This is not just a work laptop that will perform most simple and medium tasks, but also quite a budget gaming option for relatively little money. Bright design, proprietary technologies, many modifications and much more are offered by this novelty of 2017. Let's look at it in more detail.

Description

Asus x540s is one of the new products of the company in 2017, which belongs to the so-called X line. The main features of this series are Asus design, proprietary technologies, low cost and good specifications. Other models of the line are clearly positioned for a certain class and tasks, while the x540s is a kind of golden mean.

As the manufacturer assures, the laptop is able to perform most of the tasks assigned to it, both of medium and advanced complexity, and also act as a budget gaming option. Of course, it is unlikely that you will be able to play many game hits at maximum settings, but on medium or minimum settings it is very likely.

Appearance

Made in the proprietary Asus design, which has become distinctive feature throughout the X-series. The body material is made entirely of plastic, however, of high quality. The surfaces are very reminiscent of brushed metal, and to enhance the effect even more, the manufacturer made a special texture that resembles a metal surface.

The laptop has several colors - black, brown, white and gold, however mostly on sale you can find copies in black or brown. Anyway, the laptop looks great and beautiful.

On the right side of the Asus x540s there is only a floppy drive, while on the right side there are USB 2.0 / 3.0 connectors, a combined 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jack, HDMI, VGA, an RJ-45 LAN port, USB Type-C and connector for connection outdoor unit nutrition. Perhaps the most important disadvantage of the X line is a very small number of USB connectors, which is not very convenient. In this case, the laptop has only two USB inputs, one with version 2.0 and the other 3.0.

Considering that the right side is practically empty, at least 1 additional USB port could easily be placed there, which would make life much easier for the user.

Screen

The laptop screen has a diagonal of 15.6 inches and a resolution of 1366 x 720 with a pixel density per inch of 100ppi. The parameters are more than standard, although in 2017 I would like to see at least HD resolution more often. The matrix here, as in the entire X-series, is made using TN + film technology. The company's engineers have worked hard to squeeze the maximum out of the matrix, so it is practically devoid of all the diseases that are found in TN samples.

As for the image itself, the picture is bright, with good color reproduction and contrast. There is also a margin of brightness, viewing angles are not bad. Max opening angle top cover is 135 degrees, which is quite enough for comfortable work or watching any video.

Perhaps the main disadvantage of the display is its glossy finish, which makes it almost impossible to work with a laptop outdoors in bright sunlight.

Characteristics

Now let's take a closer look at the technical details. For convenience, all the data was placed in a small table.

Model
CPU	Intel Pentium QuadCore N3700 Intel Celeron DualCore N3150/N3050
RAM	DDR3 2-8GB
Storage device	HDD 500GB/1GB/2GB
video card	Intel/Nvidia 900
Interfaces	1xUSB Type-C, 1xUSB 2.0, 1xUSB 3.0, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45, 3.5 mm jack
Battery	2930 mAh
Screen	15.6" 1366x768 100ppi
Dimensions (L/W/T)	381.4mm/251.5mm/25.4mm
Additionally	ICESound, ASUS SonicMaster

As you can see, the laptop has pretty good specs, which is enough for most everyday tasks.

Operating system

Asus x540s ships with Windows 10 Pro or Home. This is enough for normal operation. In addition to Windows, on sale you can find options for Linux, DOS, or without a preinstalled OS at all.

In this case, you will have to buy a disk with a licensed image of the OS or ask for help from the employees of the store where this model is sold. For an additional fee, they will perform without any problems Windows installation on Asus x540s.

Peculiarities

The laptop also has its own interesting features, which are worth saying a couple of words about.

The first is the proprietary SonicMaster technology and an equalizer for fine tuning AudioWiazrd sound. SonicMaster is a technology that allows you to make the sound crystal clear and crisp. There are several presets, as well as the ability to configure all the necessary parameters manually.

The second thing I would like to note is the technology for the Splendid screen. This function allows you to select one of four screen modes depending on the situation. Let's say Vivid mode is perfect for watching a movie, and for office work it is better to use Eye Care.

Well, the last interesting feature of the laptop is IceCool. The main point is to place all the most " hot" elements of the laptop away from your hands and thereby save the upper part above the keyboard from heating.

