ASUS Vivobook 18" Quiet Blue Review

This ASUS Vivobook is a weird one. It's got an 18-inch screen and a ton of RAM, but it's built around a last-gen AMD CPU that's frankly out of its depth. The one thing you need to know is that this is a big, heavy laptop with a surprisingly weak core. It feels like a desktop replacement that forgot to pack the performance.

The numbers don't lie. That CPU lands in the 34th percentile, and the integrated Radeon graphics are even worse at the 18th. For a machine this size, that's a major letdown. You get 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, which is great, but the processor is the bottleneck for everything. It'll handle basic tasks fine, but don't expect smooth video editing or gaming, despite that 144Hz screen.

At around $1100, it's a tough sell. You're paying for the big screen and the high RAM/storage config, but the heart of the machine is weak. If raw multitasking space is your absolute top priority, maybe. Otherwise, your money buys better performance elsewhere.

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i at a similar price point will run circles around this Vivobook in gaming and creative work, though it has a smaller 16-inch screen. If you want a big screen for productivity, the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with an M4 is in a different league of performance and portability, but costs way more. The ASUS Zenbook Duo offers a more innovative dual-screen setup for creators in a more portable package. This Vivobook gets stuck in the middle.

I can't recommend it for most people. The outdated CPU and weak graphics are deal-breakers for a machine this large. Only consider this if you need a massive, cheap desktop replacement for very basic work and media consumption, and you absolutely cannot stretch your budget for a more balanced machine like the Legion Pro.