Asus VivoBook X202E Review: An One Year-Old Junior

This might be our first review on a notebook, and we are likely to review the Asus VivoBook X202E. The VivoBook X202E also known as the S200E, although it's already one year-old but we can say, it's hard to find an ultrabook like the X202E.



Once again, special thanks to Asus Malaysia for sending us the review unit for review purpose. So, the review of Asus VivoBook X202E starts right now.


Here's the specifications of the Asus VivoBook X202E:
Processor
Intel Core i3 3217U Processor
Intel ULV Pentium 987 Processor
Intel ULV Celeron 847 Processor
Operating System
Windows 8
Chipset
Intel HM76/HM70 Express Chipset
Memory
DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAM, OnBoard Memory 2 GB / 4 GB
Display
11.6" 16:9 HD (1366 x 768) LED Backlight
Graphic
Integrated Intel HD Graphics
Storage
2.5" SATA
500GB 5400
320GB 5400
Card Reader
2 -in-1 card reader ( SD/ SDHC/ SDXC/ MMC)
Camera
HD Web Camera
Networking
Integrated 802.11 b/g/n or 802.11 a/b/g/n (Optional)
Built-in Bluetooth™ V4.0
10/100 Base T
Interface
1 x COMBO audio jack
1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor
1 x USB 3.0 port(s)
2 x USB 2.0 port(s)
1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert 
1 x HDMI
Audio
Built-in Speakers And Microphone
Battery
2 Cells 5,136 mAh 38 Whrs Polymer Battery
Power Adapter
Output :
19 V DC, 1.75 A, 33 W
Input :
100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
Dimensions
30.3 x 20.0 x 2.17 cm
Weight
1.40 kg (with 2 cell battery)
Manufacturer Warranty
1-year limited International hardware warranty. *different by country
1-year battery pack warranty
On-line problem resolution through web interface (BIOS, Driver update)
OS (Windows® 8 ) install/uninstall consultation
Bundled software install/uninstall consultation
ASUS software supporting
Note
•Mobile Intel® HM76 Express Chipsets (i3-3217U); Mobile Intel® HM70 Express Chipsets (Pentium 987/Celeron 847)

Unboxing:

^ Nice EcoBox but it is a little bit big.

^ Inside the box, there are the VivoBook X202E, AC adapter charger and user manual and installation guide.

Design:
Just as we say in the beginning of review, it's hard to find an ultrabook like the VivoBook X202E. The VivBook X202E has an aluminium body finish.

 

     ^ A nice aluminium body of the Asus VivoBook X202E.
Although the VivoBook not as thin as some ultrabooks like the ZenBook series or even the MacBook Air, but the aluminium body has scored a good mark. The VivoBook X202E is measures at 2.17 cm thick and weighs 1.40 kg with 2 cells battery.

     ^ The VivoBook X202E is measures at 2.17 cm thick.

     ^ At the left side there are Power (DC) input port, LAN port, HDMI port, USB 2.0/3.0 (selected models) ports and Kensington lock port. At the right side there are Memory card reader, Headphone output/microphone input combo jack port, USB 2.0 port and VGA port.

     ^ Status indicators - Power indicator, Two-colour battery charge indicator, Drive activity indicator and Capital lock indicator.

     ^ The power button.

     ^ The touchpad and the keyboard.

     ^ The 0.9 MP front-facing camera for video conferencing.

     ^ There are two speakers at both sides of the notebook, but it is not the stereo speakers.

Display:
The VivoBook X202E has a 11.6" 16:9 HD LED Backlight display with resolution of 1136 x 768 pixels. The display is nice but the viewing angle of the ultrabook is quite bad.

^ A nice 11.6" display with the resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

^ Not quite an impressive viewing angle.

Performance:
There are three versions of VivoBook X202E, our review unit is powered by 1.5 GHz dual-core Intel Pentium processor with 4 GB of RAM. The other two versions are Intel Celeron and Intel i3 processor versions. The VivoBook X202E boots in Windows 8 with the same UI as other Windows 8 notebooks.

The laptop does run smooth but we will experience some lagging or apps not responding in sometime. Overall it's good but don't expect too much on gaming performance.

Battery Life:
The VivoBook X202E has 2 cells 5,136 mAh Polymer battery, unfortunately, the battery is non-removable. The battery life of VivoBook X202E is just average for an ultrabook. Based on our live test, the VivoBook X202E can last for 2 to 3 hours with Wi-Fi continuously on, so we recommend you to keep the AC adapter charger with you if you're a heavy user. Additionally, the charging speed of the VivoBook X202E is also quite slow.

Price:
The VivoBook X202E that we review is priced at RM 1,599, it is suits for student and small family.

Conclusion:
The VivoBook X202E is enough for those users that don't need a high performance notebook and in cheap pricing. It is enough for day-to-day usage but, once again, if you're looking for high gaming performance and fast speed, the VivoBook X202E may not the one for you.

Pros:
- Low price tag
- Aluminium body
- Capacitive touchscreen with up to 10 fingers multitouch support in its category
- Compact design
- 4 GB RAM is a nice deal in that price tag

Cons:
- Short battery life
- Older processor
- Slow charging speed
- Bad viewing angle