Notebookcheck Logo

Asus VivoBook S14 S410UQ (i7-8550U, 940MX, Full HD) Laptop Review

The sum of its parts. Asus' good-looking VivoBook S14 comes with ample processing power thanks to the 8th-generation CPU and a dedicated - albeit low-end - graphics card, but the chassis quality is less praiseworthy.

At the end of January, our German colleagues put the 14-inch Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA with Intel Core i5-8250U and a - some might say rather outdated - TN display with HD resolution display through its paces. This time around, we'll take a closer look at the S14 S410UQ with i7-8550U, entry-level GeForce 940MX graphics card, and IPS Full HD display. It might seem surprising to some that Asus chose to incorporate the older Maxwell-based GeForce 940MX  instead of the newer MX150 into a notebook with 8th-generation processor, but on their US website, Asus also lists the VivoBook S14 S410UN - equipped with the Pascal version of Nvidia's entry-level graphics card - as an option. Speaking of models: while our version (at least on paper) is also offered with the TN HD display, the other two available models ship with the IPS Full HD display only. The third model of the bunch - the S410UA - is also different in that it forgoes a dedicated GPU and makes use of the integrated Intel Graphics 620 only.

At the time of writing, our particular review notebook is available from Computer Upgrade King (CUKUSA) for $775 or $800 elsewhere. We couldn't locate any of the other listed models, however. Competitors in this realm are a-plenty and include other 14-inch notebooks like the Acer Swift 3 SF314 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 320s, but also the more expensive stalwarts in the 13.3-inch category like the HP Spectre 13 or the newest iteration of the venerable Dell XPS 13. Asus of course also offers their more upscale, metal-clad Zenbooks like the 14-inch ZenBook UX3410UA and the 13.3-inch ZenBook 13 UX331UN

Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74 (VivoBook S Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 4 x 1.8 - 4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1242 MHz, Memory: 4000 MHz, GDDR5, 391.01, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4. Single-Channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, AUO B140HAN04.2, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: audio combo-jack, Card Reader: mutli-format SD
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): 17.8 x 327.7 x 226.1 ( = 0.7 x 12.9 x 8.9 in)
Battery
42 Wh Lithium-Ion, 3-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.336 kg ( = 47.13 oz / 2.95 pounds), Power Supply: 204 g ( = 7.2 oz / 0.45 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - a mix of metal and plastic

Like other competitors in this price range, Asus' notebook - which from a design perspective closely resembles its higher-end Zenbook sibling UX3410UQ from 2017 - features a mix of materials: while the lid is made from textured (brushed) metal, the semi-unibody chassis consists of plastic. Asus calls our color "Icicle Gold"; "Star Grey" appears to be the other option. Stability unfortunately leaves to be desired, as the entire keyboard deck flexes noticeably even with just moderate pressure applied. Torsional stability is surprisingly good, however, as the bottom unit isn't all that easy to twist and produces no creaking sounds in the process. Despite the use of metal, the display lid flexes slightly more than we would like, although it requires a fair amount of pressure on the back to induce any waves or ripples on the front. The hinges are stiff enough to require two hands when opening the lid, but despite the inherent stiffness, we noticed significant display teetering up to the maximum opening angle of 135 degrees. The build quality on the other hand is just fine with narrow and even gaps and no sharp or protruding edges.

"NanoEdge" bezel design
"NanoEdge" bezel design

Asus claims a 77% screen-to-body ratio thanks to their NanoEdge display technology, which allows the company to incorporate a 14-inch display into a 13-inch chassis. While the left and right bezels are indeed narrower at 8 mm than those of most regular notebooks, the top and especially the bottom bezels aren't particularly slim at 14 and 22 mm, respectively. In other words: in a world of ever-shrinking display bezels, the S410UQ doesn't stand out as a particular svelte design even when compared to a 14-inch business notebooks like the Dell Latitude 7480, although the chassis of the consumer-oriented Acer Swift 3 SF314 is about 10 mm wider and 8 mm deeper. Both the 13.3-inch Dell XPS 13 as well as the HP Spectre 13 are in a league of their own here, as they pack 13.3-inch displays into 12.5-inch chassis designs.

With a thickness of about 18 mm, the Asus S14 S410UQ compares well to the other 14-inch notebooks, although the 13.3-inch competition is much thinner still, in particular the Spectre 13, which measures just over 10 mm thick. The S14 tipped our scales at just over 1.3 kg / 3 lbs, so it's one of the lightest 14-inch notebooks. The Acer Swift 3 for example weighs a more substantial 1.6 kg / 3.5 lbs.

338 mm / 13.3 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 17.95 mm / 0.707 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs331 mm / 13 inch 220.9 mm / 8.7 inch 17.05 mm / 0.671 inch 1.5 kg3.34 lbs327.4 mm / 12.9 inch 236.5 mm / 9.31 inch 19.3 mm / 0.76 inch 1.7 kg3.73 lbs327.7 mm / 12.9 inch 226.1 mm / 8.9 inch 17.8 mm / 0.701 inch 1.3 kg2.95 lbs310 mm / 12.2 inch 216 mm / 8.5 inch 13.9 mm / 0.547 inch 1.1 kg2.52 lbs308.2 mm / 12.1 inch 224.2 mm / 8.83 inch 10.4 mm / 0.4094 inch 1.1 kg2.45 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 11.6 mm / 0.4567 inch 1.2 kg2.69 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - no Thunderbolt?

