Notebookcheck Logo

Review Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR Convertible

4 x Atom. Bay Trail-T is supposed to eradicate the performance disadvantages of its predecessors. It wants to do this with a CPU Turbo and now four cores, but is that enough for the right balance of battery runtimes and reasonable Windows performance? Update 01/30/2014: Review update of the version with 500GB + 64GB flash storage
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H)

For the original German review, see here.

Intel revealed its first tablet platform Clover Trail at the end of 2012. It was supposed to compete with ARM or Tegra-based solutions and was ready for Windows 8 at the same time. There were several devices in 2013, but all of them shared one problem: The performance was way too low for Intel Core spoiled laptop users. Does the successor Bay Trail solve this problem? This would really improve the acceptance and the general usability of the Windows tablet and especially the keyboard convertible. 

AMD rushed ahead with Temash a few months back, the first x86 APU with four native cores. It was interesting to see that the first devices with Temash were not tablets or convertibles, but subnotebooks like the Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS or the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite.

Asus is one of the first manufacturers to use Intel's new platform with its Transformer Book T100TA. The Keyboard Dock (DK002H) is provided. Competitors for the Transformer Book are classic low-cost subnotebooks with AMD's Temash APU; Acer's Aspire V5-122P (A6-1450) retails for 380 Euros (~$521). Temash was intended as a powerful tablet APU and rival to Intel's Atom. The second competitor is based on Intel's first tablet generation Z2760, the Lenovo IdeaTab Miix (64 GB) with a keyboard dock starts at 470 Euros (~$644). Which device offers the best performance for the money? Our in-depth review gives the answer.

Update 01/30/2014: Review update of the version with 500GB + 64GB flash storage

We had the chance to test the T100TA-DK007H (90NB0451-M01470) with a 500 GB HDD in the dock and 64 GB flash storage inside the tablet. We added our test results in the sections system performance, storage solution and battery runtimes.

Case

The tablet with its glossy paint is certainly no masterpiece in terms of quality. The back can be pushed in (small cavity) and you can easily twist the chassis with two hands. The back has a nice centric texture under the paint. This does not, however, improve the grip, quite the contrary. The high-glossy surface results in a slippery feel

We really like the slide-in solution of the large hinge. Two large metal guides keep the tablet in position while you attach the keyboard dock. The mechanical locking mechanism is very robust and you can detach the tablet with a push button. This can happen anytime during operation. 

The keyboard dock, even though made of plastic, leaves a solid and durable impression. The torsion resistance is decent and all surfaces are matte and grippy, especially the slightly rubberized bottom. The palm rest is brushed (haptic texture) and does not attract fingerprints.

The Transformer Book T100...
The Transformer Book T100...
...consists of a tablet unit...
...consists of a tablet unit...
...and a keyboard dock.
...and a keyboard dock.

Connectivity

The port equipment is meager and the highlight is certainly the standard USB 3.0 port (Type A). You could even use a universal docking station to attach storage drives, speakers and external displays. The micro USB 2.0 port is used to charge the tablet with the according PSU. This connector has small pins, so you will have to be careful when you plug it in. There is unfortunately no second power connector at the keyboard dock. One advantage of the USB cable is that you can use the majority of smartphone chargers for the T100TA.  

Top: Power button, microphone
Top: Power button, microphone
Bottom: Docking port (covered by the hinge)
Bottom: Docking port (covered by the hinge)
Right side: Micro SD card reader, micro USB 2.0, micro HDMI, headphones
Right side: Micro SD card reader, micro USB 2.0, micro HDMI, headphones
Left side: USB 3.0 Type A (dock), rotation lock, volume rocker
Left side: USB 3.0 Type A (dock), rotation lock, volume rocker
PSU with USB port
PSU with USB port
Quick-start guides, warranty information
Quick-start guides, warranty information

Communication

Draft-N WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0 are standard nowadays and that applies for Windows 8 tablets as well. The Broadcom 802.11 bgn SDIO adaptor does not show a perfect performance in our test. The signal is lost with a distance of more than 15 meters outside the house and Windows indicates two out of five bars, while we had four bars with a distance of 10 meters (inside).

