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ASUS VivoBook 14 X412FJ Laptop Review: A compact 14-inch machine with performance issues

A compact all-rounder with fatal flaws. The VivoBook 14 scores well for its quad-core i5 processor, dedicated GPU, 8 GB of dual-channel RAM, SSD and matte IPS screen. However, there are some significant shortcomings, which our tests and review will reveal.

You may recognise the VivoBook 14 from our previous review, where we tested F412FJ, the sister model of our current review unit. The X412FJ, like its sibling, is powered by a Core i5-8265U processor and a GeForce MX230 GPU along with 8 GB of dual-channel RAM. We will compare the VivoBook 14 against other 14-inch laptops like the HP 14, Honor Magicbook, Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D and Lenovo IdeaPad S340-14IWL. You can also add other laptops to our comparison charts and tables, for reference.

ASUS equips the X412FJ with the same case, connectivity, ports, input devices, display and speakers as the F412FJ. Please see our initial VivoBook 14 review for our full thoughts on these areas.

Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T (VivoBook 14 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8265U 4 x 1.6 - 3.9 GHz, Whiskey Lake-U
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX230 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1531 MHz, Memory: 1500 MHz, GDDR5, 64-bit connection, Nvidia 431.60, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2400, dual-channel, one SODIMM slot (occupied), 4 GB soldered
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, AU Optronics B140HAN04.0 (AUO403D), IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ, 256 GB 
, 207 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC256 @ Intel Cannon Point-LP PCH - cAVS
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined headphone and microphone jack, Card Reader: MicroSD, 1 Fingerprint Reader, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 322 x 212 ( = 0.75 x 12.68 x 8.35 in)
Battery
37 Wh, 4850 mAh Lithium-Ion, 7.7 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, McAfee LiveSafe trial, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.5 kg ( = 52.91 oz / 3.31 pounds), Power Supply: 200 g ( = 7.05 oz / 0.44 pounds)
Price
799 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

335 mm / 13.2 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs322 mm / 12.7 inch 212 mm / 8.35 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs322 mm / 12.7 inch 212 mm / 8.35 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.5 kg3.22 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 231 mm / 9.09 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 221 mm / 8.7 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.4 kg3.18 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 221 mm / 8.7 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.4 kg3.18 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 221 mm / 8.7 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.5 kg3.24 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=61, last 2 years)
93 MB/s +403%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
71.6 MB/s +287%
HP 14-dk0008ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.2 MB/s +90%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
18.5 MB/s
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
17.3 MB/s -6%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=57, last 2 years)
122.4 MB/s +364%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
83.7 MB/s +217%
HP 14-dk0008ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
38 MB/s +44%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
26.4 MB/s
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
25.2 MB/s -5%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
675 (561min - 737max) MBit/s +13%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
642 (613min - 660max) MBit/s +7%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
628 (281min - 654max) MBit/s +5%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
600 (501min - 662max) MBit/s
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
514 MBit/s -14%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
321 (249min - 389max) MBit/s -46%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
309 (212min - 410max) MBit/s -48%
iperf3 receive AX12
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
635 MBit/s +4%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
616 (569min - 634max) MBit/s +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
609 (572min - 625max) MBit/s
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
540 (268min - 550max) MBit/s -11%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
534 (263min - 542max) MBit/s -12%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
271 (234min - 285max) MBit/s -56%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
251 (184min - 354max) MBit/s -59%
04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø608 (572-625)
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø616 (569-634)
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø250 (184-354)
HP 14-dk0008ng AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø271 (234-285)
Honor Magicbook AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000); iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø534 (527-542)
Honor Magicbook Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø539 (527-550)
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø600 (501-662)
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø675 (561-737)
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø321 (249-389)
HP 14-dk0008ng AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø309 (212-410)
Honor Magicbook AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000); iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø642 (613-660)
Honor Magicbook Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø630 (602-654)

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The VivoBook comes with the same 14-inch, matte and 1080p IPS panel as its sibling. Our current review unit achieved an average maximum brightness of 255 cd/m² and an 898:1 contrast ratio according to X-Rite i1Pro 2, both of which are below our expected values of 300 cd/m² and 1,000:1. In short, the VivoBook 14 should do better here. Positively, the display has stable viewing angles and no PWM flicker.

