Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon X Elite processors for PCs earlier this year which promised a big change for Windows. Their pitch for AI PC got us excited and we can finally talk about those claims and tell you if a Windows-powered laptop can now aspire to become an Mac alternative in most aspects, including battery life.
Asus has launched the Vivobook S 15 as the flag bearer for the processor in the country that looks to change the perception of premium Windows laptops.
The Vivobook S15 OLED is priced at Rs 1,24,990 which is not affordable by any means but borrows the design and most of the features from its Intel version, except for the Snapdragon X Elite chip innards. We get a closer look at the Copilot Plus PCs with the new model and the AI features that it offers.
The Usual Asus Design Traits
Asus has become a reliable name with the durability of its products without compromising on the aesthetics. The Vivobook S15 OLED is a continuation of that trend and while the overall looks are flat, we certainly like the simplicity with elegance quotient on display.
The laptop weighs just 1.42 kg which is one of the lightest in the segment and the wide profile means there is more space to fit a wider keyboard layout with bigger keys and a trackpad that will suit most users. The gestures are there on the pad to let you control the screen brightness on the right, volume level on the left side and forward a video on the top. You get to see their worth once you really use them daily.
Asus serves the whole quota of useful ports so that you don’t need to invest in an external dock. Having said that, we still won’t compare the design to the Macs even though it comes really close to matching the standards set by Apple.
OLED Display Livens Up The Mood
The brand has moved to OLED panels for most of its laptops, even those in the affordable price range. The 3K resolution supported by the large yet compact 15.6-inch display offers rich colours, the contrasts add further gloss to the content and even for normal viewing you get a pleasing experience.
The screen can bend up to 180-degrees but it doesn’t support touch input which is a rarity in this range. So, if you are someone who sees this as a useful feature, they might have to consider other options.
Snapdragon X Elite Enters The Arena
Asus is entering the new era with the new architecture that is going to shape the future of AI Windows PCs. The Snapdragon X Elite has shown promise in teasers but does the real-life performance match those claims. The new processor is able to push the heavy work to other cores so that the overall load on the hardware doesn’t strain the device.
The results are evident as we barely noticed the laptop heating up or the fans kicking in, which is a promising start. But where the X Elite really shows its worth is the power management and efficiency of the laptop that keeps it going longer than most Windows laptops that we have tested before.
As for the raw details, the benchmark scores show the nature of the processor, which can handle daily tasks and operations with ease. You can even use the laptop for heavy editing and post-prod tasks. But gaming is only suited to a point where you don’t go expecting more than it could offer even though the keys get RGB colour mode.
The app compatibility list includes the regular programs that most people need and they run by default but some of the prominent names and games are still not supported which should change in the near future. Qualcomm has talked itself up as a strong force in the segment but now we are seeing what it can bring to the market and make others stand up and notice.
The Copilot Plus Tag
Qualcomm is the only partner offering the Copilot Plus PCs in the market for now. Intel and AMD are expected to join the ranks later. The reference model for Copilot Plus PC is to offer 16GB RAM by default and 1TB SSD storage along with an NPU that supports specific TFLOPs.
The AI features are understandably part of the package and Asus is offering them with its own AI suite of tools. The screen dims when you move away, you have Windows Hello to unlock the device with your Face ID and even Paint gets some AI goodness which enhances its use case.
Battery Life That Knows No Limits
The Vivobook S15 benefits from being powered by the Snapdragon X Elite which becomes evident in the stringent battery tests. The standby power time of the laptop is impressive as you lose barely 2-3 percent after putting the laptop to sleep for over 4 to 5 hours.
On average, we got the laptop to last over 10 hours, while the PC Mark 10 scores of 14 hours are the closest we have come to the numbers offered by Macs. This laptop allowed us to forget what battery anxiety can be, especially when you have kept important work files active on the system without shutting it down for hours.
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