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Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA (i5-8250U, SSD, FHD) Convertible Review

Dark Display. Asus's VivoBook Flip 15 is equipped with a powerful quad-core CPU, a fast solid-state drive, a backlit keyboard, and features a touchscreen with support for Asus's optional stylus pen. Yet despite its price tag of around $900, it is not free of faults.

The VivoBook Flip 15 is a 15.6-inch convertible powered by a ULV quad-core processor with plenty of oomph. In addition to finger input, the touchscreen also supports a stylus pen sold separately for $50. Its main competitors are other convertibles such as the Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777, the Acer Spin 5 SP515-51G, and the HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx.

Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T (VivoBook Flip 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U 4 x 1.6 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Core: 1000 MHz, single-channel, 22.20.16.4708
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2400, single-channel, two slots (one used)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, capacitive, 10-point multitouch, native pen support, AU Optronics B156HAN02.1, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1002, 128 GB 
, + HGST HTS541010B7E610 (1 TB, 5400 rpm), 1031 GB free
Soundcard
Conexant
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: audio combo jack, Card Reader: SD, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: accelerometer, TPM 2.0
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18 x 364 x 246 ( = 0.71 x 14.33 x 9.69 in)
Battery
42 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: VGA (max. 640 x 480 resolution)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Tasche, McAfee LiveSafe (Testversion), MS Office 365 (Testversion), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.3 kg ( = 81.13 oz / 5.07 pounds), Power Supply: 147 g ( = 5.19 oz / 0.32 pounds)
Price
929 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

The VivoBook’s case turned out particularly slender, and the notebook’s footprint is comparatively small for a 15.6-inch device. It is mostly made of plastic and aluminum, albeit only the display lid is composed of the latter. While the build quality was decent, rigidity was anything but: the base unit was pretty bendy and we would have wished for a more solid and rigid design. The device does not feature a maintenance hatch and the battery is not user-replaceable either.

In order to access the internal hardware, the case has to be taken apart almost completely. First, you have to undo all the screws at the bottom. There are no screws hidden underneath the rubber feet. Once the screws are removed, you have to flip the notebook back over on its feet and carefully remove the top cover with a spudger tool or a spatula. Watch out though: the top cover is attached with four ribbon cables to the motherboard. Once opened, you have access to the fan, the Wi-Fi module, the SSD, and the HDD. In order to access the RAM slots, the motherboard has to be removed completely.

There are no surprises when it comes to port availability. In addition to three USB Type-A ports (1x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0) the notebook also features a single USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 1) port. The built-in SD card reader is rather lethargic and managed a maximum transfer rate of just 25.6 MB/s copying large chunks of data and 22.7 MB/s when copying 250 JPG files with around 5 MB each. The card reader was benchmarked with our 64 GB Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC UHS-II reference card.

The Wi-Fi module is made by Intel (Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265) and supports the fast ac standard in addition to the usual 802.11a/b/g/n modes. Transfer rates were decent under ideal conditions (no other Wi-Fi devices within range, close distance between notebook and server).

Size Comparison

382 mm / 15 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 23.9 mm / 0.941 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs381.9 mm / 15 inch 253.1 mm / 9.96 inch 20.2 mm / 0.795 inch 2.8 kg6.22 lbs381.5 mm / 15 inch 258.1 mm / 10.2 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 2.3 kg4.97 lbs364 mm / 14.3 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 249 mm / 9.8 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 2.2 kg4.81 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

left side: Kensington lock, USB 2.0 (Type-A), SD card reader, volume rocker, power button
left side: Kensington lock, USB 2.0 (Type-A), SD card reader, volume rocker, power button
right side: audio combo jack, 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (1x Type-C, 2x Type-A), HDMI, mains
right side: audio combo jack, 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (1x Type-C, 2x Type-A), HDMI, mains
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
 
67.8 MB/s +199%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
60.5 MB/s +167%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.5 MB/s +17%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.7 MB/s
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.5 MB/s -1%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s +240%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
 
79.2 MB/s +209%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
31 MB/s +21%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
25.6 MB/s
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24 MB/s -6%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
670 MBit/s
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
604 MBit/s -10%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: B822
438 MBit/s -35%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
314 MBit/s -53%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
313 MBit/s -53%
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
518 MBit/s
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
489 MBit/s -6%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: B822
473 MBit/s -9%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
352 MBit/s -32%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
178 MBit/s -66%

Input Devices

The VivoBook is equipped with a backlit chiclet keyboard, including a number pad. However, since the case is slightly smaller than those commonly found on most 15.6-inch notebooks, the number pad has had to be reduced in size. The even and smooth keys feature a rather short key travel and well-defined feedback and accentuation. Unfortunately, the keyboard flexed somewhat while typing - unacceptable at the notebook’s price point. Keyboard backlight is controlled by two function keys, and a total of three brightness levels are available. All things considered the keyboard is decent for home users, but most certainly will not be an avid typist’s best friend.