Price

To date, you can buy Asus x540s at a price of 13 thousand rubles for the cheapest modification, in which a processor with two cores will be installed, HDD 500 GB and 2 GB of RAM. For about 20 thousand rubles, you can get a laptop with 4 GB of RAM, however, the rest of the parameters will remain untouched. Well, in the end, for 25-28 thousand rubles you can take a version with a 4-core processor, 4-8 GB of memory and hard drive for 1 GB.

In fairness, it should be noted that for more than 24 thousand, it already makes sense to pay attention to the x540LJ model, which has a Core-i3 processor and an Nvidia 920M video card.

Conclusion

Asus x540s - enough good laptop for the money, which has very good characteristics. Its performance is enough for most everyday tasks and not too demanding games. The main disadvantage is only 2 USB connectors and a slightly overpriced price tag for modifications that are not very different from each other.

For both work and play

Windows 10 Home

The VivoBook X540LJ series are modern laptops for daily use both at home and in the office. Their powerful hardware configuration, which includes modern processor intel, NVIDIA graphics card GeForce 920M and 4 gigabytes of RAM will provide high speed operation of any application. Windows 10 is installed as the operating system.

Modern interfaces

For fast data exchange with peripherals VivoBook X540LJ offers high speed port USB 3.1 (5 Gb / s), designed as a reversible Type-C connector. It is complemented by traditional USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectors. Available interfaces also include HDMI and VGA for connecting external monitors or TVs, and an RJ-45 wired network connector. In addition, this model has a SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader.

High quality audio system

With exclusive SonicMaster audio technology, the VivoBook X540LJ's built-in audio system boasts powerful bass, wide dynamic range and accurate sound positioning. In addition, its sound can be flexibly adjusted depending on the preferences of the user and the environment.

Optimized speakers

Circular drivers with large resonant chambers (19.4cc) for improved transmission low frequencies and reduced noise levels.

AudioWizard function

To customize the sound, use the AudioWizard function, which offers you to choose one of five options for the audio system, each of which is ideal for a specific type of application (music, movies, games, sound recording and voice playback).

Elegant, lightweight design

The VivoBook X540LJ has a rugged yet lightweight design that weighs just 1.9kg so it won't burden you on the go, while its attractive design and beautiful finish make it a modern, stylish accessory.

ASUS Splendid technology

The VivoBook X540LJ features ASUS Splendid technology, which allows you to choose from several preset display modes, each optimized for specific applications: Vivid mode is suitable for viewing photos and movies, Normal mode is for normal work in office applications, and in A special Eye Care mode implements filtering of the blue component of the visible spectrum to improve the comfort when reading from the screen. In addition, there is a Manual mode in which color settings can be adjusted manually.

ASUS Eye Care technology for the comfort of your eyes

For comfortable reading e-books and magazines in mobile devices ASUS implements a special Eye Care mode, which reduces the intensity of light in the blue component of the visible spectrum.

Ergonomic keyboard

This laptop's ergonomic keyboard features full-size keys, each with optimized pressure resistance. Your hands will not get tired even after long work with text.

Touchpad with Smart Gesture Technology

The touchpad found on the X540 series has a large touch panel and supports many different gestures: scrolling, zooming, dragging, etc. A special ASUS Smart Gesture technology is responsible for their correct and fast recognition.

IceCool Technology

A key feature of ASUS IceCool laptops is that hot components are placed away from the user's hands, so the top of the case stays comfortably cool at all times.

Today we will get acquainted with the Asus X540S laptop from a well-known brand, which could only show negative sides. Let's start with a configuration that is far from the most modern, but rather a Celeron / Pentium processor (2 or 4 cores 1600 MHz each) and 2 GB of RAM as standard, which is already outdated for our time. From good points highlight: nice appearance; light weight; brand. Of the minuses: a weak video card; low quality assembly materials; uncomfortable touchpad and keyboard; problematic upgrade. In general, we will not recommend the Asus X540S, although the laptop has a rather tempting price, but it's better to add a little and get something more efficient.

