Every thing modified final yr for Home windows laptops. For the primary time, Qualcomm’s Arm-based Snapdragon processors introduced all of the effectivity Mac customers like to Home windows, leading to a number of the quickest and longest-lasting laptops we’ve ever seen, just like the Floor Laptop computer 7.
But when all that goodness is simply reserved for costly, high-end laptops, it’ll by no means actually change the PC panorama. That’s what makes a laptop computer just like the Asus Vivobook 14 X so necessary. It employs Qualcomm’s entry-level Snapdragon X chip, and whereas there are some shortcomings, the battery life alone makes this a wise alternative for folk on a decent funds.
{Photograph}: Luke-Larsen
Cheaper Than It Sounds
Whereas $700 won’t sound that low cost for a laptop computer, the small print matter as a result of this Vivobook 14 is extra than simply an entry-level machine. The bottom configuration comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, so it qualifies as a Copilot+ PC and might entry just a few of Microsoft’s synthetic intelligence options.
If this laptop computer had a less expensive beginning configuration, it could have been nearer to $500. That’s necessary when contemplating the worth of the Vivobook 14, as a result of actually, the Vivobook 14 is a extra extremely configured $500 laptop computer, not a real mid-tier gadget. That has each large benefits and a few important compromises.
The pricing within the context of Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite laptops issues too. These laptops with their extra highly effective processors initially began at $999 (and plenty of with simply 256 GB of storage), however a number of these costs have dropped. For instance, now you can get an HP OmniBook X for $680, which will get you a sooner processor and a greater show.
{Photograph}: Luke-Larsen
Boring however Reliable
From the surface, the Vivobook 14 is nothing particular. It’s a primary, silver laptop computer that feels a bit thicker and heavier than it ought to be. At over 3 kilos and 0.7 inches thick, it’s not egregious. The bezels are massive and plasticky, and there’s extra flex within the lid and keyboard deck than I want. I just like the look of the black mannequin versus the “Cool Silver,” but it surely does not seem like out there for buy on-line proper now.
It matches the definition of a real funds laptop computer in 2025—a minimum of, the stereotype of 1. However I respect that Asus didn’t skimp on the keyboard and touchpad. If a keyboard and touchpad are crappy, it doesn’t matter how little cash you spent on the laptop computer: You’ll remorse it. Fortunately, the Vivobook’s keyboard doesn’t have sloppy actuation or quick journey, as a substitute providing a cushty and exact typing expertise. It could even take you a bit to regulate to the 1.7 millimeters of journey, which is longer than the keyboards on most laptops.