The multitouch-capable ClickPad (10.5 x 7.3 cm/~4.1 x 2.9 in) is decently sized and large enough for gesture input. Its smooth surface makes it easy to use. The buttons offer short travel and clear and well-defined feedback and accentuation. A fingerprint reader is located in the top right corner.

The VivoBook’s touchscreen supports 10-point multitouch and never caused us any trouble or concern whatsoever. It can be used either with fingers or with an optionally available active stylus pen ($50) with support for 1024 different pressure levels.

input devices
input devices

Display

subpixel geometry
subpixel geometry

The 15.6-inch touchscreen display’s native resolution is 1920x1080. Contrast ratio is quite decent (1527:1) but its average maximum brightness of just 221.3 nits is most certainly not. At this price point, we expect at least 300 nits or more. On a positive note the display did not show any signs of PWM flickering.

236
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
233
cd/m²
188
cd/m²
192
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B156HAN02.1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 246 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 221.3 cd/m² Minimum: 12.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 76 %
Center on Battery: 232 cd/m²
Contrast: 1527:1 (Black: 0.15 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.03 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.56 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.49% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
58.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.19% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.64
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
a-Si TFT-LCD, LCM, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
1%
7%
1%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
39.19
39.97
2%
41.74
7%
39.45
1%
38.73
-1%
sRGB Coverage
58.9
58.3
-1%
62.8
7%
59.2
1%
58.3
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
40.49
41.29
2%
43.13
7%
40.76
1%
40.02
-1%
Response Times
7%
3%
-8%
3%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44 ?(22, 22)
30.8 ?(14, 16.8)
30%
55 ?(20, 35)
-25%
55 ?(23, 32)
-25%
42 ?(22, 20)
5%
Response Time Black / White *
29 ?(15, 14)
33.6 ?(18, 15.6)
-16%
20 ?(4, 16)
31%
26 ?(10, 16)
10%
29 ?(15, 13)
-0%
PWM Frequency
201.6 ?(99)
50 ?(20)
Screen
-14%
-2%
-29%
14%
Brightness middle
229
230.2
1%
244
7%
205
-10%
221
-3%
Brightness
221
222
0%
242
10%
191
-14%
224
1%
Brightness Distribution
76
88
16%
93
22%
74
-3%
89
17%
Black Level *
0.15
0.2
-33%
0.25
-67%
0.3
-100%
0.12
20%
Contrast
1527
1151
-25%
976
-36%
683
-55%
1842
21%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.03
5.7
-13%
4.94
2%
7.2
-43%
4.12
18%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.89
20.8
-134%
7.3
18%
12.7
-43%
6.41
28%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.56
2.6
53%
4.93
11%
6.86
-23%
3.4
39%
Gamma
2.64 83%
2.2 100%
2.7 81%
2.27 97%
2.54 87%
CCT
7015 93%
6109 106%
7401 88%
6983 93%
6893 94%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
37
37.5
1%
40
8%
38
3%
37
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59
57.9
-2%
63
7%
59
0%
58
-2%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-2% / -8%
3% / 1%
-12% / -20%
5% / 9%

* ... smaller is better

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.

Out of the box, DeltaE deviation for colors was measured at 5.03 (ideal: less than 3). We did not notice a blue tint on the display.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - gray scale
CalMAN - gray scale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

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↗ 15 ms rise
↘ 14 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
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 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. » 69 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The VivoBook’s IPS panel features decent viewing angles, and the screen remained readable from all sides. Outdoor usability has been reduced significantly by the dark display, and the unit was only usable when the sun was not shining. The reflective layer over the display makes it even harder to use outdoors.

