ASUS Vivobook 16 (X1605) review – affordability comes at 16 inches
Verdict
Hey, 16-inch laptops are now affordable. And they don’t suck! The Vivobook 16 (X1605) is a pretty decent machine with only a few minor flaws that can’t be ignored, but at the same time won’t be dealbreakers for the majority of you.
This includes the lack of an SD card reader and the fact that the only USB Type-C port can only be used for data transfer. On the bright side, the situation on the inside looks a bit better with one SODIMM slot for memory expansion and one M.2 PCIe x4 slot for Gen 3 or Gen 4 SSDs.
The battery life is great if you’re browsing the Web – 10 hours and 30 minutes, but it is not fantastic if you are watching videos – 5 hours and 30 minutes. Unfortunately, we are not aware what is the reason for the huge difference.
ASUS Vivobook 16 (X1605)’s IPS panel has a WUXGA resolution, comfortable viewing angles, and a very good contrast ratio. Its backlight doesn’t flicker, which lets you work for long periods of time, without straining your eyes and brain in this aspect. On the other hand, it only shows 54% of the sRGB color gamut.
Thankfully, the keyboard and touchpad are fantastic here. The former features a backlight, a full-sized NumberPad, and good comfort during typing. Respectively, the latter has a huge size, offers pretty smooth gliding, and is pretty accurate in its response.
Look, the performance is not as good as it can be with this CPU, but the main (and only) reason for that is the small charger. Its 45W rating is lower than what some laptops with the same CPU achieved on the CPU Package alone. Nevertheless, we never experience the need for the Vivobook 16 (X1605) to be faster than it was.
Not in last place, its Antibacterial Guard limits the growth and build-up of bacteria on the plastic surface of the notebook. This feature is tested against the ISO 22196 standard, according to ASUS.
Now, if you are willing to get a laptop at this price point, you might need to settle for plastic as a building material. In this case, the lid is a bit heavier than what we would like, and the structural integrity of both itself and the base is not stellar.
On the bright side, the machine is thin, and light, and its form factor doesn’t suggest that it houses a 16-inch 16:10 display inside.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/asus-vivobook-16-oled-m1605/
Pros
- Affordable and fast
- No PWM (Innolux N160JCE-ELL (CMN1618))
- Antibacterial coating
- Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
- Camera with a privacy shutter
Cons
- No SD card reader
- USB Type-C port is only for data transfers
- Covers 54% of sRGB colors (Innolux N160JCE-ELL (CMN1618))
- Only plastic for building material
Author: Alex Iliev
Author: eng. Kroum NikolovHead of Engineering at LaptopMedia.com, inventor and innovator with 40+ years of experience in electronics and high technology.
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Thank you for the article.
I’m waiting for delivery on the laptop linked below, and it comes with a m.2 port.
Does this mean that I cannot install a second m.2 ssd internally?
Thanks.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-vivobook-16-wuxga-laptop-intel-13-gen-core-i5-with-8gb-memory-intel-uhd-graphics-512gb-ssd-indie-black/6545930.p?skuId=6545930