Flip 360, Flip Smart.
“Ready to flip into boosted productivity?” That’s the opening line on the Australian ASUS webpage for the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip (TP3407), one of the latest laptop offerings from ASUS. And it’s a bold claim, given ASUS have some pretty good premium laptop offerings, such as the Zenbook S 16 which I have previously reviewed.
So I was keen to see how the Vivobook 14 Flip held up, because on-paper, at least, it looks good – equipped with up to the latest Intel® CoreTM Ultra 7 processor (Series 2), an NPU boasting up to 47 TOPS, a 14-inch FHD ASUS Lumina OLED NanoEdge touchscreen, and a whopping 28hour battery life.
But, just how good was it?
TL;DR
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is a well-built, versatile 2-in-1 laptop with solid performance, strong battery life, and a great stylus experience. It’s ideal for students, professionals, and creatives who value tablet functionality. But at this price point, its lower screen resolution and limited port layout might make the Zenbook S16 a better choice if you don’t need the flip feature.
But first, a detour.
“An NPU with up to 47 TOPS.” What does that mean?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries and driving news stories and innovation.
Traditionally, the CPU was responsible for executing AI algorithms.
But, just like the PC gaming industry drove the need for dedicated Graphical Processing Units (GPU’s) – as AI became more prolific, and demands for processing performance skyrocketed, dedicated Neural Processing Unit’s (NPU’s) emerged as a specialised solution for handling software and applications leveraging AI.
These NPU’s are designed to efficiently handle the mathematical computations required for AI tasks.
Likewise, new ways of evaluating the performance, accuracy and efficiency with which computer platforms could run AI models was required.
Today, one of the ways of measuring a processor’s AI performance is ‘Trillions Of Operations Per Second’ (TOPS). In short, TOPS is a measurement of the potential peak AI inferencing performance, based on the architecture and frequency required of the NPU.
So, is 47 TOPS good?
Well it’s not the highest available in a laptop (for example, HP’s Omen Max 16 with the AMD RyzenTM AI 9 HX 375 has up to 55 TOPS), but it is pretty good. And if you’ll excuse me a little maths, I’ll explain why. For those not interested in the nitty gritty, skip to the next section, I won’t hold it against you.
A multiply-accumulate (MAC) operation executes the mathematical formula at the core of an AI workload. A MAC unit can run one multiplication operation, and one additional operation each clock cycle.
Frequency determines the clock speed (cycles per second) at which an NPU at its MAC units (as well as a CPU and GPU) operate. A higher frequency allows for more operations per unit of time, resulting in faster processing speeds. The tradeoff caveat is that a higher frequency also results in higher power consumption and resulting heat, impacting battery life and user experience (not to mention requiring additional cooling.) Thus, the TOPS number quoted for processors is generally at their peak operating frequency.
To calculate TOPS, you start with OPS (two times the number of MAC units, multiplied by their operating frequency), and then divide by one trillion (yes, with a T).
So, while it must be noted that a high TOPS number alone does not guarantee great AI performance, it’s a relatively good indicator, and so the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip does well enough.
First Impressions of the Asus Vivobook 14 Flip
The box of the Zenbox is plain brown cardboard with barely anything on it. This design mantra seemingly carries across to the Vivobook 14 Flip itself, with the laptop sporting a plain grey appearance across both the outside and the inside of the full-aluminium case, with the grey broken only by a small, reflective silver ‘ASUS VIVOBOOK’ centred on the right side of the top casing.
It’s not going to draw everyone’s attention while you’re using it, unlike the ASUS Zenbook S16, but it seems better suited to an office or school setting, but its clean, feels premium, and I like it. And, to the credit of the design team, it does NOT pick up fingerprints – at all. (Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the touchscreen itself)
Measuring 32.4cm x 22cm x 1.8cm, and weighing 1.5kgs the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is easily transportable and relatively light-weight, which is good, considering it’s intended as an all-in-one device – that is, a laptop that can be converted into a tablet by folding the screen completely over to the underside. However, while not fatiguing to hold long-term, it must be noted that it’s not as light as a dedicated tablet.
