Asus Vivobook S301 / Q301 review – fast and affordable 13 inch ultrabook

21 Comments

  1. AP

    September 5, 2013 at 4:58 am

    Hi Andrei! This is my first time posting, but I have read a lot of your articles, always insightful :)

    I am wondering if I should buy a 3rd gen or wait for some more 4th gens to come out. Would you recommend the S300CA or the S400CA? If they were both prices 500-550. I am a high school teacher, use laptop mainly for streaming shows/youtube, surfing, word processing/ppt. But I also like to do some light gaming: League of Legends. So in all, looking for a portable laptop that can do some light gaming. I was wondering if the price increase is worth waiting for the 4th gens S301, S451. (Or even the Aspire S3 Haswell). Price would like to spend $600, but am willing to go higher for the right laptop (maybe up to like $900ish, more comfortable though 700-800 range).

    And I did buy the Aspire M5-6644, but was having wireless problems (did the U330 fix the U310’s wireless problems?), which I couldn’t fix, so had to return it. I think I would prefer a 13.3 in screen, but would be cool with a 14 in one. Any advice on what to do/recommendations? Sorry if this was long and rambly! Thank you!

  2. Alejandro

    October 7, 2013 at 12:43 am

    Hi Mike, I’ve bought the Asus Q301LA (the version that Best Buy sells that comes with a 4th Gen i5 processor and 4GB RAM) and I was wondering how much additional RAM can I install on this machine.

    I’ve seen it comes with and empty slot for a DDR3L module, but I don’t know the max RAM it can handle (additional 4GB or 8GB).

    Do you have that information?

    Thank you very much!

    • Andrei Girbea

      October 7, 2013 at 10:42 am

      it should take an extra 8 GB module but I’m not 100% sure on that because I haven’t tried upgrading it myself…

      • giuseppe

        December 5, 2013 at 1:45 pm

        Hello. I do not understand if on the S301LP you can upgrade the ram or not.
        Or you can justA on the Q301LA/S301LA series ?

      • Andrei Girbea

        December 5, 2013 at 2:38 pm

        The entire S301 line is built on the same platform, so they are all upgradeable

      • marco

        January 31, 2014 at 8:08 pm

        I read on the internet it’s difficult to do it as the ram is soldered. can you disprove or confirm it? cheers. thank you for your reviews

  3. edilio

    December 11, 2013 at 10:11 pm

    hi, what’s the differences with the Asus S301LP-C1014P? is also in the S301LP-C1014P the Intel 7260 wireless module WIDI compatible?

    thanks

  4. Sam

    June 7, 2014 at 4:38 pm

    Hello Guys,
    I’ve got a S301LP i did upgrade it with a new CRUCIAL 4GB ram(total 8GB 1600mhz)and replaced the HDD with a SAMSUNG 512GB SSD. Now this machine is a Monster.
    Any idea about Replacing the Screen to a Full HD IPS 3 ???? has anyone done it yet ? is it possible ?

    • Dreamande

      June 22, 2014 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Sam, can you run the same test that Andrei made for the review, like PCMark, 3DMark and Cinebench? I am very interested in this Vivobook and this information would be useful to let me choose what to buy. Thank you

      • sam

        August 7, 2014 at 8:16 am

        Not exactly, but sometimes it’s much better. Graphics are fine, I’m playing WatchDogs at medium level of graphic…

    • Sauro

      August 6, 2014 at 12:57 pm

      Hello Sam,

      I’ve buy an S301LP too and I want expand the ram to 8Gb. Could you confirm that an expansion bay is available? Looking the images of board I have not yet identified where it may be memory slot.
      Informations in web are very few and sometimes contradictory ….

      • Andrei Girbea

        August 6, 2014 at 4:09 pm

      • Sauro

        September 15, 2014 at 12:21 pm

        Hi Andrei,

        tank very much for the suggestions !!!
        I have succesfully upgrade the Ram adding 4 GB as SoDimm DDR3L SDRAM Kingstom KVR16LS11/4 module. I also replaced with SSD Crucial M550 256 Gb unit the internal HD.
        Now machine is a monster !!!
        As reported on your post, expansion bay is below a metal shield, easy to remove/replace by needle-nosed pliers. For the HD, just take care the cables passing along the external frame. The only difficult task was the removal of back panel, I recommend using an old credit card or similar plastic tool to unclip the snap-fit all around the borders. Take care the corner were little status leds are placed.

        Tanks again !!!

      • Dreamande

        October 14, 2014 at 12:26 pm

        Hi Sauro,
        can you confirm me that you have installed a ddr3l module and not a “normal” dd3? I tried a 4gb ddr3 Corsair 1333MHz (code CMSO4GX3M1A133C9) and it doesn’t work so i want to be sure to buy the right ram.
        Thank you!

      • sam

        August 7, 2014 at 8:13 am

        Hello Sauro

        S301LP has an onboard RAM. you can NOT upgrade it to a 8gb if u buy a 4gb version. but you can still change the HDD to a SSD, and it can brings you great resaults with the speed.
        P.S. Sorry for the first comment, i was talking about S301L 15″ version of my last one which i don’t remember the model correctly. sorry…

      • Andrei Girbea

        August 7, 2014 at 10:23 am

        Are you 100% positive on that? It looks to me a lot like all the Transformer Book FLip 13 and the 15 inch Vivobook, which has a spare DIMM hidden behind that aluminum foil cover placed next to the CPU?

  5. Sauro

    October 14, 2014 at 7:02 pm

    To Dreamande,

    I have simply used the Kinstom web site to found the right RAM. Anyway as reported on specs the module must be low voltage (1,35 V) RAM or compatible one.

  6. Frankie

    November 17, 2014 at 6:23 am

    Is there a “wacom pen” or any other tablet pen that will work on the touch screen for a ASUS Q301L?

  7. Sitraka

    February 3, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    Hi Mike,
    I’m interested in a model, the Vivobook s301la-dh084h. It’s marketed as having a full HD screen. Do you think it’s a TN or an IPS panel ? Do Asus only use IPS for their full HD screens or do they also use TN panels ?
    Thank you in advance for your answer. By the way, nice review.

  8. Cad

    June 1, 2015 at 8:25 pm

    Hello everybody who’s ever planning on buying an ASUS crappy vivobook. I have had the s301LA touchscreen for about 8 months and the hatred in me has grown so big that I’m never gonna go again for another ASUS in my entire life. The inside of the laptop is full of shit. Currently planning on buying an axe to fuck the computer up as soon as I get myself a proper Macbook.

  9. Kristine

    May 22, 2016 at 6:55 pm

    Does anyone know were to buy a new speaker for a Vivobook 301L? Mine is broke.. /:

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