Hardware and performances
All these being said, the S301 is more or less similar to all the Vivobooks we’ve seen in the past (Check out my review for the S200, the S400 or the newer S551 with Haswell). And that’s because the major update lies inside, where the laptop bundles the latest Intel ULV hardware platform and something on top.
I have the most powerful configuration for this review, with an Intel Core i7-4500U processor, 8 GB of RAM, dedicated AMD Radeon graphics on top of that Intel HD 4400 chip embedded within the CPU and a 750GB hard-drive. But there will be plenty of options available in stores, with Core i3, i5 and i7 CPUs, various types of storage and with or without dedicated graphics, as you can see below, in the Prices section.
Overall, these make for a potent machine. The S301 can handle all sorts of tasks, from everyday activities like browsing or editing documents, to playing movies and games. There is one thing however dragging down the overall speed of this notebook: the 5400 rpm hard-drive without any SSD caching is a major bottleneck, so you should definitely upgrade it.
Speaking of upgrades, you can fairly easily access the internals on this laptop, but you’ll find out that you can only swap the HDD for something else there is no mSATA spare slot available for an extra compact SSD (the one available is occupied by the wireless chip). However, you can upgrade the memory. This laptop comes with 4 GB already soldered on the motherboard and a an extra DIMM hidden behind the aluminum cover next to the CPU, that can take another up-to 4 GB of RAM, for a total of 8. This post will explain exactly how you can access it.
Anyway, if you’re after numbers, here’s how the S301LP scored in various benchmarks:
- 3DMark 11: E1909, P1132;
- 3DMark 13: Ice Storm – 44734, Cloud Gate – 3871, Fire Strike – 660 ;
- PCMark 07: 3021;
- Windows Rating: 5.9;
- CineBench 11.5: OpenGL 21.77 fps, CPU 2.82 pts.
And here’s what I got in some of the games that I’ve tried, all on 1366 x 768 px native resolution and with details set to Low:
- Need for Speed: Most Wanted – 32 fps;
- Skyrim – 44 fps;
- Starcraft 2 – 42 fps (4 v 4 map) – can drop below 30 fps in intense battles with hundreds of units.
- Bioshock Infinite – 23 fps.
There is however one important thing you should know. This tested unit is a pre-release PR sample and some of the apps and games failed to actually detect the dedicated graphics. HWInfo or Skyrim only show the Intel graphics, however, when running all the tested games, the results are superior to what I got on other Intel HD 4400 motorized machines that I tested in the past, which hints that the AMD chip is actually working.
Still, take these results with a grain of salt. From the benchmarks, it looks like CineBench and most of the others detected the dedicated chip, while 3DMark 13 did not. At least that’s how I translate the numbers. What do you guys think?
Anyway, I’m not going to jump to any conclusions here. And you should not either. Still, as expected, the S301LP does perform better in games and graphic dependent applications than the average ultrabook, I just can’t say for sure how much better for the time being.
Wrap-up
All in all, the Asus Vivobook S301 is a good 13 inch laptop. It lacks some of the fancy features encountered on premium ultrabooks, like a high-resolution IPS screen or the backlit keyboard and is not as sleek or as slender as those. It has some flaws, but it doesn’t have any real deal breakers, and with prices going between $700 and $1000 at launch, I’d say it offers plenty for the money. Especially since it is one of the few 13 inch ultraportables packing dedicated graphics.
The S301 is not without rivals though. The Lenovo IdeaPad U330 or the Samsung Series 9 Lite are just some of the newer ones, plus many of the IvyBridge mid-range ultrabooks, that sell for as little as $600 these days.
At the end of the day though, if you want a fast and solid 13 inch Haswell laptop and don’t have a lot of money to spend on it, the Asus Vivobook S301 is for sure an option to consider. But if Haswell and the graphics are not at the top of your list, you will find more affordable alternatives out there, or sleeker ones that pack extra features, for the same kind of money. This article is a great place to start your search.
Anyway, that’s about it for now. Thank you guys for sticking by and if you have any questions about this laptop or other ultraportables in general, leave them below and also check out the other reviews, the guides and the comparisons here on the site.
Disclaimer: Our content is reader-supported. If you buy through some of the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Andrei Girbea, Editor-in-Chief of Ultrabookreview.com. I’ve been covering mobile computers since the 2000s and you’ll mostly find reviews and thorough guides written by me here on the site.
Prices and availability
There will be several versions of the S301 available in stores in a few weeks. These are the configurations that I know about right now:
- Vivobook S301LA-C1015H – $699 – Intel Core i3-4010U, 500 GB HDD, 4 GB RAM, Intel HD 4400;
- Vivobook S301LA-C1042H – $799 – Intel Core i5-4200U, 750 GB HDD, 6 GB RAM, Intel HD 4400;
- Vivobook S301LA-C1043H – $899 – Intel Core i7-4500U, 1 TB HDD, 8 GB RAM, Intel HD 4400.
