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Review Asus Taichi 31-CX003H Convertible Ultrabook

Double-decker. Asus seems to have thought: "One Full HD IPS screen is nothing special" and simply builds two of the high definition screens into its Taichi 31 tablet-ultrabook. How the extravagant 13-incher fares in our tests and whether the tablet-ultrabook hybrid is compelling is revealed here.
Asus Taichi

For the original German review, see here.

(April 11, 2014 Update: Users have been reporting driver issues relating to touchscreen functionality and other peculiarities after upgrading the Taichi 21 or Taichi 31 to Windows 8.1. Users may find the link here helpful if problems persist.)

Tablet or ultrabook? Many users face this question when focus is placed on a small, lightweight and slim portable computer. Asus wants to answer this question with its new Taichi 31-CX003H: two-in-one.

The manufacturer put on its thinking cap and designed a convertible device that combines the advantages of a laptop or ultrabook with those of a tablet PC. It features a Windows 8 operating system that is compatible with all common software programs paired with a touchscreen and the convenient one-hand operation of a tablet computer.

Is it the best of both worlds or just a poor compromise? As usual, we put the device through its paces and reveal what can be expected from the Asus Taichi 31-CX003H, which is the big brother of the previously tested Taichi 21.

Case

The Asus Taichi 31-CX003H's elegant casing is stylish and exceptionally slim at just 18 mm. That is certainly one of the convertible ultrabook's advantages and it looks like the premium Zenbook models, e.g. UX31A, in an opened state.

Like in the smaller, 11.6-inch Asus Taichi 21, Asus uses a robust yet elegant unibody casing comprised of dark, brushed aluminum for its 13.3-inch device. Not only the pleasant and high-quality feel and looks are excellent, but the very high stiffness and pressure resistance are equally outstanding. However, this compliment cannot be made to the same extent for the 8 mm display lid, which is due to the use of two screens. Light to medium force causes the display to warp visibly and thus does not completely confirm the device's premium claim in this point. The display hinge's smooth mechanism is pleasing and makes it possible to open the tablet-ultrabook with one hand. Then again, we would have appreciated a slightly tighter pulled hinge because the display lid, which almost seems too big for the device, is not always kept firmly in position on shaky surfaces.

Basically, the Taichi 31's elegant and stylish design, as well as the extremely robust though ultra-slim aluminum unibody casing convinced us. However, the display and hinge have to accept a bit of criticism for construction-related reasons.

Connectivity

As usual for ultrabooks, connectivity is not really the strength of slim, portable computers. The Taichi 31-CX003H is no exception but it partly compensates that with included dongles.

The slim, aluminum chassis of this convertible device sports 2 fast USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader, an audio combo jack, a power socket and a micro-HDMI and mini-VGA for multi-monitor operation. Exemplary: Asus includes a mini-VGA to VGA dongle for the latter. However, we did not find a micro-HDMI to HDMI dongle. The omitted RJ 45 LAN port is compensated by a USB to LAN dongle. Basically a good idea but the user loses one of the only 2 USB ports. The rear and front do not sport any interfaces.

Audio combo, USB 3.0, card reader, volume rocker
Audio combo, USB 3.0, card reader, volume rocker
Screen lock, power on, micro-HDMI, mini-VGA, USB 3.0, AC
Screen lock, power on, micro-HDMI, mini-VGA, USB 3.0, AC

Communication

Connecting to the internet is accomplished via the built-in Wi-Fi adapter or, of course, the conventional LAN module. However, one of the two USB ports has to be sacrificed in order to use the LAN port dongle. The Wi-Fi module did not exhibit any connection problems during our tests. 5 out of 5 bars were displayed even at a distance of ~10 meters within range of sight as well as at a distance of approximately 7 meters through a wall. The signal first decreased to 4 out of 5 bars at a longer distance from 15 meters plus wall (D-Link DIR-615 Wireless N 300 router). Bluetooth is also available for wireless data sharing.

Accessories

To make it short: Exemplary! Besides the product's first-rate debut in an elegant black box, the accessories are also compelling. The equipment included for the Asus Taichi 31-CX003H is known from the Zenbook product line and encompasses a seemingly high-quality, artificial leather laptop sleeve for secure transportation and two dongles (USB to network-LAN, mini-VGA to VGA) besides the compulsory PSU, a short user's manual, the warranty leaflet and a microfiber cloth. We only missed a third dongle for the micro-HDMI port.

