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Display Quality
Sporting a 10.1″ screen with 1366 x 768 resolution, it is unlikely that Asus was ever intending to compete with Apple or high-end Android tablets in regards to picture clarity. For example, the Apple iPad with Retina display's smaller – 9.7″ – screen has a much higher resolution of 2048 x 1536, while Google crams 2560 x 1600 pixels into the Nexus 10's 10.1″ display.
But resolution only accounts for part of a display's overall quality. Brightness, backlight, sharpness, colour reproduction and contrast are all important factors.
The VivoTab Smart's contrast and colour levels are good. A wide variety of colours and tones are easily obtainable using Windows 8's sleek and modern interface. Pictures are crisp, sharp and clear, despite the low – 1366 x 768 – resolution.
Brightness levels, on the other hand, were lacking. The auto brightness levels were considerably lower than what we would consider to be an appropriate condition for the certain scenarios. Even at full brightness, some of the VivoTab Smart's displayed images were dark enough to make viewing some less-than-perfect content a disappointing experience. The mediocre brightness levels aren't be an entirely-detrimental experience during indoor usage, but the outdoor viewing experience was clearly impaired.
Viewing angles are as good as one can expect from an IPS panel. Accurate colour reproduction was maintained all of the way up to the 100 degree mark – a perfectly adequate level for the majority of daily usage tasks. While the viewing angles were good, the combination of a highly reflective screen and mediocre brightness levels made awkward watching for some displayed content, especially darker movies such as The Dark Knight Rises.
We know exactly why Asus included a microfibre cloth; the screen gets very grubby after short periods of time. Thankfully, we didn't notice any dirt accumulations or dust build-ups over our lengthy period of use.
Comfort and Dimensions
With a mass of 580g, the VivoTab Smart's somewhat lightweight design makes it a comfortable tablet for general usage. The additional 21mm width in comparison to Apple's iPad with Retina display, is certainly noticeable when holding the VivoTab Smart. This 262.5mm width isn't a negative design issue, though, but rather a difference.
It's easy to find a single-handed balance point for Asus' tablet, and the two-handed approach is equally comfortable. Supporting the device in the air – the type of approach that will be taken for bedtime usage – can become an ache over extended periods of time, but the larger surface area and lower mass give the VivoTab Smart a more comfortable programme-long holding experience than the 652g iPad with Retina display.
Some form of stand wouldn't go amiss when using the VivoTab Smart for table-top viewing. We can understand why Asus left it out, though; the add-on TranSleeve wireless keyboard and trackpad features its own form of stand.
Ease of Use
Thanks to Asus' clear and effective guide app, the Windows 8 user interface is pleasant to use. Tablet mode has clearly benefited from the live tiles and touch-optimised design.
In desktop mode, the Asus VivoTab Smart is simple to use, as it is a lot like any other touch screen desktop system. Its 1366 x 768 screen resolution can sometimes make selecting an icon or item difficult, as the 10.1″ display lacks the physical space for an entire finger to accurately register a touch input. Inadvertent selections of a neighbouring item are a common occurrence.
Simple and functional are the aims for Asus' on-screen keyboard. We've definitely seen more attractive implementations, and ones that offer a better usage experience, for that matter. We weren't happy with the omission of important keys, such as print screen, Alt and the function inputs.
It is evident that, in the desktop mode, the VivoTab Smart is designed to be used most effectively with the add-on TranSleeve Bluetooth keyboard – a device that demands a free of around £90. Any form of extended typing task and the physical keyboard will be sorely missed. Accuracy of the mouse pointer controlled by the physical trackpad will also be a step up from the sometimes awkward touch input methods.
