ASUS Announces its Latest Vivobook Classic Series

[TheLostSwede]

ASUS today announced six of the latest models in its popular Vivobook Classic series of everyday laptops, led by the updated Vivobook 14 OLED (X1405), Vivobook 15 OLED (X1505) and Vivobook 16 (X1605). These are accompanied by new versions of the affordable Vivobook 14 (X1404), Vivobook 15 (X1504) and Vivobook 17 (X1704).

Smooth performance is delivered by up to 13th Gen Intel Core H-series processors with 16 GB RAM and up to a 1 TB SSD. Quiet and efficient cooling is provided by the dual-vented cooling system with an IceBlade fan and up to two heat pipes. The long-lasting up to 50 Wh battery gives users more freedom, and there's up to WiFi 6E for ultrafast connectivity. Other helpful design features include the latest ASUS AI noise-canceling audio technology for crystal-clear communications, and there are bundled productivity-enhancing ASUS apps including GlideX, MyASUS and ScreenXpert.




Vivobook 14 OLED and 15 OLED deliver a stunning visual experience, featuring superb OLED NanoEdge Pantone Validated displays with up to a 2.8K (2880 x 1620) resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. Vivobook 14 OLED has an expansive 16:10 aspect-ratio display, while Vivobook 15 OLED has a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. All displays have TÜV Rheinland low blue-light certification to ensure eye comfort during long viewing sessions. Vivobook 16 has a WUXGA (1920 x 1200) 16:10 wide-view IPS display.

The eye-catching slim and lightweight design is accentuated with a metal-look finish and a selection of on-trend colors. The 180° lay-flat hinge allows easy collaboration and sharing, and the comprehensive I/O capabilities include up to a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port with power delivery, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI 1.4 port, and an audio combo jack.

Feature-packed specifications include a physical webcam shield on the HD 3DNR webcam for instant privacy; a full-size ASUS ErgoSense keyboard; a mega-sized touchpad that gives maximum room for fingers; an optional ASUS NumberPad 2.0 (on 14-inch models only) for easy data entry; and an optional fingerprint sensor on the touchpad. All models are protected with ASUS Antimicrobial Guard Plus to reduce the transmission of harmful viruses and bacteria.

Vivobook Classic series laptops now come in 100% recyclable packaging, and their energy efficiency outperforms the ENERGY STAR standard. To ensure durability, the laptops are tested to the strictest MIL-STD-810H US military-grade standard.



Smooth power
Vivobook Classic series laptops help users effortlessly complete all their tasks faster than ever, whether it's at work, at home, or out and about. The up to 13th Gen Intel Core H-series processors with up to 16 GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 memory and 1 TB GB of speedy SSD storage ensure there's always plenty of smooth power in reserve, whatever they need to do.

To keep the laptops cool in all situations, the cooling system includes two heat pipes, an ASUS IceBlade fan with 87 blades, and dual air vents to efficiently accelerate heat transfer for smooth, stable performance without processor throttling.

The long-lasting up to 50 Wh high-capacity battery keeps the laptops going for longer, while ultrafast connectivity is provided by up to WiFi 6E enhanced with ASUS WiFi Master technology for fast and stable connections.

Stunning visual experience
Vivobook 14 OLED and 15 OLED feature up to 2.8K OLED HDR three-sided NanoEdge displays, which are super-bright and have a cinema-grade 100% DCI-P3 color gamut for ultra-vivid colors. They are also Pantone Validated for professional-grade color accuracy and TÜV Rheinland-certified for low blue-light emissions. With up to a 120 Hz refresh rate and a 0.2 ms response time, these displays are ideal for everyday productivity, casual gaming and entertainment. In addition, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification ensures the deepest possible blacks and a high 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio for enhanced detail in dark scenes. Vivobook 14 OLED has an expansive 16:10 aspect ratio that reduces the need for scrolling, while Vivobook 15 OLED has an immersive 16:9 aspect ratio. The displays are TÜV Rheinland-certified for eye care, with low blue-light levels that make them extra gentle on the eyes.

