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ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SAL vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against laptops at a similar price

The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 scores 6.6/10 overall, ahead of the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SAL at 6.2/10.

The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SAL leads on ports and linux support.

The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 leads on performance, battery life and keyboard and build.

They score the same on memory and storage and display.

The biggest difference is ports, where the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SAL scores 7/10 to the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5's 4/10.

ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SAL

6.2/10verdict: wait for deal

The Vivobook S 14 OLED suits students, mobile office workers and developers who want a light 14-inch laptop with a colour-rich screen and good battery reports. It gives 16GB of memory, two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 1.30 kg chassis. Buyers who want to upgrade memory later or run Linux with vendor backing should look at the limits first.

Typically about £649.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

MacBook Air (13-inch, M5)

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

6.6/10verdict: buy

The MacBook Air 13-inch M5 is for developers and sysadmins who work in macOS and want a light, silent laptop that lasts a full day away from a charger. It suits people doing everyday coding, containers and remote admin who can live with two Thunderbolt ports. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs Linux on the metal or a wide spread of built-in ports.

Typically about £1,250.11 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SALApple MacBook Air 13-inch M5
Performance25%6/107/10
Memory and storage20%6/106/10
Display15%7/107/10
Battery life15%7/109/10
Keyboard and build10%6/108/10
Ports10%7/104/10
Linux support5%2/101/10
Overall6.2/106.6/10

Specifications

SpecASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SALApple MacBook Air 13-inch M5
CPUIntel Core Ultra 5 226V, 8 cores (8 threads), 2.1 GHz base, up to 4.5 GHz, 8MB cache, NPU up to 40 TOPSApple M5, 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, 8-core GPU in the 16GB/512GB configuration
Memory16GB LPDDR5X, soldered on package, not upgradeable16GB unified memory, configurable to 24GB or 32GB
Storage512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD, one M.2 2280 slot512GB SSD, configurable to 1TB, 2TB or 4TB
Display14.0-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz, 400 nits typical, 600 nits HDR peak, 100% DCI-P3, non-touch13.6-inch diagonal LED-backlit IPS display, 2560 by 1664 native resolution at 224 ppi, 500 nits brightness, wide colour (P3), True Tone
Battery75Wh, 4-cell Li-ion; 65W USB-C adapter for this model rowBuilt-in 53.8 Wh lithium-polymer battery; Apple claims up to 18 hours video streaming and up to 15 hours wireless web
Ports2× Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps), 2× USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1× 3.5mm combo jack, 1× HDMI 2.1Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, MagSafe 3 charging port, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Weight1.30 kg (2.87 lb)2.7 pounds (1.23 kg); dimensions 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches
Operating systemWindows 11 HomemacOS

Strengths and weaknesses

ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SAL

  • + OLED panel with 100% DCI-P3 and 600 nits HDR peak
  • + 75Wh battery, praised by reviewers
  • + Two Thunderbolt 4 ports plus USB-A and HDMI 2.1
  • − Memory is soldered and cannot be upgraded
  • − ASUS has only tested compatibility with Windows 11
  • − No SD slot or Ethernet listed

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want to upgrade memory after purchase
  • Linux users who need vendor-tested hardware support
  • Anyone needing an SD card slot or built-in Ethernet
Read the full ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED S5406SAL review ›

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5

  • + Measured battery runtimes of 15 to 18 hours
  • + Sharp 2560 by 1664 display with 500 nits
  • + Light, fanless body with a well-liked keyboard
  • − Only two Thunderbolt 4 ports, no USB-A or HDMI
  • − No Linux support listed; macOS only
  • − Owners see little gain over the M4 Air

Skip it if:

  • Anyone who needs Linux running directly on the laptop
  • Buyers who want USB-A, HDMI or an SD slot built in
  • Current M4 Air owners looking for a clear upgrade
Read the full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 review ›

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