Budget laptops are a minefield. Plenty of them look fine on the shelf and then choke the moment you open more than three browser tabs. So when a 13th-gen Intel chip shows up in a 14-inch machine for under four hundred bucks, it's worth a closer look. Walmart currently has the ASUS Vivobook X1404 at $395 after a $105 markdown, and the spec sheet is honest about what you're getting — no fake premium branding, just a sensible everyday machine.
What the i3-1315U actually gets you
The Core i3-1315U is a 13th-gen chip with a hybrid core layout — a couple of performance cores for bursty work and efficiency cores for background stuff. In plain terms, it handles web browsing, email, spreadsheets, video calls, and streaming without drama. It is not a gaming or video-editing chip, and nobody is pretending otherwise.
The 14-inch FHD panel is the quiet win here. At this price point you often get stuck with a 1366x768 screen that makes text look fuzzy. Full HD on a 14-inch display is comfortable for long reading sessions and document work.
The two specs that will bug you
Eight gigs of RAM is the first catch, and it's soldered on-board, so there's no easy upgrade path later. For a single user doing normal tasks, 8GB is workable. If you habitually keep twenty tabs open alongside Spotify and Slack, you'll feel it.
The 128GB SSD is the second. Windows 11 takes a meaningful bite out of that, leaving you with maybe 80 to 90GB of usable space. That's enough for documents and a modest photo library, but not for a big game collection or a pile of raw video files.
About that S Mode thing
The listing says Windows 11 Home in S Mode, which restricts you to apps from the Microsoft Store. Most people switch it off within the first five minutes — it's a free, one-way toggle in the settings — and then install whatever they want. Just know going in that it's a step you'll need to take.
Is $395 a good number?
For a 13th-gen Intel laptop with a 1080p screen, yes, this sits in solid budget territory. Comparable new machines with older chips and worse displays often land in the same range, so you're getting a bit more processor for your money than usual. It's not a screaming clearance price, but it's a fair one.
If you can stretch your budget, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB drive would make this a much more comfortable long-term buy. At $395, though, you're paying for the essentials and getting them.
Bottom Line
- $395 at Walmart after a $105 discount
- Core i3-1315U handles everyday tasks comfortably
- 14-inch FHD screen beats the usual budget-panel compromise
- 8GB RAM is soldered — no upgrades later
- 128GB SSD fills up fast once Windows is installed
- Expect to switch off S Mode early on
Common Questions
Can I upgrade the RAM or storage?
The memory is on-board, so RAM isn't user-upgradeable. The SSD may be replaceable depending on the internal layout, but you'd want to confirm that before buying if storage is a concern.
Is this good for gaming?
No. Intel UHD Graphics will handle lightweight indie titles and browser games, but nothing modern or demanding.
What is Windows 11 S Mode?
It's a locked-down version of Windows that only runs Microsoft Store apps. You can switch it off for free in Settings, and the change is permanent.
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