The ASUS VivoBook 15 OLED is a 10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor (CPU), 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD). A 15.6-inch FHD display generally costs between $450 and $500, putting it firmly in the range of the best budget laptop collection.
It is a 15-inch laptop with a plastic chassis that is pleasantly light at about 3.5 pounds (1.6kg). It might be a bit on the chunky side, but it is tough to get picky at this price point. The base and lid are both surprisingly rigid. There is nothing too bold or too plain about the design, and the Slate Grey color does a decent job of hiding fingerprints.
The company, ASUS was generous with ports, offering up USB-C 3.1, two USB-A 2.0, USB-A 3.1, HDMI, 3.5mm audio, and a microSD card reader. Installing benchmarking software from a microSD card posed no problems, and the HDMI port is great for connecting to a TV or external PC monitor. Unfortunately, the USB-C port does not support power delivery so you must use the barrel charging port.
There is a bezel around the display and the bottom is pleasantly thin and gives the laptop a more modern look. Measuring color accuracy with a SpyderX Pro colorimeter, it returned just 67% sRGB, 50% AdobeRGB, and 50% DCI-P3 reproduction. For a premium laptop used for specialty work, these are not good results, but for a budget laptop, they are fair game. At least you are getting an FHD resolution and up to about 250 nits brightness with a matte finish. The screen will be more than enough for schoolwork and general productivity.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The ASUS VivoBook 15 has a keyboard that is surprisingly good with a smaller chiclet shape. But the ample 1.4mm key travel, three-stage backlight, and number pad more than makeup for it. So, if you are buying a budget laptop to be used for essays and drafts, this one should be quite easy to get used to. Individual navigation keys are appreciated. The touchpad is fairly small, but the click is balanced and without dead spots. It might not feel as solid as the touchpads on the best Ultrabooks, but it does not rattle.
In addition, it comes with an embedded fingerprint reader into the touchpad. It works flawlessly, providing quick and secure logins through Windows Hello. This is a great feature if you are going to be working in an office or other public area.
The front-facing 720p camera is surprisingly good, and no one seemed to notice the switch during video meetings. It is certainly on par with the camera in Dell XPS 13. The only drawback is a lack of a privacy shutter.
The 10th Gen Core i3-1005G1 does a decent job of feeling crisp when focused on one task at a time. Its dual cores do suffer if you begin throwing multiple requests their way, so you will want to reserve this laptop for lighter duties. And don’t buy it expecting a gaming laptop; Intel UHD graphics don’t have the power required for anything other than very light titles. The sizable fan and copper heat pipe easily keep the Core i3 cool, and fan noise is never really an issue.
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Pulling off the back cover 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 is not loaded down with bloatware like some budget PCs. There is an ASUS app that handles system diagnostics and support, and a McAfee antivirus app that can be promptly removed.
ASUS VivoBook 15 OLED Battery Life
The Asus VivoBook 15 still holds to its ultra-budget price, but nothing that should make or break your decision to buy. First up is battery life, which in PCMark 10’s Modern Office rundown test lasted just five hours and 37 minutes. That is not a long time for a Core i3 system with an FHD display, and using the laptop regularly drops that number down to about four and a half hours. You will need to carry the small AC adapter with you.
The laptop’s audio is not the loudest, but at least the sound is clear without any buzzing. You are not going to be able to entertain a room full of people with music. But you will be able to hear video chats without issue. Finally, the included M.2 SATA SSD is rather slow. You can upgrade it yourself after the purchase with one of the best M.2 PCIe SSDs for much better performance. There is also space for a 2.5-inch SATA SSD or HDD, though there doesn’t appear to be any hookup; this likely has to be configured from the factory.
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ASUS VivoBook 15 OLED Competition
We recently reviewed the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15, a $400 laptop that aims at the same market as the ASUS VivoBook 15. Its keyboard is great but lacks a backlight, there is a camera shutter, RAM and SSD are upgradeable, it has better audio, and battery life is considerably better.
However, there are a few reasons why the IdeaPad does not make the list of the best budget laptops. Its touchpad is small and loose, the HD display is dreadful, there is no USB-C port, and there is quite a bit of flex to the plastic chassis. Performance between the IdeaPad 3 15 and the Asus VivoBook 15 is about the same, but the ASUS laptop’s extra features push it ahead of the Lenovo device.
When compare with Acer Aspire 5 in the same price range with an 11th Gen Intel Core i3 CPU for better performance, and offers considerably better battery life. However, the entire experience is marred by an awful FHD display. Between the Acer and the ASUS.
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