In this week’s TechENT Download, we see a whole lot happening including things going back to normal when it comes to Malaysia with more measures being relaxed and the techENT team heading back to our offices.
ASUS has also been busy releasing many laptops including new additions to the ZenBook series as well as a new ExpertBook B9 which is powered by Intel’s vPro processors. The ASUS VivoBook S series also got 2 new entries bringing more colour and functionality.
Telcos in Malaysia are extending their 1GB of free data to everyone with no time limitations. Subscribers can redeem their 1GB via their respective apps.
HUAWEI and ZTE face more problems as the American Federal Communications Commission goes on the record saying that they pose a threat to national security and privacy. This new development comes after more than a year of sanction placed against the companies by the current U.S. Administration. The new move will be hurting HUAWEI and ZTE’s 5G business as more countries take the notion seriously. What does this mean for smartphones?
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By now you are probably quite familiar with the name ‘VivoBook’. That is mostly thanks to the fact that we have been reviewing the namesake or each iteration of the same notebook for quite sometime now. We hope that you have not grown bored of the same notebook though, because we have not. Also, because there is a new one in the block.
It seems like just yesterday that we were reviewing a new ASUS VivoBook S notebook PC. It seems like yesterday too that we gave quite high praises to ASUS’ value offering of a notebook PC. That said, we have always liked the ASUS VivoBook series. They are relatively inexpensive offering of notebook PCs that are always outperforming our expectations. They are also always very well built, for the kind of material they employ on the VivoBook.
Because of the wholesome package that is the ASUS VivoBook, it has become one of our most recommended notebook PCs so far. While it is a serious contender for ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, the designers have never taken a too serious approach to the notebook too. That is also why the ASUS VivoBook notebooks have always been lookers.
The new one? Well, for one I think it is no different from the old recipe of making an attractive looking PC with great internals. They approached the VivoBook with the same ‘one-size-fits-all’ philosophy as before. Somehow, they have managed to make it even better in certain aspects. How? Let us delve deeper.
Design
Like before, the ASUS VivoBook is built with a mix of plastic and aluminium. We suspect that the outer shells are mostly aluminium and the keyboard tray is also aluminium. The only part that is not made from the lightweight metal is the bezel surrounding the Full HD display.
Unlike the previous ASUS VivoBook S too, the new 2020 variant seems to be a bit more scratch resistant. This is mostly due to the aluminium construction and what we think is an anodized surface instead of a paint coating. Anodizing has been a common practice in getting colours on metallic surfaces, and they last a whole lot longer.
Anodizing also has another benefit, you can get really interesting colours on the surfaces. Which is what ASUS has gone for with the 2020 variant of the ASUS VivoBook S. The one we have here is green in colour. Specifically, Gaia Green. It is a stunning colour, in our humble opinions.
Personally, I have always liked green, Emerald Green or British Racing Green especially. Those are great colours, and I have always dreamt of a Bentley Continental GT in Emerald Green shade or a 1961 Jaguar E-Type in British Racing Green. We are getting a little side-tracked.
The point is, it is a very pretty Green that we are getting on the ASUS VivoBook S15. Finally, someone bothers to go with another green coloured notebook. This makes Red shades look over-rated and overly loud. There isn’t a big difference in the branding layout otherwise.
Open the ASUS VivoBook S15 up and you will be greeted with a very familiar full keyboard layout with backlighting. Oh, let us not forget the accented enter key with a lime outline and wording. We may not completely understand why that is included in the design, but it does help distinguish the keyboard itself from its competitors. The numpad is largely similar on the side with a nice layout too.
The trackpad is a little larger compared to what we could remember, but that is not a bad thing. Unlike the more popular wide pad designs, the new one looks more traditional and with additional height. That allows your two palms to rest on the palm rests on either side of the trackpad properly without accidentally touching the trackpad for extra inputs or accidental clicks.
There is no more fingerprint sensor on the ASUS VivoBook S15 anymore though. We are testing the Intel Core i5 variant of the ASUS VivoBook S15. Usually you would find the fingerprint sensor on the top right corner of the trackpad. Not this time though. Although you still get the same on/off button nestled at the top right corner of the whole keyboard layout.
There is a shiny chromed out chamfers on the side of the keyboard tray. That somehow adds to the premium look when its new. The shiny chromed ring surrounding the keyboard is what made us think that the whole top is aluminium. Thing is though, they will smudge a little from the oils from your skin. While that may not be too big of a deal if you keep it clean with constant care, it will not be the case for most people. Still, we feel that that is a nice touch. At least you know when you need to give your laptop a quick wipe down.
Hardware
As we have mentioned, this ‘go-anywhere-do-anything’ machine is made mostly of aluminium. Which is always a nice touch, in our opinion. It also helps with the overall feel and rigidity of the device, which is always nice.
There is more that just an aluminium body with nothing to show for it inside though. While it is not very heavy, it is still quite a powerful package. As we have mentioned, this is powered by an Intel Core i5, the one we have. We also have NVIDIA’s GeForce MX250 to work with, which is no slouch if you are not after outright gaming performance.
Specifications
ASUS VivoBook S15 S533
As Tested
Processor (clock)
10th Generation Intel Core i5-10210U (1.6GHz ~ up to 4.2GHz)
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce MX250
Display(s)
15.6-inch LED -backlit IPS Full HD (1920 x 1080) NTSC: 45% NanoEdge
1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A 2x USB 2.0 1 x Standard HDMI 1.4 1 x Audio combo jack 1x MicroSD card reader Intel Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ (802.11ax) Bluetooth 5.0
Battery
50Wh 3-cell Li-Polymer Fast Charging (60% in 49 minutes)
Operating System
Windows 10 Home
Miscellaneous
Audio certified by Harman Kardon Certification 1.8kg
Features
Do not think for a second that ‘one-size-fits-all’ means that there is nothing that makes this thing special though. There is still a few things that makes this the perfect notebook PC that can do everything you need.
Back to Basics
So instead of the whole ErgoLift technology that ASUS was raving about a year ago, this has a regular hinge that tilts the display as normally as you would expect a normal notebook PC. You still get a similarly styled hinge, it is just that the VivoBook does not stand on the hinge. That also ensures that your keyboard remains at the same height on any surface, at any given time. You are not going to move your display and have your keyboard shift a few mm away from out or what not.
Not to say that the ErgoLift hinge was a bad thing. It really did improve typing positions when you set it on a proper surface to work with. On normal café tables, working on an ErgoLift hinged notebook is a little bit more comfortable than usual. Because your whole set up moves as the display moves though, it is a little inconsistent for my liking.
On the new 2020 line-up of the ASUS VivoBook S, ASUS is saying or listening to the consumers who say; “what was ever wrong with the normal typing position of notebook PCs”? After all, ASUS was one of the only players pushing that that kind of hinge design.
The loss of the supporting body part that extends from the display does create a little bit of an added opportunity in terms of rigidity too. If you turn the laptop around to its bottom, there is an extra rubber nub in the middle of the back part of the notebook PC. While it may not do much, it does add some body rigidity on the ASUS Vivobook S15, especially in the middle of keyboard which is usually where the older ASUS VivoBook S flexes. There is no visible or perceived crease here even when you put a little bigger pressure on the top part of the keyboard. That is really nice.
There is also another plus point with the regular flat-footed approach to the base of the notebook PC. It is much more comfortable using it on your lap. That is exactly the position of this notebook PC as I am typing this review.
The VivoBook S15 (2020) is missing a fingerprint sensor though, which is quite an unpleasant surprise. It was one of the better fingerprint sensors in a position that we thought made a lot of sense. While some may think that having a fingerprint sensor on the trackpad could be a little distracting, we like where it is positioned. It is one of the more intuitive designs and placements we found in the market. We want the fingerprint sensor back – ASUS, take note.
Clickety Clackety
Notebook PCs have improved on their keyboards tremendously over the past few years. The ASUS VivoBook series over the years, in our opinions, has some of the best keyboard feels among ASUS’ other offerings. We feel that they could use a little more travel and softer feedback, but honestly, they are some of the best keyboards we find on an ASUS notebook.
The ASUS VivoBook S15 technically still has the sort of same keyboard as the slightly older VivoBook S of 2019. It feels somewhat similar as well. There seems to be a little more travel this time around, but that could just be me. We still think that it could use with a little more feedback with the keys though, and more travel. But still, travel would be sacrificed in making notebook PCs lighter and thinner.
Still, that comment of ASUS VivoBook series offering the best keyboard experience from ASUS still stands true with the ASUS VivoBook S15. We suspect also that is mostly due to the fact that this product is targeted mostly to students who types long essays. We feel that this could still be perfect for businesspeople too who needs something reliable and affordable to work with.
There is a small complaint on the keyboard though. The backlight still leaks from the sides of the of island keys. That is a very small tolerable issue though. What is slightly a bit more annoying is that the white backlight makes the keys harder to read in bright conditions. Under the light of the display for example, you cannot read the keys. It still helps when you are typing in darker conditions though. This is basically nit-picking already though as that only happens at certain angles.
We find the highlighted ‘enter’ key a little odd as well. We do not really know why it is in a different colour accent compared to all keys. While it helps us find the enter button, it is still rather odd. It could just be a design decision to help you find the enter key in the dark, to differentiate it from the ‘shift’ key maybe.
Harman and Kardon’s Magic Touch
Yes, the previous ASUS VivoBook S was also fitted with audio by Harman Kardon. Yes, the new one is also fitted with audio by Harman Kardon. Is there a difference? Not really. Both sounds great still.
The sound profile, on speakers at least, is similar to the older VivoBook S. With Harman Kardon, audio sounds crisp and clear. Not to forget, it can get quite loud. There is still a lack of bass or low frequency strength from the speakers. Still, that is quite understandable when they have not fitted a subwoofer into the svelte body of the ASUS VivoBook S15. You would need proper headphones for that needed thump from your music.
Still, even if you do not have any good pair of headphones to work with, the audio is plenty usable and enjoyable. That is the case for both movies and music, which is pleasant. Of course, you would want more low frequencies for action movies with plenty of explosions. In terms of music though, if you are not too big into Hip-Hop, you should do more than fine actually. The high frequencies and mid frequencies are great and clear.
Again though, there are still notebook PCs that packs better audio than the ASUS VivoBook S15 (2020). At the same time though audio for notebook PCs have evolved quite a bit and progressed further than anyone would have thought these days. You can hardly fault modern notebook PCs when it comes to audio quality these days – save for weaker low frequencies.
While Harman Kardon is nothing new for the ASUS VivoBook S15, we do think that having that backup from a large audio brand like Harman Kardon is still an exciting feature to have. It means that ASUS can handle what they do best while allowing one of the best in the business to do what they do best.
Plus the Magic of ICESound by ICE Power
Added to the prowess of Harman Kardon’s know how in making great sounding speakers, or tuning them to sound good. But a good speaker is nothing without good software to articulate and equalise sound. Here is where ICE shines.
ICE Power is known to make some professional grade amplifiers and audio equipment. They are one of the world’s best when it comes to studio monitoring and production grade audio solutions. No, that does not mean that ASUS worked with them to fit an amplifier that is made by them within the VivoBook S15. Not quite, those are still a third party developed part and then Harman Kardon would add their clever know how to make the speakers capable.
What ICE Power makes here is quite unique. It is a software based tuning kit that adjusts the frequencies of the media played through the speakers. Yes, in other words, they made a custom equaliser software for ASUS here.
Unlike plenty of other notebook PCs, the equaliser that is given by ICE Power, more known as ICESound that is built into ASUS’ existing Audio Wizard(cheeky) is a lot more comprehensive. You can tune the audio output to however you might like your music to be. You can have different settings for different software too. They are all saved under presets so you can just quickly get a different tuning and EQ in different conditions within a click.
There are preset settings, of course, for those who are not familiar with tuning software or equalisers adjustments. They simply label them as ‘Music’ and ‘Movies’. Both give you different experiences in both instances too.
Even in those settings, you can customise them further if you want your music to sound a certain way, like how professionals work with live audio, you can too with ICE Power, or at least at the default settings, they do the magic work and you just turn it on to work with. I suggest just going with their default setting though.
While to many, this may not sound like a huge difference with no treatments or equalisers; to any trained ear, you can notice differences straight away. Even with Spotify, the sound profile changes dramatically. Vocals sound clearer with that trailing afternote that you always hear when someone talks to you or in live concerts. The instruments sound a little more alive than they really are somehow. All these in just a simple arrangement of different frequencies. It is pleasantly surprising.
Of course, there is still the problem of not enough low-frequency strength from smaller speakers fitted on the ASUS VivoBook S15. Still, for a notebook PC to have audio like this is plenty amazing. If you are a little picky with audio, this could be the notebook that you might want to have.
There is some caveat though. While it does transform your audio experience a little bit, the speakers at times might seem that it hardly copes with the changes in frequencies, especially the higher ones. There are minimal tears in audio if you pay attention. Still, they can be quite negligible in most cases. To be fair, it could be Spotify too.
Performance
Of course, there are some limitations to what the ASUS VivoBook S15 can do. After all, the test device we have here only packs Intel’s Core i5. While it is the 10th Generation processor, it is not the most powerful in its range too. It is made to be power efficient and durable. It is made to be a workhorse instead of a powerful all conquering device with short bursts of power. This is made to last all day and more. This VivoBook S15 is made to stay away from the wall plugs as long as possible.
Still Quite Powerful
That is not to say that the ASUS VivoBook S15 is a weakling though. With the 10th iteration of Intel’s powerpack, it is more powerful than ever. It scrubs through Full HD 1080p videos on Adobe Premier Pro with ease. It renders the video quite fast too. Well, of course, this coming from a modern PC and at 1080p, you can expect as much. The NVIDIA GeForce MX250 does help things trundle along in video editing purposes too, especially when you need to do any extra stabilisation of your footage.
While your gaming rig can render Full HD videos much faster, this is not too far off. We were able to render 2minute Full HD videos in a few minutes. Provided the video does not feature plenty of complex animations, or too many added footages, or generally that much in complexity. It is just a simple cut, join and render from two different Full HD videos.
Where this should shine though is in simple Adobe Illustrator works and even Adobe Photoshop. Thing is, you might be left a little bit wanting from the display a little bit though. You are not getting the most colour accurate display available to you. Still, it is an IPS display; which means you still get best in class viewing angle and colours still look good.
We also appreciate the fact that this comes out-of-the-box with 8GB RAM. We have always said that 8GB should be the minimum RAM size that any notebooks come in. ASUS listened and fitted 8GB into this thing. Of course, you can upgrade it or add another RAM stick on your own if you want to.
Of course, with 512GB of SSD, you are not going to think too much about wanting for more speed out of your storage. 512GB is also plenty to work with when you are just going to work with documents, some light video or image editing, and even looking through endless emails. Trust me, it is enough. If not, you still can add a 2.5-inch HDD if you want to.
Gaming
Obviously the first part of any performance gauge on almost any notebook PC. Well, that is barring the creator grade stuffs. So, gaming.
Before we go on though, we are not going to install or test AAA titles on this notebook PC. Let’s face it, no one will buy this type of PC to run AAA titles in even close to high settings. You might be able to run older AAA titles still though.
We are not very good DOTA 2 players, but we are pretty sure this still can run that. Then again DOTA 2 runs on nearly any machine on the market these days. So DOTA may not be a good marker anymore.
We ran Two Point Hospital and Motorsport Manager on this thing. We relied on Two Point Hospital more than Motorsport Manager to work with though. Motorsport Manager is buggy at best, and does not require super high performance from GPU as well.
In that light, we are delighted to report that this runs Two Point Hospital healthily. As in, we have not complaints on it. We did not fiddle with the settings, for obvious reasons. We are pretty sure we could push the VivoBook S15 to higher settings on Two Point Hospital, but it might make the frames a little choppy, so we did not bother.
No, you will not get anything higher than 60 fps. This display only refreshes at 60hz. Nope, not a competitive esports contender here. Just a regular PC.
