ASUS Vivobook Go 15.6" E1504FA-AS52 2023, Ryzen 5 7520U, 8GB, 512GB SSD, Mixed Black

The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is a budget-friendly 15.6 inch laptop with a Ryzen 5 7520U, 8GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It's lightweight at 1.63kg and has some thoughtful touches like a webcam shield and fast charging. Gaming is basically out of the question with a score of 8.6 out of 100. Prices range from $445 to $532 in the US, so shop around before you buy.

The Ryzen 5 7520U is a 4-core, 8-thread processor running at 2.8GHz, and it lands in the 20th percentile for CPU performance in our database. That means it's near the bottom of the pack compared to other laptops we've tested. For everyday tasks like opening a dozen browser tabs, streaming video, or working in Google Docs, it's perfectly fine. You won't feel like you're waiting around. But throw anything heavier at it, like video editing or running multiple demanding applications at once, and you'll hit the ceiling pretty quickly.

The 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM sits in the 21st percentile, which is another way of saying it's on the lower end. For basic multitasking, 8GB is workable in 2025, but it's tight. If you're the type who keeps 30 tabs open while streaming music and running a video call, you'll notice some slowdown. The 512GB SSD is a bright spot, giving you enough room for documents, photos, and a decent app library without immediately needing external storage. The integrated Radeon Graphics lands in the 14th percentile, so don't expect much beyond basic display output and light photo viewing.

Stacked against the competition, the Vivobook Go 15 occupies an interesting niche. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition are in a completely different league, both in performance and price. Those machines will run circles around the Vivobook in every metric, but they also cost two to three times as much. If you're comparing this to a MacBook Pro, you're asking the wrong question. The Vivobook is for people who need a functional laptop without taking out a loan.

More realistic comparisons are the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 and the HP OmniBook X Flip 14. The ThinkPad E14 typically offers better build quality and a more comfortable keyboard, though it often comes with similar budget-tier specs at a slightly higher price. The HP OmniBook X Flip brings a convertible design and a more premium feel, but again, you'll pay for it. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 is another step up with a gorgeous OLED display, but it's in a different price bracket entirely. For pure budget value, the Vivobook holds its own, but you're trading away display quality and performance headroom to get there.

Pricing on this thing is all over the map depending on where you shop. In the US, you'll find it ranging from $445 to $532 across four listings. That's an $87 spread, which is significant for a budget laptop. If you're in the US, it's worth shopping around before you commit. In Europe, the spread is even wider, with EUR prices ranging from EUR 646 to EUR 837 across German, Spanish, and French listings. That's a EUR 191 difference, which is honestly kind of wild for the same machine.

For the specs you're getting, the lower end of those ranges feels about right. At $445, this is a reasonable deal for a student laptop with a 512GB SSD and a Ryzen 5 processor. At $532, you're getting into territory where you might start looking at alternatives with better displays or more RAM. The value proposition really depends on catching a good price. If you can find it near the bottom of the range, it's a solid budget pick. If you're paying top dollar, you're leaving money on the table.

The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 is one of those laptops that knows exactly what it is, and honestly, there's something refreshing about that. It's not trying to be a gaming rig or a creative workstation. It's a budget-friendly 15.6 inch machine aimed at students, office workers, and anyone who needs a dependable daily driver for web browsing, documents, and video calls. The Ryzen 5 7520U processor and 512GB SSD give it enough pep for everyday tasks, and the 180-degree lay-flat hinge is a nice touch for sharing your screen in study groups or meetings.

What makes this interesting is the balance ASUS struck here. You get a full-size 15.6 inch FHD display, a physical webcam shield, and a keyboard designed to reduce wrist strain, all in a package that weighs just 1.63kg. That's not featherweight by ultrabook standards, but it's light enough to toss in a backpack without feeling like you're hauling bricks. The military-grade durability claim is also worth noting for anyone who's ever watched their laptop slide off a desk in slow motion.

But let's be real about the trade-offs. The 8GB of RAM and integrated Radeon Graphics put a hard ceiling on what this machine can do. Gaming is basically off the table, with a gaming score of 8.6 out of 100 in our database. That's not a typo. If you're looking for a laptop to play anything beyond solitaire or maybe some light indie titles, this isn't it. But for the right person, the Vivobook Go 15 delivers solid value without pretending to be something it's not.

If you're a gamer, just move along. The gaming score of 8.6 out of 100 tells you everything you need to know. Even casual gaming will be a struggle, and you'll be much happier with something that has a dedicated GPU, even a budget one. Similarly, if you do any kind of creative work like photo editing, video editing, or 3D modeling, the 8GB of RAM and integrated graphics will have you staring at loading screens and laggy previews.

Also skip this if you work in bright environments or spend a lot of time outdoors. The 250 nits display is one of the dimmer screens we've seen, ranking in the 33rd percentile. If you need a laptop for field work or you like working on a sunny patio, look for something with at least 300 to 400 nits. For those use cases, consider the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 for better build quality, or stretch your budget for the HP OmniBook X Flip if you want a brighter, more premium display.

If you're a student who needs a reliable machine for writing papers, doing research, and attending online classes, the Vivobook Go 15 is a sensible choice, especially if you can snag it near the $445 mark. The 512GB SSD means you won't be constantly juggling files, and the lightweight design makes it easy to carry between classes. The physical webcam shield is a small but genuinely useful feature for anyone who's ever stuck a piece of tape over their camera.

But if you're a power user, a gamer, or someone who works with demanding software, look elsewhere. The 8GB of RAM and integrated graphics will frustrate you within a week. And if you spend a lot of time working in bright environments, the 250 nits display is going to be a constant annoyance. This is a laptop for getting things done, not for pushing boundaries. For the right person at the right price, it's a solid buy. For everyone else, it's a pass.