Asus F540SA-XX087T Notebook Review

For the original German review, see here.
With its F540 models Asus has a new lineup of affordable 15.6-inch laptops. Our review sample is priced at less than 300 Euros (~$338). The computers are powered by Braswell processors from Intel. The laptop does not lack rivals. We would, for example, mention Acer's Extensa 2519, Acer's Aspire ES1-521, HP's 250 G4, and Lenovo's IdeaPad 100-15IBD.
Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! Wanted:
- News Writer (Romania based)
Details here
Case & Connectivity
A high-quality metal casing cannot be expected for 280 Euros (~$315). The casing is made entirely of plastic. The base unit's upper side is silver-colored and the lid's back is brown. Asus finishes both parts in a texture that simulates brushed metal. Asus advertises specifically the laptop's relatively light weight of just under 1.9 kg (~4.2 lb). The build does not give much reason for complaint, although the laptop's stability could have been better. The base unit can be twisted too easily for our taste.
The laptop does not have a maintenance hatch. To access the innards, all screws on the underside have to be released to open the casing. Then the laptop is turned right way up again and the upper tray can be removed. This is best done by starting at the right front corner. Care is needed since the upper tray is fixed with plastic hooks that can break easily. Furthermore, the upper tray is connected to the motherboard via two ribbon cables.
In addition to the usual interfaces, the F540SA also features a USB Type-C port that supports the USB 3.1 Gen 1 standard. The interface positioning is not ideal. The wrist rest's left area will not remain free of cables. The memory card reader is relatively slow. Transmitting 250 JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each) was performed at 33 MB/s. We test the memory card reader with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card.
Input Devices
Asus has installed an unlit keyboard with a keypad in the F540SA. The keyboard's layout corresponds to the units that we know from other low-cost laptops by Asus. The flat, lightly roughened keys have a medium drop and clear pressure point. The keys are very smooth-running; we think their resistance could be crisper. The keyboard yields when typing on it – more at the center than at the edges. That has a negative impact on typing experience. The space bar made a bad impression. It provides a very spongy feedback. We presume that the key has not been fitted properly. Whether our review sample is a single case we are not sure. Overall, this is not a keyboard for prolific writers. The model has been intended for occasional home use.
The multi-touch ClickPad in the F540SA has a size of approximately 10.5 x 7.2 cm (~4.13 x 2.8 in). This provides plenty of room for gesture control. The single gestures can be turned on and off in the pad's context menu. The pad's sleek surface allows the fingers to glide easily. The pad has a short drop and clear pressure point.
Display
The F540SA is equipped with a glossy 15.6-inch screen that has a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The panel pleases with a good contrast (827:1), but its brightness (200.4 cd/m²) is too low. Beyond that, the screen exhibits PWM flickering at a frequency of 200 Hz in brightness levels of 90% and lower. This can lead to eye problems and headaches in sensitive users.
|
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 177 cd/m²
Contrast: 827:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 13.07 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9
ΔE Greyscale 4.34 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
60% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.54% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.17% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.48
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM detected | 200 Hz | ≤ 90 % brightness setting | |
The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8627 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
The screen presents a DeltaE 2000 color deviation of 13.07 in the state of delivery. This rate is very far from the target range (DeltaE less than 3). The screen does not suffer from a bluish tint. The preloaded color profile is noticed favorably here.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 12 ms rise | |
↘ 8 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 40 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 10 ms rise | |
↘ 10 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 29 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). |
Performance
With the F540SA, Asus has a basic, 15.6-inch office laptop in its lineup. The laptop is suitable for using simple office and Internet applications. Our review sample costs around 280 Euros (~$315). It is sold for just 230 Euros (~$259) without Windows 10. Other configurations also exist.
Processor
The F540SA is equipped with Intel's Celeron N3050 (Braswell) dual-core processor. It is a very low-performance model that is suitable for use with basic office and Internet applications. Thanks to the low TDP of 6 watts, the CPU can be cooled passively. However, Asus relies on an active cooling system. The processor's maximum clock speed is 2.16 GHz. This speed is achieved in both AC and battery mode.
