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Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA (i5-7200U, FHD) Laptop Review

Super sleek for cheap. Imagine the XPS 15 9560 stripped down to ULV configuration levels at half the starting price and you get the new VivoBook S15 S510 series. While this sounds good on paper, chassis quality leaves a lot to be desired.

The VivoBook S15 series is defined by its narrow "NanoEdge" display bezel popularized by the successful Dell XPS 13 and XPS 15 series of notebooks. Unlike these latter alternatives, however, the VivoBook S15 costs significantly less and is thus an easier point of entry for more mainstream users. Options range from a Core i3-7100U CPU with 768p TN display (S510UA) up to the Core i7-7500U CPU with 1080p IPS display and dedicated GeForce 940MX graphics (S510UQ). Prices range wildly from as low as $500 USD up to $1100 USD as a result. Our test unit today is the S510UA with mid-range upgrades including a backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader, i5-7200U CPU, and FHD panel for approximately $800 USD, which is still noticeably less than flagship alternatives.

CUKUSA currently offers a version of the S510UA with the higher-end i7-7500U, FHD display, 128 GB M.2 SSD + 1 TB HDD, and 8 GB of system RAM for $799 USD. Buyers can use the coupon code "NBC50Off" to being the price down to $749 USD.

The last 15-inch VivoBook unit we checked out was the F556UQ/X556UQ earlier this year. The newer VivoBook S15 series, however, has been significantly improved from the bottom up to be thinner and much more stylish while dropping legacy features such as the optical drive and VGA port. The result is a system that looks like a direct competitor to the expensive XPS 15 9560 but is actually a more portable alternative to the thicker HP Pavilion 15, Acer Aspire E5, Lenovo IdeaPad 510, and upcoming Flex 15 refresh when considering its price and performance level.

Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA (Vivobook S15 S510 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-7200U 2 x 2.5 - 3.1 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 620, Core: 300 MHz, Memory: 1067 MHz, DDR4, 21.20.16.4565
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4, PC4-19200, SDRAM, Dual-Channel, 15-15-15-35
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, ID: LGD0573, Name: LG Display LP156WF9-SPK2, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY, 128 GB 
, Secondary: 1 TB Seagate ST1000LM035-1RK172
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Card Reader: SD Reader, Brightness Sensor
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): 17.9 x 361.4 x 243.5 ( = 0.7 x 14.23 x 9.59 in)
Battery
42 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 3-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: VGA
Additional features
Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Asus Giftbox, ZenLink, MyAsus, SmartAudio, McAfee Anti-Virus, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.62 kg ( = 57.14 oz / 3.57 pounds), Power Supply: 170 g ( = 6 oz / 0.37 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

This is easily the best-looking VivoBook yet with its new slimmer form factor and narrower bezels that make it nearly 700 g lighter and 37 percent smaller than the VivoBook F556UQ. The soft gold color finish and brushed aluminum outer lid accentuate the sleek design no matter the positioning or angle of the notebook. Surfaces are smooth while the matte plastic base is just slightly roughened for added texture. For a notebook series starting at $500 USD, the VivoBook S15 is making a solid first impression in a price range where stale and mundane designs are far too common.

Look beyond the attractive design and portability of the notebook, however, and what's left is a base that doesn't feel as good as it looks. While side-to-side twisting is minimal and within normal limits, we find that the palm rests and keyboard surfaces warp and bend too easily with slight audible creaking. This in turn causes repercussions to the typing experience since the keys will feel softer than they really are. The lid has just average resistance to twisting and can be easily depressed down its center with a slight push of a finger. The bar hinge is thankfully very wide for better stability and with minimal teetering while typing on a flat desk, but this alone doesn't make up for the mediocre rigidity of the overall system.

Build quality is uniform from top to bottom as we can observe no unintended gaps between materials or unevenness surrounding the thin inner bezel. With that said, the bottom panel of our test unit exhibits slight superficial warping as noted on our System Noise section below, so quality is not as consistent as it could have been. 

The VivoBook S15 is very light for a 15-inch notebook at just 1.6 kg compared to over 2 kg each for the Pavilion 15t or Envy 15. Its dimensions are also nearly as small and thin as the XPS 15 while being substantially lighter by about 500 grams. The Asus is certainly not as dense as its more powerful Dell counterpart, but the small size and weight shouldn't be understated at this price point.