VivoBook outdoors (photo taken while completely overcast and slightly misty)
VivoBook outdoors (photo taken while completely overcast and slightly misty)

Performance

The VivoBook Flip 15 is a 15.6-inch convertible made by Asus. It offers more than enough performance for office and internet applications. Our review unit sells for a bit around $900 in Europe. At the time of writing, a second SKU was also available for sale in Europe. It features the exact same hardware specifications save for a dedicated GeForce 940MX GPU, and it costs $1000.

Processor

The VivoBook is powered by an Intel Core i5-8250U (Kaby Lake-R) quad-core ULV CPU with a TDP of 15 W and support for Hyperthreading (i.e. two threads per physical core). It clocks at 1.6 GHz with a turbo boost speed of up to 3.4 GHz.

Our Cinebench CPU benchmarks were completed at maximum speed on mains, and so were the single-thread CPU benchmarks on battery. Multi-thread CPU benchmarks on battery were performed at a clock speed of between 2.5 and 2.7 GHz. We saw similar behavior when running the Geekbench benchmarks.

Whether or not turbo boost can be upheld for sustained loads over long periods of time is determined during our 30-minute Cinebench R15 multi-thread loop. From the first to the fourth iteration scores dropped continuously and remained on that level of slightly below 700 points thereafter. While turbo boost is applied in this scenario it does not hit its theoretical maximum anymore.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5546
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
21990
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
8702
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
144 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
724 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
45.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
170 Points +18%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
144 Points
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
137 Points -5%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
126 Points -12%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
126 Points -12%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
724 Points
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
574 Points -21%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
558 Points -23%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
326 Points -55%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
326 Points -55%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
21990 Points
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
18269 Points -17%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
14400 Points -35%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
11328 Points -48%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
11078 Points -50%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
6494 Points +17%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
5546 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
4976 Points -10%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
4787 Points -14%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
4103 Points -26%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
13130 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
6439 Points -51%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
6297 Points -52%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
3183 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
2893 Points -9%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
2812 Points -12%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
12068 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
6795 Points -44%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
6425 Points -47%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
4003 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U
3632 Points -9%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
3484 Points -13%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
12607 Points
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U
4095 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
286.3 Points +19%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel Core i5-8250U (Edge 41)
240.8 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel Core i5-7200U (Edge 38)
219.9 Points -9%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel Core i5-7200U (Edge 38)
212 Points -12%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U (Edge 40.15063.674.0)
203.9 Points -15%

System Performance

Overall system performance was fairly fast thanks to a solid-state disk and a powerful Core i5 processor. The more than decent PCMark benchmark results hint at a more than capable machine with enough performance for office and internet applications. Possible improvements include the addition of a second RAM module, thereby activating dual-channel mode for memory access.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3587 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4722 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4689 points
PCMark 10 Score
3510 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
4100 Points +14%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1002
3587 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, SanDisk X400 256GB, SATA (SD8SB8U-256G)
3446 Points -4%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
Vega 8, R5 2500U, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
3385 Points -6%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
3173 Points -12%

Storage Devices

The main 128 GB m.2-2280 SATA III SSD is made by SanDisk. 88 GB is available out of the box; the rest is used up by the Windows operating system and the recovery partition. Transfer rates were very good.

A regular 2.5-inch hard drive was installed in addition to the SSD, and it offered an extra 1 TB of 5400 RPM storage.

SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1002
Sequential Read: 458.5 MB/s
Sequential Write: 337.2 MB/s
512K Read: 319.1 MB/s
512K Write: 186 MB/s
4K Read: 28.39 MB/s
4K Write: 56.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 321.1 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 128.5 MB/s
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1002
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
SanDisk X400 256GB, SATA (SD8SB8U-256G)
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
22%
-89%
121%
Read Seq
458.5
503
10%
102.4
-78%
1187
159%
Write Seq
337.2
465.3
38%
102
-70%
599
78%
Read 512
319.1
293
-8%
31.37
-90%
935
193%
Write 512
186
322.7
73%
48.12
-74%
609
227%
Read 4k
28.39
28.9
2%
0.357
-99%
35.61
25%
Write 4k
56.6
55
-3%
1.047
-98%
134.4
137%
Read 4k QD32
321.1
314.5
-2%
0.844
-100%
289.3
-10%
Write 4k QD32
128.5
209.2
63%
1.098
-99%
331.1
158%

Graphics Card

Video output relies on Intel’s integrated UHD Graphics 620 GPU. It supports DirectX 12 and runs at clock speeds of between 300 and 1100 MHz. 3DMark benchmark results were at a level expected of this GPU. The performance could have been slightly improved by enabling dual-channel mode, which would enhance an integrated GPU’s performance. This requires the installation of a second memory module.

