ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW: At First Glance
The Vivibook Pro series is one of ASUS’s best mid-range offerings for multimedia and gaming purposes. One model from the ASUS Vivibook Pro series that is important to this review is the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW.
The ASUS Vivibook Pro N552VW was released almost immediately after its predecessor – ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 N551VW. Very little has changed in the physical appearance of the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW from its predecessor.
However, you will find more appealing improvements under the hood.
Having said that, let us proceed to the other sections of this review to see what the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW offers.
ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW: Design, Dimension, and Weight
Over the years, ASUS has become famous as one of the brands that design powerful laptops with sleek chassis. One of such laptops is the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW.
Most gaming laptops come with flashy, aggressive features and no regard for portability. However, the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW has a more elegant and conservative look.
Beginning with this laptop’s lid, it is made of brushed metal in dark gray. The metallic lid is furnished with concentric circles patterns, which seem to be fanning out of the ”ASUS” logo.
This ASUS logo is located in the middle of the laptop lid with a LED backlight that glows. The backlit logo gives the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW a game-centric look without exaggerating.
Meanwhile, the laptop lid can be flipped open easily with one hand, thanks to the hinges. However, do not be deceived by the flexibility of the hinges as they are definitely strong enough.
The hinges hold the lid firmly but allow easy movement of the laptop’s display screen.
Talking about the screen, you will be impressed by the 15.6” display that is surrounded by thick, black bezels. At the middle of the upper bezel, you will find a 720p resolution HD webcam.
Meanwhile, the lower bezel houses an “ASUS” logo.
For the display’s resolution, the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW is available in four different resolutions that you can choose from. This laptop comes in HD (1366 x 768) resolution and also in FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution.
Furthermore, you can also get this laptop with WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution or 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) display resolution.
Meanwhile, this review focuses on an ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW model with 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) screen resolution.
Let me quickly highlight the differences between the four resolutions that this laptop comes with. The major difference between these four resolutions lies in their brightness and clarity.
For instance, the 4K resolution display will produce clearer and sharper content than the other display options. However, as you’d expect the 4K resolution display models come with a higher price tag.
Furthermore, the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW’s screen uses LED-backlit IPS panels. Most LED panels emit blue light which may cause macular degeneration and retinal problems.
Thankfully, this laptop comes with ”ASUS Eye Care mode” which effectively reduces blue light levels to about 33% so as to protect your eyes.
When you move your gaze away from the screen to the lower part of the laptop, you will find the chiclet-style keyboard. The keys are adequately spaced and reasonably grippy.
Additionally, the keys have a key travel of 1.8 mm. This is a decent amount of key travel and it implies that only a slight force is needed to press the key.
For clarity, key travel is the distance between the time you press a key and the times it takes the key to register.
Moving on, toward the lower part of the keyboard, you will find an integrated touchpad. This touchpad is large enough, feels clicky, responsive, and accurate.
Another feature you will find on the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW is the speaker. The Bang & Olufsen speaker is located at the top of the keyboard close to the hinge.
The speaker outputs deep bass and clear vocals even at high volumes.
Moving on to the ports, the laptop chassis has enough ports that will interest you. It has 3 USB 3.0, 2 USB 3.2 Type-C, and an HMDI port located on the left side.
Meanwhile, on the right side of the chassis, you will find the Ethernet port, SD card slot, and optical drive. The optical drive comes either as a DVD writer 8X, Blu-Ray reader 6X, or Blu-Ray writer 6X depending on your choice.
However, the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW model I am reviewing comes with a DVD writer 8X as its drive. Apparently, the optical drive in a laptop contributes to the weight of the laptop.
Regarding the weight of this laptop, the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW has a weight of 2530 g. Meanwhile, for dimension, it measures 383 x 260 x 30 mm (W x D x H).
That implies that the laptop is a little bit bulky and heavy. Hence, it may not be very convenient to carry it on the shoulder (on a backpack) over a long distance.
In comparison, this laptop is slightly lighter than its predecessor ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 N551VW which weighs 2700 g.
In conclusion, the ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 N551VW has a quality build with enough port selections. However, it is quite bulky and not so convenient to carry around.
Therefore, I will be rating the ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW a nine out of ten in this section.
