Asus recently opened pre-bookings for its latest Vivobook S 15 (2024), the first AI-powered PC in India featuring Snapdragon X Elite and innovative Copilot+ AI features. This launch has sparked significant interest, positioning the Vivobook S 15 as a potential rival to Apple’s popular MacBook Air M3. But does it truly measure up? Let’s delve into its features, performance, and pricing to assess its worthiness.

Basic Specifications

The Vivobook S 15 OLED features a Snapdragon X Elite X1E 78 100 processor along with an Adreno GPU, Qualcomm Hexagon NPU 45TOPS, and 16GB LPDDR5X RAM. It has a 15.6″ 3K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD.

It’s impressively thin and light at just 1.42kg and 1.47cm. It offers a single-zone RGB keyboard and a dedicated Copilot key. In terms of connectivity, the laptop includes two USB4 ports, two USB 3.2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, a MicroSD card reader, and an audio jack. It comes with a 70Wh battery providing up to 18 hours of use and runs on Windows 11 Home.

Copilot+ AI Features

One of the standout features of the Vivobook S 15 is its integration of Copilot+ PC, a set of AI-powered tools designed to enhance productivity and user experience. While the headline feature, Recall, has been delayed due to security concerns, the laptop still boasts several other AI capabilities. These include presence monitoring, which dims the display when the user isn’t looking to conserve battery life, and improved Windows Studio effects for video calls. The dedicated AI chip also offloads intensive processes from the CPU, contributing to the laptop’s impressive battery life.

Comparison with MacBook Air M3

While the Vivobook S 15 aims to compete with the MacBook Air M3, there are key differences to consider. The Vivobook S 15 offers a larger 15.6-inch display compared to the MacBook Air M3’s 15-inch display. In terms of processing power, initial reviews suggest that the Vivobook S 15’s Snapdragon X Elite processor performs well in multi-core tasks and rendering processes, even outperforming the M3 MacBook Air in certain scenarios.

Battery life is another area where the Vivobook S 15 shines. Tests have shown impressive battery longevity, surpassing many competitors. However, it falls slightly short of the larger 15-inch M3 MacBook Air, which boasts an even longer battery life.

Drawbacks and App Compatibility Concerns

One of the main concerns with the Vivobook S 15 lies in app compatibility. The number of native ARM Windows apps is currently limited, leading to reliance on emulation for many applications. While some apps perform well under emulation, others may encounter issues. Furthermore, certain app developers have blocked emulation, resulting in the unavailability of some popular apps on this PC, although they are expected to be released later.

While Microsoft’s Prism translation layer aims to improve compatibility, it doesn’t solve all issues. The lack of a touchscreen makes using features like Cocreator in Microsoft Paint less intuitive, according to Wired. Additionally, the Live Captions feature struggles to keep up with fast-paced audio. Overall, the Vivobook might not be suitable for those seeking high graphics performance or needing specific apps that are not widely used.

According to reviews, the gaming performance of this laptop is also inconsistent. Emulation and overall performance are less than ideal, primarily due to Qualcomm’s weaker GPU, which lags behind competitors. This may be disappointing for users who prioritize gaming on their laptops.

Pricing and Value Proposition

The Asus Vivobook S 15 (2024) starts at ₹124,990 for the 16GB + 1TB model. This makes it slightly more affordable than the 13″ MacBook Air M3, which starts at ₹134,900 in India.

The Vivobook S 15 (2024) offers a compelling value compared to the MacBook Air M3, especially when considering storage options. The base model of the MacBook Air M3 starts with 8GB RAM and 512GB storage, which may not be sufficient for power users. The same 16GB + 1TB variant of the MacBook Air M3 comes at a significantly higher price point.

Asus is also offering attractive pre-order benefits, including a 2-year warranty extension, 3 years of damage protection, and branded earbuds, all for just ₹1. This adds significant value to the package and makes the Vivobook S 15 an even more tempting option.

Therefore, if you prioritize a powerful Windows laptop with innovative AI features, competitive performance, and a vivid display, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 (2024) presents an attractive option. However, if you rely on specific apps that are not yet optimized for ARM or are a hardcore gamer, you might want to consider alternatives or wait for further app compatibility improvements.

