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Asus X551MAV-SX391B Notebook Review Update

Quiet and cool. Asus wants around 300 Euros (~$380) for its 15.6-inch X551MAV-SX391B laptop. Although the installed Bay Trail Celeron does not offer much computing power, the laptop operates quietly. A Windows operating system is included despite the low price.

For the original German review, see here.

Asus' X551MAV-SX391B is no stranger to us. We tested the identically built Asus F551MA-SX063H (Pentium N3520, HD Graphics (Bay Trail)) only a few months ago. The X551 is shipped with the Bing version of Windows 8.1 and is thus less expensive than the F551. While the X551 is available for 300 Euros (~$380), approximately 400 Euros (~$507) have to be put on the counter for the F551. Our test report reveals whether a decent, 15.6-inch laptop is available for 300 Euros (~$380).

All laptops in the price range between 300 and 400 Euros (~$380 and ~$507) are rivals of the X551, for example, Lenovo's B50-30 and HP's 15-g005ng.

Since the F551 and X551 feature identical builds, we will not go in-depth about casing, connectivity, input devices or speakers. More information can be found in the review of the Asus F551.

Display

The X551 features a glossy, 15.6-inch screen that operates with a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Its brightness rate of 203.3 cd/m² is not particularly impressive but corresponds to the laptop's price level. The same is true for both the contrast (295:1) and black level (0.75 cd/m²).

194
cd/m²
193
cd/m²
188
cd/m²
203
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
205
cd/m²
212
cd/m²
205
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N156BGE L21 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 221 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 203.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 221 cd/m²
Contrast: 295:1 (Black: 0.75 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.61 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.55 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
52% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
56% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
81.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
54.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.79
Asus X551 vs. sRGB
Asus X551 vs. sRGB
Asus X551 vs. AdobeRGB
Asus X551 vs. AdobeRGB

Asus' laptops are often shipped with preloaded color profiles and thus have a better color reproduction than contending models. That is also the case in the X551. The screen has an average DeltaE 2000 shift of 5.61, which is quite close to the target range (DeltaE less than 3). We are used to rates ranging from 10 to 12 in this price category. The screen does not exhibit a bluish cast owing to the color profile.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
The X551 outdoors (shot in overcast conditions)
The X551 outdoors (shot in overcast conditions)

Asus installs a simple TN screen in its X551. Thus, the laptop only has limited viewing angles. Outdoor use is possible in not overly bright surroundings. The screen's reflective surface thwarts any such plans in bright sunlight.

Performance

Asus has a very affordable 15.6-inch laptop that is suitable for office, Internet, and video playback in its product line with the X551MAV-SX391B. The X551 is far remote from the power of a device with a Core i processor. Nevertheless, it scores considerably better than laptops with AMD APUs from the E-Series overall. Our review sample is available for 300 Euros (~$380). Asus also has a multitude of other configurations within its F551 / X551 line.

Processor

The X551 is powered by Intel's Celeron N2830 processor (Bay Trail). This dual-core processor operates with a base clock of 2.16 GHz. Its speed can be increased up to 2.416 GHz via Turbo. The CPU's TDP is a low 7.5 watts. The CPU's full performance is available in both AC and battery modes. The processor performed all CPU tests of the Cinebench benchmarks with 2.416 GHz.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1198
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
2255
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
2359
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
0.81 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.43 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
5.98 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
66 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
37 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
4.01 fps
Help
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus X551MAV-SX391B
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2830, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
0.43 Points
HP Compaq 15-h024sg
Radeon HD 8210, E1-2100, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
0.23 Points -47%
Lenovo B50-30
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2815, Seagate Momentus Thin 320 GB ST320LT012
0.32 Points -26%
Asus F551MA-SX063H
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3520, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
0.44 Points +2%
HP 15-g005ng
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E680
0.6 Points +40%
Acer Aspire E1-532
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.61 Points +42%
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.62 Points +44%
Lenovo IdeaPad G50-45
Radeon R4 (Beema), A6-6310, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
0.56 Points +30%
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
0.79 Points +84%
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Asus X551MAV-SX391B
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2830, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
0.81 Points
HP Compaq 15-h024sg
Radeon HD 8210, E1-2100, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
0.46 Points -43%
Lenovo B50-30
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2815, Seagate Momentus Thin 320 GB ST320LT012
0.62 Points -23%
Acer Aspire E1-532
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1.14 Points +41%
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1.2 Points +48%
Asus F551MA-SX063H
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3520, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1.75 Points +116%
Lenovo IdeaPad G50-45
Radeon R4 (Beema), A6-6310, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.98 Points +144%
HP 15-g005ng
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E680
2.01 Points +148%
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2.01 Points +148%