Port selection on the S410UQ has changed slightly and for the better compared to the previously-reviewed VivoBook S14 S406UA. Our review notebook is equipped with a full-sized HDMI port and SD card slot, while the S406UA was equipped with a less convenient MicroHDMI-out and a MicroSD card reader. As before, the right side is home to 2x USB 2.0 - we would've preferred one additional USB 3.0 port instead. All physical ports are located behind the mid-line, so plugged-in cables or device are - at least for right-handers - unlikely to interfere with the operation of an external mouse. Thunderbolt 3 is unfortunately not available.

Left side: DC power jack, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A), HDMI, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), headphone combo-jack
Left side: DC power jack, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A), HDMI, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), headphone combo-jack
Right side: SD card reader, 2x USB 2.0
Right side: SD card reader, 2x USB 2.0
Front: no connectivity
Front: no connectivity
Rear: no connectivity
Rear: no connectivity

SD Card Reader

The SD card sticks out too far
The SD card sticks out too far

The transfer rates of the card reader on the right edge are dreadfully slow and limited to USB 2.0 speeds. AS SSD attests sustained sequential transfer rates of just about 35 MB/s, while copying 1 GB of JPG files to the desktop takes about 33 seconds. The Acer Swift 3 operates at even more middling speeds, however. As always, we use a Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card for our speed tests. Note that the card reader is not spring loaded and more than half of the card sticks out, which could potentially lead to breakage when bumping the notebook inadvertently or carrying it with the card inserted.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
182 MB/s +481%
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=61, last 2 years)
93 MB/s +197%
Dell Latitude 7480
  (Toshiba (Exceria Pro SDXC UHS-II 64 GB)
75.8 MB/s +142%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
72.7 MB/s +132%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
69.5 MB/s +122%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
31.3 MB/s
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.8 MB/s -27%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
210.3 MB/s +503%
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=57, last 2 years)
122.4 MB/s +251%
Dell Latitude 7480
  (Toshiba (Exceria Pro SDXC UHS-II 64 GB)
92 MB/s +164%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
84.3 MB/s +142%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
82.6 MB/s +137%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
34.9 MB/s
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.9 MB/s -29%

Communication

Our VivoBook is equipped withe an 802.11ac module from Realtek (RTL8822BE) with Bluetooth 4.2 support. Transfer speeds during our standardized real-world WLAN test one meter from the Linksys EA8500 test router show good transmit and receive rates of about 602 Mbps and 607 Mbps, respectively, so the higher-end competitors aren't significantly faster here. The previously-reviewed Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA with Qualcomm Atheros module (QCA9377) is about 50 % slower. We didn't experience any dropouts or other connectivity issues during the review period. 

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (285 - 1094, n=5, last 2 years)
789 MBit/s +31%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
670 MBit/s +11%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
659 MBit/s +9%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
602 MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
505 MBit/s -16%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
346 MBit/s -43%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
322 MBit/s -47%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (625 - 1675, n=5, last 2 years)
1127 MBit/s +86%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
639 MBit/s +5%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
607 MBit/s
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
522 MBit/s -14%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
335 MBit/s -45%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
314 MBit/s -48%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
243 MBit/s -60%

Accessories

Asus only supplies the notebook, the power supply, and a couple of pamphlets. On their website, the manufacturer also lists generic accessories like the USB 3.0 HZ-2 Docking Station as well as keyboards and mice.

Maintenance

Maintenance is comparatively easy
Maintenance is comparatively easy

Despite the lack of a dedicated maintenance hatch, the serviceability is actually decent for a slim-and-light system. After the removal of 11 Phillips screws, the bottom panel can be pried off with relative ease with the aid of an old credit card or similar tool. Since 8 GB of RAM are soldered onto the motherboard, the user has access to the secondary RAM slot, the M.2 SSD, the WLAN module, as well as the system fan should a cleaning become necessary. According to Asus' spec sheet, some versions of the VivoBook S14 S410UQ could also feature conventional hard drives - and indeed, our review notebook has an open 2.5-inch bay with the appropriate SATA connector on the motherboard.

Warranty

The VivoBook S14 is covered against manufacturers defects for a period of 12 months, which also includes a one-year international warranty service within Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia, among others. 

Input Devices - too much keyboard flex

Keyboard

The Asus VivoBook S14 S410UQ is equipped with a backlit (3 brightness levels + off) chiclet-style keyboard. The regular keys measure 15 mm, are completely flat and lightly textured. Travel seems adequate for a subnotebook and the pressure point is well defined, but because of the aforementioned flex, heavy-handed touch typists in particular are going to be treated to a very bouncy typing experience. The function row keys are less than half-sized with the power on/off button integrated on the far right side right next to the delete key - not an ideal move on Asus' part in our opinion, as it is certainly possible to inadvertently put the notebook into standby mode while attempting to hit delete. The keyboard on our review notebook also has an additional issue with uneven keys: the right CTRL key in particular clearly slopes downwards towards the left front corner. We can't say for sure if this build quality problem only affects the review unit or not. The keys remain unobtrusive unless hit very hard and the notebook is suited quite well for quiet environments.

Touchpad

The ClickPad measures 10.5 x 7.3 cm (4.1 x 2.9 in) and supports Windows Precision Touchpad standards and thus multitouch. Fingers glide easily on the lightly textured surface and gestures up to four fingers work very well. Left clicks can be executed across the entire surface area, while right-clicks are only recognized in the bottom right corner. Travel is short with distinct haptic and slightly noisy audible feedback. Unlike the Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA, the S410UQ does not feature the ClickPad-integrated fingerprint reader.

