Asus Vivobook 15: I5 12th Gen Review & Specs

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Asus Vivobook 15 i5 12th Generation: A Deep Dive Review

Hey everyone! Today, we’re diving deep into the Asus Vivobook 15 featuring the 12th generation Intel Core i5 processor. If you're in the market for a reliable and versatile laptop that balances performance and affordability, then you've come to the right place. We'll dissect everything from its design and display to performance and battery life, giving you a comprehensive overview to help you decide if this is the right laptop for you. So, grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and let's get started!

Design and Build Quality

The Asus Vivobook 15 sports a sleek and minimalist design that makes it suitable for both professional and personal use. The laptop is available in several colors, allowing you to pick one that matches your style. The chassis is primarily made of plastic, which helps keep the weight down, making it fairly portable for a 15-inch laptop. While the plastic build might not feel as premium as some of its more expensive counterparts, it still feels sturdy enough to withstand daily wear and tear.

Opening the laptop reveals a clean and functional interior. The keyboard layout is spacious, offering a comfortable typing experience. The key travel is decent, providing tactile feedback that makes typing enjoyable, even for extended periods. The trackpad is adequately sized and responsive, supporting multi-finger gestures for easy navigation. One minor gripe is that the trackpad can sometimes feel a bit plasticky, but it's not a deal-breaker by any means.

In terms of ports, the Vivobook 15 offers a decent selection. You get USB-A ports, USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack. This variety ensures that you can connect a wide range of peripherals without needing to rely on dongles. The inclusion of a USB-C port is particularly handy for modern accessories and fast data transfer. Overall, the design and build quality of the Asus Vivobook 15 strike a good balance between aesthetics, functionality, and portability.

Display Quality

The display is one of the most crucial aspects of any laptop, and the Asus Vivobook 15 comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920x1080) panel. The screen offers adequate sharpness for everyday tasks like browsing, document editing, and watching videos. However, the color accuracy and brightness are where the display shows its limitations. The color gamut coverage is relatively narrow, meaning that colors might appear a bit muted compared to more vibrant displays. This might not be ideal for professionals who require accurate color representation for tasks like photo or video editing.

The brightness levels are also fairly average. While the display is usable indoors, it might struggle in brightly lit environments or outdoors. The viewing angles are decent, but there is some color shifting when viewed from extreme angles. On the plus side, the display features an anti-glare coating, which helps reduce reflections and makes it easier to use the laptop under different lighting conditions. For general use, the display is perfectly adequate, but if you need a display with exceptional color accuracy or brightness, you might want to consider other options.

Despite its limitations, the Asus Vivobook 15's display is still suitable for most everyday tasks. Streaming movies, browsing the web, and working on documents are all perfectly enjoyable. However, if you're a creative professional who relies on accurate color representation, you might want to explore laptops with better display capabilities.

Performance

Under the hood, the Asus Vivobook 15 is powered by the 12th generation Intel Core i5 processor. This CPU offers a significant performance boost compared to previous generations, making it well-suited for a wide range of tasks. The i5-1235U, typically found in this model, features a hybrid architecture with performance cores and efficiency cores, allowing it to handle both demanding workloads and everyday tasks with ease.

In terms of real-world performance, the Vivobook 15 shines in multitasking scenarios. You can comfortably run multiple applications simultaneously without experiencing significant slowdowns. Whether you're browsing the web with multiple tabs open, editing documents, or streaming music, the laptop handles it all with aplomb. The integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics also provides enough graphical power for light gaming and video editing. While it's not a gaming laptop, you can still enjoy casual games and perform basic video editing tasks without any major issues.

The laptop typically comes with 8GB or 16GB of RAM, which is sufficient for most users. However, if you plan on running more demanding applications or doing a lot of multitasking, opting for the 16GB model might be a good idea. Storage options usually include a fast SSD, which ensures quick boot times and snappy application loading. Overall, the performance of the Asus Vivobook 15 is impressive for its price range, making it a great choice for students, professionals, and anyone who needs a reliable and capable laptop for everyday use.