Going the Distance – Battery Life
The older VivoBooks have allowed us to work remotely quite efficiently in the past. There is no specific battery life quote from ASUS really for the new ASUS VivoBook S15. The 50Wh battery built into the ASUS VivoBook S15 (2020) though allowed us to stay on the move and work for at least 4 hours. This is considering that we left it at default power mode. You could improve that a little bit by changing your power consumption model like any other Windows notebook.
We got about 6 hours in battery life with no more than 10 tabs open on both Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge, plenty of typing on Microsoft Word (we typed this review entirely on the ASUS VivoBook S15), constantly having audio at various levels of volume with Audio Wizard on full time. Oh yes, we were downloading some things from Steam too. Screen brightness were kept to half though.
Still, we managed to get this review written on the ASUS VivoBook S15 in two full charges. Which is not ideal if we are away from ports for 8 hours or more in a single period. We are not though, so it still works. We are also thinking in terms of the buyers of this notebook PC. It should be more than adequate to work with between charge points if you are a student especially. Unless, of course, your class goes on for more than 5 hours at a time.
Display
We are not going to lie; the display is not the best. This is not some notebook PC that you might want to use to edit photos or images with super accurate colours. Might I suggest you get a secondary monitor that might cost as much?
No, this is not made for super accurate colour reproduction. This is also not made for gaming, so you do not get anything close to 120Hz. It stops at 60Hz, which is quite terrible in today’s gaming standards.
Does it matter though? This is not a PC that is made to be a creator’s tool. It is made to be a reliable workhorse for the likes of students, or some working adults that is looking at a budget. This is made for Word processing, Excel sheet crunching, and PowerPoint creation. This is made to browse through endless research papers and a mindless amount of web pages.
In that sense, the display is great enough for web browsing and reading. It is adequate to work with; you do not need 120Hz or even Pantone validation to process videos or get through an Excel sheet. You only need to protect your eyes. Windows and ASUS has you covered with blue light filter built-in of course.
The ASUS VivoBook S15 S533 (2020) – The Best VivoBook
That should go without saying. Every new device should be the best of its series. But the ASUS VivoBook S15 (2020) managed to do even more than that though. We admit, it lost some great stuff. It lost the highly acclaimed ErgoLift design (somehow, I am personally glad though). Then there is the fact that you do not get the fingerprint sensor with Windows Hello anymore, a mild annoyance. There is also no significant improvements in battery life too.
The ASUS VivoBook S15 (2020) is a mild progression from the older 2019 variant, rather than a revolution. It does everything a little better. Sure, we do not get some things that we have come to expect from the ASUS VivoBook line-up. But a notebook PC at this segment is not made great by those things.
You still get the same sort of great looking design that can stand out anywhere or blend in anywhere. That is up to your colour choices, by the way. It remained at the same great price too at MYR 3,199. That while having slightly better rigidity, which in turn improves durability and overall typing experience (thank you, little nub). The product still feels great but is made better with the slightly more powerful new generation Intel Core i5 processor (the only one we are getting in Malaysia, by the way). Audio by Harman Kardon is still much of the same thing, but the discovery of Audio Wizard by ICE Power made exclusively for ASUS PCs made it slightly better; just the right amount to change the experience.
Everything points to very slight increments in the experience of the ASUS VivoBook S15. All the increments are made at the same price too. Yes, that means that you must give up some good stuff too. But remember, that is not the point. The point of the ASUS VivoBook S15 is to be a great all-rounder. In that, it does well. We would describe it as the perfect all-rounder. It’s 15.6-inch display is large enough, but also light at 1.8kg. It has all the power you need too, and still lasts longer your meetings or classes. Of course, the Harman Kardon and ICE Power combination is a winner in the audio aspect. Music is enjoyable on this, really.
It is like that friend that you hang out with all the time, the one that goes to the ‘mamak’ with you to discuss world issues, and to the bar with you to watch Liverpool winning the 2019/2020 season; the all-around swell and reliable friend. This is that friend. Oh, as a bonus, this ‘friend’ might look better than that friend; whatever you may think, the Gaia Green is gorgeous. Definitely the one I would spend my MYR 3,199 on.
ASUS’s VivoBook has come a long way since it’s first debut. The line up which started out by carving a unique niche for affordable laptops with respectable specifications, has evolved to one of the most personalisable ultrabooks available on the market. The line up has become known for its bold, bright colours, gorgeous finish and rather feature rich package.
The new Vivobook S continues this ethos. It comes in bright, vibrant colours that bring a renewed vigour to the line up with updated specifications and new colours. This year, the VivoBook S line up is bringing a whole new range of colours including the Resolute Red, Gaia Green, Dreamy Silver and India Black. These colours allow users to express themselves from the get go while infusing a pop of colour in any mundane environment.
That said, the VivoBook S has never been just about the looks; it has also been about pushing technology and design. The slim, 1.59cm silhouette of the line up belies its technical prowess. The new VivoBook S line up comes equipped with 10th generation Intel processors which promise faster performance and longer battery life. This paired with the NVIDIA GeForce 250MX and WiFi 6 capabilities allows the VivoBook S series to stride a fine line between performance and portability. This is further bolstered by the 512GB of M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD with 32GB of Intel Optane memory and 8GB of RAM out of the box.
Pricing & Availability
The new ASUS VivoBook S series will be available starting today, 30 June 2020 in retail stores with prices starting at MYR3,199 for the VivoBook S14 and MYR3,699 for the VivoBook S15. Both come with 2 years global warranty from ASUS.
