Available to buy here:
Welcome to “Reviews inside tv,” where we take a close look at the tech that matters most to you. Today, we’re checking out the ASUS VivoBook S 15 OLED, a sleek and stylish laptop packed with powerful specs that promise to tackle everything from work to creative tasks. With its stunning OLED display and impressive performance features, could this be the laptop you’ve been waiting for? Let’s take a closer look.
The VivoBook S 15 comes equipped with an Intel Core i5-12500H processor, offering 12 cores—four performance cores and eight efficient cores—running at a base frequency of 2.5 GHz, with the ability to boost up to 4.5 GHz. This means it’s capable of handling multitasking and demanding applications with ease, whether you’re working on large documents, hopping between multiple browser tabs, or even handling light creative tasks. Paired with Intel Iris Xe graphics, the laptop can handle basic photo editing, video playback, and light gaming, though it’s not built for high-end gaming or intensive 3D rendering.
RAM comes in at 8GB, divided between 4GB onboard DDR4 memory and a 4GB SO-DIMM slot. While 8GB of RAM is enough for most office tasks and light multitasking, you might notice some strain if you’re working with larger files or running several applications simultaneously. Storage-wise, it’s equipped with a 512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD, offering lightning-fast data transfer speeds, meaning quick boot times and the ability to launch apps almost instantly. This SSD also makes the laptop feel zippy during day-to-day tasks, compared to the slower SATA-based drives found in some budget models.
Now, let’s talk about the star of the show: the 15.6-inch FHD OLED display. This isn’t just your run-of-the-mill laptop screen—it’s a VESA-certified HDR True Black panel with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. The result is vibrant, true-to-life colors and deep blacks, perfect for content creators who need color accuracy. With a peak brightness of 600 nits, you’ll be able to use this display in most lighting conditions without any issues. The ultra-slim 4-sided NanoEdge bezels help maximize the screen area, giving you more real estate without making the laptop feel too bulky.
As for battery life, ASUS promises a solid, long-lasting experience thanks to the Intel Evo platform. This ensures a balance of performance, responsiveness, and efficiency. In real-world use, you can expect anywhere from 6 to 8 hours of light productivity work, which should be enough for a day of browsing, document editing, or watching videos. However, if you’re pushing the laptop with heavier workloads like video editing or gaming, expect the battery to drain quicker. The fast-charging feature is a nice touch, topping up the battery when you need to quickly get back to work.
At just 3.97 lbs and 0.75 inches thick, the VivoBook S 15 strikes a nice balance between portability and performance. It’s not the lightest ultraportable out there, but it’s certainly easy to carry around in a bag for the day. The aluminum body feels sturdy, though not quite as premium as some of its all-metal competitors. Still, the build quality is solid for the price.
The keyboard on this laptop is a standout feature. It’s an ergonomic chiclet-style backlit keyboard that’s comfortable for long typing sessions. The key travel and feedback are decent, making it a good choice for office work or students who need to type a lot. It also features a fingerprint sensor for secure log-ins through Windows Hello, adding an extra layer of convenience and security. The trackpad is large, accurate, and smooth, with good palm rejection, which is key for comfort during long work sessions.
When it comes to ports and connectivity, the VivoBook S 15 has the essentials covered. It includes USB-A and USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and a microSD card reader. The USB-C port supports Thunderbolt 4, making it future-proof for high-speed peripherals and external displays. There’s also Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, ensuring fast, reliable connections for both work and play. Unfortunately, there’s no Ethernet port, which might be a dealbreaker for some, but the Wi-Fi 6 support compensates for that in most scenarios. The 512GB SSD is also non-upgradable, so you’ll be limited to the storage it comes with.
In terms of performance, the VivoBook S 15 is best suited for productivity work, media consumption, and light creative tasks. It’s capable of handling everyday office tasks, including web browsing, word processing, and video calls with ease. When it comes to streaming movies and shows, the OLED display really shines, offering a rich, immersive experience. If you’re into light photo or video editing, this laptop should do just fine, but for heavy workloads, you’ll want something with a more powerful CPU and dedicated GPU.
When it comes to thermals, the VivoBook S 15 remains relatively cool under normal use. During extended periods of heavy work, like exporting a large video file, the keyboard deck and underside may warm up, but it’s not uncomfortably hot. Fan noise is generally quiet during light use but can get louder under heavy load. It’s not distracting, but it’s something to keep in mind if you plan on doing resource-intensive tasks for long periods of time.
In terms of value, the ASUS VivoBook S 15 offers a great balance of features at a reasonable price point. The OLED display, fast storage, and solid performance make it a great choice for students, office workers, and casual content creators. It’s not a gaming laptop, and it won’t handle the heaviest creative workloads, but for most users, it strikes a solid balance of power and portability. If you’re looking for something more powerful for gaming or serious creative work, you might want to look at something with a dedicated GPU and a beefier processor, like the ASUS ROG Zephyrus series or Dell XPS 15.
If you’re considering alternatives in the same range, the HP Envy 15 and Acer Swift 3 are solid options, with similar performance and displays, but the VivoBook stands out for its OLED panel, which is harder to find in this price range. It’s also more lightweight than some of its competitors, making it easier to carry around.
In conclusion, the ASUS VivoBook S 15 is a solid, well-rounded laptop that offers great performance for its price. Whether you’re a student, a busy professional, or a casual creator, it’s a laptop that’ll get the job done without breaking the bank. It’s light, portable, and has a fantastic OLED display, making it an easy recommendation for those looking for a sleek, reliable device.
If you’re interested, you can find the link to grab one in the comments below. Thanks for watching, and as always, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that bell icon for more reviews like this.
Available to buy here:
