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Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T Notebook Review

All-rounder. Asus delivers a 15.6-inch all-rounder that is the successor of the models from the F555/X555 lineup with the VivoBook X556UQ. The company implements some innovations/improvements here - such as a better keyboard, longer battery life, Type-C USB. Unfortunately, the screen has again been neglected this time.

For the original German review, see here.

Laptops in the F555/X555 lineup are the basic devices by Asus. The models belong to the low-cost multimedia all-rounders. We have tested many members of the lineup over the past years. They always made a very decent impression. Buyers who do not want to invest a lot of money will not go wrong with these devices.

A successor in the form of the VivoBook X556UQ now faces us. Asus has not made any profound modifications. A GeForce 920M and 940M graphics units are installed in the new "X" models. Asus also incorporates a Type-C USB port. The casing has undergone a minor facelift. The VivoBook has plenty of opponents. We would, for example, name Acer's Aspire E5-552G, Acer's Aspire E5-573G, HP's Pavilion 15 and Lenovo's IdeaPad 500-15ISK.

Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
Processor
Intel Core i5-6200U 2 x 2.3 - 2.8 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1176 MHz, Memory: 900 MHz, DDR3, 64 bit interface, ForceWare 368.39 (10.18.13.6839), Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2132, dual-channel, one memory bank (filled), 4 GB soldered
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 100 PPI, LG Philips LP156WHB-TPD1, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND, 256 GB 
, 200 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Skylake PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: SD, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Optical drive
TSSTcorp CDDVDW SU-228HB
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 25.5 x 382 x 258 ( = 1 x 15.04 x 10.16 in)
Battery
38 Wh, 4840 mAh Lithium-Ion, 8.7 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: SD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Evernote, Foxit PhantomPDF, McAfee LiveSafe-Internet Security (trial), MS Office (trial), Team Viewer 10, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.3 kg ( = 81.13 oz / 5.07 pounds), Power Supply: 241 g ( = 8.5 oz / 0.53 pounds)
Price
799 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The VivoBook is completely made of plastic. Apart from the base unit's upper side (silver), all casing parts are black. The lid's back features a pattern: Waves spread out from the center. Asus simulates brushed metal on the base unit's upper side. The VivoBook does not look much different than its predecessor (Asus F555/X555). Only the base unit's upper side has been shaped a bit differently. Like the models of the F555/X555 lineup, the VivoBook only sports a tiny maintenance hatch that hides the working memory bank. The casing would have to be opened to access the other hardware components. More about that later.

The casing has obviously been made for the low-cost sector. For example, some places have not been deburred accurately: A slight material overhang is felt on the base unit's front edge. The lid does not close flush with the base unit, either. In terms of stiffness, the laptop does not exhibit any noteworthy irregularities. The casing can be dented slightly on both sides of the keyboard and below the touchpad. However, that is the case in many laptops. Furthermore, the base unit can be warped to a small degree, but this is also still within limits. In return, the lid could be stiffer; pressure on the lid's back leads to image distortions. Opening the lid with one hand is possible with a bit of jerking.

Connectivity

The connectivity of the VivoBook corresponds to former models - with one exception: One of the USB 3.0 ports (Type-A) has been replaced with a Type-C USB 3.1 port (Gen 1). Beyond that, the laptop still offers two video-outs. The interface distribution is satisfactory. The area beside the wrist rest will mostly remain free of cables.

Left: power-in, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA-out, HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1, cable lock slot
Left: power-in, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA-out, HDMI, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1, cable lock slot
Right: memory-card reader, combo audio, USB 2.0, DVD burner
Right: memory-card reader, combo audio, USB 2.0, DVD burner

Communication

The installed Wi-Fi module carries a chip by Qualcomm Atheros (QCA9377). In addition to the 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi standards, it also supports the fast ac standard. We did not experience any connection issues. The connection was always stable in a 15 meter radius around our Wi-Fi router. A Gigabit Ethernet chip from Realtek's RTL8168/8111 family is responsible for cabled network connections. We find this model in many laptops. The chip does an impeccable job as always.

Webcam 

The photos made with the webcam are not awe-inspiring. The camera produces blurry photos in a resolution of 640x480 pixels.

Memory-Card Reader

The memory-card reader operates sluggishly. A maximum transfer rate of 27.7 MB/s is achieved when copying large data blocks. Transferring 250 JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each) is performed at a speed of 22.2 MB/s. We tested the memory-card reader with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card.

Accessories

The laptop is shipped with the usual accessories: A quick-start poster and warranty conditions.

Maintenance

The VivoBook only has a small maintenance hatch that hides the working memory bank. The laptop's base tray has to be removed for accessing the other hardware components. All screws on the underside have to be released. Warning: More screws are hidden behind the small maintenance hatch and left rubber stopper (see screenshot). The base tray can then be pried off via a thin spattle or putty knife. This should also be done carefully since the base tray is fixed by small plastic clasps that could easily break. The VivoBook is furnished with a 2.5-inch SSD that can be replaced. The fan can also be cleaned. It would also be possible to replace the battery that is only secured by a few screws.

A screw is hidden behind a stopper
A screw is hidden behind a stopper
Innards
Innards

Warranty

The VivoBook is furnished with a two-year warranty including pick-up service. The warranty period can be extended to three years for around 79 Euros (~$88) extra.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The keyboard in the VivoBook does not look different than the one in the former model. Asus still delivers an unlit chiclet keyboard including a numpad. The flat, lightly roughened keys have a medium drop and clear pressure point. The key resistance is acceptable, although it could be a bit crisper in our opinion. That is, however, a matter of taste. The keyboard does not yield when typing on it. That makes it different from the predecessor's keyboard. The keyboard provides an overall decent typing feel and absolutely fulfills the needs for home use. Nevertheless, this keyboard has not been made for prolific writers, either.

Touchpad

The multitouch ClickPad has a surface area of approximately 10.5 x 7.3 cm. That is a lot of room for using gesture controls. The diverse gestures can be turned on and off individually in the pad's configuration menu. The pad's sleek surface allows the fingers to glide easily. The pad does not respond to inputs in the corners. It has a short drop and a clearly audible and palpable pressure point.

Input devices
Input devices

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid

Asus furnishes the VivoBook with a matte, 15.6-inch screen that has a native resolution of 1366x758 pixels. Neither the brightness (240.2 cd/m²) nor the contrast (482:1) is convincing. A look at our comparison chart proves that the screens in the opponents are not much better. Thus, the installed panel corresponds to what can be expected from this price range today. A higher-priced laptop would have to be selected for a better screen. Positive: The screen never exhibits PWM flickering.

237
cd/m²
239
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
241
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
239
cd/m²
251
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP156WHB-TPD1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 251 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 240.2 cd/m² Minimum: 13 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 241 cd/m²
Contrast: 482:1 (Black: 0.5 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.46 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.83 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
62% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42.46% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
41.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.49

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

VivoBook vs. sRGB
VivoBook vs. sRGB
VivoBook vs. AdobeRGB
VivoBook vs. AdobeRGB

The VivoBook is shipped with preloaded color profiles. Thus, its color reproduction is better than those of many comparable rivals in delivery state. The screen presents a DeltaE 2000 color shift of 4.46 - not at all a bad rate. A rate less than 3 would be desirable. Beyond that, the screen does not exhibit a bluish tint. Neither the AdobeRGB nor the sRGB color space is covered. The coverage rates here are 39% (AdobeRGB) and 62% (sRGB).

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
27 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8 ms rise
↘ 19 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 63 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 12 ms rise
↘ 24 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 44 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Asus equips the VivoBook with a viewing-angle dependent TN panel. Consequently, the screen is not legible from every position. Changing the vertical viewing angle quickly leads to image distortions. It looks better horizontally: Even several viewers can look at the screen at the same time. The VivoBook is quite outdoor suitable, but not in too bright sunlight. The screen's low brightness and low contrast prevent using the laptop then.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
TN LED, 1366x768
Asus F555UB-XO043T
TN LED, 1366x768
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
TN LED, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
TN LED, 1366x768
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
TN LED, 1920x1080
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
TN-Panel, 1920x1080
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
TN LED, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
TN WLED, 1920x1080
Display
-7%
-10%
-3%
-4%
9%
7%
87%
Display P3 Coverage
41.1
38.22
-7%
37.13
-10%
39.89
-3%
39.26
-4%
44.72
9%
44.11
7%
84.2
105%
sRGB Coverage
61.8
57.5
-7%
55.9
-10%
60
-3%
58.8
-5%
67.3
9%
66.4
7%
99.7
61%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
42.46
39.49
-7%
38.36
-10%
41.21
-3%
40.57
-4%
46.21
9%
45.57
7%
82.7
95%
Response Times
-14%
-3%
-7%
-4%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
36 ?(12, 24)
46 ?(24, 22)
-28%
45 ?(24, 21)
-25%
38 ?(24, 14)
-6%
44 ?(24, 20, starke Schwankungen mit/ohne PSU)
-22%
Response Time Black / White *
27 ?(8, 19)
27 ?(10, 17, Spikes in between)
-0%
22 ?(6, 16)
19%
29 ?(14, 15)
-7%
23 ?(7, 16, Plateau)
15%
PWM Frequency
50 ?(60)
50 ?(90)
1000 ?(80)
Screen
-17%
-53%
-38%
-53%
-31%
-32%
-41%
Brightness middle
241
214
-11%
200
-17%
240
0%
230
-5%
202
-16%
223
-7%
234
-3%
Brightness
240
205
-15%
196
-18%
231
-4%
213
-11%
200
-17%
215
-10%
219
-9%
Brightness Distribution
92
82
-11%
76
-17%
86
-7%
82
-11%
86
-7%
83
-10%
80
-13%
Black Level *
0.5
0.46
8%
0.34
32%
0.63
-26%
0.45
10%
0.66
-32%
0.76
-52%
0.48
4%
Contrast
482
465
-4%
588
22%
381
-21%
511
6%
306
-37%
293
-39%
488
1%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.46
6.52
-46%
11.54
-159%
10.51
-136%
11.44
-157%
8.72
-96%
8.5
-91%
11.8
-165%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.84
9.1
-33%
19.36
-183%
20.42
-199%
20.69
-202%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.83
7.05
-46%
12.98
-169%
11.51
-138%
11.77
-144%
9.22
-91%
9.35
-94%
13.3
-175%
Gamma
2.49 88%
2.41 91%
2.58 85%
2.27 97%
2.42 91%
2.17 101%
2.46 89%
2.47 89%
CCT
7773 84%
8623 75%
14060 46%
12512 52%
13585 48%
10298 63%
10402 62%
17098 38%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
39
36.6
-6%
36
-8%
38
-3%
35
-10%
42.4
9%
42
8%
74
90%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
62
57.8
-7%
56
-10%
60
-3%
59
-5%
66.8
8%
66
6%
100
61%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-13% / -15%
-22% / -38%
-21% / -29%
-21% / -37%
-11% / -21%
-13% / -22%
14% / -10%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

With the X556, Asus delivers a 15.6-inch all-rounder that offers enough computing power for routine use and can even render games. Our review sample is sold at around 770 Euros (~$859). We discovered two other configurations at test time. The range should increase considerably in the course of time. Other models can be found within the identical F556 lineup.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
 

Processor

A Core i5-6200U (Skylake) dual-core processor powers the VivoBook. This CPU should completely satisfy the needs of most users. The laptop is also available with the somewhat stronger Core i7-6500U. A surcharge of 100 to 150 Euros (~$111 to ~$167) is demanded for this 10 to 15% of performance plus - with otherwise identical configuration. That will not be worthwhile for most users. The installed Core i5 is a member of the frugal ULV processors (TDP: 15 watts). The CPU clocks at a base speed of 2.3 GHz that can be boosted to 2.7 GHz (both cores) or 2.8 GHz (one core only) via Turbo. Turbo is utilized in both AC and battery modes.

The processor scores approximately 10 to 15% better than its Broadwell predecessor (Core i5-5200U) in the CPU tests that we performed. This is due to the improved Skylake architecture and slightly higher clock speeds.

The CPU is soldered
The CPU is soldered
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6457
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
9915
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4415
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
38.93 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.24 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.34 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
46.97 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
293 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
117 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
322 Points +10%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
295 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
293 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
289 Points -1%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
289 Points -1%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
258 Points -12%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
207 Points -29%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
195 Points -33%
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
130 Points +11%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
119 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
117 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
115 Points -2%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
112 Points -4%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
107 Points -9%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
78 Points -33%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
63 Points -46%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
3.57 Points +10%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
3.24 Points
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
3.24 Points 0%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
3.21 Points -1%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
3.18 Points -2%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2.76 Points -15%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2.53 Points -22%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2.3 Points -29%
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
1.49 Points +11%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
1.42 Points +6%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
1.35 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
1.34 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
1.32 Points -1%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.26 Points -6%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
0.88 Points -34%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
0.79 Points -41%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
11111 Points +12%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
9995 Points +1%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
9936 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
9915 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
9792 Points -1%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
8579 Points -13%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
6820 Points -31%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
6403 Points -35%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
4911 Points +11%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
4651 Points +5%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
4454 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
4415 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
4315 Points -2%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4003 Points -9%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2417 Points -45%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2170 Points -51%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
3013 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2858 Points -5%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
2818 Points -6%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
2754 Points -9%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2675 Points -11%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1941 Points -36%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
6182 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
6177 Points 0%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
6007 Points -3%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
5955 Points -4%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
5312 Points -14%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4578 Points -26%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
154 ms * -57%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
124.7 ms * -28%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
111.6 ms * -14%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
97.8 ms *
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
96.9 ms * +1%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
87.3 ms * +11%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
215.2 Points +10%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
201.5 Points +3%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
196.3 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
186.4 Points -5%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
101.3 Points -48%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2578 ms * -107%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2275 ms * -83%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2263 ms * -82%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
1337 ms * -7%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
1245 ms *
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
1216 ms * +2%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
1133 ms * +9%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
30998 Points +11%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
30546 Points +9%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
27916 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
26586 Points -5%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
15276 Points -45%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
14240 Points -49%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
11380 Points -59%
Peacekeeper - ---
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
2952 Points +8%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2744 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
2728 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
2534 Points -7%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2397 Points -12%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1743 Points -36%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

A strong processor and quick solid state drive ensure a fast-running system. We did not encounter problems. The PCMark benchmark scores are very good. It is not possible to increase the total performance. Asus has already gone to the limits here.

Laptops like the VivoBook are normally configured with ULV dual-core processors nowadays. Users who want more overall performance will have to turn to a multimedia laptop from the premium range or a gaming laptop. These devices are usually equipped with quad-core processors. Their prices start at about 800 Euros (~$892). For example, Acer's Aspire V5-591G (with Core i5-6300HQ processor) is sold at a price starting at 799 Euros (~$891). This performance plus is, however, only noticed in applications that have been optimized for using multiple CPU cores. The extra performance is hardly noticed in routine use.

One working memory bank is present
One working memory bank is present
PCMark 7 Score
5167 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3483 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3951 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4356 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer Aspire V5-591G-71K2
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABF050H (SSHD 500 + 8 GB)
3719 Points +7%
Acer Aspire V Nitro VN7-792G-55SF
GeForce 945M, 6300HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
3524 Points +1%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
3486 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
3483 Points
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
3390 Points -3%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3377 Points -3%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
3305 Points -5%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
3069 Points -12%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2825 Points -19%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2806 Points -19%
PCMark 7 - Score
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
5167 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
4912 Points -5%
Acer Aspire V5-591G-71K2
GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABF050H (SSHD 500 + 8 GB)
4673 Points -10%
Acer Aspire V Nitro VN7-792G-55SF
GeForce 945M, 6300HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H
4633 Points -10%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3607 Points -30%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3290 Points -36%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
3021 Points -42%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2937 Points -43%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2556 Points -51%

Storage Device

The VivoBook sports a solid state drive by SK Hynix. It is a 2.5-inch model that has a total capacity of 256 GB. Approximately 210 GB of that can be used. The recovery partition and Windows installation reserves the rest of the storage capacity.

Replacing the SSD is possible
Replacing the SSD is possible
SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
Sequential Read: 434.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 318.3 MB/s
512K Read: 311.8 MB/s
512K Write: 319.2 MB/s
4K Read: 18.23 MB/s
4K Write: 85.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 323.8 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 253 MB/s

Graphics Card

Nvidia launched updated versions of its mid-range mobile GPUs onto the market early 2016. While some differences are seen in the GeForce 920MX compared with its predecessor due to changes in architecture (from Kepler to Maxwell), only the speeds of the 930MX and 940 MX have been increased slightly. The GeForce 940MX installed in the VivoBook clocks at a base speed of 1122 MHz. According to GPU-Z, it would be possible to boost this to 1242 MHz via Turbo. The GPU never achieves this rate, though. The maximum Turbo speed is 1176 MHz. Thus, there are virtually no differences in the 3DMark benchmark scores compared to GeForce 940M laptops.

A clear difference in scores would first appear when 940MX laptops with GDDR5 graphics memories are launched. In contrast to their predecessors, the "X" models support this memory. Performance leaps of up to 20% should be possible in conjunction with GDDR5 memories.

The graphics unit is also soldered
The graphics unit is also soldered
3DMark 06 Standard Score
11787 points
3DMark 11 Performance
2373 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
63974 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6108 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1374 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
4154 Points +75%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2880 Points +21%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2701 Points +14%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2539 Points +7%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2437 Points +3%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
2420 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
2373 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
2301 Points -3%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
63974 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
62794 Points -2%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
59535 Points -7%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
49599 Points -22%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
47792 Points -25%
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
41669 Points -35%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
41517 Points -35%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
35711 Points -44%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
8942 Points +46%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
6512 Points +7%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
6492 Points +6%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
6127 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
6108 Points
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
5575 Points -9%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
5261 Points -14%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
5001 Points -18%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
9255 Points +81%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
5644 Points +11%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
5398 Points +6%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
5264 Points +3%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
5101 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
4236 Points -17%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
3181 Points +132%
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1687 Points +23%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1499 Points +9%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
1391 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
1374 Points
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
1372 Points 0%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
1024 Points -25%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
16216 Points +38%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
11787 Points
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
8336 Points -29%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
8322 Points -29%

Gaming Performance

The VivoBook is a member of the all-rounders, and it can thus deal with computer games. The laptop renders many games smoothly in the HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) using low to medium quality settings. The quality setting can even be increased in games with moderate hardware requirements. It gets tight in performance-driven games, such as Far Cry Primal or Hitman. The resolution/quality level has to be reduced here. Another laptop is needed for more gaming power. Laptops furnished with Nvidia's next strongest graphics unit - the GeForce GTX 950M GPU - are sold at a price starting at about 800 Euros (~$892).

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 132.9 58.6 34.5
BioShock Infinite (2013) 87 48.3 39
Battlefield 4 (2013) 61.2 43.8 29.3
Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) 59 57.7
Watch Dogs (2014) 49 29.6
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) 37.6 24.1
Alien: Isolation (2014) 65.6 42.8
Evolve (2015) 36.1 25.6
Battlefield Hardline (2015) 64.6 56.5
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 28 23
Metal Gear Solid V (2015) 60 45.3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015) 51.4 31.2
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 50.5 30.6
Need for Speed 2016 (2016) 34.4 30.1
Mirror's Edge Catalyst (2016) 47.8 25.2
BioShock Infinite - 1366x768 Medium Preset
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
93.3 (18.33min - 156.07max) fps +93%
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
48.3 fps 0%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
48.3 fps
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
44.8 fps -7%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
40.4 fps -16%
Tomb Raider - 1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
Radeon R8 M365DX, A10-8700P, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
74.5 fps +27%
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
GeForce 940M, 5200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
68.3 fps +17%
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
GeForce 940M, 5500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
61.6 fps +5%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
58.6 fps
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
42.3 fps -28%
Battlefield 4 - 1366x768 Medium Preset
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
GeForce GTX 950M, 6200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
81.4 fps +86%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
43.8 fps
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
36.6 fps -16%
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
Radeon R8 M365DX, FX-8800P, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
30.3 fps -31%
Star Wars Battlefront - 1024x768 Low Preset
Asus F555UB-XO043T
GeForce 940M, 6200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
50.5 fps 0%
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, SK hynix SSD Canvas SC300 HFS256G32MND
50.5 fps
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
34.2 fps -32%

Emissions

System Noise

The VivoBook does not produce much noise when idling. The fan usually spins at low speeds and sometimes is even inactive. That looks different during load. We measured a noise level of 42.3 dB in the stress test. This rate is acceptable in view of the laptop's hardware configuration.

Fan
Fan
Fan loudness
Fan loudness

Noise Level

Idle
31.3 / 31.3 / 31.9 dB(A)
HDD
31.7 dB(A)
DVD
36.4 / dB(A)
Load
39.2 / 42.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 31.2 dB(A)
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
6200U, GeForce 940MX
Asus F555UB-XO043T
6200U, GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
FX-8800P, Radeon R8 M365DX
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
5200U, GeForce 940M
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
6500U, Radeon R7 M360
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
A10-8700P, Radeon R8 M365DX
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
5500U, GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
6200U, GeForce GTX 950M
Noise
-5%
2%
-4%
5%
0%
-13%
1%
off / environment *
31.2
31.3
-0%
30.5
2%
31.2
-0%
Idle Minimum *
31.3
34
-9%
32.4
-4%
32
-2%
31.2
-0%
30.7
2%
34.5
-10%
32.4
-4%
Idle Average *
31.3
34
-9%
33.2
-6%
32
-2%
31.2
-0%
30.7
2%
34.5
-10%
33.5
-7%
Idle Maximum *
31.9
34.2
-7%
33.2
-4%
32.2
-1%
31.2
2%
30.7
4%
34.5
-8%
33.5
-5%
Load Average *
39.2
38.9
1%
36.5
7%
43.1
-10%
34.1
13%
40.1
-2%
44.1
-13%
35.2
10%
Load Maximum *
42.3
43.6
-3%
34.4
19%
43.5
-3%
36.2
14%
44.3
-5%
52.5
-24%
38.7
9%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The VivoBook in the stress test
The VivoBook in the stress test

The VivoBook performed our stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) differently in AC and battery modes. The graphics unit always clocks at full speed (1176 MHz), but the processor clocks at 2.7 GHz (AC) and 400 MHz (battery). The laptop only heated up moderately during the stress test. 40 °C is only marginally surpassed on one measuring point.

Max. Load
 34.4 °C
94 F
33.2 °C
92 F
25.2 °C
77 F
 
 34.2 °C
94 F
33 °C
91 F
23.9 °C
75 F
 
 24.3 °C
76 F
25.1 °C
77 F
24.4 °C
76 F
 
Maximum: 34.4 °C = 94 F
Average: 28.6 °C = 83 F
29.9 °C
86 F
40.1 °C
104 F
34 °C
93 F
24 °C
75 F
30.4 °C
87 F
35.1 °C
95 F
23.7 °C
75 F
24.4 °C
76 F
26.2 °C
79 F
Maximum: 40.1 °C = 104 F
Average: 29.8 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  50.4 °C = 123 F | Room Temperature 21.1 °C = 70 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 28.6 °C / 83 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.4 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.1 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.1 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 25.1 °C / 77.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+3.7 °C / 6.6 F).
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
6200U, GeForce 940MX
Asus F555UB-XO043T
6200U, GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
FX-8800P, Radeon R8 M365DX
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
5200U, GeForce 940M
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
6500U, Radeon R7 M360
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
A10-8700P, Radeon R8 M365DX
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
5500U, GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
6200U, GeForce GTX 950M
Heat
-9%
-7%
-39%
-1%
-14%
-15%
-34%
Maximum Upper Side *
34.4
33.2
3%
34
1%
45.6
-33%
40.1
-17%
39.1
-14%
38.7
-13%
46.6
-35%
Maximum Bottom *
40.1
44
-10%
39.6
1%
61
-52%
34
15%
36.8
8%
40.2
-0%
65.4
-63%
Idle Upper Side *
24.3
28.2
-16%
27.7
-14%
32.5
-34%
24.7
-2%
30.5
-26%
30.8
-27%
28.9
-19%
Idle Bottom *
25.1
28.1
-12%
29
-16%
34.1
-36%
25.4
-1%
30.7
-22%
30.4
-21%
29.8
-19%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

The VivoBook's stereo speakers are situated on the underside of the casing's front edge. They produce a decent sound that also can be listened to for prolonged periods. Headphones or external speakers are recommended for better sound experience.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203534.735.7352537.634.634.237.63135.933.635.635.94031.731.231.131.75031.330.530.931.3632928.829.1298028.428.727.928.4100293133.42912533.636.841.133.616036.441.145.836.420037.64347.737.625042.347.15242.33154852.658.2484005155.860.6515005358.362.75363058.163.367.358.180055.860.465.555.8100053.759.263.453.7125054.959.964.754.9160060.665.970.160.6200061.466.570.861.4250062.968.172.762.9315061.86771.461.8400062.167.371.862.1500065.370.675.165.3630061.466.771.161.480005458.963.5541000054.259.363.654.21250054.659.964.254.61600053.558.763.353.5SPL72.677.882.272.6N28.639.351.628.6median 54.2median 59.3median 63.6median 54.2Delta9.49.58.89.438.434.733.338.435.135.231.135.134.235.134.234.230.931.330.230.930.930.731.430.930.231.43230.23436.640.83442.949.152.242.952.655.858.652.652.957.560.652.9495458.14957.861.865.857.862.167.170.162.16268.271.36258.263.667.558.258.263.567.758.270.375.578.970.363.568.672.563.556.261.665.556.254.459.763.754.460.165.369.460.16065.469.26052.557.961.852.549.354.658.549.349.454.958.949.451.757.261.251.752.157.461.452.148.453.757.848.44550.454.54543.248.853.143.272.377.681.272.326.636.846.226.6median 52.9median 57.9median 61.8median 52.9554.95hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076TAcer Aspire V15 Nitro BE VN7-592G-79DV