While the X412FJ has the same display as the F412FJ, their panels have different brightness values, black levels and contrast ratios. This is a normal phenomenon as no two panels are identical, even if they are from the same batch.

245
cd/m²
252
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
274
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
261
cd/m²
263
cd/m²
265
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B140HAN04.0 (AUO403D) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 274 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 255 cd/m² Minimum: 14 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 274 cd/m²
Contrast: 898:1 (Black: 0.305 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.66 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.45 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.96% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.65% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.49
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP 14-dk0008ng
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Honor Magicbook
1920x1080, 14.00
Honor Magicbook
IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
0%
-3%
-0%
11%
8%
11%
Display P3 Coverage
39.65
39.71
0%
38.41
-3%
39.53
0%
44.59
12%
43.09
9%
44.26
12%
sRGB Coverage
59.5
59.6
0%
57.8
-3%
59.1
-1%
65.7
10%
63.1
6%
65.1
9%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
40.96
41.04
0%
39.68
-3%
40.84
0%
46.07
12%
44.52
9%
45.73
12%
Response Times
0%
9%
6%
-13%
-12%
-10%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
40 ?(18, 22)
40 ?(19, 21)
-0%
36 ?(20, 16)
10%
38 ?(18, 20)
5%
44.8 ?(22, 22.8)
-12%
44.4 ?(23.2, 21.2)
-11%
42.4 ?(22.8, 19.6)
-6%
Response Time Black / White *
29 ?(17, 12)
29 ?(17, 12)
-0%
27 ?(16, 11)
7%
27 ?(15, 12)
7%
32.8 ?(18.8, 14)
-13%
32.8 ?(18, 14.8)
-13%
32.8 ?(18, 14.8)
-13%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(90)
200 ?(100)
198.4 ?(99)
Screen
7%
-40%
7%
-27%
-19%
-23%
Brightness middle
274
267
-3%
260
-5%
269
-2%
318
16%
287
5%
287
5%
Brightness
255
257
1%
250
-2%
257
1%
308
21%
273
7%
276
8%
Brightness Distribution
89
91
2%
87
-2%
89
0%
90
1%
86
-3%
86
-3%
Black Level *
0.305
0.2
34%
0.29
5%
0.2
34%
0.26
15%
0.21
31%
0.25
18%
Contrast
898
1335
49%
897
0%
1345
50%
1223
36%
1367
52%
1148
28%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.66
3.79
-4%
6.29
-72%
3.68
-1%
5.3
-45%
5
-37%
5.4
-48%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.54
8.18
-8%
14.77
-96%
7.36
2%
19.3
-156%
20.1
-167%
18.1
-140%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.45
1.49
-3%
4.65
-221%
1.69
-17%
4
-176%
2.7
-86%
3.1
-114%
Gamma
2.49 88%
2.48 89%
2.73 81%
2.49 88%
2.23 99%
2.18 101%
1.99 111%
CCT
6597 99%
6659 98%
7331 89%
6406 101%
6991 93%
6653 98%
6769 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
38
0%
37
-3%
38
0%
42.23
11%
40.59
7%
41.8
10%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59
59
0%
58
-2%
59
0%
65.31
11%
62.66
6%
64.6
9%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.71
4.51
4.8
4.2
4.5
5
Total Average (Program / Settings)
2% / 5%
-11% / -26%
4% / 5%
-10% / -17%
-8% / -12%
-7% / -14%

* ... smaller is better

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
29 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 12 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. » 73 % 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
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 22 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. » 55 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

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.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Greyscale
CalMAN - Greyscale
CalMAN – Colour Saturation
CalMAN – Colour Saturation

Performance

The VivoBook 14 is powerful enough for all common tasks and even some light gaming thanks to its quad-core CPU and dedicated GPU. Our test device currently costs between €700 (~US$782) and €800 (~US$893) online, although ASUS sells other variants should your budget not stretch that far.