Thoughtful design
The eye-catching Vivobook Classic laptops are never ordinary, with a clean geometric design featuring the raised Vivobook logo tag on the lid, a warning-striped Enter key and a choice of two on-trend colors: Indie Black or Cool Silver. The laptops are slim enough to pop unobtrusively into a backpack, and light enough to never be a burden.

The precision-engineered, lay-flat 180° hinges make it easy to share content with others, or collaborate with a group of people around a table. The webcam has a convenient physical shield that instantly blanks the image in video calls for enhanced privacy and security. There's also an optional fingerprint sensor on the touchpad for fast password-free login via Windows Hello.

The full-size ASUS ErgoSense keyboard has a 19.05 mm key pitch, a 0.2 mm key-cap dish, and long 1.4 mm key travel that gives it an incredibly satisfying feel, with the optimum bounce and travel calculated with fine-tuned precision.

With a full set of I/O ports, it's easier than ever for users to connect their existing peripherals, displays and projectors. In addition to a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port with power delivery, there are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a USB 2.0 port, HDMI output and a convenient 3.5 mm audio combo jack.

To keep the laptops hygienic and reduce the spread of harmful viruses and bacteria, frequently-touched surfaces on the new laptops are treated with ASUS Antimicrobial Guard Plus, which is scientifically proven to inhibit the growth of viruses and bacteria—including COVID-19 and influenza viruses—by more than 99% over a 24-hour period.

Vivobook Classic series laptops are bundled with a free one month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, along with a collection of easy-to-use productivity-enhancing ASUS apps, including GlideX for cross-device screen sharing; MyASUS for easy access to updates, apps, customer service and performance optimization; and ScreenXpert for easy multi-display management.

Smart conferencing
The new Vivobook Classic series laptops are packed with class-leading features that make video and voice conferencing smoother and more enjoyable. The HD webcam includes ASUS 3DNR video-processing technology that makes video feeds clearer, and there's a convenient physical webcam shield for instant privacy.

To provide exceptional remote-working and video-conferencing experiences, all models feature ASUS AI noise-canceling technology that employs machine learning in order to isolate unwanted noise from human speech. This technology helps to filter out ambient noise for optimum group conference-call quality.

Sustainable and durable
The ASUS commitment to protecting the earth while delivering the best products to its users is reflected in the design of the Vivobook Classic series. Packaging is now 100% recyclable, and the laptops' energy consumption has been reduced to outperform the ENERGY STAR power-efficiency standard by up to 30%.

A longer laptop lifespan also reduces long-term waste, so Vivobook Classic series laptops are strictly tested to ensure its durability, using the latest MIL-STD-810H US military-grade standard, with up to 12 test methods and 26 individual tests—the industry's most stringent testing regime.

Even more choices
For users looking for attractive alternatives, the affordable Vivobook 14 (X1404), 15 (X1504), and 17 (X1704) offer many identical features—including an ErgoSense keyboard, physical webcam shield, a full set of I/O ports, and ASUS Antimicrobial Guard Plus protection. They are powered by up to 12th Gen Intel Core U-series processors and feature clear and bright FHD (1920 x 1080) wide-view IPS displays. The laptops are available in a choice of multiple stylish colors: Cool Silver, Quiet Blue and Terra Cotta.

With the superb diversity of the new Vivobook Classic series, users are sure to find the perfect model to match their lifestyle and their needs.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[HairyLobsters]

Why is USB 3.2 Gen 1 still a thing on new devices?

 

[TheLostSwede]

Why is USB 3.2 Gen 1 still a thing on new devices?

Because it's the least common denominator for USB 3.x and the least resource intensive to implement?
Could also be because most of the ports in Intel's and AMD's platforms are still 5 Gbps and not 10 or 20 Gbps.

 

[Tom Yum]

A laptop with an Intel H-class processor, an OLED screen and a 50Wh battery? Battery life must be absolutely terrible.

