ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 Review: Notebook For New Generation

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 -- Specifications

• CPU -- Intel Core i5-10210U
• GPU -- NVIDIA GeForce MX250 (2GB)
• Display -- 14-inch (1920 x 1080p) FHD panel
• RAM -- 8GB
• Storage -- 512GB PCIe SSD
• Keyboard-- Full sized backlit keyboard
• Trackpad -- Glass touchpad with an integrated fingerprint sensor
• Camera -- HD 720 web camera
• Wireless -- Bluetooth 5.0 + Tri-Band Wi-Fi (2.4Ghz, 5.0GHz, and 6GHz)
• Battery -- 50Whr with fast charging
• Weight -- 1.4KG

 

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 Design -- Looks And Feels Premium

The ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 is a thin, light, and premium notebook. In fact, the overall form factor of this notebook is similar to the Apple MacBook Air and it just weighs 1.4KG, making it easy to carry around.

One of the differentiating factors on the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 is that comes in multiple color variants. That unit that I am reviewing is a Dreamy White color, which changes its color depending on the direction and the intensity of the light.

The weight distribution is on point. However, unlike the MacBook, you won't be able to open the lid with a single hand. Even though it is a thin machine, the brand has not skimped on the ports as it packs two USB-A ports, USB Type-C port, and a full-sized HDMI port, and one can use most accessories without needing a dongle or an adapter.

Thanks to the metal build with the thin and light design, this will be a good machine to consider who travel with their laptop every day and don't fancy carrying a heavy computer. Not just that, even the 60W power adapter is very compact and looks like a smartphone charger.

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 Display -- Bezel-Less And Color Accurate

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 has a 14-inch display with FHD (1920 x 1080p) resolution and it comes with a matte finish. The brand has gone for a thin-bezel design like most of the modern notebooks. The company calls it a NanoEdge display with 178 degrees viewing angle and 100 percent sRGB coverage.

Though this is not the most color-accurate panel in this price range, it is one of the best for sure. I have been watching movies and web series on this laptop and the whole experience is pretty enjoyable.

This is an 8-bit color panel and it gets pretty bright, so it can be used for light photo and video color correction. If you are into binging content from platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, then the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 should be able to offer satisfactory experience.

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433F Keyboard And Trackpad: Satisfactory

The ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 has a full-sized keyboard with backlighting. However, if you are coming from a gaming laptop (like me) then you might feel that the key-travel (1.4mm) and response on the keyboard are not that great. However, in just a few days I got used to this new keyboard which is very silent and offers a good key response.

Though I haven't gamed much on this computer, I did write plenty of articles and if you are a writer or even a student, then the keyboard will offer good typing experience in the long run. The same goes for the trackpad as well, it is sensitive and I did not find any dead spots on the trackpad and the glass-finish makes it feel much premium and your finger will glide through it.

The trackpad also has an integrated fingerprint sensor that supports Windows Hello. If you are someone who hates to type-in passwords to login into the device each time, you will appreciate this feature which gives easy yet secure access to the notebook.

Even though the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 doesn't have the best keyboard and trackpad that we have seen, they are still good and offer great user experience and the colored enter button adds a bit of a fling to the overall design.

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 CPU Performance: Modern And Efficient Chipset

The ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 comes in two SKUs, the model that I am reviewing is the base model, based on the Intel Core i5-10210U quad-core processor. This is the latest 10th Gen processor based on 14nm fabrication, which offers the right balance between battery life and performance.

The Intel Core i5-10210U, as the name suggests is a U series processor with a TDP of 15W. It comes with a base frequency of 1.6GHz and can even run at 4.2GHz using Turbo Boost technology. It also has an integrated Intel UHD graphics, capable of supporting an external display with up to 4K resolution.

As per the CPU performance, the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433F scores 985 points on Geekbench 5 single-core performance and 3272 points on multi-core performance. These numbers indicate that the laptop can handle most of the tasks that an office goer or a student might do in a notebook.

It comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM. Do note that, the RAM is soldered to the motherboard and is not user upgradable. It also comes with 512GB PCIe SSD, which is user-upgradable.

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 GPU Performance: Not Meant For Gaming

Though the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 comes with a dedicated Nvidia MX250 2GB GPU, this computer is not for serious gamers. The MX250 is an entry-level graphics card that is meant for tasks like video editing and other light tasks.

We ran a graphics benchmark on the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 at 1080p and 720p resolution. At FHD resolution, the laptop posted an average FPS of 19.83, whereas at HD resolution it posted an average FPS of 57.80. So, if you plan to game on this, then you might have to compromise with the resolution and the graphics quality.

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 Battery Life: All-Day Battery

The ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 has a 53Whr Li-ion battery and it does support fast charging, capable of refilling 60 percent of the battery in just 45 minutes. It comes with a compact power adapter that uses a barrel-shaped connector. Though the laptop has a USB Type-C port, it does not support USB-PD, hence it cannot be used to charge the machine.

Coming to the battery life itself, it can easily last for 8 hours with regular usage and can last for an entire work shift on a single charge. If you hate to carry or borrow the charger from your colleague, then the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 is a good notebook to consider.

ASUS VivoBook S14 S433F Verdict: Made For Professionals

The ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 offers a great specs sheet at an amazing price. It is a slim, trim, and lightweight laptop that is something that the modern working professionals will look for on a laptop. On top of that, the laptop also offers great performance and battery life, easily lasting for an entire day with regular usage.

This is the laptop for students, IT professionals, video editors, and students. With the current situation, it is also a great notebook for students who might want to attend online classes and learn new concepts using the World Wide Web.

Given the build quality and the features it offers, the ASUS VivoBook S14 S433 can be considered as a great laptop for the new generation, who wants a laptop that looks premium, modern, and does not cost a bomb.