Processor

ASUS equips the VivoBook with a Core i5-8265U processor, a quad-core chip based on Intel’s Whiskey Lake architecture. The ultra-low voltage (ULV) CPU has a 15 W thermal design power (TDP) that allows it to temporarily boost its 1.6 GHz base clock to 3.7 GHz across all four cores when required. The Core i5-8265U can also reach 3.8 GHz on two cores and 3.9 GHz during single-core tasks.

Correspondingly, our review unit maintained between 3.7 and 3.9 GHz in Cinebench R15 Single 64Bit on mains or battery power. However, its multicore performance is not as rosy, with the CPU initially fluctuating between 3.3 and 3.6 GHz on mains power before dropping to between 2.8 and 2.9 GHz. However, it can only maintain between 2.8 and 3 GHz on battery power, with it regularly plummeting to 400 MHz too.

In short, the VivoBook 14 has dreadful multicore performance when running on battery power. The device can only score 259 points in CB R15 Multi 64Bit, which is just ahead of the dual-core Pentium Gold 4415U on around 240 points. Hence, we would recommend considering another device if you need peak multicore performance on the go. We doubt that this applies to most people, but it still something to keep in mind before you buy the VivoBook 14. The device can maintain maximum single-threaded performance on battery though.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWInfo
HWInfo
Intel XTU
Intel XTU

We also tested whether the system could maintain peak CPU performance under sustained load by running CB R15 Multi 64Bit on a loop for 30 minutes. We expected scores to drop when the CPU exhausts its turbo clock speeds, which is a behaviour we have come to expect from modern laptops. The VivoBook 14 is no different, with it dropping from a peak of 666 points to a low of 522. The CPU still maintained turbo clock speeds of between 2.4 and 2.6 GHz from the sixth pass onwards, with the VivoBook 14 dropping below the Honor Magicbook, MateBook D 14 and IdeaPad S340-14IWL in our comparison chart, which we have included below.

04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720760Tooltip
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø540 (522.94-666.01)
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø503 (492.9-621.35)
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel Core i7-8565U: Ø654 (578.9-760.2)
HP 14-dk0008ng AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U: Ø447 (422.06-536.95)
Honor Magicbook AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø521 (514.07-569.37)
Honor Magicbook Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø552 (547.12-598.25)
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø583 (578.22-612.26)
CPU clock speeds during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit loop
CPU clock speeds during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit loop
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6209
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
19959
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6300
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
155 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
666 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
83.9 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +61%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Core i7-8565U
175 Points +13%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U
161 Points +4%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
155 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (111 - 164, n=35)
155 Points 0%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points -6%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
139 Points -10%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
138 Points -11%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
127 Points -18%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +242%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Core i7-8565U
760 Points +14%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
666 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U
623 Points -6%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
615 (576.4min - 616.38max) Points -8%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
598 Points -10%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (457 - 750, n=38)
592 Points -11%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
576 Points -14%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
537 Points -19%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (5791 - 10476, n=3, last 2 years)
7475 Points +20%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
6209 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (5841 - 6209, n=9)
6044 Points -3%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
4045 Points -35%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (34412 - 61674, n=3, last 2 years)
43500 Points +118%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
19959 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (16318 - 22962, n=9)
18952 Points -5%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
12881 Points -35%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Multimedia
  (341 - 812, n=94, last 2 years)
638 Points +96%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (325 - 403, n=16)
389 Points +20%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
357 Points +10%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
355 Points +9%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
325 Points
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
285 Points -12%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Multimedia
  (1192 - 11768, n=94, last 2 years)
5232 Points +271%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
1412 Points
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1363 Points -3%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
1325 Points -6%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (972 - 1564, n=16)
1271 Points -10%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1047 Points -26%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
14138 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (12198 - 14499, n=6)
13659 Points -3%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
10238 Points -28%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
3674 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (3470 - 3842, n=6)
3669 Points 0%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
3003 Points -18%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (28928 - 38187, n=2, last 2 years)
33558 Points +118%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
15387 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (7144 - 16249, n=19)
13600 Points -12%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
12052 Points -22%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
10356 Points -33%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
8907 Points -42%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (6029 - 7531, n=2, last 2 years)
6780 Points +46%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U
4630 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (2106 - 4830, n=19)
4387 Points -5%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
4091 Points -12%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3709 Points -20%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
3445 Points -26%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1443 ms * -20%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U (Edge 44)
1405 ms * -17%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U (Edge 44)
1201 ms *
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (851 - 1245, n=25)
1141 ms * +5%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U (Chrome 82)
1061 ms * +12%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Core i7-8565U
730 ms * +39%
Average of class Multimedia
  (363 - 1016, n=94, last 2 years)
554 ms * +54%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (43921 - 109055, n=42, last 2 years)
86597 Points +181%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Core i7-8565U
43069 Points +40%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (12842 - 35563, n=23)
31246 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U (Edge 44)
30859 Points
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U (Edge 44)
23657 Points -23%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
21539 Points -30%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (367 - 459, n=3, last 2 years)
424 Points +80%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Core i7-8565U
243 Points +3%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U (Edge 44)
235.5 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8265U
  (193.7 - 244, n=19)
226 Points -4%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U (Edge 44)
177 Points -25%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
118.2 Points -50%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