Warranty

There are no surprises in terms of warranty. Asus includes the standard 24 months on the Taichi 31. A warranty upgrade to 36 months is available for approximately 90 Euros (~$115). The warranty is based on pick-up and return service. The defect device is picked up from the user, brought to the repair service and then sent back to the user. More general information can be found in our FAQ about guarantee, warranty and right of return (German).

Input Devices

Keyboard

As known from the Zenbooks, a large and clearly arranged chiclet keyboard is installed in the Taichi 31. Except for the arrow keys, we found the generously sized keys pleasing. Alongside the good typing qualities, they make the keyboard very comfortable to use. The relatively short key drop is throughout acceptable; the soft yet sufficient stroke allows typing quietly on the ultrabook's keyboard and it is also suitable for prolific writers. Unsurprisingly, the 13-incher does not feature a number pad.

Touchpad

The generous touchpad gives an equally good presentation. Its very large area of 10.5 cm x 7 cm provides a lot of room for navigating with the finger and also convinces with excellent gliding traits. Its sleek feel is pleasant and always allows the finger to easily glide over the touchpad's surface. The supported multi-touch gestures for up to three fingers also satisfied us with quite decent responsiveness and detection rates. Asus "borrowed" an idea from Apple and adopted its "App Exposé" where all programs and windows are listed in a kind of tile view. A nice feature (multi-touch gesture: Swipe upwards with three fingers). Although the Asus version is not as elegant as the Apple version, it offers a good overview of all opened applications. Like in other laptops, the Taichi 31 has to accept reproach for the omitted, dedicated mouse buttons. The lack of a palpable difference between the right and left mouse field makes blind and intuitive use more difficult and causes mistakes. A quick glance at the touchpad is enough to prevent that and makes up for this minor yet unnecessary flaw.

Touchscreen

The unique selling point of the Asus Taichi product line (we had the smaller Taichi 21 in for review) is its two screens that are both installed in the lid. Depending on whether the lid is opened or closed, it converts the device into an ultrabook or a tablet PC. This solution of combining both device types seems logical and the Taichi 31 can be used effortlessly and intuitively via the touchscreen. Whether the user will prefer the Windows 8 interface over the tablet operating systems Android or iOS is certainly a matter of taste. The tester often used the classic desktop view depending on the application. But the fact is that the commonly used classic desktop view featuring small and tightly positioned icons is not ideal for fingertip use compared to the tile interface made for touch.

We cannot fault the hardware. The Full HD IPS screen's razor-sharp picture, very good image quality and reliable detection rate of various multi-touch gestures is impressive. The only thing to criticize here is the brightness sensor. In our opinion it responds too quickly and above all, it clearly dims the screen's good maximum brightness to a very large degree so that we would advise its deactivation and to adapt the brightness manually.

The chiclet keyboard pleases with a decent typing feel
The chiclet keyboard pleases with a decent typing feel
The big touchpad compels with good gliding qualities
The big touchpad compels with good gliding qualities
The Taichi 31 can conveniently be used as a tablet via the touchscreen
The Taichi 31 can conveniently be used as a tablet via the touchscreen

Display

The Asus Taichi 31 sports two Full HD IPS screens. The manufacturer wants to attract both target groups with the Taichi 31 and designs a convertible device that is an ultrabook and tablet in one. Unlike competing products like Dell's XPS 12 Convertible or Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga 13, the Taichi 31 does not use twisting mechanisms, such as a flip or fold hinge. It installs a second, back-to-back screen in the ultrabook's lid.

An IPS screen with a Full HD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels is used for both the inner screen and the one built into the lid, i.e. outer screen. Only the screens' finish differs. The laptop's screen features a matte coating and the tablet-typical outer screen features a glossy edge-to-edge design.

1) X-Rite i1Pro 2 2) X-Rite i1Pro 2
211
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
214
cd/m²
255
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
228
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
253
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
CMN N133HSG-WJ1 (Innen) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 255 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 232 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 83 %
Center on Battery: 258 cd/m²
Contrast: 1275:1 (Black: 0.2 cd/m²)60.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
83.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
234
cd/m²
258
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
272
cd/m²
250
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
245
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
CMN N133HSG-WJ1 (Innen) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 272 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 248.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 212 cd/m²
Contrast: 938:1 (Black: 0.29 cd/m²)60.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
83.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)

As nice as Full HD and IPS sound, we also wanted to look at the other rates. Regrettably, neither of the screens fit to the premium claim with a brightness of 272 and 254 cd/m². The rates are only slightly above the average for this category. However, both screens regain a lot of ground due to their very good contrast and the just as excellent black value of 0.29 (inner screen) and even only 0.2 cd/m² (outer screen), which render rich and saturated colors and black hues.