Asus X540S: specifications and prices

OS - optional

Processor - Celeron / Pentium 2 or 4 cores 1600 MHz;

RAM -2…8 GB;

Screen - 15.6 inches;

Extension -1366*768;

Video card - Intel GMA HD;

HDD – 500…1000 GB;

Price - $ 230;

Asus X540S Reviews

Well-known brand;

Modern appearance;

Far from the most powerful iron;

Inconvenient location of the power button;

Poor quality assembly materials;

- Unfortunately, RAM soldered, therefore, upgrade this laptop this is a rather problematic task;

A large number of negative reviews on the Internet;

- Regarding the matrix, it corresponds to the declared value;

- Inconvenient touchpad;

- Asus X540S has a relatively good sound;

Weighs a little;

During operation, the laptop can slow down quite a lot;

There may be problems with drivers;

During operation, it practically does not heat up, which can be classified as a plus;

When installing Windows, the touchpad does not work;

For most modern and productive games this model laptop is clearly not suitable;

- Asus X540S can only be used for office applications and then not all;

The case is rather flimsy;

- Win 10 practically does not pull;

Uncomfortable keyboard;

Conclusion

In general, for the declared cost, this device has proven itself not from the best side. We do not recommend Asus X540S for a more detailed acquaintance

Rated 5 / 10

Pros:

• Brand;
• Appearance;
• Not heated;

Minuses:

• Weak iron;
• Build quality;
• The quality of assembly materials;
• Permanent friezes;
• Mixed reviews on the Internet;
• Uncomfortable touchpad and keyboard;

"Working doesn't mean boring." Probably, under this motto, ASUS engineers developed a new generation of popular and relatively inexpensive laptops. ASUS series X. It is thanks to the attractive design, the support of proprietary technologies and a good combination of price and quality that this line is able to win sincere sympathy from a wide audience of users and one of the leading positions in the sales charts.

In this article, we will get acquainted with the youngest and most accessible representative in model range- laptop ASUSX540 SA, on the example of which we will try to find out all the advantages and possible disadvantages of this very interesting and quite promising series portable devices. And let's start our acquaintance already traditionally - with a detailed examination of the technical characteristics.

Specification

Manufacturer and model
CPU	Intel Celeron N3050 (2 x 1600-2166 MHz; L2 - 2 MB)
RAM	2GB DDR3L-1600MHz
	15.6", TN-film, 1366 x 768 (100 ppi), LED-backlit, glossy
Graphics adapter	Intel HD Graphics: (320 - 600 MHz); 1 GB video memory (dedicated from RAM)
Drives	Hitachi HTS545050A7E680 (500 GB HDD, 5400 rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s)
optical drive	TSSTcorp CDDVDW SU-228GB
card reader	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Interfaces	1 x combo audio jack 1 x power connector
Multimedia	Acoustics
	Sound processing
	Microphone
	Webcam	0.3MP CMOS (480p@30fps)
Communication options		Realtek RTL8139/810x
		802.11b/g/n (Atheros AR9485)
		- (optional)
Safety	Kensington lock, password on BIOS boot, hard disk password
Battery	Li-ion, 3-cell, non-removable (2930 mAh, 33 Wh)
Power Supply	Output parameters: 19 V DC e.g. 2.47 A, 45 W Input parameters: 100~240VAC e.g. at 50/60 Hz
	Black, beige
	381.4 x 251.5 x 25.4mm
Operating system
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Delivery and equipment

Notebook ASUS X540SA is packed in a standard cardboard box of medium size, which is distinguished by a dark matte design and the minimum required information content (several company logos and a couple of stickers with technical data). The scope of delivery consists of a compact power supply, network cable and user documentation.

Appearance, arrangement of elements

The ASUS X540SA model has a classic, but at the same time very attractive appearance. A pleasant effect is created by a well-chosen two-tone range (black and beige), as well as the characteristic design of the display lid and work area, which are stylized as brushed metal.

The body of the laptop is quite compact (381.4 x 251.5 x 25.4 mm) and light weight (1.9 kg). It is completely made of plastic, which has pleasant tactile properties and good wear resistance. Almost all main surfaces are matte, which allows you to effectively deal with any pollution.

The exception is the upper part of the screen unit, which collects fingerprints quite quickly due to the characteristic texture. Fortunately, they are also easily removed with the help of improvised means. Decorated with its corporate logo, located exactly in the center of the cover.

The maximum opening angle is about 135°, which is enough for all everyday tasks. The frames around the screen are equipped with rubber inserts for support.

The block itself is held with the help of two plastic hinges, which are distinguished by a tight move. They perfectly fix the display in any available position, but do not allow you to open the laptop with one hand (you have to hold the base).