Accessories / Software

Besides the small power supply unit (20 Watts, USB connector) Asus also provides the keyboard dock (DK002H). You cannot even buy the T100 without the dock; otherwise it wouldn't be a Transformer Book. There are also some quick-start guides and warranty information. 

We can find many Asus tools on the small 32 GB SSD: Live Update, Web Storage, Reading Mode, On Screen Display and some third party applications. The highlight is certainly the full version of Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013. The Windows installation alone occupies 10 GB, so you can only use around 17 GB. We had to delete the mentioned tools to copy and install our benchmarks and games. Applications can be stored on a micro SD card, but the performance would be significantly reduced.

Maintenance

You cannot open the tablet, and there are no visible screws so you will have to pry the back open. The only replaceable part is most likely the 32 GB eMMC flash drive. Versions with 32 and 64 GB suggest that the module is not soldered onto the motherboard. 

 

Warranty

Asus grants an international warranty of 12 months (pick-up & return). The device is picked up after the registration with the support. An extension to 24 months is available for 30 Euros (~$41).

Input Devices

Keyboard

We really like the keyboard of the Transformer. The completely flat keys have a comparatively large key travel, which is larger than most notebooks with similar chiclet keyboards. The clear pressure point does unfortunately result in a somewhat rickety stroke. The reason for this is a cavity beneath the keys. You cannot dent or push the keys in, but the typing noise is very hollow. All things considered we can live with that and enjoy the otherwise convenient typing experience. Small drawback: We sometimes missed the very small Shift-key on the right side but the rest of the layout is standard (Del on the top right corner, for instance) 

Touchpad

You can use the touchpad as an alternative to the touchscreen, but the experience is not very good. It is a clickpad and does not have separate mouse buttons, only one large button underneath it and it is activated by pressure on the pad. Unfortunately there is hardly any key travel and the necessary force is rather high. We prefer the mouse button areas (at the bottom of the clickpad) that have more travel. The small pad has a smooth surface and good gliding capabilities.

Not perfect, but suitable for frequent writers.
Not perfect, but suitable for frequent writers.
The keys have a distinct travel.
The keys have a distinct travel.
However, the clickpad does not, which is annoying.
However, the clickpad does not, which is annoying.

Display

The 10.1-inch LCD TFT has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels, which is standard for this price range and the resulting pixel density is 155 ppi. Asus integrated an IPS panel with better viewing angles compared to a TN display.

244
cd/m²
245
cd/m²
239
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
248
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
239
cd/m²
238
cd/m²
228
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
HYDIS HV101HD1-1E2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 248 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 237.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 248 cd/m²
Contrast: 1033:1 (Black: 0.24 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.54 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.78% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.34% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.58

The contrast ratio of 1,033:1 is very high and the black value is 0.24 cd/m². Black areas are really black as a result, even with the maximum display brightness of up to 248 cd/m² (center). The luminance is evenly distributed (91%).

The rival Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 has a really good screen: Contrast of 1,480:1 and a brightness of 444 cd/m² are the benchmark. Acer's Aspire V5-122P, however, cannot keep up with our review unit. Despite its IPS panel with wide viewing angles, contrast (500:1) and brightness (206 cd/m²) are noticeably lower.

However, contrast and brightness alone are not enough for a professional display. We would need sRGB coverage as well, but neither the Transformer Book nor its competitors offer that. Our review unit only covers 56% of the sRGB color space, but users will hardly use the Atom platform for professional picture editing anyway.