383 mm / 15.1 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 2.1 kg4.59 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 22.9 mm / 0.902 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 2.2 kg4.93 lbs361.4 mm / 14.2 inch 243.5 mm / 9.59 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.6 kg3.57 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 2.1 kg4.56 lbs349 mm / 13.7 inch 241 mm / 9.49 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.8 kg4.03 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Available ports are the basic fare including HDMI, USB Type-A, and USB Type-C Gen. 1 (5 Gbps). Gone are the RJ-45 ports, VGA ports, and optical bays on older VivoBook models. Two of the three USB Type-A ports are still version 2.0 whereas some competitors are beginning to drop 2.0 altogether. The HP Envy 15, for example, houses essentially the same port selection as our Asus except with full USB 3.0 ports. Beyond this small nitpick, all ports are easy to reach and positioned closer to the rear of the system where cables are less likely to interfere. 

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Left: 2x USB 2.0, SD reader
Left: 2x USB 2.0, SD reader
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, USB Type-C Gen. 1, HDMI, USB 3.0, AC adapter
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, USB Type-C Gen. 1, HDMI, USB 3.0, AC adapter

SD Card Reader

Fully inserted SD card still protrudes significantly
Fully inserted SD card still protrudes significantly

The integrated card reader is slow with average transfer rates in the low 30 MB/s range compared to 90 MB/s or 150+ MB/s on the HP Pavilion 15t and XPS 15 9560, respectively.

The reader is not spring loaded and an inserted SD card will protrude by over half its length compared to many other notebooks where the inserted card can sit flush against the edge for safe transporting.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
 
60.9 MB/s +92%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
 
31.8 MB/s
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7567
 
22.2 MB/s -30%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
 
88.4 MB/s +163%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
 
33.62 MB/s
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7567
 
27.2 MB/s -19%

Communication

The dual-band 2x2 Intel 8265 integrates both MU-MIMO and Bluetooth 4.2 but without WiDi functionality. A real-world WLAN test standing one meter away from our Linksys EA8500 test router returns an average transfer rate of 639 Mbps against a theoretical maximum of 867 Mbps. We otherwise experienced no connectivity or dropout issues during our time with the test unit.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
490 MBit/s
Lenovo V510-15IKB 80WQ0002GE
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
343 MBit/s -30%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7567
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (jseb)
306 MBit/s -38%
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
639 MBit/s
Lenovo V510-15IKB 80WQ0002GE
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
347 MBit/s -46%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7567
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (jseb)
246 MBit/s -62%

Accessories

There are no included extras outside of the AC adapter and Quick Start guide. A USB-to-RJ45 adapter or carrying sleeve like for new ZenBook purchases would have been nifty additions.

Maintenance

Serviceability requires a Philips screwdriver and sharp edge to remove the bottom panel. Note that there are two screws hidden underneath the rear rubber feet in addition to the ten securing the edges and corners. Once the panel is removed, users will have direct access to the battery, WLAN module, 2x DDR4 SODIMM slots, and both storage bays. The emptied space on the motherboard underneath the midsection of the heat pipe shows where the dedicated Nvidia GPU would have been located had this been the Vivobook S15 S510UR/S510UQ SKU.

Relatively easy serviceability
Relatively easy serviceability

Warranty

The standard one-year limited manufacturer warranty applies with onsite service available if buyers happen to be within 40 km of an Asus service center. CUKUSA covers any pre-configured components added by the reseller for up to three years. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The keyboard (30.5 x 10.5 cm) keys are soft in feedback and have a shallow 1.4 mm travel. The spongy feel is partly due to the weak foundation of the surrounding base as applying pressure on the center of the keyboard will visibly warp much of the surface. Clatter is relatively quiet as a result and the individual keys fortunately do not wiggle in place. Overall, however, the keys are too light even for an Ultrabook and could have been a lot firmer for a more satisfying typing experience.

The system includes an optional three-level white backlight. The lighting clearly bleeds through a set of ventilation grilles near the rear of the notebook, which is a rather strange design decision. The backlight would have probably been slightly brighter had this light leak been addressed.

Touchpad

The integrated trackpad is decently sized (10.5 x 7.5 cm) and responsive for standard cursor control with no jittering. Glide can be sticky on the smooth surface, however, and the top right corner will not track movement since this space is occupied by the optional fingerprint reader.

The integrated mouse keys are poor and feel uneven from corner to corner. Clicking on the bottom left corner to input a left click will depress the surface as it should, but the surface will sometimes remain depressed and not immediately retract back to its original position. Meanwhile, the bottom right corner of the trackpad appears to function normally for right clicks. Travel is nonetheless shallow and feedback is weak. We find that lightly tapping on the trackpad surface is instead much easier for dragging items or inputting left clicks.

