Vivobook vs ROG: Which ASUS Laptop Reigns Supreme in 2025?

Explore the ultimate showdown between ASUS Vivobook and ROG laptops of 2025. Discover which series excels in performance, design, and features to help you choose the perfect ASUS laptop for your needs.

Which ASUS Is Laptop Is Best: Vivobook Vs ROG

Which ASUS Is Laptop Is Best: Vivobook Vs ROG

You must be wondering, “Which ASUS laptop is best suited for high performance in 2025?” This comprehensive guide matches two titans of the ASUS family, the Vivobook series and the ROG (Republic of Gamers) series. While the year 2025 unfolds and each series continues the quest of shattering the existing boundaries of laptop technology, they, however, exist to suit varying profiles of users. Be it a creative professional after a lightweight, stylish, and powerful machine to help with their daily tasks or content creation, or a hardcore gamer after satisfying performance, advanced graphics, and amazing cooling for the latest demanding titles, this coverage will unveil each series’s strengths and weaknesses. We will analyze some key metrics: raw processing power, display quality, visual appeal, battery life, and, ultimately, value for money invested for you to base all decision making from getting one of these top-performing ASUS machines that put you now on top of the game right into your hands.

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ASUS Vivobook Vs ROG: USPs Defined!

The ASUS Vivobook and ROG series, in their own distinct ways, address distinct user needs; each has its own unique selling propositions. The Vivobooks,escpecially the Vivobook 16X or Vivobook Go 15, stress their versatility, portability, and style. This makes them perfect for students, creative professionals, and generally all users who need consistent performance for multi-tasking, content creation, and general productivity but at more accessible prices. Balanced specifications, slim designs, and added features for the doing-good part not just targeted at few people are their plus points. 

If Vivobooks fulfill the needs for some users’ everyday tasks, ROG (Republic of Gamers) are multitaskers gadgets for committed gaming and high-end workloads. ROG sets like Zephyrus G16 and Strix G16 are designed for hardcore gaming and other performance-hungry tasks, powered by potent dedicated graphics processors, advanced cooling systems, and high refresh rate displays; they also ensure a compelling gaming experience through sound, visual, ergonomic, and technical excellence. They are the preferred choice for serious gamers and those demanding the highest performance in graphics-rich applications.

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TopFiveProducts

ASUS Vivobook 16X 13th Gen,Intel Core i5-13420H Creator/Gaming Laptop(NVIDIA RTX 3050-4GB/16GB/512GB/FHD+/16.0

ASUS Vivobook 16X

Let your thoughts run wild and crush your games with ASUS Vivobook 16X. This beast of a 13th Gen Intel Core i5-13420H creator/gaming laptop is built to perform. It has got a dedicated NVIDIA RTX 3050 graphics card of 4GB VRAM along with 16GB of RAM, which makes it perfect for demanding applications and modern titles. The gorgeous 16.0-inch FHD+ display features an unbelievably smooth 144Hz refresh rate, bringing your graphics to life like never before with vibrant clarity and responsiveness. Whether you’re editing videos, designing graphics, or lost in the contemporary AAA games, this ASUS laptop gives you that unbridled satisfaction. The sleek Indie Black finish brings sophistication, making it your perfectly poised partner in the workplace and at play. This i5 laptop is a wise choice for students and working professionals who need superior multitasking performance.

Specifications

  • Brand: ASUS
  • Model: Vivobook 16X K3605VC‑RP412WS
  • Screen Size: 16.0″ FHD+ (1920×1200), 144 Hz
  • Processor: Intel Core i5‑13420H (8 cores, up to 4.6 GHz)
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 3050 4 GB
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Item Weight: 1.67 kg

Pros

  • Dedicated RTX 3050 GPU enables casual gaming & creative workloads
  • High refresh rate 144 Hz display offers smooth visuals
  • Backlit keyboard, includes MS Office & 1-year M365

Cons

  • Battery life is average under heavy load
  • No Thunderbolt support, and thermals can get warm during gaming

>>>C31N1907 Battery for Asus VivoBook 17 F712FA F712FB X712JA

ASUS Vivobook Go 15 (2023), AMD Ryzen 5 7520U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, FHD, 15.6

ASUS Vivobook Go 15 (2023)

Check Price

The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 (2023) is equipped for enabling smooth performance and entertainment purposes. This ultra-light thin laptop is powered by a very efficient AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor made for on-the-go usage. With its Capacious 16GB RAM and 512GB of SSD space, snappy performance and accommodating file and application storage await you. The 15.6-inch Full HD display gives a very lively and functional clean look as per the expectations of still media streaming, web browsing, and presentation work. It comes with MS Office 2021 preinstalled and thus gets you right out of the box and ready to deal with any task you wish to complete. With sleek Mixed Black finish and integrated Alexa Built-in feature, this Vivobook is a companion for students and professionals alike, as well as daily users needing a powerful yet portable device.

Specifications

  • Brand: ASUS
  • Model: Vivobook Go 15 E1504FA‑NJ542WS
  • Screen Size: 15.6″ FHD (1920×1080)
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7520U
  • RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • Graphics Card: Integrated Radeon 610M
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Item Weight: 1.63 kg

Pros

  • Slim and lightweight design, easy to carry
  • Vibrant display and decent performance for everyday use
  • Comes with MS Office 2021 and Alexa built-in

Cons

  • Entry-level processor limits multitasking and performance in demanding tasks
  • Not suitable for gaming or creative work

ASUS Vivobook 15,13th Gen,Intel Core i5-13420H(Intel UHD iGPU/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/FHD/15.6

ASUS Vivobook 15

Check out the ASUS Vivobook 15, a budget-friendly laptop, blending performance and functionality to elevate everyday computing. Equipped with the 13th Gen Intel Core i5-13420H processor and integrated Intel UHD graphics, this laptop guarantees a smooth run for everything you want to do. Enjoy smooth multitasking and lots of file storage with a whopping 16GB of RAM alongside fast 512GB SSDs for that perfect balance. Savor clear images either while working or streaming, with the full HD display of 15.6 inches working at 60Hz. Type away all night long and in all circumstances with the assistance of a backlit keyboard. Preloaded with a 1-year Microsoft 365 Basic and Office Home & Student 2024, you would be all set for productivity out of the box. The sleek Quiet Blue finish adds sophistication, combining the ASUS Vivobook laptop with elegance as students and professionals alike.

Specifications

  • Brand: ASUS
  • Model: Vivobook 15 X1502VA‑BQ836WS
  • Screen Size: 15.6″ FHD (1920×1080), 60 Hz
  • Processor: Intel Core i5‑13420H
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • Graphics Card: Intel UHD (Integrated)
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Item Weight: 1.70 kg

Pros

  • Strong CPU performance for productivity and multitasking
  • Backlit keyboard and sleek design
  • Pre-installed Office Home 2024 and 1-year M365

Cons

  • No dedicated GPU, not suitable for gaming or heavy creative tasks
  • 60 Hz refresh rate feels outdated for modern use

ROG Zephyrus G16, 16

ROG Zephyrus G16, 16

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 thus transmutes into an all-in-one supreme gaming and creative powerhouse. One of the foremost gaming laptops boasts a stunning 16-inch 2.5K OLED ROG Nebula Display capable of 240Hz, delivering colors of marvelous brightness on a deep black background for a great immersive experience. The high refresh rate combats any tearing and ghosting of images. The Zephyrus G16 manages even the most demanding games and creative tasks, powered by the new Intel Ultra 7 155H processor with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card. Enjoy staggeringly fast loading times with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM utterly speedy and the huge 1TB SSD offering plenty of storage for your entire library. This gorgeous model is Eclipse Grey in color, stylish, and power-packed alike, so this ASUS ROG laptop is a clear choice for determined gamers and creative professionals.

Specifications

  • Brand: ASUS ROG
  • Model: Zephyrus G16 GU605MV‑CO711WS
  • Screen Size: 16.0″ 2.5K OLED, 240 Hz
  • Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
  • RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD
  • Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 4060 8 GB
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Item Weight: 1.85 kg

Pros

  • Excellent performance for gaming and creative workloads
  • Stunning OLED display with 240 Hz refresh rate
  • Premium build, portable for a gaming laptop

Cons

  • Runs hot under load; may throttle during sustained gaming
  • RAM is non-upgradable (soldered) in most variants
ASUS [Smartchoice] ROG Strix G16, 16

ASUS [Smartchoice] ROG Strix G16

Dominate your true battleground in the ASUS ROG Strix G16, an excellent machine designed for gaming. The 16-inch FHD+ display with its ultra-smooth 165Hz refresh rate offers flawless frame rendering and gives you that competitive edge. The solid foundation of the chipset is rests on a killer 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13650HX processor married to crazy demands for graphics-intensive games and ease of multitasking. This GPU oozes with awesome graphics performance with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, amazing graphics, and ray tracing. 16GB of high-speed RAM with massive 1TB SSD rendering it lightning fast with more than enough storage for your entire game library. Sporting a slick Eclipse Gray finish, the ROG Strix G16 is all set to be the ultimate weapon for dedicated gamers. The ultimate gaming system comes pre-loaded with Office 21, so work and games conquer all.