We next looked at the color reproduction and color space coverage. The tablet-ultrabook did a good job with the latter, although it was not outstanding. sRGB was missed to quite an extent but that will only be significant for professional image editors and demanding users. Compared with its contenders, the Taichi 31 "double-decker" fares quite well and even surpasses the XPS 12 and IdeaPad Yoga 13 with a larger color space.

The color accuracy of both screens in the Asus Taichi 31-CX003H is also on a good level. The DeltaE 2000 rates, in particular for the inner screen, are on a low level. This means that the reproduced color only deviates to a minor, barely visible extent from the original color of the sRGB color space. With the exception of blue, they are rendered very accurately the higher the color saturation is (see peaks in the chart).

Taichi 31: inner vs. outer screen (grid)
Taichi 31: inner vs. outer screen (grid)
Taichi 31 vs. sRGB
Taichi 31 vs. sRGB
Taichi 31 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13
Taichi 31 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13
Taichi 31 vs. Dell XPS 12 Convertible
Taichi 31 vs. Dell XPS 12 Convertible
Inner laptop screen
Inner laptop screen
Outer tablet screen
Outer tablet screen
Inner laptop screen
Inner laptop screen
Outer tablet screen
Outer tablet screen
Inner laptop screen
Inner laptop screen
Outer tablet screen
Outer tablet screen


Taichi 31 in ultrabook mode outdoors
Taichi 31 in ultrabook mode outdoors
Taichi 31 in tablet mode outdoors
Taichi 31 in tablet mode outdoors

The inner screen's advantage, in form of the matte coating which prevents distracting reflections, makes outdoor use easily possible. We would have appreciated a slightly higher candela count, but nothing stands in the way of using the convertible in the garden, park or beer garden. This looks a bit different for the very reflective glossy touchscreen. It only allows for a satisfactory legibility outdoors despite its maximum brightness. The smaller Taichi 21 exhibits similar overall brightness rates. Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga 13 only proves to be slightly brighter with 268 cd/m² while Dell's XPS 12 Convertible surpasses its rivals with over 340 cd/m². However, the contenders come with glare screens and are thus inferior to the matte laptop screen in the Taichi 31 in outdoor use.

We finally looked at the viewing angles. Both IPS screens in our test device scored outstandingly as expected. No matter whether from a slanted angle from above, below or an acute viewing angle from the sides, neither the inner screen nor the outer touchscreen exhibited color inverting or ghosting. A true-color image was always displayed.

Viewing angles: Inner laptop screen
Viewing angles: Inner laptop screen
Viewing angles: Outer tablet screen
Viewing angles: Outer tablet screen

Performance

Our performance section is not as sensational. Unsurprisingly, the small aluminum hybrid is really not a computing behemoth. The 13.3-inch convertible is powered by the well-known Intel Core i5-3317U ultra-low voltage processor that also takes care of graphics calculations via the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU since there is no dedicated graphics card. The tablet-ultrabook also features a speedy SSD from SanDisk with a sufficient 256 GB of storage capacity and 4 GB of working memory, which is absolutely enough for routine tasks.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
AS SSD
CrystalDiskMark
 
System information: Asus Taichi 31-CX003H

Processor

As mentioned, Intel's Core i5-3317U ultra-low voltage processor is responsible for all computing tasks in the 13-inch Asus Taichi 31-CX003H. The ULV (ultra-low voltage) CPU, also used in Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga 13 and Zenbook Prime UX31A, is one of the most popular and frequently installed central processing units in ultrabooks. It features an economic TDP of 17 watts. The chip is clocked at 1.7 GHz and can be clocked up to 2.6 GHz via Intel's Turbo Boost technology according to the processor's specs.

