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TECH REVIEW
Acer Iconia W510
SPECIFICATIONS 1.5Ghz dual core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD,
10.1-inch touchscreen (1366 x 768), dual cameras, microSD, microHDMI, dual
batteries, Windows 8, 660 grams/1.36kg
Multiple orientations (laptop, tablet, dock as
stand),
fantastic battery life, lightweight and easy to
carry
Top-heavy design makes it fall over if pushed,
keyboard requires getting used to, average hardware
The W510 is one of the cheapest hybrid laptop/tablet devices available
today. It has a 10.1-inch display and is powered by a dual core Intel Atom
processor, 2GB RAM and has 64GB of SSD storage. You also get a microSD card
slot, microHDMI and a microUSB host port (microUSB to USB adapter is
provided) along with volume controls, a power button and a screen
orientation lock. With the keyboard dock, you get a chiclet style keyboard
and a trackpad. The dock also adds a full size USB port to connect flash
drives and hard drives directly. However, the keyboard is not full-sized
and requires some getting used to. When the tablet is docked, you can
switch to presentation mode by rotating the display — the dock then acts as
a stand but the keyboard becomes prone to dust and scratches since it's
facing down on the table. In tablet mode, the touchscreen display (1366 x
768 pixels) is great with Windows 8 but you may feel that a 10-inch screen
is too small for comfort when working with multiple windows in normal
desktop mode. The computer scored a 3.3 on the Windows Experience Index
with the lowest score in graphics. Thankfully, the performance in terms of
basic browsing, office work and multimedia was great for day to day usage.
The images from the rear 8MP camera were great in daylight, but sufferred
from visible noise indoors and under low light conditions. The tablet’s
battery lasted well over seven hours on its own. With the additional
battery in the keyboard dock, the battery life is extended to over fourteen
hours — very impressive. For a little bit more, you can also consider
Samsung's Smart PC. It has a similar design and the same hardware
specifications, but it also has a larger 11.6-inch display, more ports and
a pressure-sensitive stylus.
karan.bajaj@timesgroup.com
ALSO SEE Samsung Smart PC
Dual core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM,
64GB SSD, 11.6-inch touchscreen (1366 x 768), dual cameras, USB port,
Windows 8, 744 grams/1.5kg
53,999
Asus Taichi
SPECIFICATIONS Dual 13.3-inch displays (1920 x 1080), Intel Core i7
processor, 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 5MP camera, stylus, backlit keyboard,
Windows 8, 1.3kg Unique dual touchscreen design has several uses, great
design and build quality Glass lid is prone to smudges, switching screen
modes is not instantaneous, average battery
The Taichi is unlike any other laptop that you have used. The
super-slim profile and gorgeous design will amaze you even more when you
realize that it houses two full HD, 13.3-inch displays — one of which has a
capacitive touch layer. Both displays are crisp and bright — an added
advantage is that the internal screen has a matte finish which reduces
glare.
It's billed as a Windows 8 convertible — primary use case is to close the
lid and convert the laptop into a touch enabled Windows 8 tablet. But it
also allows you to have both screens on at the same time — and the screens
can either mirror each other or work independently (display different
things).
The powerful hardware with Core i7 processor, 4GB RAM and 256GB SSD keeps
things moving along at a very brisk pace. It scores an impressive 5.6 on
the Windows Experience Index. The keyboard is exceptionally easy to use
with good backlighting and you get USB 3.0 ports and HDMI. The downsides
are that the battery dies out at 4 hours. Plus the outer screen is shiny
glass, which is prone to smudges, scratches and of course breakage. Asus
has provided a nice leather case which holds the machine, stylus and
cleaning cloth.
It’s hugely functional, yes. But it’s also pricey and a showcase of Asus’
technological prowess. Consider that you can get both; a high-performance
Ultrabook and a high-end tablet for less than what you spend on the Taichi.
Buy the Taichi if money is no object and if you want a really unique and
beautiful machine – which you can also work on.
ALSO SEE Dell XPS 12
12.5-inch touchscreen LCD (1920 x 1080), Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD,
1.3MP webcam, backlit keyboard, Windows 8, 1.54kg
89,990 onwards
Dell Latitude Tablet
SPECIFICATIONS 10.1-inch (1366 x 768 pixels), dual core Intel Atom
processor, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, USB 2.0, mini HDMI, 8MP rear camera, Windows
8, 667 grams Sturdy, good performance, removable battery, full size USB
port on the tablet Large power adapter, no keyboard or stylus in box, weak
speakers
A new breed of tablets with full PC functionality are now available –
and the new Dell Latitude 10 is one of them. It comes with the full version
of Windows 8 Pro and is powered by a dual core Intel Atom processor
optimized for power and efficiency. Being a Latitude, this tablet is
primarily a business machine — reflected in the no-nonsense design, matte
black surface, Kensington lock slot, sturdy magnesium alloy frame,
enterprise-level hardware encryption and most importantly, a removable
battery. Having a removable battery means that you can carry a spare, it
means that replacing the battery is super-easy (read: a longer product life
cycle) and there’s also an option of an extended double capacity (4-cell)
battery pack.
The device has a large and responsive 10.1-inch touchscreen, 64GB storage,
2GB RAM, dual cameras and dual speakers — all in a device that is 10.5mm
thick and weighs just 668 grams. Since it has a full-size USB port right on
the device, you can connect external storage, a mouse, keyboard, data
dongle or optical drive directly to it. Plus there’s mini HDMI output and
SD card slot for memory expansion.
It scores 3.3 in the Windows Experience Index and breezes through all
regular computing tasks — even full HD videos are handled easily. One
complaint we have with it is that the Wacom stylus and the productivity
dock (which offers four USB ports, HDMI & Ethernet) are optional. Plus
the power adapter is too large for a tablet. You can also consider Acer’s
W510 – it’s not a business device, but it has the same specs & has an
optional keyboard dock.
ALSO SEE Acer Iconia W510
10.1-inch (1366 x 768 pixels), dual core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD,
microSD, micro HDMI, 8MP camera, Windows 36,999 8, 660 grams
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