- Vivobook S301LP-C1024H – $749 – Intel Core i3-4010U, 500 GB HDD, 4 GB RAM, Intel HD 4400 + AMD Radeon Mobility 8530G;
- Vivobook S301LP-C1028H – $849 – Intel Core i5-4200U, 750 GB HDD, 6 GB RAM, Intel HD 4400 + AMD Radeon Mobility 8530G;
- Vivobook S301LP-C1029H – $949 – Intel Core i7-4500U, 1 TB HDD, 8 GB RAM, Intel HD 4400 + AMD Radeon Mobility 8530G.
These are of course the list prices, and in the meantime, I’m pretty sure they got lower. The latest discounts on this series can be found here. And don’t forget that the Vivobook S301 line is sold as the Vivobook Q301 in the US and a few other countries.
Out review unit is almost identical to the last version in this list.
If you’re after performances in a fairly small body and don’t have a lot of money for that, the S301 is an option to considera
Battery life
At the end of the day, Haswell is more about efficiency than it is about performances. And the S301 I had here proves that.
With average daily use that included a mix of browsing, chatting, watching movies and listening to music, all with Wi-Fi ON and the screen at 60%, I was able to get about 4 and a half hours of life on the S301. I also got about 5 hours of looping a 720p clip in similar conditions, with the sound volume at about 50%.
That’s not great, considering what we’ve seen from Haswell ultrabooks in the past, but don’t forget that there’s only a small 2 Cell 38 Wh battery on this machine and on top of that, we do have the most powerful configuration here, with the Intel Core i7 processor and dedicated graphics.
Regardless, the Core i3/i5 versions without the graphics should do significantly better. But of course, all these won’t stop me from concluding that Asus should have squeezed a higher capacity battery on this machine. It’s not like they did not have the room for that, judging by the hardware layout.
Keyboard and trackpad
Anyway, let’s turn our attention on the keyboard.
The keys are large, properly spaced and stiff enough, so they will register commands even when pressed on the sides. At the same time, the rather shallow travel is something you will have to get used to and there’s no back-lighting system, if you care about that.
The layout is alright, with a few exceptions. For instance, there are no dedicated Home and End buttons, as you’ll have to press FN and the arrow keys for that. Which BTW, are tiny, and I did find that very annoying in games, where those keys are crucial.
The trackpad is smooth, properly sized and most of the time accurate, although I did find it somewhat over-sensible, but that can be to some extent tweaked from the software. It supports all kind of gestures, including those characteristic to Windows 8.
Design and exterior
For starters, let me tell you that this is a fairly sleek and sturdy machine. It’s not really as thoroughly polished as some of the premium ultrabooks you can find these days in stores, but for the money, is definitely good enough.
Aluminum is used for the upper part, the sides and the laptop’s interior, while some rough plastic covers the underbelly. Which BTW can be removed without voiding warranty, by taking care of the 10 or so screws holding it in place, and that will allow you to access the internals, in case you want to upgrade stuff here. More about that in the Hardware and performances section.
A sleek machine – the Asus Vivobook S301
Anyway, I don’t really have much to complain about this laptop in terms of looks and build quality. Nor can I complain about the footprint or weight, although you will find thinner and lighter 13 inch notebooks on the market, especially if you are willing to spend more on them. At 3.8 pounds, the S301 is a bit on the heavy side for a 13 inch ultrabook, but given what it packs and the price, I can definitely live with that.
Opening the lid, you’ll notice the metal dressed interior, as I mentioned earlier, that creates a nice contrast with the keyboard. The palm-rest is spacious and that makes the S301 comfortable to use even for hours in a row, despite the fairly sharp edges. The Power button is placed in the Left-top corner, with some LEDs next to it, and you’ll find more status LEDs on the front edge, towards the right.
Metal is used for most of the case
Noise, Heat, Connectivity and others
Runs cool and quiet
The laptop runs fairly cool and quiet most of the time, although it will heat-up a bit when really pushed, on the area just above the keyboard, but it never gets annoyingly hot or anything like this.
There is a fan inside and you’ll hear it spinning, slower or faster, based on what you’re doing on the computer. The air is sucked from the the bottom of the device and then blown out through the grills behind the screen’s hinge, towards the user.
The good speakers definitely help with the multimedia experience on the S301, as they are punchy and clear for this class, with little distortions, even at high volume. On top of that, you can adjust the sound output via the included Audio Wizard app.
Connectivity wise, the Vivobook S301 offers all the things you might expect from a laptop of its kind. There’s Wireless, Gigabit LAN and Bluetooth, while on the sides you’ll find three USB ports, an Ethernet connector, a card-reader that can’t completely fit a regular SD card and HDMI video-output. VGA is missing, but you can use adapters if really needed.
I should also mention that the wireless performance tends to drop fast when getting a bit further away from the router (20+ feet), with two or three walls in between, and that is something you should have in mind. At 10-15 feet away from the router with no obstacles, the S301 performed flawlessly though.
That’s somewhat unexpected, since there is an Intel 7260 wireless module on this tested unit, and this chip is known for its solid performances. That’s why my money are on some software issues here and hopefully Asus will take care on these by the time the S301 actually hits the stores.