Battery Life

Battery life is another crucial aspect to consider when choosing a laptop, and the Asus Vivobook 15 offers decent performance in this area. The laptop typically comes with a 42Wh battery, which provides enough power to get you through a typical workday. In real-world usage, you can expect to get around 6 to 8 hours of battery life, depending on your usage patterns. Tasks like browsing the web, editing documents, and streaming videos will consume less power than more demanding tasks like gaming or video editing.

To extend the battery life, you can adjust the screen brightness, close unnecessary applications, and enable battery-saving mode. The laptop also supports fast charging, which allows you to quickly recharge the battery when needed. While the battery life might not be exceptional, it's certainly adequate for most users. If you need a laptop that can last for an entire day on a single charge, you might want to consider models with larger batteries or more power-efficient processors.

However, for typical daily use, the Asus Vivobook 15 provides enough battery life to keep you productive on the go. Whether you're working from a coffee shop, attending meetings, or traveling, you can rely on the Vivobook 15 to keep you powered up throughout the day.

Audio Quality

The audio quality on the Asus Vivobook 15 is fairly standard for a laptop in its price range. The built-in speakers provide adequate sound for casual listening, but they lack the depth and richness of higher-end audio systems. The speakers are located on the bottom of the laptop, which can sometimes muffle the sound when placed on soft surfaces like a bed or couch.

While the speakers are sufficient for watching videos and listening to music, they might not be ideal for more critical listening tasks like audio editing or mixing. The soundstage is relatively narrow, and the bass response is limited. However, the laptop does include a headphone jack, which allows you to connect external headphones or speakers for a better audio experience. When using headphones, the audio quality improves significantly, providing a more immersive and detailed sound.

For everyday use, the audio quality of the Asus Vivobook 15 is perfectly acceptable. However, if you're an audiophile or someone who requires high-quality audio for professional tasks, you might want to invest in a good pair of headphones or external speakers to enhance your listening experience.

Keyboard and Trackpad

The Asus Vivobook 15 features a comfortable and functional keyboard that makes typing a breeze. The keys are well-spaced and offer decent key travel, providing tactile feedback that makes typing enjoyable, even for extended periods. The keyboard layout is standard, with all the keys in their usual positions, so there's no learning curve involved. The keys are also relatively quiet, which is a nice bonus if you're working in a quiet environment.

The trackpad is adequately sized and responsive, supporting multi-finger gestures for easy navigation. The surface of the trackpad is smooth, allowing your fingers to glide effortlessly across it. The trackpad also supports precision drivers, which ensure accurate and responsive tracking. While the trackpad can sometimes feel a bit plasticky, it's not a major issue and doesn't detract significantly from the overall user experience.

Overall, the keyboard and trackpad on the Asus Vivobook 15 are well-designed and functional, providing a comfortable and efficient input experience. Whether you're typing documents, browsing the web, or navigating through applications, the keyboard and trackpad work seamlessly together to enhance your productivity.

Pros and Cons

To summarize, here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons of the Asus Vivobook 15:

Pros:

  • Excellent performance with the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor
  • Lightweight and portable design
  • Decent battery life for everyday use
  • Comfortable keyboard and responsive trackpad
  • Affordable price point

Cons:

  • Display color accuracy could be better
  • Plastic build might not feel as premium as some competitors
  • Audio quality is average

Final Verdict

The Asus Vivobook 15 i5 12th generation is a solid all-around laptop that offers a great balance of performance, portability, and affordability. It's perfect for students, professionals, and anyone who needs a reliable laptop for everyday use. While it has some minor drawbacks, such as the average display and audio quality, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. If you're looking for a budget-friendly laptop that can handle a wide range of tasks with ease, the Asus Vivobook 15 is definitely worth considering. I hope this review helped you make a more informed decision!