Asus is a brand to consider on the laptop market and is well known for making high-quality devices. The company offers a variety of laptop models, each designed to serve a specific reason, such as Republic of Gamers laptops are created with the needs of gamers users in the forefront of their minds. The same is true for the ZenBook series. The ZenBook series of notebooks are aimed at people who want a lightweight laptop with high-end specifications. In the same way, the VivoBook laptops have adopted an equal balance between performance, productivity and pricing. VivoBook has unveiled the VivoBook X512 laptop, a brand new VivoBook X512, part of the VivoBook line of notebooks. The price starts at 65,995. The computer is with the company’s most recent generation of processors and the most up-to-date Ergo-hinge designs. The company has also introduced an X512 with a 14-inch size laptop. The price starts at 33,990 for the base model. On paper, the X512 has everything needed for worthy of the title of the VivoBook however, does it possess the features worth the price the company has set to purchase the laptop? Let’s see.
Asus VivoBook X512: Design
Asus VivoBook X512 doesn’t feature anything extravagant regarding design, aside from an Ergo-hinge, which lifts the bottom of the laptop, creating more airflow. Additionally, it allows users to tilt their laptops for a better typing experience. The top and bottom panels of the computer are constructed out of plastic. It has flexibility in every component, including the display and keyboard deck. But, the bottom of the laptop is firm compared to the display and keyboard deck.
The top and bottom panels of the laptop feature a matte, smooth finish, which is not an easy target for fingerprints. While reviewing the computer, we did not have any issues with keeping the computer clean.
When you open the hinge, you will see the matte finish display, which has the most negligible possible bezels on every side, including the chin. The chin has also its Asus VivoBook printed on it.
In terms of ports on the laptop, it comes with three USB Type-A ports with two ports on both ends and, on its right. one USB Type-C port that cannot work with Thunderbolt 3. Additionally, the right portion of the laptop includes the HDMI port. It also has a 3.5mm audio connector, a microSD reader, and an outlet for charging the computer.
Another thing we noticed is that Asus has moved the lights for notification to the left of the laptop, which is quite annoying since each time we connect the device to charge, we need to check the lights to see if it is in charge or not. It would have been excellent had Asus could have found a way to put the lamps in an appropriate location.
Regarding the trackpad and keyboard, The laptop features a chiclet keyboard and the same colour accent as the laptop, which by the aesthetics of the design, is attractive and gives the computer a smooth feeling. Because the laptop’s keys are among the most frequently used features on notebooks and the colours could disappear over time. Like the trackpad, the laptop’s keyboard is also equipped with the same colour scheme as the other laptops. The upper right corner of the trackpad is equipped with a fingerprint scanner which works with the Windows Hello feature to unlock the device.
Asus VivoBook X512: Display
The VivoBook X512 by Asus comes with a 15.6-inch nano-edge matte-finish display with FHD (1920 by 1080) resolution. It also boasts an 88 per cent screen-to-body ratio to it. Thanks to the slim bezels, Asus can squeeze into a 15.6-inch display in a smaller size, which provides the laptop with a slender appearance compared to other laptops available on the market.
The display displays vibrant colours and delivers clear and crisp output. The laptop’s display is adequate in brightness to be utilized in direct sunlight due to the matte surface that reduces the need for reflection. One of the main issues we must address with this display is its unsatisfactory viewing angle. The show is thoroughly washed out when you view it from either the bottom or the top. The front view angle is acceptable, and we didn’t encounter any issues while using the laptop while standing up in the office.
Another problem with the laptop is that it can only be opened with one hand. The laptop’s base is so lightweight that even when opening the display, you need to use the hand of another to hold it in position. We are still determining the reason why Asus has not given more thought to this problem.
Asus has made some concessions in its display design, but it’s still entirely satisfactory at a price. The only aspect Asus could have improved is to provide slightly more viewing angles.
Asus VivoBook X512: Performance
Before discussing its performance, we’ll glance at the specifications. The laptop runs on the 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor coupled with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of a solid-state drive. It also has an exclusive Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics processor. This laptop appears capable enough to handle daily demands on paper.
We began to use the device as a daily driver for personal and professional purposes. Most of our work time is spent typing and browsing; sometimes, we don’t think about the forty or more pages open on Google Chrome, along with several other word processing programs. The laptop ran smoothly, and we didn’t experience any lag or speed loss in switching between the tabs or the software.
We also tested installing some games such as PUBG, Call of Duty Black Ops 4, and Hitman 2. Games such as PUBG played smoothly on our laptops in the medium setting. To play other games, we need to reduce some settings for graphics to ensure they play smoothly on notebooks. Because the computer has an average graphics processor and it’s not a Gaming machine, that level of performance is good enough, and we have no issues with its graphics capabilities.
In addition, they also have excellent travel and give good feedback when they are pressed. Keys also emit minimal noise, making typing in peaceful surroundings without disturbing other users. X512 has backlit keys that have three levels of brightness.
The laptop’s trackpad is also working well with Windows’ basic gestures. It’s excellent that Asus is using the Windows default touchpad driver, not any third-party driver from Synaptics and Elan.
The Ergo-hinge’s new design will assist in keeping the laptop at an even airflow, which keeps the laptop’s temperature in check even when under heavy loads.
Concerning the laptop’s battery life, The X512 has 37Whr battery power under the hood. The computer could last 5-6 hours with light usage and brightness in our test.
Asus VivoBook X512: Verdict
For the price of 65,990 rupees, The Asus VivoBook X512 offers some excellent features like a Core i7 processor, SSD, and a the dedicated graphics card. However, some areas, like the overall quality of build, display and audio quality, etc., in which Asus would have performed a little better. All in all, Asus has made it clear that it’s a VivoBook laptop designed to be an excellent value-for-money device that offers the highest price-to-performance ratios.