ICC T100TA vs. sRGB 56% coverage
ICC T100TA vs. sRGB 56% coverage
ICC T100TA vs. AdobeRGB 38% coverage
ICC T100TA vs. AdobeRGB 38% coverage
ICC T100TA vs.Aspire V5-122P very similar
ICC T100TA vs.Aspire V5-122P very similar

We used the spectrophotometer X-Rite i1Pro 2 to analyze the display out of the box. CalMAN shows a good result for the grayscale presentation, only lighter shades have higher deviations. A blue cast, which is common with many notebook displays, is not visible, only the saturation shows a slight shift from magenta towards blue. All in all we are satisfied with the display of the T100, especially when we consider the low price. ColorChecker shows an average DeltaE of 7 (lower is better; ideal: <3). The competition is even better; the IdeaTab Miix 10 has a DeltaE of 4.

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker

The average brightness of 237 cd/m² is not bad, but it is too low for outdoor use. You will have to look for a place in the shade to see the display content. The pictures below were taken on a cloudy day. The brightness is not reduced on battery power as long as the ambient light sensor is either deactivated or completely exposed. The strong reflections are the main problem.

Outdoor use (direct light)
Outdoor use (direct light)
Outdoor use (light from the side)
Outdoor use (light from the side)
Outdoor use (sun from behind)
Outdoor use (sun from behind)
Viewing angles Asus Transformer Book T100TA
Viewing angles Asus Transformer Book T100TA

It is not surprising that the viewing angle stability is a strong suit of the In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology and the IPS panel of our review unit is no exception. Even extreme viewing angles are no problem and you do not have to adjust the display when you change the viewing angle. The HYDIS panel (HV101HD1-1E2) is superior to standard TN panels that are often used for this price range. This is, however, not the case for the rivals Aspire V5-122P and IdeaTab Miix 10, both devices have an IPS display.

Performance

The Intel Atom Z3740 (Bay Trail platform) is now equipped with a CPU Turbo (500 MHz up to 1.8 GHz), four cores (instead of two) and is manufactured in 22 nm (instead of 32 nm). These are, besides some small improvements, the main advantages of the new Atom. The performance per MHz was, according to Intel, increased by 50% compared to the Z2760.

The HD Graphics (Bay Trail) is integrated into the CPU and is also equipped with a Turbo (up to 896 MHz). It is not suited for gaming, even though the performance is higher compared to the PowerVR SGX 545 (Z2760). We will further investigate the performance in the following sections. SanDisk provides the storage (SEM32G), which turns out to be the bottleneck of the system. It is not because of the transfer rates but because of the limited capacity of just 32 GB.

System info CPU-Z CPU
System info CPU-Z Cache
System info CPU-Z Motherboard
System info CPU-Z Memory
System info GPU-Z
System information Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR

Processor

Cinebench R10 Multi: CPU@1.9 GHz constant
Cinebench R10 Multi: [email protected] GHz constant
Memory error
Memory error

Intel specifies the TDP of the Atom Z3740 with up to 4 Watts (Turbo; predecessor 3 Watts). The actual consumption of the CPU depends on the thermal restrictions of the system. Intel conceded at the first Bay Trail briefings that the processor will reduce its clock after a period of constant load to stay within certain temperature limits. How does the Turbo of our T100TA behave?

Due to the lack of 64-bit support of the CPU (it supports it in theory) we use the old Cinebench R10 (32-bit). The clock is raised to 1,865 MHz and can be maintained, even with constant load by Prime95. The fear of throttling of the already limited performance is therefore unfounded and the situation does not change on battery power. 

The first tablet Atom (Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10Z2760) falls behind by 49% (Multi-Core) and 35% (Single-Core). AMD's Temash quad-core as the main rival is -15 and +10% behind or ahead of the Atom Z3740 respectively. The differences are negligibly small and we would say both chips offer the same level of performance. The chart also shows the position of the AMD A4-1250 Low-Power-APU (dual-core, HP Pavilion TouchSmart 11), which can be found in the 13-inch convertible Satellite W30Dt-A-100, for instance (similar: A4-1200).

Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 32 GB eMMC Flash
940 Points
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg
Radeon HD 8210, A4-1250, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
698 Points -26%
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
798 Points -15%
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB
SGX545, Z2760, 64 GB SSD
609 Points -35%
Asus Eee PC R052C-WHI002S
Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 3650, N2800, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K320 HTS543232A7A384
648 Points -31%
Acer Aspire One 756-B847X
HD Graphics 2000, 847, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT020-9YG142
1445 Points +54%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1031 Points +10%
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD128HAFV mSATA
1097 Points +17%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3334 Points
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg
Radeon HD 8210, A4-1250, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
1333 Points -60%
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
1495 Points -55%
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB
SGX545, Z2760, 64 GB SSD
1711 Points -49%
Asus Eee PC R052C-WHI002S
Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 3650, N2800, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K320 HTS543232A7A384
1829 Points -45%
Acer Aspire One 756-B847X
HD Graphics 2000, 847, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT020-9YG142
2789 Points -16%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2826 Points -15%
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD128HAFV mSATA
2895 Points -13%
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
940
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
3334
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
1898
Help

System Performance

PCMark 8 does not work, so we used PCMark 7 and Vantage instead. The overall score of PCMark 7 is comparatively good, even Temash can be beaten by 8% (Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite, SSD!). Interesting: The Celeron 847 system Acer Aspire One 756 is 47% behind our T100TA, where the integrated HDD clearly affects the score. An HDD has the same effect on a Temash-based system: Acer Aspire V5-122P -47%. The Atom predecessor Z2760 (Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10) falls behind by 40% and the same applies for the Productivity score.

We noticed that the benchmark repeatedly resulted in a Windows message that reported insufficient system memory. However, this only happened during the system benchmarks. 

Update 01/30/2014: Review update of the version with 500GB + 64GB flash storage

PCMark 8 (2.0) worked with the high-end version of our review unit and determined the following results: Home 1,222, Creative 1,013, Work Error, Storage Flash Error, Storage HDD 1,814. This is, with limited data, slightly below the Medion Akoya P2211T (Celeron N2910, Baytrail M). The PCMark 7 result does hardly change. The HDD is not included in this test, only the system partition on the 64 GB SSD.

PCMark 7
Score (sort by value)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2339 Points
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
640 Points -73%
Asus Eee PC R052C-WHI002S
Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 3650, N2800, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K320 HTS543232A7A384
739 Points -68%
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg
Radeon HD 8210, A4-1250, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
1064 Points -55%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1114 Points -52%
Acer Aspire One 756-B847X
HD Graphics 2000, 847, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT020-9YG142
1251 Points -47%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1232 Points -47%
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB
SGX545, Z2760, 64 GB SSD
1413 Points -40%
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD128HAFV mSATA
2162 Points -8%
Productivity (sort by value)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 32 GB eMMC Flash
983 Points
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
519 Points -47%
Asus Eee PC R052C-WHI002S
Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 3650, N2800, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K320 HTS543232A7A384
465 Points -53%
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg
Radeon HD 8210, A4-1250, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
526 Points -46%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
738 Points -25%
Acer Aspire One 756-B847X
HD Graphics 2000, 847, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT020-9YG142
619 Points -37%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
359 Points -63%
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB
SGX545, Z2760, 64 GB SSD
600 Points -39%
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD128HAFV mSATA
1153 Points +17%
PCMark Vantage Result
4758 points
PCMark 7 Score
2339 points
Help

Storage Solution

The pretty good system score suggests a fast SSD, but the HDD benchmarks do not completely support this. Transfer rates for sequential reading are just slightly above conventional hard drives (+ 30%) and they are even lower during reading, the Acer Aspire V5-122P with an HDD, for example, is 99% faster. It is the opposite situation when we write small 4K blocks; the HDDs fall behind by up to 91% in this case.  