If you are interested in getting one yourself, ASUS is offering an MYR100 discount with the voucher code ASUSVS100 on their official stores on LAZADA and Shopee. The offer is valid on a first come first serve basis on 30th June 2020 from 12pm till 11:59pm.
Intel® Core™ i7-10510U Processor 1.8 GHz (8M Cache, up to 4.9 GHz)
Display
14” LED-backlit Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 Frameless four-sided NanoEdge display with 85% screen-to-body ratio 178° wide-view technology; anti-glare IPS panel display; NTSC: 45%
Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage (32 GB Optane™ + 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD)
Wireless
Intel® WiFi 6 GIG+ (802.11ax) Bluetooth® 5.0
Camera
HD camera
I/O ports
1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type A 1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C™ 2 x USB 2.0 1 x HDMI 1.4 1 x Audio jack combo 1 x Micro SD card reader
Audio
Array microphone with Cortana voice-recognition support 3.5 mm headphone jack Certified by Harman Kardon
Battery
Fast charging: 60% in 49 minutes 50 Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery 65 W power adapter Plug Type: ø4 (mm) (Output: 19 V DC, 3.42 A, 65 W) (Input: 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal)
Keyboard
Backlit Chiclet Keyboard
Fingerprint Reader
Yes
Colors
Dreamy Silver / Indie Black / Gaia Green / Resolute Red
Dimensions
Height: 1.59 cm (0.62”); Width: 32.49 cm (12.79”); Depth: 21.35 cm (8.40”)
Weight
1.4 kg (3.08 lb)
Retail Price
RM 3,699 (available on 30th June onwards)
Bundle in Box
ASUS Backpack, Limited Edition VivoBook stickers
Warranty
2 years global
[1] Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors. Full specifications are available at http://www.asus.com
ASUS VivoBook S15 (S533F)
CPU
Intel® Core™ i5-10210U Processor 1.6 GHz (6M Cache, up to 4.2 GHz)
Display
15.6″ LED-backlit Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 Frameless three-sided NanoEdge display with 86% screen-to-body ratio 178° wide-view technology; anti-glare IPS panel display; NTSC: 45%
Intel® Optane™ Memory H10 with Solid State Storage (32 GB Optane™ + 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD)
Wireless
Intel® WiFi 6 GIG+ (802.11ax) Bluetooth® 5.0
Camera
HD camera
I/O ports
1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type A 1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C™ 2 x USB 2.0 1 x HDMI 1.4 1 x Audio jack combo 1 x Micro SD card reader
Audio
Array microphone with Cortana voice-recognition support 3.5mm headphone jack Harmon Kardon Certified
Battery
Fast charging: 60% in 49 minutes 50 Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery 65 W power adapter Plug Type: ø4 (mm) (Output: 19 V DC, 3.42 A, 65 W) (Input: 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal)
Keyboard
Backlit Chiclet Keyboard
Fingerprint Reader
No
Colors
Dreamy Silver / Indie Black / Gaia Green / Resolute Red
Dimensions
Height: 1.61 cm (0.63”); Width: 35.98 cm (14.17”); Depth: 23.38 cm (9.2”)
ASUS ROG (Republic of Gamers) is one of the world’s foremost brands when it comes gaming. The brand has always been pushing the boundaries when it comes to gaming technologies and even lifestyle. This year, the brand is pushing boundaries even further with collaborations including Malaysian streetwear design house, Stoned & Co.. To add another notch to their belt, ROG is now collaborating with renown DJ and producer, Alan Walker.
Source: Fandom Wiki
Alan Walker is no stranger to the gaming industry. The artist has been featured in multiple games including the critically acclaimed Death Stranding to popular mobile battle royale shooter, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile. His music has made the English born, Norwegian DJ has shot to stardom from his roots as a content creator on YouTube. That said, he isn’t just a DJ, producer and Youtuber, he’s also a gamer. The partnership with ROG marks a bold move by Walker to merge his two passions together.
ASUS ROG, on the other hand, is looking to address the growing diversity of the gaming community which has grown tremendously in recent years. The brand recognises the growing proportion of gamers who have become content creators and vice versa.
To that end, as a kick off to the partnership, ASUS is creating a special edition of it’s recently launched ROG Zephyrus G14. The brand’s new Ryzen 9 powered laptop brings a unique x factor to the table when it comes bridging the world’s of a content creators and gamers. It’s also one of the laptops in its line up that is able to deliver on audio with Dolby Atmos certified sound. The unique AniMe Matrix also brings a unique feel and expression that is quintessential for content creators.
The special ROG x Alan Walker edition of the Zephyrus G14 is just the beginning when it comes to the collaboration. Beginning in August, ROG and Alan Walker will be releasing videos which give audiences an early look at the DJ’s new music. In addition, fans will be able to take a behind the scenes look at his music and get to know the renown DJ even better.
ASUS’s Republic of Gamers (ROG) has always been about being a gamer and with gaming and gamer culture going mainstream, the brand has been branching out over the years to include ROG branded apparel in their line up. This year, ASUS Malaysia is partnering with Stoned & Co. to hit the streets with it’s apparel.
The new collaboration is drawing its inspiration from the AniMe Matrix dot matrix that emblazons the top of the recently released ROG Zephyrus G14. The dot matrix on the laptop allows users to customise their laptop with retro, cyberpunk style dot matrix designs that light up when enabled. The monochromatic accent to the Zephyrus G line up is a touch of personalisation which made waves at CES 2020.