Specifications

  • Brand: ASUS ROG
  • Model: Strix G16 G614JV‑N3474WS
  • Screen Size: 16.0″ FHD+ (1920×1200), 165 Hz
  • Processor: Intel Core i7‑13650HX
  • RAM: 16 GB DDR5
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD
  • Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 4060 8 GB
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Item Weight: 2.50 kg

Pros

  • Powerful CPU and GPU combo for high-end gaming
  • MUX switch, RGB keyboard, and cooling system optimized for performance
  • Good battery backup compared to typical gaming laptops

Cons

  • Bulky and heavy; not ideal for portability
  • Can get loud under stress with fan noise

Faq’s

What are the main differences between Vivobook and ROG laptops

Vivobook laptops prioritize portability, productivity, and general use with stylish designs and vibrant displays. ROG (Republic of Gamers) laptops are built for high-performance gaming, featuring powerful GPUs, advanced cooling, and high refresh rate displays.

Which ASUS laptop is better for gaming?

ASUS ROG laptops, especially the ROG Strix series like the Scar 18 or Strix G16, are better for gaming. They offer top-tier GPUs, high refresh rate displays, and superior cooling for demanding titles.

Which ASUS laptop is better for productivity and work?

ASUS Vivobook and Zenbook series are ideal for productivity and work. They offer balanced performance, excellent battery life, lightweight designs, and often stunning OLED displays for comfortable daily use.

How does battery life compare between Vivobook and ROG laptops?

Vivobook laptops generally offer significantly longer battery life due to their power-efficient components. ROG laptops, with their powerful gaming hardware, typically have shorter battery life, optimized for performance over endurance.

I FINALLY got my hands on my most anticipated gaming laptop of 2025 — and it’s a 14-inch monster

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is back for another year, and it’s about time I got to play with one.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

One of my favorite laptops of last year has been updated for 2025, and these are my initial thoughts.

Alotof laptops have graced my desk in the last few years, and most quietly fade into obscurity as I move on to newer and more interesting machines. There have been a few machines that carved out a place in my brain, though, and the successor to one such laptop is finally here.

WhenI reviewed the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024), I boldly proclaimed it the “best 14-inchgaming laptopever,” and I stood by that.ASUShas now updated the Zephyrus G14 for 2025 with newAMDandNVIDIAhardware, and made an interesting decision along the way.

I’ve been waiting for months, and Ifinallyhave the brand-new ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) on my desk — but can it hold on to its crown? After all,I recently reviewed the redesigned Razer Blade 14 (2025), and I praised that laptop on almost every front.

Ahead of my full, in-depth review, here are my initial thoughts on the brand-new Zephyrus G14, one of my most anticipated laptops of the year.

>>>ADP-180TB Charger for Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 GA403UI-XS96

What’s new with the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14?

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.The new Zephyrus G14 shares a lot with its predecessor, but now comes in two colors.

ASUS redesigned the Zephyrus G14 in 2024, and as I noted in my original review, the company prioritized a better balance between performance and portability. I wholeheartedly agreed with that decision.

In 2025, ASUS is unsurprisingly keeping to the same design, which I loved last year and still love 12 months later. However, ASUS has taken a unique two-pronged approach to the Zephyrus G14 this year.

There are actually two versions of the new Zephyrus G14, depending on what’s important to you.

ASUS updated the Zephyrus G14 with the latestAMD Ryzen AIandNVIDIA GeForceRTX 50-series hardware, which improves performance, efficiency, andAIsmarts in one fell swoop. In fact, the new Zephyrus G14 is a full-blownCopilot+ PCand benefits from all the latest and greatestAI PCfeatures.

That’s just for the higher-end configurations, though, which come with their own trade-off. There’s a second version of the Zephyrus G14, too, which rocks the same overall design, features, and 2.8K/120Hz OLED display… but it’s not quite the same laptop.

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Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

ASUS didn’t need to overhaul this design, and I’m glad it didn’t.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.However, the new Zephyrus G14 is noticeably thicker… At least with most configurations.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

You can see the new thermal hood design, which uses thicker fans for superior cooling versus last year.

If you want the true “2025” upgrade for the Zephyrus G14, you also have to accept a thicker laptop. ASUS adopted a similar thermal hood design asRazerwith the new Blade 14/16 laptops, but went the opposite direction — instead of making the Zephyrus G14 thinner, ASUS added support for more powerful (and therefore hotter) discrete GPUs.

Last year’s Zephyrus G14 was around 16mm in thickness, and the new 2025 model is around 2mm thicker in some places — but it can handle up to anNVIDIA GeForceRTX 5080 (which is a little crazy for a 14-inch laptop).

If you want the exact design as last year, you can still do that! The entry-level Zephyrus G14 isnota Copilot+ PC, though, relying on the uncommonAMDRyzen 9 270 and up to a GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. It’s absolutely less powerful and a little less future-proofed, but some will prefer the sleeker design.

It’s a unique approach, but now there’s a Zephyrus G14 for both sides.

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What’s it like to unbox the new Zephyrus G14?

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

A large box with a smaller box inside… This is pretty much identical to last year.(

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

The lack of plastic and annoyingly “artistic” packaging designs makes the Zephyrus G14 nice to open, though.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

I love that you can get the Zephyrus G14 in the “Eclipse Grey” that was exclusive to the G16 last year.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

It’s still a really good looking laptop, but I did immediately notice the added bulk.

Unboxing the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is a nearly identical experience to last year, in that you’ll be greeted with your typical, large ROG box with a much smaller box inside of it (and a third box just for the proprietary 200W charger).

There’s still a distinct lack of plastic and few weird obstructions to getting to the laptop, though, so I’ve no complaints. I will note, however, that I immediately questioned if ASUS had made the Zephyrus G14 thicker — even after not handling last year’s version for around six months.

My instincts were correct, as the new Zephyrus G14 is noticeably chunkier to help cool the more intense GPU options. Whether ASUS made the right decision here will have to wait until my full review.

How does the Zephyrus G14 compare to the Razer Blade 14?

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

I can’t hold on to the Razer Blade 14, but I still got some comparisons.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

Razer caught up with ASUS in thinness with the new Blade 14… just for ASUS to voluntarily add on a couple milimeters.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

Both laptops still basically rock the same ports, just laid out slightly differently.

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

You can see the similarities between ASUS’ and Razer’s thermal solutions — but ASUS went big where Razer went slim.

WhenI discussed whether the average person should consider buying the ultra-premium Razer Blade 14 (2025), one of my most prominent counterpoints was the existence of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.

After all, the Zephyrus G14 is a direct competitor for the Blade 14, but consistently undercuts Razer’s offering in pricing while only (at first glance) compromising on sheer build quality.

The ROG Zephyrus G14 still has the edge in pricing over the Blade 14, but I’ll need more time to decide if ASUS’ approach is superior.

Now that I’ve had some time with both 2025 iterations, how does the latest ROG Zephyrus G14 compare to the redesigned Blade 14? It’s mostly the same story, but with an interesting twist.

Razer caught up with ASUS in terms of slimness and weight with its latest Blade 14, and it’s an impressive (but much more expensive) laptop. On the other hand, ASUS made a thicker (but still lighter) laptop that now offers a higher performance ceiling.

I’ll admit that Razer’s build quality is still superior, but whether you prefer portability or power, the Zephyrus G14 still has the edge in pricing. I’ll need to spend a lot more time with the latest Zephyrus G14 to ascertain if it’s still a viable, more affordable alternative to Razer’s 14-inch flagship, though.

Should I buy the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)?

Image of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop.

I already have a great feeling about the new Zephyrus G14.

On one hand, most of what I loved about 2024’s ROG Zephyrus G14 has carried over into this year’s version. On the other hand, you can interpret the lack of change as stagnation, and pair that with the uncertainty surrounding the shift in design principles.

After a few hours with the brand-new Zephyrus G14, I’m feeling very positive overall, but I also feel that slight apprehension around ASUS attempting to shove GPUs typically exclusive to 16/18-inch laptops into a 14-inch chassis. The new Zephyrus G14 is thicker and heavier, and whether that actually translates to better performance is a question dependent on my continued testing.

A full, in-depth review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) will be coming in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, I have been loving what I’ve experienced so far. If you don’t mind the loss of AI features and would rather stick to what worked so well last year,the entry-level ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is available for$1,799.99 at Best Buy.

I’m willing to take the bet on the thicker, smarter, and more powerful Zephyrus G14, though,with my review configuration running for$2,499.99 at Best Buyor$2,499.99 at ASUS. If you’re unsure, just wait for my complete thoughts in the coming weeks.

Best laptops for teachers of 2025

Explore the best laptops for teachers, educators, and academicsApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW

With over 1800 laptops, MacBooks, and Chromebooks tested, I’ve rounded out the best laptops for teachers – I’ve largely focused on highly portable but powerful devices that deliver great performance.

My top choice overall for most educators is theLenovo ThinkPad T14s, which neatly balances good performance for the price, capably handling all day-to-day tasks like web browsing, emails, and all your office software. Better yet, I find it offers one of the best keyboards you’ll find on any laptop. It’s a legitimately great typing experience. My favorite alternatives include the ever-excellent powerhouse, theDell XPS 14, while those who want a cheap but decent laptop with good performance, I rate theAcer Aspire 5.

You can check out the full reviews below, alongside some other great machines that I find well-designed for academic use. Each model in this round-up has been comprehensively tested by me and my team. In general, I’ve stuck to 14in laptops, ideal for carrying to and from classrooms, without compromising on overall power. However, many options here also have larger-screen alternatives if you really want to drill down on the details or prefer a broader canvas for classroom and online course activities. Each model in this round-up has been comprehensively tested by me and my team.

