ASUS Vivobook S 15 – specifications
The Vivobook series from ASUS are universal models intended mainly for home use. They work well both as an entertainment center, but they are also not afraid of office tasks. So far, they have been available with Intel and AMD processors, but now a third player will join the offer in the form of Qualcomm with the Snapdragon X Elite/Plus processor. This is not the first ARM architecture approach to the Windows environment. However, the previous ones were never successful, for various reasons. The poor performance of these systems was partly to blame, but the lack of application support was more important. Now the situation has clearly improved, and Qualcomm’s new Oryon cores, based on the architecture taken over from Nuvia, which the Americans bought a few years ago, have shown that they can compete with Apple processors without any major problems. So how will they fare under Windows 11?
The tested ASUS Vivobook S 15 was available with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite system equipped with 12 cores clocked at 3.4 GHz and 32 GB of (soldered) LPDDR5X RAM and a 1 TB disk. Additionally, we have a 70 Wh battery, a 15.6-inch (16:9) OLED screen with high resolution (2880 x 1620 pixels) and a solid casing made of aluminum alloy. The set of ports also looks good, we have 2 traditional USB-A ports, 2x USB-C in the USB 4.0 standard with Power Delivery and Display Port support, and an HDMI port. Other advantages include a backlit keyboard, a microSD card reader and an IR camera compatible with Windows Hello technology. However, there is no fingerprint reader. We get all this for PLN 6,500. Is that a lot? A comparable, top specification with an AMD Ryzen 9 processor costs just over PLN 5,000, so the price is certainly not low. I will try to answer the question whether it is worth paying extra for Snapdragon.
ASUS Vivobook S 15 | |
CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, 3.4 GHz, 12 Oryon cores |
RAM | 32 GB LPDDR5X, Dual-channel |
GPU | Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1 |
SSD | 1TB SSD |
Other | 1080p camera with IR Backlit keyboard microSD card reader |
Screen | 15.6 inches, 2880 x 1620 pixels, OLED, 120 Hz |
WLAN | Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 (WiFi 7), BT 5.4 |
Operating system | Windows 11 Home 64bit |
Battery | 70 Wh |
Ports | 2x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 1x HDMI 2x USB-C 4.0 (PD, Display Port) |
Dimensions | 353 x 227 x 16 mm |
Libra | 1.43 kg |
Price | ~PLN 6,499 (October 2024) |
ASUS Vivobook S 15 – design
The ASUS Vivobook S family of computers are models that have already gained a good reputation, but it must be remembered that they are a bit lower shelf than, for example, models from the Zenbook series. Vivobook S 15 with the Snapdragon processor does not stand out in any way compared to its twin models. At first glance, it would be difficult to notice that it is a computer with an ARM processor, because there is quite a large cooling system here. Snapdragon X Elite in this configuration can consume up to 45 W, so quite a lot.
From the bottom, the casing looks rather ordinary. The number of ventilation slots is quite large, and two fans are responsible for maintaining the appropriate temperature, which proves that we are dealing with a quite powerful processor. There are speaker holes on the side edges, which are very good, by the way. The sound that comes from this little thing brings no shame. Yes, there is a lack of low tones, but apart from that you can’t complain too much.
Despite its small thickness, the keyboard installed in this computer is not only backlit (colored) but also has a very pleasant keystroke. In addition, its layout with a long left Shift and a long Enter key is very well thought out. ASUS has even accommodated a narrow numeric block, which will probably be appreciated by many people who will work on this computer. In the upper right corner there is a power button, unfortunately without a fingerprint reader. I also have a positive opinion about the touchpad – it is sensitive and has a pleasant click, although in the lower part where it simulates the right/left mouse button it is quite loud. Additionally, we have a number of gestures at our disposal that make navigation easier. It is also worth appreciating the large surface of the touchpad.
As I already mentioned, the number of ports is satisfactory. On the left side we have two USB-C 4.0 ports, HDMI, a microSD card reader and a headphone jack. The USB-C ports support Power Delivery and Display Port, so you can use them to charge your computer and connect additional monitors. On the right, there are two standard USB-A 3.1 Gen1 ports.
The video call camera is mounted on a narrow frame above the screen and has a physical switch. Its quality is very good (1080p), and thanks to IR technology it also allows you to log into the system thanks to facial recognition. It works similarly to Face ID in Apple products.
The power supply included in the set has a power of 90 W and is sufficient. Unfortunately, it is quite a large “cube” with an additional power cord (so-called cloverleaf), so it may not be very convenient to transport. The maximum energy consumption I recorded was about 65 W, so there is still some reserve. When we have a discharged battery, there is probably a little less of it, but it seems to me that the power supply is sufficient for this design.
Unfortunately, I can’t share my display measurements with you this time. I couldn’t get my colorimeter to work with the ARM platform. According to the specifications, the OLED display used in this model offers a brightness of 400 nits in SDR and up to 600 nits in HDR. I have no reason not to believe this information. However, you must remember that the screen is glossy, which means that using it in sunny rooms is a bit bothersome, even at maximum brightness. Apart from that, it is a very good matrix, with excellent contrast, great colors and 120 Hz refresh rate.
