Netbooks initially did not have a very good reputation. When the first models of these devices appeared on the market, consumers were very skeptical towards them. Today, opinions about them have changed due to their availability and portability, as well as various technical characteristics.
Taiwanese Asus was one of the first to launch a netbook with Linux (and later with later versions of Windows) on the Eee PC line in 2007, so it’s not surprising that the new Asus Transformer Book T100 looks impressive.
The new 10.1-inch T100 netbook tablet is portable, runs on the new version of Windows 8.1, allowing the user to install old programs on the desktop along with application shortcuts from the Microsoft Windows store. The device turns from a tablet into a mini-laptop when a keyboard that is included in the basic package is connected.
Like all other transformer devices, the T100 simultaneously provides the user with two gadgets, eliminating the need for a second device.
Key Features
The Asus Transformer Book T100 features low power consumption and runs on Intel's Atom high-performance platform. According to its technical characteristics, the gadget is able to compete with such 8-inch tablets as 8.1 HP Omni 10, Toshiba Encore and Dell Venue Pro 8. At the same time, it can not enter into fierce competition with 10-inch devices, including with remotely similar Lenovo ThinkPad, Acer Iconia W510 and even Microsoft Pro 2, since the processor of the described device has such a package due to which it has a very high level of performance, ahead of many devices of the latest generation, for example, Acer Iconia W3 and Envy x2 HP.
However, you will not be shocked at the price of this device. Asus Transformer Book T100 belongs to the same price category as 8-inch tablets. Its cost is about $ 300, but having a keyboard means that this gadget is better - it will come in handy for a lot more tasks. In addition, do not allow yourself to compare it with other netbooks - the T100 is at the same time not only a tablet, but also an attractive device with a glossy plastic cover, which in its appearance resembles the premium line of ZENBOOK - Asus ultrabooks. At the same time, unlike the above devices, the T100 looks much more modest, so you will not feel embarrassed when you take a netbook out of your bag in a train or at a business meeting.
Appearance
When the Asus Transformer Book T100 is used without an additional keyboard, it responds to changes in lighting and touches. Its curved sides make it easy to hold it with one hand in tablet mode and simultaneously control it. As follows from user reviews, the gadget in this regard is more convenient than representatives of the third or even fourth generation iPad.
Connecting an additional keyboard makes the device less compact and not so light, but even then its weight becomes a little more than one kilogram. In addition, the keyboard increases the thickness of the device when closed from 0.41 inches to 0.93 inches. However, this is not the thickest netbook, you can put it in most small bags and pockets.
The Asus Transformer Book T100 3G has a somewhat bizarre hinge design for connecting a keyboard. In tablet mode, the hinge protrudes from the back and seems like an extra detail. It is used, as you might have guessed, to operate the device in laptop mode. The hinge is unusual in that it is located instead of four rubber mounts on the underside of the device, which are convex in most similar gadgets. However, this feature does not make the device either too large - it just looks like a slightly strange design choice.
The black bezel is slightly thicker on the underside, but this does not stop using the device as a tablet, but it looks a bit redundant in laptop mode.
Screen features
The Asus Transformer Book T100 is equipped with a 10.1-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels. This is a suitable resolution for screen size - with scaling, you will never have problems that can sometimes appear on the surface of the Pro 2 in a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels when using third-party applications.
The disadvantage of this device is that the screen is not as new as the development of Full-HD panels. Thus, it can be described as quite worthy, but nothing more. Color reproduction is solid and confident, without showing glut, and the brightness is evenly distributed throughout the panel.
The IPS display is multi-reflective, but glare on it is quite noticeable and often appear, and you will quickly make sure that there are no complaints up to a viewing angle of 178 degrees, but when this value is exceeded, a luminance appears. The above feature makes the device suitable for viewing Netflix or other content simultaneously by two users.
Control Buttons and Ports
The power button is located in the upper left corner of the tablet, next to other settings controls. Many users prefer to use it to unlock Windows instead of the central button located below the screen. This is because when the device is in a horizontal position, such a button press is much more convenient. In addition, it also makes it much easier to take screenshots if you want to capture what is happening on the screen.
Transformer Asus Transformer Book T100 is a lightweight, easy-to-operate device that strives for versatility. Therefore, its huge disadvantage is the lack of LTE. Wi-Fi signal reception is limited to 5 GHz 802.11n, which cannot be called high power. Nevertheless, according to the test results, a good uninterrupted Internet connection that works over a long distance is revealed.
