Most laptops—whether premium or budget-friendly—tend to look, feel, and function similarly, with performance being the key differentiator. However, some machines go the extra mile, and the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip, powered by the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, is one such device. Easily one of the most versatile PCs I have tested, here’s what makes it stand out.
Rugged and practical
The laptop has a 360-degree hinge. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip may not be the most premium-looking or feeling laptop for its price, but it is well-built with a strong emphasis on practicality. Its 14-inch screen is neither too small nor too large, making it easy to carry around. This mid-sized laptop has everything one would expect from a device of this class, including a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port and a USB-A port, which is useful for connecting accessories like a wireless mouse adapter. It also includes a couple of USB-C ports and a microSD card slot.
The trackpad and keyboard are also excellent. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The keyboard is excellent, offering great travel and feedback—ideal for journalists like me who draft long reviews and features, including this one. The backlighting is also useful, especially when using the laptop in low-light conditions.
The trackpad is large and accurate, with a few extra tricks, such as the ability to control display brightness by swiping up/down on the right side and volume by swiping up/down on the left side.
A practical two-in-one
The 14-inch touchscreen display is bright and colour-accurate. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is an AI PC with Copilot+ certification, featuring a 14-inch 1080p OLED screen and a 360-degree hinge that allows it to function in three modes: laptop, tablet, and tent. The touchscreen support adds another layer of versatility, while the bundled ASUS Pen 2.0 makes it even more useful for artistic work or those who prefer stylus input over a keyboard and mouse.
While I primarily used the Vivobook 14 Flip in laptop mode, I occasionally switched to tablet mode for media consumption. The OLED display and Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers delivered an impressive viewing experience, though I did notice occasional crackling at maximum volume.
The 2-in-1 form factor also makes for an interesting gaming experience, especially with a controller. Casual games like Candy Crush Saga pop with vibrant colours on the OLED screen, making for a visually engaging experience.
A proper AI PC
Running DeepSeek AI locally on the Flip 14. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is one of the affordable Copilot+ branded AI PCs. Powered by the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, it offers solid performance. The laptop includes integrated ARC graphics, a dedicated NPU with up to 47 TOPs of AI performance, and the latest wireless connectivity standards like Wi-Fi 7. Uniquely, it can also function as a Wi-Fi hotspot to share internet connectivity with other smart devices.
Although it is a Copilot+ branded PC, Microsoft has yet to release an update enabling a full suite of AI experiences. Currently, the laptop leverages AI to enhance the camera experience during video calls, featuring an FHD camera with a physical shutter for privacy-conscious users.
Performance-wise, the laptop scored 2,707 and 10,847 on the single-core and multi-core CPU benchmarks, respectively, and 29,333 points on the OpenCL GPU test. I didn’t experience any major lag, even while using it on battery. However, for heavy users, I recommend opting for the 32GB RAM variant instead of 16GB.
Benchmark figures. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The 8-core CPU can locally run a distilled model of DeepSeek via the LLM Studio. Even while running an AI model locally, the laptop remained cool and quiet, making it a true AI PC.
Intel Arc GPU performance. (Express Photo)
The Arc GPU is also capable of handling 1080p gaming at medium settings on titles like GTA V and Far Cry 6.
All-day battery life
The laptop charges via the USB-C port. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The laptop is equipped with a 70Wh battery and supports 65W fast charging via USB-C. On most days, the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip lasted me over 8 hours of work, usually leaving me with around 20 per cent battery remaining. However, tasks like gaming and video editing consume more power.
A well-thought-out AI PC
A really practical AI PC. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is powerful, versatile, and offers everything—and more—that one expects from a modern thin-and-light PC. This makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a laptop under Rs 1,00,000.
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| Pros |
Cons |
| Versatile 2-in-1 Design: 360-degree hinge allows for laptop, tablet, and tent modes. |
Occasional speaker crackling: At maximum volume, some crackling may occur. |
| Excellent Keyboard: Great travel and feedback, ideal for long typing sessions. |
16GB RAM might be limiting: Heavy users recommended to opt for the 32GB variant. |
| Large and Accurate Trackpad: Includes useful gestures for brightness and volume control. |
AI features still developing: Full suite of Copilot+ AI experiences not yet available. |
| Practical Port Selection: Includes full-sized HDMI 2.1, USB-A, USB-C, and microSD card slot. |
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Beautiful OLED Display: 14-inch 1080p OLED screen offers vibrant colors and great viewing angles.
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Bundled ASUS Pen 2.0: Adds versatility for artistic work and stylus input.
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Solid Performance: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU, 16GB RAM, and 512GB storage deliver good performance.
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AI Capabilities: Dedicated NPU for AI performance and local LLM running.
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Good Battery Life: 70Wh battery offers over 8 hours of work on a single charge.
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Fast Charging: 65W fast charging via USB-C.
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Affordable AI PC: One of the most affordable Copilot+ branded PCs.
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Wi-Fi 7 and Hotspot Functionality: Latest wireless connectivity standards and ability to share internet.
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Privacy-focused Camera: FHD camera with a physical shutter.
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A super compact and practical notebook. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) 
The laptop has a 360-degree hinge. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The trackpad and keyboard are also excellent. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
The 14-inch touchscreen display is bright and colour-accurate. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
Running DeepSeek AI locally on the Flip 14. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
Benchmark figures. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
Intel Arc GPU performance. (Express Photo)
The laptop charges via the USB-C port. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
A really practical AI PC. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)
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