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The Asus VivoTab Smart is a well-designed device that manages to offer laptop-style operation with a tablet-style form factor and usage experience.
We like Asus' commitment to offering a product for every market. With the likes of Microsoft's Surface Pro and Acer's Iconia W510 creating quite a buzz, it makes sense for Asus to offer its own twist on the tablet-laptop hybrid.
As far as performance goes, the VivoTab Smart operates much more like a tablet than a laptop, and quite a weak one at that. As part of the Cloverview SoC, Intel's 1.8GHz Atom Z2760 processor is convincingly out-gunned by the high-end ARM chips in mobile devices, such as the Nexus 4's Snapdragon S4 Pro that we compared it to. The lowly dual core is no match for even the most basic of real laptop processors.
But we don't want to be too harsh on the VivoTab Smart's performance. While it isn't going to win any speed awards, the graphics and processing hardware is capable of delivering a smooth, hassle free experience during tablet-style usage. Even many basic desktop-style tasks were completed without issues. Just don't expect a device that has the ability to rapidly convert videos while browsing the web, as a similarly-priced laptop would.
In terms of design, Asus has done a good job to keep the VivoTab Smart user-friendly. A 10.1″ screen is the norm for this type of device, but the 9.7mm thickness and 580g weight both make Asus' hybrid an easy product to use. An elegant styling and black finish add to what is an almost excellent appearance. And we say ‘almost' because the rear plastic feels cheap and tacky. While we like the material's grip-enhancing properties, it simply doesn't look like it belongs on an upmarket tablet device.
Battery life was very good. You'll have no problems keeping the VivoTab Smart alive for a full 9-5 working day of general usage. High-Definition video streaming over the internet will drain the battery in around 4 hours, which is good enough two movies or football matches.
Overall display quality was good, and the 1366 x 768 resolution was appropriate for most tasks. Brightness, on the other hand, was poor – we struggled to view photos when standing outside on an overcast day. This is a real shame, as the VivoTab Smart is intended to be used when on-the-go.
Windows 8 is the standard affair, with a few worthwhile apps added by Asus. We didn't experience lag or usage problems while in the tablet or desktop mode. Slight difficulties, on the other hand, come about when trying to accurately input a selection in the desktop mode. The touch screen's 1366 x 768 resolution, coupled with its 10.1″ size, makes inputting operations a cautious task that is ideally-suited for miniature fingers.
It seems that Asus is banking on the fact that many people will become quickly irritated by the touch interface in desktop mode, and purchase the VivoTab Smart's wireless keyboard and trackpad. At around £90, the add-on isn't cheap, but we can see it being very popular amongst users who want the VivoTab Smart as an office-style device which is predominately used in desktop mode. Alternatively, most Bluetooth keyboards or mice should work fine with the VivoTab Smart.
Asus would be smart to offer a bundle which includes tablet and wireless keyboard for a combined price that is cheaper than purchasing them separately. On the note of recommendations, a version which supports mobile data networks may entice a larger proportion of the market, even if it does increase the consumer's purchase and operational costs.
Available for £369.95 from Simply Electronics, or £30 more from Amazon, we feel that Asus VivoTab Smart offers good value for money. Granted, the same amount of money will get you a better tablet (in the iPad with retina display) or a more powerful laptop, but it won't get you a device which offers a good amount of both worlds.
Pros:
- Full-blown, 32-bit Windows 8 can handle desktop and tablet usage scenarios.
- Easy and comfortable to use.
- Very good design and build quality.
- Excellent battery life.
- Plenty of wireless connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS.
- Good price.
Cons:
- Requires the £90 TranSleeve keyboard for best productivity.
- Low wireless networking speed.
- Poor brightness levels.
- Weak CPU and GPU performance – out-gunned by high-end ARM chips.
KitGuru says: An easy and fun to use hybrid device that has a good battery life and competitive price tag. Better hardware performance and the VivoTab Smart would be a formidable competitor to high-end tablets and entry-level laptops.