The Vivobook 14 Flip retains the enlarged ergonomic touchpad ASUS showcased on other models (like the Zenbook S16) and matches the display aspect, making navigating without a mouse more comfortable and easier. Smart Gestures – swiping along the edges of the trackpad can be enabled for additional functionality – for example, the left edge allows you to control volume, while the right edge controls the brightness of the display. When playing media, you can also swipe the top to control the timeline and jump forward or backwards. Despite the large size of the trackpad, I didn’t find myself accidentally triggering it like I usually do on laptops, thanks to great placement.
The touchpad also has a hydrophobic coating, and high-end PVD anti-fingerprint coating which ASUS states will provide excellent resistance to wear and tear. All I know, is that like the case, it does not pick up fingerprints or smudges easily, meaning that even after a couple of weeks use, it still looks just-removed-from-the-box brand new.
Like the previous ASUS laptops I’ve reviewed, the Vivobook 14 Flip possesses a very quiet and soft keyboard mechanism. I’m used to a more tactile mechanical keyboard on my gaming desktop, but it’s not a jarring change to the ASUS models (I cannot say the same for some other brands, where I find myself constantly making typos when switching between my desktop and the laptop), and is very handy when doing some late night typing next to a sleeping partner.
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip also meets the MIL-STF 810H (military standard) for reliability and durability, having undergone a punishing test regime that includes extended operation in harsh environments (high temperatures, low temperatures, altitude, vibration and shock tests.) Which is helpful given its intended use includes being taken outside, and used while on the move.
The Vivobook 14 Flip also comes with a sturdy 360-degree hinge, offering on-point resistance. This means that it’s easy enough to open one handed (even with one finger) while being able to stop and hold the screen at any point through the 360 degree track. This means, for example, that you can use the Vivobook 14 Flip as a laptop, in tablet mode, or like a tent (for a makeshift movie-screen or as an art canvas when using the ASUS Pen 2.0)
I will note some minor annoyances here. For starters, while the hinge itself is sturdy, the screen does wobble noticeably when being used as a touchscreen in laptop mode. It’s a minor issue, but still frustrating on a laptop at this price point.
Secondly, when used in tablet mode, the keyboard rests against your arm. While the Vivobook 14 Flip automatically locks the keyboard and trackpad in tablet mode so you don’t have to worry about bumping keys by accident, it just takes a bit to get used to the feeling (my palm was continually pressing into the keys).
But overall, it feels like a pretty decent product.
Inside the Box
Inside the box, you get the Asus Vivobook 14 Flip, a USB-C power cable, the warranty and other documentation, and an ASUS Pen 2.0 – a pressure sensitive Stylus with a number of different tip options. I have included a few comments on this stylus below.
One amusing addition from the box itself was a cardboard sheet that has been marked and perforated for you to fold into a laptop stand. Obviously, it won’t last as long as a dedicated stand, but it’s still a thoughtful addition that makes good use of the packaging materials.
Getting started
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip ships with Windows 11. It remains one of my least favourite versions of windows (I’m disappointed Windows 10 is being phased out this year) but it is relatively quick and easy to set up, with updates being installed the moment I connected it to my home Wi-fi.
Following the updates – it was a simple matter of logging into your Microsoft account, setting up your preferences, and clicking ‘skip’ on the default tutorials. (You might not want to do that, depending on your technological capability.)
It’s fast, it’s simple, and it allows you to start working very, very quickly after the unboxing. Should you wish it (I didn’t) you can also link your smartphone to the Vivobook 14 Flip, allowing you to respond to messages, mirror the smartphone screen on the laptop, answer calls using the laptop, and transfer files from your smart phone to the laptop (and vice versa.)
Like the Zenbook S16, the Vivobook 14 Flip contains an infrared camera, greatly improving the Vivobook’s ability to identify the user in low-light conditions. In testing, it still wasn’t always as fast as that on my smart phone, but it saves a few seconds over typing my password each time, and is more reliable than some other brands of laptops I’ve used.
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip also contains Microsoft Pluton, which is designed to provide the functionality of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and deliver other security functionality beyond what is possible with the TPM 2.0 specification, while allowing for firmware and OS features to be delivered over time via Windows Update. It’s a nice additional security feature.