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Back in May, Asus unveiled the Vivobook S 15 laptops powered by the new Snapdragon X Elite chipset. The laptop also comes integrated with Microsoft’s Copilot+ AI, featuring a dedicated Copilot+ button. A month after the global launch, Asus has now brought the Vivobook S 15 S5507 laptop over to the Indian market, kicking off pre-orders from July 2 on Flipkart.

The pre-order window will be open from July 2 to July 8, 2024. Customers who pre-order the ASUS Vivobook S 15 (S5507) will receive benefits worth up to Rs. 21,389 for just Rs. 1. These benefits include free earbuds, an additional two-year warranty, and three years of accidental damage protection. The pre-order process involves four steps:

1. Pre-book the ASUS Vivobook S 15 on Flipkart between July 2 and July 8.
2. Generate a unique coupon code on the ASUS website during the same period.
3. Receive the exclusive coupon code via email.
4. Redeem the offer at asuspromo.in for Rs. 1 within 15 days after purchasing the laptop.

Asus Vivobook S 15 (S5507) specs:

The ASUS Vivobook S 15 (S5507) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E 78 100 processor, paired with 32GB LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD. The device runs on Windows 11 Home. It has a 15.6-inch ASUS Lumina OLED display with a 3k resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 600 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The laptop features a Qualcomm Adreno GPU and Qualcomm Hexagon NPU 45TOPS for high performance and efficiency. Its 70Wh battery offers up to 18 hours of battery life, and fast-charging technology can charge the device up to 60% in 49 minutes.

The Vivobook S 15 includes a backlit chiclet keyboard with a num key, 1.7mm key travel, a precision touchpad, and a dedicated Copilot key. It also features an FHD camera with an IR function and a privacy shutter for enhanced security and usability.

Connectivity options for the Vivobook S 15 include two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, two USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 TMDS port, a 3.5mm combo audio jack, a micro SD card reader, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. The device meets US MIL-STD 810H military-grade standards and includes features such as AI noise canceling, built-in speakers, Smart Amp technology, and more.

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ASUS has refreshed its Vivobook S series laptops in India. The lineup includes the Vivobook S 16 OLED, S 15 OLED, and S 14 OLED. All three come with the latest hardware and notably OLED displays. The S 14 OLED is the base model whereas the S 15 OLED sits in the middle and the S 16 OLED is the most premium offering. Read on to know what these laptops offer out of the box. 

ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED, S 15 OLED, S 14 OLED specifications and features

The ASUS S 16 OLED and S 15 OLED have 16 and 15.6-inch displays bearing a 3.2K and 3K resolutions respectively. Both offer a 120Hz refresh rate, 600 nits peak brightness, and VESA-certified DisplayHDR True Black 600. The Vivobook duo feature a built-in speaker and microphone with smart amp technology. 

The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED and S 15 OLED boast MIL-STD 810H military-grade durability. Both have a metallic chassis and a customizable RGB backlit keyboard. There is a precision touchpad and a copilot key. The laptops feature an FHD IR webcam with a privacy shutter. 

Under the hood, the ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED and S 15 OLED are powered with up to Intel Core Ultra 9 processors. There is Intel Arc graphics and Intel AI Boost NPU. Both machines pack 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage. They are backed by a 75WHr battery cell with support for 90W charging. Connectivity options on the devices include two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a Type-A port, a Type-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. 

Meanwhile, the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED also has a 14-inch OLED screen but with a downgraded WUXGA resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. It also has military-grade durability. The laptop is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS processor with integrated AMD Radeon graphics. There is 16GB RAM and 1TB storage onboard. The rest of the features on this model are the same as the S 15 and S 16 OLED. 

The ASUS Vivobook S 16 OLED starts at Rs 1,02,990 whereas the S 15 OLED starts at Rs 96,990. The Vivobook S 14 OLED retails at Rs 89,990. All three laptops are offered in Mist Blue and Neutral Black colors. They can be purchased from ASUS-exclusive stores as well as leading online and offline channels. 

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