ASUS Vivobook S14 – Review

For the modern professional in today’s ever-changing working landscape, finding the perfect working companion means more than just the latest and most powerful hardware – there needs to be a level of portability mixed with power and performance, offering lightweight machines that don’t skimp on their hardware for the best of both worlds.

The Asus Vivobook S14 is the line-up’s latest model built for unhindered productivity, offering a slim profile of just 31.52 x 22.34 x 1.59cm at its thinnest point, and weighing just 1.4 kg/. This allows the unit to sit comfortably in most backpacks and tote bags without taking up too much space. Under that slim chassis, the entry-level model is outfitted with a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 255H with a clock speed of 2.0 GHz, which is further supplemented by an Intel AI Boost NPU capable of up to 13 trillion operations per second (TOPS), an integrated Intel GPU, and 16GB of RAM, with the option to increase this further to 32GB.

In practice, the mobile processor serves well to handle basic day-to-day tasks with ease, never causing any noticeable slowdown even after use with multiple browser tabs and windows open, alongside software being downloaded and installed in the background. With a mobile processor and integrated graphics, the device clearly isn’t built with gaming in mind. However, it did prove capable when running less graphically intense titles like Hades II, or even modern remasters of older 3D games like the recently released RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army and Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny, running all three games at a smooth 60fps at 1,920 x 1,200 resolution and high graphics settings.

The device is clad in a pleasing metallic matte grey finish, with a minimalist aesthetic comprising a single CNC-engraved logo on the right side of its lid. This same level of minimalism extends to the laptop’s keyboard as well, although not to the same pleasing effect, with drab all-black keycaps that stand out rather unsightly against its otherwise clean grey finish. Still, an upside to this simplicity lies in its functionality, with its lengthy 1.7mm Key-travel and sufficient key spacing to provide an intuitive and comfortable typing experience that doesn’t take much time to get used to.

Its enlarged 2.5 cm touchpad is also a plus, which not only provides more space for precise scrolling, but also registers clicks accurately, with only a small area on its bottom right-hand side reserved for the right-click function, minimising instances of misclicks. Swiping across the trackpad was smooth without issue, with its smart gesture features like brightness and volume controls never getting in the way of general use.

As a portable device, heat management is especially important not only to ensure device longevity, but also comfort, as it’s not ideal to work with a hot laptop on your lap while on the go. To this end, the Vivobook S14 features a surprisingly lean suite of cooling vents, with just one intake vent stretched across the rear end of the device’s base, and a single output vent on the right-hand side of the laptop’s rear. But this has not impacted performance, as despite its apparent lack of cooling vents, the device remained relatively cool, even at its base, even after an hour of prolonged use, making it ideal for use even in places without an available surface to work on.

In terms of connectivity options, the device offers a serviceable spread, comprising two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports with built-in power delivery support, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, one mini HDMI 1.4 port and a 3.5mm audio jack on its left, and a single USB Type-A port on its right. These offerings are more than sufficient for the everyday user, removing the need to lug around additional external dongles, although it has to be noted that the laptop only supports the older HDMI 1.4 standard instead of HDMI 2.1 like most modern devices.

For its display, the Vivobook S14 comes equipped with a 14-inch 60Hz panel with a 16:10, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution IPS display, which is suitable enough for the average user, but definitely isn’t as vibrant or colour-accurate when compared to an OLED display. The laptop’s speakers similarly leave much to be desired, with audio that sounds extremely muffled even when set to max volume, making headphones the better option in most cases.

One benefit from having a comparatively low-powered processor stems from an improved battery life, with the Vivobook S14 performing respectively after an hour of intense benchmarking using 3DMark’s Wild Life Extreme mobile processor stress test, dropping around 40 per cent. During general use, on the other hand, its 70WHr battery dipped around 10 per cent after an hour of general use consisting of typing documents, clearing emails and watching YouTube videos, which means the device should last around eight to 10 hours on a full charge, which is suitable for a full work day without the need for a power adapter.

With AI being such an integral part of modern technology these days, it’s no surprise that the Vivobook S14 comes packed with a whole suite of AI tools powered by its NPU. These include Microsoft Copilot, an AI assistant that can be activated to provide basic tech and query support or be used to remember certain information to set deadlines, with the device also featuring a dedicated Copilot button on its keyboard for quick access. Apart from this, the device also comes with built-in AI technologies, including an AI noise-cancelling microphone and speaker to enhance everyday work processes like team meetings. These tools, as always when it comes to AI, are good to have, but certainly not required for most usage scenarios.

At S$1,599, the Asus Vivobook S14 makes up for its relatively under-powered hardware with a slim profile, stable performance, respectable battery life and most importantly, a comfortable and intuitive typing experience well suited for out-of-office use, making it a strong contender for those looking for a lightweight device to supplement their remote working lifestyle.

Kevin Low

Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.