ASUS Vivobook Pro N552VW: Processor (CPU) Performance
Coming to the processor, the ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 N551VW features one of the best-performing processors out there. It comes with a 4-core Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor which has a base frequency of 2.60 GHz.
In addition to that, the processor has a maximum frequency of 3.50 GHz and a cache memory of 6 MB. Without a doubt, Intel Core i7-6700HQ is a powerful processor that handles computing tasks without breaking a sweat.
That said, I will like to share the processor performance of this laptop using Cinebench R15 single-core and multi-core tests. By the way, Cinebench R15 is a cross-platform test tool that is used to evaluate the performance of a computer.
Importantly, a higher score from the benchmark test translates to better processor performance.
On the single-core Cinebench R15 benchmark, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW scored 146 points. Meanwhile, in the multi-core test, it scored 673 points.
In comparison, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW scored higher than the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 15ISK 80NW in the single-core test. However, it had a slightly lesser score than the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 in the multi-core test.
Specifically, the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 scored 129 points in the single-core points and 676 points in the multi-core test. Meanwhile, the Lenovo Ideapad Y700 also uses the same Core i7-6700HQ processor as the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW.
In conclusion, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW delivered an excellent performance that is in line with other competitors in its category. Therefore, I will be rating it a nine out of ten in this processor review section.
ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW: Memory (RAM) Performance
This laptop features DDR4 memory with a standard capacity of 4 GB and a maximum capacity of 8 GB. That implies that the least memory supported by this laptop is 4 GB while the highest is 8 GB.
Although there is just one memory slot on this laptop, that will not pose a threat. Hence, if you need a higher memory on this laptop you can easily upgrade it to its maximum supported RAM.
Nevertheless, the 4 GB standard memory is sufficient for handling light multitasking. For instance, you will be able to open up to a dozen Chrome tabs without experiencing slowdowns.
Better still, an 8 GB RAM capacity will give the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW more multitasking prowess.
In addition to its multitasking ability, I will also present the RAM performance of this laptop using PCMark 10. By the way, PC Mark 10 is an industry-standard benchmark tool that is used to measure a computer’s performance.
Just like the other benchmark we discussed in the processor section, a higher score in this test also denotes better performance. Hence, in the benchmark test, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW scored 5062 points.
In comparison, ASUS X441BA-CBA6A scored 1616 points which are far lower than the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW’s score. Likewise, the HP Pavilion 15z scored 4915 points that are also lower compared to the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW’s score.
Hence, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW performed better than the competing gaming laptops in its category. Based on this impressive performance, I will rate the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW a nine out of ten in this section.
ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW: Storage Options and Performance
Coming to the storage section of this laptop, it will excite you to know that this laptop features a lot of storage options. To begin with, this laptop comes with up to a 2 TB SATA HDD with a speed of 5400 RPM.
Secondly, this laptop features a 1 TB SATA HDD which has a speed of 7200 RPM. As you can see, these two storage options are both HDDs.
However, the speed of these storage options differentiates the first one from the second storage option.
Furthermore, the third storage option in this laptop is an SSD which takes a maximum capacity of 512 GB. Lastly, this laptop comes with up to 1 TB SATA Hybrid SSHD which has a speed of 5400 RPM.
Meanwhile, the model I am reviewing ships with the fourth storage option – 1 TB SSHD. Impressively, an SSHD storage combines the fast SSD storage medium with a high-capacity HDD.
Hence, the SSHD storage option is perfect for handling whatever task you want to perform efficiently and smoothly. To prove its performance, I will be sharing its benchmark performance result from the CrystalDiskMark test.
CrystalDiskMark is a test tool that measures the read and writes speed of any storage device. By read speed, I am referring to how fast it takes the storage drive to open files.
On the other hand, write speed refers to how fast it takes a storage drive to save files. As you might have guessed, higher read and write speeds from the benchmark test denote better storage performance.
From the benchmark test, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW had a sequential read speed of 100.6 MBps. It also had a sequential write speed of 90.36 MBps.
In comparison, the ASUS X441BA-CBA6A outperformed the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW. Precisely, the ASUS X441BA-CBA6A had a read speed of 196 MBps and a write speed of 162 MBps.
Based on the information above, I will be rating the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW a seven out of ten in this storage section.
ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW: Graphics Card Performance
ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW features three graphics options to choose from. Firstly, it comes with Intel HD Graphics 530 – an integrated graphics card.
The Intel HD Graphics 530 has a base frequency of 350 MHz and a maximum frequency of 1050 MHz.
Secondly, this laptop features an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M – a dedicated graphics card. This GPU has a base and maximum frequency of 993 MHz and 1124 MHz respectively.
The difference between an integrated GPU and a dedicated GPU is that the latter has video RAM (VRAM). The dedicated VRAM in dedicated GPUs makes them more efficient for gaming.
Having said that, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M GPU has a 4 GB GDDR3 VRAM.
The last graphics option available on the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M. It is also a dedicated graphics card with a 4 GB GDDR5 VRAM.
Additionally, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M has a base frequency of 1097 MHz a boost frequency of 1176 MHz.
For the purpose of this review, we will focus on an ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics. To test the gaming capability of this GPU, I will discuss its performance in some gaming tests carried out by notebookcheck.com
Consequently, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW was able to play far cry new dawn 2019 at 27 fps on a medium setting. Likewise, it played Dark sider III at 36.8 fps on a medium setting as well.
This gaming performance shows that the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW is capable of playing most graphics-intensive games smoothly.
To further prove this graphics card performance, I will be sharing a 3DMark benchmark result with you. Briefly, 3DMark is a benchmark test tool that shows how well a computer can render 3D graphics.
Meanwhile, a higher score in the 3D Mark benchmark denotes better graphics performance. Hence, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW delivered a score of 5,277 points on this benchmark test.
Comparatively, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW scored higher than the Alienware 13 scored 4847 points in the same test. However, ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW’s score was far lower than the 22,246 points scored by the Acer Predator 15.
Therefore, based on the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW performance in the benchmark test, I will be rating it an eight out of ten in this section.
ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW: Battery Life and Performance
The ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW comes with a 4-cell 48 WHr Lithium-ion battery. ASUS advertised that this battery will deliver up to 18 hours of battery life under continuous usage.
To be honest, 18 hours of battery life is rare and hard to come by especially from a gaming laptop. Hence, I will include the result of some battery tests performed by notebookcheck.com to prove this claim.
Consequently, the battery was able to last for 5 hours 57 minutes while the laptop was on idle mode. Since this is the lightest testing condition among the battery tests carried out, the 5 hours 57 minutes from the idle test was far below ASUS’ claim.
However, by comparison, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S15 lasted 7 hours 23 minutes in the same idle test. Likewise, Dell G 7 15 battery lasted 6 hours.
Obviously, these two competitors performed better than the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW.
Other than the idle test, the laptop was also able to survive for 4 hours 28 minutes while surfing the web via WiFi. Lastly, the battery survived for just 1 hour 8 minutes on maximum load.
When it comes to charging, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW will take 2 hours 24 minutes to fully recharge from 0 to 100%. It is quite disappointing that it takes over 2 hours to fully charge the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW’s battery.
Considering these factors, I will rate the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW a seven out of ten in this battery section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW is a good laptop. It has an Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor that is capable of handling intensive computing tasks without breaking a sweat.
It also has sufficient storage capacity and a strong GPU for handling graphics-intensive tasks and gaming.
Yes, the ASUS Vivobook Pro has strong dedicated graphics cards like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M which makes it capable of playing graphics-intensive games.
The ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW is available in optional touchscreen models.
The ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW measures 383 x 260 x 30 mm (W x D x H). This implies that the laptop is a little bit bulky.
Hence, it may not be very convenient to carry it on your back for a long period of time.
As opposed to the 18 hours battery life claimed by ASUS, the VivoBook Pro N552VW was only able to last 5 hours 57 minutes in an idle test. Also, it lasted 4 hours 28 minutes in WiFi web surfing test.
Conclusion
There is a whole lot to like about the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW. It is solidly built with enough ports and an impressive stereo speaker.
Furthermore, it also has a powerful processor, sufficient storage options, and decent graphics cards. In addition to that, it is also possible to get the ASUS VivoBook Pro N552VW with a good 4K resolution display.
In conclusion, this laptop is an excellent choice for an efficient all-rounder at an affordable price. Hence, you should consider the ASUS VivoBook Pro N55 if it meets your fancy.
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