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Best laptop for teachers overall

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 during our review
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 during our review
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 during our review
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 during our review
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 during our review
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 during our review
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 during our review

1. Lenovo ThinkPad T14s

Top of the class

Specifications

CPU:Up to Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 Pro

RAM:Up to 32GB

Screen:14in FHD

Storage:Up to 2TB

Reasons to buy

+Fast
+Thin, lightweight, beautifully designed
+Impressive performance
+Comfortable backlit keyboard

Reasons to avoid

-Older generation model now
-Fingerprint magnet
-Not repairable or upgradeable as previous generations

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s is one of the best laptops for teachers and just about every other professional. It’s our go-to device thanks to its incredibly comfortable keyboard, portability, and a 14in screen that’s bright, crisp, and big enough for most projects.

Powered by Intel and AMD chips (I recommend choosing the AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 for better cooling), performance is exceptional for most office-based tasks. We’ve experienced no issues whether we’re browsing, emailing, attending online meetings, and typing. Battery life lasted us around 8 hours, so should last most of the school day.

One reason why we use the T14s is the keyboard. Even newer ThinkPad keyboards with their shallower key travel depth provide simply the best typing experience you’ll find on a laptop. Keys are firm, with good depression, and unlike even Dell and MacBooks, never feel hard or spongy.

The device, like most ThinkPads, is somewhat expensive so this is an investment. But build quality is very robust. It’s tough, and if you kit it out with 32GB RAM (unfortunately, it’s not upgradeable), you’ll have a future-proofed device that feels durable enough to last many semesters.

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Best laptop for teachers on a budget

Acer Aspire 5  during our review
Acer Aspire 5  during our review
Acer Aspire 5  during our review
Acer Aspire 5  during our review

2. Acer Aspire 5

An affordable teaching laptop

Specifications

CPU:Up to Intel Core i7

RAM:Up to 32GB

Screen:14in / 15.6in / 17.3in FHD

Storage:Up to 1TB

Reasons to buy

+Competitive price
+Solid build, with a 1.7kg weight
+Decent battery life for the price

Reasons to avoid

-Modest performance
-720p webcam
-Limited port selection

The Acer Aspire 5 is surprisingly good considering its budget price, and we enjoyed our time using it. If you’re looking for a cheap laptop for a teacher that can survive the commute and day-to-day travel, this is an ideal pick.

It’s available in a range of specs, with the Intel Core i5 version reviewed by our team. This device also had a low 8GB, and we’d generally recommend increasing this to 16GB minimum for seamless performance. As it stands, with our review unit, we found performance very respectable when using office apps familiar to most teachers. Benchmarking the Aspire 5 resulted in a very respectable office laptop overall, especially at this price. Design, too, impressed us, feeling sturdy in hand and weighing a very portable 1.7kg.

At 6.5 hours, battery life didn’t quite last us all day during our tests, and it won’t power through complex workloads or gaming. But for a budget teacher’s laptop, the Aspire 5 offers excellent value for money.

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Best laptop for teaching online

An Acer Swift Go 14 on a desk
Acer Swift Go 14
An Acer Swift Go 14 on a desk
An Acer Swift Go 14 on a desk
silver laptop
silver laptop
silver laptop
silver laptop
An Acer Swift Go 14 laptop keyboard showing the Copilot button

3. Acer Swift Go 14

A great webcam and mic make this perfect for online classes

Specifications

CPU:Up to Intel Core Ultra 7

RAM:Up to 32GB

Screen:14in FHD / 2.8K OLED

Storage:Up to 1TB

Reasons to buy

+More than enough power for the average user
+Webcam, mic, and touchpad are very good
+Copilot AI is just a button press away

Reasons to avoid

-Not the most premium feeling laptop
-Battery life is just okay

The Acer Swift Go 14 is a well-priced laptop that’s ideal for teaching online thanks to the quality of its microphone and webcam. Yes, we don’t see it often, but this budget laptop features a 1440p at 30Hz webcam, with images coming through sharp during our review. And we found the sound quality to be excellent considering the size of this device. At 14in, it’s incredibly portable for those who need something more commuter-friendly.

The machine is available in a range of configurations, with Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, and either 16Gb or 32GB – we don’t recommend a lower RAM, as you’ll find these laptops tend to slow down during even basic tasks like browsing.

It’s not the greatest laptop we’ve ever tried – it certainly lacks the build quality of a ThinkPad or MacBook. Battery life is fair, clocking in at eight hours and 25 minutes in our tests. But for the price, and for general use, it ticks every box for online teaching.

Best Mac laptop for teachers

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW

4. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)

Ideal for teachers, educators, and anyone in academia

Specifications

CPU:Apple M4

RAM:Up to 32GB

Screen:13.6in

Storage:Up to 2TB

Reasons to buy

+M4 chip delivers top-notch performance
+Design is still the best
+All-day battery life
+Lower price

Reasons to avoid

-Apple Intelligence is still a mixed bag

The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch finally boasts the M4 chip, making it an ultra-portable powerhouse that excels in its performance. Beautifully designed and seriously lightweight, this thin laptop is perfect for teachers working across multiple locations (or those who just don’t want to be weighted down by a larger, heavier machine).

We were really impressed with how well this laptop performed during our tests. Ok, it’s not a massive leap compared to the older M3 models, but it’s still faster, delivering a smooth and responsive experience. We put this machine through its paces, running games, multiple background apps, and even 4K video editing in Final Cut Pro and the only time we noticed slowdown was during 4K edits at 120fps rather than 30fps.

With that in mind, it’s more than capable of tackling productivity apps and office software, web browsing, and emails that teachers need during day-to-day work. Battery life is also great – we clocked this at around 14 hours during standard web activities, 18 hours while just watching videos, and during mixed use, it effectively lasted the whole day before needing a recharge. That’s commendable, making it an easy pick for teachers who aren’t always right next to a mains outlet.

Even the price is great for an Apple laptop. There’s no touchscreen here, and it’s not as powerful as the MacBook Pro, but for almost any task you’ll face in the classroom, the MacBook Air will easily tackle it.

also:A2669 Battery for Apple MacBook Air 13 M2 2022 661-26150

Best Dell laptop for teachers

Dell XPS 14 review: What the XPS Plus should have been | Tom's Guide
A Dell XPS 14 on a desk
A Dell XPS 14 on a desk
A Dell XPS 14 on a desk
A Dell XPS 14 on a desk

5. Dell XPS 14

A classy classroom laptop that runs Windows

Specifications

CPU:Intel Core Ultra 7 155H

RAM:Up to 64GB

Screen:Up to 14.5-inch 3.2K OLED

Storage:Up to 4TB

Reasons to buy

+Powerful new processor
+Stunning 3.2k OLED
+Holds its own against the MacBook Pro 14-inch

Reasons to avoid

-Gets expensive quickly
-Touchbar and trackpad are accessibility challenges

The Dell XPS 14 emerges as a stellar option for educators, standing out within the prestigious XPS series with its remarkable features tailored for teaching excellence. Starting at $1,499, it combines a cutting-edge processor and up to a breathtaking 3.2K OLED display within an elegantly designed chassis that surpasses nearly every other Windows laptop in aesthetics.

While the base model may require upgrades for the dedicated Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and OLED display, investing in these enhancements, though costly, ensures a laptop that remains relevant for years, justifying the near $2,400 investment for the recommended configuration.

Notably, the XPS 14 introduces design improvements over its predecessors, such as superior top-mounted speakers alongside the keyboard, enhancing audio quality without compromising on keyboard space. Additionally, its slim bezels encase a 1080p webcam, although lacking a physical privacy shutter.

With its robust Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and Nvidia RTX 4050, the XPS 14 adeptly handles diverse workloads from routine computing to content creation, making it an invaluable tool for educators who demand reliability, performance, and style in their teaching and professional development endeavors.

Find the best deals on Dell products withour Dell promo codes.

Best dual-screen laptop for teachers

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i laptop in portrait mode, with one monitor next to the other
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i open in landscape mode with one monitor atop the other
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i laptop on a desk
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i laptop, closed, next to its Bluetooth accessories
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i in laptop mode

6. Lenovo Yoga Book 9i

Two screens are better than one

Specifications

Processor:Intel Core Ultra 7 155U

Screen size:13.3-inch (x2)

RAM:16GB

Storage:Up to 1TB

Reasons to buy

+Fantastic day-to-day performance
+Gorgeous screen and design
+Useful in multiple modes
+Comes with solid quality-of-life accessories

Reasons to avoid

-Expensive
-Limited ports
-Not powerful enough for more robust tasks

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i shines as an indispensable resource for educators, particularly those involved in extensive academic writing and research thanks to its dual-screen feature.

Great for academic professionals, the Yoga Book 9i’s flexibility delivers both laptop and tablet modes for writing, researching, and multitasking. The whole experience is seamless and performance is pretty much flawless for day-to-day use. Its robust Intel Core Ultra 7 155U processor delivers powerful performance, ensuring smooth operation across applications while maintaining efficiency to prevent the overheating issues often seen in compact laptops.

Despite its impressive dual OLED screens, the Yoga Book 9i provides good battery life – we got around seven and a half hours in laptop mode, and six hours forty-five minutes while using two screens. So, it’s a good choice for long teaching sessions or while working on publications and academic papers with a little versatility.

Though the Yoga Book 9i comes with a premium price tag, its innovative features, including the dual-screen functionality, portability, and efficient performance, make it a worthwhile investment for educators seeking a top-tier laptop.

