Asus Transformer Book Chi T300 review

Bigger is better for this 12.5in Windows convertible

If the Asus Transformer Book Chi T300 looks familiar, it should. Besides the larger, wider screen, it's the spitting image of its 2-in-1 stablemate, the Transformer Book Chi T100.

Looks are far from where the similarities end. Both devices share the same metallic chassis, the same magnetic hinge, the same Bluetooth keyboard connection system and the same enthusiasm for bright, vivid on-screen colours. Nonetheless, the Transformer Book Chi T300 is more than a simple enlargement, and comes equipped to offer a level of performance beyond that which other sub-£800 convertibles - including the Transformer Book Chi T100 - can offer.

Design
The tablet and the keyboard are startlingly slender. The tablet measures 318x192x7.6mm, and the keyboard adds only 8.9mm of thickness. Despite the plus-sized width and solid, all-metal construction, the tablet weighs a comfortable 720g, bumping up to 1.4kg with the keyboard attached. That makes the Transformer Book Chi T300 a hair's breadth thinner than the 13in MacBook Air, and just 100g heavier.

The lack of bulk, besides making it easy to carry around, helps to ensure that the Transformer Book Chi T300 is balanced. It doesn't tip backwards when using the laptop configuration on an uneven surface, which can be a problem with more top-heavy convertibles like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3.

However, there is a cost to this slimness: a lack of wired connectivity options. There's a single dual microUSB 3.0/microUSB 2.0 port as well as a microSD slot and micro HDMI connector, but crucially no full-size USB port. As with the Transformer Book Chi T100, this omission severely sets back the machine's usefulness as an office productivity aid.

In addition, there's no space to hold the included stylus, so it must be carried loose instead. To be fair, the stylus has the proportions of an actual pen, which would make it difficult to slot in on any ultraportable device, but it also proves much more natural to use than slimline designs. We could easily use the stylus for handwriting in OneNote, and it was accurate enough that we didn't need to re-calibrate it out of the box.

The Asus Transformer Book Chi series is notable for its docking hinges, which - unusually - rely on a Bluetooth, rather than physical, connection between the tablet and keyboard, which are held together with magnetic clips.

We're in two minds about this design. It takes about six seconds from switching on the keyboard to it actually connecting to the tablet, a delay which can grow wearisome. And, while the magnets do a good job of securing everything together, the hinge itself is susceptible to wobbling.

Conversely, the lack of physical connectors means the tablet can be slotted in back-to-front, with the keyboard acting as a convenient stand. Also, Bluetooth allows the two components to work together even if not actually touching - ideal for tiny desks, trains and plane seats, with the tablet propped up on a tray and the keyboard resting on a lap.

Next: Display, operating system and software

Asus Transformer Book Chi T300 review

Bigger is better for this 12.5in Windows convertible

Display
The spacious 12.5in IPS screen comes in two resolutions: a 2560x1440 version and a cheaper 1920x1080 version. We tested the former which achieves a respectable 235ppi, no easy task considering the display's size.

Indeed, the QHD model of the Transformer Book Chi T300 looks superbly sharp, and boasts some very good viewing angles. That said, the most striking aspect of the display is the richness of the colours - in fact, on high brightness, reds and greens can sometimes appear oversaturated. Be wary of this if you're looking for a machine to perform design work, but otherwise, the vibrancy on show generally makes viewing images and watching videos a pleasure.

Operating system and software
The Transformer Book Chi T300 runs 64-bit Windows 8.1 as default. The tile-based Metro interface and Windows desktop make it a good choice for a device that can work as a tablet and a laptop, and Windows' extensive compatibility with, and support for, business apps should mean an easy integration into existing Window-based IT environments.

Nonetheless, at this stage it's probably best to upgrade to Windows 10 straight away. It's free for Windows 8.1 devices until July 2016, and features an excellent adaptive UI that switches between a traditional desktop layout, with a true Start menu, windowed apps and a more touchscreen-optimised Live Tile layout depending on whether the device is being used as a tablet or laptop.

