The Asus VivoBook S15 series is one of the most popular lines of mid-range laptops in the last few years, as these were among the first compact and lightweight full-size computers without major compromises and with a competitive price.
In this article, we’re talking about the mid-2019 update in the VivoBook S lineup, the 15-inch Asus VivoBook S15 S542FL model, in a mid-tier configuration with a Core i5 processor, Nvidia MX250 graphics, a matte IPS screen and a backlit keyboard. This is available at the time of the post from 799 to 899 USD/EUR, and will most likely drop in price over the next months and in 2020.
The updated S532 builds on the VivoBook S15 of last year, which we’ve also reviewed here on the site , but gets a sturdier build with more aluminum parts and a reinforced internal chassis, new color schemes, a different keyboard, redesigned internals and thermal module, as well as Asus’s brand new ScreenPad 2.0. The ScreenPad is a secondary display integrated within the clickpad, which ads extra functionality and has been deployed as part of all the VivoBook S and ZenBook mid-2019 lineups.
There’s more than meets the eye about this VivoBook S15 series though, and we’ve gathered all our impressions after spending the last three weeks with our sample in the review below, with the strong points and the quirks. Our review unit is offered by Asus for the purpose of this article, but it worked just as you should expect from the retail versions.
Specs as reviewed – Asus VivoBook S15
Asus VivoBook S15 S532FL
Screen 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080 px, IPS, non-touch, matte, AU Optronics B156HAN02.1 panel
Processor Intel Whiskey Lake Core i5-8265U CPU
Video Intel UHD 620 + Nvidia MX250 2GB DDR5 25W – 10DE 1D13 (GeForce 431.60)
Memory 8 GB DDR4 (4 GB soldered + 1x DIMM)
Storage 512 GB SSD (M.2 PCIe x2, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G-1002), extra M.2 slot
Connectivity Wireless AC (Realtek 8822CE), Bluetooth 4.2
Ports 1x USB-A 3.1, 2x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-C 3.1 gen1, HDMI, microSD card-reader, mic/headphone
Battery 42 Wh, 65W charger with fast-charging (*)
Size 357 mm or 14.06” (w) x 230 mm or 9.06” (d) x 17.9 mm or 0.7” (h)
Weight 3.8 lbs (1.72 kg)+ .72 lbs (.32 kg) charger, US version
Extras white backlit keyboard, 5.65″ ScreenPad, HD webcam, IR Hello camera and near-field mics, available in Silver, Pink or Green
*The final versions of this laptop ship with a 90W charger, but we only got a 65W charger on this test unit. I’ll update the article if I get to rerun the tests with the 90W charger.
Asus offers the updated VivoBook S15 in various configurations, with Core i5 and i7 processors, with or without the MX250 GPU (S532FL – with, S532FA – without), as well as with various amounts of memory and storage. A VivoBook S15 S531 series is also available in soma areas, identical to the S532, but with a regular clickpad instead of the ScreenPad.
A more recent update is available in the meantime, the ASUS VivoBook S15 S532EQ , built in 2021 Intel Tiger Lake i5-1135G7 or i7-1164G7 processors, faster memory, and a more competent Nvidia MX350 graphics chip. This goes for roughly 1000 USD/EUR in most region.
The availability of these products is going to vary between regions, but most of this article applies to all variants, with some particularities in the performance section.
Design and exterior While plastic was primarily used for the outer shell of the previous Asus VivoBook S15 generation, it’s only used for the underbelly this time around, as the lid-cover and the interior are now made from aluminum.
Asus offers the S532 in three different color schemes, Silver, Pink or Green, and we have the former and simpler variant on our sample. It looks nice and clean and the silver finishing does a great job at hiding smudges, but at the same time, I can see why you might want to go with one of the other variants that stand out from the norm. We’ll be reviewing a green variant of the smaller VivoBook S14 in the near future, but in the meantime here’s a quick comparison between the two variants.