SanDisk's SSD is really good during reading of small 4K blocks with a transfer rate of 10 MB/s. It is still 113% behind a "real" SSD (Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite), but we also have to include the bad result of the IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB. In short: The performance of the 32 GB eMMC flash storage is a bit better than the usual low-cost parts, nothing more and nothing less.

Update 01/30/2014: Review update of the version with 500GB + 64GB flash storage

The 64 GB eMMC (SanDisk) is much slower than the 32 GB version. Instead of 109 MB/s you only get 70 MB/s for sequential reading; instead of 10 MB/s only around 8 MB/s for 4K reads. The HGST Travelstar Z5K500 (HTS545050A7E680, 2.5", 8 MB cache, 5400 rpm, SATA III 6.0Gb/s) provides pretty good sequential transfer rates (reading), but the access time is very high (HD Tune 19.4 ms). The screenshots show: The HDD manages higher transfer rates than the internal flash storage (sequential reading). The flash storage is however much better in the more important disciplines 4K read and access time (0.4 ms).

CDM HDD 111 MB/s sequential read
CDM HDD 111 MB/s sequential read
CDM 64GB 70 MB/s sequential read
CDM 64GB 70 MB/s sequential read
ASSSD HDD 106 MB/s sequential read
ASSSD HDD 106 MB/s sequential read
HD Tune HDD 84 MB/s sequential read
HD Tune HDD 84 MB/s sequential read
HD Tune 64GB 59 MB/s sequential read
HD Tune 64GB 59 MB/s sequential read
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB
SGX545, Z2760, 64 GB SSD
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
HP Pavilion TouchSmart 11-e000sb
Radeon HD 8210, A4-1250, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD128HAFV mSATA
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-26%
-24%
-18%
396%
Write Seq
43.2
38.14
-12%
85.9
99%
96.1
122%
135.5
214%
Read Seq
109
77.5
-29%
87.7
-20%
103.6
-5%
475.1
336%
Write 4k
4.034
2.226
-45%
0.899
-78%
0.428
-89%
41.1
919%
Read 4k
10.33
8.57
-17%
0.298
-97%
0.226
-98%
22
113%
32 GB eMMC Flash
Sequential Read: 109 MB/s
Sequential Write: 43.2 MB/s
512K Read: 104.7 MB/s
512K Write: 18.93 MB/s
4K Read: 10.33 MB/s
4K Write: 4.034 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 10.44 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 4.408 MB/s

Graphics

The performance of the Bay Trail is pretty good so far considering the low price below 400 Euros (~$548). But what about the new HD Graphics? 311 up to 896 MHz do not really sound overwhelming, so what are the 4 Execution Units capable of? (HD 4400 = 16 EUs, up to 1,100 MHz)

We attach an external display via micro HDMI and run the classic 3DMark06 in 1280x1024 pixels. We actually used this resolution for the first Atom netbooks back in 2007 (N450 etc.). The last netbook CPU N2800 (Asus Eee PC R052C) falls behind by -77% and the same applies for the GPU of the Z2760 (IdeaTab Miix 10). Intel cannot keep up with Temash (Radeon HD 8250), both Acer Aspire V5-122P and Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite are 27 up to 49% faster. 3DMark 11 (almost no CPU load) shows an even bigger advantage for Temash (+138%), 3DMark 13, however, only indicates +9%.