Of course, we wanted to examine this and examined the dual-core CPU's performance while running Cinebench's Render Benchmark. It enables monitoring the active Turbo Boost. However, we only recorded a speed of 2.4 GHz that was available in both single-core rendering and when both processor cores (4 threads) were loaded. Our test device calculates just as fast as the Yoga 13 with the same CPU in a direct comparison. The i7-3667U in Dell's XPS 12 Convertible places itself just before that with an average performance advantage of 15%.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
4444 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
8974 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
5181 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2544
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
4672
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
4071
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.06 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.37 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
15.18 fps
Help

System Performance

Following the CPU rendering benchmarks, we looked at the Taichi 31's overall system performance. We used PCMark 7 and PCMark Vantage to examine the total system in various tasks and application scenarios. Although no major performance boost could be expected from the processor and the integrated graphics chip, the extremely swift SSD from SanDisk is clearly noticed. Our test device achieved 4665 points in PCMark 7 and 11965 points in PCMark Vantage with its support. The contenders from Dell and Lenovo that also sport an SSD drive are on a similar, overall performance level.

PCMark Vantage Result
11965 points
PCMark 7 Score
4665 points
Help
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Asus Taichi 31-CX003H
4665 Points
Dell XPS 12
4751 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13
4396 Points -6%

Legend

 
Asus Taichi 31-CX003H Intel Core i5-3317U, Intel HD Graphics 4000, SanDisk SD5SE2256G1002E
 
Dell XPS 12 Intel Core i7-3667U, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Samsung SSD 830 Series MZMPC256HBGJ-00000
 
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Intel Core i5-3317U, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Samsung MZMPC128HBFU

Storage Devices

The manufacturer SanDisk supplies the speedy SSD for storing all data in the Asus Taichi 31-CX003H. The storage capacity of 256 GB is surely not the best solution for keeping unused data. Room for music and movie files will soon get tight and it would thus be advisable to invest in an external hard drive. Nevertheless, the storage capacity is fully sufficient for frequently accessed software, office suites, a few files and some computer games.

We assessed the access and write times of the SanDisk SSD via the CrystalDiskMark and AS SSD tools. They confirmed the high data rates in writing again. The work speed of the SATA drive is, as expected, impressively fast. That is particularly noticed in the boot time of just over 10 seconds and instantaneous program starts, which allow the user to pursue routine work swiftly and almost without waiting times.

SanDisk SD5SE2256G1002E
Sequential Read: 476.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 338 MB/s
512K Read: 291.3 MB/s
512K Write: 392.8 MB/s
4K Read: 25.96 MB/s
4K Write: 60.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 269.1 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 169.2 MB/s

Graphics Card

Naturally, the performance of the graphics card is not as quick. Since the device does not sport a dedicated graphics solution, the processor-integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 calculates the graphics. Graphic benchmarks, such as 3DMark 11 or the latest 3DMark 2013, quickly and clearly show the processor chip where its limits are. The results almost equal those of the identically equipped Yoga 13 and the slightly faster i7-3667U in Dell's XPS 12. A dedicated entry-level or lower midrange graphics solution, e.g. Nvidia's GeForce GT 620M in Asus' UX32VD, would be the minimum requirement for a much higher graphics performance.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
4316 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
2927 points
3DMark 11 Performance
572 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
30402 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3501 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
480 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Risen - Low settings
Risen (2009): Only smooth in low settings.

Since we have seen Intel's HD Graphics 4000 countless times in our gaming tests, we restricted ourselves to the strategy game Anno 2070 and the demanding shooter Crysis 2 to be representative of newer titles, as well as the somewhat older role-playing game Risen (2009).

The Asus Taichi 31-CX003H is not suitable for playing even fairly up-to-date games, as the synthetic benchmarks already indicated and the specific gaming tests ruthlessly confirmed. To set sail in Anno 2070 or hunt down Aliens in Crysis 2 is only possible in the lowest settings. Even the older Risen could only be played smoothly in minimum details and a resolution of 800x600 pixels. However, it had an extreme impact on the visual quality. Thus, it is no surprise that the integrated graphics solution, particularly in conjunction with an energy-efficient ULV processor, only has a very limited gaming suitability.

