ASUS Vivobook 16" F1605VA-BS74 Cool Silver 2025

Great CPU, meh everything else. It's a work laptop that wishes it could play, but the integrated graphics say no.

The i7-13620H is the star here, landing in the 72nd percentile for CPUs, which means it's well above average for this class of machine. Our database shows it handles data-intensive tasks without breaking a sweat, and the 16GB of DDR4 keeps multitasking smooth. But the integrated Intel UHD Graphics are a real buzzkill, sitting in the 36th percentile. That's mediocre territory, and it shows. The 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD is quick for boot times and file transfers, but it's on the smaller side for a 16-inch laptop in this price range. The 60Hz 300-nit display is fine for indoor office work, but the 45 percent NTSC color coverage means colors look washed out next to anything with a better panel.

Stacked against the competition, the Vivobook F1605VA-BS74 occupies an awkward middle ground. The Lenovo Legion 5i 83F00008US will absolutely destroy it in gaming and graphics performance, but you'll pay more and carry more weight. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro both have far better displays and build quality, though they cost significantly more. The MSI Prestige PRE13EVOA2088 is the closest direct rival, offering similar productivity chops with a sleeker design. If you're comparing against the Apple MacBook Pro M5 Max, stop, they're not even in the same universe. The Vivobook wins on price alone, and only if you find it at the low end.

Pricing is all over the map depending on where you shop. In the US you're looking at USD 750 to 800, but European buyers are getting hit harder, with EUR prices ranging from EUR 1,000 to EUR 1,186 across three listings. That's a EUR 186 spread, so if you're in Spain, France, or Italy, shop around before you commit. At the low end of the US price, this is a reasonable deal for a big-screen productivity laptop. At the high end of the European range, you're paying too much for integrated graphics and a mediocre screen.

The ASUS Vivobook F1605VA-BS74 is a classic case of a laptop that looks better on paper than it feels in practice. You get a 10-core Intel Core i7-13620H and 16GB of RAM, which sounds like a productivity monster, but the integrated Intel UHD Graphics and a middling 45 percent NTSC display drag the whole experience down. The one thing to know? This is a work laptop, not a play laptop. If you need raw CPU muscle for spreadsheets, coding, or a dozen browser tabs, it'll chew through that. If you want to game or edit video, keep walking.

If you're looking for a gaming laptop, this isn't it. Go get a Lenovo Legion 5i instead. If you want a premium display for creative work, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro or Surface Laptop 7th Edition are much better choices. And if you travel a lot, the 1.88kg weight and chunky build will annoy you, look at the MSI Prestige for something lighter.

The ASUS Vivobook F1605VA-BS74 is a solid budget productivity laptop with a strong CPU and enough RAM to keep power users happy. But the weak integrated graphics, dull display, and dated Wi-Fi 5 hold it back from being a true all-rounder. Buy it if you need a big-screen workhorse for office tasks, coding, or schoolwork and you find it under USD 800. If you want to game, edit photos or video, or just want a screen that doesn't look like it's been left in the sun, spend a bit more elsewhere.