Asus VivoBook S 14X S5402Z review: World's first 14.5-inch 2.8K 120 Hz OLED laptop

[Redaktion]

Despite being "only" a Vivobook, the Vivobook S 14X uses the same 14.5-inch Samsung OLED panel as the Zenbook Pro 14 Duo for a similar viewing experience at a much cheaper price. If you're looking to spend just under $1000 USD on an Ultrabook, then this Asus can offer a lot for the money.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Asus-VivoBook-S-14X-S5402Z-review-World-s-first-14-5-inch-2-8K-120-Hz-OLED-laptop.631583.0.html

[wubba]

PWM of 250 Hz? Oh sure, I'll just stare at that all day and go blind...

Last time I bought an Asus it was a Zenbook and the coil whine was so bad, my ears rang for days after I returned the laptop.

[Alireza]

Vivobook pro 14x has another variant of i5 12500h. I'm curious about the weak point of that model, specially fan noise. Is there any thing about real world benchmarks of i5 12500h?

[Dorby]

Would be helpful to know exact materials used on A, B, C, D covers and hinge cover individually. "Metal design" to describe the build quality of a whole laptop made of at least 5 major materials is way too vague.

[DavidG]

Could the review extend to putting an 8GB ram module to test the effect on the 3d performance?

[Duende]

Would it be possible to upload the icm color profile?

[davidletterboyz]

What is the maximum RAM size supported by the slot? Couldn't it take 16GB or even 32GB RAM?

[H.Marx]

One purchaser of this unit (at Costco.com) posted a review comment about successfully swapping out the 4GB RAM module for a 16GB, thus achieving 24GB total (and also swapping for a faster/bigger SSD, without voiding any warranty stickers/seals).

However, the review here said:

"GPU Performance

The integrated Iris Xe 96 EUs in our test unit returns disappointing results that are 30 percent slower than the average Iris Xe 96 EUs in our database. This performance deficit usually happens when RAM is slow and/or running in single-channel mode instead of dual-channel mode. The asymmetric RAM configuration of our unit (4 GB removable + 8 GB soldered) is the likely culprit of the relatively poor GPU performance..."

My question is:  If  A) substituting an 8GB module (thus matching the soldered-in 8GB) would presumably/hopefully permit the preferred higher-performing "dual-channel" mode, would   B) substituting a larger 16GB module (i.e., the Costco customer's scenario) result in dual-channel mode AND the benefits of doubling memory from as-factory 12GB up to 24GB total, or  C) only continued single-channel mode (due to the mismatched module sizes) and still some benefits of the increase to 24GB total?

And, even if (C) is the outcome (no dual-channel mode, yet 24GB total), would scenario (A) actually be more preferable for general daily performance (16GB total, a modest total increase of 4GB, but achieving dual-channel mode)?

I'm hoping it might result in a scenario  (B):  dual-channel mode AND 24GB total.

Advice?

[Dorby]

@H.Marx

16/24GB runs in dual-channel. When that 16GB is full, the remaining 8GB will run in single-channel. This is given that both speed and timings on the updraded SODIMM is identical to the laptop's internally soldered RAM.

[H.Marx]

Since posting my earlier questions/scenarios I found and read about Intel's "Flex Memory" feature and how it deals with the asymmetric RAM memory module situation.

Thanks for explaining/confirming that about the 8GB half (of the newly added 16GB module) operating in faster Dual-channel (interleaved) mode (for a total of 16GB of the system's total of 24GB) while the remaining/surplus 8GB operates in Single-channel.

Still, I'm left wondering how the system will decide what fraction of which memory mode will get used for the integrated video memory sharing, and otherwise what will end up running in the slower 8GB Single-channel mode portion.  Hopefully nothing critical (like the OS itself), otherwise I might be better off playing it safe and ensuring it's ALL dual-channel by simply matching the soldered-in 8GB RAM (for a system total of 16GB).

Decisions... Any advice?

[David W.]

Sale on through 9/11 as long as inventory remains, limit 2 per membership.

Seems like a steal for an OLED 12th gen i7-12700H, 12/512gig, wifi 6e, BT 5.2. Even their software magic for the 720p webcam is better than average quality. It's maybe the best results from 720 I've seen.

I've been awaiting the Acer Swift 3 OLED promised for a July ship which went unfulfilled. Up on Amazon now for preorders with ship estimate Aug 21. I'm concerned about the responsiveness/lag in their trackpad and lower quality keyboard feel.

I may pick up the Asus today at this pricing.

[David W.]

Sale on through 9/11 as long as inventory remains, limit 2 per membership.

Seems like a steal for an OLED 12th gen i7-12700H, 12/512gig, wifi 6e, BT 5.2. Even their software magic for the 720p webcam is better than average quality. It's maybe the best results from 720 I've seen.

I've been awaiting the Acer Swift 3 OLED promised for a July ship which went unfulfilled. Up on Amazon now for preorders with ship estimate Aug 21. I'm concerned about the responsiveness/lag in their trackpad and lower quality keyboard feel.

I may pick up the Asus today at this pricing.

$799.99 today at Costco. My subject line didn't post.

[DaveT]

Picked up this laptop from Costco, couldn't resist the sale price. I can confirm that the ram can be replaced with a 32GB module. However, geekbench multi-core score did not improve after the upgrade.

One thing that seems odd to me is hwinfo and cpu-z both report a lower memory controller clock compare to the ram module clock. Look at the screenshots from the review, notice the how the memory controller seems to be capped at 1330mhz under various workloads, while the memory module is clocked at 1600mhz. I don't know if this is normal, but it could explain the poor relatively performance if the system is dynamically downclocking the memory and capping it at 1330mhz.

[Hamza]

picked it up today for $699.. it is a steal.

About the RAM, can it take a single 32GB RAM stick?

[I12]

Got this the other day. Great specs and amazing screen. Amazing price. Is there anything you can do about the ram? How do I make sure it's at full speed and in dual channel?