The Power and Delete buttons are too close for comfort
The Power and Delete buttons are too close for comfort
Keys have short travel and a spongy feedback
Keys have short travel and a spongy feedback
Unnecessary light bleed through the ventilation grilles
Unnecessary light bleed through the ventilation grilles

Display

Our configuration comes equipped with a matte 1080p IPS panel that has become standard on mainstream notebooks. While the X510UA offers no 4K UHD or touchscreen options, a lower-end S510UA SKU is available with a TN 768p display to shave off costs. Native resolutions that are 900p or lower are difficult to recommend as these panels often suffer from poorer colors and black levels is addition to the lower PPI.

The Lenovo V510 uses an IPS panel from the same LG Philips series as our Asus and the two share similar display qualities as a result. Contrast, brightness, and response times are all typical of what we expect from a mainstream 1080p display. In this case, the display on the Asus is holding no surprises.

Uneven backlight bleeding is minimal with only the slightest of clouding on the top left corner. Subjectively, texts and images are very clean with almost no hints of graininess despite not using a glossy panel.

Very slight backlight bleeding on top left corner
Very slight backlight bleeding on top left corner
Subpixel array (141 PPI)
Subpixel array (141 PPI)
263.1
cd/m²
257.6
cd/m²
248.7
cd/m²
278.9
cd/m²
277.5
cd/m²
254.2
cd/m²
278.8
cd/m²
274.7
cd/m²
248.8
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
ID: LGD0573, Name: LG Display LP156WF9-SPK2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 278.9 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 264.7 cd/m² Minimum: 14.58 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 277.5 cd/m²
Contrast: 793:1 (Black: 0.35 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
69.3% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.11% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.39
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
ID: LGD0573, Name: LG Display LP156WF9-SPK2, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo V510-15IKB 80WQ0002GE
LG Philips LP156WF6-SPK3, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
BOE0693, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
Apple APPA030, IPS, 15.40, 2880x1800
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Chi Mei CMN15D8, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7567
AU Optronics AUO38ED B156HTN 28H80, TN, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
-2%
9%
109%
8%
-8%
Display P3 Coverage
39.9
38.8
-3%
43.27
8%
99
148%
42.95
8%
36.42
-9%
sRGB Coverage
59.5
58.1
-2%
64.9
9%
100
68%
64.3
8%
54.9
-8%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.11
40.12
-2%
44.71
9%
87.3
112%
44.41
8%
37.62
-8%
Response Times
-8%
-18%
-66%
-15%
-15%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38.4 ?(19.2, 19.2)
39 ?(20, 19)
-2%
42 ?(13.2, 28.8)
-9%
46 ?(18, 28)
-20%
44.4 ?(16, 28.4)
-16%
36 ?(17, 19)
6%
Response Time Black / White *
26.4 ?(15.6, 10.8)
30 ?(19, 11)
-14%
33.6 ?(7.6, 26)
-27%
56 ?(11, 45)
-112%
30 ?(6.4, 23.6)
-14%
36 ?(19, 17)
-36%
PWM Frequency
20000 ?(90)
198.4
119000 ?(80)
1000 ?(99)
Screen
-6%
-9%
46%
2%
-75%
Brightness middle
277.5
256
-8%
186.5
-33%
420
51%
262.3
-5%
246
-11%
Brightness
265
252
-5%
174
-34%
401
51%
240
-9%
235
-11%
Brightness Distribution
89
87
-2%
69
-22%
90
1%
83
-7%
75
-16%
Black Level *
0.35
0.3
14%
0.18
49%
0.3
14%
0.24
31%
0.55
-57%
Contrast
793
853
8%
1036
31%
1400
77%
1093
38%
447
-44%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.8
5.4
-13%
5.7
-19%
3.33
31%
5
-4%
10.97
-129%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
17.8
9.36
47%
22.5
-26%
5.11
71%
20.6
-16%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3
5.37
-79%
4.4
-47%
2.73
9%
3.2
-7%
14.25
-375%
Gamma
2.39 92%
2.58 85%
2.35 94%
2.48 89%
2.45 90%
1.83 120%
CCT
6854 95%
6795 96%
6963 93%
6457 101%
6817 95%
11200 58%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
37.7
37
-2%
44.71
19%
78.09
107%
40.5
7%
35
-7%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
69.3
58
-16%
64.95
-6%
99.97
44%
63.5
-8%
55
-21%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-5% / -5%
-6% / -7%
30% / 43%
-2% / 1%
-33% / -52%