This 2019 Asus VivoBook S15 feels much stronger than before. The lid is stiffer, and nor the lid or the keyboard deck bend unless you press on them really hard, that’s why I believe this can take a beating. Having a look beneath the shell you’ll see that this still gets a plastic chassis, as expected from a mid-tier laptop, but that’s been reinforced with various structural cages in order to improve the overall sturdiness. The internal redesign did lead to one significant change that some will regret: there’s no longer a 2.5″ storage bay on this laptop, so buyers will only have to make do with M.2 storage, but we’ll touch on that further down.
Despite the more rigid build and increase in materials quality, the S15 S532 remains compact and lightweight. It’s not as small at the 15-inch ZenBook, but you can hardly complain about the bezels, and the chin is now significantly smaller than in the past. Asus remains truthful to their Aero hinge design, which raises the laptop’s main body on rubber feet placed at the bottom of the screen, creating a slightly down-sloped typing position and allowing for improved airflow underneath. There’s still not a lot of intake space for fresh-air down underneath, though, and the hot air is pushed out through grills between the hinge and the screen, as with the all the other laptops with a similar design.
As far as practicality goes, the hinges are the right balance of smoothness and rigidity, allowing one-hand operation and keeping the screen well set-up, but the back-angle is still limited to about 135-140 degrees, which I find annoying when using the laptop on the lap or in cramped conditions. The front lips are blunt and not too aggressive on the wrists, and the grippy feet on the bottom, although small (especially those on the screen), do a good job at keeping this firmly anchored on a desk
Nothing has changed in terms of IO, which is lined on the two edges, mostly on the right-side, and include3x USB-A slots, one USB-C with DP capabilities, HDMI for video output, a slow microSD card-reader and a barrel-plug DC IN input also placed on the right side.
All in all, there’s not much to complain about here. Yes, there are nicer and smaller and more practical laptops out there, and yes, the IO is still just OK, but let’s not forget this is a mid-tier computer, and this 2019 generation is actually built and designed outside of its class.
Keyboard and trackpad I didn’t like the shallow keyboard of the previous VivoBook S530 line, that’s why I’m glad to report that Asus ditched that design for this updated S532 series.
Instead, this gets a more standard Asus layout, with a set of well sized and spaced main-keys, well-spaced but short arrow keys, and a cramped NumPad section that also integrates the Power button in the top-right corner.
There is however one problem with this keyboard, and that’s the fact that it uses silver keys instead of black ones, which makes the writing on the keys hardly visible when the white backlighting is active. I’ve complained about Silver keys with white lighting in the past, but for some reason, Asus keeps coming back to this design.
The backlighting system is otherwise OK, with bright LEDs, three intensity levels to choose from, but also a fair bit of light creeping from beneath some of the keys in the lower half and NumPad section. It’s also important to add that the illumination is activated by swiping your fingers over the touchpad, something many other low and mid-tier notebooks don’t offer.
As for the typing experience, this is a fast, quiet and reliable keyboard. The keys offer the right amount of resistance and travel for my particular typing style, accustomed to the thin and soft-resistance keyboard profiles available on modern ultraportables, and there’s little to no flex in the chassis, which makes this one of my favorite typers in its class. Keep in mind that this experience is subjective and if you’re coming from a desktop keyboard or an older laptop, you’ll most likely find this shallower than what you’re used to.
The clickpad is also a significant step-up from the previous generation. Asus primarily advertises its Screenpad functionality, and we’ll talk about that in a second, but the less obvious trait it the fact that you can switch off the screen and still end up with a wide, smooth and responsive glass clickpad, which reliably handles everyday use and doesn’t rattle when tapped harder, nor clunks when pressed for a physical click. For me, this is the major change between generations, and the fact that there’s a screen beneath the surface only comes out as secondary.
And that’s because while in theory having a customizable secondary screen might sound like a great idea, in practice it’s usefulness is highly dependant on third-party developers creating companion side apps that load on this screen, as I doubt you’ll want to actually use it as a secondary screen for browsing or watching movies, it’s just too small for that and Windows doesn’t scale well at that size.
