Choosing between the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the Gateway 15.6" largely depends on your priorities. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 offers a more robust performance with a higher-end processor, making it suitable for intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming. However, it's less portable due to a heavier weight, and the higher price reflects its superior performance and features. On the other hand, the Gateway 15.6" is significantly more affordable while still providing decent performance for general use and multitasking. It's lighter than the ASUS, offering better portability, but it may not handle demanding software as smoothly. Additionally, the Gateway comes with Windows 10 Home, which might be less current compared to the ASUS's Windows 11 Home. Consider the Gateway if you prefer a lighter, more budget-friendly laptop for everyday tasks, or the ASUS if you're looking for higher performance capabilities and the latest operating system at a higher cost. 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 engineering and design
Good for software development
Good overall build quality
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the ASUS Vivobook S 15.
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
267.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is somewhat better.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
6.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation, though the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is somewhat better.
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
6.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the Gateway 15.6" offer screens that deliver the basics with acceptable brightness and resolution, but they may not feature the most vibrant panel types. When it comes to engineering and design, these laptops may fall short on delivering the broad color spectrum that professionals need, as they likely don't cover the wider DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces comprehensively. Lastly, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens are less suitable due to lower refresh rates, which can result in less smooth visuals, although they still provide sufficient resolution and panel quality for casual use.
Build Quality
7.0/10
5.1/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$908
$380
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a price of $908 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $380.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and Gateway 15.6" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the Gateway 15.6" 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."
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook S 15 or the Gateway 15.6"
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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