Hence, it comes as no surprise that ROG would want to bank on the head turning feature to inspire it’s streetwear line with Stoned & Co. The line up will be consisting of four pieces: two t-shirts, a bomber jacket and a hoodie. The designed emblazoned on the apparel will share the monochromatic AniMe Matrix feel.
The new apparel line up will be available first to ROG fans who purchase the new Zephyrus G14 laptop. Purchases of the new Ryzen 9 touting G14 will be entitled to a free Stoned X ROG bomber jacket while those purchasing the Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 5 models can stand a chance to win the same. The promotion comes as part of ROG’s ROG My Style campaign. However, if you’re not eager to get a brand new laptop, you’ll be able to get the apparel in Stoned & Co. outlets starting in August.
ASUS announced their AMD Ryzen 4000 powered offerings which have already begun hitting the market a while back. Their most interesting offering yet, is making its Malaysian debut today, with the new Republic of Gamers (ROG) Zephyrus G14! The new power house spearheads a new segment which has been uniquely carved out by the ROG engineers.
The new ROG Zephyrus G14 combines portability and power in a form factor that is bound to become a go to for gamers. The compact 14-inch display is complemented by a body which is only 17.9mm thick and weighs 1.6kg. The compact size skirts the lines of being classified as a thin and light device. However, don’t underestimate it’s gaming prowess. As the saying goes, good things come in small packages; and that can’t be truer with the Zephyrus G14.
A 1-2 Punch for Top of the Line Performance
ASUS has opted to pack a punch with the ROG Zephyrus G14 with power packed processors with a proven track record. Running on the latest Ryzen 4000 processors with AMD’s cutting edge Zen 2 architecture, the G14 promises top of the line performance. It comes in variants with the Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 processors. Powered by up to 8 cores capable of processing 16 threads, the G14 is gearing itself to take the title of most powerful gaming laptop.
The processor’s prowess is complemented by NVIDIA’s RTX graphics which brings cutting edge ray tracing capabilities to the forefront. Maxing out at the NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q, the Zephyrus G14 is packing quite the graphical punch. With 6GB of dedicated RAM for the GPU, you’ll be playing a majority of AAA titles on maxed out settings thanks to the 1-2 punch the Ryzen-RTX combination provides. However, if your budget doesn’t allow, the G14 also comes with options with NVIDIA’s GTX1650, GTX 1650 Ti and GTX1660 Ti.
Quick as a Zephyr with all the Flash of Lightning
The display, while smaller than your average gaming laptop, comes with options for a 120Hz refresh rate and even Quad HD resolution. The compact powerhouse comes with a 14-inch, Pantone Validated display. There are options for a 1080p, Full HD IPS display with 120Hz refresh rate or a WQHD IPS display with 60Hz refresh rate. Both options cover 100% of the sRGB gamut and come with adaptive sync and are non-glare panels for a better viewing experience even under harsh lighting.
The display isn’t the only thing that’s quick, the Zephyrus G14 comes with either 512GB or 1TB of storage. Both are PCIe m.2 NVMe SSDs which promise quick read and write speeds for better performance. They support up to 24GB of RAM with 8GB soldered in the laptop and an additional RAM slot for user expandability.
Charging on the Zephyrus G14 is gonna be a breeze with options for performance and portability. ASUS has enabled both proprietary charging and USB C power delivery (PD) charging on the laptop. The little power house supports up to 180W via charging pin and up to 65W by USB C PD. Best part, ASUS is including 2 charged in the box: a compact USB-C charger for portability and the quick charging power brick for performance. It even comes with a fingerprint sensor so you can login quick and easy with Windows Hello.
Of course, the Zephyrus G14 made waves at its initial announcement at CES2020 thanks to the AniMe matrix which comes on the lid of the laptop. Users are able to customise and personalise the laptop further with self made animations.
Pricing and Availability
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 will be available starting 29 June, 2020 with prices starting from RM4,499. Ryzen 9 powered G14s will be coming with an ROG Sleeve, the ROG Impact Mouse in addition to the 65W USB-C PD Adapter. Those powered by the Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5 will be coming with the sleeve and adapter.
Official Specifications & Pricing
Series
ROG Zephyrus G14
Model Name
GA401I-VHA231T
GA401I-VHA232T
GA401I-VHE340T
GA401I-VHE341T
GA401I-UHE099T
GA401I-IHE102T
GA401I-IHE103T
GA401I-HHE027T
Design
Eclipse Gray with AniMe Matrix
Moonlight White with AniMe Matrix
Eclipse Gray with AniMe Matrix
Moonlight White with AniMe Matrix
Eclipse Gray with AniMe Matrix
Eclipse Gray with AniMe Matrix
Moonlight White with AniMe Matrix
Eclipse Gray (No AniMe Matrix)
Processor
AMD Ryzen™ 9 4900HS Processor 3.0 GHz (8M Cache, up to 4.4 GHz)
AMD Ryzen™ 7 4800HS Processor 2.9 GHz (8M Cache, up to 4.2 GHz)
AMD Ryzen™ 5 4600HS Processor 3.0 GHz (8M Cache, up to 4.0 GHz)
14-inch Non-glare Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS-level panel, 120Hz, 100% sRGB, Pantone® Validated, adaptive sync
RAM/Slots
DDR4 3200 8G*1 + 8G (on-board) 1x RAM Slot (used)
DDR4 3200 8G (on-board) 1x RAM Slot (empty)
Storage
PCIE NVME 1TB M.2 SSD
PCIE NVME 512GB M.2 SSD
Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
Intel Wi-Fi 6(Gig+)(802.11ax) 2*2 Bluetooth 5.0
I/O ports
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort™ 1.4 and Power Delivery 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack 1 x Kensington lock
Power
180W power adaptor Support Type-C PD 3.0 up to 65W
150W power adaptor Support Type-C PD 3.0 up to 65W
Battery
76Wh lithium-polymer battery
Keyboard type
White backlit chiclet keyboard, N-Key rollover, Power key with Fingerprint, 1.7mm travel distance
Dimension (WxHxD)
32.4cm x 22.2cm x 2cm
32.4cm x 22.2cm x 1.8cm
Weight
1.70 kg
1.60 kg
Included in the Box
ROG Sleeve + ROG Impact Mouse + 65W PD Adapter
ROG Sleeve + 65W PD adapter
Warranty
2 Years Global Warranty (1st year with Perfect Warranty)
The ROG line up is embracing a new colour! Having just introduced the Glacier Blue series to their line up, the company is adding even more colour with a new shade called Electro Punk. However, unlike the Glacier Blue, this shade isn’t meant for the chassis; instead, ASUS is bringing this pop of vibrant, electric pink using their Aura Sync technology.
