The headline: RM4,299 for both models
Asus Malaysia lists the Vivobook S14 (S5408QA) and Vivobook S16 (S5608QA) at the same price. Each has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, at RM4,299. SoyaCincau says that is RM600 above the 2025 equivalents, so last year's price would have been about RM3,699 (our arithmetic, not a figure SoyaCincau stated).
The outlet ties the increase to the ongoing RAM shortage. That is its own context. It is not a reason Asus has given, so treat it as plausible rather than confirmed.
Availability at the time of the report:
- The S16 was already on sale, with online ordering through Shopee.
- The S14 was marked "coming soon". Stock status changes quickly, so check the retailer before you buy.
- Colours are Light Blue and Matte Gray.
What changed from 2025
Here is how SoyaCincau compares the new models with the S3407QA (S14) and S3607QA (S16) from last year.
| Spec | 2025 models | 2026 refresh |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 1TB SSD | 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Battery | 70Wh | 50Wh, 3-cell |
| Claimed battery life | Up to 32 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| USB-C | USB4, up to 40Gbps | USB 3.2 Gen 2, up to 10Gbps |
| S14 weight | 1.35kg | 1.28kg |
| S16 weight | 1.74kg | 1.60kg |
| Thickness | Baseline | About 1mm thinner |
| DCI-P3 coverage | 95% | 100% (stated) |
| Screen finish | Anti-glare | Glossy |
The battery life figures are Asus's own "up to" claims. They are not independent tests, and Guru3D's coverage also notes that the 30-hour rating will vary with display, workload and configuration.
Shared hardware
Both models use the Snapdragon X X1-26-101. It is an eight-core, eight-thread chip with Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics and an NPU rated for up to 45 TOPS. Asus's spec sheet gives clock speeds of up to 2.97GHz and a 30MB cache. That NPU rating is what qualifies the laptops as Copilot+ PCs.
Other shared specs:
- Memory: 16GB of onboard LPDDR5X. Asus lists the maximum system memory as 16GB. Treat the RAM as fixed at purchase.
- Storage: 512GB, with one M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 expansion slot listed. Asus's listing does not say whether that slot is free for a second drive, so confirm before relying on it.
- Display: 14-inch (S14) or 16-inch (S16) OLED at 1920×1200, 16:10, 60Hz and 300 nits. Both are non-touch.
- Wireless and camera: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a Full HD IR webcam for Windows Hello face sign-in.
- Ports: two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps), two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) with display output and Power Delivery, HDMI 2.1 TMDS, and a 3.5mm combo jack.
- Input: backlit keyboard with 1.7mm travel, a Copilot key and a precision touchpad. The S16 adds a numeric keypad.
- Chassis: all-aluminium, with MIL-STD-810H durability. Asus says the 68W USB-C adapter charges the battery to 60% in about 49 minutes.
Glossy or anti-glare?
SoyaCincau says the Malaysian models drop the anti-glare coating and go glossy. Asus's global S14 spec sheet, however, lists an anti-glare and low-reflection OLED display, and it also lists non-OLED IPS variants in other configurations. Specs differ by market and SKU, so check the exact Malaysian model number before assuming a screen finish. If you work near windows or under bright lights, this detail matters more than the 100% colour-gamut claim.
The Windows-on-Arm question
These are Arm laptops, so the usual caveats apply. Most mainstream apps run well. Drivers, niche peripherals, some anti-cheat software and legacy tools can still be awkward. Neither Asus nor SoyaCincau provides compatibility testing, so check your must-have software first.
What's in the box in Malaysia
SoyaCincau reports the following inclusions:
- Windows 11 Home.
- Microsoft Office Home 2024.
- Microsoft 365 Basic, which includes 100GB of cloud storage.
- A two-year international warranty and a two-year Perfect Warranty.
- A three-month Google AI Pro trial, which includes expanded Gemini access and 5TB of cloud storage.
The 100GB and 5TB figures come from two separate services. Don't add them together, and note the Google subscription is only a three-month trial. Asus also notes that it recommends Windows 11 Pro for business, so Home is the wrong edition for managed fleets.
Who should care
The refresh makes sense if you prioritise carrying weight. The S14 is 70g lighter and the S16 is 140g lighter, and both are slightly thinner, with a colourful OLED screen at a still-moderate price.
Look elsewhere if you:
- Store a lot of data locally and don't want to buy extra storage.
- Rely on fast external SSDs or docks, where USB4 at 40Gbps would have helped.
- Want the largest possible battery, since capacity drops by almost 30%.
- Can find a discounted 2025 model. The older machine has more storage, a bigger battery and USB4, and may come out ahead on value.
Bottom line
The 2026 Vivobook S14 and S16 buy a lighter body and a gamut claim of 100% DCI-P3. They pay for it with a higher price, half the storage, a smaller battery and slower USB-C ports. The RM600 rise may well reflect memory costs, as SoyaCincau suggests, but Asus has not said so. Before buying, confirm the screen finish, stock status and bundle terms for your exact Malaysian SKU.