Nonetheless, the VivoBook 14 performed well in system performance benchmarks like PCMark 10. We did not encounter any system stutters or crashes during our tests either, and it should handle most programs that you would want to run on a 14-inch laptop.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3609 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3616 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4967 points
PCMark 10 Score
3847 points
Help
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4039 - 8670, n=82, last 2 years)
6552 Points +70%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
GeForce MX230, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4011 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (3764 - 4104, n=3)
3905 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
3847 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
3764 Points -2%
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3740 Points -3%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
Vega 8, R5 2500U, SK Hynix SC313 HFS256G39TNF
3534 Points -8%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3522 Points -8%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
2928 Points -24%
Essentials
Average of class Multimedia
  (8480 - 12420, n=82, last 2 years)
10417 Points +28%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (7981 - 8799, n=3)
8298 Points +2%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
GeForce MX230, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
8222 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
8113 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
7981 Points -2%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
7050 Points -13%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
Vega 8, R5 2500U, SK Hynix SC313 HFS256G39TNF
6756 Points -17%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
6482 Points -20%
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=82, last 2 years)
8685 Points +36%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
6755 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (6380 - 6755, n=3)
6508 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
6380 Points
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
GeForce MX230, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
6373 Points 0%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
5459 Points -14%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
Vega 8, R5 2500U, SK Hynix SC313 HFS256G39TNF
5425 Points -15%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3470 Points -46%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (3861 - 13548, n=82, last 2 years)
8566 Points +187%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
GeForce MX230, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3344 Points +12%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
Vega 8, R5 2500U, SK Hynix SC313 HFS256G39TNF
3269 Points +9%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3082 Points +3%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3032 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (2685 - 3337, n=3)
3003 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
2986 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
2685 Points -10%
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5525, n=9, last 2 years)
5075 Points +41%
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3741 Points +4%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
GeForce MX230, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3641 Points +1%
Average Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (3609 - 3639, n=2)
3624 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
3609 Points
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
Vega 8, R5 2500U, SK Hynix SC313 HFS256G39TNF
3420 Points -5%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3325 Points -8%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3231 Points -10%

Storage Devices

ASUS equips the VivoBook 14 with a 256 GB Kingston SATA III SSD, of which about 207 GB was free when we first switched on our review unit. The M.2-2280 drive has decent transfer speeds for a SATA III SSD, but it falls well short of NVMe drives like the WDC SN520 in the IdeaPad S340-14IWL.

There is also a 2.5-inch drive bay should you need more storage. Oddly, ASUS did not pre-install a SATA cable or mounting screws, nor did it include them in the box. You could also swap the SSD for a higher capacity drive, although you must remove the bottom plate to do so, just as you must to add a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD.