ASUS Vivobook S 15 – performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E processor can, in theory, work even at 3.4 GHz. What’s more, it can maintain these parameters even under the load of several cores, and when we use all of them, the clock speed drops to 3.2 GHz. x86 chips usually have a bigger problem with this. All cores in this system are identical, there is no division into more and less efficient ones. They don’t have HyperThreading support, so they support one thread each, but that’s not a problem. The package also includes the Adreno X1 graphics system, which has LPDDR5x memory operating in dual-channel mode.
Performance results look decent, but not great. I don’t have a division here into native and emulation tests, but if you look at the results you’ll know which one is which :-). For example, in Cinebench 2024 (native), the advantage of the ARM processor over Intel is huge if we compare multi-threaded performance. In the emulated test, which is Cinebench R23, the differences are also significant, but in favor of the x86 processor. Interestingly, Geekbench 6 performs similarly on both systems. Generally, in normal use, Snapdragon on Windows 11 does not feel lacking in performance. The native browser works smoothly, we have no stutters or problems with running applications. It is much better than a few years ago, but unfortunately not perfect.
Gaming performance
The Adreno X1 system with fast LPDDR5x memory provides good performance, at least according to tests in the 3DMark benchmark. The situation is slightly worse in games, because some of them simply cannot be run on this configuration, while others work quite mediocrely. We don’t expect miracles looking at the results below, but the bigger problem seems to be the lack of compatibility. If you are thinking about gaming, it seems to me that a much better choice will be to look at a Vivobook with an AMD Ryzen processor and a quite powerful integrated Radeon.
ASUS Vivobook S 15 – SSD drive
The 1 TB SSD used is compatible with PCIe 4.0, although it still falls short of the limits of this interface. However, you can’t complain about the performance, about 4.5 GB/s when writing and reading data is an acceptable result and is not a reason to complain.
ASUS Vivobook S 15 – battery
The 70 Wh battery is quite a large cell and one of the great advantages of this computer. Snapdragon X Elite can be very economical when necessary thanks to the ARM architecture. In web browsing mode with a brightness of about 160 nits, it will easily last over 12 hours. If you run a movie, the working time will increase to over 14 hours. Under load, we only have 1.5 hours of gaming left. All this with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. If you set the screen to refresh at 120 Hz, the operating time is shortened by about 2 hours. The charging speed is also quite good – from 0 to 100% it takes 2 hours, but after an hour we will have about 80% of the battery capacity.
Reader test (screen brightness 160 nits, WiFi on) – 12h 21 minutes
Film test (screen brightness at 160 nits, WiFi on) – 14h 11 minutes
Gaming test (screen brightness 160 nits, 3DMark) – 1 hour 35 minutes
ASUS Vivobook S 15 – energy consumption, temperatures, noise
The energy consumption of the Vivobook S 15 with a Qualcomm processor can be quite low, but as usual, a lot depends on the brightness setting of the OLED screen. With a brightness of around 160 nits at idle, the computer needs about 10 W, when we set the maximum brightness the consumption increases to 15 W. The maximum load on the processor means an increase in energy consumption to a maximum of 65 W and it can stay at this level for a longer time thanks to the processor architecture and a good system. cooling. Unfortunately, by then it gets quite noisy.
The temperatures of the processor and the entire computer are acceptable. The case does not heat up excessively, mainly in the place where the processor and radiator are located (in the upper-middle part). Processor temperatures can temporarily reach close to 90 degrees Celsius. The cooling system runs at high speed under load, is very audible and, unfortunately, a bit bothersome. In normal office work, ASUS Vivobook S 15 is barely audible, the fans can operate unnoticed or even in passive mode, depending on what we are currently doing on the computer.
ASUS Vivobook S 15 – summary
ASUS Vivobook S 15 in such a powerful configuration is a very solid computer. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor is probably finally what fans of this architecture have been waiting for on Windows. Its performance is impressive, especially in native applications written for ARM processors, of which there are more and more. Unfortunately, the graphics system and compatibility problems with many games seem to be a major limitation. Adding to this problems with other programs (e.g. my colorimeter), we must be aware that not everything may work properly on it. It’s not as big a problem as it was a few years ago, but it still exists and isn’t 100% solved. Moreover, considering the price, which is higher than in the case of a notebook with Ryzen 9, I would rather choose the model with an AMD processor.
The casing of the Vivobook S 15 makes a good impression – it is solid and stiff, as well as well-balanced. A backlit keyboard and a very good quality camera for video calls are nice additions. I also consider the lack of the possibility of independent expansion as a disadvantage, ASUS followed Apple’s path, but it is more a matter of the platform itself. On the other hand, 32 GB of RAM is probably enough for everyone. ASUS Vivobook S 15 is a decent ultrabook that will allow you to work all day long, fits into any backpack, and also offers good performance when needed. The price of around PLN 6,500 seems high, but there are also models with a slightly weaker, eight-core system that can be purchased cheaper. However, I recommend doing this only if you are curious about the new architecture, because in terms of functionality, a typical x86 processor is better here.
ASUS Vivobook S 15
Approximate price: ~PLN 6,499