Editor’s Rating: 6 / 10
Perfect balance between size and weight for a budget laptop!
The good
The model is light & thin for a 17″ model. It packs with great GPU and CPU for animation, light gaming, or any application.
The bad
Its battery life can certainly be improved. A lack of a touchscreen or a 2-in-1 hinge makes the machine less desirable.
Detail Review of Asus VivoBook Pro 17 (2018, N705UN-ES76)
How can you decide which design is best for your needs?
Sometimes you don’t actually need to pick one specific style, because you can get a bit of everything in one package.
That’s the case with the Asus VivoBook Pro, which offers a very different collection of features than you’ll find with most other models.
With both a large display and a thin design, this oddball laptop has both work and play opportunities, although you lose out on some high-end features you might expect at the price range.
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 configuration In Review
Processor: Intel Core i7-8550U (Up to 4.0GHz) | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (2GB) | Display 17.3” HD Display, 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution | Operating System Windows 10 Home | Battery Life 4.5 hours | Weight 4.6 lbs | Other Features Backlit keyboard
The Jack Of All Trades Laptop
Let’s dive right into what makes this laptop worth considering over any of its competitors.
Simply put, the VivoBook Pro 17 is a bit of a paradox, as this is an extreme example of middle of the road design. What you get here is the classic jack of all trades model that is truly the master of none.
How many laptops out there manage to pack 17” displays, a dedicated graphics card, and an extremely high-end CPU into a thin and light ultrabook design?
..Asus overcame that design flaw masterfully here, as the VivoBook is only 4.5 pounds and .8 inches thick!
Most 17” models are in the 7 – 10 pound range and are a massive pain to carry around. Asus overcame that design flaw masterfully here, as the VivoBook is only 4.5 pounds and .8 inches thick!
It’s difficult to overstate just how rare this design is, or how useful it can be for users who prefer a bigger screen but still need a highly portable device.
Trade-Offs On Build Design
Unfortunately, there are some major problems that come with that uncommon design, especially with the VivoBooks mid-range price point.
This model features a notably plain jane design and aesthetic. There’s nothing flashy or vibrant in the build, and despite the thin style the chassis isn’t particularly sleek.
Overall, the build doesn’t exude that high end, sturdy feel you’d expect from a pricier laptop above the budget models.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t include a touch screen or a hybrid design for folding over like a tablet, which are features that are becoming quite common at this price point.
Unlike the 15 inch version of this same machine, oddly you don’t get the fingerprint reader here either. I’m honestly not sure why that option was ditched since there’s more room for it with the larger 17” chassis.
It’s also important to note this is not a laptop built for easy upgrades, which is a shame since it only comes standard with 8GB of RAM. That’s enough for basic work, but over time your applications are going to need 16GB to avoid stutters and lag, especially if you are a gamer.
Benefits Of Going Big
Despite those design flaws, there are some major benefits to the VivoBook Pro that may make it the best choice for a specific kind of buyer.
..didn’t skimp on the display quality either, with a 1920 x 1080 resolution IPS panel that offers vibrant colors and clear HD streaming..
The extremely lightweight and thin design for a 17” model simply has to be mentioned again, because you don’t normally find a full 10 key keyboard in this weight class.
Asus didn’t skimp on the display quality either, with a 1920 x 1080 resolution IPS panel that offers vibrant colors and clear HD streaming.
Sadly, a big screen coupled with a dedicated graphics card has other downsides worth mentioning — extremely low battery life.
While it does also feature significantly faster charging than many other models of the same size and style, the VivoBook has a disappointing maximum battery life of around 4 – 5 hours.
Critic Reviews
The thin and light VivoBook Pro 17 posts very good general system performance scores, features fast solid-state storage and can manage a typical gaming session without any problem.
Despite the relatively low price of the VivoBook Pro 17, configurations with 1080p displays offer excellent image quality thanks to the wide sRGB coverage, high contrast, high maximum brightness and relatively accurate color reproduction out of the box.
Buy it If…
Huge desktop replacements. Thin ‘n light ultrabooks. Powerful gaming rigs. Simple work machines. The laptop industry is filled to the brim with an overabundance of choices that many buyers find bewildering.
Between the large size and the graphics card, this is a model perfect for animators, video editing enthusiasts, or anyone running hefty enterprise-level software that requires more than a basic integrated graphics card.
Don’t Buy it If…
The low battery life and flimsy build, on the other hand, mean this is may not be the best choice for budget buyers, or anyone who wants to spend more on a high-quality machine with all the bells and whistles.
If your goal is gaming more than running animation or CAD software, you may want to go with the alternate GTX 1050 edition of this model. The price bumps up to another $200, but the extra graphical processing power is worth the cost.
Of course, that’s primarily only an option if you specifically want a work/gaming hybrid device. If you only care about gaming, there are much better choices than the VivoBook 17 at similar price ranges with more RAM and better graphics cards.
Asus VivoBook Pro 17 (2018, N705UN-ES76) Alternatives
There’s a wider range of option to choose from if this is not for you. Here is a few that we suggest:
- ASUS VivoBook Pro 17: Very thin and light laptop in a 17″ body
- Acer Aspire E 15: Constantly ranked among the best budget overall laptop.
- Lenovo Yoga 730: An 2 in 1 alternative to the Asus ViviBook
- HP 17.3-inch HD+ : Reliable machine from HP.
Verdict
Wondering what other similar models are available that may work better for your needs? Check out our roundup of the best laptops for animation enthusiasts here.