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amazon ASUS VivoBook F512FA-AB34 reviews
ASUS VivoBook F512FA-AB34 offers most of the features you want in an inexpensive full-size laptop, from a high-quality display to an ErgoLift hinge that makes typing more comfortable.
The Asus VivoBook 15 is one of the best recent laptops we’ve reviewed. They say the decision to replace something, whether it’s a phone or an SUV, must attract some controversy, but the VivoBook remains steadfast. The Asus F512FA-AB34 model that we are reviewing today easily meets the latest trend toward ultraportable devices with a smaller and lighter design than ever before.
Design
The ASUS VivoBook 15 F512FA has a fresh look compared to its predecessor, and it manages to pack a few premium design features commonly found in high-end Asus laptops. For example, it now features an ErgoLift hinge that angled the keyboard to provide a comfortable typing experience, something you’d normally find on the more expensive Asus ZenBook UX333FA series.
Instead of a drab, black boxy design like most other budget 15-inch laptops, the new VivoBook 15 features a gray brushed aluminum lid and a shiny, gray deck with a barely noticeable cross-section. The same flair extends to the keyboard deck and is further accentuated by the Chrome ‘Asus’ logo on the lid. It measures 14.2 x 9.1 x 0.7 inches and weighs 3.5 pounds, which is pretty standard for a latest-generation 15.6-inch laptop. ErgoLift features on a value laptop that will blow your mind when it comes to design and ease of use.
The connection is fine, as you have most of the ports you normally need. Here we are talking about two USB 2.0 ports, a microSD card slot, and LEDs for charging and battery status, all located on the left side. On the right side, there’s a charging port, a USB 3.1 port, a USB Type-C port along with a headphone/mic combo jack.
Asus has a good reputation for its VivoBook brand, and it will only gain more fans here, with its full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution display. It uses In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel technology to deliver vibrant colors and clear images, something we’ve only seen in higher-priced laptops. The full HD display is a pleasure to use, both for serious office tasks and for watching movies, with excellent viewing angles.
It’s a NanoEdge display that has an 80% screen-to-body ratio, giving you more screen real estate than the bezel. Asus claims that this VivoBook uses their in-house Splendid Image Optimization technology, which aside from being a marketing gimmick, I don’t see any major improvements that would set it apart from the competition with other low-end IPS panels.
On the ASUS VivoBook F512FA-AB34, the design and display should be the main attraction before you look at the performance evenly. Another thing should be its weight. It is light. Seriously, it doesn’t feel flimsy because of the lightweight profile.
If there’s one thing I need to criticize, it’s probably the standard VGA, which won’t be supported by anyone. In 2018, we simply expect things to get better. Especially when Asus decided to design a complete system at a very reasonable price. The speakers are surprisingly good, with good max volume management and a bit of bass. You can happily watch YouTube and Netflix with these speakers, they can fill a small room and the music plays well.
Keyboard & Trackpad
The same material used in the body is reproduced in the keyboard and touchpad deck. It does offer a good amount of key travel and a comfortable feel, though, the keys themselves aren’t particularly luxurious. They take another take on this laptop’s premium build, but it’s a design you won’t see in similarly priced systems.
Despite the laptop’s compact size, the keyboard is large in all the right places, with nicely sized alphanumeric keys. The Backspace and Enter keys are large enough, and the Shift key is the same size as the rest of the keys, sometimes a bit hard to press but you will get used to it over time. As for the trackpad, it’s pretty good, but it doesn’t give you the same instant feel as Dell’s XPS 13 and MacBook Air.
Packing inside the Asus VivoBook F512FA-AB34 is an Intel Core i3-8145U processor, 8GB of RAM, an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card, and a 128GB SSD. The Core i3 has two processor cores and operates between a base frequency of 2.1 GHz and a turbo frequency of 3.9, with a 4M cache. The system works quickly during common Windows tasks, including multitasking with multiple apps and browser tabs running.
However, the system’s cooling fan will kick in when you have lots of apps and tabs open in the background, especially when streaming video. Surprisingly, it’s not too loud and obnoxious, but it’s attention-grabbing. The processor used here is a popular choice among budget laptops and Chromebooks, so we’re not surprised by its level of performance.
The VivoBook F512FA’s spec sheet shows very good performance when performing everyday tasks such as watching videos, browsing the web, and editing spreadsheets. You can understand the basics of games, in simple words, online games and other simple titles like Minecraft.
Battery life
The Asus VivoBook 15 uses an energy-efficient CPU, which adds to the good but not high battery life. This laptop lasted 8 hours and 24 minutes, more than the IdeaPad 530s’ 7 hours and 43 minutes, but still behind the Aspire 5 which lasted 9 hours and 27 minutes on a single charge. The mainstream laptop’s average runtime of 7:28 is about an hour shorter than the VivoBook 15’s runtime.
Conclusion
ASUS VivoBook F512FA-AB34 offers most of the features you’d want in an inexpensive full-size laptop, from a high-quality display to an ErgoLift hinge that makes typing more comfortable. There are some things that you might want to avoid like a sophisticated touchpad and compact storage, but the reasonable price makes up for them.
Thanks to its pretty powerful Intel core i3 processor, VivoBook F512FA-AB34 is even better if you take a gradual approach to replace an old machine or buy a new laptop for work or university.
If you can make a few compromises and expand your wallet, both the Acer Aspire 5 (A515-54-51DJ) and the Lenovo Flex 14 offers better performance and they are their top picks. I’m in the budget category. But if the form factor of a large laptop is what you’re after and your budget constraints can’t last, the ASUS VivoBook F512FA-AB34 is a great value.
where can you get a ASUS VivoBook F512FA-AB34 online
ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop, 15.6” FHD, Intel Core i3-8145U CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Windows 10 in S Mode, F512FA-AB34, Slate Gray: Buy it now