A look at the metal cover protecting the 256 GB Kingston SSD
A look at the metal cover protecting the 256 GB Kingston SSD
ASUS includes a 2.5-inch drive bay too, but without the necessary SATA slot or mounting screws.
ASUS includes a 2.5-inch drive bay too, but without the necessary SATA slot or mounting screws.
Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
Sequential Read: 391.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 415.4 MB/s
512K Read: 326.5 MB/s
512K Write: 387.4 MB/s
4K Read: 38.45 MB/s
4K Write: 80.9 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 207.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 129.7 MB/s
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Kingston RBU-SNS8180DS3512GJ
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
HP 14-dk0008ng
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
Honor Magicbook
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
Honor Magicbook
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
SK Hynix SC313 HFS256G39TNF
Average Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ
 
Average of class Multimedia
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-15%
162%
6%
4%
4%
4%
-6%
426%
Write 4K
79.7
55
-31%
160.8
102%
90.6
14%
76.5
-4%
82.1
3%
72.3
-9%
71.8 ?(63.9 - 79.7, n=2)
-10%
168.8 ?(91.7 - 319, n=63, last 2 years)
112%
Read 4K
28.14
28.79
2%
50.5
79%
33.17
18%
30.02
7%
21.11
-25%
30.77
9%
31.3 ?(28.1 - 34.4, n=2)
11%
65.7 ?(30.7 - 96, n=63, last 2 years)
133%
Write Seq
450.9
307.5
-32%
1458
223%
483
7%
461.2
2%
451.7
0%
468.1
4%
412 ?(374 - 451, n=2)
-9%
2821 ?(957 - 4443, n=38, last 2 years)
526%
Read Seq
434.7
430
-1%
1447
233%
511
18%
508
17%
477.7
10%
518
19%
423 ?(412 - 435, n=2)
-3%
3016 ?(1642 - 4875, n=38, last 2 years)
594%
Write 4K Q32T1
228.5
149.5
-35%
406.5
78%
170.7
-25%
212.3
-7%
242.2
6%
214.2
-6%
176.3 ?(124.1 - 229, n=2)
-23%
486 ?(292 - 777, n=63, last 2 years)
113%
Read 4K Q32T1
244.1
207.2
-15%
476.8
95%
235
-4%
239.7
-2%
257.4
5%
241.1
-1%
191.8 ?(139.5 - 244, n=2)
-21%
552 ?(310 - 972, n=63, last 2 years)
126%
Write Seq Q32T1
478.4
389.2
-19%
1458
205%
496.5
4%
482.7
1%
526
10%
482
1%
489 ?(478 - 500, n=2)
2%
4011 ?(869 - 6779, n=63, last 2 years)
738%
Read Seq Q32T1
456.6
497.1
9%
1743
282%
534
17%
535
17%
550
20%
537
18%
497 ?(457 - 537, n=2)
9%
5323 ?(2108 - 7147, n=63, last 2 years)
1066%

Graphics Card

The GeForce MX230 is based on NVIDIA's Pascal architecture and comes with 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. The DirectX 12 GPU has a 1,519 MHz base clock that NVIDIA claims it can boost to 1,531 MHz when required.

This boost clock speed is just a guideline, with the one in our review unit able to reach 1,695 MHz in synthetic benchmarks. The GPU can exceed its stated boost clock if it does not hit its power or temperature thresholds though, so it cannot reach 1,695 MHz in all applications. Our review unit only averaged 1,368 MHz during our The Witcher 3 test, for example, which is below its base clock.

The VivoBook 14 achieved expected results in 3DMark when plugged into the mains. The device can also use NVIDIA Optimus to switch between its NVIDIA GPU and the UHD Graphics 620 GPU integrated on its CPU, which it uses to minimise power consumption.

GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
3DMark 11 Performance
3673 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
64029 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
10746 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
2395 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
882 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=87, last 2 years)
18296 Points +438%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
4494 Points +32%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
4056 Points +19%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i7-8565U
3582 Points +5%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3565 Points +5%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3482 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
3399 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (3180 - 3582, n=6)
3392 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
3318 Points -2%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points +428%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
3459 Points +35%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i7-8565U
2729 Points +6%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
2581 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
2566 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (2168 - 2755, n=6)
2479 Points -3%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2381 Points -7%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
2369 Points -8%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2328 Points -9%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (14679 - 150699, n=61, last 2 years)
57744 Points +265%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
21461 Points +36%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
18378 Points +16%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i7-8565U
17999 Points +14%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
17661 Points +12%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (13376 - 17999, n=6)
15921 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
15803 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
15299 Points -3%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
15109 Points -4%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (622 - 17620, n=87, last 2 years)
5121 Points +552%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
786 Points
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
779 Points -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (698 - 837, n=4)
758 Points -4%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
710 Points -10%

Gaming Performance

The VivoBook 14 is powerful enough to play most modern games smoothly in at least 1,366 x 768 pixels at medium graphics. The device will struggle in some triple-A titles like Ashes of the Singularity, Anno 1800 or Rage 2, but you should be able to increase the resolution and graphics settings in older games like BioShock Infinite.