Best laptops for teachers compared

ModelScreen sizeCPURAMStorage
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s14inUp to Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 ProUp to 32GBUp to 2TB
Acer Aspire 514in / 15.6in / 17.3inUp to Intel Core i7Up to 32GBUp to 1TB
Acer Swift Go 1414inUp to Intel Core Ultra 7Up to 32GBUp to 1TB
Apple MacBook Air 13in (M4)13inApple M4Up to 32GBUp to 2TB
Dell XPS 1414inIntel Core Ultra 7 155HUp to 64GBUp to 4TB
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i13.3in (x 2)Intel Core Ultra 7 155UUp to 32GBUp to 1TB

How to choose the best laptops for teachers?

When choosing the best laptop for teaching, there are a number of factors to consider.

Size and design

A good laptop for a teacher should light and portable – 13-15in laptops are a popular size, but we favor 14-inch laptops for a balance of screen space and portability. Depending on how much you’ll travel with the laptop, look for durable features and IP ratings of the sort you’ll find in thebest rugged laptops.

Specs

For most teaching laptops, prioritze CPU and RAM. This will ensure that apps, web browsing, and emails is fast and seamless. Unless you’re using your laptop for complex graphic design and high-resolution video editing, GPU will be less important for most office-based tasks.

Battery life

Unless you have the luxury of working near a mains or in a single location, battery life is going to be important. You’ll often need to trade performance for extended battery life, so it’s about finding the balance. However, most modern laptops offer batteries that last the working day. We run battery tests on all laptops we review.

Storage

Storage is especially for educators in academia. The best laptops for teachers have a solid-state drive (SSD), which is quicker and longer lasting than older hard drives, and more resilient. Look for those with plenty of space – 1TB is a good baseline – and pair this with thebest portable SSDsand thebest cloud storagefor backups.

Connectivity

Slim-line laptops may be great for carrying to and from classes, but they also tend to have fewer ports for connecting extra devices. If you’re not hooking up peripherals like keyboards and second monitors, . However, if you plan of using a lot of accessories, you may need to pair your laptop with one of thebest laptop docking stationsto give it extra versatility.

ARE SNAPDRAGON X LAPTOPS GOOD FOR GAMING? 

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite Performance Preview: A First Look at What's to  Come

Windows began a new chapter about a year ago when Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon X silicon, giving yet another try at the ARM architecture. Microsoft is apparently hoping to taste the success that Apple enjoyed after switching Macs from Intel (x86) to ARM-based M-series processors. The efforts paid off to a large extent. So far, I’ve tested four machines with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite, X Plus, and X processors. Interestingly, they’ve blown me away with a solid performance across the usual productivity software, paired with a stunning battery life that’s in the same league as MacBooks.

They, however, can’t handle video games. If you’re eyeing a laptop with “work and play” appeal, avoid Snapdragon-powered Windows on ARM laptops. Now, these processors aren’t bad. In fact, they even eclipse Intel’s latest Ultra silicon at raw processing power and efficiency. The problem is the architecture. Software that hasn’t been natively compiled for Windows on ARM goes through Prism emulation, which converts the x86 binaries into an ARM codebase.

With emulation comes a performance hit, even though Microsoft assures that the performance dip won’t be glaring. However, unlike emulating your average Windows software, games are an entirely different beast. The biggest challenge is drivers and the anti-cheat package. The latter simply doesn’t play well with Windows on ARM, so a healthy bunch of your AAA games simply won’t run. Then we have the situation with weak graphics on the Snapdragon silicon, which fares worse than even Intel’s Arc graphics inside laptops.

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Extremely efficient, just not at gaming

Before we dig into the numbers, let’s start with the standard precaution. Microsoft warns, “Drivers for hardware, games, and apps only work if they’re designed for a Windows 11 ARM-based PC.” Games that rely on anti-cheat software simply won’t work, unless the developer wrote an ARM-native version. That rules out titles like “Valorant,” so you’ll have to fully uninstall it. “Apex Legends,” “Diablo,” “Valheim,” and “PUBG” weren’t any different.

The situation is further complicated because anti-cheat software is not a universal concept, as different developers prefer their own flavor. The status-quo isn’t changing any time soon since game developers aren’t particularly enthusiastic about Windows on ARM at the moment. The safest bet? Stick with libraries like GOG. Then there’s the system requirement conundrum, which is only complicated by Qualcomm’s processor hierarchy. The top-tier Snapdragon X Elite, like the $1,300 one in the Dell XPS 13, is where you can imagine games running at an acceptable output. 

This silicon could only manage around 20 FPS at full-HD resolution, while the Snapdragon X Plus wasn’t too far behind, but with a lot more stutters and lags. “Skyrim” never went past 30 FPS, and frame drops were pretty frequent and heavy. If you intend to play even oldies like “GTA V,” keep textures and shadow renderings on the lowest preset to get anywhere near 60 FPS. Bells and whistles such as ray-tracing are strictly off the table.

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Look elsewhere

Trying Avowed on a Snapdragon laptop.

The situation with Snapdragon laptops is a lopsided affair. Some of the most popular titles out there, such as “League of Legends” and “Fortnite” are a no-show. If you are hoping to indulge in graphics-loaded titles such as “Elden Ring,” or even something casual like “Rocket League,” you are in for a disappointment from the get-go. The saving grace? Cloud gaming. If you are invested in the Xbox Game Pass cloud and Nvidia GeForce Now ecosystems, the Snapdragon will actually fare better than most dedicated gaming laptops for two reasons. 

First, you can pick options with OLED panels and high-refresh-rate screens. Second, the silicon is incredibly efficient, and the laptop runs pretty cool most of the time. But as you climb further down and land on the baseline Snapdragon X processor, prepare yourself for incompatibility woes, the kind you see in the images above. Just in case you’re wondering about the mid-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus, for example, it only managed about 20 FPS in “Cyberpunk 2077” at full-HD resolution and FSR enabled. 

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At the end of the day, you can get a better gaming experience on Intel or AMD-based laptops on the x86 architecture than on Snapdragon laptops. But if you predominantly enjoy the casual mobile titles and cloud gaming, go with at least the mid-tier Snapdragon X Plus variant. I would, however, recommend getting a gaming laptop instead. For around $1,000 you can already get laptops with an Nvidia RTX 4060 silicon and at least an eight-core processor from Intel or AMD.

Can Earthquake in Myanmar disrupt PC hardware production? Manufacturers are checking out

We will see about that.

SMIC

(Image credit: SMIC)

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, March 28, shaking neighboring countries including Thailand, China and Vietnam — and came close to shaking up the technology industry.

Thailand and Vietnam are major production sites for companies like Intel,Seagate, andWestern Digital. So far, these companies have not reported on damages and supply disruptions in their chains (at least, there are no appropriate filings with the SEC), but Taiwanese companies with manufacturing capacities in Thailand are indeed checking whether their capacities were disrupted and halting plants if they were, according toChina Times.

Taiwanese tech companies — including manufacturers of servers, consumer electronics, PCBs, and even satellite components such asChicony,Delta Electronics,Zhen Ding Tech, andInventec— responded swiftly to the Myanmar earthquake. Most operate factories in Thailand and, despite strong tremors, reported no injuries or major damage.

Actions included temporary shutdowns, equipment checks, and staff evacuations, with operations resuming shortly after safety was confirmed. In fact, many of these companies are expanding production capacity in Thailand as part of their Southeast Asia shift from China. Many current facilities are located far from the quake’s epicenter and remained largely unaffected, at least according to the report.

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ODM manufacturer Inventec said its Thai operations in Samut Prakan and a nearby rented laptop factory were unaffected and running normally. Keyboard maker Chicony confirmed all staff were safe and production was ongoing.Quanta Computerconfirmed no immediate problems but would issue updates if anything changed.Zhen Ding (Zhishen)and surveillance tech firmVivotekalso reported no damage or disruption at their Thailand sites.

Delta Electronics carried out a full evacuation at its Thai plant after feeling tremors; the company confirmed structural safety within an hour, and resumed normal operations. Lite-On also reported no impact from the quake.

King Yuan Electronics, an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test company, and c Global Communication, satellite communications, reported no damage at their Thai facilities. Their plants in Rayong and Chonburi were inspected and declared safe, and operations continued without interruption.

Major PCB makers in Thailand also reported no disruption. Zhen Ding Tech said its Prachinburi facility was unaffected and running as usual.Compeqconfirmed brief evacuations but no operational issues.Unimicronwas not impacted due to its distance from the epicenter.Thai Linconfirmed full operational continuity and employee safety.

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Asia Optical stated that its Yangon site in southern Myanmar and its northern Myanmar subcontracted plants, all single-story structures, were unaffected. Its subsidiary, Asia Tech Imaging, confirmed no issues. Contract manufacturer Kinpo said its Thai production lines were operating normally with no injuries or construction delays.

Asus confirms changes to Q-Release Slim PCIe motherboard ports

Asus appears to have made some adjustments to the Q-Release Slim PCIe slots on its latest motherboards.

Asus quick release slim pcie motherboard

Image: Asus

Asus has been having some trouble with its high-end gaming motherboards. As the newest graphics cards launched, reviewersnoticed some scratches and chipson motherboards with the Q-Release Slim system, which lets you pull a card out of its PCIe slot without using latches or buttons. Based on some retail photos, the latest Asus motherboards seem to have revised the problematic slots.

Update, March 26th:An Asus representative confirmed toDutch site Tweakers.netthat the Q-Release Slim ports have been redesigned. Machine-translated quote:

Yes, a change has been made to the Q-Release Slim system for new X870 motherboards. Based on user feedback, we have modified the PCIe slot for the Q-Release Slim system, including removing a metal component to reduce the possibility of damage to the video card. In addition, stickers have been added to the system to inform users about ‘correct system usage.’