The keyboard flexes too much
The keyboard flexes too much
ClickPad
ClickPad
Keyboard backlight: 3 levels (+ off)
Keyboard backlight: 3 levels (+ off)

Display - IPS, but not very bright

Unlike the VivoBook S14 S406UA with HD TN panel, our review notebook is equipped with a matte 14-inch 1080p IPS display from AU Optronics (B140HAN04.2). With a brightness of about 240 cd/m² and a contrast ratio of 820:1, the panel is decidedly average, although many lower-end notebooks in our comparison don't fare any better. The Acer Swift 3, for example, features a similar panel type from AUO and tops out at only 220 cd/m². The higher-end ZenBook sibling UX3410UQ with Chi Mei panel is over 50 % brighter.

Fortunately, Asus does not employ PWM to regulate the brightness, so the notebook should work well for users with sensitive eyes.

Backlight bleeding is also fairly minimal and not a problem during normal use, although the brighter spot on the bottom left can be visible when watching movies.

Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Minor backlight bleeding
Minor backlight bleeding
240.5
cd/m²
260.9
cd/m²
237
cd/m²
237.3
cd/m²
253.9
cd/m²
230.3
cd/m²
236.7
cd/m²
233.7
cd/m²
217.9
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO B140HAN04.2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 260.9 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 238.7 cd/m² Minimum: 13.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 253.9 cd/m²
Contrast: 819:1 (Black: 0.31 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.03 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.52
ΔE Greyscale 5.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
56.59% sRGB (Calman 2D)
56.59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
56.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.04% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.25
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
AUO B140HAN04.2, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
Chi Mei N140HCE-EN1, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
AU Optronics B140HAN02.1, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
BOE CQ NV140FHM-N49, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
ID: Sharp SHP148B, Name: LQ133D1, Dell P/N: 8XDHY, IPS, 13.30, 3840x2160
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
BOE CQ NT140WHM-N44, TN LED, 14.00, 1366x768
Display
76%
-5%
3%
77%
2%
Display P3 Coverage
38.04
67.2
77%
36.09
-5%
39.26
3%
68.9
81%
38.82
2%
sRGB Coverage
56.6
99.2
75%
54.2
-4%
57.6
2%
98.4
74%
58.2
3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.3
69.3
76%
37.28
-5%
40.56
3%
69.5
77%
40.11
2%
Response Times
-10%
1%
-12%
-63%
22%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38.8 ?(20, 18.8)
44 ?(24, 20)
-13%
41 ?(19, 22)
-6%
44 ?(22, 22)
-13%
67.2 ?(31.6, 35.6)
-73%
42 ?(22, 20)
-8%
Response Time Black / White *
27.2 ?(14, 13.2)
29 ?(17, 12)
-7%
25 ?(15, 10)
8%
30 ?(18, 12)
-10%
41.6 ?(22.8, 18.8)
-53%
13 ?(7, 6)
52%
PWM Frequency
60 ?(30)
357 ?(90)
2500 ?(20)
200 ?(90)
Screen
42%
6%
19%
45%
-20%
Brightness middle
253.9
381
50%
233
-8%
245
-4%
496.4
96%
215
-15%
Brightness
239
368
54%
217
-9%
235
-2%
469
96%
208
-13%
Brightness Distribution
84
84
0%
88
5%
71
-15%
84
0%
81
-4%
Black Level *
0.31
0.3
3%
0.27
13%
0.21
32%
0.5
-61%
0.4
-29%
Contrast
819
1270
55%
863
5%
1167
42%
993
21%
538
-34%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.03
2.84
53%
5.85
3%
4.85
20%
2.9
52%
9.37
-55%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
24.7
6.5
74%
11.51
53%
8.99
64%
5.26
79%
15.84
36%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.52
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.9
4.02
32%
4.87
17%
2.64
55%
3.9
34%
10.52
-78%
Gamma
2.25 98%
2.42 91%
2.47 89%
2.18 101%
2.066 106%
2.45 90%
CCT
5814 112%
7430 87%
6908 94%
6161 106%
7169 91%
11214 58%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
39.3
56
42%
34
-13%
37
-6%
63.9
63%
37
-6%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
56.59
86
52%
54
-5%
57
1%
98.2
74%
58
2%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
36% / 42%
1% / 3%
3% / 11%
20% / 37%
1% / -10%

* ... smaller is better

At 39 percent and 57 percent of the sRGB and AdobeRGB standards the coverage of the professional color spaces is also not overly impressive, but once again within the expected range for a lower-priced thin-and-light system. Competitors like the Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB or the Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL offer comparable performance here, while the significantly more expensive Dell XPS 13 9370 with UHD display offers almost full sRGB coverage. 

vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 320
vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 320

Our measurements with the X-Rite spectrophotometer show below average grayscale and color as shipped with DeltaE values around 6. The color blue is particularly troublesome with a DeltaE of almost 25. A calibration does wonders for grayscale with the DetlaE dropping below 1, but has next to no effect on the blue/magenta color tones. Blue is also very inaccurate even at moderate saturation levels. Suffice to say that we can't really recommend the S14 even for semi-professional photo or video editing because of the poor color space coverage and inaccurate colors.

ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation before calibration
Saturation before calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation after calibration
Saturation after calibration

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
27.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 13.2 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. » 64 % 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
38.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 18.8 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. » 53 % 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.

Outdoors - shade
Outdoors - shade

With an average brightness of only 240 nits, the VivoBook S14 S410UQ isn't particularly well-suited for outdoor use. Thanks to the anti-glare coating, reflections are not too much of an issue in the shade or under overcast conditions, but the LED backlight doesn't get nearly bright enough to overcome direct sunlight. Stil, in a shady spot it's certainly possible to work for longer periods without too much eye strain. Since the panel is based on IPS technology, the viewing angle stability is also decent with no substantial color changes or darkening at more shallow angles. The VivoBook S14 S406UA with HD TN panel has a much harder time with similar conditions.

Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance - new CPU and old graphics

According to the tech specs, the VivoBook S14 S410UQ is available with either a Core i3-7100U, Core i5-8250U, or Core i7 8550U processor and either 8 or 16 GB of RAM. Hard drives range from a 500 GB 5400 RPM platter-based drive to a 512 GB Sata M.2 SSD. Our review version, the S410UQ-NH74, is equipped with the i7 CPU, a 256 GB SSD, 8 GB of RAM and a Nvidia GeForce 940MX. The S14 S410UN features a GeForce MX150, while the S14 S410UA comes with the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 only. The first two models make use of Nvidia's Optimus technology and can switch between dedicated and integrated graphics depending on the graphics load. Since Asus doesn't allow for customization, it remains to be seen which models are actually going to be offered in the US either from Asus or various resellers.

Users purchasing their notebook from CUKUSA have a bit more flexibility and can for example upgrade to 16 GB of RAM ($80) or add an internal 2 TB HDD ($70) at the time of purchase.

 

Processor

Performance of the 8th-generation quad-core Intel Core i7-8550U is generally much higher than that of the dual-core predecessors i7-7500U and i7-7600U with performance boosts of up to 70 % when all cores are utilized. Single-core performance of the CPU in our review unit is right where we expected it to be; the multi-core performance on the other hand lags slightly behind other systems equipped with the same CPU. A check with the tool HWinfo during a Cinebench R15 Multi test run shows a clock speed drop from 3.7 GHz (the maximum for all 4 cores) down to 2.2 - 2.3 GHz within seconds after the start - likely in response to the temperature, which can climb as high as 96 C. It seems that the single fan simply can't keep up with generated heat under heavy load. Interesting as well is the fact that the Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T with Intel Core i5-8250U actually manages a slightly higher initial multi-core score, likely because the heat buildup occurs somewhat slower. Speaking of sustained performance: as shown in the graph below, the score drops nearly 10 % after the first couple runs of our Cinebench R15 loop test (50 iterations in this case), but there is no further degradation even towards the very end of the test.

For more information about the Intel Core i7-8550 and additional benchmarks, please visit our dedicated processor page for the Intel Core i7-8550U

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +54%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Core i7-8550U
167 Points +3%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
162 Points 0%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
162 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Intel Core i7-8550U
162 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (108 - 172, n=76)
159.6 Points -1%
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
Intel Core i7-7500U
147 Points -9%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
145 Points -10%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points -12%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel Core i5-8250U
142 Points -12%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
128 Points -21%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +250%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Intel Core i7-8550U
652 Points
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel Core i5-8250U
636 Points -2%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
623 Points -4%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel Core i5-8250U
606 Points -7%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (301 - 761, n=78)
576 Points -12%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Core i7-8550U
550 Points -16%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
515 Points -21%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
343 Points -47%
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
Intel Core i7-7500U
331 Points -49%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
331 Points -49%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (2.6 - 3.21, n=3, last 2 years)
2.85 Points +51%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.89 Points
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
1.85 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (1.43 - 1.95, n=32)
1.834 Points -3%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel Core i5-8250U
1.64 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (19 - 31.6, n=3, last 2 years)
24 Points +265%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel Core i5-8250U
7.17 Points +9%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Intel Core i7-8550U
6.57 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (4.38 - 8.56, n=32)
6.28 Points -4%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
3.78 Points -42%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (34412 - 61674, n=3, last 2 years)
43500 Points +120%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel Core i5-8250U
20773 Points +5%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Intel Core i7-8550U
19731 Points
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel Core i5-8250U
18814 Points -5%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (11694 - 24180, n=31)
17825 Points -10%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Core i7-8550U
16804 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
12153 Points -38%
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
Intel Core i7-7500U
11455 Points -42%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
11123 Points -44%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (5791 - 10476, n=3, last 2 years)
7475 Points +17%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Intel Core i7-8550U
6416 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Core i7-8550U
6400 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (4202 - 8211, n=31)
6328 Points -1%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
6243 Points -3%
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
Intel Core i7-7500U
5706 Points -11%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel Core i5-8250U
5523 Points -14%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel Core i5-8250U
5501 Points -14%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
5013 Points -22%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Average of class Multimedia
  (103.6 - 1259, n=2, last 2 years)
681 s * -90%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel Core i7-7600U
484.3 s * -35%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Intel Core i7-8550U
358.1 s *
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (258 - 435, n=11)
351 s * +2%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel Core i5-8250U
243.3 s * +32%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
4438
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
19731
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6416
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
64.2 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
6.57 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.89 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
76.1 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
652 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
162 Points
Help

System Performance

The system performance according to the PCMark benchmarks is very good, but the review notebook curiously once again trails the VivoBook S14 S406UA with i5 CPU and integrated graphics. A check of the Nvidia Control Panel reveals the reason: PCMark 8 is forced to run on the integrated GPU with no way for the user to change this setting. The PCMark 10 performance also remains below expectations, even though the dedicated GPU is actually used in this case. Booting the system to the Windows desktop takes about 15 seconds. Applications launch reasonably quick, although we noticed some minor lag at times compared to other notebooks. We are being nitpicky here though, since the system offers very good performance overall with no major bottlenecks during normal operation.

PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5525, n=9, last 2 years)
5075 Points +34%
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
3985 Points +5%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3968 Points +5%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
3937 Points +4%
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
3923 Points +3%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
3899 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (3778 - 3906, n=3)
3825 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3792 Points
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
3705 Points -2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
3329 Points -12%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (3115 - 6078, n=9, last 2 years)
5278 Points +4%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
5106 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
5054 Points
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
5052 Points 0%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
5037 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (4987 - 5054, n=3)
5012 Points -1%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4562 Points -10%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
4312 Points -15%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5011 Points +3%
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
4981 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
4871 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
4871 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
 
4871 Points 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
4134 Points -15%
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4039 - 8670, n=82, last 2 years)
6552 Points +91%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3805 Points +11%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
3612 Points +5%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (3433 - 3701, n=3)
3555 Points +4%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3433 Points
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
3071 Points -11%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
2660 Points -23%
Essentials
Average of class Multimedia
  (8480 - 12420, n=82, last 2 years)
10417 Points +36%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (7306 - 8523, n=3)
7827 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
7651 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
7637 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
7468 Points -2%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
7165 Points -6%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
6014 Points -21%
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=82, last 2 years)
8685 Points +50%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
6587 Points +14%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
6004 Points +4%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
5784 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (5686 - 5784, n=3)
5729 Points -1%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
5393 Points -7%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
4613 Points -20%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (3861 - 13548, n=82, last 2 years)
8566 Points +245%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
2972 Points +20%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
2852 Points +15%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (2482 - 2875, n=3)
2727 Points +10%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
2482 Points
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
2036 Points -18%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
1841 Points -26%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3792 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4871 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5054 points
PCMark 10 Score
3433 points
Help

Storage Devices

The SSD from Micron (model MTFDDAV256TBN) has a capacity of 256 GB and operates at SATA III speeds, so the maximum throughput limit is 6Gb/s. With sustained read and write rates of 490 MB/s and 390 MB/s according to CrystalDiskMark 3, the drive performs quite well, although competing notebooks with PCIe NVMe drives are significantly faster. As we mentioned earlier, the secondary storage bay can accept 2.5-inch hard drives up to 7 mm thickness should the user require additional storage for files or music. An installed hard drive was recognized instantly upon bootup.

See our list of HDDs and SSDs for additional benchmark comparisons.

The 256 GB SSD is limited to SATA speeds
The 256 GB SSD is limited to SATA speeds
The 2.5-inch storage bay is fully functional
The 2.5-inch storage bay is fully functional
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
Liteonit CV3-DE256
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Asus Zenbook UX3410UQ-GV077T
SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
Average Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
56%
-5%
88%
-15%
3%
-8%
Write 4k QD32
295.6
496.2
68%
238.7
-19%
476
61%
257.2
-13%
252.8
-14%
233 ?(123 - 300, n=22)
-21%
Read 4k QD32
248
462.6
87%
334.8
35%
543
119%
147
-41%
280.2
13%
227 ?(148.7 - 248, n=22)
-8%
Write 4k
101.9
133.6
31%
61.6
-40%
144
41%
79.5
-22%
90.5
-11%
80.8 ?(62.4 - 101.9, n=22)
-21%
Read 4k
28.01
13.98
-50%
25.9
-8%
60
114%
22.78
-19%
29.25
4%
24.6 ?(14 - 29, n=22)
-12%
Write 512
352.3
483.3
37%
258
-27%
546
55%
288
-18%
306.8
-13%
315 ?(157 - 447, n=22)
-11%
Read 512
259.4
616
137%
272.8
5%
515
99%
289
11%
354.3
37%
315 ?(249 - 360, n=22)
21%
Write Seq
389.2
552
42%
417.8
7%
878
126%
323.7
-17%
418.6
8%
379 ?(164.5 - 471, n=22)
-3%
Read Seq
490.2
944
93%
511
4%
907
85%
497
1%
486.5
-1%
465 ?(413 - 490, n=22)
-5%
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Sequential Read: 490.2 MB/s
Sequential Write: 389.2 MB/s
512K Read: 259.4 MB/s
512K Write: 352.3 MB/s
4K Read: 28.01 MB/s
4K Write: 101.9 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 248 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 295.6 MB/s

GPU Performance

When it comes to the synthetic benchmark performance, the Maxwell-based Nvidia GeForce 940MX trails its newer Pascal sibling GeForce MX150 by a substantial margin: depending on the test, the latter GPU can have a performance advantage of up to 80 %. The Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1 with AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics card offers about the same speed in some tests and pulls ahead by up to 30 % in others. The difference between the GeForce 940MX and the processor-integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 ranges from 15 - 30 % and is certainly not as high as one might hope when switching to a dedicated GPU.

See our dedicated review page on the 940MX for more technical information. 

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Ice Storm
Ice Storm
Ice Storm Unlimited
Ice Storm Unlimited
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=87, last 2 years)
18296 Points +600%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
4690 Points +79%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
3581 Points +37%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 2500U
3457 Points +32%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U
2613 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (2171 - 3164, n=46)
2582 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U
1887 Points -28%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1806 Points -31%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1743 Points -33%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1648 Points -37%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1587 Points -39%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Average of class Multimedia
  (2018 - 24900, n=87, last 2 years)
12567 Points +425%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
4262 Points +78%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
3466 Points +45%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U
2395 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 2500U
2349 Points -2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (1734 - 2981, n=46)
2285 Points -5%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U
2224 Points -7%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1743 Points -27%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1648 Points -31%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1604 Points -33%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1530 Points -36%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (14679 - 150699, n=61, last 2 years)
57744 Points +434%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
18572 Points +72%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 2500U
14338 Points +33%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (8165 - 14485, n=37)
11087 Points +3%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U
10816 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U
10494 Points -3%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
9969 Points -8%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
9349 Points -14%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
8787 Points -19%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
8555 Points -21%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points +554%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8550U
2903 Points +40%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 2500U
2109 Points +2%
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U
2069 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (1540 - 2403, n=37)
1955 Points -6%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U
1614 Points -22%
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1200 Points -42%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1178 Points -43%
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1052 Points -49%
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1008 Points -51%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (66941 - 354020, n=6, last 2 years)
136896 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U
65070 Points
Dell Latitude 7480
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
48374 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (26424 - 67037, n=16)
44072 Points
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
43057 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
2844 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
43801 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
9025 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1917 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
940 points
Help

Gaming Performance

As expected, the gaming performance is fairly limited and just good enough for either older games or possibly newer ones at lower resolution and reduced quality settings. Many games should be playable at a resolution of 1366 x 668 pixels and medium details. The GeForce MX150 is a better choice than the outdated 940MX and allows for higher frame rates - anywhere from 30 - 70 % depending on the game.