3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
209 Points
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg
369 Points +77%
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
226 Points +8%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
466 Points +123%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
366 Points +75%
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
470 Points +125%
1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
178 Points
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg
341 Points +92%
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
206 Points +16%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
422 Points +137%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
336 Points +89%
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
423 Points +138%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value)
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
1868 Points
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB
421 Points -77%
Asus Eee PC R052C-WHI002S
422 Points -77%
Acer Aspire One 756-B847X
1217 Points -35%
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
1536 Points -18%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
2366 Points +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
2470 Points +32%
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE
2774 Points +49%

Legend

 
Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR Intel Atom Z3740, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 64GB Intel Atom Z2760, PowerVR SGX545, 64 GB SSD
 
Asus Eee PC R052C-WHI002S Intel Atom N2800, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 3650, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K320 HTS543232A7A384
 
Acer Aspire One 756-B847X Intel Celeron 847, Intel HD Graphics 2000, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT020-9YG142
 
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg AMD A4-1250, AMD Radeon HD 8210, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
 
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk AMD C-70, AMD Radeon HD 7290, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
 
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS AMD A6-1450, AMD Radeon HD 8250, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
 
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE AMD E2-1800, AMD Radeon HD 7340, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
 
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite 905S3G-K01DE AMD A6-1450, AMD Radeon HD 8250, Samsung SSD PM841 MZMTD128HAFV mSATA
3DMark 2001SE Standard
7727 points
3DMark 03 Standard
5252 points
3DMark 05 Standard
3398 points
3DMark 06 Score Unknown Setting
2108 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
646 points
3DMark 11 Performance
209 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
15966 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
1206 points
Help

Gaming Performance

What does this mean for real games? The Radeon HD 8250 (Temash) is always faster, even though it is still not really playable with 15 fps (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Low) or 26 fps (Diablo 3, Low). Some older games, however, are more playable on the Radeon than on the Bay Trail Atom.

Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
HP Pavilion Sleekbook TouchSmart 11-e010sg
Radeon HD 8210, A4-1250, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
Acer Aspire One 756-B847X
HD Graphics 2000, 847, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT020-9YG142
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
Diablo III
1024x768 Low / off
18.4
22.1
20%
24.1
31%
26.1
42%
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
1280x720 Low Preset
11.8
8.7
-26%
10.1
-14%
14.4
22%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-26% / -26%
3% / 3%
31% / 31%
32% / 32%
low med. high ultra
Risen (2009) 23.1 8.7
Deus Ex Human Revolution (2011) 19.7
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 11.8
Diablo III (2012) 18.4 12
Tomb Raider (2013) 15.9 6.9
Dota 2 (2013) 20.8 13.7

Emissions

System Noise

The Transformer Book does not have a fan and is therefore completely silent. 

Temperature

CPU idle: 533 MHz
CPU idle: 533 MHz
Stress test Prime95+Furmark: 1.3 GHz after 10 minutes
Stress test Prime95+Furmark: 1.3 GHz after 10 minutes
Prime 95 Multi Solo: CPU@ 1.8 GHz
Prime 95 Multi Solo: CPU@ 1.8 GHz

The temperatures of the fan-less tablet under constant load (stress test) are slightly higher compared to clamshell subnotebooks based on Temash (e. g. Acer Aspire V5-122P). Keep in mind that these devices have an active cooling (fan) and a thicker chassis, so the result of the T100 is very good. This is especially evident during idle with maximum surface temperatures of 30 °C while Acer's Aspire V5-122P warms up to 38 °C (+25%). The Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 with the predecessor Atom is slightly warmer (13%) but it is on the same level during the stress test.

This low temperature is a result of a processor that only runs with 533 MHz during idle. We can see the same throttling issue during our stress test that we already know from many Intel Core notebooks with a CPU Turbo. The CPU clock levels off at 1.3 GHz after 10 minutes combined load for the CPU and the GPU. We cannot see this behavior when we only stress the CPU: Prime95 (Multi) results in a steady CPU clock of 1.8 GHz.