The original story from March 14th continues below.

图像

Twitter/X account Uniko’s Hardwarespotted a visibly distinct latch mechanism on the Asus X870E Apex motherboard, which isnow up for pre-order on Newegg. They speculate that the bracket between the initial retention peg (that first cutout section on the slot of the GPU itself) and the x16 pin area removed a metal bar. It looks like it’s either plastic or a much different, thinner metal construction now.

We’re talking abouttinyrevisions of a fairly involved design here, butas VideoCardz.com notes, it makes sense that Asus would want to get the design right on its most expensive motherboards. Q-Release Slim is a feature on only a few Asus motherboards, with the intended function being the ability to remove a heavy GPU with one hand and a slight pulling motion from the front but not the middle.

Q-Release (sans Slim) offers a more straightforward option, an extended lever and button that essentially moves the hard-to-reach retention clip to a far more accessible spot on the motherboard. After years of being careful with the sometimes-finicky process of installing and removing GPUs, it feels unnatural to simply grab and yank one out without some secondary protection.

Once again, I’ll point out that the scratching issues on Q-Release Slim motherboards have only been noticed by professional graphics cards testers and reviewers, who plug in and remove cards way more frequently than most at-home desktop PC builders. And even among that small batch of reports, damage to the GPU connections has been entirely cosmetic with no functional issues.

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But if I were spending two grand (or more) on a new graphics card and another several hundred dollars on a top-of-the-line motherboard to go along with it, I wouldn’t want the latter to scratch up the former. Asus seems to have acknowledged this, if only fleetinglywith some official statements. But yeah, it’s probably worth a little more R&D if they want to keep this feature alive for future motherboard designs.

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The adjusted slots are only on pre-order pages so far, so we’ll have to wait for reviews to see if the new Q-Release Slim mechanism is improved.

Chromebook keyboard shortcuts for students: 19+ tricks to supercharge your studies

Everyone loves cheat codes, and here are the best ones for Chromebooks

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 review

Acer Chromebook Spin 713

Chromebooks have become a favorite amidst students for completing school work, and any parent would want their child to work smarter, not harder. This is where convenient keyboard shortcuts come in, as they can save students time and energy, allowing them to focus on their assignments first and foremost.

Chromebooks are among some of thebest laptops for collegethanks to their affordable cost and easy-to-use operating system, which makes it convenient for the work expected of most students. Whether it’s browsing the web, using Google’s suite of apps like Sheets or Docs, or usingAndroidand Google applications to perform tasks, it’s lightweight and convenient. 

Batterymap has reviewed some of thebest Chromebooksyou can buy, and as a result, we have picked up many tips and tricks to ensure you and your student get the most out of the Chromebook experience. These keyboard shortcuts are game-changing and great to know, as they will improve your student’s workflow and ability to get things done.

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Best general Chromebook keyboard shortcuts

The first set of Chromebook shortcuts are universal, and can be used on any website or app. They will keep you productive and help you personalize your user experience, alongside convenient features like hiding certainwindows, taking screenshots, or zooming in.

  • Tab shortcuts: Ctrl + T opens a new tab, Ctrl + Shift + T re-opens the last closed tab, and Ctrl + W closes the currently selected tab.
  • Options menu: Alt + E opens the options menu (the three-dot menu in Google Chrome and Google Files). This shortcut does not work while using Android apps.
  • Cursor selection and movement: Shift + arrow keys selects text in the direction you move the cursor, and Ctrl + arrow keys moves the cursor one word to the left, right or to the beginning of the line above or below. Using Shift + Ctrl + arrow keys allows you to select larger portions of text quickly.
  • Screenshot: Ctrl + Overview (the button that looks like a stack of windows) takes a screenshot of your current full Chromebook screen. Whether you need this for capturing the result you got on a web quiz, how a homework module is misbehaving, or something funny that someone said in a group chat, it’s an essential shortcut to know.
  • Screen zoom: Ctrl and + zooms in and magnifies the current tab of Chrome, while Ctrl and  zooms out and shrinks the current tab of Chrome. If you want to return quickly to 100% default zoom, you can do so with Ctrl and 0.
  • Hide your game/tab: Alt and – will minimize the current window. If you have multiple windows open, hitting Alt and – again will minimize the next open window. If you only have one window open on your Chromebook, hitting Alt and – again will restore that minimized window.
  • Split-screening windows: Alt and [ pins the current window to the left side of the screen.Alt and ] pins the current window on the right side of the screen, making it far, far easier to reference your notes while you write your history report or helpful technology articles. Alt and = will make a window full-width again without making it fullscreen, which hides the address bar, tabs, and toolbars.

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Best Google Docs and Google Drive shortcuts

There are a ton of Google Drive and Google Docs shortcuts that users can use; we aren’t even able to share all of them. There are that many. However, the keyboard shortcuts selected are the ones you need to know. Let’s start with theGoogle Drive shortcuts first. 

  • Display all the keyboard shortcuts with: Ctrl + /
  • Document creation: Shift + T creates a new Doc, Shift + S creates a new Sheet, and Shift + F creates a new Folder. If you’re going to be using Google Drive for all your notes, homework, and random daydreaming stories throughout the year, create folders early and often to keep things organized.
  • Rename items: Tapping N pops up the window to rename the currently selected item. Naming screenshots, other randomly named images and downloaded attachments will keep things better organized and easy to find in your Google Drive.
  • Scroll up, down, left, and right with the j k h l keys if you don’t want your fingers leaving the keyboard.

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Google Docs keyboard shortcuts

  • Clear formatting: Ctrl + \ will clear any weird formatting off of a website or app. On that note, remember that Ctrl + Shift + V is the shortcut for pasting text without formatting.
  • Formatting lists: Ctrl + Shift + 7 will toggle on a numbered list or format highlighted text into a numbered list. Ctrl + Shift + 8 will do the same with a bulleted list.
  • Word count: Ctrl + Shift + C will bring up the word count screen, showing how many pages, words, and characters are in a highlighted section and the full document, so you know how close you are to that 10,000-word essay your English teacher assigned.
  • Voice typing: Ctrl + Shift + S will start voice typing, allowing you to dictate text to your document without having to type it all out.
  • Jump to top or bottom: Ctrl + Search + left arrow will take you to the beginning of your document while Ctrl + Search + right arrow will go to the end.
  • Insert links: Ctrl + K will open the insert link window in Google Docs, allowing you to create a new hyperlink for text or add a hyperlink to the text you had currently highlighted.

Files Shortcuts

The Files application on Chromebook is like a secret agent very few know about or discuss, but it does some pretty great things. Since it syncs with Google Drive,ChromeWeb Store add-ons like OneDrive or Dropbox, and whatever extra cloud storage you may use, it comes in handy as it allows you to updates to those files right from your Chromebook. 

To further the convenience, using these keyboard shortcuts will speed up the process. 

  • Folder creation: Ctrl + E creates a new folder.
  • Rename items: Ctrl + Enter to rename the selected item. I find this goes quicker in Files than on the Google Drive site because you don’t have to deal with pop-up windows or the window reloading after renaming a file. Ctrl + Enter, type in the new name, tap Enter, then arrow key over to the next item and repeat.
  • Delete items: Alt + Backspace to delete an item from a folder. Items deleted from a Google Drive folder in the Files app still go to the Google Drive trash folder, so you can recover them within a number of days if you find you deleted something on accident.

These are just some of the relevant keyboard shortcuts for Chromebook users. Plenty more are available, and you can always display all the keyboard shortcuts for your Chromebook by simply hittingCtrl + /.Then, a popup menu will appear with the entire list of Google Chromebook keyboard shortcuts you can use.

I spent a month with the dual-screen Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 — it’s amazing except for one thing

Asus takes the dual-screen laptop throne, but at what cost?


Verdict
This year’s Asus Zenbook Duo is vastly improved in (almost) every way, thanks to the new Intel Core Ultra 200 series chip providing a welcome turboboost to performance and graphics. But heads up — that change brings a drop in battery life.

Pros

  • +Intel Core Ultra 200 series brings a big speed boost
  • +Those dual OLED panels are *chef’s kiss*
  • +A dual-display build quality that is actually durable
  • +Still the best Keyboard and touchpad on a dual-screen laptop
  • +Runs vastly cooler and quieter than last year

Cons

  • -Battery life takes a hit
  • -Webcam could be improved
  • -We still need more ports!

Last year,Asusproved that dual-screen laptops are much more than a gimmick. And now, the Asus Zenbook Duo is back and better than ever…in all areas except for one.

This continues the company’s reign atop the pile of dual screens and foldables, and is easily one of thebest laptopsyou can buy in 2025. The dual 14-inch 3K OLED displays and the best detachable keyboard and touchpad in the business make this the same multitaskingmarvelyou know and love. But the one twist here is the generational upgrade to theIntelCore Ultra 200 series.

With Team Blue’s new chips, you can expect a beasty jump in performance and graphics — completely eliminating any signs of stuttering whatsoever and even giving it some strong gaming performance to boot. Of course, that integrated GPU is for more serious things like faster Photoshop processing and AI task completion, but now the new ultimate distraction is being able to play some AAA titles on one screen with your workload on the other.

But to get here, some of last year’s compromises shine a little brighter here. The limited port array has not changed, and I do miss an SD card slot here. The speakers are louder, but it does emphasize the tinniness of them. And that new chipset takes a bigger hit on the battery life than last year.

