Asus VivoBook 15 S512 / X512, a stylish 15-inch ultrabook with a comfortable range and an easy upgrade. On the other hand, its positioning involves a plastic chassis and a TN screen not very qualitative.
Here are the technical characteristics of the tested model:
| Slab | 15.6 “Full HD NTSC 45% 200 nits (1920×1080, anti-glare / matte) |
| Processor | AMD quad core Ryzen 7 3700U Picasso (2.3 GHz, 4 cores, TDP 15W) |
| Installed RAM (max) | 8 GB (4 GB soldered 4 GB) DDR4 2400 MHz (20 GB), 1 slot (busy) |
| Storage space | M.2 SSD of 512 GB |
| Graphic card | AMD Radeon Vega 10 integrated into the processor |
| Optical reader | – |
| Audio system | 2 speakers (2W) SonicMaster |
| webcam | Yes, with microphone |
| Network | Wi-Fi ac (1×1) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Card reader | microSD / SDHC |
| Video output (s) | HDMI |
| Fingerprint reader | – |
| Entries exits) | Headphone / Mic Combo |
| USB | 2 USB 2.0 1 USB 3.0 1 USB 3.1 Type-C (Gen1) |
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Drums | Li-ion 2 cells 37Whr |
| Autonomy announced | 4 hours |
| Dimensions (mm) | 357 x 230 x 19.5 |
| Weight | 1.7 Kg (with battery) |
| Guarantee | 2 years |
| Other | Backlit chiclet keyboard with numeric keypad, multi-touch touchpad |
| software | Asus applications |
Chassis / Aesthetics
In connection with the competitive pricing of the ultrabook, the Asus VivoBook S512 is completely surrounded by plastic. This results in a weight of 1.75 kg and a profile of 19 mm, measurements rather well optimized for its category. This material is however more fragile than metal and the cover of this VivoBook will not resist long under pressure and torsion before showing deformations. Similarly, opening the ultrabook requires the use of both hands to maintain the base and prevent it from leaving with the cover. The tester is pleased to find the ErgoLift hinge which creates a comfortable angle of attack and offers good resistance to handling.
Connectors
On the left side, there are two USB Type-A 2.0 ports, while the right side houses the power supply socket, a USB Type-A 3.1 (Gen. 1), an HDMI output, a USB Type-C port 3.1 (Gen. 1), a combo audio jack and a MicroSD card reader.
Maintenance
Not so different from the VivoBook S15 S532, the VivoBook 15 S512 (X512) is closed by 10 Phillips screws that hold the bottom plate. Once all unscrewed, you must perform some leverage actions with a small fine tool in order to separate the plate. The upgrade is favored with a DDR4 RAM slot, an M.2 port and a scalable 2.5-inch slot.
Keyboard / Touchpad
As for the comfort of typing, the keyboard is very good. The punching stroke is decent and a marked feedback. In addition, it includes a keypad, even if it is slightly compacted. Depending on the model, the keyboard is backlit or not and highlights the letters for easy typing in a dark atmosphere, a very valuable option especially on the silver variant where the lettering is not readable other than backlit.
Screen
To date, the tester has not finished testing the screen but can still say that on this model, the TN panel does not ensure very wide angles of approach unlike the IPS declination also proposed on this range . Caution therefore at the time of purchase.
performances
Built around a low power Ryzen 7 Quad Core, 8 GB of RAM and a dedicated SSD, the test model is designed for office and multimedia activity. Namely that the processor is not fully exploited inside the ultrabook with a stabilized frequency after 15 minutes of testing around 2.39 Ghz. Some Ryzen 5 in other models do better in these conditions. Apart from that, the system is fluid thanks to the SSD.
The graphics part is integrated on this reference with the Radeon Vega 10. It allows a little game in Full HD on titles that are not greedy in graphic resources.
Temperatures / Noise
The tester wonders about the cooling system since the heat sink is not placed on the edge of the laptop, but on the location of a dedicated graphics processor. He therefore has some doubts about the effectiveness of this system that are confirmed during the benchs. If the components heat up little, it is because they are clamped factory.
Autonomy
The Asus VivoBook X512 / S512 is only equipped with a 37Whr battery. But Asus has worked the efficiency of its components and manages to draw nearly 8 hours in Internet browsing with active WiFi and 7 hours in video playback.
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