Users who would occasionally like to play a newer game in appealing (medium) quality settings should choose a laptop with a dedicated GPU from Nvidia or AMD. It should at least be the aforementioned GT 620M like in the UX32VD or better yet, a GT 635M like in the Asus S550CM-CJ038H.

low med. high ultra
Risen (2009) 29.26 16.75 13.06 8.57
Crysis 2 (2011) 29.09 19.47 11.17 4.7
Anno 2070 (2011) 38.6 20.16 12.73 6.39

Emissions

System Noise

The emissions are definitely one of the slim aluminum ultrabook's benefits. In particular, the low noise development makes the device a convenient companion in the library or university and makes next to silent working possible. However, we have to mention that the fan is never idle or disabled even during low load. Subjectively, this noise is barely louder than the noise of a conventional HDD and thus we cannot say that it is a significant disturbance. With a noise level of just only a bit over 30 dB during low load, Asus' convertible device is audible but is one of the more quiet members of the laptop category.

Fortunately, this does not change much during load. Although our test device remained within a very audible range in higher load, such as 3DMark06 or a game, it was still in a range that can be seen as relatively quiet. The Taichi 31 is mostly quieter in load situations than some strong multimedia or gaming laptops during low load.

Noise Level

Idle
30.8 / 31.8 / 32.1 dB(A)
Load
36.5 / 34.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

The operating temperatures of the Asus Taichi 31-CX003H are on an equally good level. A casing temperature of just below 20 °C in idle and mid-thirties in full load can be described as throughout pleasant temperatures. Only the upper right part of the casing heated up to a very warm 47 °C. We also measured similar, marginally higher average temperatures on the bottom of the aluminum unibody casing.

The maximum hardware temperature of 85 °C, which we measured during full load using Prime95 + Furmark, is also in a normal range and gives no reason for concern. However, the tablet-ultrabook achieves this with extreme throttling. The CPU's initial clock rate of 1.7 GHz clearly and suddenly dropped to just 798 MHz after a few minutes. Consequently, the fan also reduced its speed by one level, which also explains the lower noise production during full load compared to maximum load (e.g. in games). A 3DMark06 benchmark, executed immediately after the stress test, recorded a comparable though slightly better result (uncertainty of measurement). A temperature-related throttling does not seem probable during realistic load conditions.

Max. Load
 36.5 °C
98 F
47.3 °C
117 F
46.3 °C
115 F
 
 33.2 °C
92 F
39.1 °C
102 F
38 °C
100 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
32.6 °C
91 F
35.1 °C
95 F
 
Maximum: 47.3 °C = 117 F
Average: 37.9 °C = 100 F
45.7 °C
114 F
48 °C
118 F
36.6 °C
98 F
40.4 °C
105 F
40.7 °C
105 F
35.3 °C
96 F
39.9 °C
104 F
36.2 °C
97 F
34.1 °C
93 F
Maximum: 48 °C = 118 F
Average: 39.7 °C = 103 F
Power Supply (max.)  52 °C = 126 F | Room Temperature 23.5 °C = 74 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.9 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 47.3 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 48 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.8 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35.1 °C / 95.2 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-7 °C / -12.6 F).

Speakers

Speakers are often a weak point in laptops and particularly slim, portable computers. They usually lack bass and low ranges. Here, the slim, 13.3-inch Asus Taichi 31-CX003H fortunately stands out a bit from the majority of contenders and treats the user to a remarkably powerful and clear sound with its sound system from Bang & Olufsen. The speakers are located on the right and left of the casing's bottom and provide a throughout impressive and powerful sound quality that even enable a decent stereo sound. We also liked the high volume that can be set invariably and which can even fill a medium-sized room with sound. Movies and games can be enjoyed acoustically directly from the laptop's built-in speakers due to their high-quality sound alongside the screen's good characteristics.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Our test device's power consumption reflects our findings and measurements from the previous emission and temperature categories. Particularly, the throttling during full load is clearly mirrored in the ultrabook's disproportional low power consumption. The system consumed less power during the stress test via Prime95 and Furmark (34 watts) than during 3DMark06 (41 watts). This should be the other way around without throttling.

The convertible device's otherwise moderate power-hunger of 7.7 to 12.7 watts is not least due to the energy-efficient ULV processor with a TDP of 17 watts and is within the standards for an ultrabook. The dual-screen clearly takes its toll and is expressed in a peak rate of 19 watts (both screens on, high-performance mode and idle). The very small and handy 45 watt power supply consequently has a sufficient capacity.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 7.5 / 11.8 / 12.7 Watt
Load midlight 41 / 34 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

A substantial criterion for both an ultrabook and a tablet PC is its mobility and thus fundamentally the portable computer's battery runtime. For this reason, we assessed the possible operating runtimes of the Taichi 31 without its power supply unit in various application scenarios.