 

[trsttte]

So this is the point we got to, last gen chips on the lower end devices? Nothing wrong with it mind you, but why release a new product at all then instead of continuing to sell the one from last year?

Oh right, they wouldn't be able to update/increase or keep the higher price and need to discount it sooner....

Why is USB 3.2 Gen 1 still a thing on new devices?

Meh, I get the sentiment but looking at the other side of the port a big part of devices on the market won't go past 5gbps gen1 speeds when they're even USB 3.0 at all. USB 4.0 didn't improve things by also offering a dozen different speeds, devices will go for USB 4 for the marketing sticker but then only meet the lowest and cheapest spec they can get away with.

With type C ports and laptops designed to have to use a dock the situation gets unconfortable because sharing a single 5gbps across multiple things gets small fast. That's why thunderbolt is able to win against an open standard like USB, you know what you get when you see the sticker and don't need to guess.

 

[TheLostSwede]

@trsttte USB4, not USB 4 or USB 4.0.

Thunderbolt technically has multiple speeds and limitations as well.

 

[trsttte]

Thunderbolt technically has multiple speeds and limitations as well.

Not anymore, thunderbolt 4 has most features as mandatory to fix that. USB4 went the opposite way with the only mandatory feature being getting the name and logo right

ps: it's a joke, but one that fits very well

 

[TheLostSwede]

Not anymore, thunderbolt 4 has most features as mandatory to fix that. USB4 went the opposite way with the only mandatory feature being getting the name and logo right

ps: it's a joke, but one that fits very well

USB4 is gimped because of Intel. Most of the other USB IF members wanted 40 Gbps to be the baseline, Intel used their veto to prevent that.

 

[mplayerMuPDF]

Horrid. OLED flickerfest and burn-in display. Ultrathin -> completely unserviceable/upgradeable and will definitely overheat with an H-series CPU. ASUS -> one of the highest laptop failure rates these days. All this garbage being released these days SMH

 

[TheLostSwede]

Horrid. OLED flickerfest and burn-in display. Ultrathin -> completely unserviceable/upgradeable and will definitely overheat with an H-series CPU. ASUS -> one of the highest laptop failure rates these days. All this garbage being released these days SMH

Do you own one?
I own an Acer equivalent with a 90 Hz OLED screen and an H-series CPU, it runs cool, quiet and has decent battery life. It also has an expansion slot for a second M.2 SSD.
All laptops with LPDDR memory can't have the memory upgraded, this is due to there being no memory modules with LPDDR, but Dell seems to be working on a solution for that.

 

[mplayerMuPDF]

Do you own one?
I own an Acer equivalent with a 90 Hz OLED screen and an H-series CPU, it runs cool, quiet and has decent battery life. It also has an expansion slot for a second M.2 SSD.
All laptops with LPDDR memory can't have the memory upgraded, this is due to there being no memory modules with LPDDR, but Dell seems to be working on a solution for that.

No, luckily I don't. If your Acer version runs quiet it must be because it is severely TDP capped/throttling. 2nd M.2 slot is nice but I bet it is a nightmare to get to it. Your 90 Hz OLED screen will flicker at 360 Hz (unless it is DC dimmed but probably not), which is horrible for people who are sensitive to flicker and I cannot imagine it being healthy for anyone. I wish we could have new laptops in old chassis'. I would love to have an Alderlake CPU (preferably 28W P-series) in the chassis of my 645 G1 or of an EliteBook 840/745 G2.

 

[TheLostSwede]

No, luckily I don't. If your Acer version runs quiet it must be because it is severely TDP capped/throttling. 2nd M.2 slot is nice but I bet it is a nightmare to get to it. Your 90 Hz OLED screen will flicker at 360 Hz (unless it is DC dimmed but probably not), which is horrible for people who are sensitive to flicker and I cannot imagine it being healthy for anyone. I wish we could have new laptops in old chassis'. I would love to have an Alderlake CPU (preferably 28W P-series) in the chassis of my 645 G1 or of an EliteBook 840/745 G2.

