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Asus VivoBook S X510UA (7100U, HD) Laptop Review

Stylish. Asus' X510UA pleases with a slim, light casing, a narrow display bezel, and a good battery life. However, the screen is nothing to crow about.

For the original German review, see here.

The UX510UA looks a lot like Asus' Zenbook laptops. While the latter are made of metal, the casing of the UX510UA is made of plastic. The slim and light laptop is powered by a Core i3 processor from the Kaby Lake generation. Our test report reveals whether the laptop is convincing. Its competitors are found in devices such as the Acer Aspire 3 A315-51, HP 15-ay116ng, Lenovo IdeaPad 310-15IKB, and Fujitsu Lifebook A55.

Asus X510UA-BR305T
Processor
Intel Core i3-7100U 2 x 2.4 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 620, Core: 1000 MHz, single-channel, 21.20.16.4565
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2400, single-channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 100 PPI, Chi Mei N156BGA-EA3, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035, 1024 GB 
, 900 GB free
Soundcard
Conexant SmartAudio HD
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: SD, 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): 19.4 x 361 x 243 ( = 0.76 x 14.21 x 9.57 in)
Battery
42 Wh, 3653 mAh Lithium-Ion, 11.52 V, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 8 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: VGA
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Cyberlink PhotoDirector 5, Cyberlink PowerDirector 12, McAfee LiveSafe (trial), MS office 365 (trial), Team Viewer 11, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.7 kg ( = 59.97 oz / 3.75 pounds), Power Supply: 167 g ( = 5.89 oz / 0.37 pounds)
Price
599 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Casing and Connectivity

The casing of the UX510UA can definitely be called stylish. The laptop is very compact and slim. It is also very light at almost 1.7 kg. Many rivals cannot keep up with that. As said, the casing of the UX510UA is made of plastic. Asus uses a gray tone. The lid's back is textured: A circular, grooved pattern spreads out from the center. As for the build, there is nothing to complain about. It looks different with its stability: The base unit can be dented on both sides of the keyboard and below the touchpad. Furthermore, it warps too easily.

The laptop does not have a maintenance hatch. The base tray has to be removed to access the innards. First, all screws on the device's underside have to be released. Warning: Two screws are hidden beneath the rear stoppers. Then, the base tray can be removed with a putty knife or a thin spatula.

The X510UA does not have any surprises in terms of interfaces. The laptop features three Type-A ports (2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.1 Gen1) and one Type-C port (USB 3.1 Gen1). A video-out (HDMI) is also present.

The Wi-Fi module carries a chip (8265) by Intel. In addition to the 802.11 a/b/g/n standards, it also supports the fast ac standard. The transmission speeds that we determined under ideal conditions (no other Wi-Fi devices in the vicinity, short distance between laptop and server PC) were very good.

The memory-card reader is not one of the fastest models. A maximum transfer rate of 38.7 MB/s is achieved when copying large data blocks. Transferring 250 JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each) is performed at a speed of 26.7 MB/s. We test the memory-card reader with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card.

Size Comparison

378 mm / 14.9 inch 256 mm / 10.1 inch 30.9 mm / 1.217 inch 2.3 kg4.97 lbs384.3 mm / 15.1 inch 254.6 mm / 10 inch 24.3 mm / 0.957 inch 2 kg4.5 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 24 mm / 0.945 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs381.6 mm / 15 inch 259 mm / 10.2 inch 21.6 mm / 0.85 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 252.5 mm / 9.94 inch 19.2 mm / 0.756 inch 2 kg4.45 lbs361 mm / 14.2 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 19.4 mm / 0.764 inch 1.7 kg3.75 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Left: 2x USB 2.0 (Type-A), memory-card reader (SD)
Left: 2x USB 2.0 (Type-A), memory-card reader (SD)
Right: combo audio, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), HDMI, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A), power-in
Right: combo audio, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), HDMI, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A), power-in
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
121 MB/s +353%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
77 MB/s +188%
HP 15-ba077ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.2 MB/s +2%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.7 MB/s
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23.1 MB/s -13%
HP 15-ay116ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.2 MB/s -17%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
180.5 MB/s +366%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
86 MB/s +122%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
38.7 MB/s
HP 15-ba077ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
38.3 MB/s -1%
HP 15-ay116ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.3 MB/s -29%
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.9 MB/s -36%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
667 MBit/s
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel Wireless-AC 7265
558 MBit/s -16%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
345 MBit/s -48%
HP 15-ba077ng
Realtek RTL8723BE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC
54 MBit/s -92%
iperf3 receive AX12
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel Wireless-AC 7265
675 MBit/s +31%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
517 MBit/s
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
311 MBit/s -40%
HP 15-ba077ng
Realtek RTL8723BE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC
43 MBit/s -92%

