Introduction
Today I’ll be reviewing my personal Asus VivoTab Smart 64GB (Model: ME400C-C1-BK) Windows 8 Tablet. I’ll be covering the operating system, performance, features, quality/design, etc., and making little comments here and there.
Way back in December I was in the market for my very first tablet. Now since this was going to be my first, I wanted to keep the price low, but still maintain the quality of the tablet. I searched the web, watched YouTube reviews, and did what every other person may typically do. One major decider for me was the operating system. I wasn’t 100% sure if I was going to go with Android or the all new Windows 8.
At first I had my eyes set on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, and while it is a high-priced tablet it does come with new bells and whistles. One feature I enjoyed was the new S Pen. Even though I thought this was the tablet for me I hesitated on the purchase. One reason was the Android OS and let’s not forget the price point of $550. Why would Android be a problem? Well, I already have an Android Phone and knew that I was going to be limited on the amount of things I could do with Android.
Back to research. I found the brand new Asus VivoTab Smart via a YouTube reviewer. When I saw the tablet in the video I wanted to go right out and buy it. After researching it I decided this was the tablet for me. And so the review begins.
Operating System
I was excited that my brand new tablet would come with Windows 8, the brand new, revamped, operating system from Microsoft. Now I wanted to be sure that I was getting Windows 8 as a whole and not the RT edition, since the RT edition would basically just give me the same access as the Android OS.
When Microsoft first revealed Windows 8 I never thought I would like it or even install it on a PC. Now that I have had the chance to use Windows 8 on a PC and compare it to my tablet I can see that Microsoft’s main goal was to bring Windows to the tablet market.
The OS is smooth and runs just like you want it to. However, the Microsoft Store can be a bit of a pain to work your way through and doesn’t have a huge selection of applications. Also, with every installation whether it’s a desktop program or a Windows 8 app it automatically puts the app’s/program’s tile on the home screen.
I do however enjoy the usage of the live tiles and colors that Microsoft has added. Each app can be used easily, and they have user-friendly menus. The screen works well with my fingers and takes input very well. A small issue to some may be that while in desktop mode the keyboard will not automatically appear when you’re ready to type.
Performance
The tablet doesn’t suffer any lack in performance in bringing the price down to $499.99. The display shows off a 1366×768 resolution from a 10.1” screen and is also an IPS Panel which is the best quality you can get for displays.
Powering Windows 8 along with all of your other applications is an Intel Atom Z2760 1.8GHz Dual-Core CPU. Now at first I was sceptical about the Atom CPU. When the Atom line first came out it had massive problems, such as being way too slow or overheating, but I can honestly say that with my Atom CPU and with my usage I don’t have either of these problems. Software such as Photoshop CS6 or Microsoft Office 2010 runs well with almost no lag. The CPU does create the graphics which means gaming on the tablet would not be the best.
Also included is an onboard 2GB of RAM. 2GB is not ideal for Windows but it still runs well and it seems to handle programs such as Microsoft Word or Google Earth with ease.
However, storage on a Windows tablet could become an issue. We all have our laptops and desktops with hard drives over 500GB and usually have more than 64GB of files. The VivoTab comes with a storage space of just 64GB but instantly loses 32GB for Windows 8 alone so to recover the massive loss in space Asus includes a 36 month Asus Webstorage 32GB Space with your purchase. To give it even more storage there is a Micro SD Card Reader on the side.
The tablet can also seek out wireless networks that show WLAN 802.11 b/g/n. Another plus is that it can receive a Bluetooth 4.0 connection; no need to hook it up to your home theater via the headphone jack.
Features
As you may have already noticed this tablet is loaded to the gills but still maintains a low $499.99 price tag. Just like performance Asus didn’t forget about features.
You can take acceptable pictures and videos whether you’re indoors or outdoors with the 2MP front-facing camera or the 8MP rear-facing camera and an LED flash. Both cameras have a CMOS sensor and F/2.2 aperture lenses to make your shots that much clearer. Videos also come out crystal clear with full HD 1080p video recording and color enhancement. Let’s not forget about the dual microphones to add sound to your videos.
If you’re like me, you enjoy listening to your music without headphones. On the backside of the tablet are stereo speakers so you can hear music and videos clearly. Unfortunately, both speakers output sound via the same cutout on the left side, reducing their effectiveness.
Located on the sides of the tablet are a 2-in-1 Audio Jack that supports headphones along with a Mic-In, a Micro HDMI slot which allows you to play back those 1080p videos, a Micro USB slot for charging or data transfer, and a Micro SD Card Reader.
The tablet also comes with many sensors such as a G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, E-compass, Hall Sensor and NFC (Near-Field Communications). I was not very impressed with these sensors. The light sensor, for example, can be very sensitive and constantly adjusts the screen. The Gyroscope is also very sensitive and with little movements it will tilt Windows, which in return rearranges your icons. The NFC, however, is an awesome add-on as it makes file transfers between phones very simple.
One thing people always ask is, what about the battery life? The battery on this tablet is outstanding! I don’t always charge my tablet everyday but use it for at least one hour per day. The battery is a 9.5 hour 25 Wh Li-polymer Battery x 2. I can assure you that no matter what your day has planned for you the battery will be able to last all day long.
One of my favorite features is the keyboard. With the option to switch between 4 different layouts it covers most requirements. Users can either use a full desktop style keyboard, a split keyboard to type with your thumbs, a small keyboard which is the standard size,and finally a writing keyboard so you can use either your fingers or a stylus to type. Another thing to take note of is the fact that the keyboard learns the way you type. I have been using the keyboard on TSF for replying to users and, for example, I always have a stock greeting for new users: “Hi and Welcome to TSF!”. If you notice I keep “Welcome” with a capital “W”. The tablet quickly picked up this style and now auto-corrects the “welcome” to a capital “W”.
Quality & Design
The quality of the tablet is very good. It is well built, strong, and holds up well to everyday usage. The face of the tablet is a smooth solid glass screen made up from Gorilla Glass, which is found in almost all cell phones. It is resistant to scratches or cracks, but is very finger print happy. Every time I use the tablet I feel like I need to clean the smudges off the screen. Now this issue doesn’t lie with myself, in fact this is stated in other reviews as well. One small thing to take note of is the capacitive button on the front of the screen for easy access between the desktop and Windows 8 home screen.
The back of the tablet is made up of a rubberized backing. This offers a slip resistant, easy to hold grip to add to the tablet’s quality. Unlike the screen the back doesn’t show finger marks, but it does show scratches fairly easily. Also found on the back side is a very nice “chromed” Asus logo.
The design is like no other tablet. Coming in three different colors: white, black and red, it fits everybody’s personality. I personally own the black edition. Another thing to take note of is the dimensions; with a width of 262.5mm, a depth of 171mm and a height of 9.7mm it is larger/smaller than the average tablet. Since I have owned the tablet for little over a month I have found that it does get heavy to hold up straight. Weighing in at 580 grams it’s not a smartphone, but don’t let the weight put you off as other tablets in this class can weight much more.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this review will give you a fairly comprehensive overall view of the Asus VivoTab Smart. If, however, the high price point is out of your budget you can opt for the Asus VivoTab RT which will run Windows 8 RT and at a price of $382 (Amazon).
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1 Comment
i need performance i-e an onboard 2GB of RAM. 2GB is not ideal for Windows but it still runs well and it seems to handle programs such as Microsoft Word or Google Earth with ease.