Cinebench R10 | |
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
Rendering Single 32Bit | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T |
Geekbench 3 | |
32 Bit Single-Core Score | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
32 Bit Multi-Core Score | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC |
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Acer Chromebook C910-354Y | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD |
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
Acer Chromebook C910-354Y | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR |
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Chromebook C910-354Y |
Octane V2 - Total Score | |
Acer Chromebook C910-354Y | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
HP 250 G3 |
Peacekeeper - --- | |
Acer Chromebook C910-354Y | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
The system runs smoothly; we did not experience any problems. The PCMark benchmarks scores correspond to the performance capabilities of the installed SoC. Braswell laptops score better than comparable Bay Trail models thanks to their stronger graphics units. The system performance of the F540SA can be increased by replacing the HDD with a solid-state drive.
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 1598 points | |
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 1624 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 1269 points | |
Help |
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T |
Storage Device
Asus has incorporated a 2.5-inch hard drive from Seagate in its laptop. It spins at 5400 revolutions per minute and has a capacity of 500 GB. The drive's transfer rates are on the expected level for a 5400 RPM model.
Graphics Card
Intel's HD Graphics 400 (Braswell) GPU is on board. It supports DirectX 12 and clocks at speeds of up to 600 MHz. While hardly any differences are seen in the CPU performance of Bay Trail and Haswell, it looks different with the graphics units. Intel relies on a more modern, higher-performance architecture for its Braswell models. Consequently, the Braswell GPUs score much better than their predecessors in the 3DMark benchmarks - on a low level.
The decoder integrated in the GPU ensures that the laptop can play virtually all common video formats despite the weak CPU. This also includes the H.265 format (successor of the now often used H.264 format). It makes smaller files at the same image quality possible. The CPU load remained below 20% during our video playback test (4K, H.265, 60 FPS).
3DMark 11 Performance | 425 points | |
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 18047 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 1497 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 231 points | |
Help |
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T |
3DMark | |
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
HP 250 G3 | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
1280x720 Sky Diver Score | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T | |
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD | |
Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
Asus F540SA-XX087T |
Gaming Performance
The weak SoC in the F540SA can at most render a handful of games smoothly in a low resolution and low quality settings. For example we can mention "Sims 4". Considerably more playable games can be found in the Windows Store under Casual Games.
low | med. | high | ultra | |
---|---|---|---|---|
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 17.5 | 9.1 | 7 |
Emissions & Energy Management
Noise Level
Idle |
| 31.7 / 31.7 / 31.7 dB(A) |
HDD |
| 31.9 dB(A) |
DVD |
| 36.4 / dB(A) |
Load |
| 37.2 / 35.3 dB(A) |
![]() | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Temperature
The F540SA performed our stress test in the same manner in both AC and battery mode. The CPU and GPU can operate at their full speeds thanks to the SoC's active cooling. The active cooling has another advantage: The laptop barely heats up. The temperatures remained below 30 degrees Celsius (~86 degrees Fahrenheit) on all measuring points during the stress test.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 29.8 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 28 °C / 82 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.1 °C / 75 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 26.5 °C / 79.7 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (+1.1 °C / 2 F).
Speakers
Power Consumption
It is not surprising that a low-performance device such as the F540SA does not need much power. We measured a maximum idle power consumption of 7.1 watts. This rate climbed to 20.7 watts during the stress test. That is also the maximum; CPU and GPU clock at their full speeds. The power supply has a nominal output of 33 watts.
Off / Standby | ![]() ![]() |
Idle | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Load |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Key:
min: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Battery Runtime
We simulate the load needed for opening websites in our practical Wi-Fi test. The "Balanced" profile is enabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The F540SA achieved a runtime of 5:29 hours - a very good rate. A higher-capacity battery would allow for considerably more. The existing battery has a capacity of 33 Wh. There would have been enough room for a larger battery. By comparison: the 14-inch Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 14 laptop comes with a 55 Wh battery.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The computing power of the installed SoC is enough for using basic office and Internet applications. The decoder integrated in the graphics unit allows rendering all common video formats. The laptop runs quietly and virtually does not heat up. Replacing the HDD would be possible. However, the casing would then have to be opened. The keyboard will not win any awards, but it satisfies the demands of home use. The battery life is acceptable. The screen surprises with good contrast, but also disappoints with low brightness at the same time. It dims even further in battery mode.
The F540SA-XX087T was priced at 280 Euros (~$315) at test time. The price makes the flaws/points of criticism that we have mentioned tolerable. Here, a basic office laptop for home use is available for little money.
Asus F540SA-XX087T
- 06/08/2016 v5.1 (old)
Sascha Mölck