Battery Life and Charging
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip has a 70Wh battery. Interestingly, this is 8Wh smaller than that found on the Zenbook S16, but provides up to 10 hours more battery life than the S16 (up to 28 hours total.)
In my testing, I found it achieved this figure in PCMark battery life test, however in ‘real world’ tests it fell somewhat shorter. That said, it easily achieved in excess of 12 hours under a variety of usage tasks, meaning you won’t likely need to charge it during the work or school day. The Vivobook 14 Flip also comes with a fast charger, which allows 60% charge in 49 minutes – so if you find yourself short, it’s not going to take forever to provide enough charge to see you through the remaining day. And the charger and cables only weigh 331g, so it’s not going to be back breaking to pack it in your bag too.
Similar to the S16, the charger on the Vivobook 14 Flip doesn’t take up more than a single powerpoint like some of the competition – something that is greatly appreciated, and I personally didn’t notice it getting hot to the point of concern while left plugged in for long periods of time.
Ports
The Vivobook 14 Flip offers a reasonable number of ports for everyday use. There’s a USB Type-A port on the right side, while on the left it sports an HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
I would have preferred they do away with the 3.5mm audio jack and add an extra USB-A port personally, given my wireless mouse is a USB-A design, and using it meant I wasn’t able to plug in my USB stick at the same time.
Audio & Visuals
The ASUS Vivobook 14 flip display is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the device. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not BAD, the ASUS Luminous OLED panel delivers good level saturations and colours (the display has a 100 percent DCI-p3 colour gamut, DisplayHDR 500 True Black, and TUV Rheinland certification), has good dynamic range, and the appearance of text is clean and crisp. It’s just…. 1200 x 1920 pixels and 60Hz.
While I appreciate the reasons for this (extending battery life as a primary consideration) I can’t help but compare it to the excellent display on the Zenbook S16, which had a native 2880 x 1800 pixel resolution, and the 120Hz refresh rate. And given the fact the price of the Vivobook 14 Flip (Ulta 7 Processor version) is identical to the Zenbook S16, it really pushes the selling point of the Vivobook heavily onto the Flip functionality alone.
I can’t help but feel at this price point that a slightly better screen resolution, and 120+Hz screen would have been a better option, even with the trade-off on slightly reduced battery life.
That said, the Vivobook 14 Flip retains the 0.2ms response time (it is a VERY responsive touchscreen), peak brightness of up to 500 nits, and the low blue light certification by TÜV Rheinland, of the Zenbook S16, boasting lower harmful blue-light levels, and flicker-free dimming, ensuring better eye care and sleep quality when used at night before bed.
Of course, as suggested by the inclusion of the ASUS Pen 2.0, the screen is a touch-screen. And, given the addition of the ASUS Pen 2.0, I would HIGHLY recommend using this, rather than your finger – given (as previously commented) the propensity of the screen to attract fingerprints and smudges when using the touchscreen with your fingers.
So, the design is nice, the display is okay, but how’s the sound?
Well, ASUS has recently been paying a lot of attention to this aspect in various lines. ASUS has collaborated with Dolby Atmos to equip the Vivobook 14 Flip with 360 degree adaptive audio. They advertise this as “dynamically adjusting the audio across modes, ensuring consistent and superior listening experience for all laptop orientations.”
In my testing, I found it performed well, with good volume and audio output. That said, at max volumes, there was sometimes a crackling distortion, but this is a minor quibble given you’re not likely going to be setting the volume that high in everyday use.
Webcam & Microphone
The full-HD, IR-based camera works nearly flawlessly, even when the lighting was dim in the room, providing a good image quality, and the dual microphone captures the sound nicely while helping to eliminate unwanted background noise and prevent sound artifacts.
One thing I especially liked was the magnetically-assisted webcam privacy shield. This slides over the webcam for instant privacy protection, with the shutter switch using magnetic repulsion to create resistance, making the entire operation smooth and silent.
Performance
The Vivobook 14 Flip I tested had the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU, an Intel Arc Graphics 140V GPU, a 1TB PCIEG4 SSD, and 16GB of LPDDR5X Ram. There is also cheaper (by $400) version with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor available.
