Asus Vivobook Pro 16X OLED review: Satisfying pro-grade laptop for creators

For its maiden creator-centric laptop, Asus has delivered a winner with the Vivobook Pro 16X OLED

The newly launched Asus Vivobook Pro 16X OLED ticks most of the boxes one cares about in a creator-centric laptop. Powered by AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor, the laptop has a discrete NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti for graphics, big 16-inch colour accurate display, Harman Kardon-tuned stereo audio system, high-capacity battery, multiple connectivity options, and most of the commonly used interface ports. The story does not end here. It is because there are subsequent layers to each feature mentioned above that in some way aid the overall user experience, be it in everyday use or for what it is designed for –  content creation.

Starting with design, the Asus Vivobook Pro 16X OLED looks dashing in its black colour theme. Made of aluminium, the laptop has no flashy element but a minimal yet functional design with a touch of a novelty for it to look different. I liked the new metallic logo badge on the lid, colour-blocked keyboard with special highlights on the ‘Enter’ and ‘ESC’ keys, and use of orange accent on camera shutter. I also liked the overall build and feel because the laptop does not feel heavy (1.95 kg) despite sporting a mammoth 16-inch screen and a metallic body.

Speaking of screen, it is a step above the regular LCD screens most other laptops come with in its segment. It is an OLED screen of 3840 x 2400 resolution, stretched in a practical 16:10 aspect ratio. Though I think the overall screen-to-body ratio could have been better, the screen size and all the techs it boasts cover for this small compromise. Coming on to the display tech, it is Pantone validated for colour accuracy with support for 100 per cent DCI-P3 and 133 per cent sRGB colour gamut. Details aside, the screen is bright and vivid at its default settings. You can change the display settings either from Microsoft Windows’ default display settings or through MyAsus app, which comes pre-installed on the device. It is a 10-bit display, which means it may support some HDR content. As for the brightness, the display peaks at 550 nits.

Complementing the rich display is the Harman Kardon-tuned stereo speakers. They are not the loudest and sound muted in busy outdoor conditions, but they sound neutral – essential for content production set-up. Nevertheless, you can connect a wired or wireless audio product if the speakers do not work up to your liking.

Coming on to the performance, an important parameter for any creator-centric laptop, the Asus Vivobook Pro 16X OLED delivers pro-grade experience. It works without a flaw for everyday tasks like web browsing, cataloguing content, working on spreadsheets, attending video conferencing etc. Content production work such as image and video editing make the system fans work up to their max capacity but at no point does the laptop feel like it is under any sort of strain. Moreover, the thermals remain in control and the performance remains smooth throughout. Important to note, the laptop delivers best performance on AC power. On battery power, the performance deteriorates with respect to power and graphic-intensive tasks but it is the same case with any other laptop.

ASUS VivoBook Pro 16X OLED: Specifications
Screen	16-inch 3840 x 2400 OLED, 16:10 aspect ratio
OS	Windows 10 Home, upgradable to Windows 11
Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Graphics	Integrated: AMD Radeon iGPU | Discrete: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti
Memory	16GB 3200MHz DDR4
Storage	1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Camera	720p with privacy shutter
I/O Ports	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A 1 x HDMI 1.4 1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack 1 x DC-in
Audio	Harman Kardon-certified stereo speakers
Battery	96WHr
Weight	1.95 kg

Verdict

Priced at Rs 1,29,990 (review unit), the Asus Vivobook Pro 16X OLED is a satisfying pro-grade laptop for creators. It has a dazzling display of usable 16:10 aspect ratio, true-tone speakers, high-capacity battery, multiple connectivity options, and most of the commonly used interface ports. For its maiden creator-centric laptop, Asus has delivered a winner!