Input Devices

Asus furnishes the slim laptop with an unlit chiclet keyboard. The flat, lightly roughened keys have a short drop and clear pressure point. The keyboard yields slightly when typing on it - on the right half more than on the left. In total, Asus provides a decent keyboard that will satisfy for home use. Prolific writers should look for another device.

The multitouch ClickPad has a surface area of approximately 10.3 x 7.2 cm. Thus, there is enough room for gestures. The pad's sleek surface lets the fingers glide easily. It also responds to inputs in the corners. The pad has a short drop and clear pressure point.

Input devices
Input devices

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid

The matte, 15.6-inch screen in Asus' laptop has a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Its brightness (215 cd/m²) and contrast (443:1) are both disappointing. We expect more from a 600-Euro (~$705) laptop here.

In brightness levels of 20% and lower, the screen displays PWM-flickering at a frequency of 25000 Hz. This high frequency should not lead to headaches and/or eye problems even in sensitive users.

229
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
217
cd/m²
207
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
205
cd/m²
207
cd/m²
206
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N156BGA-EA3 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 229 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 215 cd/m² Minimum: 12 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 229 cd/m²
Contrast: 443:1 (Black: 0.51 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.21 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.06 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.35
Asus X510UA-BR305T
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
a-Si TFT-LCD , LCM, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP 15-ay116ng
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
Display P3 Coverage
35.97
41.85
38.07
37.34
sRGB Coverage
54.1
62.9
57.3
56.2
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
37.17
43.24
39.34
38.58
Response Times
12%
-87%
-19%
-23%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
49 ?(28, 21)
44 ?(22, 22)
10%
55 ?(24, 31)
-12%
43 ?(21, 22)
12%
40 ?(20, 20, Plateau)
18%
Response Time Black / White *
14 ?(12, 4)
12 ?(8, 4)
14%
35 ?(19, 16)
-150%
21 ?(5, 16)
-50%
23 ?(7, 16, Plateau)
-64%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(20)
200 ?(90)
-99%
Screen
22%
48%
-7%
-29%
Brightness middle
226
241
7%
287
27%
185
-18%
249
10%
Brightness
215
229
7%
260
21%
184
-14%
234
9%
Brightness Distribution
90
87
-3%
83
-8%
95
6%
89
-1%
Black Level *
0.51
0.46
10%
0.22
57%
0.28
45%
0.44
14%
Contrast
443
524
18%
1305
195%
661
49%
566
28%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.21
3.4
45%
4.21
32%
8.07
-30%
11.71
-89%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.9
7.61
14%
8.81
1%
14.83
-67%
19.51
-119%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.06
1.7
76%
2.68
62%
8.83
-25%
13.13
-86%
Gamma
2.35 94%
2.36 93%
2.5 88%
2.47 89%
2.57 86%
CCT
8321 78%
6750 96%
6066 107%
10628 61%
15273 43%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
34
40
36.2
36
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
54
63
57
56
Total Average (Program / Settings)
17% / 20%
-20% / 11%
-13% / -9%
-26% / -28%

* ... 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 detected 25000 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 25000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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.

The screen has a DeltaE 2000 color shift of 6.21 in delivery state. A rate less than 3 would be desirable. Beyond that, the screen exhibits a light bluish tint.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
14 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 12 ms rise
↘ 4 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. » 29 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
49 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 28 ms rise
↘ 21 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. » 82 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Asus furnishes the X510UA with a viewing-angle dependent TN panel. Thus, the screen is not legible from every position. The laptop is not really outdoor suitable. The screen's low brightness and low contrast are noticed here.

The X510UA outdoors (direct sunlight)
The X510UA outdoors (direct sunlight)
The X510UA outdoors (sun behind the laptop)
The X510UA outdoors (sun behind the laptop)

Performance

Asus offers a slim and light, 15.6-inch office laptop with the UX510UA. It has enough computing power for office and Internet applications. Our review sample is available for approximately 600 Euros (~$705). Only one other configuration could be found at test time. It has a stronger processor and a GeForce 940MX graphics card and costs approximately 750 Euros (~$881).