The working panel of the laptop is presented in the form of a single plate of matte plastic. It is well fixed and over a larger area practically does not bend even under increased pressure. However, with more active typing or using the touchpad, a barely perceptible rattle of the work area appears, which you have to get used to.

Notebook ASUS X540SA differs quite standard and quite convenient arrangement of functional elements, which allows you to connect to it all the necessary peripherals. There is a slot on the left side charger, USB Type-C port, cooling grille, RJ45 network interface, two video connectors (D-Sub and HDMI), USB ports 3.0 and USB 2.0, as well as a combo audio jack. As for the right sidewall, there is only an optical drive carriage and a Kensington lock hole. I would really like to see at least one USB port on this side, which would facilitate the process of connecting a wired mouse and unload the opposite sidewall. The front face of the device has a card reader slot and two LED indicator, while the back side is devoid of any connectors or other functional elements.

The base of ASUS X540SA is non-separable, which excludes the possibility of self-updating the configuration. In addition to the rounded protrusion of the built-in battery and several mounting bolts, there are four small rubber feet that provide a fairly reliable grip of the device on almost any surface.

The build quality of the laptop and the level of rigidity of the case as a whole are pleasantly pleasing. All structural elements fit tightly, without visible backlash and gaps. The only controversial point is the relatively free punching of the central part of the display unit cover, in which, when closed, the screen can rest against the keyboard.

Input Devices

ASUS X540SA is equipped with a full-sized (382 x 102 mm) island-style keyboard with a full numeric keypad. Its base is slightly recessed into the work surface. The keyboard unit is fixed well, however, the base, which is part of the whole working panel, a little bends in the left side. The buttons are equipped with a classic scissor-membrane mechanism, which has a short and fairly quiet stroke with a comfortable tactile feedback. The caps have a standard flat shape and are slightly larger (basic - 16 x 16 mm; digital block- 16 x 13 mm; functional and hands - 14 x 10 mm). There is no backlight.

Application of symbolic elements completed by printing method. It has a fairly good quality and good wear resistance, but is characterized by an unsuccessful color scheme. If the white Latin alphabet is perfectly legible, then it may be difficult to find the required Cyrillic character, since they are rather dark.

The touchpad of the laptop is represented by a one-piece touchpad large sizes- 105 x 73 mm. It is slightly recessed into the base and has a good selection. The cover of the panel is made of matte plastic with pleasant tactile properties and ensures easy sliding. The touchpad sensitivity is quite high. Available full support multi-touch gestures in the Windows OS environment, which are configured using ASUS Smart Gesture proprietary software.

Display, sound, webcam

Notebook ASUS X540SA is equipped with a 15.6-inch display AU Optronics N156BGE-E42 with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and a pixel density of 100 ppi. It is based on a fairly good TN + film matrix with good time response and good color reproduction. Viewing angles are average, which is quite enough for everyday tasks. The built-in LED backlight has a good margin of brightness for indoor use. However, when working outdoors on a bright sunny day, the backlight may no longer be enough, especially given the glossy screen coating.

The sound subsystem is represented by two fairly high-quality stereo speakers with support for SonicMaster and ICESound technologies. They are located under the keyboard, due to which the sound output is carried out through the slots in the top row of keys. Despite such an unusual structure, the sound stream is not perceived as muffled, on the contrary, it has a quite pleasant sound with good detailing of high and medium frequencies, as well as a slight hint of low frequencies.

The webcam is a simple 0.3-megapixel module with a resolution of 480p. It sits above the laptop screen, flanked by a single activity light and two stereo microphones.

Hardware platform and performance

The reviewed laptop is equipped with a 2-core Intel processor Celeron N3050 operating at 1600 MHz (can dynamically increase to 2166 MHz), which does not support Intel technologies Hyper-Threading and is only capable of processing two data streams at the same time. It is manufactured in accordance with the 14nm process technology and is based on the Intel Braswell microarchitecture using the SoC design. This means that not only the nuclei of the central and GPU, but also a memory controller paired with a chipset chip. The L2 cache is 2MB and power consumption is under 6W.

The processor is equipped with an integrated graphics adapter Intel HD Graphics with an operating frequency range from 320 to 600 MHz and support for the most popular APIs (DirectX 11.2 and OpenGL 4.2). The amount of video memory of the accelerator is allocated from the laptop's RAM and can reach 1 GB.

