Computex 2018 | The colorful Asus VivoBook S15 (S530) and S14 (S430) get a refresh with the MX150 dGPU

Asus has refreshed the VivoBook S14 and S15, which come in Green, Star Grey, Silver Blue, Gun Metal, or Icicle Gold. We’re at a loss as to why green isn’t cool enough to get a snazzy marketing name. Perhaps green slept through their alarm and missed the naming session (Edit: The marketing name for the green appears to be Firmament Green). The displays (14 and 15 inches respectively) utilize Asus’s NanoEdge bezel on three sides.

There are two Intel 15-watt U-series processors to choose from, the i5-8250U 4C/8T at 1.6/3.4 GHz and the i7-8550U 4C/8T at 1.8/4.0 GHz. The dedicated graphics on offer have been upgraded from the MX130 (rebranded GT 940mx) to the MX150, but no mention has been made of whether this is the cut down 10-watt variant or the fully fledged 25-watt model. Either way, the MX150 is enough for casual gaming at 1600 x 900 or 1920 x 1080 in many games at lower graphics settings. Up to 16 GB of RAM is supported.

Both the S430 and S530 share a similar ErgoLift hinge to the new ZenBook Pro S. This works by placing the hinge in such a way that the display acts as a large foot that lifts the rear of the laptop as the screen is opened. This increased angle is supposed to provide a better angle for typing (as long as you don't rest your wrists on the keyboard deck), and also means that the intake fans aren't as restricted so cooling should be improved.

The 15-inch S530 weights 1.8 kg, while the 14-inch S430 is 1.4 kg, putting it closer to the weight of a 13-inch ultrabook with dGPU. Expected availability is in the third quarter of 2018, starting at 749 Euros (US$875). Note: European pricing includes around 19 percent tax.