ASUS Vivobook S 15 (2023)

ASUS Vivobook S 15 (2023)

Manufacturer	ASUS
Product family	Vivobook
Release date	January 2023 (2023-01)
Introductory price	USD 800 to 1200
Discontinued	No
Operating system	Windows 11 Home (Can be configured with Windows 11 Pro)
CPU	Intel Core i5-12500H Intel Core i7-12700H
Memory	Up to 16 GB DDR4
Storage	512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
Display	Screen size: 15.6 inch Panel type: OLED Coating: Glossy Resolution: 1920 x 1080 PPI: 141 Aspect ratio: 16:9 Refresh rate: 60 Hz Brightness: 600 Nits Contrast ratio: True Black 600 sRGB: 100 % Adobe RGB: P3: Screen-to-body ratio: 84 %
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Sound	Built-in speaker with Smart Amp Technology, harman/kardon with Cortana voice-recognition support
Camera	Front: 720p HD camera with privacy shutter
Touchpad	Precision touchpad
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (Dual band) 2x2 Bluetooth 5.3 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 2 x Thunderbolt 4 supports display / power delivery 1 x HDMI 2.1 TMDS 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Power brick	90W AC Adapter
Battery	3 cell Li-ion 70 WHr
Keyboard	Backlit Chiclet Keyboard with Num-key
Fingerprint reader	Yes, integrated with Power Key
Facial recognition	No
Website	ASUS

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   The ASUS Vivobook S 15 (2023) is a mid-range laptop designed for home and office use, featuring Intel's 12th generation H-series processors and an OLED display. Available configurations vary by store and location.

Primary Hardware

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Processor

The Vivobook S 15 (2023) can be configured with the following processors:

• Intel Core i5-12500H with 12 cores (4 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 16 threads, 18 MB cache and a max frequency of 4.5 Ghz for P-cores.
• Intel Core i7-12700H with 14 cores (6 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 20 threads, 24 MB cache and max frequency of 4.7 Ghz for P-cores.

ASUS supplies the processors with sufficient power and cooling for CPU-intensive tasks, resulting in average to above-average performance compared to other laptops with the same processors. In CPU-only tasks, SKUs with the i5-12500H and i7-12700H perform as expected.

Performance sustainability is good but not perfect, with all processors losing about 5% performance in long stress tests.

All SKUs lose a significant amount of CPU performance when running on the battery.

Benchmarks:

• Cinebench R23:
  • i5-12500H: ~1500 pts (single-core), ~12000 pts (multi-core)
  • i7-12700H: ~1800 pts (single-core), ~15000 pts (multi-core)

Graphics

The Vivobook S 15 (2023) comes with integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics.

The integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics provides sufficient performance for everyday tasks and light gaming. However, it is not suitable for demanding gaming or professional graphics work. In GPU-only benchmarks, the performance is average compared to other laptops with the same integrated GPU.

All SKUs lose a significant amount of graphics performance when running on the battery.

Benchmarks:

• 3D Mark TimeSpy 2560 x 1440:
  • Intel Iris Xe: ~1500 pts
• 3D Mark Fire Strike 1920 x 1080:
  • Intel Iris Xe: ~4000 pts

Memory

The Vivobook S 15 (2023) supports up to 16 GB DDR4 memory.

Pre-configured SKUs come with either 8 GB or 16 GB DDR4 memory. These sticks perform identically even when paired with different CPUs.

Benchmarks:

• AIDA64 Memory Copy: ~35000 MB/s

Storage

The Vivobook S 15 (2023) can ship with a 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD depending on the seller.

Reviews of the i7-12700H SKUs note that they came with the Samsung PM9A1 512 GB SSD which is an OEM version of the popular 980 Pro. This SSD provides fast read and write speeds, but performance drops during sustained loads due to thermal throttling.

Benchmarks:

• CrystalDiskMark 8:
  • SEQ1M Q8T1 (Sequential 1MB blocks): ~6600 MB/s (read), ~4900 MB/s (write)
  • RND4K Q1T1 (Random 4 KB blocks): ~90 MB/s (read), ~250 MB/s (write)

Co-processors

The Vivobook S 15 (2023) does not have a dedicated NPU to accelerate AI applications.

Input Devices

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Keyboard

The Vivobook S 15 comes with a backlit chiclet keyboard with a num-key and 1.4mm key travel.

The typing experience is comfortable with good feedback, making it suitable for long typing sessions. The backlighting is even and provides good visibility in low-light conditions.

Touchpad

The Vivobook S 15 comes with a precision touchpad.

The touchpad is responsive and supports multi-touch gestures. It provides a smooth and accurate tracking experience.

Webcam

The Vivobook S 15 comes with a 720p HD camera with a privacy shutter.

The webcam has average color accuracy and clarity, making it suitable for casual video calls. The privacy shutter is a useful feature for ensuring privacy when the webcam is not in use.

Microphone

The Vivobook S 15 comes with a built-in array microphone.

The microphone provides clear audio for video calls and voice recordings. It also supports Cortana voice-recognition.

Output Devices

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Display

The Vivobook S 15 (2023) features a 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) OLED display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate, and peak brightness of 600 nits. The display is VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 600 and SGS Eye Care certified.

The OLED display provides vibrant colors and deep blacks, making it suitable for media consumption and creative work. The 600 nits peak brightness ensures good visibility even in bright environments. The display also has good color accuracy, covering 100% of the sRGB color gamut.

None of the tested panels exhibit any PWM flickering at any brightness level.