GPU-Z
GPU-Z
DXVAChecker
DXVAChecker
3DMark 11 Performance
1765 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7624 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
906 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
7043 Points +338%
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3602 Points +124%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1608 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1422 Points -12%
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1355 Points -16%

Gaming Performance

Less demanding games can be enjoyed smoothly on the convertible. That said, they will require reduced resolutions and details in order to achieve acceptable frame rates, which can be further improved by enabling dual-channel mode.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 49.9 27.6 22.6 7.9

Emissions & Energy

System Noise

The convertible remained comparatively quiet regardless of load. When idle, the fan even turned off completely every now and then, but ran at low revs most of the time. It can only be heard in particularly quiet environments, which is also true for the 2.5-inch hard disk drive. The fan revved up somewhat under load, and the maximum sound pressure determined during our stress test was no more than 34.2 dB(A).

Noise Level

Idle
30.9 / 30.9 / 30.9 dB(A)
Load
34.2 / 34.2 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: 30.2 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.741.241.241.338.72538.239.640.837.838.23131.430.329.130.731.44030.730.330.731.530.75030.930.431.428.630.96331.530.832.731.131.58027.829.229.730.427.810027.927.928.53227.912525.725.925.525.825.716026.526.826.526.126.520024.824.424.524.924.825024.924.823.424.224.931524.423.5232324.440023.523.322.121.823.550022.522.421.421.222.563021.721.720.720.321.780024.324.120.419.524.3100024.12420.118.624.1125023.22318.917.923.2160023.523.618.317.423.5200024.524.717.61724.5250022.922.917.216.722.9315020.921.317.116.420.9400019.92016.916.319.9500018.518.316.716.118.563001817.716.81618800017.317.316.715.917.31000018.816.916.61618.81250018.316.916.71618.31600018.517.216.916.118.5SPL34.334.230.830.234.3N2.121.51.42.1median 23.2median 23median 18.9median 17.9median 23.2Delta2.82.73.12.92.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAsus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T

Temperature

VivoBook during our stress test
VivoBook during our stress test

Our stress test (Prime95 + FurMark run simultaneously for at least one hour) was completed differently on battery and on mains. On mains, the CPU ran at 2.3 - 2.4 GHz while the GPU clocked at 700 - 750 MHz. On battery, turbo boost was not applied at all and the CPU ran at 1.6 GHz throughout the entire test. The GPU, on the other hand, ran at between 900 and 950 MHz.

The convertible remained very cool by and large. Some reading points exceeded the 30 °C (~86 °F) threshold during our stress test.

Max. Load
 24.7 °C
76 F
32.2 °C
90 F
27.4 °C
81 F
 
 24.4 °C
76 F
36 °C
97 F
30.1 °C
86 F
 
 24.3 °C
76 F
27 °C
81 F
28 °C
82 F
 
Maximum: 36 °C = 97 F
Average: 28.2 °C = 83 F
32 °C
90 F
32.8 °C
91 F
25.1 °C
77 F
37 °C
99 F
35.4 °C
96 F
25.4 °C
78 F
28.1 °C
83 F
28.4 °C
83 F
25.1 °C
77 F
Maximum: 37 °C = 99 F
Average: 29.9 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  46.8 °C = 116 F | Room Temperature 23.3 °C = 74 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28 °C / 82.4 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (+0.1 °C / 0.2 F).
heatmap top (load)
heatmap top (load)
heatmap bottom (load)
heatmap bottom (load)
heatmap top (idle)
heatmap top (idle)
heatmap bottom (idle)
heatmap bottom (idle)

Speakers

The unit’s stereo speakers are located at the bottom of the device. Sound quality is decently voluminous with a significant lack of bass. We suggest using external speakers or headphones for a much improved audio experience.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.841.342.82539.737.839.73136.430.736.44035.731.535.75038.228.638.26339.131.139.18039.630.439.610040324012541.525.841.516042.326.142.320044.424.944.425047.424.247.431553.42353.440053.921.853.950056.521.256.563061.220.361.28006519.565100062.418.662.4125062.817.962.8160061.817.461.8200063.51763.5250063.816.763.8315064.816.464.8400063.616.363.6500069.216.169.2630070.31670.3800063.715.963.71000066.51666.51250061.91661.91600060.216.160.2SPL77.130.277.1N39.71.439.7median 61.9median 17.9median 61.9Delta5.82.95.835.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073TApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (70.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.1% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 25% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 66% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 27% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

frequency diagram (checkboxes selectable/deselectable!)

