The ASUS Transformer Book T100T is the updated model of the original Transformer Book T100 which was released last year. It now sports an updated and more powerful CPU which promises better performance from this portable hybrid. Find out what new it has to offer by reading our full review below.
For the full review of the Transformer Book T100, please click here.
Design and Construction
As mentioned earlier, the T100T is just an updated model of the T100 but with a better CPU. That means that nothing much has changed in terms of design and construction. The form factor, the layout of the keys and ports, even the dimensions and weight, remain identical to that of the T100. This isn’t so bad especially if you liked the T100 but that could also mean that the flaws will be inherited by the T100T.
One such flaw is the glossy plastic build of the T100. We, in particular, didn’t like it that much. As Bob Freking wrote in the review of the T100, “the tablet is prone to capturing fingerprint smudges and that the overall feel and experience is far from premium.” This is where the good news come in as ASUS has decided to address that part and applied an improved finish on the T100T.
Instead of glossy plastic, it now has a metallic paint and features the company’s concentric circle finish, making it resistant to smudges and appear premium. In addition, the T100T now comes in three colors: grey, white, and red, which makes it more appealing to the ladies as well.
Another thing that we think ASUS should improve on in the event that they will release another refresh to the T100T is the tactility of the buttons (power/lock, volume, start), as they’re too soft and often creaky. They could also equip it with a backlit keyboard which is a very useful feature to have. Other than that, the T100T remains a stylish and well-built device overall.
Display and Multimedia
The T100T sports the same 10.1-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1366 × 768. It has wide viewing angles while the colors appear vibrant. At 155ppi, pixels are discernible but can provide decent clarity when it comes to texts and images.
That being said, the T100T makes a good multimedia device. The speakers can provide decent stereo sound and will suffice for watching movies on the go or casual listening to music. But if you want a really good listening experience a good pair of headphones still recommended.
Software
Running the software side of the T100T is Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 OS 32-bit. Some apps were pre-installed like Line, Flipboard, and Netflix but those can be uninstalled. Like the T100, the T100T also comes with free Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 and a few programs from ASUS.
As for internal storage, the model we have on hand comes with 64GB but only 49.3GB is usable. The good news is it has support for microSD cards so you can move your big files there. But if you’re really serious about storage space, you can also get the 500GB HDD (in dock) model if you have extra cash to spare.
Performance
The T100T sports the new Intel Atom Bay Trail-T Z3775 CPU clocked at 1.46GHz, reaching up to 2.39GHz in Turbo Mode. Compare that with the old T100 with Intel Atom Bay Trail-T Z3740 running at 1.33GHz and only reaching 1.8GHz in Turbo Mode, the T100T obviously has more horsepower under the hood.
PassMark Rating – 608.4 vs 421.7 on T100
Ice Storm Unlimited – 13,294
In our T100 review, we mentioned that it can handle games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newearth, and Company of Heroes. We are certain the T100T can deliver better performance in those games thanks to the new CPU, so for this review we played Call of Duty 4 – Modern Warfare.
In its optimal system settings (1024 x 768, effects On / Normal), the game is playable but choppy. The only time it became snappy and smooth was when we adjusted it down to 800 x 600 resolution and turned off / lowered some of the effects. Still, a very commendable performance for a device of this caliber.
Battery Life
Providing power for the T100T is a 8,060mAh battery which promises 11 hours of battery life per charge. We ran our routine battery test which involves playing a 1080p movie on loop, Airplane mode, 50% brightness, 50% volume with headset plugged in, and the result is 7.7 hours worth of playback.
Conclusion
We concluded in our review of the T100 that it is a game changer. With the T100T, ASUS takes it up a notch by putting in more muscle under the hood and improving its aesthetics. Some things remain unchanged though like the cramped trackpad and the lack of keyboard backlight but for a productivity device starting at under Php25K, the ASUS Transformer Book T100T is still one of the best hybrid netbooks you can buy.
ASUS Transformer Book T100T specs:
10.1-inch IPS LCD display (1366 × 768), 155ppi
1.46GHz Intel Atom Z3775 quad-core CPU
Intel HD Graphics
2GB DDR3 RAM
64GB eMMC
up to 64GB via microSD
1.2 megapixel webcam
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
micro HDMI port
USB 3.0 port
microUSB port
Windows 8.1 OS
263 x 171 x 10.5 mm (tablet)
263 x 171 x 10 mm (dock)
0.55 kg (tablet)
0.52 kg (dock)
SRP: Php23,995
What we liked:
* Good performance
* Metallic finish
* Three color variants
* Free MS Office 2013
* Good battery life
* Portable build
* Decent battery life
What we didn’t like:
* Cramped trackpad
* No keyboard backlight
* Flimsy physical keys
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