Like many other devices of the same model range, the Asus Transformer Book T100 can be charged via a micro-USB cable that connects to the tablet part of the device. This gives the user an additional way to charge the battery “on the go”, that is, during active use of the netbook. This recharge option comes in addition to the standard branded jack. It is worth noting that you will not find any difference between the two when it comes to charging time. In both cases, this process does not occur too quickly and takes about six hours to achieve a full charge from the fully discharged state.
The device also has a full-sized USB port on the docking station (keyboard). This is a very good addition to the functionality of the gadget and it means that you do not need to separately purchase and install a micro-USB adapter. Of course, you can use the built-in Bluetooth adapter to connect various accessories, and this will make your life much easier if you want to connect an external mouse or keyboard, or use a USB flash drive. Car charger for Asus Transformer Book T100 can be connected in the same way.
As in previous transformer devices, the T100 is equipped with its own keyboard drive, which is mounted on it to provide the functionality and style of the laptop. Many users will agree that keyboards that are designed for use with the tablets that come with them look best. And in fact, there is nothing worse than when the device is paired with mismatched third-party accessories via Bluetooth or other technologies. It just complicates the user's work and worsens the impression of working with the device.
Ability to print texts
In the Asus Transformer Book T100, the keyboard can greatly disappoint those who expect to print large voluminous texts. Its keys provide quick response and typing, but they are very small in size, amounting to about three-quarters of the size of the elements of a full-sized QWERTY keyboard. Thus, with a long press, your wrists will be in an uncomfortable and unnatural position, which will lead to rapid fatigue.
Despite this, some users also agree that working with a physical keyboard, even with small-sized keys, is much better than typing on the touch screen of a tablet. Undoubtedly, using the touch screen is also very convenient, and entering data does not cause rapid fatigue, but few users can perform more procedures than using it to make small notes or edit a document in Asus Transformer Book T100.
Reviews of the gadget indicate that the device is a compromise that allows you to keep the user-friendly size and at the same time make the device as portable as possible. Unfortunately, it is impossible to place a spacious and convenient keyboard on such a transformer - this will significantly increase its size and weight.
Asus Transformer Book T100 - Specifications and Dimensions
The trackpad in the device is pretty soft and responsive, and it can be customized to your liking using options in Windows. However, its left and right buttons work unusually loud and reproduce a distinctly audible click with each press.
However, this is not the worst trackpad among devices of this price category (much better than in the same HP Chromebook 11). Plus, there is a workaround: if this component annoys you so much, you can always connect a keyboard and mouse via USB or Bluetooth.
It is also worth noting, as a positive quality, that the developers from Asus decided not to include the battery in the keyboard in order to maintain its small size and weight. Everything runs on a single battery located in the main part of the device. In addition, attaching and removing this battery from the tablet part of the device is very easy - just press the release button in the middle above. This design with battery power from the entire gadget was immediately noted with positive reviews, as this adds a lot of lightness and compactness.
Speaking about the appearance of the preinstalled OS, it’s better not to beat around the bush: the modern section of the Windows 8.1 interface is very inconvenient and looks like an empty set of cells when it comes to third-party applications. Fortunately, you can install many third-party existing programs that will make notable improvements. There are rumors about installing Windows 10 in the Asus Transformer Book T100, but such an update is unlikely in the near future.
Screen and Start Menu
Windows 8.1 comes with a number of improvements, including new ways to update applications for different parts of the screen and in-depth customization options. This allows you to connect the ability to use the desktop on the screen and the Start menu. Without this update, using the gadget can be a little difficult, especially in the absence of relevant experience.
The most attractive programs that complement the operating system installed in the T100 are Microsoft Office 2013 and Student Edition, which are added for free. This addition makes the Asus Transformer Book T100 (positive reviews) a much more attractive purchase, given the cost of the licensed software mentioned above.
Office applications
Microsoft's office applications are too specific and are designed more to unlock the benefits of enhanced integration with Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud storage service. This means that you can edit documents offline and download them automatically when you are in the communication range. In addition, you are not required to use SkyDrive - the presence of "Windows 8.1" means that you can install alternatives such as Dropbox or Google Drive (or others that offer similar functionality) on the device.
