and communication part brings us the Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (tri-band) 2*2, enough for a super stable experience, as long as you have compatible routers. With the Bluetooth, the board installed here is one with version 5.4, remembering once again that you also need compatible devices to enjoy the features of the latest version.

Battery and charging

A ASUS sells this notebook with the promise of 18 or more hours of continuous use. Is it possible to achieve this result? Of course, as long as you follow several criteria and do not overuse it in games or software that uses a lot of processing power. Despite revealing that you can use any charger with the technology PD, the charger in the box is not the most portable.

The average I had with the screen on with the Vivobook S 15 It was something between 8 and 10 hours, a good result and enough to work and even enjoy all the leisure activities it can provide. What is striking, however, is how he works the way Hibernation.

With the lid down and it “resting”, I noticed that the energy savings are absolute. To give you an idea, when I closed the screen and went to sleep, the next day I came back and it had exactly the same amount of battery, even though it had been more than 10 hours since the last use.

The usage with it turned on was on average 20% every 2 hours. My main activities were a lot of use of the browser Microsoft Edge, Spotify, Slack and the main game launchers on the market. Something interesting is that the games ran directly on the battery and the battery performance when playing was much better than on gaming notebooks, for example. The charging time actually reached 60% in less than 1 hour.

Camera and audio

The camera included in this notebook has a resolution FHD, although it is full of noise and is not suitable for photos. For video transmission, it will do the job and no one will notice the imperfections. For the AI ​​features included in the system, it works well, as long as the lighting is adequate too.

The differences here are compatibility with the Windows Hello, security system using the camera to unlock the PC and also having a cover that opens and closes on the camera, giving you more control over your privacy.

O Vivobook S 15 brings technology Dolby Atmos to optimize sound quality, whether for listening to music, watching movies or playing games. Combined with the technologies Audio Booster e Smart Amplifiers from ASUS, it is possible to have a very cool experience in this field. I use headphones all the time, but this is a notebook that allows you to enjoy its sound quality without accessories without any problems if the external noise is not too loud. Great for watching a movie in the bedroom, for example.

Price and availability

O ASUS Vivobook S 15 is one of the first Copilot+ PCs from Brazil and is now available for sale. You can find it from R$9.900 and below you can check the purchase links:

• ASUS Vivobook S 15 in the ASUS store by BRL 9.899,10 in cash
• ASUS Vivobook S 15 on Mercado Livre for R $ 11.669 at sight
• ASUS Vivobook S 15 at Magazine Luiza for R$11.348,13 on Pix

Conclusion

O Vivobook S 15 It is a very well-built notebook and brings excellent qualities, such as its great OLED screen and a cutting-edge configuration to handle all activities. Being a Copilot+ PC It doesn't put it at a higher or lower level in the market, but it is a differentiator that depends on the customer. It's just not worth paying exclusively for this difference, since you can enjoy AI resources very well if you have a powerful video card.

Bringing a chipset in ARM is an interesting advancement, but just like the Apple The first generation had a hard time with program compatibility, and the same thing happens here. I guess we'll still have to wait about 3 years until everything gets sorted out in the Windows world, so there's another "but" regarding this model.

Finally, I must say that before returning it to ASUS, I had to format it and so far everything was fine. However, in the middle of the process, the system crashed and Windows was lost. It was a safe process, as I have done several times on my notebook and even on others for testing. It may have been an incompatibility, some bug, but there is no explanation for it.

In any case, we must inform you that we received a test unit. This error may or may not be related to the product's hardware.

Technical specifications

Model	ASUS Vivobook S 15
Processor and graphics	Snapdragon X Elite X1E 78 100 3,4GHz processor (42MB cache, up to 3,4GHz, 12 cores, 12 threads) Qualcomm AI up to 75 TOPs in total; Qualcomm Adreno™ GPU; Qualcomm® Hexagon™ NPU – 45 TOPs
Memory	32 GB RAM LPDDR5X
Storage	2TB M.4.0 NVMe PCIe 1 SSD
Operational system	Windows 11 Home 64-bit
Fabric	15,6″, 2.8K (2880 x 1620) 16:9 OLED, 0,2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 1.000.000:1, VESA Certified DisplayHDR True Black 600, 1,07 billion colors, Brilliant display, 70% less harmful blue light, TÜV Rheinland certified, SGS certified eye-care display, 89% screen-to-body ratio
Keyboard and touchpad	Single-zone RGB backlit Chiclet keyboard with number key, 1,7mm key travel, Precision Touchpad, With Copilot key
Resistance	US MIL-STD 810H military grade durability
Webcam	FHD camera with IR function compatible with Windows Hello With privacy cover
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (tri-band) 2*2 + Bluetooth® 5.4 wireless card
Audio	Smart Amplifier Technology Speaker Microphone harman/kardon (mainstream)
Doors	2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A 2x USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C support monitor/power delivery 1x HDMI 2.1 TMDS 1x 3,5mm Headphone/Microphone Jack MicroSD card reader
Battery	70 WHrs, 3S1P, 3-cell Li-Ion
Fonte de Alimentação	TYPE-C, 90W AC Adapter, Output 20V DC, 4,5A, 90W, Input: 100~240V AC 50/60Hz Universal
Weight and dimensions	1,42 kg 35,26 x 22,69 x 1,47 ~ 1,59 cm
Price	ASUS Vivobook S 15 in the ASUS store by BRL 9.899,10 in cash ASUS Vivobook S 15 on Mercado Livre for R $ 11.669 at sight ASUS Vivobook S 15 at Magazine Luiza for R$11.348,13 on Pix
Availability in Brazil	As of August 2024

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