We also subjected our review unit to a prolonged gaming test to see how it managed its performance under sustained load. We left The Witcher 3 running for about 60 minutes at 1,024 x 768 and minimum graphics, during which framerates fluctuated between 24 and 50 FPS. We also did not move the playable character for the entire test, for reference.

Oddly, FPS nosedive to around 25 FPS after a few minutes before recovering to 50 FPS. This behaviour continued every few minutes before even stabilising between 40 FPS and 45 FPS for most of the test. Examining clock speed behaviour with Generic Log Viewer 3.2 reveals that the GPU can only maintain between 1,350 and 1,360 MHz, which is significantly short of its 1,519 MHz base clock. We ruled out this being a game-based irregularity by re-running the test with Prey, which yielded comparable results. Overall, you can expect an FPS drop of up to 20% by the end of prolonged gaming sessions.

051015202530354045Tooltip
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T GeForce MX230, i5-8265U, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3256GJ: Ø43 (24-50)
GPU information while playing The Witcher 3
GPU information while playing The Witcher 3
BioShock Infinite - 1366x768 High Preset
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
79.2 fps +9%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
72.7 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (61.8 - 79.8, n=5)
72.7 fps 0%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
70.2 fps -3%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
51.3 fps -29%
F1 2019 - 1280x720 Ultra Low Preset
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
84.9 (64min - 94max) fps +37%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
62 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
 
62 fps 0%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
47.1 (28min - 50max) fps -24%
Total War: Three Kingdoms - 1280x720 Low (incl textures)
Average of class Multimedia
  (151 - 330, n=4, last 2 years)
252 fps +313%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
73.4 (59min - 90max) fps +20%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
  (55.5 - 67.7, n=3)
61.4 fps +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
61 (22min - 73max) fps
Fortnite - 1280x720 Low Preset
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
113.2 fps +34%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
84.7 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
 
84.7 fps 0%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
63.6 fps -25%
Team Fortress 2 - 1920x1080 maximum AA:8x MS AF:16x
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
62.9 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX230
 
62.9 fps 0%
low med. high ultra
StarCraft 2 (2010) 234.3 111.7 85.9 41.4
Diablo III (2012) 142.6 114.2 96.1 52.6
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 178.1 127.1 90.7 64.9
BioShock Infinite (2013) 146.4 81.4 72.7 27.4
Sims 4 (2014) 171.9 110 60.5 48.7
The Witcher 3 (2015) 45.9 26.4 13.5 7.7
World of Warships (2015) 101.2 84.1 52.8 33.2
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 85.9 61.9 32.2 22.5
Ashes of the Singularity (2016) 18.4 10.6 9
Doom (2016) 56.4 45.9 19.3 15.6
Civilization VI (2016) 86 45.6 14.7 10.6
For Honor (2017) 63 21 18.7 15
Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017) 35.5 15.2 13 3.5
Prey (2017) 90.9 34.7 25.3 21.3
Team Fortress 2 (2017) 96 91.4 68.8 62.9
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) 50 18 12 9
Fortnite (2018) 84.7 33.2 19.5 15.6
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 48.4 36.3 32.9
World of Tanks enCore (2018) 235 54.4 17.9
Far Cry 5 (2018) 31 15 13 12
Anno 1800 (2019) 24.4 8.1 4.9 2.1
Rage 2 (2019) 24.5 10.2 8 4.1
Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019) 61 16.6 7.9 4.9
F1 2019 (2019) 62 25 20 12

Emissions

Fan Noise

The VivoBook 14 never gets excessively loud, although its fan does reach a maximum of 30.5 dB(A) at idle. While this is pleasantly quiet, most people will hear the device in a quiet room if it is running under sustained load, with our review unit peaking at 40.7 dB(A).