* ... smaller is better

Color coverage is approximately 38 percent and 70 percent of the AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively. Meanwhile, Asus advertises 45 percent NTSC coverage compared to 72 percent NTSC on pricier alternatives. This is about average for a consumer Ultrabook IPS panel, though models exist with complete sRGB coverage such as the Spectre x360 13 or MacBook Pro 15 if color accuracy is a high priority. For word processing, browsing, and streaming, however, a wider gamut is relatively unimportant.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. Dell Inspiron 15 7567
vs. Dell Inspiron 15 7567

Further measurements with a X-Rite spectrophotometer reveal generally accurate colors and grayscale out of the box. A calibration improves both RGB balance and grayscale especially for darker grays, but it's interesting to note that color accuracy will not necessarily increase. Blue and purple colors in particular appear to be more inaccurate than others. All colors become more inaccurate the higher the saturation level due the imperfect sRGB coverage of the panel.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker 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
26.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15.6 ms rise
↘ 10.8 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. » 61 % 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
38.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.2 ms rise
↘ 19.2 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. » 52 % 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 18099 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is decent under shade and poor if under direct sunlight or overcast. The display backlight is not bright enough to overcome ambient lighting and onscreen content will appear washed out as a result. Glare isn't too annoying of an issue due to the matte panel and wide IPS viewing angles, though a wider hinge angle greater than 140 degrees would have been appreciated.

Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

The VivoBook S15 S510 series currently consists of three models distinguished primarily by the choice of GPU. The S510UR and S510UQ are equipped with the dedicated GeForce 930MX and 940MX plus Optimus, respectively, whereas the S510UA is limited to the integrated HD Graphics 620. Otherwise, it appears that users can freely configure between the i3-7100U, i5-7200U, or i7-7500U CPU, 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM, 768p or 1080p display, or backlit/non-backlit keyboard on any model. We're a bit disappointed to not see any higher GPU options as the older VivoBook X556/F556 series was also limited to the GeForce 940MX.

 

Processor

CPU performance from the i5-7200U is about 16 percent and 30 percent ahead of the Skylake i5-6200U and Broadwell i5-5200U, respectively, in multi-threaded workloads. The processor is also neck-to-neck with the i5-6267U in the 2016 Macbook Pro 13 even though the Apple integrates a much faster GPU. Users who opt in for the faster VivoBook S15 SKU with the i7-7500U CPU should see minimal performance gains of about 5 to 10 percent according to CineBench benchmarks. Jumping from the i3-7100U to the i5-7200U, however, will provide a massive boost in processor performance as shown by our comparison chart below since the i3 series is lacking Hyper-Threading. Running CineBench Multi-Thread in a loop results in no significant performance drops to ensure steady processing performance when under high loads.

See our dedicated CPU page on the Core i5-7200U for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
145 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
143 Points +9%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Core i5-6267U
131 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Core i5-7200U
131 Points
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points -2%
HP ProBook 640 G2-T9X60ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
115 Points -12%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
108 Points -18%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z40-59422614
Intel Core i5-4200U
99 Points -24%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
86 Points -34%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD PRO A12-9800B
77 Points -41%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
369 Points +10%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
351 Points +5%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Core i5-6267U
339 Points +1%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Core i5-7200U
335 Points
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
328 Points -2%
HP ProBook 640 G2-T9X60ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
288 Points -14%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
257 Points -23%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
256 Points -24%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD PRO A12-9800B
229 Points -32%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z40-59422614
Intel Core i5-4200U
223 Points -33%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
1.67 Points +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
1.59 Points +7%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Core i5-7200U
1.49 Points
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
1.47 Points -1%
HP ProBook 640 G2-T9X60ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
1.33 Points -11%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
1.28 Points -14%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z40-59422614
Intel Core i5-4200U
1.14 Points -23%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
1.03 Points -31%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD PRO A12-9800B
0.86 Points -42%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
4.13 Points +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
3.87 Points +5%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Core i5-7200U
3.69 Points
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
3.67 Points -1%
HP ProBook 640 G2-T9X60ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
3.19 Points -14%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
2.85 Points -23%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
2.81 Points -24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z40-59422614
Intel Core i5-4200U
2.49 Points -33%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD PRO A12-9800B
2.47 Points -33%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Core i5-7200U
11412 Points
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
11292 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
11109 Points -3%
HP ProBook 640 G2-T9X60ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
9852 Points -14%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
8718 Points -24%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
8672 Points -24%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z40-59422614
Intel Core i5-4200U
7580 Points -34%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD PRO A12-9800B
6854 Points -40%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Core i5-7200U
5016 Points
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
4999 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
4835 Points -4%
HP ProBook 640 G2-T9X60ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
4359 Points -13%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
4134 Points -18%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
3871 Points -23%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z40-59422614
Intel Core i5-4200U
3725 Points -26%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD PRO A12-9800B
2621 Points -48%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Lenovo IdeaPad Z40-59422614
Intel Core i5-4200U
790 s * -71%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
645 s * -40%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD PRO A12-9800B
475.7 s * -3%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
467.3 s * -1%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel Core i5-7200U
460.9 s *
Lenovo ThinkPad T470s-20HF0012US
Intel Core i5-7300U
446.9 s * +3%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
8813
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
11412
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5016
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
39.29 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.69 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.49 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.7 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
49.04 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
335 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
131 Points
Help