Uhm, you remove a few screws and the entire bottom of the laptop comes off, it's actually very easy.
So much hatred for products you haven't even used.
Feel free to take someone else opinion.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Swift-3-SF314-in-review-Compact-laptop-with-a-beautiful-OLED-display-and-a-fast-CPU.667774.0.html

Acer Swift 3 OLED (SF314-71) review | LaptopMedia.com

Acer tries to stay the cream of the crop in the mobile market by innovating. Their latest efforts with the eco-friendly Aspir...

laptopmedia.com

 

[lemonadesoda]

HDMI 1.4 is a let down. No external displays at 4K with decent refresh rate. And I'm not talking about any type of gaming, just Windows scrolling, e.g. browser or PDF documents being a fuzzy tearing mess at 4K on HDMI 1.4

 

[medi01]

So, back to "Intel only" we go...

 

[ARF]

So, back to "Intel only" we go...

MOAP (the mother of all programmes)!

 

[Tek-Check]

USB4 is gimped because of Intel. Most of the other USB IF members wanted 40 Gbps to be the baseline, Intel used their veto to prevent that.

Their veto in practice may mean very little. Microsoft mandates PCIe Gen3 traffic on all USB4 systems with Windows OS, so effectively USB4 ports come with 40 Gbps interface. Microsoft is helping USB-IF here to try to keep this port as harmonious as possible across the ecosystem.

Paradoxically, even some Intel devices with Thunderbolt 4 chips are nowadays advertised as USB4 rather than TB4, for example the below NUCs 13th Gen are said to host USB4 port that is "Thunderbolt 4 capable"

ASRock Industrial's NUC(S) 1300 BOX Series Brings Raptor Lake to UCFF Systems

www.anandtech.com

Intel® JHL9040R Thunderbolt™ 4 Retimer Product Specifications

Intel® JHL9040R Thunderbolt™ 4 Retimer quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.

ark.intel.com

This is because the USB4 port on this system is more capable than TB4. The system hosts Hayden Bridge retimer capable of DP 2.1 and USB 20 Gbps output. This is a kind of transitional solution between TB4 and TB5. Effectively, USB4 ports can be more capable than TB4 ports, hence Intel released Hayden Bridge retimer to enable faster DP and USB.

It's going to be interesting to look under the hood of this system to figure out how Asrock manages to do DP 2.1 at 40 Gbps. Raptor Lake CPUs do not natiely support DP 2.1 with UHBR signal, so this NUC must contain another chip, such as PCON or level shifter to convert DP 1.4a into DP 2.1.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Their veto in practice may mean very little. Microsoft mandates PCIe Gen3 traffic on all USB4 systems with Windows OS, so effectively USB4 ports come with 40 Gbps interface. Microsoft is helping USB-IF here to try to keep this port as harmonious as possible across the ecosystem.

Well, the only non Intel USB4 compatible discrete controller to date, is the ASMedia one, which will support 40 Gbps. However, it's likely that we'll see implementations in things like smartphones that are limited to 20 Gbps, to save power and maybe more importantly, space when it comes to the actual chip designs.

USB4 is Coming - Everything You Need to Know

USB4 is the next evolution of the USB standard, but it's quite different from its predecessors as it brings with it support for DisplayPort connectivity, as well as optional PCI-Express and Thunderbolt 3 support. It tries to fix some technical issues, but adds a few of its own, but at least the...

www.techpowerup.com

Paradoxically, even some Intel devices with Thunderbolt 4 chips are nowadays advertised as USB4 rather than TB4, for example the below NUCs 13th Gen are said to host USB4 port that is "Thunderbolt 4 capable"

ASRock Industrial's NUC(S) 1300 BOX Series Brings Raptor Lake to UCFF Systems

www.anandtech.com

It's possible to certify an Intel chip for USB4 only, so maybe they saved some cash on not certifying it with Intel?

