The Asus VivoBook S200 is one notebook that is built for portability and everyday use.
The Asus S200 is one of the everyday computing laptops that has almost everything working for it. I have used this device for the last two weeks and one thing has come out clear. This device is cut out for work.
The Asus VivoBook S200 has the following specifications:
- Intel Core i3 third generation processor clocked at 1.8GHz 4 CPUs,
- 4GB RAM DDR3,
- Integrated Intel HD 3000 Graphics
- 500GB Sata Hard Drive
- 2 in 1 card reader
- HD Webcam
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 11.6 inch Touch Display with LED Backlight (1366 x 768) with a 16:9 aspect ratio
- 1USB 3.0 port,
- 2 USB 2.0 Ports,
- HDMI Port
- Mini-VGA Port
- RJ45 Network slot
- Kensington lock slot
- 3.5mm sount Jack slot
- Built-in Speakers and Microphone
- 2Cell Battery
- 1.4KG
- Windows 8 OS
Overview
When you look at the Asus Vivobook S200 for the first time you might be confused by the good looks and assume that this is yet another fancy tiny little thing. The thing is a performer. You won’t get those super-user gaming capabilities as the graphics card is not the best out there, but for the average user, the device performs quite well.
Screen and Display
Screen resolution is awesome, the 11.6 inch screen powered by third generation four core processor ensures that the device performs well and optimally. Battery life is the average of 3 hours with all the tabs open on a browser, the usual applications open and without self restraint required. Touch on the Asus S200 is a welcome thing since if you are a gamer you will find some nice touch games on the Windows store, you will even find yourself scrolling web pages once in a while using two fingers or selecting an item on the screen.
All in all, Windows 8 is not totally optimized for touch as there is very many applications that will refute this, understandably though since the Windows desktop has been built for the cursor, so don’t expect large buttons and finger-size selection options anytime soon. That is the preserve of the tablets, so when you feel you will make multiple selections with your fingers, just use the touchpad or a mouse if you use one.
Design
The design of the laptop is quite well done, at the price point of the device, Asus has managed to put in quite some work. The metal arm rest and the chiclet keyboard bring out a feel that you want to have your hands on all day.
The bottom has a smooth but tough plastic, meaning that this could easily be your everyday laptop. Asus has perfected the design that loks from the side like a razor front while the thickness goes to the back. The metal stretches out to the sides and on the cover we have that unmistakably Asus logo standing out in silver. The back comes in colour options of red black and silver.
TouchPad
The touchpad is multifinger thus allowing you to use the Windows 8 touch gestures. With one finger you can select by tapping, doubletap to activate, drag by double tapping and holding to drag. With two fingers you can tap to show a pop-up menu, scroll either horizontally or vertically , pinch to zoom and rotate either clockwise or anti-clockwise.
With three fingers you can navigate pages, show the running applications and navigate them by swiping up or show the desktop by swiping three fingers down. There is a button on the keyboard on the right just next to the delete button that has a hep wizard to guide the user on how to do this.
Extras
Users of the Asus S200 Vivobook and other Asus products have access to 32 GB Asus Cloud that then enables them backup important files and you can restore or access to any other web enabled device.
Conclusion
The Asus VivoBook S200 is stylish but not light. at 1.3 Kg it’s heavier than it’s 11 inch peers that are built of plastic all through, but the user who picks the Asus S200 with that weight knows well why they would prefer it, the durability that the brushed metal offers.
Sound output is quite impressive with the SonicMaster Technology and the nice placement of speakers on the sides below the arm rest. The battery takes quite some time to charge and the performance on charge is quite average at 3 hours, but the compactness, design and build makes the Asus S200 a very eligible notebook in the list of notebooks I can recommend. The price also comes in quite handy at Kshs 58,000 for the beauty and brains.