Right now, you get these companion ads with Spotify, Word, Excell and a few others, but not that much with anything else. On top of that, the ScreenPad takes its toll on the battery life when active, and the S532 only gets a small 42 Wh battery, thus you have to carefully manage it in order to squeeze out longer runtimes, which means that you’ll just have to keep the Screenpad off most of the time.
In all fairness, my impression ever since I’ve tried the first ScreenPad on the ZenBook Pro last year hasn’t changed much: it can be useful, but it’s mostly one of those gimmicks that will impress your friends and you’ll end up turning off after a short while. And while this 2nd gen ScreenPad has come a long way in terms of software, it still requires further development and support in order to become a must-have. But don’t forget of the secondary, less obvious, benefit: with the screen switched off, this 2019 VivoBook ends-up with a larger, smoother and overall nicer clickpad, and that’s going to matter the most in the end.
As far as biometrics go, there’s no finger-sensors on this laptop, but with the retail versions, you’ll get a set of IR cameras at the top of the screen which makes logging into Windows a seamless experience.
Screen Not much has changed in terms of screen-quality from the prevbious S530, which remains one of the major indicators that the Asus VivoBook S15 S532 is only placed in the mid to lower-tier segment.
Starting with the positives, there’s a 15.6-inch matte IPS screen with small bezels on this laptop. However, it’s a dim one with reduced color-accuracy and narrower viewing angles than what you’ll get on the 15-inch ZenBooks or other higher-tier 15-inch notebooks. Here’s what we got on our sample, with the measurements taken with a Spyder4 sensor:
Panel HardwareID: AU Optronics B156HW02 (B156HAN02.1);
Coverage: 68% sRGB, 50% NTSC, 52% AdobeRGB;
Measured gamma: 2.7;
Max brightness in the middle of the screen: 216 cd/m2 on power;
Contrast at max brightness: 830:1;
White point: 6900 K;
Black on max brightness: 0.26 cd/m2;
Average DeltaE: 2.70 uncalibrated, 1.46 calibrated;
PWM: No;
Response: 25 ms GtG.
As long as you’ll keep your laptop indoors, don’t plan to run any color-accurate tasks and look at it straight-on, I’d expect most of you to find this screen good-enough. However, if that’s not the case, it might be smart to invest in a higher-tier laptop with a brighter and better quality panel.
It’s also important to notice that we haven’t noticed any annoying light-bleeding or uniformity issues with our unit. However, the panel came poorly calibrated out fo the box, so you’ll want to calibrate it or load-up this profile in order to address some of the quirks with the White Point, Gamma, Colors and Gray-levels.
I’ll also add that this is also a slow 60 Hz panel, so if you’re used to playing games on 120/144 Hz screens with faster response times , you’ll notice the obvious screen tearing and lag while playing games on this one.
Hardware, performance and upgrade options Our test version is a hybrid configuration of the Asus VivoBook S15 S532FL, with the Core i5-8265U Whiskey Lake processor, Intel UHD 620 and Nvidia MX250 graphics with Optimus, 8 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB NVMe SSD.
The CPU and GPU are soldered on the motherboard, but the storage and part fo RAM are accessible and upgradeable. There are four GB of RAM soldered on the motherboard with this design, and an extra RAM slot that can accommodate up to 16 GB DIMM, which in our case came with a 4 GB DIMM, for a total amount of memory of 8 GB.
Our variant also came with a PCIe x2 512 GB WDC PC SN520 SSD, which is an entry-to-mid level M.2 QLC drive with average read/write speeds, but despite that, I think this is perfectly suited for a mid-tier laptop like this one. You can choose to upgrade it, though, as the slot is hooked up via a PCIe x4 connection.
It’s also important to mention that unlike the previous VivoBook S lineups, the 2019 model no longer gets a 2.5″HDD/SSD bay, so you’ll have to rely entirely on M.2 drives for storage. The laptop gets two M.2 slots, the one filled up on our unit and the empty one underneath the fan.