BioShock Infinite
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
19.8 fps
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
34 fps +72%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
29.91 fps +51%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
17.5 fps -12%
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
8.4 fps -58%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
8.8 fps -56%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
17.6 fps -11%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (13.2 - 25.5, n=34)
18.2 fps -8%
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
53.2 fps
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
90 fps +69%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
68.5 fps +29%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
48.9 fps -8%
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
26.3 fps -51%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
29.2 fps -45%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (37.4 - 68.3, n=39)
49.2 fps -8%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
63.1 fps
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
105.2 fps +67%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
77.9 fps +23%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
55.7 fps -12%
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
31.6 fps -50%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
34.4 fps -45%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (45 - 79.3, n=38)
59 fps -6%
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
108.4 fps
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
162.2 fps +50%
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
101 fps -7%
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
107.7 fps -1%
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
54.5 fps -50%
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
65.7 fps -39%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
101 fps -7%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (83.8 - 143.2, n=38)
102.4 fps -6%
Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
23.7 fps
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
12.7 fps -46%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
26.8 fps +13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (18.3 - 29.4, n=7)
24.4 fps +3%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
48.1 fps
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
25.9 fps -46%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
50.3 fps +5%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (34.5 - 62.6, n=8)
48.3 fps 0%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
77 fps
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
43.3 fps -44%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
61.1 fps -21%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (58.6 - 96.4, n=7)
79.3 fps +3%
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
157.9 fps
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
83.6 fps -47%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
122 fps -23%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (132.9 - 184.4, n=7)
159.7 fps +1%
Rise of the Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
11.3 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (8.2 - 13.8, n=10)
11 fps -3%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
14.5 fps
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5.5 fps -62%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
13.6 fps -6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (10.4 - 17, n=17)
13.1 fps -10%
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
26.5 fps
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
12.3 fps -54%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (13.4 - 30.6, n=20)
22.3 fps -16%
1024x768 Lowest Preset (sort by value)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
44.8 fps
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
18.6 fps -58%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
38.7 fps -14%
Average NVIDIA GeForce 940MX
  (26.9 - 52.8, n=20)
37.5 fps -16%
low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 157.9 77 48.1 23.7
BioShock Infinite (2013) 108.4 63.1 53.2 19.8
The Witcher 3 (2015) 23
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 44.8 26.5 14.5 11.3

Stress Test

We subject each and every review notebook to unrealistically high loads to identify throttling and potential stability issues. When running Prime95, the CPU cores immediately drop from their initial 3.4 GHz down to 2.2 - 2.3 GHz, since the temperature increases to above 90 C within seconds. The temperature subsequently decreases to about 76 C and remains at this level. Under Furmark load, the 940MX starts out at 1150 MHz at 60 C, but the frequency drops to 1032 MHz at about 80 C and eventually declines to 888 MHz at 78 C. Note that it is actually the CPU that is the limiting factor: during the test, the processor reaches 96 C, which in turn leads to throttling of the GPU. The single fan / single heat pipe design is definitely pushed to its limits during prolonged periods of high load.

Running both Prime95 and FurMark in parallel results in a CPU clock rate of 2.0 GHz at a temperature of 80 C; the GPU runs at 992 MHz at 78 C. Roughly 10 minutes into the test, the CPU has dropped down to 1.3 GHz at 78 C, while the GPU maintains at a stable 888 MHz at 80 C. On systems with dedicated GPUs we also run Witcher 3, as it better represents real-world gaming stress. The GPU now runs at between 823 - 1150 MHz at 78 - 80 C depending on the load; the CPU cores generally remain around 4 GHz with the temperature ranging from 75 - 86 C.

With the notebook on battery power, the system performance takes a slight hit according to 3DMark Fire Strike. Our results show a graphics score reduction of about 6 % and an overall performance reduction of a little over 9 %.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Furmark stress
Furmark stress
Prime95 + Furmark stress
Prime95 + Furmark stress
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
01234567891011121314151617181920212223242526Tooltip
The Witcher 3 medium
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 2.2-2.3 - 76 -
FurMark Stress - 888 - 78
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.3 888 78
Witcher 3 Stress 3.7-4.0 823-1150 75-86 78-80

Emissions - noisy and warm

System Noise

The VivoBook S14 S410UQ-NH74 is basically inaudible at idle, since the cooling system is largely inactive. The fan spools up when browsing the web or watching videos, but the noise floor is nonetheless acceptable. The picture changes at higher load settings: at medium load with 3DMark06 and maximum load with Prime95 and Furmark, the S410UQ is noisier than most competing notebooks - except for Asus' own VivoBook and Zenbook models. At maximum load, the S14 reaches almost 43 dB, which easily surpasses the output of much thinner notebooks like the XPS 13 or Spectre 13. The Acer Swift 3 SF314 with Intel Core i7-8550U and GeForce MX150 tops out at only 35 dB and still offers much better overall performance thanks to the more powerful graphics.