System Performance

PCmark 8 ranks the Asus just slightly below the MacBook Pro 15. Subjectively, we experienced no software or hardware glitches during our time with the test unit. Applications launch swiftly as one would expect from a SSD-based notebook.

PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
Radeon Pro 460, 6920HQ, Apple SSD SM1024L
4066 Points +6%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY
3831 Points
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
3424 Points -11%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
Radeon Pro 460, 6920HQ, Apple SSD SM1024L
4755 Points 0%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY
4746 Points
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
4340 Points -9%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
Radeon Pro 460, 6920HQ, Apple SSD SM1024L
4984 Points +8%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY
4627 Points
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
4089 Points -12%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3831 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4627 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4746 points
Help

Storage Devices

M.2 2280 SSD + 2.5-inch SATA III bay
M.2 2280 SSD + 2.5-inch SATA III bay

Two internal storage bays are available in the form of M.2 and 2.5-inch SATA III. NVMe is not supported and so users will be limited to the standard 6 Gbps bandwidth. Our particular test unit has been configured with a primary 128 GB Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY SSD and secondary 1 TB Seagate ST1000LM035 HDD. We recommend sticking to 7 mm drives instead of thicker 9.5 mm alternatives.

Performance from the supplied Toshiba SSD is typical of a SATA III SSD with read rates maxing out at about 500 MB/s. Its read and write rates of smaller 4K blocks, however, are much slower than some Intel and Samsung SSDs as shown by our comparison table below. Meanwhile, the secondary Seagate drive is quite fast for a 5400 RPM HDD with an average transfer rate of almost 105 MB/s according to HD Tune.

See our growing table of HDDs and SSDs for more performance comparisons.

CDM (Primary SSD)
CDM (Primary SSD)
AS SSD (Primary SSD)
AS SSD (Primary SSD)
CDM (Secondary HDD)
CDM (Secondary HDD)
HD Tune (Secondary HDD)
HD Tune (Secondary HDD)
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
 
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY
Lenovo V510-15IKB 80WQ0002GE
Samsung CM871a MZNTY256HDHP
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
Apple SSD SM1024L
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7567
Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
51%
-91%
165%
29%
Read Seq
503
532
6%
109.5
-78%
1458
190%
485.8
-3%
Write Seq
396
511
29%
105.2
-73%
1440
264%
422.8
7%
Read 512
417.7
414.8
-1%
34.08
-92%
914
119%
338.9
-19%
Write 512
342
307.7
-10%
40.02
-88%
1058
209%
304
-11%
Read 4k
19.48
39.51
103%
0.429
-98%
9.786
-50%
27.11
39%
Write 4k
64.6
108.1
67%
1.008
-98%
10.9
-83%
85.4
32%
Read 4k QD32
250.3
361.6
44%
0.81
-100%
679
171%
279.6
12%
Write 4k QD32
94.3
253
168%
0.893
-99%
562
496%
255.1
171%
Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY
Sequential Read: 503 MB/s
Sequential Write: 396 MB/s
512K Read: 417.7 MB/s
512K Write: 342 MB/s
4K Read: 19.48 MB/s
4K Write: 64.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 250.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 94.3 MB/s

GPU Performance

Graphics performance from the integrated HD Graphics 620 is about 20 percent faster than the Latitude 5280 with the same i5-7200U CPU according to 3DMark 11. Wide performance deltas are common amongst integrated HD Graphics GPUs due to the variable GPU clock rates or the speed of the shared RAM. Gaming performance is still subpar and users are unlikely to notice any significant advantages over the older HD Graphics 520 in practice. Dota 2, for example, is unable to maintain 60 FPS even on medium 768p settings. Users who prefer the VivoBook S15 S510UQ SKU with the dedicated GeForce 940MX will get a rough 60 percent boost in graphics power over the HD Graphics 620 to be comparable to the Iris Graphics 550 GPU in the 2016 MacBook Pro 13.

See our dedicated GPU page on the HD Graphics 620 for more technical details and benchmark comparisons.