Processor

Intel's Core i3-7100U (Kaby Lake) dual-core processor is inside the X510UA. It is a frugal ULV model that has a TDP of 15 watts. The CPU clocks at a base speed of 2.4 GHz. In contrast to the Core i5 and Core i7 processors, the Core i3 does not have a Turbo. However, it supports Hyper-Threading (two threads per core can be processed). The full processing power is available in both AC and battery modes.

We test whether the CPU can stably clock at full speed by looping the Cinebench R15 multithread test for approximately 30 minutes. The scores that the X510UA achieves are all on the same level. Performance loss is not an issue.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
3877
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
8797
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6658
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
100 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
260 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
37.33 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.7 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell Vostro 15 5568
Intel Core i7-7500U
144 Points +44%
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points +29%
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points +29%
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
122 Points +22%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Core i5-7200U
108 Points +8%
Toshiba Portege A30-D-139
Intel Core i3-7100U
100 Points 0%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
100 Points
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
80 Points -20%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel Core i5-7200U
332 Points +28%
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
325 Points +25%
Dell Vostro 15 5568
Intel Core i7-7500U
324 Points +25%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel Core i5-7200U
318 Points +22%
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
311 Points +20%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
260 Points
Toshiba Portege A30-D-139
Intel Core i3-7100U
256 Points -2%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
222 Points -15%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel Core i5-7200U
5011 Points +29%
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
4991 Points +29%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
3877 Points
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
2596 Points -33%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
11342 Points +29%
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel Core i5-7200U
11009 Points +25%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
8797 Points
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
7188 Points -18%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
6488 Points +26%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
5371 Points +5%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
5136 Points
32 Bit Single-Core Score
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
2907 Points +24%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
2340 Points
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
2062 Points -12%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
6825 Points +21%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
5636 Points
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
4899 Points -13%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
3672 Points +25%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
2947 Points
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
2158 Points -27%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
5895 Points
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
3016 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel Core i5-7200U
221.5 Points +35%
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel Core i5-7200U
203.9 Points +24%
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
203.6 Points +24%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel Core i3-7100U
164.2 Points
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
134 Points -18%

System Performance

The system performance is beyond reproach; everything runs smoothly. The PCMark benchmark score is very good and confirms that the laptop has more than enough computing power for office and Internet applications. Increasing the total performance would be possible. The system would be more responsive after swapping the HDD for an SSD, and loading times would decrease. Furthermore, a second working memory module could be installed into the laptop for enabling the dual-channel mode.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3313 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung MZ7TN512HDHP-00000
3556 Points +7%
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Hynix HFS128G3MND
3457 Points +4%
HP 15-ay116ng
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung CM871a MZNTY256HDHP
3315 Points 0%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
HD Graphics 620, i3-7100U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
3313 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3295 Points -1%
HP 15-ba077ng
Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), A12-9700P, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-256G
2777 Points -16%

Storage Device

Asus installs a conventional 2.5-inch hard drive by Seagate into the X510UA. It spins at 5400 revolutions per minute and has a storage capacity of 1 TB. The HDD's transfer rates are on a normal level for a 5400 RPM model.

An empty M.2 2280 slot is present in the laptop. It could be fitted with a corresponding SSD.

Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Transfer Rate Minimum: 0.9 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 133.5 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 99.7 MB/s
Access Time: 19.6 ms
Burst Rate: 71.2 MB/s
CPU Usage: 5.2 %
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Samsung MZ7TN512HDHP-00000
Dell Vostro 15 5568
Transcend MTS400 256 GB M.2 TS256GMTS400
HP 15-ay116ng
Samsung CM871a MZNTY256HDHP
HP 15-ba077ng
SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-256G
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
10589%
10895%
6584%
11923%
6284%
Read Seq
89.4
485.8
443%
504
464%
535
498%
501
460%
447.4
400%
Write Seq
84.2
456.1
442%
503
497%
391.1
364%
483.9
475%
243.3
189%
Read 512
29.55
328
1010%
393.6
1232%
376.6
1174%
413.8
1300%
333.4
1028%
Write 512
61.7
446.8
624%
413.6
570%
255.8
315%
294.9
378%
283.1
359%
Read 4k
0.326
26.95
8167%
36.98
11244%
31.81
9658%
34.91
10609%
20.99
6339%
Write 4k
0.438
86.7
19695%
92.1
20927%
65.2
14786%
95.7
21749%
62.7
14215%
Read 4k QD32
1.047
245.9
23386%
277.6
26414%
193.9
18420%
370.9
35325%
143.1
13568%
Write 4k QD32
0.967
300.2
30944%
250.6
25815%
73.1
7459%
243.6
25091%
138
14171%

