ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED Slim Laptop, Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Fast Charging, RGB Keyboard, Thunderbolt 4, Neutral Black, S5406MA-AS96, Intel Evo Edition

I am choosy about devices and I am comfortable in both Windows and Mac ecosystems. I work in education the organization uses Windows so it made sense to choose a Windows computer. (Not to mention that I bought my own because ours are old and the organization can't purchase everyone new ones quite yet.)Enter this Asus. My work machine didn't give me more than an hour off the charger and was a beast to carry so I was anxious for something light and stable to carry. This Asus Vivobook is fantastic on both counts. The Ultra 9 processor is very fast and spends very little time "grindining" or humming. You know the sound I am talking about. The keyboard is quick and responsive. And the OLED screen? Gorgeous! If you have never had an OLED it gives the screen a gloss-matte appearance that is virtually free of glare. this computer is a lot easier on my eyes than the other. It's just smooth.The first couple of days I was mildly concerned when the laptop generated some heat on the charger. I waited it out, and glad I did, because that has resolved. Most computers will do that as they enter the heavy workload of downloading and installing updates.Anyway, I am glad I made this purchase. It's light, quick, sleek and basic, easy to hold and easy to look at. The battery life too... Didn't even mention that. I can literally work all day before needing to charge it. And it sleeps reliably without continuing to bring up processes when shut.

I used Macs exclusively for 29 years until I felt Tim Cook wasn't innovating enough to warrant the big prices. So I switched to Windows 10 PCs and Android and -- have never looked back.Well... until 6 years later when Apple released their own silicon M series chips in 2021. I'm often asked to recommend equipment and I had to confess -- if you need an all day battery -- you have to get a Mac. No contest. Less expensive PCs managed 4 hours at best OR REALLY needed to plugged in a lot.So the PC world has been waiting for laptops that can do the same and they're phasing in now. They're not identical (yet?) but you get an all day battery -- which is all the matters to college students or people who travel A LOT. (One way these new PCs cheat is by simply making the battery bigger by a third, lol.)This Asus was a Black Friday steal at $765. It was a little more PC than I wanted but the cheaper versions of this unit aren't here yet. And with tariff fears I decided to nab it now.I didn't need an Ultra Core 9 series Intel Chip. An Ultra Core 5 would have been fine. I'd also have been fine with 500GBs of storage instead of twice that. But to get both for this price is a WOW.Also a WOW --1. The OLED screen is gorgeous. Bright enough for outside work too.2. The RGB keyboard is thrilling my daughter (on her way to college soon)3. The keyboard itself is silent clicking awesome4. Trackpad is fine5. Build quality is amazing. Very sturdy but very light. If you threw this hard at someone they'd need to go to an ER6. Super thin and small, feels like a 13 inch somehow7. It's so silent a laptop you'll be stunned to learn it has TWO fans when they rarely complain. WARNING: don't use this on blanket, or warm lap, because the bottom vents need to vent. Testing this unit I spread my legs a little to allow airflow and yet type on my lap. Desktop/table top is a better idea.8. Speakers are okay but I got my daughter a tiny Bluetooth speaker for better sound as well as inexpensive earbuds9. Everyone says it and its so true: fingerprint magnet. If you glance at this thing from behind a couch... it will leave fingerprints somehow. Wow. I know, that doesn't seem possible, but it's true. The one plus here is that the PC may end up looking 'dirty' and discourage thieves from thinking it's awesome.Drum roll please --10. Here's the best feature. If you desire a screen bigger than 13 inches and want a four year warranty, Amazon makes that happen for under $1000. The MacBook Air equivalent is a 15 inch non-OLED screen and costs twice that Applecare. SPOILER: and you only get 3 years.My Advice -- if you want to save money, wait for the Ultra Core 5s to show up on Amazon. (If they ever do.) Best Buy offered such a model but their warranty schemes are so pricey that -- this was cheaper. So if the current asking price doesn't bother you, get it. If you wanted to spend more like $600 before tax and warranty... wait.

The surface of this computer gets easily stained, making it look perpetually dirty (It is very unpleasant for work use). It is fast, but it tends to overheat (it gets very hot). Also the fan noise can be quite loud and annoying.On the positive side, the screen offers good resolution, the speakers are loud, battery lasts (only used for couple weeks), its light and small (perfect to carry around)