Noise Level

Idle
30.5 / 30.5 / 30.5 dB(A)
Load
38.2 / 40.2 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: 30 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.345.333.733.933.92535.445.435.131.332.93139.344.637.732.839.74035.439.131.229.933.2503441.330.928.432.66330.533.729.52935.18026.528.927.325.628.110026.726.525.525.426.712526.227.124.424.427.716024.824.624.223.824.920023.224.222.522.723.225023.323.421.921.82331522.523.420.920.423.140023.123.520.419.423.650023.62519.819.125.363025.126.818.918.52780025.126.918.518.226.7100030.733.119.117.633.1125028.531.318.117.631.616002729.31817.229.2200027.329.517.617.229.7250028.130.917.717.330.931502528.217.917.427.8400024.127.417.717.627.4500026.727.217.817.727.363002327.417.917.827.3800019.121.717.917.821.61000018.218.917.817.819.1125001818.417.717.718.51600017.917.817.717.818SPL38.240.730.53040.7N2.83.51.41.43.5median 24.8median 26.8median 18.1median 17.8median 26.7Delta2.72.41.31.52.7hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAsus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T

Temperature

System information during a FurMark and Prime95 stress test
System information during a FurMark and Prime95 stress test

We achieved this maximum fan noise during our stress test, where we ran FurMark and Prime95 simultaneously to see how the system performed under extreme load conditions. CPU and GPU performance in this test depended on whether we had the device connected to the mains, as the system throttles heavily on battery power.

When running our stress test with the VivoBook 14 on mains power, the CPU would initially fluctuate between 1.6 and 2.5 GHz. It eventually downclocked to 1 GHz, but this dropped to 400 MHz when we re-ran our stress test with the machine running on battery power. However, while the GPU fluctuated between 1,000 and 1,100 MHz on mains power, it maintained 1,500 MHz on battery power. Overall, you should not experience such extreme throttling in daily use and even when gaming. Our stress test pushes systems to their limits, which few programs or games also do.

Most of the VivoBook 14 remains pleasantly cool to the touch even under sustained load. A few areas reach 40 °C (104 °F), with one area peaking at 45.2 °C (~113 °F), but most of the device remains below 30 °C (86 °F). Likewise, the device should feel cool to the touch at idle.

Max. Load
 45.2 °C
113 F
40.7 °C
105 F
26.4 °C
80 F
 
 40.6 °C
105 F
38.7 °C
102 F
28.4 °C
83 F
 
 28 °C
82 F
31.6 °C
89 F
28.5 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 45.2 °C = 113 F
Average: 34.2 °C = 94 F
27.6 °C
82 F
40.4 °C
105 F
42.7 °C
109 F
27.7 °C
82 F
35 °C
95 F
38.6 °C
101 F
26.5 °C
80 F
28 °C
82 F
29.4 °C
85 F
Maximum: 42.7 °C = 109 F
Average: 32.9 °C = 91 F
Power Supply (max.)  53.8 °C = 129 F | Room Temperature 23.6 °C = 74 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.2 °C / 94 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 45.2 °C / 113 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 42.7 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.4 °C / 80 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 31.6 °C / 88.9 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 (-2.8 °C / -5.1 F).
Heatmap of the top of the device under load
Heatmap of the top of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load
Heatmap of the top of the device at idle
Heatmap of the top of the device at idle
Heatmap of the bottom of the device at idle
Heatmap of the bottom of the device at idle

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.733.934.72532.331.332.3313832.838403129.9315032.228.432.26330.32930.38026.525.626.510027.225.427.212531.224.431.216032.523.832.520030.322.730.32504121.8413155020.45040056.719.456.750060.119.160.163060.918.560.980059.118.259.1100060.917.660.9125058.917.658.9160057.717.257.7200054.217.254.2250058.917.358.9315056.617.456.6400055.117.655.1500059.417.759.4630058.717.858.7800053.617.853.61000052.317.852.31250047.617.747.61600043.617.843.6SPL69.93069.9N26.51.426.5median 55.1median 17.8median 55.1Delta7.91.57.9hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (60.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 84% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 10% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 70% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

The VivoBook 14 consumes about as much as we expected from a Core i5-8265U and GeForce MX230 powered laptop. The system consumes a maximum of 7.5 W at idle, which is respectable low, with its power draw peaking at 63 W during our stress tests. ASUS includes a 65 W power supply in the box, which is powerful enough to keep the machine charging even when it is being pushed to its limits.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.35 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.7 / 6.7 / 7.5 Watt
Load midlight 54.4 / 63 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.

