What the base model is capable of: ASUS Vivobook 16 (2025) laptop review

Within a single “family” of laptops, it is not uncommon to find many similar models that have both a lot in common and certain noticeable differences. By balancing various components and parts, manufacturers provide buyers with more flexible options for similar laptops. But this does not immediately help with the selection process. Just recently, we had the opportunity to get acquainted with the new ASUS Vivobook S14 model — a compact laptop with a still fairly new processor from Qualcomm and, as a result, excellent battery life. Today, we will look at a simpler version, but with a larger display — the ASUS Vivobook 16. And there are really more differences here than might seem at first glance.

Specifications of ASUS Vivobook 16

Package contents

No surprises here — the ASUS Vivobook 16 box contains the same charger as the previous guest of our editorial office. And, as in most cases, this should be enough for the average owner of this model.

However, it may be more difficult to fit larger models into existing backpacks. After all, a more voluminous body requires more space. However, for example, the ASUS Vivobook 16 fit perfectly into my backpack with a compartment that is designed for 15-inch models. But, of course, this will not always be the case, and it may not fit into compact bags.

Design and usability

The appearance of the different Vivobook versions is very similar from model to model. To be honest, at first I thought we had received the more expensive S16 version. However, despite the considerable similarity, it is still possible to tell them apart. There are differences in both dimensions and body materials. So, overall, there are things to look for when choosing between the more expensive and cheaper versions.

First, let's talk about the materials used in the body. The “older” models offer a combination of plastic and aluminum, while the Vivobook 16 is made without metal. Overall, if these factors are not important to the user, then this will not be a significant problem. Everything is assembled quite well, although the plastic is a little more susceptible to pressure. This model has also passed MIL-STD-810H testing. So, in general, if the use of metal is not at the top of your list of requirements, then the case will suit you just fine.

The dimensions of the basic models differ minimally from the more expensive versions. Thus, the ASUS Vivobook 16 case measures 357×250.7×15.9-17.9 mm. There is a slight difference, but it is not significant. Today's guest weighs 1.88 kg. It would have been possible to save a little on aluminum, but again, the difference is not dramatic. However, it is obvious that for frequent travel with a laptop, the 14-inch version will still be more convenient.

Externally, the model is also quite restrained, as is typical for the current line. There are two colors to choose from — Quiet Blue and Cool Silver — which are quite “calm” and will easily “fit” into your work and home space. You can diversify the design with a set of stickers, or leave everything as it is. However, for fans of brighter design solutions, there are more expensive options in the Zenbook line, and here ASUS does not complicate production and balances the price.

The bottom part of the top case is also quite concise. The only interesting thing here is the manufacturer's standard “trick” of separating air flows with a large leg. However, in cases where the system will not be subjected to significant loads and will be more involved in light work, this will not be so important.

So, as expected, the ASUS Vivobook 16 does not stand out much from other models in the lineup. As one of the basic offerings, this laptop does not offer anything “extra,” but at the same time, it is a well-designed and pleasant option. As a standard solution for an undemanding buyer, it is quite a good device. What's more, it has a lot of other nice features to offer.

Display

The more expensive versions of Vivobook offer a choice of displays, but the basic line-up is simpler — only the diagonal size changes. This decision is completely understandable. However, today's basic offerings are not as bad as they may seem based on previous experience. Although, of course, there is still room for improvement compared to the flagship models.

Thus, without options, the ASUS Vivobook 16 has a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels with an aspect ratio of 16:10, only a standard 60 Hz refresh rate, and a 180° viewing angle. The standard zoom is 125%, which is the minimum I find comfortable. The bezels around the screen are not exactly modest, but they are understandable. And fans of dark interfaces will be able to visually compensate for this shortcoming.

The budget IPS matrix covers 45% of NTSC. Of course, it's not a professional option. But for basic needs, the display is still not bad. The saturation could be higher, but if the user doesn't have really demanding work that requires high image quality, then this option will still be suitable. As with the Vivobook S14, which we recently reviewed, the minimum settings provided by the manufacturer will not make a significant difference in the display. Unless you want to change the color temperature a little, if you pay attention to such things.

With a maximum brightness of 300 cd/m² and a matte display coating, it is quite comfortable to work indoors. For other conditions, however, more brightness would be welcome. However, there is an automatic adjustment feature that works quite well and smoothly, which will minimally add comfort in the evening with dim lighting.

Security

It is worth noting that even the entry-level model in the lineup has a webcam shutter and additional sensors. This means that facial recognition can be used for more convenient login. The platform is capable enough to recognize the owner very quickly. The only thing is that the shutter has to be open.

At the same time, the laptop can lock itself if left unattended. When the user returns, facial recognition will also activate automatically. And if you look away from the display while working, its brightness may decrease noticeably.

Traditionally, such features are found in significantly more expensive business-class models or flagship laptops, but here the manufacturer has decided to include them in much simpler offerings. How necessary is this? That's an open question. But surely some potential buyers will find such features useful.

Ports

Most laptops in this class offer the same set of ports, and here you will find everything you need. Most of the interfaces are located on the left side of the top case, where there are a couple of USB-C 4, HDMI 2.1, combo audio, and USB-A 3.2 Gen1 ports. There is another USB-A port on the opposite side. It's a very convenient and logical layout.

It's hard to say that a traditional usage model for such a laptop would require anything more. And for those owners who use an external monitor (with a hub) and accessories at their workplace, USB-C makes it easy to connect a single cable for both connection and power.

