Have you ever had that friend who, despite the sea of smaller screens and 13-inch-or-less laptops, still insists on carrying around a massive 16-inch laptop? Then you try it yourself—and suddenly, you get it. There’s just something about having more screen real estate that makes everything feel easier, roomier, and more productive.
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| ASUS Vivobook S16 |
That’s exactly what we experienced with the ASUS Vivobook S16. With its spacious 16-inch display and productivity-focused features, it makes a compelling case for going big. Let’s dig in.
Design and build
Upon unboxing the ASUS Vivobook S16, its massive footprint is hard to miss. At first glance, you might expect a laptop this big to feel bulky and heavy. Surprisingly, that’s not the case. Despite its 16-inch display and spacious build, it’s just 1.54 cm thin and weighs 1.5 kilograms. That’s impressively slim and light for a laptop of this size, making it easy to bring along for productivity on the go.
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| Side profile |
Once you get your hands on the ASUS Vivobook S16, another highlight quickly stands out: its all-metal body. Considering how slim and lightweight it is, the solid construction is an impressive feat in itself. It gives the laptop a premium look and feel from every angle, while its military-grade durability adds another layer of confidence for everyday use.
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| All-metal chassis |
Its metal chassis also comes in a matte finish, which helps keep fingerprints and smudges to a minimum. They’re not completely absent, but compared to other metal laptops we’ve used, the ASUS Vivobook S16 does a better job of keeping its clean look.
A laptop this size should, of course, come with a complete set of I/O ports, and the ASUS Vivobook S16 delivers. You get two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports with display, power delivery, and data transfer support of up to 5 Gbps, alongside two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports that also support up to 5 Gbps data speeds. There’s also a 3.5mm combo audio jack for your wired peripherals, plus an HDMI 2.1 TMDS port for connecting to an external display.
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| ASUS Vivobook right side ports |
.webp "ASUS Vivobook left side ports") |
| ASUS Vivobook left side ports |
Display
Switching from a 13-inch screen to a 16-inch display for the first time might feel a little overwhelming, but trust us, it’s a change that quickly grows on you. And with the ASUS Vivobook S16’s WUXGA (1920 × 1200) display, that extra screen real estate makes a noticeable difference.
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| Massive screen real estate |
Sure, its colors and sharpness won’t match what you’d get from a 2.5K panel. But for its target audience – students – the display is more than capable for everyday use. You can enjoy 4K videos on YouTube, work on school projects, juggle multiple windows, and simply have more room to get things done. The 16:10 aspect ratio also gives you a little more vertical space, which comes in handy when reading documents, browsing the web, or working on assignments.
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| Bright colors and sharp details |
What we also really enjoyed about the ASUS Vivobook S16’s display is its 144Hz refresh rate and anti-glare finish. The higher refresh rate makes everything feel smoother, from scrolling through long documents and web pages to moving between apps. Meanwhile, the anti-glare screen is a welcome touch when working in brighter rooms, as it keeps reflections from getting in the way. These may seem like small details on paper, but they make the S16 more comfortable to use throughout the day.
See also: ASUS Vivobook S16 Review; Up to 20 Hours of AI and Productivity in Full View
Performance
Beneath the ASUS Vivobook S16’s big yet lightweight body is an Intel Core 7 350 processor clocked at 1.5GHz. On paper, it may sit in the more budget-friendly range, but in actual use, it’s a solid match for students. For everyday schoolwork, it handled writing, emails, Google Docs and Microsoft Office, multiple browser tabs, Canva, Zoom calls, streaming, and even simple CapCut edits for short Reels without much trouble.
We also tried editing 4K videos, and the Vivobook S16 handled it surprisingly well. However, things can get more demanding when you start stacking multiple 4K editing tasks or moving into heavier workloads like Photoshop and Premiere Pro. Gaming is also not where this laptop is meant to shine. For everyday student productivity and light creative work, though, the performance feels more than enough.
Another adjustment we had to make with the ASUS Vivobook S16 was getting used to its keyboard layout. If you’re coming from a 13-inch laptop, the difference is immediately noticeable, especially with the full-size numpad tucked on the right side. During our first few hours with it, we found ourselves repeatedly hitting the arrow keys when we meant to press Shift.
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| ASUS Vivobook S16 keyboard |
Once we got past that learning curve, though, the keyboard was comfortable to use. We also liked its matte texture, which gives the keys a bit more grip while doing a good job of keeping fingerprints and smudges out of sight.
Related: ASUS ExpertBook Ultra Arrives in Cebu and Davao
Beyond the hardware, the ASUS Vivobook S16 comes with a few ASUS apps that quietly make day-to-day use easier. MyASUS is the main hub: it handles system updates, lets you switch fan profiles, turns on battery-care charging to extend battery life, and offers AI noise canceling for clearer calls. GlideX connects your phone or tablet to the laptop, so you can mirror its screen or use it as a second display when you need more room. ScreenXpert helps you organize app windows across the laptop and any external monitor. You probably won't notice these features right away, but once they're part of your routine, they make the ASUS Vivobook S16 feel more complete.
Battery life
Battery life is another area where the ASUS Vivobook S16 proved dependable. In our actual use, it lasted up to 15 hours on a single charge, which meant we could go through a full day of work and then some without constantly reaching for the charger.
When it was time to recharge, it took us 1 hour and 49 minutes to get back to 100%. That may feel like a bit of a wait, but considering how long the laptop lasts on a single charge, we think the trade-off is reasonable.
Final words
The ASUS Vivobook S16 is an easy laptop to live with, and its 16-inch screen is the main reason why. The extra space makes working, studying, and watching content more comfortable, and the smooth 144Hz refresh rate makes everyday scrolling and browsing feel fluid. Pair that with an all-metal body that stays light enough to carry around, dependable battery life, and performance that handles schoolwork and productivity tasks with ease, and you get a well-rounded laptop for everyday use.
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| ASUS Vivobook S16 |
The bigger footprint and keyboard layout take a little getting used to, but that adjustment period passes quickly, and the extra screen space more than makes up for it. The Vivobook S16 shows that a bigger laptop doesn't have to mean a heavier one, making it a smart pick for students and anyone who wants more room to work.
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| ASUS Vivobook S16 |
With the ASUS Vivobook S16, you get these out-of-box inclusions: the ASUS No. 1 Quality and Service Package, featuring a 3-year international and local warranty, up to 6x claim of free device cleaning, 1-year local accidental damage protection, and up to 14 days return policy, ASUS Backpack, Office 2024 Home lifetime License, 1-year Microsoft 365 Basic with free 100GB Cloud Storage, up to 700GB ASUS Cloud Storage Bundle, and a 3-month Google AI Pro Bundle.
Where to Buy ASUS Vivobook S16 in the Philippines
Know more about the ASUS Vivobook S16 at this product page and check out the nearest location where you can buy in this list of stores.
Next read: ASUS ExpertBook Ultra Review; Flagship in Every Sense