Though hybrid tablets are gearing towards becoming part of our every-day life, hybrid desktops are almost uncharted territory. Stepping in to change the landscape, ASUS announced its Transformer AiO (all-in-one) with a detachable display. The king-size tablet is so large that the company built in a handle to make it easier to detach and carry around.

ASUS is describing the Transformer AiO as a 3-in-1 since it is a full desktop PC with Windows 8, a remote Windows 8 tablet and – at the touch of a button – an Android 4.1 tablet. The 18.4-inch device manages to pull it all off by using an Ivy Bridge processor at its base and a Tegra 3 inside the actual tablet. For the tablet to work in Windows 8 mode it has to use Wireless Remote Desktop, otherwise ASUS would need to use a 3^rd operating system. A Tegra 3 can only run Windows RT aka Windows on Arm.

The Transformer’s PC Station specifications from the press release most notably include an NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M. The docking-station also sports Windows 8 64-bit, Intel Core i5-3350P, 8GB DDR3 (1600 MHz) RAM, 1TB SATA hard drive, and even a SuperMulti DVD Drive.

Meanwhile the tablet specifications are Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, 18.4-inch (1920 x 1080) LED-backlit display with IPS technology, NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core, 2GB DDR3 RAM and 32GB on-board storage. Both the PC Station and the tablet include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, card reader, and USB. Unfortunately, only the docking station includes USB 3.0 and HDMI-out. For a full list of specs check the press release and links below.

The official ASUS product page lists a range of Ivy Bridge processors from i3 to i7, so there is a chance that more options may be made available to North American customers. Availability is set for early Q2, while pricing will start at $1299.

Source(s)