Keyboard and trackpad

The 16-inch models in the Vivobook line logically have the same keyboards as the 14-inch models. However, they also have a “compressed” NUM pad, which will be appreciated by users who work with numbers a lot. Everything else is mostly the same: the key travel is 1.7 mm (which must be a record in this category), there is Copilot, function keys, etc. After using larger keyboards, you will still have to get used to the small navigation keys and NUM. But for those who mainly work on laptops, this process will definitely be much faster.

At the same time, this keyboard worked well for me when typing blind. What's more, it's quiet enough not to annoy the owner or those around them while working. And for added comfort in the evening, there is a three-stage white backlight that can also be automatically adjusted depending on the lighting conditions.

The 16-inch versions of the Vivobook are equipped with a slightly larger trackpad. Here, its dimensions are 130×85 mm. Its position on the top case is centered relative to the main part of the keyboard, i.e., to the left of the actual center. But I did not experience any accidental activations.

The touchpad works well and responds to gestures. ASUS has added some extra features for convenience: swiping along the sides of the trackpad lets you adjust brightness and volume, swiping along the top lets you move through your media timeline, and swiping from the top left corner to the center brings up the ScreenXpert utility. I got used to this pretty quickly, and I miss similar gestures on laptops from other manufacturers.

Camera and sound

Predictably, the ASUS Vivobook 16 has a very similar quality 2-megapixel webcam to the vast majority of such devices. With sufficient lighting, it will definitely suffice for basic video communication. And since the built-in NPU has the necessary power for Copilot+ status, there will be a couple of additional items in the set of standard Windows effects.

As with the previous Vivobook, there is only one ASUS AI Noise Cancelling option, although there should be a few more. And the noise cancellation worked better. Perhaps future updates will improve the situation. However, again, the existing microphones will still be able to meet basic needs.

The pair of built-in speakers is likely to be the same in all Vivobook versions, and their placement is also traditional — at the bottom, closer to the user. These are probably not the kind of speakers you would enjoy listening to music with, but they are sufficient for everything else, as is the volume for indoor use.

Of course, they cannot compete with external solutions. However, it is still nice that even at maximum volume, the emitters hardly distort the sound and do not create unpleasant vibrations on the top case.

Productivity and software

The most notable feature of the ASUS Vivobook 16 is its Qualcomm platform. There are not as many laptops like this as one might have imagined. And as our experience with the Vivobook S14 has shown, these models still have their own unique characteristics. But our acquaintance with today's guest has shown that this may be the exception rather than the rule.

The configuration is the same: 4-nanometer Snapdragon X X1 26 100 (8 cores, 8 threads, up to 2.97 GHz, 30 MB, up to 30 W), Adreno X1-45 video accelerator, Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (up to 45 TOPS), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3... But for the base model, there is only 16 GB of LPDDR5-8448. There is also an M.2 slot (PCIe 4.0×4, 2280), which in our case is occupied by the same 512 GB, but if necessary, the user can increase the capacity themselves. So, it seems that there is nothing special here, but everything necessary for simple work has been provided.

And, in fact, we managed to run more standard tests with the ASUS Vivobook 16. There were no significant differences in the repeated tests, and the more productive options with 3DMark and PCMark showed predictably not very high results. So yes, the laptop is quite far from being suitable for demanding tasks or games, but it is quite adequate for office work, studying, simple media processing, and everyday tasks. And in fact, it's hard to say that anything is missing for such scenarios.

AIDA still does not collect all the necessary data for stability testing, just like 3DMark. However, the latter still managed to give a rating according to which the system passed the test. As last time, normal operation did not reveal any noticeable problems either. And considering the peculiarities of working with such chips, Snapdragon deserves praise.

Even more pleasing is the fact that the system has enough battery power to maintain performance when working without a power connection. But here, too, everything will depend on the tasks that the user sets for the laptop, because even with a loss of performance in maximum energy-saving mode, it will still be possible to work comfortably.

The situation is the same with cooling: everyday tasks do not require active cooling. As with the S14, the Vivobook 16 only turned on cooling when running test applications or very briefly when charging. The rest of the time, it was possible to work in silence, or without “interfering” with background music/podcasts. In this regard, working with Snapdragon is really pleasant, and there was practically no significant heating of the case.

Experienced ASUS product users will be familiar with the set of proprietary software. For everyone else, it won't be difficult either. There's MyASUS for settings, updates, and diagnostics, as well as StoryCube for organizing photos, ScreenXpert for organizing multiple monitors, and more. And since the ASUS Vivobook 16 is also a Copilot+PC, you'll be able to get new AI features faster, try Recall, and so on.

Battery life

Where the ASUS Vivobook 16 falls slightly short of its more expensive counterparts is in battery capacity. Here, it is 50 Wh rather than 70 Wh, even though there is clearly room in the case for a larger battery. But then again, the price... However, the laptop was able to last almost 19 hours in the PCMark 10 video playback test, which is also a very decent result compared to models with “traditional” processors. So, even if the savings on the model entail certain losses, you will still be able to get through the working day without a power outlet.

And the charging situation remains unchanged. The compact power supply that comes with the laptop has a power of 65 W and takes over two hours to fully charge. At the same time, 50% is charged in just 30 minutes, which is also quite reasonable if you need a little “boost.” Overall, this undemanding system can also be charged from power banks, which can be useful on long trips.