Graphics Card

Intel's HD Graphics 620 graphics unit takes care of video output. It supports DirectX 12 and clocks at speeds of up to 1000 MHz. The 3DMark 11 benchmark outcomes are on a normal level for this GPU. However, there is still some elbowroom. Installing a second working memory module would enable the dual-channel mode. The graphics unit would be utilized better and deliver a higher performance in consequence.

3DMark 11 Performance
1472 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Dell Vostro 15 5568
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i7-7500U
2511 Points +84%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), AMD A12-9700P
1856 Points +36%
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1502 Points +10%
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1433 Points +5%
HP 15-ay116ng
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1394 Points +2%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-7100U
1363 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1067 Points -22%

Gaming Performance

The installed hardware can render some games smoothly. This means games that do not have high hardware requirements. However, the user will have to be satisfied with low resolutions and low quality settings. Installing a second working memory (= dual-channel mode enabled) could increase the frame rates. However, this would not make performance-driven games like For Honor playable, either.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 41.1 24.6 20.2

Emissions and Energy Management

System Noise

The X510UA does not produce much noise. The fan spins slowly in idle and is only audible in quiet environments. However, the hard drive usually drowns out its noise when it is working. Replacing the hard drive with an SSD would lead to even less noise. The fan spins faster during load. It is loudest in the medium load range since both the CPU and GPU are throttled in full load.

Noise Level

Idle
31.2 / 31.3 / 31.6 dB(A)
Load
38.2 / 36.2 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: 30.6 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.736.134.735.533.72533.833.632.538.633.83137.441.541.448.237.44032.932.434.335.632.95034.73332.63434.76328.928.929.832.228.98027.827.22728.227.81002726.526.6272712526.225.824.624.326.216025.224.823.523.225.220024.424.322.722.824.425024.624.721.622.324.631525.624.521.421.525.640024.123.119.720.224.150023.622.619.419.223.663023.422.319.218.923.480025.524.219.218.425.5100025.422.91917.925.4125025.523.9191825.5160027.926.41917.627.9200029.727.419.117.529.7250029.126.818.817.929.1315028.125.319.81828.1400024.922.51918.224.9500022.620.618.618.522.6630021.219.718.818.621.2800019.919.21918.819.9100001918.918.818.719125001919.11918.9191600019.419.219.219.119.4SPL38.236.231.330.738.2N2.82.41.61.52.8median 24.9median 23.9median 19.2median 18.8median 24.9Delta2.22.51.122.2hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAsus X510UA-BR305T

Temperature

The X510UA in the stress test
The X510UA in the stress test

The X510UA performed our stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) in the same manner in both AC and battery modes. The processor and graphics card started the test at full speed. They throttled to 1.5 to 1.6 GHz (CPU) and 900 to 1000 MHz (GPU) after approximately one minute and remained at this level.

It cannot really be said that Asus' laptop heats up. 30 °C is only surpassed on a few measuring points even during load.

Max. Load
 24.2 °C
76 F
31 °C
88 F
26.5 °C
80 F
 
 22.8 °C
73 F
26.4 °C
80 F
30.4 °C
87 F
 
 21.8 °C
71 F
23.1 °C
74 F
27 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 31 °C = 88 F
Average: 25.9 °C = 79 F
28.1 °C
83 F
32.6 °C
91 F
26.4 °C
80 F
31.5 °C
89 F
30.4 °C
87 F
25.2 °C
77 F
26 °C
79 F
23.4 °C
74 F
22.6 °C
73 F
Maximum: 32.6 °C = 91 F
Average: 27.4 °C = 81 F
Power Supply (max.)  40 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 20.6 °C = 69 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 25.9 °C / 79 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 31 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 32.6 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.5 °C / 74 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 27 °C / 80.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+0.7 °C / 1.3 F).
Temperature development upper side (load)
Temperature development upper side (load)
Temperature development underside (load)
Temperature development underside (load)
Temperature development upper side (idle)
Temperature development upper side (idle)
Temperature development underside (idle)
Temperature development underside (idle)

