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ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA Review

Charles TYK

Introduction

This is the ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA, one of the laptops that the company launched alongside the VivoBook 15 (K513) that I reviewed not long ago. This time around, the laptop comes with the new Intel 11th Gen processor, which has some improvements here and there. Before we begin, duly note that the VivoBook S15 S533EA that I’m reviewing is not the official Malaysian retail unit, as it packs the Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor with 16GB RAM and also 1TB SSD.

ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA Specs

Design

The ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA looks quite similar to the VivoBook 15 (K513) I reviewed recently. It comes with multi-color options with a color blocking “Enter” key, my review unit is the Gaia Green variant and I like it a lot. The laptop uses aluminum alloy and plastic to create a lightweight but durable design.

Nope, the laptop doesn’t have the ErgoLift hinge, it seems that this feature is now only available on the ZenBook series. Weighing at just 1.8kg and measuring at only 16.1mm thin, the left side of the laptop houses the power jack, HDMI port, USB 3.2 Type-A port, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, and audio jack. As for the right side, it has the MicroSD card reader and two USB 2.0 Type-A ports. Yup, a laptop at this price point actually has a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, which is a plus point! Besides the fast data transfer speeds, it also means that you can use any USB PD chargers to charge the laptop.

Display

The laptop sports a 15.6″ Full HD NanoEdge IPS display with an 85% screen-to-body ratio. The screen is quite similar to the one on the VivoBook 15 (K513), not that color accurate but actually good enough. Yet again, the 720p webcam is not really that good, something to think about if you are planning to use it for your Zoom Meetings.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard layout and touchpad are the same as the VivoBook 16 (K513). Unlike the S531FL I reviewed last year, ASUS has removed the biometric facial recognition, which is now replaced by the fingerprint sensor. I guess most people actually prefer to have the fingerprint sensor, right?

Performance

The laptop is powered by the Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor with 16GB 3,200MHz DDR4 RAM and 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD. Note that the Malaysian unit only comes with the Core i5-1135G7 processor with 8GB 3,200MHz DDR4 RAM and 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD.

Unlike its predecessor, the new VivoBook S15 doesn’t have the NVIDIA GPU, it’s because the 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake processor actually comes with the Intel Iris Xe Graphics, which is comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce MX350 discrete graphics. You can actually play GTA V without any major issues, just remember to tune down the settings.

Software

If you are buying this laptop, it’ll be running on Windows 10 Home with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 included. It still comes with MyASUS software, which also has ASUS Intelligent Performance Technology (AIPT). It comes with three modes — Performance, Balanced, and Whisper. You can only use the Performance mode when you plug in the AC adapter to get maximum performance. The Balanced mode will intelligently optimize the performance, thermal, and power parameters for everyday tasks. As for the Whisper mode, it’ll keep the laptop cool and quiet, but the performance will be compromised.

Battery Life

The ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA has a 50Wh 3-cell lithium-polymer battery. I was able to get around 6 hours of battery life, which includes watching videos, playing music on Spotify, typing, and web browsing. It comes with a 65W power adapter out of the box, but you can actually use any USB PD chargers such as a USB-PD power bank and GaN chargers that output 65W to charge the laptop, all thanks to the Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port.

Final Words

As I mentioned earlier, the ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA that I’m reviewing with this configuration is not available in Malaysia. You can only get the S533EQ in Malaysia, which has the Core i5-1135G7 processor with 8GB 3,200MHz DDR4 RAM and 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD. It is retailing at RM3,399, which is RM100 more than the VivoBook 15 (K513). I actually think that this is a better deal since the Intel Xe Graphics is actually quite comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce MX350 discrete graphics, so you don’t really need it, in exchange you get the Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port! However, I do really hope ASUS Malaysia offers this model (S533EA) as well!

Yay

Nay

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