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The VivoBook is frugal in idle mode. We measured a maximum power consumption of 6.9 watts - a good rate. It climbed to 57.7 watts during the stress test, which is a normal rate for the hardware installed here. The requirement will range around 39 watts (+/- 5 watts) in gaming routine. The power supply has a nominal output of 65 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.62 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.2 / 6.5 / 6.9 Watt
Load midlight 38.9 / 57.7 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
6200U, GeForce 940MX
Asus F555UB-XO043T
6200U, GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
FX-8800P, Radeon R8 M365DX
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
5200U, GeForce 940M
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
6500U, Radeon R7 M360
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
A10-8700P, Radeon R8 M365DX
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
5500U, GeForce 940M
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
6200U, GeForce GTX 950M
Power Consumption
-12%
-37%
-15%
-2%
-67%
-22%
-87%
Idle Minimum *
3.2
4.7
-47%
6.7
-109%
4.8
-50%
4
-25%
6.9
-116%
4.8
-50%
8.3
-159%
Idle Average *
6.5
6.5
-0%
9.8
-51%
7
-8%
6.7
-3%
11
-69%
8.1
-25%
12.1
-86%
Idle Maximum *
6.9
6.8
1%
10.6
-54%
7
-1%
7.1
-3%
12.1
-75%
8.3
-20%
15.4
-123%
Load Average *
38.9
42.7
-10%
46
-18%
44.5
-14%
35
10%
61.3
-58%
42.5
-9%
56
-44%
Load Maximum *
57.7
59
-2%
32
45%
58
-1%
50.3
13%
66.5
-15%
61.1
-6%
70
-21%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The VivoBook achieved a runtime of 6:48 hours in our practical Wi-Fi test. We simulate the load needed for opening websites via a script. The "Balanced" profile is enabled and the energy-saving functions are disabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². Our video test shows how long videos can be watched on one battery charge. We loop the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264 encoding, 1920x1080 pixels) while both the radio modules and energy saving functions are disabled. The screen's brightness is dimmed to 150 cd/m². The VivoBook shut down after 6:20 hours. In total, Asus' laptop provides good battery runtimes. There is nothing to complain about here.

The battery has a capacity of 38 Wh
The battery has a capacity of 38 Wh
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
13h 38min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
6h 48min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 20min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 41min
Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T
38 Wh
Asus F555UB-XO043T
37 Wh
Acer Aspire E5-552G-F62G
37 Wh
Acer Aspire E5-573G-5785
37 Wh
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
32 Wh
HP Pavilion 15-ab052ng
41 Wh
HP Pavilion 15-ab022ng
41 Wh
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573G-53V1
62 Wh
Battery Runtime
-13%
-55%
-5%
-29%
-56%
-26%
4%
Reader / Idle
818
400
-51%
731
-11%
715
-13%
222
-73%
563
-31%
667
-18%
H.264
380
357
-6%
305
-20%
154
-59%
294
-23%
335
-12%
WiFi v1.3
408
355
-13%
168
-59%
347
-15%
248
-39%
137
-66%
267
-35%
386
-5%
Load
101
112
11%
57
-44%
75
-26%
88
-13%
152
50%

Pros

+ matte screen
+ decent application performance
+ gaming suitable
+ low temperatures
+ usually quiet
+ decent battery life

Cons

- dark, low-contrast screen
- no maintenance hatch

Verdict

In review: Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T. Test model courtesy of Asus Germany
In review: Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T. Test model courtesy of Asus Germany

With the VivoBook X556UQ, Asus delivers a 15.6-inch multimedia all-rounder that has enough computing power for all common application scenarios. The GeForce graphics unit allows playing computer games. The laptop runs quietly during routine use and hardly heats up in total. A quick solid state drive ensures a fast-running system. Replacing the SSD would be possible. However, the casing has to be opened for this. We overall liked the keyboard a bit more than the one installed in former models. The battery life is very good. Like in so many other laptops, the VivoBook's screen is the weak point. Asus does not install a particularly bright or high-contrast model here.

Asus' VivoBook X556UQ is a rounded versatile device from the low-cost sector. Improvements compared with the predecessor are apparent.

Our review sample is presently sold at about 750 to 770 Euros (~$836 to ~$859). Users who do not need an SSD and are happy with a conventional (1 TB) hard drive can already purchase the laptop for 650 Euros (~$725).

Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T - 06/24/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
74 / 98 → 76%
Keyboard
74%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
47 / 81 → 58%
Weight
61 / 20-67 → 87%
Battery
88%
Display
81%
Games Performance
62 / 85 → 73%
Application Performance
84 / 92 → 91%
Temperature
95%
Noise
86 / 95 → 91%
Audio
56%
Camera
25 / 85 → 29%
Average
70%
78%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus VivoBook X556UQ-XO076T Notebook Review
Sascha Mölck, 2016-07- 3 (Update: 2018-05-15)