ASUS Vivobook S14 OLED Review: Shiny screen, missing charger

So, you are hunting for a shiny new toy during the Prime Big Deal Days? The ASUS Vivobook S14 OLED is undoubtedly one of those devices that looks better on your desk than your old, clunky office relic. It is thin, it is light, and that OLED screen is the star of the show. If you are tired of staring at washed-out panels, this is a genuine step up for your eyeballs.

However, let us address the elephant in the room. ASUS has decided to save the planet by not including a power brick. It is a noble gesture, I suppose, provided you already own a 65W USB-C charger. If you do not, you will be doing a very frustrated dance with a dead laptop and an empty box. It is the kind of modern tech quirk that makes me want to sigh loudly into my coffee.

Under the hood, the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V and 16GB of RAM make for a zippy experience. It handles standard productivity and light browsing without breaking a sweat, which is exactly what the spec sheet promised. The Copilot integration is there if you like your OS to talk back, but the real winner is the sheer portability of a 1.3kg chassis.

The keyboard is where things get a bit lukewarm. For some reason, there is no backlighting. Yes, you heard me. In a world where even budget mechanical keyboards light up like a neon sign, ASUS decided to keep things dark. It is a baffling omission for anyone who works past sundown.

If you want a portable, sharp-looking machine for study or light office work and already have a USB-C charger lying around, this is a steal at current deal prices. Skip this if you need a backlit keyboard for late-night typing or if the thought of buying a separate charger ruins your day.