The built-in CPU memory controller supports DDR3L-1600 MHz modules in 2-channel mode with a maximum capacity of 8 GB. In our case, only 2 GB of RAM are installed, which operate in single-channel mode.

The laptop is wirelessly connected using the Atheros AR9485 network controller, which supports 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi standards. Optionally, a Bluetooth 4.0 wireless module can be installed, which is not available in this model. As for the wired connection, it is performed using the Realtek RTL8139/810x module.

The disk subsystem is HDD Hitachi HTS545050A7E680 with SATA 6 Gb/s interface and 500 GB capacity. It has an 8 MB clipboard and a spindle speed of 5400 rpm.

The laptop also has a built-in TSSTcorp CDDVDW SU-228GB optical drive that supports reading and writing dual-layer DVDs.

ASUS X540SA falls into the hands of the user with a preinstalled operating system Windows 10 Home, which is complemented by a number of branded applications and utilities. They expand the functionality of the system, and also help keep the laptop software up to date.

As can be seen from the test results, the performance of the laptop is at a relatively low level, which is fully consistent with the declared parameters. Its main task will be to work with text editors, surfing the Internet, watching HD content, as well as running simple casual games that do not require a powerful graphics subsystem. In addition, having a good audio subsystem, the device will be able to satisfy the needs of most undemanding users, acting as a home multimedia entertainment center.

Cooling system, noise level and temperature conditions

Active cooling system ASUS X540SA provides fast and efficient removal of hot air. Its performance was tested in three modes: "Normal", "Gaming" and "Stress" at an air temperature in the test laboratory at 26°C.

Completely silent CO remains only in idle mode or at extremely low loads, when the temperature of the internal components does not exceed 55 ° C. However, it is worth running several applications at the same time, as the cooling system makes itself felt, starting to generate slight noise. In game mode (using World of Tanks as an example), temperatures immediately rise to 76°C, and the cooler becomes more noticeable. Similarly, the system reacts to stress loads, during which the laptop components warm up to 80 ° C, although even in this case the noise produced does not cause any discomfort.

At visual inspection of a working laptop, we did not fix problems with the heating of the case. The device remained cool enough and pleasant to the touch, except for a small area near the CO holes and the base above the central processor.

Power supply, battery and battery life

ASUS X540SA is equipped with a non-removable 3-cell lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2930 mAh (33 Wh, 11.25 V), which is able to provide a good level of autonomy due to the good energy efficiency of the hardware platform.

So, in the maximum load mode, the laptop was able to work for 2 hours 13 minutes, and when viewing Full HD video - 4 hours 24 minutes. In idle mode, its battery drained in 9 hours and 19 minutes, which is one of the best in the class.

Uninterrupted operation from the mains and timely charging of the battery is provided by a proprietary power supply with a power of 45 W (19 V, 2.47 A). It is able to fully restore the battery charge in less than 2.5 hours. At the same time, its operating temperature does not exceed 45 ° C.

Results

As expected, the laptop ASUSX540 SA turned out to be an interesting and quite promising device. By purchasing it, the owner gets a model with a stylish and practical design, high build quality, compact dimensions and light weight, a loud and fairly high-quality audio subsystem, support for the most popular interface connectors, and also with very decent autonomy.

Of course, there were some minor obligatory shortcomings that are found in devices of this category. But in general, they fade into the background against the background of the existing advantages. Price has the last word. And if it turns out to be justified, then the laptop will certainly become a good help to almost any user who is looking for a reliable and relatively inexpensive tool for solving simple everyday tasks.

Advantages:

• stylish and quite practical design;
• good build quality;
• compact dimensions and weight;
• full-size island-style keyboard with a separate number pad;
• loud and rather pleasant sounding of the audio subsystem;
• energy efficient hardware platform;
• availability of all popular interface connectors, including the new USB Type-C;
• enough efficient system cooling;
• good level of autonomy.

Peculiarities:

• relatively low productivity;
• absence USB port on the right sidewall, which makes it a little more difficult to connect a wired mouse.

Flaws:

• brand cover of the display unit.

We express our gratitude to the Ukrainian representative office of the companyASUSTeKcomputerInc. for the laptop provided for testing.

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