We noticed some coil whine in close proximity to the notebook and while running hard drive benchmarks. During normal use, this noise is more ore less undetectable.

Single heat pipe / cooling fan design
Single heat pipe / cooling fan design
VivoBook S14 S410UQ-NH74 (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: 3DMark06, Orange: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
VivoBook S14 S410UQ-NH74 (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: 3DMark06, Orange: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark)

Noise Level

Idle
28.3 / 28.3 / 29.8 dB(A)
Load
39 / 42.6 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 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.3 dB(A)
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
GeForce 940MX, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
GeForce 920MX, i5-7200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
Dell Latitude 7480
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
Noise
2%
-4%
-1%
10%
4%
4%
-4%
-2%
off / environment *
28.3
30.5
-8%
29.6
-5%
30.13
-6%
30.13
-6%
29
-2%
30.2
-7%
31.8
-12%
Idle Minimum *
28.3
30.5
-8%
29.6
-5%
30.8
-9%
28.6
-1%
30.13
-6%
29
-2%
30.2
-7%
31.8
-12%
Idle Average *
28.3
30.5
-8%
29.6
-5%
30.8
-9%
28.6
-1%
30.13
-6%
29
-2%
30.2
-7%
32.1
-13%
Idle Maximum *
29.8
30.9
-4%
29.6
1%
30.8
-3%
28.6
4%
30.13
-1%
29
3%
31.3
-5%
32.1
-8%
Load Average *
39
35.6
9%
41.7
-7%
35.5
9%
30.2
23%
31.5
19%
32
18%
40.1
-3%
33
15%
Witcher 3 ultra *
40.6
35.1
14%
43.5
-7%
Load Maximum *
42.6
35.6
16%
43.5
-2%
36.2
15%
31.2
27%
33.5
21%
40.1
6%
40.4
5%
34.8
18%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Prime95+FurMark stress (exhaust)
Prime95+FurMark stress (exhaust)

Because of its dedicated GPU, the review notebook runs noticeably warmer than the S14 S406UA with Core i5-8250U and Intel UHD Graphics 620. Idle temperatures are fairly flat with a 5 degree C temperature differential between the top right and bottom left corners. At maximum load during the stress test, the notebook reaches a toasty 47 C on the bottom - thankfully in the middle towards the back, so operation on the lap is still possible without major discomfort. While the palm rests and the touchpad remain cool at a maximum fof 28 C, the middle and left sides of the keyboard get comparatively warm as well. When running Witcher 3, the maximum recorded temperature barely drops at all, while the remainder of the notebook doesn't get nearly as warm. 

The Acer Swift 3 with AMD Ryzen 5 2500U (Raven Ridge) reaches a maximum of 41 C during the stress test; the Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB with older i5-7200U  CPU and GeForce 920MX graphics card reaches 45 C.


Idle (top)
Idle (top)
Idle (bottom)
Idle (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
The Witcher 3 stress (top)
The Witcher 3 stress (top)
The Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
The Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Max. Load
 36.4 °C
98 F
37.6 °C
100 F
28 °C
82 F
 
 39 °C
102 F
37.4 °C
99 F
26.4 °C
80 F
 
 28 °C
82 F
26.4 °C
80 F
25.6 °C
78 F
 
Maximum: 39 °C = 102 F
Average: 31.6 °C = 89 F
28.2 °C
83 F
47 °C
117 F
35 °C
95 F
27 °C
81 F
41.8 °C
107 F
43.8 °C
111 F
27.4 °C
81 F
28 °C
82 F
30 °C
86 F
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 34.2 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  46 °C = 115 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Raytek Raynger ST
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.6 °C / 89 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 39 °C / 102 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 47 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.8 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.9 °C / 82 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 29.6 °C / 85.3 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 (-0.8 °C / -1.5 F).

Speakers

The two stereo speakers are located at the front left and right edges and are angled, so they fire both downward and outward. The sound quality unfortunately disappoints: the speakers don't get very loud and the overall sound is quite tinny. The S14 comes with Asus' AudioWizard software preinstalled, so the user can tweak the settings and improve them - particularly when switching to the manual equalizer. Because of the location of the speakers, even moderate volume leads to noticeable vibrations in the palm rests. We can only encourage the use of headphones, particularly when listening to music. 

The speakers sit at the front on the left and right edges
The speakers sit at the front on the left and right edges
VivoBook S14 S410UQ-NH74  (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
VivoBook S14 S410UQ-NH74 (Red: System idle, Pink: Pink noise)
The AudioWizard software....
The AudioWizard software....
...features an integrated equalizer
...features an integrated equalizer
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.737.12534.2343133.7344033.231.55031.631.86330.132.38030.632.310029.529.212528.329.816027.434.620026.442.725026.148.831525.846.640025.645.150024.347.363024.147.980023.657.3100023.860.3125023.457.6160022.957.1200022.657.7250022.752.6315022.649.6400022.656.6500022.656.7630022.455.3800022.356.51000022.459.91250022.456.21600022.454.2SPL35.368.3N2.423.3median 23.4median 54.2Delta1.66.735.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (59.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 91% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 77% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 18% 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 Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management - higher draw under load

Power Consumption

Power consumption when running Prime95+FurMark (stress test)
Power consumption when running Prime95+FurMark (stress test)

Power consumption when idling is right where expected with the average of 5.6 W, which matches the draw of the S406UA almost exactly. This changes at medium load levels (3DMark06) where the review notebooks consumes roughly 30 % more power (52 vs. 37 W) than the sibling with integrated graphics. During the stress test with Prime95 and FurMark we recorded a maximum power consumption of about 55 W, which is higher than the other notebooks in our review, including the Acer Swift 3 SF314 with the same processor and GeForce MX150 (~50 W)).