Regardless of whether you choose to upgrade now, there's a light smattering of Asus bloatware to deal with. The average consumer might get a few minutes of entertainment out of the PhotoDirector picture editor or PowerDirector video editor, for example, but neither has capabilities that are anywhere near business-grade and can be safely uninstalled.

The one addition we found lastingly useful was an app for monitoring the keyboard's remaining battery life. There's nothing built into Windows that does the same job, so we appreciate having it added, especially since we've used several convertibles in the past that make a guessing game of the keyboard's charge.

There's also a 30-day free trial of McAfee LiveSafe Internet Security. Since the Transformer Book Chi T300 is otherwise lacking in notable security features - Windows 8.1 lacks many of Windows 8.1 Pro's tools, including BitLocker drive encryption - having this extra layer of protection preinstalled is undoubtedly a good thing, although we can also see the suite being swiftly deleted in favour of a firm's or individual's anti-malware program of choice.

Next: Performance, camera, battery, storage and conclusions

Asus Transformer Book Chi T300 review

Bigger is better for this 12.5in Windows convertible

Performance
There are a few different hardware configurations available for the Transformer Book Chi T300. Intel Core M-5Y71 1.2GHz dual-core and Core M-5Y70 800MHz dual-core processors are available, along with 4GB or 8GB of RAM. We tested the top-of-the-line model with the Core M-5Y71 and 8GB of RAM.

This set-up put in some highly impressive performances in our benchmark tests. The Transformer Book Chi T300 scored 327.5ms in Sunspider and 1,697.3ms in Kraken. In both tests, it outperformed its more expensive 2-in-1 rivals, namely the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 (which features largely identical specs but costs several hundred pounds more) and the HP Elite x2 1011 G1. It absolutely thrashed its little brother, the Transformer Book Chi T100, in the same tests.

The Transformer Book Chi T300 maintained this calibre of performance in everyday use for the most part, and we didn't encounter any sluggishness when creating documents, browsing the web, editing pictures or installing and uninstalling apps. We were briefly concerned by a stuttering video file during our battery burn tests, but this turned out to be a problem with Windows Media Player rather than the hardware.

Camera
Unlike the Transformer Book Chi T100, there's no rear-facing camera on the pricier Transformer Book Chi T300. That sounds like the wrong way around, but we're not particularly concerned about the omission. Taking photos on a tablet is cumbersome and silly-looking, and becomes even sillier if, like most people, you have a perfectly suitable smartphone in your pocket.

That leaves a 2MP front-facing camera with 720p video capabilities. Despite the low pixel count, it's more than adequate for conference calls. The footage we recorded lacked sharpness, but was fairly clear and free of stuttering or jittering. Colour reproduction was also surprisingly good, at least by webcam standards.

Battery and storage
Asus claims a battery life of up to eight hours. We put this to the test by playing a looped video from full charge to empty, and found that the Transformer Book Chi T300 lasted five hours and 14 minutes on average. It's clear that the large, wide screen takes its toll, as this is significantly shorter than the Transformer Book Chi T100's performance in the same test.

On the positive side, it's comparable with other Windows tablets, including the much more expensive HP Elite x2 1011 G1 - when the latter doesn't make use of its Power Keyboard, anyway. The main problem is an inability to last an intensive working day without needing a top-up.

The two storage options are pretty average at 64GB or 128GB. However, when we inspected our 128GB test model, it turned out to have only 91GB of free space left to use. Fortunately, both models can be expanded via microSD, and 1TB of free Asus Webstorage cloud space is thrown in as well.

Overall
Had the Transformer Book Chi T300 squeezed in even one full-size USB port, its power, portability and reasonable price tag would have made it an outstanding laptop alternative.

Instead, it will have to settle for being just a really rather good convertible. Even with the limited connectivity options and relatively brief battery life, the almost ultrabook-level performance, brilliant display and featherweight design of this 2-in-1 make it one of the most attractive hybrid devices around.