System Performance

Performance feats should not be expected from devices based on Bay Trail processors. The laptop runs smoothly and performs the tasks for which it was made largely without problems. The scores of the PCMark benchmarks are found at the lower end of the chart and correspond to the hardware configuration's performance capabilities.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1214 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
869 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
1296 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus X551MAV-SX391B
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2830, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1214 Points
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1492 Points +23%
HP 15-g005ng
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E680
1967 Points +62%
Lenovo IdeaPad G50-45
Radeon R4 (Beema), A6-6310, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2011 Points +66%
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2092 Points +72%

Storage Devices

A Seagate hard drive has found its way into the X551. It spins with 5400 revolutions per minute and has a capacity of 500 GB. The drive is divided into an operating system partition (186 GB) and a data partition (258 GB) - but that is known from Asus' laptops. Overall, the hard drive delivers very good, up-to-date transfer rates.

Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Sequential Read: 109.7 MB/s
Sequential Write: 108.9 MB/s
512K Read: 23.47 MB/s
512K Write: 44.59 MB/s
4K Read: 0.488 MB/s
4K Write: 0.837 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 1.176 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 0.831 MB/s

Graphics Card

Intel's HD Graphics core is responsible for video output. It supports DirectX 11 and operates with speeds of up to 750 MHz. The GPU's performance is at the lower end of the performance scale.

3DMark 11 Performance
227 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
16076 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
1196 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Asus X551MAV-SX391B
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2830, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
227 Points
Lenovo B50-30
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2815, Seagate Momentus Thin 320 GB ST320LT012
218 Points -4%
Asus F551MA-SX063H
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3520, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
261 Points +15%
HP Compaq 15-h024sg
Radeon HD 8210, E1-2100, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
369 Points +63%
Acer Aspire E1-532
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
480 Points +111%
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
544 Points +140%
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
784 Points +245%
Lenovo IdeaPad G50-45
Radeon R4 (Beema), A6-6310, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
795 Points +250%
HP 15-g005ng
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E680
831 Points +266%

Gaming Performance

Users who want to play games on the X551 should limit themselves to titles from the Windows Store. They were developed for the Modern UI interfaces and should usually run smoothly on the X551. With very few exceptions, up-to-date 3D games, such as Tomb Raider or FIFA 15, do not achieve smooth frame rates on Asus' laptop.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 14.2 7.4 4.9
Asus X551MAV-SX391B
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2830, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Asus F551MA-SX063H
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3520, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
HP 15-g005ng
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E680
Acer Aspire E1-532
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2955U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
Lenovo IdeaPad G50-45
Radeon R4 (Beema), A6-6310, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Tomb Raider
9%
140%
103%
124%
1024x768 Low Preset
14.2
15.5
9%
34
139%
30.3
113%
31.7
123%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x
7.4
8.1
9%
17.8
141%
14.3
93%
16.6
124%

Emissions

System Noise

The X551 will not distract its user with noise. The laptop operates quietly over the entire load range. The fan even often stands still in idle mode. The identically built Asus F551 Bay Trail Pentium model produces a bit more noise during full load.

Noise Level

Idle
31 / 31 / 31.4 dB(A)
HDD
31.6 dB(A)
DVD
36.5 / dB(A)
Load
32.9 / 32.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-300 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Asus X551MAV in the stress test
Asus X551MAV in the stress test

The X551 performed the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) in AC and battery modes in the same manner. The processor clocks with its full speed, and the GPU operates with 720 MHz. The laptop's casing barely heats up here. We measured a maximum temperature of 30.7 °C.

 29 °C
84 F
25 °C
77 F
23.4 °C
74 F
 
 28.2 °C
83 F
26.3 °C
79 F
24 °C
75 F
 
 28.6 °C
83 F
26 °C
79 F
28.3 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 29 °C = 84 F
Average: 26.5 °C = 80 F
24.7 °C
76 F
26.6 °C
80 F
29.8 °C
86 F
25 °C
77 F
26.4 °C
80 F
28.9 °C
84 F
26.6 °C
80 F
26 °C
79 F
27.1 °C
81 F
Maximum: 29.8 °C = 86 F
Average: 26.8 °C = 80 F
Power Supply (max.)  32.1 °C = 90 F | Room Temperature 22.7 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 26.9 °C / 80 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 30.7 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.5 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.6 °C / 83.5 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-0.9 °C / -1.6 F).

