ASUS has recently unveiled its first Copilot+ PC in the Philippines, the Vivobook S 15. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, this sleek laptop boasts a 3K OLED display, an all-metal design, and a dedicated Copilot key.
But is this powerful device right for you? Let’s dive into our review to find out.
Design and Build
The Vivobook S 15 is designed for students and professionals on the go. It is sleek, tough, and easy to carry.
The laptop has a clean and beautiful design with a 16:9 form-factor. It has a longer profile and measures 35.26 x 22.69 x 1.47 cm (1.59 cm at its thickest point); and weighs only 1.42 kg (3.13 lbs). It is compact and portable, but the length is something to consider.
The device has an all-metal build. It is robust and durable, resisting bends and scratches, and possibly shallow drops.
The keyboard has a full layout with ample key spacing and an a single zone RGB. It comes with the Copilot key, which offers quick access to the Copilot AI assistant, and a number pad, which has smaller keys.
The backlighting, while bright, has some uneven lighting throughout the keys. Still, the typing experience is quite excellent, thanks to the 1.7mm key-travel, with no discomfort in prolonged use.
The spacious touchpad offers smooth surface. It has the usual gestures, but adds volume and brightness adjustment by swiping on its left and right sides.
The speakers are underneath the chassis. It is downward-firing and deliver decent sound quality, especially when placed on a flat surface. They offer ample volume for most everyday tasks.
Display
The Vivobook S 15 boasts a gorgeous 15.6-inch ASUS Lumina OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a crisp 2880×1620 resolution, and a peak brightness of 600 nits for vibrant visuals and fast response times.
Oddly enough, it has a 16:9 aspect ratio (as opposed to the more common 16:10 aspect ratio). However, I found it works well for multitasking. You get ample screen real estate to boost productivity, such as coding, video editing, or working with spreadsheets.
Personally, I found it convenient to have Chrome and a Word document open side-by-side, streamlining my workflow. However, I prefer a 16:10 aspect ratio, which provided a taller screen more suited for scrolling vertically through web pages or documents.
The display also has 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification. This results in accurate and vibrant colors and deep blacks for more stunning visuals, especially when watching movies or playing games.
I/O Ports
The laptop is well-equipped with a variety of ports, making it a versatile tool for on-the-go productivity.
On the right side, you’ll find two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, while the left side offers an HDMI 2.1 TMDS, two USB-C 4 ports (supporting external displays and data transfers), a microSD card reader, and an audio jack.
Performance
The Vivobook S 15 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor with up to 45W CPU TDP, paired with an Adreno GPU, a powerful Hexagon NPU AI processor, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD.
According to ASUS, the Snapdragon X Elite can outperform Apple’s M3 processor by up to 21% at its peak. I couldn’t conduct direct tests, but I can attest that the the laptop can deliver excellent performance in daily tasks.
The laptop runs on Windows 11 Home and comes with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2021 and a one year Microsoft 365 Basic subscription.
Despite its ARM architecture, it can run x86 apps thanks to a software emulation layer. However, it’s still recommended to check compatibility for specific software. In my experience, Adobe Photoshop ran smoothly on the laptop after a few Windows updates. Initially, it struggled with performance, but subsequent updates improved its responsiveness.
In terms of daily tasks like web browsing, document editing, and streaming, the laptop delivered exceptional speed and fast loading times.
Battery
The Vivobook S 15 is powered by a 70Wh Lithium-ion battery and charges fully in less than 2 hours using a USB-C 90W adapter.
During the review, the laptop delivered nearly 9 hours of battery life on Balanced power mode, which includes browsing, writing, and photo editing. This falls short of ASUS’s 18-hour claim, but it still provides enough power for a full workday and on-the-go productivity.
Final Remarks
ASUS’ Vivobook line has consistently provided affordable, powerful laptops for everyday tasks, and the Vivobook S 15 continues this tradition.
However, its journey towards that end was not smooth. From its local launch, the Vivobook S 15’s initial performance was somewhat underwhelming. However, several software updates eventually improved its performance to the expected level.
Moreover, the Vivobook S 15, while capable, has some drawbacks. Gaming is limited and compatibility issues with certain apps can be problematic. Additionally, its battery life, though respectable, doesn’t quite match ASUS’s claims. Finally, the price point is going to be a deterrent for some buyers.
Despite its shortcomings, I still think the Vivobook S 15 a solid choice for those looking for a stylish, durable, and compact laptop for everyday use. If anything else, its integration to AI technology positions it well for the future.
Price
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 (S5507) is priced at Php 84,995 for the Snapdragon X Elite model and Php 69,995 for the one with Snapdragon X Plus model. It is now available in the Philippines at ASUS Exclusive Stores and Authorized Resellers.
ASUS Vivobook S 15 (S5507) specs
- Display: 15.6-inch 3K OLED Display, 2880×1620, 120Hz refresh rate, 600 nits, 16:9 aspect ratio, 100% DCI-P3, DisplayHDR True Black 600 certified
- Processor:
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E 78 100
Qualcomm Hexagon NPU 45TOPs - GPU: Qualcomm Adreno GPU
- RAM/Storage:
16GB LPDDR5X RAM
1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD - Front Camera: FHD IR camera
- I/O Ports:
2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
2x USB-C
1x HDMI 2.1 TMDS
1x Audio combo jack
1x MicroSD card reader - Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
- Others: Single-zone RGB backlight keyboard with Copilot key and emoji hotkey, Dolby Atmos, Harmon Kardon-certified speakers, Microsoft Office Home & Student 2021, Microsoft 365 Basic One-Year Subscription
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Dimensions: 352.6 x 227 x 14.7~15.9 mm, 1.42 kg (3.13 lbs)
- Color: Cool Silver
- Battery: 70Wh, 90W adapter