Ice Storm
Ice Storm
Ice Storm Unlimited
Ice Storm Unlimited
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
2696 Points +70%
HP Spectre x360 15-bl002xx
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2576 Points +62%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
2210 Points +39%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
1829 Points +15%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
1834 Points +16%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1587 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1508 Points -5%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
1343 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1309 Points -18%
1280x720 Performance Combined
HP Spectre x360 15-bl002xx
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2609 Points +58%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
2597 Points +57%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1650 Points
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
1525 Points -8%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
1454 Points -12%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
1060 Points -36%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
1401 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1219 Points -26%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
892 Points -46%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
13172 Points +49%
HP Spectre x360 15-bl002xx
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
11821 Points +33%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
8861 Points
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
6924 Points -22%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
6189 Points -30%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
5592 Points -37%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
5311 Points -40%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
HP Spectre x360 15-bl002xx
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2115 Points +100%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Iris Graphics 550, 6267U
1657 Points +57%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
1466 Points +39%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
1013 Points -4%
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1055 Points
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
1010 Points -4%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
786 Points -25%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
672 Points -36%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
51806 Points
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
37343 Points -28%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
34077 Points -34%
HP Spectre x360 15-bl002xx
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
33758 Points -35%
HP EliteBook 725 G4
AMD Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), PRO A12-9800B
32389 Points -37%
3DMark 11 Performance
1768 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
69286 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6704 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
965 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
449 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 62.7 33.9 28.6 8.8
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 82 56 20

Stress Test

We stress the system with synthetic benchmarks in order to identify for any throttling or stability issues. When under Prime95 stress, the Asus can be observed maintaining a clock rate of 3.1 GHz compared to its base clock rate of 2.5 GHz. This is the processor's maximum rated Turbo Boost and it's always impressive to see an Ultrabook running stably at its highest speeds without fluctuating frequencies. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will throttle the CPU down to just 1.4 GHz in order to maintain a core temperature of about 71 C as is common on many Ultrabooks. In this case, the integrated GPU takes priority over the CPU as the GPU never runs slower than 848 MHz.

Running on battery power will not throttle CPU or GPU performance. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 4424 and 1514 points, respectively, compared to 4656 and 1587 points when on mains.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.1 -- 73
FurMark Stress -- 848 69
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.4 848 71

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of a single fan and heat pipe whereas other 15-inch notebooks with similar ULV CPUs may utilize two fans instead. The fan in the Asus is always active no matter the system load, but it is thankfully very quiet and hardly noticeable in a typical home or office environment. Fan noise remains low and will not pulsate when browsing or streaming video. Of course, the S510UR/S510UR SKUs with the dedicated Nvidia GPU may be more likely to run louder than our iGPU-only configuration.

Medium loads, such as with 3DMark06, will slowly bump fan noise to a steady 36.9 dB(A). Maximum load with Prime95 and FurMark will not increase fan RPM any further and so users can expect to reach the maximum fan noise of the system when gaming or running intensive processing loads. The low 37 dB(A) range is still tolerable and quieter than most Ultrabooks where the low 40 dB(A) range is the norm when under similar extreme loads.

Warping of the chassis may occur during very high processing loads. As shown by the picture below, the bottom maintenance panel of our test unit exhibits a dent on the region immediately over the processor. We're unsure if this is due to the heat of the processor or the pressure from the heat pipe underneath, but this is likely not intentional by the manufacturer as the bottom surface is supposed to be completely flat from edge to edge.

Single 50 mm system fan
Single 50 mm system fan
Visible dent directly atop of the processor
Visible dent directly atop of the processor
VivoBook S X510UA (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: 3DMark06, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
VivoBook S X510UA (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: 3DMark06, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
XPS 15 9560
XPS 15 9560
HP Envy 15
HP Envy 15

Noise Level

Idle
30.2 / 30.2 / 30.2 dB(A)
HDD
30.2 dB(A)
Load
36.9 / 37 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.2 dB(A)
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY
Lenovo V510-15IKB 80WQ0002GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung CM871a MZNTY256HDHP
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
Radeon Pro 460, 6920HQ, Apple SSD SM1024L
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7567
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Intel SSDSCKKF256H6
Noise
0%
-9%
-4%
-11%
off / environment *
28.2
30.2
-7%
29
-3%
30.3
-7%
Idle Minimum *
30.2
30.2
-0%
32.2
-7%
30.3
-0%
30.9
-2%
Idle Average *
30.2
30.2
-0%
32.2
-7%
30.3
-0%
30.9
-2%
Idle Maximum *
30.2
32
-6%
33.7
-12%
30.3
-0%
31
-3%
Load Average *
36.9
34.7
6%
39.4
-7%
35.1
5%
46.5
-26%
Load Maximum *
37
33.9
8%
42.2
-14%
46
-24%
46.8
-26%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Surface temperature development is unusual because of the positioning of the processor near the center of the notebook and the angled heat pipe. A hot spot of 46 C can be observed directly on the Alt key whereas most other Ultrabooks are warmest nearer the rear in order to keep frontal quadrants cooler for hands and fingers. The right half of the notebook is also significantly warmer than the left, so one hand will become warmer than the other after extended typing sessions. The S510UR/S510UQ will likely run hotter since the same cooling solution must dissipate heat from two discrete processors instead of one. The temperature gradient is otherwise flat on both sides of the VivoBook during very low processing loads.

Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (bpttom)
Maximum load (bpttom)
Max. Load
 28 °C
82 F
35.6 °C
96 F
34.6 °C
94 F
 
 25.6 °C
78 F
46 °C
115 F
41.4 °C
107 F
 
 25.6 °C
78 F
26.4 °C
80 F
32.4 °C
90 F
 
Maximum: 46 °C = 115 F
Average: 32.8 °C = 91 F
31.8 °C
89 F
39.4 °C
103 F
30 °C
86 F
45 °C
113 F
38.2 °C
101 F
26.6 °C
80 F
32 °C
90 F
28.2 °C
83 F
27 °C
81 F
Maximum: 45 °C = 113 F
Average: 33.1 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.)  43 °C = 109 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.8 °C / 91 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 46 °C / 115 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 45 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.5 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.4 °C / 90.3 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-3.6 °C / -6.5 F).

Speakers

Good speakers considering the thin size of the notebook
Good speakers considering the thin size of the notebook

The integrated 2 W stereo speakers sound better than expected. Bass is still underrepresented, but the Asus can at least reproduce lower frequencies better than the thicker Pavilion 15t and also with superior balance between bass and treble frequencies as shown by the pink noise measurements below. Maximum volume is sufficiently loud to fill a small room and will not introduce any static or heavy imbalances. The palm rests will reverberate quite noticeably, however, since the speakers are located directly underneath the front corners.

Asus VivoBook S X510UA (Pink: Pink noise)
Asus VivoBook S X510UA (Pink: Pink noise)
Dell XPS 15 9560
Dell XPS 15 9560
HP Pavilion 15t
HP Pavilion 15t
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.339.82537.136.93134.936.24033.934.65032.934.26332.633.98031.733.210029.931.812530.334.416029.544.620028.347.925028.45331526.956.540026.358.65002660.963025.362.68002560.8100025.156.9125024.460160023.96320002461.3250023.657.1315023.755.6400023.559.1500023.466.5630023.562.3800023.365.91000023.363.71250023.362.91600023.362.1SPL36.473.9N2.733.8median 24.4median 60Delta1.65.335.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus VivoBook S15 S510UAApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (66.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 60% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 45% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 48% 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

Power Consumption

At around 4 W to 8 W when under idling loads, the Asus is about as efficient as the Lenovo V510 and the HP Envy 15. The Apple notebook demands notably more power when idling simply due to its faster CPU, higher resolution display, and significantly brighter display backlight. Running 3DMark06 will draw slightly more than the aforementioned Lenovo and HP under similar conditions.

Extreme processing loads with Prime95 and FurMark will draw 36 W from the small (6.5 x 6.5 x 3 cm) power adapter rated for up to 45 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.42 / 0.62 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.6 / 7.6 / 7.7 Watt
Load midlight 35.1 / 36.2 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 S15 S510UA
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NY, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo V510-15IKB 80WQ0002GE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, Samsung CM871a MZNTY256HDHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
i7-7500U, GeForce 940MX, Toshiba MQ01ABD100, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
6920HQ, Radeon Pro 460, Apple SSD SM1024L, IPS, 2880x1800, 15.40
HP Envy 15-as133cl
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Power Consumption
-5%
-33%
-62%
10%
Idle Minimum *
4.6
4
13%
6.16
-34%
3
35%
4.6
-0%
Idle Average *
7.6
9.6
-26%
8.48
-12%
9.9
-30%
7.7
-1%
Idle Maximum *
7.7
9.7
-26%
9.62
-25%
12.5
-62%
7.8
-1%
Load Average *
35.1
27.7
21%
41.63
-19%
70.6
-101%
30.5
13%
Load Maximum *
36.2
38.4
-6%
63.22
-75%
90.8
-151%
22.7
37%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Unique Asus settings for prolonging battery life
Unique Asus settings for prolonging battery life

The 42 Wh battery is just slightly larger than the batteries in the VivoBook F556/X556 series. Unfortunately, runtimes are below average at just under 4.5 hours of real-world WLAN use compared to nearly 7 hours on the Envy 15 under similar conditions. Users who prefer to run on more reserved system settings may be able to squeeze out much longer runtimes as idling on Power Saver and on the lowest brightness setting will last for just over 10 hours.

