Windows is still relatively new to the tablet market, with the
launch of Windows 8 occurring just a little over a year ago. But that
doesn’t mean the market isn’t filled with options for consumers, ranging
from ARM-based Windows RT options such as the Microsoft Surface 2 and
Nokia Lumia 2520, to full-blown Windows 8.1 convertibles and hybrids.
Asus Transformer Pad T100 - $400 - 499
- 10.1”, 1366x768 IPS LCD (155 ppi)
- Intel Bay Trail Z3740 SoC
- 1.3 GHz quad-core CPU, HD Graphics GPU, 2GB RAM
- 32 GB internal storage, microSD card slot
- Keyboard dock accessory included
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 31 Wh battery
- Windows 8.1 + Microsoft Office
- 550 grams, 10.5mm thick
High-end tablets tend to capture a lot of attention from the press
thanks to their fancy features and top-tier hardware, but sometimes the
entry-level products can be the most interesting.
The device I’m looking at today is one such entry-level product, the
Asus Transformer Book T100, which consists of a 10-inch tablet, Intel
‘Bay Trail’ internals, and a keyboard dock all for
under $500.
The Transformer line of products has typically been quite solid, so
it’ll be interesting to see how an affordable Windows-based model fares.
The 10-inch Windows convertible market is quite crowded, so how will
the T100 stand out? Are the tablet’s trade-offs too much for the asking
price?
Design
Asus’ typical tablet design is once again harnessed for the
Transformer Book T100. To be honest, there’s not a great deal of things a
company can do to shake up the standard 10-inch tablet form, but at
least Asus has managed to work in a few signature touches. The circular
radial pattern on the back has returned, with prominent Asus branding,
giving the device a great shine in the light.
However the pattern doesn’t provide any texture, with Asus opting for
a glossy, smooth plastic coating over the deep-grey back. Other Asus
tablets tend to use matte plastic that preserves the gentle ribbed feel
caused by the radial pattern, which gives the tablet a nicer texture,
but instead the T100 is smooth all over. That includes the glass
protecting the touchscreen, which is coated to assist fingers swiping
across the display.
Despite a mostly plastic construction, the T100 feels remarkably
solid. There is a small amount of flex in the back panel when a large
amount of force is applied, which is a by-product of using plastic
rather than metal. It definitely doesn’t feel like the tablet is going
to snap in half, and a small rim around the screen should help slightly
to protect the glass in the case of a drop. Naturally, both the front
and back of this glossy device are huge fingerprint magnets, but they
seem quite scratch-proof.
The front of the tablet is buttonless, ditching any sort of Windows
button for a minimalist profile. Above the 10-inch display you’ll find
some branding to the left, plus an off-center front facing camera, and
an ambient light sensor. Here we’re dealing with your standard
slate-style tablet; perhaps a tad wide due to the 16:9 display aspect
ratio, but there’s enough bezel to hold the device comfortably.
The left edge sees both a volume rocker and the relocated Windows
button, the latter of which definitely feels like a mandatory
Microsoft-forced inclusion (it is) rather than a thought-out, ergonomic
placement. Along the top you’ll find the power button to the left, while
the right hand side has all the ports. The T100 gives you a micro-USB
port, micro-HDMI port, exposed microSD card slot and 3.5mm audio jack.
Along the bottom are the very visible dock connectors: two for hinges
and one for data. They aren’t particularly aesthetically pleasing, and
occasionally you’ll feel them when holding the tablet in portrait
orientation, but they facilitate the connection of a useful accessory.
Stereo speakers are included on the back of the tablet, which is
fantastic for watching videos and playing games.
At 550 grams the tablet falls in the middle of tablet weights. In my
usage I didn’t experience much arm fatigue when using the device for
lengthy periods. The T100’s width of 10.5mm isn’t amazing either, but
the curved edges attempt to hide some of this fatness, especially when
it’s in your hand.
If I had to describe the T100’s design in one word, it would be
‘functional’. Asus didn't meant to shatter any design records, instead
focusing their engineering efforts into keeping the build affordable yet
strong.
Display
Don’t expect anything too amazing from the Transformer Book T100’s
display. Here we’re talking about a 1366 x 768 IPS LCD display sized at
10.1 inches, which is modest considering the standard now rests at 1920 x
1080. It’s clear that Asus has used this type of display to keep costs
down – after all this is a budget device – but the resolution in
particular leaves much to be desired.
The 10.1-inch panel uses a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is a little awkward when holding in landscape mode compared to a
4:3 iPad or
16:10 Nexus 10
with a similar display size. But the aspect ratio does allow most
TV/film content to be played in full screen with few (if any)
letterboxing, making this sort of tablet well suited as a media player.
Having such a wide panel is also good for running two apps side-by-side
using snapping in Windows 8.1.
Quality of the panel itself is reasonable, as expected from an IPS
TFT LCD screen. Like many displays Asus has used in the past, color
accuracy is quite good, as are the viewing angles. Contrast, black
levels and general display vibrancy aren’t as good on the T100 as I’ve
experienced from other devices, but still very acceptable for a budget
tablet.
Brightness is average, if tending towards the low side when
considering the reflective glossy protective coating. The tablet does
include a photodetector to automatically adjust the brightness depending
on the conditions, and it generally works quite well, but it can be
difficult to read text on the display when outdoors in the sun.
The resolution is obviously the most disappointing aspect of the
Transformer Book T100’s display with its 155 PPI. 768p has remained the
‘default’ resolution of sorts for generations of Windows laptops,
however the market is shifting away from this relatively low resolution
in favor of 1080p and higher. One great example of this is Microsoft’s
Surface, which ditched 768p in the Surface RT for 1080p in the
Surface 2.
The T100 is missing the crispness and clarity of a high-density
display like is included in the iPad Air, Nexus 7 or Surface 2, and it’s
most noticeable in text-heavy applications like Twitter or Internet
Explorer. While you’re less likely to notice when viewing images, you
won’t see as much detail as a high-res panel.
It’s clear that the biggest trade-offs have been made in the display department to
keep the T100 under $500.
The tablet by no means includes a terrible display, but its
low-resolution can’t match other devices in the same price bracket,
which could end up being a major weakness for some buyers.
