Full Review: ASUS Vivobook 15X OLED

Durability and reliability are solid foundations for a laptop that you can use for everyday work. We tend to invest our hard-earned money on a machine that can multitask like there’s no tomorrow, as well as one that will also last us for years to come. That’s why we will be taking an in-depth look at the new ASUS Vivobook 15X OLED – a multitasking workhorse built to provide a smoother experience with your everyday tasks. Read more to discover its features. 

Design

The Vivobook 15X OLED comes in two classic colorways – Indie Black and Cool Silver. Personally, I was given the opportunity to test the Indie Black unit. It’s quite minimalist by its nature. It embodies simplicity, yet oozes sophistication. For my own taste, I’m quite open-minded when it comes to color designs. You can never go wrong with the classic look. 

The Vivobook logo tab can be found on the metallic lid. The Vivobook name and tagline are subtly printed on the tab which further contributes to the minimalist feel. I’m a fan of the metallic finish. My only gripe with it is that the lid, along with the frequently touched parts of the laptop can be quite a fingerprint magnet. So make sure your hands are always clean before booting it up. 

Build

The Vivobook 15X OLED is quite slim and lightweight. It is 17.9mm thin and 1.6kg light. Granted, it may not be the slimmest or the lightest out there, but it is made to be extremely durable. It is made with military grade durability in that 26 unique test procedures, ranging from shock tests to high temperature tests, were done to ensure that this machine is robust and is prepared for real world scenarios. 

Apart from long-lasting durability, the laptop also provides long-lasting hygiene with the ASUS Antimicrobial Guard. It has undergone the process of applying silver ion coating on frequently handled zones to ensure that bacteria don’t propagate on your laptop. If only it was less of a fingerprint magnet, then it would feel even cleaner. But then again, maybe that’s more of a me problem. 

The Vivobook 15X OLED is also built with a 180-degree hinge. Its flexibility allows for effortless sharing of your screen with your colleagues, friends or anyone within close proximity. This is a simple design I see in a lot of modern laptops, which is something I appreciate. 

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The keyboard features a well-lit backlight along with a number pad. Personally, I had a difficult time typing mainly due to the fact that I wasn’t used to this keyboard size. I tend to lean towards smaller sized keyboards since I don’t really do much number entry, so it’s more of personal preference. But overall, I had a positive typing experience on the keyboard. 

The power button can also be found on the keyboard. It’s situated at the top of the very last column where the number pad is located. The button has a different feel from the regular keycaps. It’s accentuated as it’s protruding a bit compared to the other keys and it feels like it requires a heavier press. I have no qualms with the build of the power button itself, but I would’ve liked to see it positioned elsewhere, separated from the actual keyboard. 

Below the keyboard of course, you will find the trackpad. The fingerprint login sensor can be found on the top right-hand corner of the trackpad. The sensor is quite responsive, and I personally fancy its placement on the trackpad. 

The Vivobook 15X OLED’s speakers are optimized with Dirac audio which provide an immersive sound experience. The audio was quite clear and crisp. You just have to make sure that the laptop is placed on a flat surface to enjoy the audio experience, since the speakers are bottom firing. I found that while the laptop was on a surface like my bed for example, it produced more muffled audio. 

This laptop also features a 3DNR HD webcam which produces clearer and sharper images during video calls. It also comes with a built-in webcam shield for added privacy. Coupled with the ASUS AI Noise Canceling Technology, my video conferencing experience was smooth and hitch-free. 

Last but not the least, the Vivobook 15X OLED maximizes connectivity with the full suite of I/O ports. It has one (1) USB-C with power delivery, three (3) USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 and an audio combo jack. I would’ve personally preferred an additional USB-C port, but that’s in no way a deal breaker. 

Display 

The Vivobook 15X OLED features a 15.6” FHD OLED display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It’s also built with a decent 84.3% screen-to-body ratio, while also boasting a customizable color gamut and 600 nits of peak brightness. 

Overall, I really found the display to truly enhance and enrich my viewing experience. Images felt crisp and sharp. Even at just 1080p, watching Youtube or Netflix was quite enjoyable and was more than enough to satisfy my binge sessions. 

Fortunately, whether it’s for long binging sessions or overtime work, your eyes will be protected since the display is TUV Rheinland Flicker Free and Low Blue Light certified. Your viewing experience is assured to be more entertaining and less strenuous on the eyes altogether. 

Under the hood

The Vivobook 15X OLED is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core Processor with Intel integrated graphics (UHD or Iris Xe, depending on the variant). It also comes with a decent amount of storage as it’s equipped with a 512GB SSD. The memory ranges from 8GB-16GB of DDR4 RAM depending on the variant you decide to choose. My own test unit had 8GB of RAM. 

My everyday work was a seamless experience. I had several tabs open all at once while various applications were running in the background. At times I had music or video playing simultaneously as well. The performance didn’t take a hit whatsoever. 

An added bonus is that all variants come with free Microsoft Office and Student 2021. Perfect for those everyday tasks that I mentioned like creating documents, presentations or spreadsheets. Upon purchasing this laptop, you will immediately be able to put it to work. 

When it comes to more demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering or gaming, it will lag behind a little. Don’t get me wrong, it can perform these tasks, just not at a blistering pace. Below are its benchmarking scores on Cinebench R23: 

Multi-core: 5,442 pts

Single-core: 698 pts 

I also tested Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) on this laptop, and I was averaging around 70-80 fps with an occasional dip to 60 fps at the lowest settings. 

For content creators who are just starting out, or casual Esports gamers, this laptop can get the job done. Just make sure to temper your expectations as I feel the Vivobook 15X OLED is targeted more at young professionals who need a machine that can keep pace with the multitasking demands of everyday work. 

In terms of the battery, it’s powered by a 50Wh battery. What I was most impressed with however, was the fast charging. ASUS advertised that you can charge up to 60% in 50 mins. I tested this and found that you can charge it up to approximately 70% in 50 minutes while in full use, with all my browser tabs and applications running in the background. 

I also appreciate the portability of the charger itself. The charging adapter comes in a compact form factor that is more akin to a smartphone charger. I despise the hassle of needing to lug around a hefty charging adapter especially when I’m on-the-go. 

Verdict

Overall, I found that the ASUS Vivobook 15X OLED is a great option if you need a multitasking machine to smoothly get you through the demands of your everyday tasks. It can also contribute to your de-stressing as it boasts an impressive display as you get to enjoy your free time consuming high quality content. 

As previously mentioned, this laptop really suits young professionals who are eager to get their careers started with a machine that is sleek, durable and reliable. The ASUS Vivobook 15X OLED’s price starts at Php 49,995.