You’ll have to remove the bottom panel in order to get to the internals, which is a simple process, as it’s held in place by a handful of visible Philips screws, without any additional screws hidden beneath the rubber feet like on many other Asus laptops. Inside you’ll get unrestricted access to the SSD and RAM slot, as well as the thermal module, the 42 W battery, the two speakers and the M.2 WiFi card, which you might want to replace, as you’ll see down below.
With this kind of hardware, the Asus VivoBook S532FL handles everyday chores easily, while running coolly and quietly. The logs below offer insights on the CPU/GPU speeds and temperatures with everyday use.
Our configuration comes with the i5-8265U processor and you might prefer the i7 for demanding tasks and games. However, the i5 and i7 are actually very similar, with the i7 having extra cache on its side and the ability to run at higher clocks, but the differences blend in thermally restrained implementations like this one. That being said, as you’ll see down below, the i5 performs very well on this sample, running at clocks that allow it to rival with most i7s in demanding loads. On top of that, further down in the gaming section you’ll see that an i7 won’t actually help much on this device anyway.
Of course, Asus will primarily offer the VivoBook S15 S532FL with the i7-8565U processor, but if you can find it with the i5 and the MX250 graphics for a discount, I’d recommend that variant instead.
Speaking fo the graphics, Asus implements the higher-power 10De 1D13 variant of the MX250 chip on this laptop, which is part of most other 15-incher in this segment, and not the 10De 1D52 variant that’s normally bundled with smaller 13 and 14-inch ultraportables. However, its performance depends on the thermal module’s ability to keep temperatures at bay, as you’ll see in a bit.
Before we get to that, let’s turn on the CPU’s performance in demanding loads, which we test by running Cinebench R15 for 10+ times in a loop, with 2-3 sec delay between each run, which simulates a 100% load on all the cores. Normally, portable implementations of this CPU return high scores for the first run, but lower ones once heat builds up and the processor needs to clock down in order to cope with the thermal and power limitations.
On this unit, the i5 settled for frequencies of 2.6+ GHz, a TDP of 17+ W, temperatures of 70-74 degrees Celsius and scores of around 570+ points with out of the box settings.
Further tweaking is possible by undervolting the processor, with Throttlestop, as XTU does not support Whiskey Lake. Our models ran stably at -100 mV, which allowed it to stabilize at frequencies of 3.2+ GHz, 21+ W TDP, 77-79 degrees Celsius and excellent scores of 680+ points, as shown in the images below. The CPU’s performance on battery was excellent as well, with the CPU stabilizing at 15 W TDP in our loop Cinebench test, which not many other laptops can deliver.
Next, we’ve included a set of benchmarks, for those of you interested in numbers, which we’ve run on the Best-Performance power profile in Windows, with default voltage settings:
3DMark 13 – Fire Strike: 3273 (Graphics – 3658, Physics – 8332);3DMark 13 – Time Spy: 1233 (Graphics – 1119, CPU – 2926);Uniengine Superposition – 1080p Medium: 2591;GeekBench 4.1.1 64-bit: Single-Core: 4622, Multi-core: 14700;CineBench R15 (best run): CPU 662 cb, CPU Single Core 156 cb;CineBench R20 (best run): CPU 1336 cb;x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 32-bit: Pass 1 –161.46 fps, Pass 2 – 37.84 fps.
Then we reran some of the benchmarks on the -100 mV undervolted profile, which allowed a quite significant increase in CPU related tests and, as expected, pretty much no changes in GPU scores:
3DMark 13 – Fire Strike: 3328 (Graphics – 3682, Physics – 10526);3DMark 13 – Time Spy: 1254 (Graphics – 1131, CPU – 3268);Uniengine Superposition – 1080p Medium: 2599;PCMark 10: 4076 (Essentials – 8194 , Productivity – 6198 , Digital Content Creation – 3621);PassMark: Rating: 4292, CPU mark: 8989, 3D Graphics Mark: 2899;GeekBench 4.1.1 64-bit: Single-Core: 4627, Multi-core: 15044;CineBench R15 (best run): CPU 778 cb, CPU Single Core 163 cb;CineBench R20 (best run): CPU 1478 cb;x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 32-bit: Pass 1 –178.46 fps, Pass 2 – 45.24 fps.