Asus Transformer Book T100 3G is reliably protected from viruses thanks to its own WebStorage repository, which offers various anti-virus solutions. The gadget comes with 1 TB of free cloud storage space for one year, which is a very respectable amount, especially when you consider that Microsoft offers a relatively negligible 200 GB of storage space with SkyDrive and Pro 2 tablets.
Photography Capabilities
In addition, if you are looking for a Windows tablet that can take good pictures, the T100 is great for this. The device has one 1.2-megapixel front camera, which works well enough for video calls via Skype or Google Hangouts, and also allows you to take good selfies in a well-lit room. However, a camera with more power is not enough.
In addition, you can take photos using the Microsoft camera app for Windows 8.1, which allows you to take multiple pictures at once. Then you can easily select the best of the photos by clicking on the “Save” button to send to your personal photo gallery or third-party applications.
Since there is no camera on the back of the camera, you will not be able to take any quality art photographs. For this purpose, the T100 does not fit in any way.
Asus Transformer Book T100 - Specifications
Asus developers have made every effort to minimize the cost of the T100 transformer at the highest possible system capacities. If you take apart the tablet, you will find a quad-core Atom Z3740 processor with a frequency of 1.3 GHz, 64 GB of internal memory along with EMMC flash memory (in the UK the device is sold only with 32 GB of internal memory).
The Asus Transformer Book T100 64GB is powered by 2 GB of DDR3 RAM, which limits the performance of the device (compared to 4 GB, which are typical for most modern gadgets). However, this can significantly reduce battery consumption. After turning on the device, the desktop is fully loaded within 18 seconds, that is, almost instantly. Thus, Windows 8.1 is a very fast bootable shell.
After turning on, it becomes obvious that the Asus Transformer Book T100 laptop provides enough power to run smoothly with most programs and for most common tasks. However, the device may begin to slow down quite significantly when you start demanding desktop applications (for example, Photoshop CS5).
Nevertheless, the gadget has more than enough power for basic tasks, ensuring the simultaneous operation of five to ten applications from the Windows Store, without causing a noticeable slowdown. Watching 1080p video from YouTube and keeping several applications open, the user will not encounter a negative impact on the overall system performance.
Battery life
When performing standard tasks, the device’s battery lasts 10 hours and 45 minutes without recharging. This was tested experimentally - users opened and closed applications and played HD-video files until the battery was completely discharged (until the Asus Transformer Book T100 does not turn on due to a discharged battery). This means that you no longer have to spend a lot of money to purchase a Haswell-based laptop if battery life is your priority .
Final conclusions
The Asus Transformer Book T100 is an impressive attempt to combine some of the more attractive aspects of netbooks with the versatility of modern tablets. This device does not strive to be a leader in the category of mini-laptops or tablets, but such a combination of two devices into one will not go unnoticed.
The fact that the body parts are made of plastic, and the hinges for joining the components from another material, visually seems strange. From this, the Asus Transformer Book T100 Red (as well as other modifications) does not get worse than other gadgets, it just looks a little different. Its 10.1-inch screen works well in both mini-laptop mode and tablet mode. If you like the specifics of working in Windows 8.1, this device may fully be suitable for you.
Nevertheless, if you already have a separate laptop for work and at the moment choose a high-quality portable gadget, it is better to pay attention to full-fledged tablets. For example, Google’s Nexus 7 would be a smart solution if you don’t want to buy two-in-one devices.
Positive traits
As a tablet, the T100 is a great gadget and a great buy solution. Currently, the number of applications offered by the Windows Store is growing every month. In addition, the device has excellent battery life, and this means that you can take it on the road and use it without recharging most of the day. The ability to charge it using micro-USB is also a bonus, even if it takes longer. Thus, car charging is available for the Asus Transformer Book T100. Adding a USB 3.0 port on the chassis gives the T100 more versatility and protects you from having to fiddle with a micro-USB converter. And of course, 1 TB of storage space on a cloud service is perhaps the biggest plus.
disadvantages
A big inconvenience are the keys, which are placed very closely and are too small. Because of these features, you will have to change your style of typing and working with the device, otherwise you run the risk of getting tired very quickly. If you need a device for typing a large amount of text, you will have to connect another keyboard that is not included.
The lack of a camera on the back also annoys most users, although it is not a very significant drawback. In addition, the T100 is considered an average performance device that can be expected in this price segment, so you should not expect more power from it and a lot of bonuses.