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The CPU installed in the X551 does not require much power and thus the laptop proves to be very modest in total. The idle power consumption was below 10 watts. Its energy requirement climbed up to 15.5 watts in the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour). These rates are overall on a level that comparable laptops also display. The F551 consumes more power during full load because it sports a quad-core processor.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.2 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.3 / 7.8 / 8.5 Watt
Load midlight 13.8 / 15.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
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.

Battery Runtime

Websites are opened automatically every 40 seconds in the Wi-Fi test. The energy-saving profile is enabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The X551 achieved a runtime of 4:04 h here. The identically built F551 (4:16 h) lasts for roughly the same time.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Surfing
4h 04min
Asus X551MAV-SX391B
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2830, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Asus F551MA-SX063H
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3520, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
Lenovo B50-30
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N2815, Seagate Momentus Thin 320 GB ST320LT012
HP 15-g005ng
Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E680
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
Battery Runtime
WiFi
244
256
5%
217
-11%
291
19%
391
60%

Verdict

For a price of 300 Euros (~$380), the buyer gets a simple 15.6-inch office laptop including a Windows operating system in Asus' X551MAV-SX391B. It is suitable for basic tasks, such as browsing, Skype and video playback. The laptop consumes very little power, and always operates quietly. The laptop's screen will not knock anyone's socks off, but it is acceptable considering the price level. The laptop's wobbly keyboard is only suitable for home use, and prolific writers will not be satisfied with it. We also dislike the warranty period of just one year.

Laptops that make an overall rounder impression and/or offer more computing power are available for only a few Euros more. We would, for example, name Acer's Aspire E1-532 (Celeron 2955U, HD Graphics (Haswell)) for 250 Euros (~$316) without a Windows operating system and Lenovo's G50-45 (AMD A6-6310, Radeon R4 (Beema)) for 300 Euros (~$380) without a Windows operating system.

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In review: Asus X551MAV-SX391B. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de
In review: Asus X551MAV-SX391B. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de

Specifications

Asus X551MAV-SX391B
Processor
Intel Celeron N2830 2 x 2.2 - 2.4 GHz, Bay Trail-M
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Core: 750 MHz, 10.18.10.3355
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3, single-channel, two memory banks (one bank filled)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel, Chi Mei N156BGE L21, TN LED, glossy: yes
Storage
Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 410 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Valleyview SoC - HD Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio jack, Card Reader: SD
Networking
Realtek RTL8102E Family PCI-E Fast Ethernet (10/100MBit/s), Atheros AR9485WB-EG Wireless Network Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/)
Optical drive
TSSTcorp CDDVDW SN-208FB
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 31 x 380 x 251 ( = 1.22 x 14.96 x 9.88 in)
Battery
33 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Windows 8.1 (64 Bit) + Bing
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, McAfee LiveSave-Internet Security (trial), MS Office 365 (trial), 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.15 kg ( = 75.84 oz / 4.74 pounds), Power Supply: 141 g ( = 4.97 oz / 0.31 pounds)
Price
299 Euro

 

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Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE Notebook Review
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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Operates quietly
+Low power consumption
+Low heat development
 

Cons

-12-month warranty only
-Dark, low-contrast, viewing angle dependent screen
-Poor input devices

Shortcut

What we like

The low power consumption and quiet operating noise.

What we'd like to see

A matte screen.

What surprises us

15.6-inch laptops for managing office and Internet tasks are available even for 300 Euros (~$380).

The competition

Lenovo B50-30, HP 15-g005ng, Lenovo IdeaPad G50-45, Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4, Acer Aspire E1-532, Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mns, Lenovo B50-45.

Rating

Asus X551MAV-SX391B - 10/08/2014 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
62 / 98 → 63%
Keyboard
67%
Pointing Device
67%
Connectivity
56 / 80 → 70%
Weight
62 / 20-67 → 89%
Battery
82%
Display
69%
Games Performance
37 / 68 → 54%
Application Performance
39 / 92 → 42%
Temperature
94%
Noise
93%
Audio
50%
Camera
35 / 85 → 41%
Average
63%
70%
Office - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2014-10-13 (Update: 2018-05-15)