Both the CPU and GPU scores are above average for such an implementation. That’s due to the fact that the system allows the CPU to run and high TDP/frequencies for medium bursts, enough to ensure these solid results in short-term demanding loads like these benchmarks.
Even the GPU scores are pretty good, higher by 10-20% than what we got on the 10W implementations fo the MX250 in the ZenBook UX434. However, we ran into some issues with the long-term gaming experience on this sample, and due tot he fact that it was offered to us with a 65W charger instead of the 90W charger that it will actually ship with, we can’t share our detailed findings for now.
Hopefully, we’ll be able to rerun our tests with the right charger and update the article in the near future.
I will show you some gaming results, though. We ran a couple of DX11 and DX12 games on our test-unit, on FHD resolution and Low details, both on the standard -100 mV UV profile and on a Tweaked profile, with the CPU undervolted and capped at 2.0 GHz, in order to further emphasize the GPUs performance. Our findings are the following table.
FHD Low UV FHD High UV FHD Low UV, CPU limited
Bioshock Infinite 86 fps
56 fps
86 fps
Far Cry 5 27 fps
16 fps
27 fps
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor 38 fps
32 fps
53 fps
Rise of Tomb Raider 29 fps
22 fps
35 fps
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 22-32 fps
– fps
28-40 fps
The Witcher 3 – recorded with Fraps in campaign mode
Bioshock, Far Cry 5, Middle Earth, Tomb Raider games – recorded with the included Benchmark utilities
Noise, Heat, Connectivity, speakers, and others Once we get inside you’ll see that there’s no surprise this laptop cannot cool this higher-power version of the MX250 chip, as it gets the same basic thermal module from the smaller 13/14-inch 2019 ZenBooks, which is not even capable of cooling the 10W MX250 side by side with a loaded Whiskey Lake CPU.
The low CPU/GPU temperature thresholds, the fact that the fan is set to favor low noise, ramping up to about 41-42 dB at head level at maximum speeds, as well as the limited air intake cuts on the laptop’s bottom also add up to the mix. However, while the performance suffers as a result, the laptop ends up running coolly at the case level, especially on the tweaked profile with the limited CPU, as well as fairly quietly.
It also runs quietly with everyday use, but with this sample, the fan remained active with basic chores and has a fairly high-pitch and annoying hum, so the laptop was never completely silent. On the other hand, we haven’t noticed any coil whine or other sorts or electronic noises on our unit, but that’s not a guarantee you won’t encounter them on yours, given that it’s a known potential QC issue with modern laptops.
Daily Use – running Netflix in EDGE for 30 minutes, fans 35-36 dB *Load UV – playing Far Cry 5 for 30 minutes, Undervolted CPU profile, fans 41-42 dB *Load Tweaked – playing Far Cry 5 for 30 minutes, Tweaked profile – Undervolted and limited CPU, fans 41-42 dB
For connectivity, there’s a Realtek 8822CE wireless module inside this laptop, with Bluetooth 4.2, and despite the fact that it’s an older chip and not as fast as the newer options, it proved alright in our tests, both right near the router and at 30-feet with walls in between. I did run into some issues with the Wireless failing to reconnect when resuming from sleep, which required a restart to fix. Hopefully, that’s something that won’t plague the final retail units.
It’s also worth adding that the official specs sheet also mentions a WiFi 6 option for the VivoBook S15 S532FL, so Asus might offer this with a better wireless chip in some regions. As of right now, though, the configurations listed in stores are offered with WiFi 5 chips (the Realtek in our unit, or the Intel 8265 AC).
As far as the speakers go, there’s a set of them firing through cuts on the lateral sides of the underbelly, and they’re alright for this class. We measured maximum volumes of about 75-76 dB at head level, without any distortions, and the sound comes out clean, with good mids and highs, but lacking on the lower end. All measurements were recorded in the Music Mode from the included Audio Wizard software.
