14 DAY TRIAL // ASUS introduced its VivoTab tablet series last month, but that was a paper launch more than anything. Each product reached, or will reach, the market in its own time. Right now, the VivoTab 11.6-inch tablet is having its moment.
This is a tablet based on an x86 Atom central processing unit and, thus, runs Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.
Had there been an ARM SoC involved, Windows RT would have been used instead, and the price might have ended up lower as well.
As it is, with Microsoft's licensing fees and the general decision of tablet makers to sell Windows 8 products for more than Android ones, the VivoTab bears a price tag of $799 / 799 Euro.
At the heart of the device lies an Atom Z2670 dual-core CPU with 1.8 GHz clock speed. This is the newest Atom chip that Intel has.
The screen is decent enough, being an IPS+ panel with high brightness, Corning Fit glass protection (anti-fingerprint coating) and, of course, multi-touch support, but the resolution could have been better (1,366 x 768 pixels). On the bright side, the TruVivid technology maximizes image clarity.
As for memory and storage, they should be customizable, though not in a way that will bring the price any lower.
ASUS sells the VivoTab 11.6-inch tablet with or without the Mobile Dock. The benefits of the dock are the physical keyboard and built-in battery (takes the battery life from 10.5 hours to 19 hours).
The dock also adds a pair of USB 2.0 ports and offers a large, multi-touch touchpad, although the latter probably won't be used at all. The slate does have a touchscreen after all, and the Windows 8 user interface is best suited for that.
Finally, the ASUS VivoTab possesses an 8-megapixel auto-focus camera (five-element lens), four speakers (SonicMaster technology) and a metallic frame 8.7mm/0.34 inches thin. The full weight is 675g / 1.48 lbs.