Speakers

The stereo speakers are situated in the device's front underside. They produce a relatively decent sound that, however, is virtually free of bass. Using headphones or external speakers is recommended for a better sound experience.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.735.535.72537.338.637.33140.948.240.94037.835.637.85034.93434.9633032.2308029.828.229.810033.82733.81253924.33916039.823.239.820043.122.843.125052.922.352.931558.821.558.840060.120.260.150062.919.262.963065.518.965.580064.518.464.5100064.417.964.4125067.41867.4160069.417.669.4200071.317.571.3250072.917.972.9315069.41869.4400067.818.267.8500068.218.568.2630069.418.669.4800071.118.871.11000071.318.771.31250068.518.968.51600063.819.163.8SPL81.230.781.2N501.550median 65.5median 18.8median 65.5Delta7.427.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus X510UA-BR305TApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Asus X510UA-BR305T audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 27% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 66% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 35% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 57% 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 comparison (checkboxes above can be turned on/off!)

Power Consumption

The laptop does not show any irregularities in power consumption. We measured a maximum idle power consumption of 8.6 watts. The rate climbed to 28 watts during the stress test, which is a bit lower than in medium load. The reason: Both the CPU and GPU throttle during the stress test. The power supply has a nominal output of 45 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.34 / 0.47 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.2 / 8.1 / 8.6 Watt
Load midlight 30.8 / 28 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 Runtime

Our practical Wi-Fi test simulates the load needed for opening websites via a script. The "Balanced" profile is enabled, the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m², and the energy-saving features are disabled. The X510UA achieved a runtime of 7:05 hours here - a good rate.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 40)
7h 05min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Fujitsu Lifebook A557
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 49 Wh
525 min +24%
Asus X510UA-BR305T
i3-7100U, HD Graphics 620, 42 Wh
425 min
HP 15-ay116ng
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 41 Wh
412 min -3%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-55E4
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 37 Wh
350 min -18%
HP 15-ba077ng
A12-9700P, Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), 41 Wh
296 min -30%
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 30 Wh
230 min -46%

Pros

+ slim and light casing
+ good battery life
+ abundant storage
+ USB Type-C
+ AC Wi-Fi
+ empty M.2 slot

Cons

- dark, low-contrast, viewing-angle dependent screen
- casing could be stiffer
- no SSD
- poor webcam

Verdict

Asus X510-BR305T, courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de
Asus X510-BR305T, courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de

Asus delivers a slim and light, 15.6-inch office laptop with the X510UA-BR305T. A Core i3 processor from the Kaby Lake generation powers the laptop. The CPU has more than enough computing power for the intended purpose (office, Internet). The laptop hardly heats up over the entire load range and runs quietly at least in idle.

The advantages of the X510UA over its rivals are its slim exterior and its low weight.

In combination with the good battery life, Asus has created a mobile companion here. However, the laptop is not unconditionally suitable for use as a mobile typewriter. The keyboard that is not made for prolific writers is the reason for this.

The screen will not win any awards, either. Asus installs a dark, low-contrast, and viewing-angle dependent model. Beyond that, a solid state drive, not an HDD, belongs in a light and mobile laptop. This would reduce the weight by a few grams and the system would run much faster.

Developing a slim and light, 15.6-inch laptop for the low-cost sector is a great idea. However, Asus has to reconsider its implementation. The flaws that have been made in configuration (keyboard, screen, no SSD) should be reworked in potential successors. The casing should also be more rigid. After all, we are dealing with a 600-Euro (~$705) laptop and not with a 400-Euro (~$470) model.

Asus X510UA-BR305T - 09/25/2017 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
77 / 98 → 79%
Keyboard
72%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
47 / 80 → 59%
Weight
67 / 20-67 → 99%
Battery
89%
Display
78%
Games Performance
54 / 68 → 80%
Application Performance
69 / 92 → 74%
Temperature
96%
Noise
90%
Audio
53%
Camera
33 / 85 → 39%
Average
70%
80%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus VivoBook S X510UA (7100U, HD) Laptop Review
Sascha Mölck, 2017-09-27 (Update: 2020-05-19)