The ASUS Vivobook lineup, along with Lenovo’s ThinkPad, has consistently remained among my top recommendations for users who desire a harmonious blend of performance and portability in laptop. Having had numerous chances to try out different models of the Vivobook series in the past, I have mostly been enthralled by the remarkable value these laptops offer in relation to their price points. Currently, I’m using the Vivobook 14X OLED, which exudes an air of sophistication and promises to deliver an exceptional user experience. It can be considered a mid-range offering with the version I’m reviewing currently at a retail price of Rs 1,14,990. So is the Vivobook 14X OLED your next laptop of choice? Find out in this detailed review.
Build, design, and display
The Vivobook 14X OLED has a plastic build for the most part although the lid has a metallic construction. It won’t be wrong to say that the laptop’s outward appearance does inflate its premium nature but upon usage, it is clear that this is a mid-range offering. There is a bit of creaking around the centre of the keyboard and the lid, while helped by a flexible 180-degree hinge, does wobble when I type vigorously. However, there is absolutely no issue with regard to portability as the laptop weighs just about 1.4kg and has a thickness of 18.9mm. Also, the 14-inch screen size allows me to comfortably slide the device into my backpack. The colour options include Cool Silver, which I have with me, and Indie Black.
Also Read: ASUS Vivobook Go 14 review: appeals to the masses
Talking a bit about the ports on the laptop, the right side has a USB 3.2 Type-C slot which also supports power delivery. Apart from that there are also USB 3.2 Gen 1 and HDMI 2.1 ports along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the left, the Vivobook 14X has its thermal vents and another USB 3.2 Gen 1 slot. As far as wireless options are concerned the device makes use of Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. The laptop also has a webcam on the top bezel with a physical slider for privacy. Finally, the fingerprint sensor is located just inside the trackpad.
The display is where ASUS is charging a premium and with good reason. As a visual aid, the laptop offers a 14-inch 2.8K OLED panel that can refresh at 90Hz. In terms of colour accuracy, the display is Pantone-validated and ASUS claims that it supports 100 percent of the DCI-P3 Colour Gamut. My experience with the screen remained very positive and I’m particularly impressed with the Display HDR TrueBlack 600 feature that provides stunning dynamic range to any video content.
As a result, any video content on the display looks quite immersive, which is hard to replicate in this price bracket. I took delight in the screen’s reproduction of Interstellar’s jaw-dropping visuals in such clarity. I think that the laptop can be considered a pretty easy recommendation for creative professionals who dabble in colour correction and photo editing work. Also, outdoor usage remains less of a problem with the nearly 600 units of peak brightness on offer. However, since the screen comes in a glossy finish instead of matte, any light source behind you can reflect off the display. A small niggle, in an otherwise harmonious viewing experience.
Keyboard and trackpad
ASUS does have a good track record of providing a comfortable typing experience no matter the segment. The Vivobook 14X benefits from this with its standard six-row Chiclet-style keyboard with 1.4mm of travel. Although the laptop is compact in size, the keys are not cramped together. The learning curve for the typing experience on the device is relatively short.
There is a backlight available that can be adjusted to three levels. Apart from that, the trackpad has a decent enough surface area but isn’t the best in terms of response. There’s just a slight bit of delay between gliding my finger on the trackpad and the time it takes to move the cursor. The fingerprint reader, located within the trackpad enclosure, does its job as advertised with fast and reliable authentication.
Performance and battery
In terms of raw performance, the Vivobook 14X OLED is offered in several variants powered by Intel’s 13th-gen lineup. I have with me the top-end i9 13900H version of the laptop which retails for Rs 1,14,990 although you can also get the base i5 13500H-powered one for Rs 89,990 as well. I have analysed the processing metrics associated with my review unit and came away quite impressed. The device scored good points on benchmarking platforms like Cinebench and PCMark which adds to the 14X’s utility. In terms of cooling and thermal activity, strenuous tasks did manage to heat up the chassis but did not affect the laptop’s performance.
The graphical output is managed by NVIDIA’s RTX 3050 GPU on my variant. It is definitely not the most powerful piece of silicon to enjoy high-fidelity gaming but it will suffice in the case of some light video editing work. I did, however, run a few titles to test the efficiency of the Vivobook 14X Pro when it comes to some of the classic multiplayer games on the market. The laptop managed to keep 60fps constant on CS: GO and Valorant, but only at medium settings. ASUS has included its MUX Switch technology to better help the GPU communicate with the display which, in part, helps in higher frame rate counts. However, if your ambitions are more towards AAA gaming, then the Vivobook 14X OLED may not serve your needs.
One thing I definitely did not like about the laptop is its audio setup. The speaker quality doesn’t seem great, and I would really recommend a good pair of headphones/earphones if you are consuming audio content. The webcam quality is nothing to brag about and is just passable enough for VC.
As for the battery life, the laptop has a 63Whr cell which is decent enough considering this Vivobook’s dimensions. It is ably supported by 90W charging via the adapter provided within the box. My usage mostly centred around playing videos, typing out this review on Chrome, and using a bit of Microsoft Office. I got about five hours out of the machine, again a reasonably good amount. While charging the battery juices up fast in about 90 minutes.
Verdict
Parting thoughts, of which I have a few, mostly revolve around the portability of the laptop and its rather good display. Both these factors, along with the relatively good processing capabilities, would be important for the target consumers. I feel that the device is not just for working professionals, but also for users dabbling in creative work. My only gripe with the device is its less-than-acceptable audio setup and trackpad. However, these issues are remedied with access to suitable peripherals. The Vivobook 14X OLED is a device with good potential and gets my nod as an acceptable mid-range offering.
Editor’s rating: 4 / 5
Pros:
- Well-built, yet compact & lightweight
- Great display for the price
- Decent performance
- Acceptable battery life
Cons:
- Speakers are subpar
- Trackpad could be better
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