However, just as some of these were priced in and overwhelmed by the joy of using a dual-screen laptop last year, any frustrations melted away when you really get into your flow and embrace the ocean of space for snapping windows all over the place and getting stuff done after.

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Asus Zenbook Duo (2025): Cheat Sheet

  • What is it?This is a dual-screen laptop — the second generation in this new lineage of the Zenbook Duo
  • Who’s it for?Do you work at your best over multiple monitors? Then this is the laptop for you.
  • What’s the price?The starting price for the Asus Zenbook Duo is $1,599.
  • What do we like about it?The jump to the Intel Core Ultra 200 series provides impressive gains in performance and graphics — making that multi-screen multitasking all the more sweet. Plus the detachable keyboard and touchpad are still the best you can get in a dual-screen laptop.
  • What don’t we like about it?The port array is still limited, and the battery life takes a bigger hit with the power upgrade.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2025): Specs

 Asus Zenbook Duo
PriceFrom $1,599
DisplayDual 14-inch 3K OLED displays, 16:10 aspect ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, 500 nits peak brightness
CPUUp to Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
MemoryUp to 32GB LPDDR5x
StorageUp to 1TB PCIe Gen 4
Ports2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Audio jack
ConnectivityWi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions12.3 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches (with Bluetooth keyboard)
Weight3.8 pounds

Asus Zenbook Duo (2025): The ups

Jumping back in with the Zenbook Duo reminded me of just how much I missed using the original around this time last year — further emphasized with some solid improvements under the hood.

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Speed boosts

Moving to Intel’s Arrow Lake CPU has breathed new life into a whole array of Windows laptops, and the Zenbook Duo is no different. You’re looking at around a 20% gain in CPU performance over last year’s model, a 2x speed boost in transcoding, and a vastly faster SSD, too — all while running impressively cooler.

LaptopGeekbench 6 single-coreGeekbench 6 multicoreSSD transfer rate (MBps)
Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) (Intel Core Ultra 9 285H)2952160481825.6
Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) (Intel Core Ultra 9 185H)2475128671349.4
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (Snapdragon X Elite)2813144321001.2
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (Intel Core i7-1355U)240585231296.2

But on top of that, you’re getting huge gains in graphics, too. Intel put a lot into giving its integrated GPU a serious tune-up, and you can even run some solid AAA titles at respectable frame rates here.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 5dcf55e03f589e411f2bfceabb535560.png

What this means is a better-focused balance on the things that would matter to you, the user. Better multitasking performance and faster speeds when doing GPU-intensive tasks like rendering video on CapCut.

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An OLED stunner

Yes, brightness-wise, Asus’ OLED displays are still a little on the dimmer side (same as you’ll find with a lot of OLED laptops), but the trade-off is a flash flood of color that looks simply gorgeous from every angle. Not only that, but you’re getting doublethe eye candy with impressively fast, latency-free multitouch.

LaptopDCI-P3 color gamut (%)Average brightness (nits)
Asus Zenbook Duo (2025)86.3%330.2
Asus Zenbook Duo (2024)80.5%350.8
Microsoft Surface Pro 11115.2%564.2
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i135.4%359.8

Plus, that high DCI-P3 color gamut assures confidence in tone correctness when editing photos on this screen. From the crispiness of the 3K resolution to the smoothness of that 120Hz refresh rate, these are always a sight to behold. Just keep it away from bright sunlight.

Still my favorite way to multitask on the go

I’ve tried foldable laptops and other dual-screen systems, and the Asus Zenbook Duo stands head and shoulders above the pack. This comes down to figuring out the fundamentals and making the idea of a double-display appealing to the mainstream rather than just being a super expensive dream for the richer folk amongst us. I mean, for what you get, $1,599 is real value for money here.

It starts with a military-grade, durable build quality — something I find lacking in the others that I feel I have to treat like fine jewelry. The thickness increases with a second panel, of course, but the respectable weight and dimensions mean I had no problem popping this aluminum-shelled utilitarian beauty in my backpack to work from the bar. Do the patrons of the bar look at my setup? Of course, but stay jealous, guys!

LaptopDimensionsWeight
Asus Zenbook Duo (2025)12.3 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches3.8 pounds
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i11.8 x 8.0 x 0.6 inches3 pounds
Microsoft Surface Pro 1111.3 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches2 pounds

Next is the keyboard and touchpad. Ergonomics can be easily forgotten in dual-screen workstations, with just a squishy Bluetooth keyboard coming with it. Here, the full-size chiclet keyboard and physical touchpad are attachable by pogo pins to keep it charged for 10 hours of use, and the tactile feel of this board makes it a joy to type and click on.

And finally, it’s the versatility of it. The hinge really comes in clutch here to allow you to use these screens both horizontally and vertically — to either really give you that 16:10 widescreen viewing experience or the height to see a full document on each screen.

Asus really steers into it with the software too, as you can either replicate what you see on one screen to the second screen to share with someone else, snap windows all over the place to get 8 apps running at once, or even have one app spread across both screens with simple gesture control.

My personal favorite way of using it is to haveSpotify, notes and my email running on the bottom panel, along with Photoshop for quick edits andChromerunning up top.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2025): The downs

But while Asus gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. Not to say it’s all intentional — just a circumstance of some of the decisions being made here.

The port array is still lacking

It’s not Apple levels of stinginess, but this identical port array to last year’s model is just as restricted. With just two Thunderbolt 4, one USB-A and HDMI 2.1 ports (alongside a headphone jack, of course), this is missing out on some of the convenience you’d find in other Asus laptops.

You’ve got this GPU power to render edited content, so where’s the SD card reader to get that content off my camera in the first place? And an additional USB-C port wouldn’t hurt.

Battery life takes a bigger hit

I was quietly optimistic that moving to the more power-efficient Intel 200 series would alleviate some of my battery life anxiety about the original Zenbook Duo. But it turns out I was wrong.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is e82249eda8de148cf0c6bdbaf41dfc86.png

This is the battery life if the panels run at 120Hz. If you turn it down to 60Hz, you can squeeze a full working day out of this (nearly 10 hours with one display). But that is quite a dip in stamina in our rundown test.

In real-world use, which involves some rather strenuous multitasking between 20+ Chrome tabs, Spotify playing in the background and a lot of Photoshop editing, just make sure you’re near a power outlet.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2025): Verdict

Asus Zenbook Duo 2025

Improvements and compromises — that’s the technical story of the new Asus Zenbook Duo. But when you actually use this in person, a lot of those gripes fade away in favor of what looks set to be one of my favorite laptops of the year.

That multitasking versatility in a durable, reliable laptop shell is just something you can’t find anywhere else, and Asus has refined the formula with a spec bump that brings strong gains where it matters. You’ll miss the second screen going back to other laptops if you use this.

Best phone battery life in 2025: The longest lasting smartphones

These are the smartphones with the best phone battery life based on our tests

If you had asked me a few years ago what I considered to be the weakness of modern smartphones compared to older phones, I’d have said the battery. When you look at phones from before modern smartphones, the batteries would last days compared to hours of smartphones.

However, we have seen some amazing progress when it comes to modern smartphone battery longevity. There are now smartphones that don’t need to be charged throughout the day and can happily run without issue for more than 16 hours. And the figures to be the case throughout 2025, as the latest top-of-the-line silicon includes power management features among its top benefits.

So far we’ve tested two devices that run onQualcomm’sSnapdragon 8 Elitechipset. Both of those phones — theAsus ROG Phone 9 Proand theOnePlus 13— finish first and second on our list of long-lasting phones. With more Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered phones on the way, we expect the top of our best phone battery life list to get very crowded very soon.

For a phone to even be considered for inclusion on our list of long-lasting devices, it needs to hold a charge for at least 14 hours while surfing the web. Even then, you may not make the cut as the Motorola Razr Plus 2024turned in a time of 14 hours and 10 minutes and just missed cracking the top 15. That’s still pretty impressive, given that the Razr is a foldable device, and those phones have traditionally struggled with battery life.

The test numbers we use in the above chart reflect the results we got when testing each phone at their default setting for a display’s refresh rate. Often, that means a phone can adjust that rate during our test. We believe that using the default setting is the best way to get comparable results, but since we also test at different refresh rate settings to see what impact that can have on battery life, we’ll note in the write-ups below when phones produced significantly different results after adjusting the refresh rate on their displays.

We’ve also adjusted the times of some recently released phones as we’ve had a chance to run additional battery tests on them. The numbers in our battery life rankings reflect averages calculated from multiple tests.

Best phone battery life at a glance (hours:minutes)

  1. Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro:20:34
  2. OnePlus 13:19:45
  3. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro:18:48
  4. OnePlus 12R:18:08
  5. iPhone 16 Pro Max:17:17
  6. OnePlus 12:17:05
  7. Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra:17:01
  8. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:16:45
  9. iPhone 16 Plus:16:29
  10. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus:15:58
  11. Moto G Stylus 5G (2024):15:01
  12. CMF Phone 1:14:47
  13. Moto G 5G (2024):14:36
  14. Nothing Phone 2a:14:28
  15. iPhone 15 Plus:14:14

>>>LZ50 Battery for Motorola Moto G 5G Plus

The best phone battery life in 2024

The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro's AniMe lights system showing the phone's battery level

1. Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro (20:34)

Asuscontinues to set the battery life standard with its ROG phones. The latest entry, the ROG Phone 9 Pro pushes things out even further, with the phone posting an average time of 20 hours and 34 minutes on our battery test. That time came with the phone’s display set to an adaptive refresh rate. Locking the screen at its highest refresh rate — 165Hz — did put a hit on battery life, cutting the ROG Phone’s performance by nearly 6 hours. But even that 15-hour, 41-minute time would have put the ROG Phone 9 Pro in 10th place on our best phone battery life list.

