Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA | Is It the Best Budget Laptop of 2023?
In this article, I have covered the new Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA, a budget-friendly laptop that offers a lot of value for the price.
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA is a good laptop for a low price. It is thin and light, and has a lot of RAM and storage space. It is good for basic tasks like web browsing, word processing, and email. Besides. it can also handle light photo editing and video editing.
However, the screen is not as bright or sharp as some other laptops in this price range. The battery life is also not very long. And the laptop is not powerful enough for demanding tasks like gaming or 3D rendering.
Overall, the Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA is a good value for the price. It is a good choice for students and people who need a laptop for basic tasks. But it is not the best choice for people who need a laptop for more demanding tasks.
Here are the specifications for the ASUS VivoBook 15 X515EA:
Display: 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display
Processor: Intel Core i3 processor at 3 GHz
RAM: 8 GB DDR4 RAM
Storage: 512 GB SSD
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
Operating system: Windows 10 Home
Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac 1x HDMI port
Other ports: USB-C, USB-A, audio jack
Battery life: Up to 3 hours
Weight: 2.5 kg
Dimensions: 23 x 35.9 x 1.99 cm
Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA: Design, Features:
Plastic construction
Silver chassis
Premium look uncommon in budget laptops
Cohesive design
Features:
15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display
Intel Core i3 processor at 3 GHz
8 GB DDR4 RAM
512 GB SSD
Intel HD Graphics
Windows 10 Home
Bluetooth
Wi-Fi 802.11ac
1x HDMI port
USB-C, USB-A, audio jack
Fingerprint scanner for secure system locking
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515 is a well-designed budget laptop with a premium look and feel. It is made of plastic, but the silver chassis gives it a more expensive look. The keyboard and trackpad are also well-designed and integrated into the laptop body.
The VivoBook 15 X515 has a good set of features for a budget laptop, including a Full HD display, a fast SSD, and a fingerprint scanner. It is also well-connected, with a variety of ports, including HDMI, USB-C, and USB-A.
Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA Display
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA has a 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 NanoEdge display with narrow bezels on the sides and a thicker bezel at the top. The display has a dim color profile and unsettling viewing angles, which makes it underwhelming for consuming online videos.
While you can watch YouTube videos without noticing the display’s middling color quality, it becomes apparent when you switch to other displays. The viewing angles on this laptop are also odd. You have to look at the VivoBook 15 at an exact angle – about 100 degrees – to see the contents on the screen without a sheen.
The sheen issue is more prevalent in dark colors, specifically blacks and grays. If you rely on dark mode with most apps, it’s hard to ignore. This makes the laptop difficult to use with Windows 11 at night.
Moreover, this laptop has a poor display. It is dim, has inaccurate colors, and has narrow viewing angles. This makes it a bad choice for watching videos or working with dark mode.
Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA: Keyboard – Trackpad
The Asus VivoBook 15 has a good keyboard with a number pad. The keys are comfortable to type on and backlit for easy use in low light. However, the trackpad is a bit small and off-centered.
ErgoLift Hinge
The VivoBook 15 also has an ErgoLift hinge, which lifts the keyboard slightly when the laptop is opened. This makes for a more comfortable typing position.
Overall, the Asus VivoBook 15 has a good keyboard and a decent trackpad. The ErgoLift hinge is a nice bonus, especially on a budget laptop.
Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA Ports
The laptop has a good selection of ports for a slim laptop, but it lacks a Thunderbolt 3 port. On the left side, there are two USB 2.0 ports, a microSD card slot, and LED indicators for charging and battery status. On the right side, there’s a DC jack, a USB 3.1 port, an HDMI port, and a USB Type-C port alongside a headphone/mic combo jack.
In other words:
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA has a variety of ports, including:
- 2 USB 2.0 ports
1 microSD card slot
1 LED indicator for charging and battery status
1 DC jack
1 USB 3.1 port
1 HDMI port
1 USB Type-C port
1 headphone/mic combo jack
It does not have a Thunderbolt 3 port.
Even simpler:
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA has many ports, but it does not have a Thunderbolt 3 port.
Performance:
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA has good performance for a mid-priced laptop. It is powered by an 11th generation Intel Core i5 processor with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. This makes it faster than many other laptops in its price range.
The VivoBook 15 X515EA can easily handle everyday tasks, such as web browsing, word processing, and video streaming. It can also handle some light gaming and photo editing. However, it is not powerful enough for demanding tasks, such as video editing or 3D rendering.
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA is a budget-friendly laptop that offers good performance for everyday tasks. It is powered by an 11th generation Intel Core i5 processor with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. This makes it faster than many other laptops in its price range.
The VivoBook 15 X515EA can easily handle everyday tasks, such as web browsing, word processing, and video streaming. It can also handle some light gaming and photo editing. However, it is not powerful enough for demanding tasks, such as video editing or 3D rendering.
Battery Life
Most budget laptops can last well over six hours on a single charge, but the VivoBook 15 struggles to hit this mark. It only lasts five hours and 24 minutes through continuous surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness.
While it beats out other 15-inch laptops like the Acer Aspire 5 (5:16) and the HP 15 laptop (4:58) in the same tests, it’s still at the tail end of the spectrum compared to a couple of other budget laptops (6:42).
Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA Pros & Cons
Tips
Pros
- Premium design
- Capable Intel Tiger Lake processor
- Good selection of ports
- Relatively thin and lightweight
- Affordable price
- Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA
Cons
- Short battery life
- Dim and narrow-viewing-angle display
- No Thunderbolt 3 port
- No backlit keyboard (on some models)
Summary
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA is a budget-friendly laptop that offers a lot of value for the price. It has a premium design, a capable Intel Tiger Lake processor, and a good selection of ports. It is also relatively thin and lightweight, making it easy to carry around.
While the battery life and screen brightness are not the best, they are still acceptable for a budget laptop. The 1080p resolution and capable processor make it a good choice for everyday tasks, such as web browsing, word processing, and video streaming.
The Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA is a great value for the price, especially if you are on a tight budget. However, if you can afford to spend a little more, I recommend getting the VivoBook 15 with a backlit keyboard. This will make it easier to type in low-light conditions.
Overall, the Asus VivoBook 15 X515EA is a great choice for students, professionals, and casual users who need a reliable laptop for basic tasks at an affordable price.
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