Asus VivoBook Max X541 review: Impressive performance and features

Price: Rs 31,990

Specifications: 15.6-inch IPS (1920 x 1080 pixels), 7th gen Intel Core i3, 4GB RAM, 1TB HDD, full size keyboard, dual speakers, USB Type-C port, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI, Ethernet, card reader, webcam, Windows 10, 3-cell battery, 1.9kg


Asus is amongst the first brands to bring the latest 7th generation Intel Core processors to this price range. This latest launch from Asus, the VivoBook Max X541, belongs to their third generation mainstream notebook range and impresses with good specifications as well as futureready features.

Being a mid-range notebook, the X541 comes with an all plastic body with a tapered design. Even though it has a 15.6-inch display, the notebook is surprisingly light for its size: less than 2kg actually, mostly thanks to the plastic body. Despite being a mid-range notebook, Asus has paid attention to style and design in order to make it stand out. The lid has a black, brushed metal finish while the interior is a nice golden brushed metal. Above the keyboard you’ll see dual speakers with machine drilled holes that further add to the overall looks.

On the right side is the optical drive while the left side has a future ready USB type-C port, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA and Ethernet ports. You also get a full-size chiclet style keyboard.

While the main keyboard has large keys that are easy to use, the number pad keys are smaller in comparison and we found them uncomfortable to use. Also, the keyboard is not backlit. The large single piece trackpad responds well and comes with palm rejection for typing. The VivoBook Max X541 has a 15.6-inch display and is one of the only options in this price range with a full HD screen. The display is fantastic: wide viewing angles, excellent brightness and an anti-glare coating for comfortable use. We used it outside under direct sunlight and faced no issues with reading text.

Hardware includes a 7th generation Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM (2,400Mhz) and a 1TB hard drive. It works great for most daily tasks. Even basic image editing with Photoshop was a breeze. We tried 4k video playback using VLC and it ran smoothly.

Where you do need to compromise is battery life — a full charge barely lasts 4 hours. This means that you will have to carry around the charger with you all the time. Luckily, it comes with a compact charger and not the big bricklike charger you usually find in this price range.

The X541 is also pitched as an entertainment-ready notebook. The full HD display is one of the highlights while the other is the dual speaker setup. The 3W speakers come with a 24cc sound chamber and a special transmission line to deliver top notch audio output. Be it movies or music, the audio output is loud and clear with a surprisingly good amount of bass.

Overall, this new notebook from Asus manages to impress with its performance and feature set. If you can get past the average battery life and plastic build, there is no other notebook with similar features and specs in this price range. For a slightly lower price, you can also consider notebooks with 6th gen Intel Core i3 processors.