 24.2 °C
76 F
24.7 °C
76 F
25.2 °C
77 F
 
 24.1 °C
75 F
25.3 °C
78 F
26.3 °C
79 F
 
 27.2 °C
81 F
30.3 °C
87 F
27.6 °C
82 F
 
Maximum: 30.3 °C = 87 F
Average: 26.1 °C = 79 F
26.7 °C
80 F
25.6 °C
78 F
25.1 °C
77 F
27.8 °C
82 F
26.3 °C
79 F
25 °C
77 F
28.1 °C
83 F
26.8 °C
80 F
25 °C
77 F
Maximum: 28.1 °C = 83 F
Average: 26.3 °C = 79 F
Power Supply (max.)  34 °C = 93 F | Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.2 °C / 95 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 42.5 °C / 109 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 45.2 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.1 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 42.5 °C / 108.5 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-14.4 °C / -25.9 F).

Speakers

Speakers
Speakers

The speakers are located underneath tiny grilles on the back of the tablet. Asus uses the phrase SonicMaster, but that does not really mean much for audiophiles. Due to the lack of size, the speakers emphasize medium tones; high tones and bass are not very powerful. This is a common problem for small devices, but you can attach external speakers via 3.5 mm stereo jack. 

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The impressive runtimes suggest an excellent energy management. We measure 1.7 Watts during idle; the old Clover Trail platform was on the same level (IdeaTab Miix 10Samsung ATIV Tab 3, both 10-inches). Temash on the other hand consumes at least 3.9 Watts (Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite, 13-inches).

We measure a consumption of 11 - 12 Watts under load, which indicates the good scalability. The Temash-based Acer consumes 71% more in this scenario. Clover Trail was more frugalMiix 10 and ATIV Tab 3 need 31% and 38% less energy respectively under normal load. The stress test shows an advantage of 21% for the old Z2760. In short: The old Atom generation uses 20 to 40% less energy under load, but only offers 50% of the performance. 

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.7 / 3.9 / 3.9 Watt
Load midlight 10.7 / 11.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 960
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

The 2-cell battery (31 Wh polymer) provides excellent runtimes. Our realistic WLAN test (a script refreshes a website every 40 seconds, brightness at 150 cd/m²) results in 10:47 hours for the Transformer. It even manages 16:39 hours during idle and with minimum display brightness. Temash cannot keep up with that: Acer Aspire V5-122P (-17%) or Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite (-63%). Both devices are also equipped with a 30 Wh battery. Even the Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 (Z2760) only manages half the runtime (WLAN test), but the idle runtimes of the Atom predecessor are on the same level (Miix 10: -12%).

Update 01/30/2014: Review update of the version with 500GB + 64GB flash storage

The premium Transformer with a hard drive manages 9:16 hours in our WLAN test, which is 1:31 hours less than our review unit without an HDD and with 32 GB flash storage.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
16h 39min
WiFi Surfing
10h 47min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 16min

Verdict

Asus Transformer Book T100TA
Asus Transformer Book T100TA

Intel's Bay Trail Atom leaves a good impression. You should not expect any miracles from the quad-core, but the performance has clearly been improved, both subjectively and objectively. It pays off to use a Bay Trail system (Z3740) instead of an old Clover Trail (Z2760).

But that's not all. The Transformer Book T100TA also offers better runtimes compared to the old platform, at least within our competition. AMDs ultra mobile quad-core Temash is not as frugal, especially during idle. 

The build quality is not overwhelming by any means but it is reasonable for this price point. Two aspects that we really like are the durable keyboard dock and the large key travel. Frequent writers will not take much time to get used to it and the USB 3.0 port is a nice addition. However, the small touchpad is not very good with its very limited travel (clickpad).

The display is very good with its wide viewing angles (IPS) and the high contrast. All in all this is a small convertible that works well for simple tasks (like office, text editing) as well as multimedia fans (web browsing, movies). If you are looking for Windows 8.1, you will have a hard time to find a tablet with a better price/performance ratio at the moment. 

Acer's Aspire V5-122P is the best choice (below 400 Euros, ~$548) if a subnotebook works for you and if battery runtimes are not the most important aspect. It is also equipped with a good IPS panel and offers more 3D performance for gaming. Lenovo's IdeaTab Miix 10 offers the best display (IPS, brightness, contrast), but the Clover Trail performance is not future-proof and we therefore do not recommend this device (470 Euros, ~$644).