It’s also worth adding that the chassis does a better job at isolating vibrations than on other Asus laptops; you’ll still feel them at volumes above 80%, but they’re not that obvious and fairly easy to ignore. You should be careful not to cover those speaker cuts though, that would have a significant negative impact on the audio coming out.
Lastly, the Asus VivoBook S15 S532 gets a 720p camera, flanked by microphones, and placed at the top of the screen. The camera’s quality is average at best and rather washed out, but I doubt that comes to any suprise. Final retail units of the VivoBook S15 also get a set of IR cameras, but our configuration lacked it.
Battery life This is one of the other sections where the S15 shows its humbler targeting: it only offers a 42 Wh battery, which is small for a 15-inch laptop in this day and age.
It’s true that Asus puts up together an efficient implementation, and as a result, the battery life does not utterly disappoint. Here’s what we got on our review unit, with the screen’s brightness set at around 120 nits (~60 brightness) and the ScreenPad switched off.
6 W (~7 h of use) – text editing in Google Drive, Better Battery Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi ON;6 W (~7 h of use) – 1080p fullscreen video on Youtube in Edge, Better Battery Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi ON;5.2 W (~8 h of use) – Netflix fullscreen in Edge, Better Battery Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi ON;10 W (~4 h of use) – browsing in Edge, Better Performance Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi ON;35 W (~1 h 10 min of use) – Gaming – Witcher 3, Max Performance Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi ON.
Activating the ScreenPad takes a toll of .5-1.5 W per hour, depending on its settings and what you’re actually using it for, that’s why I would recommend keeping it off while using the laptop unplugged.
Asus should pair this S15 model with a barrel-plug 90 Wh charger with quick charging, which should allow the laptop to charge to 60% in about 50 minutes, and fully in about one hour and 30 minutes. Our test unit only came with a 65W charger, though. That aside, USB-C charging is still not supported on this series.
Price and availability The VivoBook S15 S532 listed in stores in most areas of the world as of the end of July 2019.
You’ll find it in a few different versions:
the S532FL top-tier variant with the Core i7-8565U processor, the Nvidia MX250 graphics, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage, with an MSRP price of $899;
the S532FL with the i7 CPU, but with 12 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD for 999 USD / 1199 EUR;
the S532FL, but with the Core i5 processor and Nvidia MX250 graphics, for 849 USD / 899 EUR (the one we reviewed here);
the S532FA base-model with the Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of Storage and without the MX250 chip, for 799 USD / 849 EUR.
Keep in mind these are launch MSRP prices, so will drop in the months to come. Follow this link for updated configurations and prices at the time you’re reading the article .
More recent updates are available in the meantime, the VivoBook S15 M533 and VivoBook S15 S532 series. You can get the S15 M533 with AMD Ryzen hardware and Vega graphics , or the ASUS VivoBook S15 S532EQ version built on 2021 Intel Tiger Lake i5-1135G7 or i7-1164G7 processors, faster memory, and a more competent Nvidia MX350 graphics chip. This goes for roughly 1000 USD/EUR in most region. Follow this link for more details .
The Competition I’m going to quickly touch on this matter here, listing the important alternatives (in alphabetical order), their main strong points and their quirks, but I encourage you to further dig into the ones that you might find interesting.
