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Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:00 pm Post subject: ASUS Announces Transformer Book T300 - Windows 8 Detachable |
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Earlier today (sorry – I’m writing these up as fast as my fingers will go!), ASUS announced their new Transformer Book Trio, a hybrid Android + Windows 8 tablet/laptop. We’re busy covering a bunch of their IFA announcements, but some of the first comments on the Trio are, “Why can’t ASUS just give us a Windows 8 tablet and forget Android?” The Transformer Book T300 does exactly that, though you can expect battery life to take a hit relative to the Android mode of the Trio, and the screen is a somewhat large for a tablet 13.3”.</p>
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The good news is that other than size, you get a rather potent tablet/hybrid computer. The CPU options consist of the i3-4010U (1.7GHz), i5-4200U (1.6-2.6GHz), and the i7-4500U (1.8-3.0GHz), with Intel’s HD Graphics 4400 handling graphics duties. Even better, the display is a 13.3” 1080p IPS panel with 10-point capacitive multitouch. ASUS also notes that their display senses a 6mm contact point instead of 9mm, providing greater precision. Memory is listed as “up to 8GB”, which likely means there will be a low-end Core i3 model with 4GB and the higher end models will come with 8GB soldered onboard. Storage is pure SSD, using the NGFF/M.2 standard and supporting 64/128/256GB options.</p>
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Other features include a rear 1080p camera and front 720p camera – and I can’t wait to see someone trying to record video or take pictures with a 13.3” tablet! (Seriously, other than children, does anyone use the rear-facing camera on their 10” and larger tablets? I know I don’t.) Connectivity consists of 802.11n (ASUS doesn’t mention whether it’s dual-band or not, so I’m guessing not), USB 3.0, micro-HDMI 1.4, microSD, and 3.5mm headphone/mic. The dock adds an additional micro-USB 3.0 port.</p>
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Interestingly, it appears the T300 dock does not include any additional battery capacity. ASUS rates the battery life at up to 8 hours with the included 6710 mAh lithium polymer battery, but there’s no comment on additional battery life when docked, which is a shame. The dock does include backlit keys and a large multitouch touchpad, however, with full size keys. The tablet half of the T300 measures 342mm x 216mm x 11.5mm and weighs 1.1kg, and the keyboard dock measures 340mm x 216mm x 11mm and adds 800g. Combined, you get something that’s nearly an Ultrabook, with the option to detach and take the tablet with you as you see fit.</p>
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As is the case with all the other ASUS announcements today, pricing and availability have not been finalized, but I expect we’ll see all of these new devices in time for the holidays. I’d also expect something like the T300 with Core i5 and a 128GB SSD to come in closer to the $1000 price point, though I’d love to be surprised and see it below $800, as that’s where it becomes truly able to displace high-end Android and iOS devices.</p>
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Source: AnandTech
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