Screen
And then there’s the screen. If you’re used to a premium display and care a lot about viewing angles or a non-glare finishing, this is not going to be the one for your. For the average user though that only wants a decent screen and doesn’t have high expectations, this will do.
We have a 13.3 inch touchscreen on the S301, with 1366 x 766 px resolution and a TN panel, and that translates in a rather low pixel-density and not the best contrast or viewing angles.
Regardless, as long as you’ll keep this Vivobook mostly inside and on a desk, you’re going to be fine with it. Otherwise, you might get annoyed by the reflective glass covering the screen and the fact that you can’t completely lean back this display and adjust the vertical viewing position in more difficult conditions (on a plane or while lying on the couch).
Not really the best screen on this laptop
Характеристики
| Предупреждения | |
| ПРЕДУПРЕЖДЕНИЕ | DVD нет |
| ПРЕДУПРЕЖДЕНИЕ по ГО | Гарантия на аккумулятор — 12 месяцев с даты покупки, но, в любом случае, не может превышать 18 месяцев с даты производства ноутбука. |
| Основные характеристики | |
| Производитель | ASUS |
| Серия | ZENBOOK |
| Модель | UX301LAнайти похожий ноутбук |
| Тип оборудования | Ультрабук (Ultrabook), Легкий ноутбук, Тонкий ноутбук, Ноутбук-планшет |
| Операционная система | Windows 8 (64 bit) |
| Доступны драйверы для ОС | Windows 10 (только 64 bit), Windows 8.1 (только 64 bit), Windows 8 (только 64 bit) |
| Дизайн и отделка | |
| Отделка крышки ноутбука | Стеклокерамикакрышка |
| Отделка подставки под запястья | Матовый алюминий |
| Цвета, использованные в оформлении ноутбука | Синий |
| Цвет клавиш ноутбука | Синий |
| Процессор | |
| Процессор ноутбука | Intel Core i7 4558U (2.8 — 3.3 ГГц, 2 ядра, 28 Вт) |
| Кэш L3 процессора ноутбука | 4 Мб |
| Количество ядер | 2 |
| Оперативная память ноутбука | |
| Оперативная память | 8 Гб (чипы DDR3 распаяны на плате) |
| Кол-во слотов SODIMM ноутбука | |
| Максимальный объем памяти ноутбука | не расширяется |
| Накопители ноутбука | |
| Объем накопителя ноутбука | 2 x 256 Гб SSD |
| Формат накопителя ноутбука | M.2 Type 2260 B&M KeySSD для ноутбука |
| Интерфейс накопителя ноутбука | SATA 6 Гбит/с |
| Картридер ноутбука | SD |
| Оптический привод | без ODD |
| Видеокарта ноутбука | |
| Тип видео | Встроенное |
| Видео ноутбука | Intel Iris |
| Коммуникации | |
| Сеть ноутбука | 10/100 Мбит/сек (внешняя сетевая карта) |
| Стандарты Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth ноутбука | Есть, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Экран ноутбука | |
| Диагональ | 13.3″ (33.8 см) |
| Экран ноутбука | IPS |
| Разрешение матрицы ноутбука | 2560 x 1440 |
| Подсветка экрана ноутбука | Светодиодная (LED) |
| Сенсорный экран | Емкостный Multi-Touch |
| Поверхность экрана ноутбука | Глянцевая, Стекло |
| Возможности мультимедиа | |
| Встроенная камера | Есть |
| Акустическая система ноутбука | Есть, Bang & Olufsen ICEpower |
| Встроенный микрофон ноутбука | Есть |
| Интерфейс | |
| Разъемы ноутбука | 2 x USB 3.0, micro HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, разъем для наушников |
| Клавиатура и др. устройства ввода | |
| Клавиатура ноутбука | Островного типа, С подсветкой клавишклавишиклавиши крупно |
| Русские буквы | Белые |
| Латинские буквы | Белые |
| Тип манипулятора ноутбука | Multi-touch TouchPadМышки для ноутбуков |
| Питание | |
| Питание | Аккумуляторная батарея 50.6 Вт•ч (4560 мАч) |
| Блок питания | Входит в комплект поставкиблок питания |
|
Назад ВпередВсе совместимые блоки питания |
|
| Комплект поставки и опции | |
| Комплект поставки | USB сетевая карта, Чехол, Переходник miniDP -> VGAкомплект №1комплект №2сумка |
| Логистика | |
| Вес ноутбука с аккумулятором | 1.45 кг |
| Размеры снаряженного товара (проставлено описателем) | 32.6 x 1.7 x 22.7 см |
| Размеры упаковки (измерено в НИКСе) | 50.9 x 33.39 x 11.94 см |
| Вес брутто (измерено в НИКСе) | 3.25 кг |
| Внешние источники информации | |
| Горячая линия производителя | (495) 231-19-99 (Москва), 8-800-100-27-87 (бесплатный звонок из любого региона России). Пн — пт: с 9.00 до 18.00 |