The small AC adapter (~6.2 x 6.2 x 2.8 cm) is rated for 65 W and is able to handle the maximum draw without getting too hot. 

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.36 / 0.49 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.5 / 5.65 / 6.5 Watt
Load midlight 52.3 / 54.5 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.
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
i5-8550U, GeForce 940MX, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
i5-7200U, GeForce 920MX, Liteonit CV3-DE256, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IPS, 3840x2160, 13.30
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002, TN LED, 1366x768, 14.00
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
R5 2500U, Vega 8, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Power Consumption
-14%
12%
7%
-14%
9%
-47%
Idle Minimum *
3.5
4.4
-26%
3.2
9%
2.8
20%
4.3
-23%
3.7
-6%
7.3
-109%
Idle Average *
5.65
6.6
-17%
5.9
-4%
6.2
-10%
8
-42%
5.6
1%
9.7
-72%
Idle Maximum *
6.5
9.2
-42%
6.7
-3%
9.4
-45%
8.1
-25%
7.6
-17%
13
-100%
Load Average *
52.3
61
-17%
36.7
30%
32.2
38%
46.6
11%
37.4
28%
40.4
23%
Witcher 3 ultra *
46.2
40
13%
Load Maximum *
54.5
50
8%
39
28%
36.6
33%
49.8
9%
33
39%
42.2
23%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The VivoBook S14 comes equipped with a 3-cell, 42 Wh Lithium-Ion battery. Run times are surprisingly good, especially when considering that the notebook has one of the smaller batteries compared to the rest of the field. During our WLAN test with the screen set to 150 nits and the balanced profile enabled, we recorded a run time of over 8 hours. The Acer Swift 13 with Intel CPU and GeForce MX150 trails the review notebook by 5 %; the Acer Swift 3 with AMD Ryzen 5 2500U CPU doesn't have the same stamina and only lasts about 6 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
12h 29min
WiFi Websurfing
8h 07min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 33min
Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74
i5-8550U, GeForce 940MX, 42 Wh
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 48 Wh
Asus ZenBook 13 UX331UN
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 50 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 320s-14IKB
i5-7200U, GeForce 920MX, 52.5 Wh
Dell Latitude 7480
i7-7600U, HD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
HP Spectre 13-af033ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 43 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9370 i5 UHD
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Asus VivoBook S14 S406UA-BV023T
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 39 Wh
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R4W1
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 48 Wh
Battery Runtime
-5%
36%
9%
85%
-8%
5%
-2%
-17%
Reader / Idle
749
1321
76%
1662
122%
869
16%
730
-3%
WiFi v1.3
487
465
-5%
504
3%
530
9%
719
48%
352
-28%
408
-16%
476
-2%
310
-36%
Load
93
120
29%
171
84%
104
12%
106
14%
81
-13%

Pros

+ appealing and slim design
+ matte Full HD display
+ back-lit keyboard
+ dedicated graphics
+ decent battery life
+ available 2.5-inch storage bay

Cons

- high amount of keyboard flex
- display isn't very bright
- inaccurate colors
- last-gen dedicated entry-level graphics
- can get warm and noisy
- heavy throttling under load

Verdict

In Review: Asus VivoBook S14 S410UQ. Unit courtesy of Computer Upgrade King. Use code NBC10 for $10 off
In Review: Asus VivoBook S14 S410UQ. Unit courtesy of Computer Upgrade King. Use code NBC10 for $10 off

The VivoBook S14 S410UQ-NH74 features a Full HD 14-inch display in a 13.3-inch chassis. Unfortunately, the display is not particular bright and suffers from poor color accuracy as well as just average coverage of the professional color spaces. Nonetheless: the IPS display is without a doubt a worthy upgrade over the HD TN display the VivoBook S14 S406UA is equipped with. While the notebook certainly looks the part with its sleek metal and plastic design, the keyboard deck flexes too much for comfort when applying just moderate amounts of pressure. As a result, the typing experience is not nearly as pleasant as it could be. The system performance is decent, but we encountered heavy throttling under maximum load, as the single heat pipe / single fan design can't keep up with the generated heat. We also question Asus' decision to pair up an 8th-generation i7 CPU with an outdated entry-level graphics card. Many competing designs already incorporate the much more powerful GeForce MX150 instead.

Still, the notebook remains unobtrusive with lighter workloads and the battery can last all day with careful battery management. We also appreciate the thin-and-light and appealing design and the fact that the S14 comes with an empty 2.5-inch hard drive bay and corresponding SATA 3 connector. Users requiring more space can thus easily and cheaply expand the storage without having to resort to external drives.

Because of the substantial amount of keyboard flex, the VivoBook S14 might not be one of the strongest contenders in the multimedia segment, but it is still a decent choice for users who can accept the aforementioned shortcomings. 

Asus VivoBook S410UQ-NH74 - 03/10/2018 v6(old)
Bernie Pechlaner

Chassis
74 / 98 → 75%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
43 / 81 → 53%
Weight
71 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
90%
Display
80%
Games Performance
63 / 85 → 74%
Application Performance
91 / 92 → 99%
Temperature
91%
Noise
90 / 95 → 95%
Audio
59%
Camera
42 / 85 → 49%
Average
73%
81%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 1 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus VivoBook S14 S410UQ (i7-8550U, 940MX, Full HD) Laptop Review
Bernie Pechlaner, 2018-03-14 (Update: 2018-03-14)