[Review] Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TM420UA-DS52T | Outstanding!

It can be hard to find the perfect convertible laptop because you want one that is powerful enough to do everything you need it to but also light and thin enough that you can take it with you wherever you go. 

That's the case of the top-rated convertible we're about to know in-depth in this review of the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TM420UA-DS52T, whose budget-friendly price point is one of its most appealing features.

The VivoBook Flip 14 lineup has managed to stand out in the saturated convertible laptop space thanks to its balance between solid specs and a budget-conscious price point. Specifically, the model at hand packs a powerful Hexa-core processor, 8 GB of RAM, and an incredibly generous storage unit that has managed to set this model apart from the get-go. 

Today we'll talk about everything there is to know about this convertible, exploring its pros and cons in depth, helping you figure out if this is the right convertible for you or if you should continue with your search elsewhere.

At first glance, the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TM420UA-DS52T sports an elegant and low-key profile boasting a textured Bespoke Black metal chassis with a diamond-cut logo, and a color-blocked Enter key to help it stand out in the sea of 2-in-1 laptops.

Also, it's worth mentioning that it's a very lightweight laptop as it weighs just 3.31 pounds with a thickness of just 0.72 inches, while its 360° ErgoLift hinge lets you flip the screen so you can use it as also in tablet or portrait mode - as all convertibles do -.

The ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 features a thin-bezel 14-inch IPS screen sporting a Full HD resolution so you can work and enjoy your favorite multimedia content in high definition, with wider viewing angles and respectable color accuracy as it covers up to 100% of the sRGB color gamut.

It's not the best display in the market - let us not forget this is not a high-end model -, but it does offer crisp and vivid images, allowing you to use this laptop comfortably to edit pictures or videos.

As reported by its users, the touchscreen feature is very intuitive when taking notes, so you'll be able to take the most out of it once you get the ASUS Stylus Pen which is not included in the box.

As for the keyboard, although it doesn't have a numeric keypad due to its compact size, the chiclet-type keyboard ensures a pleasant experience when writing even in the hardest lighting conditions as it's backlit, something that's also relatively rare amongst convertibles.

Moreover, the multi-gesture touchpad provides a good response when navigating through Windows 11 user interface. What's more, on the top-right side of the trackpad, you'll find a fingerprint sensor that allows you to easily unlock your laptop in just a couple of seconds.

The ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TM420UA-DS52T is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor with 6 cores, 12 threads, and 11 MB of cache memory. This chipset boasts a TDP of just 15W which means that it consumes less energy when compared to other similar processors.

Unlike the Acer ‎Spin 311 3H, this laptop features a decent 8 GB DDR4 of RAM that you can upgrade up to 16 GB if you need to. And in terms of performance, you can expect it to handle just about anything you throw at it, be it your standard web browsing, video calling, text editing, working with cloud-based apps, as well as video and photo editing.

Keep in mind, however, that this laptop doesn't come with a dedicated GPU, and therefore professional-grade video and picture editing is not something we would recommend on this particular convertible. 

Specifically, the AMD Radeon Graphics card is sufficient enough to play some non-demanding games at 720p (HD) and stream Full HD content.

Moving onto the storage, it comes with a quiet and ultrafast 512 GB solid-state drive (SSD) whose higher reading/writing speed of up to 3200 Mb/s will enhance your daily productivity as it'll boot Windows in less than 10 seconds, as well as transfer data and open your apps/files at lightning speed.

Ultimately, this combo of specs means that we're looking at a solid mid-range laptop that's suitable for both students as well as professionals who need a powerful machine to work on. 

One that they don't have to coddle and that won't freeze up when you open one too many tabs on your browser since its 8 GB worth of RAM - which may be upgraded -, coupled with its mid-range processor, allow for some serious multitasking to take place. 

Regarding the connectivity department, the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TM420UA-DS52T has got you covered with many solutions to satisfy your everyday needs. It features two full-sized USB-A ports, a single USB-C 3.2 port, and an HDMI 1.4 output as well.

There's also a Micro SD card reader, a 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones, and an HD webcam for video calls.

As for the wireless connections, it's equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6 standards offering up to three times faster connections when browsing the web.

This is a pretty ample connectivity suite considering the fact that we're talking about a convertible laptop over here. Most convertibles will severely limit the number of ports in favor of a more portable device but in detriment to the user's actual needs. We're quite happy that Asus decided to go down another path with the TM420UA-DS52T and opt for a more comprehensive connectivity selection. 

When it comes down to the battery life of the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TM420UA-DS52T, the manufacturer claims up to 10 hours of light usage which commonly refers to text editing, web browsing, and local video playback with the display's brightness maxed at 50%.

Much like the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TP470EA-AS34T we reviewed a couple of weeks ago, this model supports ASUS's fast charging technology which means that you'll be able to get up to 60% of battery life in just 49 minutes.

This is pretty neat. Battery life is a big deal when looking for a convertible since these devices are meant to be used for long stretches of time away from a power source. 10 hours worth of light usage will typically translate to 6-7 hours of "normal usage" in our experience, which is still more than enough for the average user.

The Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TM420UA-DS52T ensures the performance you need to get things done fast both indoors and outdoors thanks to its powerful hardware components, exceptional battery life, and lightweight design.

The touchscreen will come in handy for several users, while its sharp picture quality and color accuracy are perfect for binging on the latest Star Wars series, as well as editing pictures and home videos. 

Couple that with a design that allows users to upgrade according to their needs, a compelling price point, and an extensive connectivity suite, and you've got yourself a solid contender for the spot of best-convertible of 2022.

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