The new Electro Punk Special edition will make its official laptop debut with the new ROG Strix G15. Bringing more vibrancy and personalisation to the popular Strix G series. The G series also makes the new colour accessible to everyone with its price point. However, an affordable price point doesn’t mean that the new ROG Strix G15 is a slouch. The Strix G15 comes with up to an Intel Core i7-10875H processor paired with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER GPU.
Together with the new laptop, ASUS is also introducing a slew of accessories from gaming mouse to backpack with the new Electro Punk shade. On the audio side of things, the ROG Strix Go 2.4 will be the first to sport the new hue. The wireless headset allows gamers to get good quality audio via 2.4GHz connection and works on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and all your smart devices even the Nintendo Switch.
The ROG Strix Scope TKL Keyboard will allow gamers to show off their gaming prowess while staying stylish in Electro Punk. The mechanical keyboard is touted as being made for face-paced multiplayer gaming. It’s decked out with the Cherry MX switched and made of durable aluminium topped material. Pair this with the ROG Strix Impact II and you’ll have an Electro Punk one-two punch!
ASUS is also introducing an Electro Punk backpack. The ROG Ranger BP1503 backpack is their go to carry the Strix G15 with its suite of accessories. Don’t forget to get the ROG Sheath to make sure you’re truly ready for the kill.
Pricing & Availability
No news on pricing and availability just yet. Stay tuned for updates.
ROG or Republic of Gamers has become one of the most popular gaming brands in the world. It has become ASUS’ most valuable brand when it comes to performance laptops and PCs geared for gamers. This year, ASUS breathes new life into its gaming laptop line up with new form factors, better specifications and an all new cooling system.
The new ROG line up will be powered by the latest and greatest 10th generation Intel Core processors paired with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX SUPER. It will feature the one of the industry’s first displays with 300Hz refresh rate and speedy performance thanks to DDR4 RAM. It will also feature ASUS’s new Liquid Metal cooling solution which is touted to reduce temperature by 10°C to 20°C.
ROG Zephyrus Duo 15
Spearheading the new line up is the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. The new addition to the Zephyrus line up comes with a form factor that ASUS enthusiasts will be pretty familiar with. Adopting the second screen experience pioneered by the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo, the Zephyrus Duo 15 comes with the new ROG ScreenPad Plus.
The new ROG ScreenPad Plus makes the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 a device made for streamers and multitaskers. The new second screen isn’t just there to look at, users will be able to multitask better thanks to the touch screen. However, this 14.1-inch, 4K UHD screen plays second fiddle to the 15.6-inch PANTONE validated display which comes with a refresh rate of up to 300MHz.
The new Zephyrus flagship will be powered by the all new, 10th Generation Intel Comet Lake Core i7 or Core i9 processors. This will be paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX SUPER graphics processor and 16GB of DDR4 RAM.
ROG Zephyrus S Series
Following close behind is the Zephyrus S series which consists of the S17 and S15. The Zepyrus S series comes with a svelte 18.9mm chassis that houses power packed specifications. Both the S17 and S15 come support NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX SUPER graphics cards and Intel’s latest 10 generation processors.
The Zephyrus S series also comes with a display with a refresh rate of up to 300Hz refresh rate. This display is also PANTONE validated for colour accuracy on the S17. The S17 also comes with a full desktop-style keyboard with per-key RGB LED backlight and a NumPad. The extra room also allowed ASUS to include an integrated volume roller. It also comes with the ASUS’s AAS cooling technology which opens a large intake vent on the bottom end when the lid is opened.
The S15 comes with a smaller screen and a reinforced palm rest area. The extra strength provided by the honeycomb structure makes the palm rest flex resistant. The soft touch finish adds a smooth, fingerprint resistant layer.
ROG Zephyrus M15
M is for the masses. The Zephyrus M comes not only with an affordable price but also a range of configurations for any gamer. Starting with the 10th generation Intel Core i7, the Zephyrus M is slated to be the most affordable one of the range. It comes with display options ranging from a Full HD IPS panel with 144Hz to a 4K UHD panel. Customizability doesn’t end there; the Zephyrus M comes with a range of GPUs starting with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti to the RTX 2070.
