Asus VivoBook 15 (2024) Review

The Asus VivoBook 15 (2024) is an affordable, mid-range laptop designed for students, professionals, and everyday users who need a reliable machine for general tasks like web browsing, media consumption, and light productivity work. As part of the popular VivoBook series, the 2024 model continues to offer a balance between performance, design, and value. Let’s explore its key features and performance.

Design and Build Quality

The VivoBook 15 (2024) carries forward Asus’s minimalistic and stylish design approach. The laptop features a 15.6-inch display with slim bezels, giving it a modern and sleek appearance. Despite being a budget-friendly option, it feels sturdy and well-built, thanks to its plastic chassis with a brushed metal-like finish, which makes it look more premium than its price suggests.

Weighing about 3.75 pounds (1.7 kg), it is lightweight enough to be easily portable, making it a great choice for students or professionals who need a laptop on the go. It’s available in multiple colors, including Slate Grey, Peacock Blue, and Transparent Silver, offering some degree of personalization.

Display

The VivoBook 15 (2024) comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display. It uses an IPS panel, which provides good viewing angles and decent color reproduction, though it might not be as vibrant or color-accurate as higher-end models. The screen is suitable for day-to-day tasks like streaming videos, browsing the web, and working on documents.

The brightness levels are decent but not exceptional, so it may struggle in bright outdoor environments. Overall, the display is adequate for casual use but may fall short for more color-critical tasks like photo editing.

Performance

The Asus VivoBook 15 (2024) is powered by Intel’s 13th Gen Core i5 or i7 processors or AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors, depending on the configuration. For most users, the Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 models offer more than enough performance for everyday tasks such as web browsing, media playback, and running productivity apps like Microsoft Office.

The laptop comes with up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB of PCIe SSD storage, ensuring smooth multitasking and fast boot times. For lighter workloads, such as running multiple browser tabs or video calls, the VivoBook 15 handles it well without slowing down. However, it’s not designed for heavy tasks like 3D rendering or gaming, although it can handle basic games and casual graphics work with its integrated Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon graphics.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The full-sized keyboard is comfortable for typing, with 1.4mm of key travel that provides a good tactile feel. The keys are spaced well, making it easy to type for long periods, whether you’re working on assignments or writing reports. The backlit keyboard is a nice feature for working in dimly lit environments, though it might not be as bright as high-end models.

The precision touchpad is responsive and supports Windows Precision drivers, allowing for smooth multi-touch gestures like two-finger scrolling and pinch-to-zoom. It also has an integrated fingerprint sensor for Windows Hello, providing a convenient and secure way to log into the laptop without needing a password.

Battery Life

One of the standout features of the VivoBook 15 (2024) is its battery life. With a 42Wh battery, it offers up to 8 hours of light usage, such as web browsing, document editing, and video streaming. While this isn’t groundbreaking, it’s decent for a laptop in this price range. For heavier tasks, expect the battery to last around 5-6 hours. It also supports fast charging, allowing you to charge the laptop to 60% in about 49 minutes, which is helpful if you need a quick power boost on the go.

Connectivity

The VivoBook 15 (2024) offers a good range of connectivity options:


1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1

1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1

2 x USB-A 2.0

HDMI 1.4

3.5mm combo audio jack

microSD card reader

The inclusion of a USB-C port is a great addition for faster data transfer and peripheral support, although it doesn’t support Thunderbolt. The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring faster and more stable wireless connections.

Software and Features

The VivoBook 15 runs on Windows 11 Home, offering all the latest features of Microsoft’s operating system, such as improved multitasking capabilities with Snap Layouts, virtual desktops, and better performance optimizations.

Asus also includes MyAsus software, which allows for easy system diagnostics, performance tweaking, and access to features like AI noise-cancellation for clearer audio in video calls. The Asus NumberPad 2.0 is another handy feature, turning the touchpad into a numeric keypad for easier data entry, which is especially useful for those who frequently work with spreadsheets.

Audio and Webcam

The dual stereo speakers are powered by Harman Kardon and deliver decent sound quality for streaming music or watching videos, though they may lack the depth and bass needed for a more immersive experience. They’re loud enough for casual use, but for a better audio experience, external speakers or headphones are recommended.

The 720p webcam is adequate for video conferencing, though the image quality is average and can be grainy in low-light conditions. It’s sufficient for basic video calls via Zoom or Teams, but not ideal for those needing high-quality video output.

Price and Value

The Asus VivoBook 15 (2024) starts at around $599 for the base configuration and goes up to around $850 for higher-end models with better processors and more storage. It offers excellent value for money, especially for users who need a solid laptop for everyday tasks but don’t require the power of a high-end ultrabook.

Conclusion

The Asus VivoBook 15 (2024) is a solid all-around laptop for casual users, students, and professionals who need a reliable machine for everyday computing tasks. Its lightweight design, decent performance, and good battery life make it a strong contender in the mid-range market. While it’s not designed for gaming or demanding tasks, it excels in areas like productivity, media consumption, and light multitasking.

If you're looking for an affordable, well-rounded laptop with a good feature set and modern design, the Asus VivoBook 15 (2024) is a great option to consider. It delivers good performance for the price and has enough features to make it a versatile choice for most everyday users.