For a couple of years now, ASUS’ Vivobook laptops have offered great day-to-day performance and eye-catching designs, all while being priced quite competitively. Now, ASUS has released its latest Vivobook 15 OLED, and as the name implies, this notebook features an OLED display.
Usually, OLED screens are reserved for more premium models (given that they’re more expensive), so it’s quite nice to see that a Vivobook laptop is getting the OLED screen treatment. After all, OLED screens have more vibrant colors and deeper blacks which make for a better viewing experience.
Aside from the OLED screen, the Vivobook 15 is also an interesting notebook as it comes in both Intel and AMD variants — great news for users who prefer being on either Team Blue or on Team Red. The model we’re reviewing here is the K513 which is powered by the latest 11th gen Intel Core i5.
So, does the Vivobook 15 OLED‘s vibrant screen and capable processor make it a great choice for today’s working professional/student? Find out here in our review!
Geek-sthetic
For starters, let’s take a look at the laptop’s design. Unlike the Vivobook S14 from last year which comes in several bright colors, this Vivobook 15 OLED is limited to only a black colorway. Aside from the black color isn’t just on the lid though as the laptop is black all over, making for a sleek overall look.
While some users may miss the brighter colors of the previous Vivobook laptops, I personally like this all-black look. Plus, if you do want to add a bit of visual pop to the laptop, the Vivobook 15 OLED’s lid is a great canvas for stickers; the laptop even comes with stickers inside the box so you can get started with personalizing the laptop as soon as you get it.
Another thing that adds some visual flair to the Vivobook 15 is the neon yellow enter key. This isn’t a new addition as previous Vivobooks already had this, but the bright enter key looks more distinctive given the all-black color of this notebook. It’s a small touch but one that makes the laptop look more interesting.
For I/O, the Vivobook 15 features the following ports:
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
- 2x USB 2.0
- 1x HDMI
- 1x Audio Jack Combo
- 1x Micro SD Card reader
Most users should be served well by these connectivity options, especially as the laptop has an HDMI port and a microSD card reader, two things that a lot of laptops nowadays don’t have.
Binge Watching Factor
As mentioned above, the Vivobook 15 K513 has an OLED screen. Specifically, this laptop has a 15.6-inch Full HD OLED display with an 85% screen-to-body ratio. Thanks to the vibrant colors and deep blacks produced by the screen, coupled with the slim bezels, the Vivobook 15 OLED is a great partner for binge-watching your favorite movies and shows. Even if you prefer to watch in a brightly-lit room, the laptop’s screen can get decently bright. For reference, I was comfortable with around 30-40% brightness in my room.
Sound Trip
As with most ASUS laptops, the Vivobook 15 OLED features onboard stereo speakers that are tuned by Harman/Kardon. Our verdict on this laptop’s speakers are is the same as with our other ASUS laptop reviews in that they produce good enough audio in terms of quality, but they lack in volume. For the best experience, headphones or external speakers are a must when watching movies or listening to music.
Typing Experience
As a 15-inch laptop, the Vivobook 15 OLED packs a full-size keyboard. For typing, the keyboard was quite nice in my opinion, with the keys having a good size and spacing. While the tactile feel is just okay, I found the typing experience to be quite satisfactory overall.
For the trackpad, the size is an okay size. While I would’ve liked it to be a bit bigger, I had no issues using it. Plus, I did appreciate the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner as it made for hassle-free laptop security.
Gaming Prowess
The Vivobook 15 OLED (K513) is powered by an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, as well as Intel Iris Xe onboard graphics. Complementing these is 8GB of RAM.
We’ve reviewed 11th gen i5-powered laptops before, and in our experience, they performed well for work/school, and they had enough power for some light gaming. Given this, we weren’t surprised to find out that the Vivobook 15 OLED is also decent enough for light gaming.
Take Dota 2 for example. The game ran smoothly with an average framerate of 80FPS at the medium graphics setting and at 1080p. So, if you play MOBAs or other esports titles that aren’t that demanding, the Vivobook 15 OLED would have no issues.
Of course, you shouldn’t expect the laptop to run triple-A games. Plus, there are some esports titles that the Vivobook 15 OLED might not be able to handle well. For example, I was able to play Overwatch at 30FPS (with some dips below 30), but I had to put every setting to low and lower the resolution to 720p.
Meanwhile, here are the benchmark scores of the Vivobook 15 OLED:
Everyday Reliability
The Vivobook 15 OLED isn’t just good for light gaming, it’s also a great match for everyday use. For work-from-home professionals and/or students who need a laptop for browsing and word processing/office apps, the Vivobook 15 will not disappoint. The laptop is also capable of some light creative work such as photo editing. As for video production, you can edit on this laptop, but only simple edits and lower resolution videos as the laptop only has 8GB of RAM.
Now for battery life. After playing a 2 and 1/2 hour movie at 50% brightness and volume, the Vivbook 15 OLED had 63% battery life remaining. This should mean that you can use the laptop for around 5 or so hours in a single charge; not bad, but not the best in class.
Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict
With the notebook’s vibrant OLED screen, capable 11th gen Intel processor, and great design, the Vivobook 15 OLED is a well-rounded laptop that won’t disappoint for users looking for a reliable everyday partner for work or school.
As for pricing, the i5 variant has an SRP of PHP 49,995. While it is more expensive than your typical entry-level laptop, the Vivobook 15 OLED packs enough higher end features that make it worth the price premium.
Vivobook 15 OLED (K513) Specs:
- Processor: Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor, 2.4 GHz
- Installed Memory: 8GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home (Free Upgrade to Windows 11)
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch, FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 OLED (85% screen-to-body ratio)
- Ports:
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
- 2x USB 2.0
- 1x HDMI
- 1x Audio Jack Combo
- 1x Micro SD Card reader
- Price:
- Intel Core i3 variant – PHP 34,995
- Intel Core i5 variant – PHP 49,995