While affordability is one of the hallmarks of the Zephyrus M, it doesn’t compromise when it comes to quality. The laptop’s slim chassis is made of structurally reinforced magnesium alloy. When it comes to sound, the M comes with an ESS Sabre DAC for crisp audio. It has two easily accessible M.2 slots and supports dual display outputs and Thunderbolt 3.
ROG Strix SCAR Series
Staying faithful to its e-sports roots, the refreshed Strix SCAR series comes with all the bells and whistles that you’d expect. From looks to its it specifications, the Strix SCAR 15 and 17 are made for gamers. It doesn’t shy away from showing its gaming inclination with customizable RGB LED lighting effects. This is, of course, complemented by an illuminated RGB ROG Logo on the lid.
The Strix SCAR series pushes its boundaries with up to an Intel Core i9 processor paired with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER on the Strix SCAR 15 or the RTX 2080 SUPER on the Strix SCAR 17.
ROG Strix G Series
Rounding up the new series of laptops is the ROG Strix G series. ASUS refreshes both the Strix G15 an G17 with better specifications and a new Electro Punk version. This new version comes on top of the Glacier Blue and Original Black versions og the Strix G.
Both models of the Strix G series come with the 10th generation Intel cores and the NVIDIA RTX SUPER Graphics. The G series tops out at the Intel Core i7 and the RTX 2070 SUPER. It also comes with display panels with 144 Hz and 240 Hz refresh rates.
Pricing and Availability
ASUS has not announced any pricing or availability at the time of the announcement. However, stay tuned and we’ll be updating you as we get the information.
ASUS is upping the ante when it comes to cooling with their new line up of gaming laptops! The company announced today that their new line up of Republic of Gamers (ROG) laptops will not only come with the 10th generation Intel processors and NVIDIA RTX SUPER graphics cards; they will now come with a new thermal compound to help with cooling efficiency.
The new laptops will now employ the help of the Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut liquid-metal thermal compound. The new cooling compound has long been used by overclockers and enthusiasts to help draw more performance from processors by keeping temperatures down. The new liquid metal approach that ASUS is employing allows comes after a year’s long research and development cycle. This has allowed ASUS to create a patented factory application process.
The first step of the process involves applying the liquid metal which is essentially a painting process. This happens 17 times, the ideal number of passes according to ASUS. While that’s happening, more of the liquid into the die. ASUS engineers have created a special barrier that prevents it from seeping and shorting the circuits.
So what’s the big deal? Well, with this new process, all of the new ROG gaming laptops will now be able to perform at lower temperatures. This translates to more silent laptops and higher performance at lower temperatures. So, it could very well mean that ASUS’s new ROG line up could be the most powerful laptops on the market thanks to better, more efficient cooling.
The ROG Zephyrus has become ASUS’s go to series when it comes to pushing the boundaries of gaming laptops. Having first pushed the boundaries of portability and svelte design about 2 years ago, the line up is now looking to push boundaries when it comes to functionality. However, it still maintains
The new ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 adopts a form factor ASUS fans will be familiar with. We first saw this form factor when ASUS launched its ZenBook Pro Duo. That said, ASUS has optimised and enhanced the dual screen form factor for the power user and gamer. The new ROG ScreenPad Plus tilts up at a 13° angle when the lid is opened. This serves a two-fold purpose of making the the Zephyrus Duo 15 more ergonomic to use as well as allowing more airflow through the larger opening on both the top and bottom of the laptop thanks to ASUS’s Active Aerodynamic System (AAS).
The AAS system opens a 7 to 10mm vents that extend across the bottom of the laptop. This allows increased airflow to cool the processors and components. This is better fortified by the larger 28.5mm air intake across the top surface of the laptop’s base. This lies hidden behind the ROG ScreenPad Plus. This AAS Plus allows an additional 30% of airflow better cooling the components. This also helps keep the laptop even more silent at only 43dB even in performance mode.
The ROG ScreenPad Plus is a 14.1-inch 4K, UHD screen which spans the top half of the base of the laptop. The touchscreen display allows users to use multiwindows and even monitor things such as chat or even the OBS console while livestreaming. Of course, if you’re using things like Adobe Premiere Pro on the Zephyrus DUO 15, the ScreenPad Plus will be able to show you your timelines.
Users have the choice of speed or resolution when it comes tho the main display of the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. The main display is either a 300 Hz Full HD IPS LCD display with 3ms response times or a 4K UHD display with a 60 Hz refresh rate. The 15.6-inch display panels are PANTONE validated and have support for NVIDIA G-SYNC. The 4K UHD display covers 100% of the Adobe gamut while the FHD IPS covers 100% of the sRGB gamut.
On the insides, the new Zephyrus Duo 15 comes with either the 10th Generation Intel Core i9-10980HK or i7-10875H processors. This is paired with either a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER or RTX 2080 SUPER graphics cards. This comes with a built-in 16GB of DDR4 RAM with an extra SODIMM RAM slot.
Pricing & Availability
ASUS hasn’t announced any pricing or availability as of yet. However, we’ll keep you updated as soon as we get word.
Official Specifications
Processor
Intel® 10th Gen Comet Lake i9-10980HK Intel® 10th Gen Comet Lake i7-10875H
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C™, DisplayPort 1.4, TBT, PD input 20 V/3A；output 5 V/3A 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (right) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (Bottom) 1 x HDMI (HDMI 2.0b support) 2 x audio jack: mic-in & headphone, plus mic-in 1 x RJ45 LAN
Battery
90 Wh
Power Supply
240 W power adaptor Supports USB-C™ Power Delivery 3.0 up to 65 W
