Introduction:
Seeking a reasonable 2in1 device for a long time. Unfortunately, the manufacturers have not yet understood this market properly. On the one hand I want a high-quality finish, plenty of power and battery life, a reasonable hardware and especially meaningful 2in1 implementation. I want most of the time using the device in tablet mode for surfing, emailing, etc., but also connect when needed a reasonably good keyboard to longer texts, like this one to write. But while I do not want to just sit at your desk, but also comfortable on the couch, in bed or on the road. Unfortunately, the latter is just not possible with many other devices. Thus, although the Microsoft Surface, which I have also, a beautiful, well-made tablet, but you can use this in conjunction with the Touch or Type cover art only at the desk, because the keyboards are unstable thin and there is no hinge. With Lenovo and some other manufacturers, there is only wobbly magnetic holders, where the tablet can not be attach to the keyboard in different angles. Or there are devices where the display can not be eliminated but can be folded just behind the keyboard. So stay in this price range on only three products from renowned Hesteller: The Asus T100, Acer Switch 10 and Dell Venue 10. My girlfriend owns the T100TA which does not appeal to me, because it uses a screen resolution that was once currently 20 years ago. The Acer Switch seems to have some shortcomings and the Dell Venue 10 is just too new, so that it, among other things yet to buy a keyboard to loud tests and reviews. So pleasing that Asus has finally refilled and the Asus T100 Chi has brought to market. The idea was a few months ago, so I've waited a long time that it's finally available. Recently, this is finally the case :-)
Packing:
Even the packaging looks elegant. The box is stylish and has a 3D texture that is probably modeled on leather. In the package there is then but not much: tablet, keyboard, USB charging cable with EU plug, and a Quick Start Guide, Warranty and Warranty Return Form. To guarantee should be noted that it is outrageous that more and more manufacturers Apple take as a model and be only a ridiculous 12-month warranty on such expensive and supposedly quality hardware! Luckily, there are in Germany beyond the dealer 24 months warranty.
The Tablet:
It is very noble, is very thin and light. For Apple iPad users nothing special, for Windows tablets, however, already a big step forward! Also especially compared to its predecessor, the T100TA it is flat, high grade. When predecessors came only a plastic back to use. A bit annoying is not 100% perfect fit of the display, ie the display-edge minimal, sharp edges to feel. That's much better on the iPad or Surface! The rear camera is unfortunately forth minimal. The buttons for switching, volume-regulating and the Windows key are advised to flat for my taste. When predecessors could feel the keys better and operate blind. Commendable, however, the two speakers left and right at the tablet side, which also give a reasonably good sound on its own!
Connections to everything important is, although it should be borne in mind that the microUSB port is also used for charging, so you can not simultaneously charge and a USB stick (with adapter) connect. What is new is that now a microUSB 3.0 port is available. This is, however, a different shape, so that new adapters required here. In the normal USB ports, however, one is accustomed to 3.0 is backwards compatible with 2.0.
The front camera is an absolute joke and absolutely useless! That's a shame, because the front camera would rather use than the rear-view camera (Skype, etc.). The picture is extremely noisy and only in the spotlight is something to see. The rear camera on the other hand makes a good image and also has an auto-focus, but what's the point? Photos makes no man with his tablet. For Skype, etc. It is nice sometimes to show what you can see yourself, but mostly you would like to use the front camera and said exactly Asus failed across the board and developed entirely on the product and the market over!
The display has now finally a high FullHD resolution, so now everything is in focus. Compared to its predecessor, a great and necessary progress! Depending on the viewing distance but you can of course continue to carry out individual pixels. A bit of room for improvement is thus still for the next model. In the left and lower right corner you can see a very minimal shading, ie, the illumination is uniform only to 99%.
Otherwise, touch input is working properly - the display is the way directly under the glass while it was being built on the former still visible deep in the housing. Unfortunately, there is no digitizer for pen input.
Although it continues to use the Atom processor from the predecessor, and not on the new Intel Core M processors, everything can be operated quickly and smoothly. For surfing, Watching movies, etc. sufficient.
I can say something about the battery life after a few days / weeks and this will add here. Mir is especially important, as long as it holds in connection with the standby mode, since I do not use the Tablet 10h at a stretch, but the morning and evening for 1-2 hours and the tablet otherwise is in standby. It is annoying that appears under Windows only, what percentage of the battery is still full and not the remaining time. Presumably Asus has forgotten a driver here, because in all my other laptops and tablets, this will also be displayed easily.
Update 3/23/2015: The battery loses surfing, e-mailing, YouTube, Facebook, etc. about 10% per hour at about 15-20% screen brightness. In standby losing overnight 1-2%.
The Keyboard:
She looks to match the tablet also made noble. It can be very good at writing it - I write this review just on this keyboard! It is annoying that the layout 1: 1 has taken over from its predecessor, since it is totally incomprehensible that there are two FN key and one of them is located directly below the Enter key, which otherwise is always the SHIFT key , This makes it difficult to write and calls for familiarization.