The non-removable 53 Wh polymer battery that is installed in the slim convertible's aluminum casing achieved average runtimes. We ascertained an acceptable 4:13 h in the practical Wi-Fi test by visiting various websites with a screen brightness of ~150 cd/m². The more theoretical benchmarks, which measure the maximum and minimum battery runtime via the tools from Battery Eater, resulted in 5:44 h and 2 h respectively (Asus only specifies a maximum runtime of 5 h). This does not reach the very good time of Dell's XPS 12 Convertible that even has a somewhat smaller 47 Wh battery. Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga 13, with a 54.7 Wh battery, is on an almost equal, but slightly better, level.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
5h 44min
WiFi Surfing
4h 13min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 53min

Verdict

Asus Taichi 31-CX003H

Tablet and ultrabook in one. A potential success story?

Asus undoubtedly presents an interesting idea by combining the two above mentioned device categories in its Taichi model. Two high-quality Full HD IPS screens in one device is unique, although it eliminates the protective function of a laptop lid. When opened, it is a conventional ultrabook that convinces with a good, matte Full HD screen and a slim, elegant design in a robust aluminum unibody casing. When closed, the Taichi 31 automatically switches to tablet mode and the user can glide conveniently and intuitively through Windows 8 on an equally high-quality touchscreen. However, the latter's Metro tile interface is optimized for touch and is thus partly inaccurate. Navigating in the classic Windows interface is only satisfactory.

We believe a major point of criticism is found in the hybrid device's weight of 1.55 kg, which is quite heavy for a tablet. Although this is absolutely acceptable for an ultrabook, a tablet PC is usually not placed on a desk or on the lap. It is usually held and used with one hand. The relatively high weight affects the comfort of use and the user will often place the Taichi 31 on the desk or the knees, or at least putting the arm on those for support. For comparison, Apple's iPad 4 only weighs 0.652 kg. However, the XPS 12 and Yoga 13 do not weigh less either. Only the smaller Taichi 21 with an 11.6-inch screen unloads the user a bit at 1.254 kg.

The Taichi 31 successfully finished the other parts of our tests. Decent but not outstanding battery runtimes, a very swift work speed owing to the extremely speedy SanDisk SSD and the excellent accessories bundle including a seemingly high-quality laptop sleeve, interface dongles and a very elegant product presentation are on the pro side of our test device. However, we have to criticize the energy-efficient i5-3317U processor's throttling, which is only noticed in (unrealistic) full load, and the insufficient graphics and gaming performance of the iGPU that is also installed in the competition.

So, who would consider purchasing such a device? Potential buyers who are interested in the combination of both device categories and do not want to live without a full-sized keyboard or a conventional PC operating system including standard ports, as well as a higher computing performance than plain tablet PCs can offer will certainly make the right decision with this device.

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In Review: Asus Taichi 31-CX003H, courtesy of: Asus Germany

Specifications

Asus Taichi 31-CX003H (Taichi 31 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-3317U 2 x 1.7 - 2.6 GHz, Ivy Bridge
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 4000, Core: 350 MHz, Memory: 800 MHz, igdumd64 9.17.10.2857
Memory
4 GB 
, dual-channel
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, WUXGA glare multi-touch LED TFT, CMN N133HSG-WJ1 (Innen), IPS, FHD IPS inner + outer / matte + glare, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel QS77 (Panther Point)
Storage
SanDisk SD5SE2256G1002E, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Panther Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: line-in/headphone combo, Card Reader: SD, micro VGA / HDMI, Wireless Display support
Networking
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18 x 339 x 225 ( = 0.71 x 13.35 x 8.86 in)
Battery
53 Wh Lithium-Polymer, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 5 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: Front HD 1280x720 / Rear 5 MP Auto Focus 2592x1944
Additional features
Speakers: 2 x stereo Bang & Olufsen ICEpower, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, dongles: micro-VGA to VGA, USB to Ethernet RJ45, Microsoft Office trial, Adobe Reader, Skype, Asus Cloud, Screen Share, Taichi Essentials, Converter, Calculator, Instant Connect, Live Update, InstantOn, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.55 kg ( = 54.67 oz / 3.42 pounds), Power Supply: 180 g ( = 6.35 oz / 0.4 pounds)
Price
1499 Euro

 

