ASUS Vivobook 16 (Core i5) review

Straight out of the box, the Vivobook 16 doesn’t scream "luxury." It’s more of a polite murmur. The plastic chassis is robust enough to withstand daily commutes and the occasional coffee spill (we’ve all been there), but it won’t turn heads at your local café. The 16-inch form factor gives it a presence, but at 1.88kg, it’s not exactly featherweight.

ASUS throws in a few subtle flourishes to lift the experience: the embossed Vivobook logo, the satisfying tactility of the keyboard, and a hinge that’s smoother than your best pick-up line. It’s a solid build—nothing fancy, but reassuringly sturdy.

A 16in, 1920 x 1200 pixel display should be a treat, and for the most part, it is. The 16:10 aspect ratio provides extra vertical real estate (perfect for scrolling through spreadsheets or pretending to work while watching YouTube). However, at just 253 nits of brightness, it’s about as dazzling as a British summer—fine indoors, but easily overpowered by sunlight. If you were hoping to work from a sun-drenched balcony, prepare for squinting or an existential crisis.

The Core i5-1235U processor is the heart of this machine, and to its credit, it handles everyday tasks with aplomb. Chrome tabs? Pile them on. Office work? A breeze. Casual photo editing? Respectable. But throw in some heavy-duty gaming or 4K video editing, and you’ll start to hear the cooling fans whisper sweet nothings (or just angrily protest). This isn’t a powerhouse, but for students, office workers, and casual users, it more than suffices.

It also boasts up to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe SSD, so you won’t be twiddling your thumbs waiting for apps to load. The SSD is zippy, ensuring that Windows boots up faster than you can say "Why didn’t I buy a MacBook?"

The keyboard is comfortable and well-spaced, with a slightly springy feel that makes long typing sessions pleasant. There’s even a numpad—because apparently, ASUS still believes we all need one. The trackpad is spacious and responsive, though MacBook users will probably scoff at its mere existence. ASUS claims the battery will last you "all day," which, in tech speak, means about 7-8 hours with moderate use. Streaming Netflix at full brightness will shave that down significantly. Thankfully, fast charging means you can juice it up to 60% in under an hour—ideal for those frantic "I forgot my charger" moments.

In the same price range in India, the Vivobook 16 competes with the likes of the HP 15s, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5, and Acer Aspire 5. The HP 15s offers a similar Core i5 setup but with a slightly more premium build, albeit at the cost of a weaker battery. The IdeaPad Slim 5 stands out with a better display and build quality but comes at a slightly higher price. Acer Aspire 5 provides strong overall specs, including a slightly better GPU, making it a better option for casual gamers. If you’re looking for a solid, no-frills laptop with a big screen, decent performance, and an affordable price tag, the ASUS Vivobook 16 is a worthy contender. It won’t blow you away, but it also won’t let you down. It’s like a Toyota Corolla of laptops—reliable, efficient, and perfectly adequate. Just don’t expect luxury trimmings.