Now we come to the biggest problem, however: The keyboard has a material or construction errors. Firstly, the left button of the touch pad is about 1 mm pressed and thus bent, the other can be the housing of the keyboard to the left and right corners as seen from the touchpad, bend! Namely, in stages, ie you can hear at each bending step, a crack and then the housing remains in this position. To this end, no effort is necessary, that I have not tried with brute force to bend the housing! It happened already when holding and if you supported his hands when typing on the sides! Bending can repeat again and again in both directions (up / down) and cracking as I said at any stage, where it "clicks". Here I am waiting for a replacement part Asus and hope that it is only by chance an individual case. But as I can tell, this is a general problem and here the question arises, how fast Asus responded and surrounded the production and all previous keyboards exchanges, or whether Asus simply ignored the problem.
The touchpad works otherwise quite well.
Is absolutely stupid that Asus now used compared to its predecessor is no direct connection between tablet and keyboard, but the keyboard now communicates via Bluetooth with your tablet. This means that you now next to the tablet and the keyboard constantly have to charge separately! Completely pointless, because this machine uses the opportunity tablet and keyboard of one another to use separately simultaneously, just so the Bluetooth connection makes sense so it is no longer as its predecessor is now also a USB port on the keyboard, where you nor could connect more equipment, without having to require an adapter.
The keyboard is held with a combination of hinge and magnets on the tablet. This works surprisingly well, that is, without that a latching are, you can keep both together on the tablet in the air without that keyboard drops. The predecessor there was namely no magnets, but an engaging and release button.
If tablet and keyboard are folded together, it can be, unfortunately, difficult to open, because everything is very flat and there are no major gaps, troughs, etc.. Unfortunately, this is a bit annoying, but you can live with it ;-)
Update 3/23/2015: The Tablet While holding the hinge, however, wobbles slightly because there is probably too much play. When the predecessor was not the case.
Other:
After the initial setup and the first login are about a 40-44 GB of 48 GB available. In this context it should be noted that I therefore strongly recommend the version with 64 GB, there just is not enough memory remains free at the smaller version with 32 GB. Otherwise, the memory can also be expanded via a microSD card.
Preinstalled are a few programs from Asus and as so often this totally unnecessary McAffee epidemic that you should immediately remove it again. While its predecessor yet a full and permanently usable Microsoft Office was included in 2013 in the Home and Student version, only a subscription of Office365 is now, unfortunately, that is after you have to either extend to pay, or may then use any more.
Unfortunately I had a bigger problem right at the beginning: After I had completed the initial setup and me had logged with my Microsoft account for the first time, I have had first further charge the tablet. Shortly afterwards I made the Tablet again and was bombed by 10 errors. All possible processes had crashed. I could also start any Windows apps more then, among other things, so I started Windows. This failed, however, because Windows now been hung in an endless loop and each time wanted to make an automatic repair what was always wrong. So I chose the option "PC refresh" from. Here one has only once the problem is that you have to enter a BitLocker key, otherwise you will not progress. This key can be retrieved on another PC or smartphone on a Microsoft site, if you then logs in there with his Microsoft account. After I had this procedure behind me and a yard long keys have entered, the procedure eventually broke off due to an unknown error. So there was to put everything back to factory settings only the option. Since everything is going and I hope it stays that way and was unique. As I said, I had been up to the problem yet done absolutely nothing, so it was not an application error!
Conclusion:
Lack of alternatives is this 2in1 device currently the best on the market. However, the price is also in direct comparison to its predecessor and the Acer switch way too expensive! Unfortunately, there is currently a bigger problem with the keyboard. If this is achieved, there is a strong buy recommendation from me and 4 stars. 5 star there would be if the processing would be a little better, the keyboard is reconnected directly and the price is lowered or an Intel Core M is installed. Likewise, it would have a reasonably useful front camera to be installed!
Update 3/28/2015:
- On websites embedded videos of all kinds (YoutTube, GameStar, etc.) bucking constantly. There are both regular Mikroruckler perceived and self-induced misfires: In some videos there every time dropouts and hangers, when you press the volume keys of your tablet, with other videos the same thing happens when you move the mouse cursor using touchpad. Reproducible!
- The buttons on the Tablet nerves become extremely! The off button is far too close to the volume buttons. Since the keys protrude barely noticeable from the device and only have a weak pressure point, it is hardly possible to change the volume without switching off the tablet or to get the Windows key on the tablet. So you have Be sure that you push that button and not doing the tablet with the same hand still clings anywhere.
- Sometimes the power button on the tablet does not react ...
- The fact that you constantly have to think about it, the keyboard on or off annoying. Mir is still incomprehensible why ASUS relies on a Bluetooth connection.
Updated on 04.18.2015:
I drew attention to four weeks about the problem with the keyboard, as it is a serial fault in my opinion, and ASUS is certainly keen to resolve the issue as soon as possible in the production ASUS. I would also like to know when I can expect with a new one with the replacement of the keyboard also. Although the staff is very friendly, I am extremely disappointed by ASUS that you still can absolutely not say anything to me after four weeks! Therefore I advise to solve the problem of the purchase! Even after that you should consider if you want to support such a miserable service ?!
Updated on 04.21.2015:
- Meanwhile, also disrupts the poor facing the display. At the edge of the display, it is all around sharp edges from aluminum housing of the tablet. This is unpleasant, if you long strips there with your finger and should not be the case in this price range. Moreover accumulates around the edge or in the groove of dirt, which can be difficult to remove!
