Generally speaking, there are two types of gadgets: those that prioritize functionality over style, and those that prioritize style over practicality. That latter category is firmly represented by the ASUS Vivobook 15, which is equipped with Intel’s Core 120U processor. In contrast to the company’s eye-catching ZenBooks, the new Vivobook has a straightforward and useful design. The laptop has a competent processor that operates admirably under load at the same time. Does its Rs 49,999 price tag in India make sense given its possible benefits (and cons)? Let’s investigate.
Rating: 7 / 10
Design and Display
The Vivobook from ASUS is not suitable for the red carpet. The laptop looks more at home in an office environment. Please understand that I think the laptop’s silver finish looks classy. The ASUS Vivobook’s monolithic chassis gains some character with the embossed logo. Having said that, the IdeaPad Slim 5i, a competitor gadget with a metal case, feels better built than the laptop due to its plastic construction.
There’s a lot of flex in the keyboard deck and lid as well. Furthermore, I wasn’t particularly drawn to the rubberized legs at the bottom. When I utilized the item on the go, they pricked my lap even if they boosted the airflow. I’m sure ASUS could have approached this design more intelligently. It’s important to note at this point that the ASUS Vivobook 15 has received a military-grade rating of MIL-STD-810H, which significantly increases its durability.
Despite not dropping the laptop in my brief time with it, I have heard positive things about ASUS’s ruggedized notebooks. The rating will also undoubtedly comfort your mind as a customer. It is worth noting that the laptop has a good amount of connectors.
Although functional, the laptop’s display is also nothing to write home about. The 15.6-inch screen’s specifications include a Full HD resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. That being said, the display is somewhat dreary, especially in light surroundings, as its peak brightness only reaches 250 nits. Additionally, I could have preferred the viewing angles, and when I looked off-axis at the screen, I saw a significant color shift. There is also noticeable backlight bleeding on the display. As a result, even though the screen works well for work, there are situations where it is insufficient, such as when consuming media on the go.
Trackpad, Webcam, and Keyboard
Even though I may come across as a broken record, the keyboard on a laptop is vital to my productivity. Having a comfortable keyboard is crucial for me as I type thousands of words every week on my laptop. In light of this, the ASUS Vivobook 15 has a fairly nice keyboard with a backlit LED and appropriately spaced keys. It’s great that the keys don’t feel overly mushy and provide adequate travel.
Nevertheless, the laptop’s trackpad is a little too little. It is also a little off-center in location. It enables multi-finger motions and has a smooth surface, but it takes some getting accustomed to. The webcam is also functional. Its poor 720P output notwithstanding, the video quality is sufficient for conducting Zoom meetings while on the go. For further security, it also features a privacy shutter.
Performance and Upgradeability
The Intel Core 5 120U CPU powers the ASUS Vivobook. Ten cores total—two performance and eight efficiency cores—are included in the processor. Up to 5GHz and 3.8GHz can be reached by the P- and E-core turbofans, respectively. It should be noted that the Core 5 120U lacks dedicated NPU or LPE cores. The gadget has a 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD and 16GB of DDR4 RAM, which can be expanded to 24GB, for storage and RAM.
Naturally, the most pressing concern on everyone’s mind is whether the gear is suitable for regular use. It does, for the most part. Web browsing and the use of project management and communication tools like Teams, Basecamp, Slack, and Asana are part of my workflow. When I was using the Vivobook 15, I was still productive even though I had a few apps open. Even though I occasionally stumbled, the laptop was capable of handling tasks. You won’t be dissatisfied with the laptop’s performance if you experiment with Microsoft Office or use a different word processor in addition to instant messaging software.
Now I know the Intel naming is more confusing than the dark part, but be patient. The Core 5 120U is essentially an improved version of last year’s Core i5-1335U. However, unlike its ‘Core Ultra’ counterparts (like the Core 7 Ultra 155U or Core 5 Ultra 125H), the Core 5 120U does not come with a dedicated NPU. Instead, it offers several times more power than last year’s 1335U. Thus, the Core 5 120U P cores and E cores turbo exceed 1335U.
All in all, the processor’s performance is better than last year’s U-series processor (1335U) and is on par (if not better) with the comparable 13th-gen H-chip (e.g. 13420H). But it outperforms the current Core Ultra processor lineup, including the Core 5 Ultra 125H and Core 7 Ultra 155U. I should also add that, unlike Intel’s Core Ultra ‘H’ series, the Core 5 120U does not come with Intel’s powerful Arc-integrated processor.
To be honest, with the Core 5 120U’s core cluster and its few efficiency cores, I had hoped for more battery backup from the laptop. I believe that using the laptop’s display at full tilt might have negatively impacted how long the battery lasted. I will defend myself by saying that there is no getting around the laptop’s somewhat boring display.
The Acer Vivobook 15 has some performance headroom, and customers can increase its RAM and storage. It’s also quite easy to access the laptop’s internal components, which is great.
Verdict
To keep costs low, the ASUS Vivobook 15 makes a few compromises. The laptop’s design might benefit from using more high-end materials and vibrant colors because its display is boring. However, the laptop performs on par with computers that are priced a few thousand dollars higher. Thus, it’s evident that those looking for the most value for their money are the target market for the Vivobook 15.
Budget-conscious consumers should, in my opinion, always prioritize a laptop‘s performance because it has the power to make or break their experience. Later on, you can upgrade to an accessory for everything else. I therefore give the Vivobook 15, despite a few minor niggles, a thumbs up.
