ASUS VivoTab TF810 excels in performance as notebook and tablet; sells for PHP 42,995

So here I am at my favorite third wave coffee place in the south, working on an ASUS VivoTab (thanks ASUS Philippines for lending this little number). ASUS has been keen on the whole hybrid scene as they debuted devices like the Transformer and the PadFone. So it’s no surprise that ASUS continues to bring about such wonderment with the ViVoTab — a Windows 8 book w/ a detachable screen. It is important to note that the movement towards this kind of device is prevalent in many brands but the VivoTab definitely excels in finding the golden mean between price and features. For one, the TF810 comes with two sets of batteries — one for the actual tablet and the other built into the keyboard, which, therefore, doubles as a charging dock. That means if for some reason you really want to travel light, you can ditch the keyboard into your car and come back for it afterwards.

In my hands, the VivoTab has been through a couple of presentations and meetings. At 10% battery left on the tablet, I was able to breeze through a site demo with a tethered phone in 25 minutes. I carry it around without a bag, tucked between my arms or held on my left and I can barely feel the weight. I keep the keyboard on most times as some form of screen protector. For the most part of the working day, the VivoTab stays in its notebook form. The tablet hinges onto a magnetic dock apart from the proprietary connector and I was surprised by its sturdiness: not a lot of wobbling involved when you open or close it.

Tech Specs:

Intel 1.8GHz Atom processor
Windows 8
64GB eMMC RAM with 32GB ASUS Cloud Storage
NFC-enabled sensor
Dual battery system
2MP Front Camera; 8MP Rear Camera
11.6″ WXGA screen
1 x 2-in-1 Audio Jack (Headphone / Mic-in)
1 x micro HDMI
1 x Micro SD Card Reader(SDXC)
2 USB ports

Because it has two sets of batteries, the VivoTab shines as an all day device and I was able to maximize the juice by turning it on and off. The 64GB SATA III is fast enough to boot, with fast SSD speeds so I didn’t need to wait long for the Windows 8 booting sequence. For those unfamiliar, SSD storage allows you to romp around your device (which is why I carry it around while turned on) with the hard drive running.

Without the keyboard dock, I got around 6 hours using it as a daily web consumption device. Plugged into the dock, I got about 10 hours of real time use. So yes, this will last you a whole day unless you’re using it as a multimedia PC.

Last but not least, the stylus. Quite frankly I didn’t get to use it much as the tablet itself is already touch-enabled. Its main purpose would be for note taking but I have a personal preference for the keyboard. That’s really just me.

Pros
A tablet and laptop in one package
Great battery life
Super light and portable; no need for a bag or case
NFC-compatible
micro HDMI slot w/ adapter included

Conss
Not meant for storing big files because of the small internal memory (total usable space after OS is a little bit above 49GB)

Verdict
As a consumption device, the VivoTab is ace. Its next generation Atom processor can work with your everyday tasks as long as you’re not making movies or running graphics-intensive things. Battery life is superb and it is very portable. For the exec on the go, this is a good buy.