Laptop and tablet in one device

Asus Transformer Book T100TA (T100TA-DK003H)

The name alone — Transformer Book T100 — prepares the user for the fact that a non-standard solution awaits him. In terms of experiments, Asus has stepped further in its ideas than its competitors by introducing the Transformer Book T100 a little over a year ago. The device immediately pleased the first buyers with the pre-installed Windows 8 OS along with the full—fledged MS Office 2013 package, and this already means something — not so many tablets come with a full-fledged office for work.

The T100 is a 10.1-inch laptop, the hardware filling of which is mainly concentrated in the upper part, that is, in the screen. The screen is easy to detach and can work independently and autonomously. The lower part serves more as a keyboard designed to provide convenient text input, and is additionally equipped with a USB 3.0 port.

Asus clearly wanted to reduce the cost of their brainchild, as a result of which the device got a branded glossy plastic case of not the highest quality. In standard versions, the docking station is not equipped with a compartment for an additional battery. But there is a plus in this, because the T100 has become one of the lightest laptops — the weight is about 1 kg. Therefore, it is not necessary to reproach him in advance for excessive simplicity.

There is an IPS matrix under the protective glass of the display, the resolution of the touch screen is classic 1366x768 pixels, which is not enough by modern standards. The screen can not boast of good brightness, but the viewing angles are quite. Traditionally, as for a tablet, a set of ports is placed on the upper edges: a slot for a microSD card, microUSB and microHDMI, a standard output for audio devices, as well as a Home button and a mechanical volume control.

As for performance, it all depends on the specific modification. So, the device can be based on a 2- or 4-core Atom Z3740 processor and up to 2 GB of RAM. The usual Intel HD Graphics acts as a graphics card. The volume of internal memory is 32 or 64 GB, and the docking stations of individual modifications are additionally equipped with a second 500 GB drive. You can't really play top games on it, of course, but the transformer will cope perfectly with easy tasks and games.

The battery promises to "live" 11 hours without additional recharging, which is certainly a significant factor for such a device.

Acer Aspire Switch 10 (SW5-012-1209)

If we compare the Aspire Switch 10 with the previous participant of our TOP 5, then first of all it is worth noting the screen — we have a practical similar IPS display with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels, a glossy coating and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The protective glass is as close to the work surface as possible, which reduces the amount of glare.

The hardware is based on a 4-core Atom Z3735 processor with a clock speed of 1.33 GHz in normal mode and maximum overclocking to 1.83 GHz. Switch 10 runs on the Intel Bay Trail platform with an Intel HD Graphics graphics card with DirectX 11 support. As for memory: the volume of RAM is the standard 2 GB, while the volume of the drive can be 32 or 64 GB. The latter option is more popular.

Being slightly more expensive than the aforementioned competitor from Asus, the device has a more refined design. Users note that the plastic here is more pleasant to the touch, and in combination with metal it looks better. But, if we really understand to the end, then such solutions have made Switch 10 a hundred grams heavier.

The screen, which can also be detached and used as a tablet, is equipped with a touch Menu button from Windows and a pair of stylish front-facing sound speakers. On the left side there is an audio cut, a power button and a volume rocker. On the right is a microphone, a microSD slot, microHDMI and a charger socket.

Made of plastic, the docking station has an additional USB 2.0 port and a keyboard. The screen detaches from the dock thanks to powerful magnets and a proprietary mount. The implementation of these actions does not require much effort, but when assembled, as some users say, the device does not feel confident enough. It is noteworthy that the tablet can be connected to the dock and the reverse side, thus using it as a multimedia stand.

In the maximum load mode, the Aspire Switch 10 can last up to 3 hours, while in the gentle mode, the laptop will work up to 8 hours.

Acer Iconia Tab 64 GB

Thanks to the Iconia Tab W510 processor with x86 architecture, which is used mainly in desktop machines and laptops, the device provides the ability to work with a full version of Windows 8. This alone makes it an interesting contender for the role of a working tool.

As users note, the tablet has an attractive appearance: inserts made of matte light plastic add conceptuality to the lines, and slightly rounded edges look trendy.

On the lower part of the front side there is a "Start" button, which gives a response in the form of vibration when pressed. On top there is a standard front—facing camera and a light sensor. On the back side of the Iconia Tab there is an 8 MP camera with a flash and a silver manufacturer's logo. The side panels are two-colour, as they are located at the junction of materials. They have an on-off button, a lock and a combined audio port. There was also a place for microHDMI, microUSB ports and a microSD slot.

The tablet has a passive cooling system. It comes complete with a docking station equipped with a 27 Wh battery, thanks to which it got into our current TOP 5 — by connecting the screen to such a docking station, the user gets an almost full-fledged laptop with Windows 8 on board, with an island—type keyboard and a convenient touchpad. Iconia Tab W510 also allows you to rotate the screen in such a way as to end up with a multimedia stand. Given the acceptable weight of 1.2 kg, the device may be a convenient solution for working on the road.

The integrated Intel GMA 3650 graphics card is responsible for the graphics. The results of its work will be visible on a 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, and the total volume of the drive is 64 GB, of which more than 46 GB is available to the user. There is also a 32 GB modification Acer Iconia Tab 32 GB .

The tablet can withstand the maximum load from a single battery charge for up to 5 hours, which indicates a good balance. It will work up to 10 hours in reading mode. It is possible to use an NFC, which can also be read in the article "What is an NFC and how to use it?".

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 64 GB

Lightweight, durable and compact Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 is the second version of the ThinkPad Tablet, which was released on Android OS and turned out to be quite an attractive device in its price category. The second generation has already moved to Windows 8, which makes it a more interesting solution in terms of work, not just entertainment.

At the heart of the hardware is a 2-core Intel Atom Z2760 processor with a clock speed of 1.8 GHz — a fairly performant solution, which, however, still does not guarantee comfortable work with "heavy" programs. But at the same time, the device runs on the x86 architecture, that is, we are again dealing with a full-fledged Windows 8 Pro operating system, and not its stripped-down mobile version.

The display is protected by Gorilla Glass. It has a diagonal of 10.1", the usual resolution of 1366x768 pixels, as well as a good IPS matrix. The touch screen supports multi-touch up to five touches.

The tablet case is made of soft-touch plastic, so it's nice to hold it in your hands, but fingerprints will remain.

On the upper edge, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 has a mediocre 2 MP front camera, which is quite enough for, say, comfortable Skype calls. There is a light sensor that has already become a classic solution for modern devices. The "Start" key is located at the bottom of the case. On the back of the tablet there is a second camera, but already at 8 MP and with a flash, which allows you to take high-quality photos. Note the presence of asymmetrically positioned speakers, an audio slot and a SIM card slot (in some versions that support 3G). The second-generation ThinkPad is equipped with microSD, miniHDMI, microUSB connectors and a full—fledged USB 2.0. By the way, this same USB connector will not allow you to connect a removable disk — it simply will not have enough power.

A distinctive feature is the presence of a stylus. This solution makes it easy to deal with small icons. There is also a classic possibility of connecting a mouse. In other words, the manufacturer has taken care to ensure maximum convenience of working with the device both in tablet mode and in laptop mode.

The weight of the tablet itself is about 570 grams. From a single battery charge, it can work up to 5 hours at solid loads, and in reading mode — at least a full 7 hours. There are also modifications on the market:

• Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 32 GB
• Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 32 GB
• Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 64 GB