Asus isn’t waiting for Apple’s lower-cost laptop story to settle. Its new Intel Wildcat Lake Vivobook 14SE and 16SE have launched in China, giving Windows laptop makers an early chance to crowd Apple on price and visible hardware.
The sharper threat is the Vivobook 16SE, which starts at CNY 4,599, about $675, with a higher-end display model at CNY 4,999, around $734. That pricier version adds a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, variable refresh rate support, and a 400-nit brightness rating.
That gives Asus a clean comparison against the MacBook Neo before Apple’s affordable laptop gets more breathing room.
How much screen does Apple lose
The Vivobook 16SE gives Asus its clearest opening. The upgraded IPS panel has more resolution than the base screen option, plus the 144Hz refresh rate that can make scrolling and motion feel smoother.
For shoppers, the tradeoff is easy to understand. Apple still has ecosystem pull, but Asus can put a larger, faster display in front of buyers at a launch price that looks aggressive. If global pricing stays close to the China range, that advantage gets harder to shrug off.
Why does Wildcat Lake raise pressure
The Intel Core 5 320 inside both Vivobook models is another part of the squeeze. Asus is bringing Wildcat Lake to mainstream buyers early, giving the Vivobook 14SE and 16SE a newer chip story without pushing them into premium-laptop territory.
The rest of the spec sheet leans practical. Both models include 16GB of RAM, 512GB of PCIe 4.0 storage, two USB-C 3.2 ports with power delivery, two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and a headphone jack. For many buyers, that means fewer dongles and a more familiar setup than Apple’s minimalist approach.
When does this become real competition
For now, Asus has only launched these Vivobooks in China. The company is expected to share global launch and availability details, but the price outside China is still missing.
That price will decide how serious the threat becomes. Apple can still lean on macOS, battery efficiency, and ecosystem loyalty, but Asus is making the entry-level comparison less comfortable. The next thing to watch is whether these same configurations come overseas without losing the value edge.