A laptop computer is a necessity for most people whether it is in the office, school or institute of higher education. But the dumping of laptops in the market makes many people confused for the laptop that suits their needs. Here we have the ASUS Vivobook 15X (K3504) which can be one of the ideal laptops for the average professional and here is a full review for it;
Specifications
Model Name ASUS Vivobook 15X (K3504)
Display Size 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9,
60Hz, 250nits, TÜV Rheinland-certified,
Intel Core i5-1335U processor
10 Core
Intel UHD Graphics Graphics Chip
8GB DDR4 RAM (built-in)
1x DDR4 SO-DIMM slot
Internal Storage 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
1x M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0×4
720P HD camera + privacy shutter
I/O plug 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
1 x HDMI 1.4
1 x 3.5mm audio jack
1 x DC-i
Windows 11 Home Operating System
Fingerprint Scan Security (Windows Hello)
42WHrs, 3S1P, 3-cell Li-ion battery
65W charger
Price RM3,199
Design And Screen
The overall body construction of the laptop uses metal-based materials with a matte finish. Dirt is very easy to see with this finish which when it happens the cleaning process needs to be done regularly. The body, on the other hand, is quite flexible when pressed, which is felt to have a long-term effect that is harmful to the user. The hinge is however quite hard with the ability to open up to 180 degrees.
Next, four rubber pads are provided on the bottom to prevent scratches on the laptop. This is followed by an air vent that goes straight to the hinge and two audio grilles for the speakers on the same side. The connection options are also quite good with most of them placed on the right side.
Through it there are 2 X USB A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 1.4, 3.5mm audio jack, USB C 3.2 Gen 1 and AC adapter. On the left side, only USB-A 2.0 is provided along with an LED light to indicate power charging. In Malaysia it is offered in a gray color option or also called Cool Silver which is common for most laptops in the market.
As the name suggests the screen is 15.6-inches with a 16:9 aspect ratio which is suitable for multimedia use, but not entirely writing work. The panel is a full-resolution IPS LCD (1920 X 1080 pixels) with a refresh rate of 60Hz and a peak brightness of 250nits. This screen is just simple. Not that exciting and not that disappointing either. As the young people of Gen Z say now it's just "mid".
The size of the bezel is also uneven with a thick bottom with silver ASUS Vivobook branding. Additionally the HD webcam used has a built-in mechanical shutter for privacy purposes, but no IR sensor means Windows Hello facial recognition support in the dark is not supported.
With a weight of around 1.6kg and a thickness of 17.9mm, the laptop can be used more effectively without any problems. The experience of carrying it everywhere also does not feel burdensome. But something less pleasant when the cover of this laptop cannot be opened with one hand.
Where it results in the entire laptop being raised if doing so. Then the performance of the display looks fine for use in closed areas. But otherwise you have to compromise with a noticeable change in display color when not viewed from the side.
Benchmarks And Performance
The review unit received a 10-core Intel Core i5-1335U processor with an Intel Iris Xe graphics chip (80 EUs). The memory is 8GB DDR4-3200 (additional SODIMM slot available) and is matched with a 512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD storage.
It should be said that there are two slots for SSDs included at the same time allowing users to increase the overall memory size. Similarly, RAM can also be added because additional SODIMM slots are provided. With this storage and RAM can be added by the owner himself several years after purchase.
Here are the benchmark test results for this laptop:
The storage speed of this SSD is just average, reaching 4.3 GBps when reading and 1.8 GBps when writing. The majority of laptops in this class are equipped with SSDs with comparable behavior. The performance of the Intel Core-i5 Gen 13 chip used is also satisfactory. Better than Intel Core-17 Gen 11 chip performance. In terms of day-use performance for producing papers, teleconferencing sessions and photo editing using PhotoScape X it is more than adequate.
A laptop can be used well for most of the daily tasks like surfing the web and typing articles. The boot up process does not take long, and the program also launches quickly. Editing applications can also be run satisfactorily. But with the built-in Iris Xe graphics there aren't many other activities that can be done especially involving video games.
Only old video games like CS Go can be played at quite satisfactory settings and frame rates. Voxel era games like Command and Conquer, Commandos 2 and Red Alert are also playable. But you don't buy an ASUS Vivobook for video games.
The experience of this use also found that there is a problem with WiFi internet that is often disconnected and slow when using the network at the 2.4GHz frequency. Even though the modem driver has been updated, the same issue still occurs, except that this laptop uses a 5GHz network or WiFi 6E. This is not surprising as our check on the internet found that the issue with the modem model MT7921 has been going on for the past 2 years, and until now has not been resolved.
Audio
Two speakers are placed on the bottom of the laptop. It's not the right position for a good audio casting experience. Thus there is nothing to be proud of with the audio performance on this laptop. It's not loud enough at the highest settings with drowned out audio. Similarly, the bass impact is also not heard at all which means it is not suitable for those who want the best audio. Even so, the audio quality using the audio jack is satisfactory and its use is highly recommended compared to listening directly from the original speakers.
Keyboard And Touch Pad
The keyboard used is a type of chiclet with a white LED light built into the back. It is very useful for typing in dark areas and the light level can be adjusted by pressing the F7 button. Asus uses Ergosense technology on this keyboard for a better typing experience. Through it it combines a full-sized keyboard with enough space between the keys reaching 1.4mm for comfort.
But the opposite happened to me who might not like it. It took me some three to four days to get used to the keyboard before I could use it properly. In various situations such as typing a long article, writing an email or so on, the typo issue is a problem that is often experienced while trying to get used to this keyboard. Not to mention the keyboard problem that sometimes sticks a little causing the typing process to slow down.
Moving on to the touchpad I was quite happy with the overall experience when using it. It has a smooth surface that facilitates every finger movement. The size is also satisfactory with good measurements and the finger tracking response is also quite responsive. Also available is a built-in fingerprint scanner placed on the right corner of the touchpad with Windows Hello support.
Battery Life
Asus supplies a 42Wh battery that is advertised to last up to 10 hours on a single charge. This capacity is also not very large and is considered suitable for laptops focusing on productivity work. In the real world a laptop can last around 6 hams depending on the type of work being done.
For example, typing articles, replying to emails, listening to music and editing some photos in Photoscape. This is also done with the screen brightness lowered at 60% with battery saving mode activated. The recharging process takes over an hour using the supported 65W fast charging system. The provided charger comes with a large and heavy power block.
Conclusion
Adequate but not the best. If you look at the offer it is not very friendly with the price that is sold at RM3,199. There are some shortcomings that need to be discussed, such as the LCD panel is simple, the battery capacity is small, the keyboard is a little sticky and also the problem of frequent internet disconnections.
Loses in some areas but that doesn't mean there aren't any strengths in this laptop. It has a design concept with a simple and minimalist style. Then it can work well for most of the specialized daily work that involves the typing process. The ability to add memory and storage is also one of the advantages of this laptop.
PRO
Simple and minimalist finish.
Upgradable storage and RAM.
There is no heating problem and the fan is not noisy.
CONS
Simple IPS LCD screen.
No support for touch screen.
Small battery capacity.