Yes, the big battery inside the ROG Phone 9 Pro helps provide multi-day battery life. But the 5,800 mAh power pack has some help from the power-efficientSnapdragon 8 Elitechip running the show. This chipset figures to power a lot of top Android phones coming out in the next year, so the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s battery performance is an exciting preview of what to expect even if you’re not necessarily inclined to get a gaming phone.

On the charging front, support fot 65W means you can top off the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s battery quickly. In our tests, we got a drained phone to a 74% charge after 30 minutes. Combine that charging speed with the epic battery life, and you’ll never need to worry about a gaming session cut short.

OnePlus 13 review: undercuts and outperforms | T3

2. OnePlus 13 (19:45)

The first major flagship phone released in 2025 also delivers impressive battery life, as the OnePlus 13 approaches the 20-hour mark on our battery test. Certainly, the 6,000 mAh power pack plays a big role in that longevity, but like the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, the OnePlus flagship reaps the benefits of the Snapdragon 8 Elite and its more efficient performance.

You’ll also get blazing fast charging speeds — 80W in in the U.S. and 100W in other parts of the world. Using an 80W charger in our testing, we got a drained OnePlus 13 up to a 92% charge after 30 minutes. Wireless charging is fast, too, with the OnePlus 13 supporting 50W wireless speeds.

พรีวิว Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro เรือธงของสายเกม

3. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro (18:48)

The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has been surpassed by its successor, even if the older phone’s 18 hour, 48 minute time on our test still impresses. If you can find the phone at a discount, the ROG Phone 8 Pro is still a good gaming option when you don’t want battery life concerns interrupting your gameplay.

While the ROG Phone 9 Pro made a big lead ahead of the ROG Phone 8 Pro’s time, this model improved on its successor by just 16 minutes on our test. Of course, the ROG Phone 8 Pro did that with a smaller battery than its predecessor, making its result look even more impressive.

Like the ROG Phone 9 Pro, you get a 65W charger with the ROG Phone 8 Pro, and charging results were similar — 71% on a drained phone after 30 minutes of charging. By 50 minutes, the phone was completely charged. So you’re never really out of the game with this long-lasting phone from Asus at your side.

4. OnePlus 12R (18:08)

TheOnePlus 13Ris on its way, but for now, the OnePlus 12R delivers the best battery life of any midrange model. If you need to squeeze even more battery life out of the phone, you can adjust its refresh rate, as that produced a result a few minutes shy of the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro’s pace, which was the standard back when we tested the 12R last year.

A chunky 5,500 mAh battery helps this phone last throughout the day and then some on a single charge, but credit should also go to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which powers many of the other devices on our best phone battery life list.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 may be an older chipset, especially with Snapdragon 8 Elite phones now emerging, but that’s what allows OnePlus to offer the 12R at such a low price, particularly in the U.S. You can buy a $499 model with 128GB of storage in the U.S., while the OnePlus 12R starts at $599 for 256GB of storage in other parts of the world.

Even with that lower price, the OnePlus 12R doesn’t skimp on OnePlus’ trademark fast-charging. With 80W wired charging speeds in the U.S., we got the phone to a 96% charge after 30 minutes. Don’t expect wireless charging, though.

iPhone 16 Pro Max review: Apple Intelligence is decent, but the new video  capabilities are what really shine

5. iPhone 16 Pro Max (17:17)

Additional testing dropped the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s average time from its high of 18:06 to 17:17, but don’t be disappointed by that. This is still the longest-lasting phone Apple has ever offered.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max not only features a larger battery, but the A18 Pro silicon running the show exhibits excellent energy efficiency. TheiPhone 16 Proalso runs on an A18 Pro chipset, and it just missed making our list even though it has a much smaller battery than the Pro Max.

Despite reports that 45W charging might be possible the iPhone 16 Pro Max is limited to 30W charging speeds, which helps it get to a respectable if not overwhelming 55% charge after 30 minutes.

OnePlus 12 review: smartphone left behind by top rivals | Smartphones | The  Guardian

6. OnePlus 12 (17:05)

The OnePlus 12 gives way to the OnePlus 13, not only as the latest flagship phone from the phone maker but also in terms of battery life. It may finish 2.5 hours behind its successor on our battery test, but the OnePlus 12’s time of 17-plus hours is nothing to readily dismiss — this is a long-lasting phone that makes the most of its 5,400 mAh battery and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Curiously, locking the display’s refresh rate at 120Hz adds another half-hour or so to the test result, instead of the default adaptive setting.

Unlike the OnePlus 12R and 13R, the OnePlus 12 offers wireless charging, which makes its welcome return to OnePlus’ flagships. Wired charging supports 80W speeds in the U.S., compared to 50W wireless speeds.

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra review: a flagship fone you might overlook - but  shouldn't | Creative Bloq

7. Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra (17:01)

At this point, it would be a surprise if Asusdidn’tproduce a long-lasting phone. The Zenfone 11 Ultra joins the last two ROG Phones in dominating our battery life rankings. In the case of the Zenfone 11 Ultra, the phone average just over 17 hours on our battery test with its 6.78-inch display set to an automatic refresh rate. In some test runs, the Zenfone got very close to the 18-hour mark, so count on all-day battery with this device.

Even better, the Zenfone 11 Ultra’s appeal goes beyond endurance and gaming, as Asus has equipped the phone with an especially bright and colorful display. We appreciate how a 6-axis gimbal boosts the stability of the phone’s 50MP main camera, even if we wish that the photo-processing capabilities were a little more refined. You can enjoy 65W wired charging, too, though you will need to provide your own charger to take full advantage of that feature.

8. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (16:45)

Meet the longest-lasting Samsung flagship phone we’ve ever tested — at least until the Snapdragon 8 Elite-poweredGalaxy S25models arrive later this month. The Galaxy S24 Ultra finished 15 minutes shy of the 17-hour mark, beating out last year’s flagship phone from Motorola by nearly an hour. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra finished 2.5 hours ahead of the best performing iPhone 15 model, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has since come along to take the S24 Ultra’s long-lasting flagship crown.

Samsung didn’t increase the battery size in the Galaxy S24 Ultra — it remains at 5,000 mAh. So we have to credit the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset powering the phone for its excellent efficiency. It’s also worth noting we recorded that time with the S24 Ultra’s adaptive refresh rate turned on, so the Qualcomm chipset does a great job managing power.

Charging speeds remain at 45W, but we managed to get a 71% charge after 30 minutes using a 45W USB-C charger. Samsung doesn’t include such a charger with its phone, so if you want top charging speeds, you’ll need to pick up this accessory on your own.

I upgraded to the iPhone 16 Plus–and I have thoughts | Macworld

9. iPhone 16 Plus (16:29)

The iPhone 15 Plus wowed us last year by offering 14 hours and 14 minutes of battery life — exceeding the performance of the iPhone 15 Pro Max in the process. While the iPhone 16 Plus finished behind the iPhone 16 Pro Max, it did gain a considerable boost to its longevity over its predecessor.

Specifically, the new model posts a 2 hour-plus gain in our battery test, which is pretty impressive for a phone that already held out a long time on a charge. Credit is likely split between the improved power efficiency of the A18 chipset inside the iPhone 16 Plus and the fact that Apple equipped the phone with a bigger battery. (Just how big, Apple hasn’t said, but expect that information to come out, once people get a chance to teardown the phone.)

As for charging, you’re looking at regaining 55% in 30 minutes, which matches the charging results we recorded with Apple’s more expensive Pro models.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus is still the awkward middle child — time to drop  it? | Tom's Guide

10. Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (15:58)

The Galaxy S24 Plus lasts about an hour less than the slightly larger Galaxy S24 Ultra on a charge, though if you turn off the adaptive refresh rate on the Plus, you wind up with Ultra-like longevity. Even finishing just shy of 16 hours with the adaptive refresh rate turned on is an excellentresult for a phone with a 4,900 mAh battery and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. (At least in North America — S24 Plus models in the rest of the world use Exynos 2400 silicon.)

Charging speeds haven’t changed from the Galaxy S23 Plus, as the S24 Plus charges at 45W wired. With a compatible charger, we got a drained Galaxy S24 Plus to a 72% charge in 30 minutes, similar to what we saw with the S24 Ultra.

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) review: you should buy this $400 phone | Digital  Trends

11. Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 (15:01)

Motorola’s G series phones have a strong reputation for lasting a long-time on a charge. The best of the bunch from this year’s batch of G series updates is the Moto G Stylus. It lasted a little more than 15 hours on our test, and that was with the 6.7-inch display’s refresh rate alternating between 60Hz and 120Hz. Turn off that default feature, and you can push that average time to 15 hours and 55 minutes.

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) gives you more than just a massive battery and fast 30W charging speeds. It comes with a built-in stylus that’s useful for scribbling notes or sketching on the phone’s display. The Moto G Stylus may lack some processing muscle and its cameras are passable at best, but for less than $400, you get a bright display, a stylish design and all the battery life you could ask for.

12. CMF Phone 1 (14:47)

There’s a lot about the CMF Phone 1 from Nothing that will take you by surprise, whether it’s the low price or the handset’s modular design that lets you attach different cases and accessories to its back. But high on the list of welcome surprises is just how long this phone can last on a charge.