Battery Life

ASUS equips the VivoBook 14 with a woeful 37 Wh battery that lasted just 5:59 hours in our practical Wi-Fi battery life test. We conduct this test by running a script that simulates the load required to render websites, which we leave on a loop until the machine needs recharging. We also switch off any power-saving features and adjust the display to approximately 150 cd/m².

While all but the F412FJ lasted longer than our review unit in our Wi-Fi battery life test, the latter still matched the class average. You can expect just over 10 hours from the Honor Magicbook though.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44)
5h 59min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Honor Magicbook
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 56 Wh
613 min +71%
Average of class Multimedia
  (262 - 1204, n=92, last 2 years)
560 min +56%
Huawei MateBook D 14 W00D-53010GXL
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 57.4 Wh
542 min +51%
Honor Magicbook
R5 2500U, Vega 8,  Wh
532 min +48%
HP 14-dk0008ng
R7 3700U, Vega 10, 41.04 Wh
432 min +20%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
i7-8565U, GeForce MX230, 52.5 Wh
361 min +1%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
i5-8265U, GeForce MX230, 37 Wh
359 min
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
i5-8265U, GeForce MX230, 37 Wh
331.3 min -8%

Pros

+ matte IPS screen
+ SSD
+ slim design
+ lightweight

Cons

- dim display
- poor contrast ratio
- low colour space coverages
- throttled multicore performance on battery
- poor battery life
- no DisplayPort via USB Type-C
- no USB Type-C power delivery

Verdict

The ASUS VivoBook 14 X412FJ laptop review. Test device courtesy of ASUS Germany.
The ASUS VivoBook 14 X412FJ laptop review. Test device courtesy of ASUS Germany.

The ASUS VivoBook 14 is a sleek and compact 14-inch laptop that flattered to deceive in our tests. Its quad-core processor and dedicated GPU are powerful enough for all standard applications and even some light gaming, although there are restrictions.

The VivoBook 14 X412FJ is a compact and powerful all-rounder that ASUS has hamstrung on battery power.

Notably, the system throttles heavily when running on battery power, as it does during prolonged periods of stress. Even the GPU falls short of its base clock speed under sustained load, which is disappointing. Likewise, while ASUS has included an SSD, the company has opted for a SATA III drive that is noticeably slower than the PCIe drives found in some of our comparison devices. You could always swap out the SSD should you wish to do so, which would require removing the bottom plate.

Worse still, ASUS has equipped the VivoBook 14 with a pitiful 37 Wh battery, which lasted for under six hours in our practical Wi-Fi battery life test. The display has its positives like its stable viewing angles, matte finish and good colour accuracy, but it is too dim and washed out for our liking.

Moreover, while we always welcome a USB Type-C port, we cannot understand why ASUS chose to omit DisplayPort and Power Delivery support when both would have given the VivoBook 14 added flexibility.

Positively, the VivoBook 14 has a decent keyboard, is comparatively light and has a modern design. Ultimately, the VivoBook 14 X412FJ is a good 14-inch laptop, but there are better alternatives out there, which makes it a tough sell and one that we cannot recommend you buying.

Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T - 08/25/2019 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
79 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
46 / 81 → 57%
Weight
69 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
88%
Display
88%
Games Performance
71 / 85 → 83%
Application Performance
85 / 92 → 93%
Temperature
91%
Noise
90 / 95 → 95%
Audio
65%
Camera
33 / 85 → 39%
Average
75%
84%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > ASUS VivoBook 14 X412FJ Laptop Review: A compact 14-inch machine with performance issues
Sascha Mölck, 2019-08-24 (Update: 2019-08-25)