Laptop Review: Asus VivoBook S14 S403JA-BM034TS

The Asus VivoBook S14 S403JA-BM034TS is powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 1035G1 processor and Intel UHD Graphics G1. The display here a the 60Hz FHD (1920x1080p) panel. Other specs include 8 GB RAM and 512GB SSD with 32GB Intel Optane Memory (Intel H10 SSD). Thunderbolt 3 is a nice addition and thanks to it you can hook up external graphics to it.  This is a decent entry-level laptop if you are a student or a working professional and with its massive 72 Watt-hour battery and should last you up to 14 hours under moderate use.

Performance

The Asus VivoBook S14 S403JA-BM034TS is powered by the i5 1035G1 which when compared to its predecessor  the i5 8250U it is significantly more powerful and is comparable to the i5 8300H which is a 45 watt CPU. On the graphics end of the game, Intel UHD Graphis G1 is very capable of handling most of them however when it comes to much heavier workloads such a 3D rendering the UHD graphics G1 is not a good solution. The Intel UHD G1 Graphics should be able to handle most modern games that are not very graphic demanding such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Minecraft, CS: GO, GTA 5, and Fortnite at low settings.

Design and Ports

The Asus VivoBook S14 S403JA-BM034TS has a thin 14 inch metallic chassis with thin bezels. The device is relatively light and looks quite premium.  The device also meets MIL-STD-810G military standard for durability and reliability. The VivoBook S14 going through a number of extended harsh tests and is capable of function under harsh environments such as high altitudes, extreme temperature, and humidity. Though the device has limited options for upgrading as it only has an M.2 slot and a wifi slot that is upgradable both of which are occupied.  

Ports

• 1x HDMI 1.4
• 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
• 1x USB 2.0 Type-A
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
• 1x Thunderbolt 3 USB C
• 1x SD Card Reader

Keyboard and Trackpad

The Asus VivoBook S14 S403JA-BM034TS has a full-size chicklet style backlit keyboard with 1.4 mm of key travel. The key travel short but the keys are a little too soft. However, you will still have a comfortable typing experience. The keys have 2 stages of backlight this great if you prefer working in the dark. The trackpad here is 10.5×6.2 cm which is average by comparison and houses a fingerprint scanner on the top right corner of the trackpad. The trackpad is smooth to the gestures and is quite clicky. 

Display: CEC PA LM140LF-3L03 (60Hz FHD)

The FHD panel on the Asus VivoBook S14 S403JA-BM034TS has a 60Hz refresh rate. The display here has great viewing angles and no PWM flickering issues. With 100 percent sRGB color coverage and 300 nits brightness it makes its great laptop for creative professionals and is suitable for outdoor use.

Display Specs:

• Panel Model Number: CEC PA LM140LF-3L03;
• Coverage: 95% sRGB | 72% AdobeRGB
• Max brightness: 300 Nits;
• Measured Gamma: 2.46
• Contrast Ratio: 1300:1;
• PWM Flickering: 0;

Battery: 72 Watt Hours

According to Asus’s marking this laptop lasts 24 Hours with its massive 72 Watt-hour battery. But in reality, the battery should last you about 14 hours while casually browsing.