Audio

The Vivobook S 15 comes with built-in speakers with Smart Amp Technology and harman/kardon tuning. It also supports Cortana voice-recognition.

The speakers provide clear and balanced audio with good mids and highs, but lack noticeable bass. The maximum volume is sufficient for a small room.

Connectivity

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WiFi

The Vivobook S 15 is equipped with a Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) WLAN module.

The Wi-Fi performance is good, providing fast and stable connections for regular use.

Benchmarks:

• iperf3 transmit AXE11000: ~630 Mb/s
• iperf3 receive AXE11000: ~1040 Mb/s
• iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6 Ghz: ~820 Mb/s
• iperf3 receive AXE11000 6 Ghz: ~1200 Mb/s

Bluetooth

The Vivobook S 15 comes with a Bluetooth 5.3 module.

SD Card Reader

The Vivobook S 15 does not include an SD card reader.

USB

The Vivobook S 15 is equipped with the following USB ports:

• 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A
• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
• 2 x Thunderbolt 4 supports display / power delivery
• 1 x HDMI 2.1 TMDS
• 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack

Case

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The Vivobook S 15 (2023) is available in multiple colors and features a sleek and modern design. The chassis is made of plastic with a matte finish, which helps reduce fingerprint smudges. The laptop is relatively lightweight and portable, making it suitable for on-the-go use.

The build quality is solid with no noticeable flex in the keyboard deck or display lid. The hinge is sturdy and allows for smooth opening and closing of the lid.

Maintenance

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The bottom panel is held on by several Philips-head screws. There are clips securing the panel that must be popped up after removing the screws.

Upgradeable components:

• 70 WHr battery.
• One M.2 2280 PCIe4 x4 SSD slot.
• One DDR4 SODIMM slot.

Cooling System

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The Vivobook S 15 is equipped with a single fan and heat pipe cooling system. The system intakes air from the bottom grille and exhausts air through the side grille.

Heat

Surface temperatures vary depending on the configuration.

The i7-12700H SKU gets warm while idling, up to 35 °C on the bottom of the device. Under heavy load, there is a hot spot of 50 °C on the bottom.

Benchmarks:

• i7-12700H:
  • Maximum upper side: ~40 °C
  • Maximum bottom: ~50 °C
  • Idle upper side: ~30 °C
  • Idle bottom: ~35 °C

Noise

There is no electronic noise or coil whine. The laptop is effectively silent during undemanding loads like light browsing or video playback, hovering below 30 dB(A). During intensive tasks, the fan noise increases but remains within acceptable levels.

Benchmarks:

• i7-12700H:
  • Idle: ~23 db(A) (min), ~23 db(A) (avg), ~25 db(A) (max)
  • Load: ~45 db(A) (avg), ~50 db(A) (max)

Energy Management

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Power Consumption

The Vivobook S 15 ships with a 90W AC adapter.

The i7-12700H SKU consumes around 50 W during load with temporary spikes to around 90 W.

The i7-12700H Vivobook draws around 20 W when idling for the most part, reducing to 10-15 W after waiting a very long time and any minor input brings the consumption back up to 20 W.

Battery Life

All Vivobook S 15 SKUs come with a 70 WHr Li-ion battery that ASUS claims can charge from 0-50 % in 30 mins using the provided power adapter.

The battery life during light tasks is average for this class of laptop. Reviews verify the charging claims to be accurate.

Benchmarks:

• i7-12700H:
  • WiFi Browsing (150 nits): 360 minutes
  • Load: 120 minutes

Biometrics

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The Vivobook S 15 comes with a fingerprint sensor integrated with the power key.

Software

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All SKUs ship with Windows 11 Home but the laptop can be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro, either manually or when buying directly from ASUS.

Preinstalled Software

MyASUS

The MyASUS program acts as the primary control center in the Vivobook S 15. In addition to system diagnosis, the program also handles battery health charging, fan profile, display settings, and other features.

There are three preset performance profiles - quiet, balanced, and performance. ASUS supports adding an AI engine in balanced mode that automatically adjusts system parameters based on the context. There is also a customized mode where the user can manually set various parameters.

Most reviewers use performance mode for performance benchmarks and quiet mode for the battery tests unless otherwise stated.

ScreenXpert

The ScreenXpert app provides tools for managing multiple displays and screen sharing.

GlideX

The GlideX app allows for screen mirroring and extending between devices.

Other Preinstalled Software

The Vivobook also comes with other less useful software like a 30-day McAfee security trial.

Accessories & Warranty

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The Vivobook S 15 comes with a 90W AC adapter and paperwork.

There is one-year limitedmanufacturer warranty if purchased in the US.

Reviews Summary

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Overall Sentiment

The ASUS Vivobook S 15 (2023) is considered a solid mid-range laptop with a good balance of performance, display quality, and portability. It is praised for its vibrant OLED display, comfortable keyboard, and decent build quality. The laptop is suitable for everyday tasks, media consumption, and light gaming. However, it is not recommended for demanding gaming or professional graphics work due to its integrated GPU.

Problems Summary

• No dedicated GPU, limiting performance in demanding graphics tasks.
• No SD card reader.
• Performance drops during sustained loads due to thermal throttling.
• Average battery life compared to competitors.
• Plastic chassis may not feel as premium as metal alternatives.
• High idle power consumption.
• Higher than average surface temperatures while idling and during intensive tasks.

Links

i5-12500H, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: TomsHardware,

i5-12500H, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: TechGuyBeau

i7-12700H, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: NoteBookCheck