Asus has already made a name for itself in the 2-in-1 space with highly rated detachable hybrids like the Transformer Book T100TA. Now, with the ultra-thin designs made possible by Intel's Core M processors, Asus has slimmed down the Transformer Book with the Chi family, a trio of svelte detachables. We got our hands on the new Transformer Book T300 Chi and we came away impressed.
The Transformer Book T300 Chi is the largest of the three models in the series and the most powerful. The 12.5-inch tablet boasts an Intel Core M (5Y10c) processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.
The 12.5-inch display has options to choose from as well - our review unit came with the full HD model (1,920-by-1,080 resolution), though a model with WQHD (2,560-by-1,440 resolution) is also available. The tablet features 802.11ac Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and an all-aluminum design that looks and feels luxurious.
The tablet itself feels extremely thin and light, but I was almost more impressed by how light it felt when docked. The tablet weighs just 725-gms (1.4-kgs with the keyboard dock) and measures less than 0.17 inches thick. The tablet offers micro USB 3.0, a micro HDMI output, and an audio out. On the bottom edge you will also find a microSD card slot.
There are no full-size ports on the device, because the thin design doesn't offer enough room for those larger connectors. We were also impressed by the fact that the T300 Chi features a uniquely-designed magnetic hinge mechanism, which uses neodymium that ensures secure and fuss-free docking.
The keyboard is connected via Bluetooth to the tablet and offers a working range of up to 20 meters. The Bluetooth keyboard also features a mini USB charging port. The Transformer Book T300 Chi also features Asus SonicMaster audio technology, which offers good sound quality.
The Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi is quite handy - whether you use it as a tablet or a laptop with the Bluetooth keyboard dock. Performance on the device was really good. Whether we edited Word documents, surfed the internet or even played online games, the T300 Chi was able to handle the jobs easily.
We found the keyboard to be excellent, too - we liked its tactile and clicky keys and its solid base. The trackpad was also good, though we found it to be less comfortable when using it.
While Asus advertises that the Transformer Book T300 Chi offers an 8-hour battery life, in our battery tests, we were able to eke out around 6.5 hours of batter life, before the device died on us, which is pretty good for a 2-in-1 device.
We liked the overall design and build quality of the T300 Chi. We also liked the magnetic no hinge design and Intel's fanless Core M processor. If you are on the market for an affordable (AED 2699) 2-in-1 device, the Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi could fit your bill.
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