Charging from near empty to full capacity will take about one hour and forty-five minutes. This is slightly faster than many 15-inch notebooks due in part to the smaller battery capacity.

It's worth noting that the Asus will automatically enter Sleep mode when the battery reaches 35 percent and has been idling for long periods. This appears to occur only in the Balanced profile setting and cannot be disabled even after disabling Sleep through the Windows Power Profile menu. This occurred multiple times during our battery life tests and we suspect that it is due to overlying Asus bloatware as we've never encountered such behavior on other notebooks. This battery-saving "feature" shouldn't be an issue during day-to-day use since it only kicks in under rare circumstances.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
10h 14min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 19min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 10min
Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 42 Wh
Lenovo V510-15IKB 80WQ0002GE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 32 Wh
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
i7-7500U, GeForce 940MX, 41 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2016 (2.9 GHz, 460)
6920HQ, Radeon Pro 460, 76 Wh
HP Envy 15-as133cl
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Battery Runtime
-13%
2%
57%
18%
Reader / Idle
614
438
-29%
573
-7%
WiFi v1.3
259
225
-13%
220
-15%
619
139%
408
58%
Load
70
106
51%
52
-26%
72
3%

Pros

+ 2x internal storage bays, upgradeable RAM
+ maximum CPU Turbo Boost performance
+ relatively easy serviceability
+ thin and very lightweight
+ attractive chassis design
+ decent stereo speakers
+ USB Type-C Gen. 1
+ low fan noise
+ no PWM

Cons

- weak key feedback; disappointing trackpad
- unusual surface temperature development
- below average battery life
- no Thunderbolt 3 or mDP
- flexible plastic base
- slow SD reader

Verdict

In review: Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA. Test model provided by Computer Upgrade King. Use coupon code NBC50Off to shave off $50 USD for a final price of $749 USD
In review: Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA. Test model provided by Computer Upgrade King. Use coupon code NBC50Off to shave off $50 USD for a final price of $749 USD

The VivoBook S510 series was designed to be more affordable than the ZenBook, XPS, or Spectre series without being any heavier or less attractive. It is, an essence, a budget-mainstream notebook wrapped in a super-thin flagship design. Asus has succeeded in this regard as the S510UA starts for far less than $1000 USD and its narrow bezels naturally lead to a smaller footprint when compared to more typical budget-mainstream notebooks in the Pavilion, Inspiron, or IdeaPad families. We're especially relieved to see no cut corners on display quality or core performance as the processor can sustain Turbo Boost speeds without much of an issue. The relatively low fan noise is another high note especially when compared to the more energetic fans of the XPS 15.

Where the S510UA falters, however, is hard to ignore. The case is not very rigid and both the keyboard and trackpad do not feel as firm as they could have been. Its chassis may look like a flagship offering, but it doesn't feel anywhere near as solid as one. Battery life is short and the superficial dent on the bottom of the notebook around the processor is telling of a more budget or economical design. Hopefully these strange hardware flaws on our test unit are not indicative of a wider problem with the new VivoBook S15 series as a whole, so we'll likely check out more SKUs in the future for a better perspective.

We can absolutely recommend the VivoBook S15 S510 over an older HP Pavilion 15 or Asus F series if affordability and portability are of top concerns. Otherwise, users who want to invest about $200 or $300 USD more on an introductory ZenBook, XPS, or Spectre SKU will find a vastly superior experience.

The lightweight S510UA looks sleek, performs wonderfully, and carries a respectable 1080p IPS matte display. The spongy keyboard, below average battery life, and odd hardware hitches on our test unit suggest that buyers should tread carefully before investing in the new VivoBook S15 series.

Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA - 06/11/2017 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
78 / 98 → 79%
Keyboard
72%
Pointing Device
75%
Connectivity
42 / 81 → 52%
Weight
68 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
77%
Display
82%
Games Performance
59 / 85 → 69%
Application Performance
86 / 92 → 94%
Temperature
90%
Noise
92 / 95 → 97%
Audio
64%
Camera
25 / 85 → 29%
Average
70%
78%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus VivoBook S15 S510UA (i5-7200U, FHD) Laptop Review
Allen Ngo, 2017-06-11 (Update: 2019-04- 5)