Power Consumption

Power consumption was at a level expected of a notebook such as this. Maximum power consumption when idle was 9.5 W, and topped out at no more than 33.3 W during our stress test (Prime95 + FurMark run simultaneously for at least one hour) due to neither CPU nor GPU running at full speed. The charger is rated at 45 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.28 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.9 / 7.2 / 9.5 Watt
Load midlight 36.8 / 33.1 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

In our real-world Wi-Fi test we simulate opening websites with a script. The energy plan is set to “Balanced”, display brightness is normalized at 150 nits, and all energy saving features are disabled. With these settings, the VivoBook lasted for 5:58 hours.

Note that our review unit’s battery had already suffered a 6% battery health degradation. Devices with a battery health level closer to their initial design capacity should last a few minutes longer.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 41)
5h 58min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
HP Envy x360 15m-bq121dx
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 55.8 Wh
398 min +11%
Dell Inspiron 15 5578-1777 2-in-1
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 42 Wh (Edge 38)
394 min +10%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 48 Wh (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
373 min +4%
Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 42 Wh (Edge 41)
358 min
HP Pavilion x360 15-bk102ng
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 48 Wh (Edge 38)
348 min -3%

Pros

+ high-contrast IPS display
+ FHD resolution
+ stays relatively cool
+ SSD + HDD
+ plenty of storage space
+ AC Wi-Fi
+ USB Type-C
+ backlit keyboard
+ support for optional stylus pen

Cons

- dark display
- mediocre battery life
- base unit not particularly solid
- poor webcam

Verdict

Asus Vivobook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T. Review unit courtesy of cyberport.
Asus Vivobook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T. Review unit courtesy of cyberport.

The VivoBook Flip 15 is a compact and slim 15.6-inch convertible with plenty of oomph for office and internet applications thanks to its ULV quad-core processor. It stays cool regardless of load and remains very quiet most of the time.

It feels decently snappy thanks to its fast SSD, and its 1 TB 2.5-inch hard disk drive offers plenty of storage space. Both drives can be replaced and upgraded, albeit only after taking the case apart given that it lacks a dedicated maintenance hatch.

The keyboard is decent for home use and features a backlight. Battery life, as determined in our Wi-Fi test is only mediocre at best. An extra 30 minutes that might have in theory been possible with a brand-new non-degraded battery would not have had any influence on the notebook’s final score.

The IPS touchscreen offers a decent contrast ratio and wide viewing angles. However, its maximum brightness is too low. A notebook at the VivoBook’s price point has to be brighter no matter what. In addition to input by finger, the touchscreen also supports the optionally available Asus Pen ($50).

Price and Performance are disproportionate to each other.

Overall, the notebook has too many flaws for its high price of $900: the display is too dark, the keyboard flexes, and battery life is mediocre at best. To make matters worse the device only comes with a single memory module in single-channel mode and is thus not as fast as it could have been with two memory modules installed. Connectivity is pretty orthodox overall - a Thunderbolt 3 port would have certainly grabbed our attention. And last but not least, at a price of $900 the Asus Pen stylus should have been included.

Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA-E8073T - 02/01/2018 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
76 / 98 → 78%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
51 / 80 → 64%
Weight
61 / 35-78 → 61%
Battery
88%
Display
79%
Games Performance
57 / 68 → 84%
Application Performance
89 / 87 → 100%
Temperature
95%
Noise
92%
Audio
54 / 91 → 59%
Camera
35 / 85 → 42%
Average
72%
79%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus VivoBook Flip 15 TP510UA (i5-8250U, SSD, FHD) Convertible Review
Sascha Mölck, 2018-02-21 (Update: 2020-05-19)