Acer Swift 3 SF315 – review
Pros: compact and light; metallic build; good backlit keyboard; performs well; cheaper than the VivoBook
Cons: similar quality screen; average speakers; hasn’t been updated to MX250; similar 42 Wh battery
Acer Aspire 5 – review
Pros: compact; good backlit keyboard; performs well; 48 Wh battery; cheaper than the VivoBook
Cons: similar quality screen; poor speakers; plastic build and a bit heavier; runs hotter with games
Huawei MateBook D – review
Pros: compact and light; good backlit keyboard; performs well; cheaper than the VivoBook
Cons: similar quality screen; no backlit keyboard; hasn’t been updated to MX250; similar 42 Wh battery; not as widely available
HP Pavilion 15
Pros: compact and light, but a little heavier than the others; metallic build; good backlit keyboard; brighter screen; performs well; multiple configurations
Cons: screen uses low-frequency PWM <90% brightness; average speakers; similar 42 Wh battery; gets expensive once specced up
Dell Inspiron 15 7580
Pros: compact and light; metallic build; good backlit keyboard; performs well; charges via USB-C; cheaper than the VivoBook
Cons: similar quality screen; average speakers; gets fairly loud; similar 42 Wh battery; no NumPad
Keep in mind we haven’t reviewed all these laptops, but if you have any questions, get in touch in the comments section and hopefully, we can help.
Final thoughts on the VivoBook S15 S532 Going through the alternatives above, there’s definitely good value in the VivoBook S15 S532 in the $800-$1000 segment of portable 15-inch notebooks. That sure comes to no surprise, given how the previous S15s were among the best-buys in their class.
At the same time, though, there’s no doubt you’re sacrificing on some aspects when compared to the higher-tier, and more expensive, laptops out there. The major compromises are the screen quality, battery life and the thermal module limiting the performance of that MX250 chip, and then there are also the less annoying, or even subjective quirks, like the lack of a full-size card reader, the fact that all the ports are placed on the right edge, the limited screen back angle, the silver keyboard or the mid-level wireless implementation without Bluetooth 5.0 .
So, at the end of the day, is this a laptop worth getting? Well, it depends. If you don’t mind something bulkier and heavier (around 5- 5.5 lbs), you’ll find better options with better performance and specs. At the same time, if you’re planning on running games often, I wouldn’t go with this one either bur rather again, something more powerful and with a faster screen.
On the other hand, is what you’re after is a compact, light, well made and great looking computer, with a fast and quiet keyboard and a decent IPS screen, a computer that can easily handle everyday activities, multitasking, and even some occasional game once in a while, but also run for 4-7 hours on a charge, well, than yes, this could be the one for you. I’d also expect it to get various discounts in the second part of the year and later into 2020, which would further increase its worth and competitiveness.
With that in mind we’ll wrap up our review of the Asus VivoBook S15 S532FL here, but the comments section down below awaits your feedback, impressions and questions, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Review by: Andrei Girbea
Andrei Girbea is a Writer and Editor-in-Chief here at Ultrabookreview.com . I write about mobile technology, laptops and computers in general. I've been doing it for more than 15 years now. I'm a techie with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I mostly write reviews and thorough guides here on the site, with some occasional columns and first-impression articles.
TerryB
August 21, 2019 at 9:42 pm
I have the same problem of electronic noise with my Asus Vivobook S S530FN. Looks like all Asus have this problem.
Andrei Girbea
August 22, 2019 at 9:37 am
Most laptops experience some sort of electronic noise
Soumen Das
December 25, 2019 at 11:55 pm
There is clearly an extra empty M.2 slot visible just below the fan.
Adrien
February 1, 2020 at 10:50 am
Hi man,
Great review and great site :) !
I dislike the terrible keyboard silver idea which is quite annoying, useless leaking keyboard backlight, design that blocks the air flow when using the laptop as a desktop pc with a monitor and external keyboard and mouse.
Else, great piece of gear with an i5 10th gen + 32 Optane : incredibly fast :D !
Cheers
parsa
June 13, 2020 at 4:03 pm
Hello everybody ;
I am looking for use this laptop for Corel draw .
Is it good for Corel draw?
Siddharth Singh
July 16, 2020 at 11:35 am
Hi,
The review was very detailed and useful. I was having some questions still.
There is also an i7 10th gen version of this model s15 s532fl. If the benchmark points and all the comparisons will be same as that of the model Vivobook s14 s433fl i7 10th gen model?
Andrei Girbea
July 16, 2020 at 12:08 pm
Might be slightly better, since this is a slightly larger product.
Rohit
July 24, 2020 at 12:09 am
Is this good choice for android studio and similar software?