This is because the USB4 port on this system is more capable than TB4. The system hosts Hayden Bridge retimer capable of DP 2.1 and USB 20 Gbps output. This is a kind of transitional solution between TB4 and TB5. Effectively, USB4 ports can be more capable than TB4 ports, hence Intel released Hayden Bridge retimer to enable faster DP and USB.

All current Intel Thunderbolt chips are limited to 32 Gbps though, as they're PCIe 3.0. Technically that doesn't include the DP signal though, so maybe that's how they around it.

It's going to be interesting to look under the hood of this system to figure out how Asrock manages to do DP 2.1 at 40 Gbps. Raptor Lake CPUs do not natiely support DP 2.1 with UHBR signal, so this NUC must contain another chip, such as PCON or level shifter to convert DP 1.4a into DP 2.1.

See above, but I have no idea how they would implement that.

HDMI 1.4 is a let down. No external displays at 4K with decent refresh rate. And I'm not talking about any type of gaming, just Windows scrolling, e.g. browser or PDF documents being a fuzzy tearing mess at 4K on HDMI 1.4

That is indeed crappy on brand new models, just to save a few cents. Maybe they've found that most people don't connect their budget laptops to high-resolution displays?

 

[thewan]

Could also be because most of the ports in Intel's and AMD's platforms are still 5 Gbps and not 10 or 20 Gbps.

Only Intel. AMD x670 and b650 has the option of making all of their USB 3 ports 10Gbps as long as you are willing to pay for the manufacturing cost of wiring all that up.
USB 2 ports probably still exist because of some wireless transmitters for keyboards and mice have interference issues, and also for internal USB 2 stuff like ARGB controllers or "Smart" PSUs.

My Asus board has all of its rear ports USB 3.2 ports at 10Gbps. Only the casing port header is 5Gbps. This might be a limitation of the USB 3 casing header design being limited to 5Gbps.

I won't be surprised if we see the same for Zen 4 laptops but I don't think the specs for whatever chipset those are on are out yet.

 

[Tek-Check]

It's possible to certify an Intel chip for USB4 only, so maybe they saved some cash on not certifying it with Intel?

Doubtful it's about cash in this case. Hayden Bridge retimer was designed to enhance Maple Ridge chip display and USB output. They cannot certify as TB4 a device that performs better than TB4. The USB4 port on this device has DP 2.1 at 40 Gbps and USB 20 Gbps, which surpasses TB4 capabilities and specification.

All current Intel Thunderbolt chips are limited to 32 Gbps though, as they're PCIe 3.0. Technically that doesn't include the DP signal though, so maybe that's how they around it.

Yes, it's still PCIe 3.0, but they enhanced DP and doubled USB data, which makes USB4 currently more flexible and faster interface for DP and USB.

I have no idea how they would implement that.

Interesting to see. Rembrandt chips natively support DP 2.1, but Raptor Lake do not. So, I'd expect some PCON or level shifter. I'd certainly like to see this NUC 1300 D5 from Asrock reviewed and deconstucted in detail to find out what's under the hood.

I won't be surprised if we see the same for Zen 4 laptops but I don't think the specs for whatever chipset those are on are out yet.

We know the specs. It's on AMD's website. They do not have additional chipset chip, like many Intel laptops. All lanes are from APU/CPU.
This is Phoenix. You can get up to two USB4 full ports from APU, unless OEM install any additonal chips on motherboards.

This is Dragon Range. USB4 solution would have to be descrete here as Zen4 CPUs do not support it natively. On desktop, this is usually Thunderbolt 4 chip, so 10 Gbps for USB data.

 

[mplayerMuPDF]

Uhm, you remove a few screws and the entire bottom of the laptop comes off, it's actually very easy.

From the notebookcheck review you linked to (excellent site btw and their focus on maintainability and upgradeability is one of the reasons why):
"

Maintenance​

Ten tiny Torx screws must be removed to access the internal components." Ok... This will blow your mind if you think that is "easy":

At least in Iran they seem to still know what good laptops are, as of 2022. You kind of have to care about upgradeability and maintainability of hardware if your country is held in an economic choke hold by the world's primary superpower.