In our testing, the CMF Phone 1 was able to scroll the web continuously for 14 hours and 47 minutes. It achieved that average with its display locked on the default High setting, which supports a 120Hz refresh rate. Go with the Standard setting that turns off the faster refresh rate, and you can squeeze more batter life out of the CMF Phone 1, as we managed to get results that topped 15 hours.

Nothing includes support for 33W wired charging, which helps a drained phone get up to 62% capacity after 30 minutes. All this comes in a phone that costs less than $300 — a very good bargain for a long-lasting device with more than a few tricks up its sleeve.

13. Moto G 5G 2024 (14:36)

One of the least expensive entries on our best phone battery life list, the Moto G 5G (2024) proves once again that Motorola’s G series of budget phones can be counted on to last a while on a charge. In this case, the latest edition of the Moto G 5G lasted more than 14.5 hours — and that time was recorded with the phone’s 6.6-inch display set to its automatic refresh rate that can scale up to 120Hz.

A fast-refreshing display and long battery life underscore the value of the Moto G 5G, which costs just $199. You’ll make some trade-offs for that price — mostly in processor speed and photo quality — but longevity isn’t something you need to worry about sacrificing.

14. Nothing Phone 2a (14:28)

With the arrival of the CMF Phone 1, theNothing Phone2a is no longer Nothing’s least expensive option nor its longest-lasting device. And yet, the Nothing Phone 2a is still a battery champion, thanks to the tandem of a 5,000 mAh power pack and a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset that helped it turn in a time of 14 hours and 28 minutes on our battery testing. Turning of the default adaptive refresh rate, and going with the High setting improves the time to 15 hours.

Fast-charging is something you typically don’t find on cheaper phones, and yet the Nothing Phone 2a can charge at 45W with a wired connection. For less than $350, that’s an impressive set of power management features.

15 Plus thoughts - back to iPhone after 3 years : r/iphone

15. iPhone 15 Plus (14:14)

The iPhone 16 phones may offer Apple’s latest and greatest hardware, but don’t overlook the iPhone 15 Plus from a year ago if you’re in the market for an Apple phone but don’t want to pay top dollar. The iPhone 15 Plus lasted longer than both the newer iPhone 16 Pro (just barely) and theiPhone 16on our battery test, and it’s available for the same $799 that Apple charges for the iPhone 16. Not bad if you want a bigger screen and don’t mind missing out on Apple Intelligence features.

Charging speeds are less impressive, though you could say that about most iPhones. A half-hour of charging refilled the phones battery to just 39%.

Asus Vivobook S14 vs. Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M): Which Asus laptop deserves your money?

TheAsus Vivobook S14andAsus Zenbook 14look like identical twins at first glance.

You’d be forgiven for getting one mistaken for the other. Don’t make a mistake by buying the wrong laptop, though.

These two Asus laptops havea lotin common — at least, on paper. They’re both 14-inch mainstream laptops with sleek, matte black designs, nearly identical specs, and similar prices.

However, our testing revealed some major differences between the Vivobook and Zenbook that highlight where each one shines, and where each falls flat. The differences set one apart as the better deal for most users.

Asus Vivobook S14 vs. Asus Zenbook 14: Price and configurations

On paper, the Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423) and Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M) are nearly identical. They have the exact same display size and type, the same RAM, the same graphics processor, and virtually the same dimensions and weight.

The few areas where these two laptops differ make a world of difference, because oneisbetter value for your money.

The most important specs to notice are the processor and the price. The Vivobook only comes in one configuration (at the time of writing) which features an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V CPU and costs $949. In comparison, our review unit for the Zenbook costs $100 more at $1,049 but features a much stronger processor, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. On top of that, it has twice as much storage as the Vivobook (1TB vs. 512GB).

That extra $100 is a small price to pay for double the storage and a big leap in processing power, making the Zenbook a better deal for your money.

Winner:Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M)

Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423)

Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M)

also:C31N2021 Battery for Asus ZenBook 14X OLED UM5401 UM5401QA

Asus Vivobook S14 vs. Asus Zenbook 14: Design

The Asus Vivobook S14 on a white table seen from behind

It’s hard to compare the Asus Vivobook S14’s design to that of the Asus Zenbook 14 because they are virtually indistinguishable. If you look closely, though, one laptop’s design has an edge.

The Vivobook and Zenbook both feature minimalistic, metallic chassis with a 14-inch display and the same keyboard deck. Both also have a built-in webcam shutter, which is a huge plus. Even their dimensions are similar, down to a fraction of an inch:

  • Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423): 12.22 x 8.74 x 0.55 inches, 2.87 pounds
  • Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M): 12.3 x 8.67 x 0.59 inches, 3 pounds

Things get a little more interesting when we look at the ports on each. The Vivobook offers a much better port selection with one extra USB Type-A port and even a microSD card reader. Those could be deal breakers for many users, especially for creatives, who will appreciate having a built-in microSD card slot.

On top of that, the Vivobook also features a dedicated Copilot key for quickly accessing Microsoft’s AI assistant. Both laptops have access to the Copilot app, but this dedicated key makes launching it a bit more convenient. That, on top of the extra ports, gives the Vivobook a slight lead in this category.

Winner:Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423)

also:C31N1914 Battery for Asus ZenBook 14 UX435EA UX435EAL UX435EG UX435EGL

Asus Vivobook S14 vs. Asus Zenbook 14: Display

The Asus Vivobook S14 on a white table playing an episode of Disney’s Agatha All Along

In this case, regardless of which Asus laptop you choose, you’ll be getting a sharp OLED display. OLED panels generally offer more vibrant colors and better contrast.

The Asus Vivobook S14 and Asus Zenbook 14 have very similar displays. The Vivobook features a 14-inch, 1920 x 1200, OLED displaywithouta touchscreen. In comparison, the Zenbook has a 14-inch, 1920 x 1200, OLED display thatistouch sensitive.

Both look good in hands-on use. In our reviews, we praised each display for its good bold colors and detail. So, you will likely get a good viewing experience from either.

However, there are some slight differences in our test scores that hint at which display has an edge. It’s a close call, but the Vivobook S14 came out on top in all three of our main display tests, giving it the win in this category.

Winner:Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423)

also:C22N1813 Battery for Asus ZenBook 14 UM431DA UX431FA

Asus Vivobook S14 vs. Asus Zenbook 14: Performance

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M) open facing camera on a wooden desk

Overall performance is arguably the most important category when you’re trying to choose between two laptops. This is also where major differences between the Asus Vivobook S14 and Asus Zenbook 14 appear.

Our review configurations include two different processors, although both configurations are similarly priced. The Vivobook S14 is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V CPU while the Zenbook 14 features an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU.

Technically, the Vivobook’s CPU is a newer model from Intel’s 2024 “Lunar Lake” family. However, newer isn’t always better and that’s certainly the case here.

The Zenbook 14 scored significantly higher on the Geekbench 6 test, our main overall performance benchmark. This highlights the gap in performance between Intel’s Core Ultra 7 processors and its less powerful Core Ultra 5 processors. The Zenbook’s processor will be more capable of handling multi-tasking and demanding apps, particularly those that rely on multi-core performance such as photo and video editing apps.

So, the Asus Zenbook 14 wins this category.

Winner:Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M)

Asus Vivobook S14 vs. Asus Zenbook 14: Graphics and gaming

The Asus Vivobook S14 running Death’s Door on a white table next to a game controller

While neither of these Asus laptops is designed for gaming, you might want to use either for some casual gaming between work or school.

The Asus Vivobook S14 and Asus Zenbook 14 both feature Intel Arc integrated graphics. If you’re looking for a laptop with a dedicated GPU capable of running AAA games, you would be better served with one of thebest gaming laptopsinstead.

However, Intel Arc integrated graphics can be surprisingly capable, particularly with lightweight titles and indie games. Even so, I was surprised at just how high the Asus Vivobook S14 scored on ourSid Meier’s Civilization VIbenchmark. The Vivobook was able to average 51.4 fps on Medium graphics in 1080p, over 20 frames higher than the Zenbook averaged.

Sure, that’s not as high as a purpose-built gaming laptop would score, but the Vivobook can deliver a surprisingly smooth casual gaming experience, one that’s a bit better than what the Zenbook can offer.

Winner:Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423)

Asus Vivobook S14 vs. Asus Zenbook 14: Battery life

Battery life can make or break your experience with any laptop, especially if you’re a student or a commuter. Luckily, the Asus Vivobook S14 and Asus Zenbook 14 bother offer enough battery life to get you through a full day on the go.

One laptop has an edge, though. The Vivobook S14 lasted nearly 2 hours longer than the Zenbook 14 in our battery life test, giving it the win in this category.

Winner:Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423)

Overall winner: Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M)

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M) open on a wooden desk at an angle

The Asus Vivobook S14 and Asus Zenbook 14 each have their strengths and weaknesses, but one offers much better value for your money: the Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M).

It’s a close call, especially considering these two laptops have similar specs, effectively the same design, and nearly identical displays. However, the Zenbook 14 offers twice as much storage and a much better processor for just $100 more than the Vivobook S14.

While the Vivobook offers a slight edge in several categories, the Zenbook is very close behind. The Vivobook is surprisingly good for casual gaming, but neither of these is a gaming laptop. For the average mainstream laptop user, overall performance and storage are likely much more important than casual gaming performance.

You can also compare the Asus Vivobook S14 and Asus Zenbook 14 to thebest laptopsof the year and thebest budget laptopsfor even more alternatives.

Winner:Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M)

Asus Vivobook S14 (Q423)

Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425M)