ASUS Vivobook S14 14" Review

The ASUS Vivobook S14 (Ryzen AI 9) is a premium ultraportable with a stunning OLED display and a powerful processor. It's ideal for productivity and content consumption, but its integrated graphics make it a poor choice for gaming. Consider alternatives if you need GPU power.

If you're looking for a powerful, portable laptop that isn't a MacBook, the ASUS Vivobook S14 with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is a serious contender. Priced around $1,800, it packs a 10-core AMD processor, a generous 24GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD into a sleek 1.3kg frame. The star of the show is that 14-inch OLED screen, which our data puts in the top tier for laptops in this class. It's a machine built for people who need serious CPU power for work or creative apps, but still want something light enough to carry all day. Just don't expect it to be a gaming rig.

The Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU is a powerhouse, landing in the 84th percentile. That means it's well above average, handling demanding tasks like video editing, coding, or running multiple virtual machines with ease. The 24GB of RAM is a sweet spot for future-proofing and heavy multitasking. The big caveat is graphics. The integrated AMD Radeon 880M is fine for everyday use and even some light photo editing, but it's a weak spot for gaming, scoring in the bottom 20 percent. So, while this laptop breezes through spreadsheets and 4K video playback, you'll need to dial settings way down for modern games.

At $1,799, the Vivobook S14 sits in a tricky spot. You're paying for two standout features: that best-in-class OLED panel and a top-tier AMD CPU. The rest of the specs are solid but not exceptional. If your work lives and dies by screen quality and raw processing power, this investment makes sense. But if you need balanced performance for gaming or more consistent all-around scores, there are other laptops around this price that might give you more for your money.

This Vivobook goes head-to-head with some strong alternatives. The 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M5) is its direct rival in size and premium feel, offering even better battery life and a killer mini-LED screen, but you're locked into macOS. The ASUS ProArt PX13 is another interesting one. It's also an AMD-powered, OLED-screened ultraportable, but it includes a dedicated RTX 4050 GPU, making it a much better choice for creative apps that use GPU acceleration. Then there's the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i. It's bigger and heavier, but for the same money, you get a dedicated RTX graphics card that absolutely smokes this Vivobook in gaming and creative work, albeit with less battery life.

Skip this laptop if you're a gamer or a content creator who regularly works with video, 3D animation, or complex visual effects. The integrated graphics just don't cut it for those tasks. Also, if you want a touchscreen or the absolute longest battery life, look elsewhere. In those cases, check out the ASUS ProArt PX13 for creator work or a Framework Laptop for unmatched repairability.

Should you buy the ASUS Vivobook S14? Yes, but only if you're the right person. This is a fantastic laptop for professionals, students, or power users who prioritize a gorgeous screen and strong CPU performance above all else, and who value portability. It's perfect for writing, research, financial modeling, or coding on the go. However, we can't recommend it if gaming or GPU-intensive tasks like video editing or 3D modeling are a priority. For those uses, the integrated graphics are a deal-breaker at this price.