We are testing the Asus Taichi 31-CX003H.
We are testing the Asus Taichi 31-CX003H.
The hybrid device is an ultrabook...
The hybrid device is an ultrabook...
and tablet in one.
and tablet in one.
The Full HD IPS touchscreen is installed on the lid's exterior...
The Full HD IPS touchscreen is installed on the lid's exterior...
and is enabled as soon as the lid of the hybrid device is closed.
and is enabled as soon as the lid of the hybrid device is closed.
The quality of the tablet-ultrabook's presentation is first-rate.
The quality of the tablet-ultrabook's presentation is first-rate.
Starting with the elegant, black box...
Starting with the elegant, black box...
and the stamped logo...
and the stamped logo...
as well as a personal greeting card from the Asus CEO Jerry Shen...
as well as a personal greeting card from the Asus CEO Jerry Shen...
up to the comprehensive accessories bundle, which includes an artificial leather sleeve, dongles and a microfiber cloth besides a manual and PSU. That is impressive.
up to the comprehensive accessories bundle, which includes an artificial leather sleeve, dongles and a microfiber cloth besides a manual and PSU. That is impressive.
The two included dongles expand the device with a VGA and a LAN port,
The two included dongles expand the device with a VGA and a LAN port,
for which Asus also includes a stylish bag.
for which Asus also includes a stylish bag.
The Taichi 31 can also be connected to a projector via the included mini-VGA to VGA dongle.
The Taichi 31 can also be connected to a projector via the included mini-VGA to VGA dongle.
The LAN dongle supplies an RJ 45 plug, but needs one of the only two USB ports.
The LAN dongle supplies an RJ 45 plug, but needs one of the only two USB ports.
The Asus Taichi 31 looks like the familiar Zenbook models.
The Asus Taichi 31 looks like the familiar Zenbook models.
The hybrid's aluminum unibody not only appeals with its elegant design but also its rigidness.
The hybrid's aluminum unibody not only appeals with its elegant design but also its rigidness.
The Asus logo in the display bezel of the touchscreen lights up in laptop mode.
The Asus logo in the display bezel of the touchscreen lights up in laptop mode.
The matte, Full HD screen convinces with its very good image qualities, but could be a bit brighter.
The matte, Full HD screen convinces with its very good image qualities, but could be a bit brighter.
The Taichi 31's touchscreen features an equal image quality...
The Taichi 31's touchscreen features an equal image quality...
but its very reflective surface...
but its very reflective surface...
is a drawback for outdoor use.
is a drawback for outdoor use.
The ultrabook mode of the Taichi 31...
The ultrabook mode of the Taichi 31...
copes with that much better.
copes with that much better.
The weight of 1.55 kg is quite heavy for a tablet PC and affects the ease of use.
The weight of 1.55 kg is quite heavy for a tablet PC and affects the ease of use.
The speakers inserted on both sides of the casing offer a decent stereo sound and their powerful sound quality is impressive.
The speakers inserted on both sides of the casing offer a decent stereo sound and their powerful sound quality is impressive.
The 45 watt PSU for the Taichi 31 is very small and is also both light and handy at just 180 g.
The 45 watt PSU for the Taichi 31 is very small and is also both light and handy at just 180 g.

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Pros

+2 premium Full HD IPS screens
+Good build (aluminum unibody)
+Swift work speed owing to SSD
+Decent sound quality
+Low emissions
 

Cons

-Throttling during full load
-Low graphics and CPU power
-Heavy weight for a tablet
-High price

Shortcut

What we like

The stylish and elegant design of the Taichi 31 in its robust aluminum unibody casing.

What we'd like to see

Less weight, which is likely only difficult to achieve for construction reasons. 1.5 kg is simply too much, especially for a tablet.

What surprises us

Both screens are premium IPS screens with Full HD resolution and very good image qualities. Also, the remarkably powerful, clear and loud sound system from Bang & Olufsen for such a small and slim device attracted our attention.

The competition

The hybrid contenders that we often used in the test, Dell's XPS 12 Convertible, Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga 13 and the smaller Asus Taichi 21.

Rating

Asus Taichi 31-CX003H - 07/22/2013 v3(old)
Christoph Herberholz

Chassis
86%
Keyboard
88%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
62%
Weight
91%
Battery
87%
Display
91%
Games Performance
67%
Application Performance
95%
Temperature
76%
Noise
91%
Add Points
85%
Average
84%
86%
Convertible - Weighted Average
Christoph Herberholz, 2013-05-18 (Update: 2018-05-15)