The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is a higher-end choice with significantly better performance, suited for demanding tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning thanks to its powerful AMD Ryzen processor and Vega graphics. However, it's less affordable and slightly heavier, which might affect its portability. The Gateway 14.1" is much more budget-friendly and highly portable, with sufficient capabilities for general use, but it falls short in tasks requiring substantial computational power due to its Intel Celeron processor and basic integrated graphics. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook S 15
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Advantages of the Gateway 14.1"
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
267.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
5.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 provides a fair gaming and 3D experience due to its AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with Vega 8 graphics which is superior in performance to the Gateway 14.1's Intel Celeron N4020 with Intel UHD Graphics 600. While both share similar screen refresh rates and screen quality, the ASUS's more powerful GPU and CPU significantly contribute to a better gaming and 3D rendering capability.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
5.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 stands out for engineering and design work due to its robust AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and ample 16 GB of RAM, coupled with a capable integrated GPU, making it adept at handling complex tasks and graphics-heavy applications. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" is ill-suited for such demands with its more basic Intel Celeron CPU, limited 4 GB of RAM, and weaker integrated graphics, which struggle with intensive workloads and multitasking.
Content Creation
7.6/10
5.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.4/10
5.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
6.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the Gateway 14.1" offer screens with sufficient resolution and brightness to handle everyday tasks like browsing and office work, but their panel type may not provide the best viewing angles. In engineering and design, the importance of accurate colors means that the fair color gamut coverage of these laptops may not meet the needs of professionals who require precise color reproduction for their work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates of these laptops may lead to less fluid visuals, which can detract from the immersive experience that high-refresh-rate displays provide.
Build Quality
7.0/10
5.1/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$908
$99
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a price of $908 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" has 8 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 14.1" to have very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook S 15 or the Gateway 14.1"
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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