ASUS Vivobook 14" Quiet Blue 2025 Review
The ASUS Vivobook 14 offers an incredible number of ports for a $450 laptop, but its 128GB SSD and 8GB of RAM are stuck in the past. This is a machine of frustrating compromises.
The 30-Second Version
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has a fantastic 94th-percentile port selection packed into a compact 1.4kg body for $450. However, its 128GB SSD (9th percentile) and 8GB RAM (12th percentile) are critically undersized for 2024. Only consider this if ports are your absolute top priority and you're on a razor-thin budget.
Overview
The ASUS Vivobook 14 is a study in extremes. On one hand, its port selection is in the 94th percentile, offering four USB-A ports and Wi-Fi 6E in a package that's also in the 78th percentile for compactness. On the other hand, its core specs are firmly at the budget end: the 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD land in the 12th and 9th percentiles, respectively. This isn't a powerhouse, but for $450, it's a highly portable connector for basic tasks.
Performance
Let's be clear: this is not a performance laptop. The Intel Core i3-1315U's CPU score sits in the 19th percentile, which means it's fine for web browsing, document editing, and video calls, but you'll feel it strain with more than a few Chrome tabs. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics is predictably weak, landing in the 43rd percentile. The real story is the storage and RAM. With only 128GB of SSD space, you'll be managing your files carefully from day one, and 8GB of DDR4 RAM is the bare minimum for Windows 11. This setup is built for one thing at a time.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Excellent port selection (94th percentile) with four USB-A ports and Wi-Fi 6E. 97th
- Very compact and lightweight design (78th percentile) at 1.4kg. 94th
- Includes Windows 11 and Microsoft Copilot for basic AI-assisted tasks. 80th
- Good for basic connectivity and portability on a tight budget. 78th
- The 180-degree lay-flat hinge is a nice usability touch.
Cons
- Tiny 128GB SSD is in the 9th percentile for storage. You'll run out of space fast. 16th
- Only 8GB of RAM (12th percentile) limits multitasking significantly. 17th
- The 14-inch 1080p screen is dim, scoring in the 8th percentile for display quality. 21th
- CPU performance is in the 19th percentile, so it's slow for anything beyond basics.
- Comes in Windows 11 S Mode, which restricts app installations until you switch out of it.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core i3 1315U |
| Cores | 6 |
| Frequency | 1.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 10 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | UHD Graphics |
| Type | integrated |
| VRAM Type | Shared |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 8 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR4 |
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Display
| Size | 14" |
| Resolution | 1920 (Full HD) |
| Panel | IPS |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | 250 nits |
Connectivity
| USB Ports | 4 |
| HDMI | 1x HDMI |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
Physical
| Weight | 1.4 kg / 3.1 lbs |
| OS | Windows 11 Home in S Mode |
Value & Pricing
At $450, the Vivobook 14 is cheap, but you get what you pay for. The value is almost entirely in its portability and connectivity. You're sacrificing every other spec to hit that price point. If your budget is absolutely fixed at $450 and you need a Windows laptop with lots of ports, it's an option. But spending even $100 more would likely get you double the RAM and storage, which is a massive quality-of-life upgrade.
Price History
vs Competition
Compared to other $450 laptops, the Vivobook's port selection is its only standout feature. Most competitors in this range also have mediocre CPUs and 8GB of RAM, but many offer 256GB SSDs. Compared to the MacBook Pro or ASUS ProArt PX13 listed? There is no comparison. Those are professional machines costing over $2000. A more realistic comparison would be against other budget ultraportables like the Lenovo IdeaPad or Acer Swift, where the Vivobook trades blows on price but loses on base storage capacity.
Common Questions
Q: Can I upgrade the RAM or SSD in the Vivobook 14?
It's unlikely. Most ultra-thin Vivobooks have soldered RAM, so the 8GB is permanent. The 128GB SSD might be replaceable, but opening up these compact laptops can be tricky and might void the warranty. You're better off using external storage.
Q: Is this laptop good for students?
Not really, according to our scoring it only hits 44.6/100 for student use. The 8GB RAM will struggle with research, writing, and video calls all at once, and the 128GB SSD will fill up quickly with textbooks and projects. Its compact size is a plus, but the specs are a major drawback.
Q: How does the Intel i3-1315U handle everyday tasks?
It's adequate for the basics. With a CPU percentile of 19, it's fine for web browsing, email, and streaming video one thing at a time. Don't expect speed. If you try to run multiple applications, the limited 8GB RAM will become a bottleneck long before the CPU does.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this laptop if you need to do more than one thing at a time. The combination of 8GB RAM (12th percentile) and a slow CPU (19th percentile) means it chokes on multitasking. Students, business users, and anyone who keeps more than five browser tabs open should look elsewhere. The 9th-percentile storage is also a hard pass for anyone who plans to install more than a couple of programs.
Verdict
We can only recommend the ASUS Vivobook 14 to a very specific user: someone who needs maximum portability and a ton of USB-A ports for under $500, and who is prepared to live with severe storage and RAM limitations. For everyone else, especially students or anyone who needs to multitask, the 128GB SSD and 8GB RAM are deal-breakers. The low screen percentile is the final nail. Look for a refurbished model with better specs or save up a little more.