So much hatred for products you haven't even used.
Feel free to take someone else opinion.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Swift-3-SF314-in-review-Compact-laptop-with-a-beautiful-OLED-display-and-a-fast-CPU.667774.0.html

Acer Swift 3 OLED (SF314-71) review | LaptopMedia.com

Acer tries to stay the cream of the crop in the mobile market by innovating. Their latest efforts with the eco-friendly Aspir...

laptopmedia.com

"There is only one slot for an M.2 SSD available."
I guess you have a special edition?

"Fortunately, the battery is not glued in and thus replaceable."
"Due to the soldered RAM, the upgrade options are limited."
The bar is on the floor at this point...

 

[TheLostSwede]

From the notebookcheck review you linked to (excellent site btw and their focus on maintainability and upgradeability is one of the reasons why):
"

Maintenance​

Ten tiny Torx screws must be removed to access the internal components." Ok... This will blow your mind if you think that is "easy":

It was a piece of cake, I've done it.

At least in Iran they seem to still know what good laptops are, as of 2022. You kind of have to care about upgradeability and maintainability of hardware if your country is held in an economic choke hold by the world's primary superpower.

Sure, there are easier notebooks to upgrade, but it was really not hard. Even my old thinkpad required the entire bottom to be removed and it was harder than on the Acer.
That said, Acer used the most stupid, tiny Torx heads I've ever come across, for no good reason.

"There is only one slot for an M.2 SSD available."
I guess you have a special edition?

Look at the picture ffs. One has the drive in it and next to it, there's another slot, although it's limited to 2242 and 2260 drives, which is a shame.

"Fortunately, the battery is not glued in and thus replaceable."
"Due to the soldered RAM, the upgrade options are limited."
The bar is on the floor at this point...

Dude, it's LPDDR5X, LPDDR ISN'T upgrade in ANY notebook. Maybe learn the difference between the various types of memory?
This is something that the CAMM modules might solve.

 

[mplayerMuPDF]

It was a piece of cake, I've done it.

Sure, there are easier notebooks to upgrade, but it was really not hard. Even my old thinkpad required the entire bottom to be removed and it was harder than on the Acer.
That said, Acer used the most stupid, tiny Torx heads I've ever come across, for no good reason.

The reason is they wanted to make your life harder for various subreasons.

Look at the picture ffs. One has the drive in it and next to it, there's another slot, although it's limited to 2242 and 2260 drives, which is a shame.

Fair enough but they are not true 2280 slots, so it only counts for 50% IMO

Dude, it's LPDDR5X, LPDDR ISN'T upgrade in ANY notebook. Maybe learn the difference between the various types of memory?
This is something that the CAMM modules might solve.

Ok but they still made a decision to go with LPDDR5X. I acknowledge that there may be some advantages to LPDDR but there is also a very clear disadvantage. You can also defend extremely user hostile laptops this way by saying "well, but they are incredibly thin".

 

[TheLostSwede]

The reason is they wanted to make your life harder for various subreasons.

Fair enough but they are not true 2280 slots, so it only counts for 50% IMO

Ok but they still made a decision to go with LPDDR5X. I acknowledge that there may be some advantages to LPDDR but there is also a very clear disadvantage. You can also defend extremely user hostile laptops this way by saying "well, but they are incredibly thin".

The clear advantage is speed, but yes, it prevents memory upgrades, but at least there's currently a reason for it. Many DDR4/5 laptops lack memory expansion options too and that's less forgivable.

The slightly pricier model has a full 2280 slot and I'm not sure why the one I got doesn't, as the motherboard is almost identical from what I can tell.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Swift-X-14-laptop-review-with-RTX-3050-Underchallenged-i5-1240P.666658.0.html

Regardless, there are ultrathins you can upgrade, it's just not as easy as it could be. Part of the reason is that a lot of these companies want to copy Apple and that's why we have the kind of notebooks we have.