The testbed was also equipped with support for Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.
I will preface the next few paragraphs with the disclaimer that the Vivobook 14 Flip is NOT intended for gaming. It’s a tablet / laptop hybrid intended for the workplace. That said, I played some games on it anyway.
| Benchmark | ASUS VivoBook 14 Flip |
| Cinebench R23 Single Core | 1427 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi Core | 9666 |
| PC Mark 10 | 6738 |
| 3D Mark CPU Profile | 5915 |
As you can see, the Vivobook 14 Flip has no issues with day-to-day tasks, whether that is surfing the internet, streaming movies, editing documents and photos, or multi-tasking. The biggest benefit of the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is when switching it to tablet mode, because the full capability of the Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU remained in play. While some tablets have certainly leapt ahead in terms of capability, there are still some tasks necessitating a bit more processing power – which is not an issue with the Vivobook 14 Flip.
Gaming, was understandably more hit and miss with performance. In some games, I was able to get a stable 150-200 fps on default medium graphics. In the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 benchmark, using the minimum settings, it averaged 75fps, with the 1% low score around 57fps, but it looked terrible. Increasing to the default settings reduced the fps to an average of 67, with a 1% low of 50fps.
So, it was okay. But it’s not going to replace your gaming PC or even console.
One big point to note, was that the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip runs cool and silent, at least during general use. Under load (such as gaming) it got a little warm and the fans became noticeable. That said, even under continuous load, there wasn’t any significant thermal-related throttling noticeable – meaning the ASUS ‘IceCool’ thermal technology is clearly a success in the Vivobook 14 Flip.
The Vivobook 14 flip also features the ASUS Copilot+ (which commenced rollout in late 2024, and is continuing into 2025 for some regions), to present what ASUS calls ‘a next-level AI experience.’ With integrated AI engines to accelerate AI computing, and a suite of ASUS AI applications it allows you to do a wide-range of tasks from Live captions – translating audio and video content into English Subtitles from 44 languages; to Recall – allowing you to find content you have viewed on your device.
I didn’t test any of these AI features, so can’t provide comment upon them at this time.
The ASUS Pen 2.0
The ASUS Pen 2.0 is a USB powered stylus that provides over 140 hours of use from a quick 30-minute charge. The charging port is accessed by pulling up the top of the stylus to expose the USB-C port.
The ASUS Pen 2.0 features 4096-level pressure sensitivity, and 5-350 gram pen tip force to create the finest lines and broadest brush strokes based on the amount of pressure exerted by the user. And it comes with four interchangeable pen tips – 2H, H, HB and B.
The ASUS Pen 2.0 contains several functional buttons. One top button for shortcuts, and two side buttons for mouse click and erase. With built-in Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP) 2.0 technology, which offers an ultra-low latency and fast response, ensuring accurate and effortless brush strokes on screen.
In usage, I found that it was comfortable to hold and use, with differing frictional properties and hardness across each of the four included pen tips. This made it easy to select one that suited by writing style, and – after doing so – made it feel no different than writing on paper with a pen.
Having used a multitude of different stylus offerings over the years (including the ones on my Samsung S22 Ultra and S25 Ultra) the ASUS Pen 2.0 remains my favourite.
Final thoughts
When it comes to laptops, there generally are strengths, and then the compromises to achieve those strengths. The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is a good attempt by the company to provide a practical laptop / tablet hybrid.
It possesses a premium, metal design that is both functional and looks good, has decent performance for its intended tasks, and the dedicated NPU will provide some future proofing.
I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on the price – it’s not cheap, especially in a market that’s crowded with similar competitors. However, it nonetheless represents reasonable value for what you receive.
So, in summary, if you are looking for a laptop / tablet hybrid, definitely consider the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip.
However, if you’re only in the market for a laptop, and don’t require the tablet functionality (or already have a tablet that you don’t mind carrying around too), I would recommend looking at other offerings, particularly the ASUS Zenbook S14 and S16 (which you can pick up for the same price or cheaper).
I’d like to thank ASUS for the loan of the Vivobook 14 Flip, and the ASUS Pen 2.0. I genuinely enjoyed the experience, and the tablet feature came in handy on a number of occasions.