Update 01/30/2014: Review update of the version with 500GB + 64GB flash storage

The HDD version does lose some battery runtime (-1:31), but you do get a lot of capacity on a quiet hard drive in return. The 64 GB SSD is worse than the 32 GB version in the benchmarks. The overall weight is slightly increased to 1,166 grams (from 1,113 grams) because of the HDD. The dock alone weighs 592 grams.

Read all 11 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
In Review: Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H)
In Review: Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H)

Specifications

Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR (Transformer Book Series)
Processor
Intel Atom Z3740 4 x 1.3 - 1.9 GHz, Bay Trail-T
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
, 533 MHz
Display
10.10 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel, 10 fingers capacitive, HYDIS HV101HD1-1E2, IPS, a-Si TFT LCD, HFFS, Transmissive, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, SanDisk SEM32G, 17 GB free
Soundcard
HD Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: Headphones, Card Reader: micro SDHC, Sensors: Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Docking port for keyboard dock
Networking
Broadcom 802.11bgn SDIO Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 24 x 263 x 171 ( = 0.94 x 10.35 x 6.73 in)
Battery
30 Wh Lithium-Polymer, non-removable, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 11 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 32 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1280x720 HD
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 (Full version!), Asus LiveUpdate, WebStorage, ReadingMode, On Screen Display, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.113 kg ( = 39.26 oz / 2.45 pounds), Power Supply: 76 g ( = 2.68 oz / 0.17 pounds)
Price
400 Euro

 

New on sale: The Asus Transformer Book T100TA.
New on sale: The Asus Transformer Book T100TA.
It is a notebook and a tablet at the same time with its keyboard dock.
It is a notebook and a tablet at the same time with its keyboard dock.
Netbook? Are they still available? Yes, and the Atom CPU...
Netbook? Are they still available? Yes, and the Atom CPU...
...is used once again.
...is used once again.
A large and rigid hinge for the tablet.
A large and rigid hinge for the tablet.
One button to remove the tablet.
One button to remove the tablet.
The keyboard of our 32 GB version does not have any internal hardware (only USB 3.0).
The keyboard of our 32 GB version does not have any internal hardware (only USB 3.0).
Asus also offers the T100TA with an HDD inside the dock (500 GB + 64 GB flash).
Asus also offers the T100TA with an HDD inside the dock (500 GB + 64 GB flash).
The tablet alone weighs 580 grams.
The tablet alone weighs 580 grams.
Both parts together have a weight of 1,113 grams.
Both parts together have a weight of 1,113 grams.
The inexpensive price of the tablet shows when you can dent the back.
The inexpensive price of the tablet shows when you can dent the back.
However, the keyboard dock leaves a robust impression.
However, the keyboard dock leaves a robust impression.
No word of the Atom CPU?
No word of the Atom CPU?
The compact package is a good solution for text editing or mails on the go.
The compact package is a good solution for text editing or mails on the go.
The keyboard with good feedback is very important for that.
The keyboard with good feedback is very important for that.
The panel has rich colors and wide viewing angles.
The panel has rich colors and wide viewing angles.
Poor webcam quality: Strong noise, even during daylight.
Poor webcam quality: Strong noise, even during daylight.
The mini PSU provides 20 Watts.
The mini PSU provides 20 Watts.
It only weighs 76 grams (with the cable).
It only weighs 76 grams (with the cable).
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): Good solution with sufficient performance.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): Good solution with sufficient performance.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): Both the tablet and the keyboard have the same weight.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): Both the tablet and the keyboard have the same weight.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): Great! Finally a USB 3.0 port.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): Great! Finally a USB 3.0 port.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): IPS panel with excellent viewing angles.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): IPS panel with excellent viewing angles.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): The mobile typewriter revolutionized.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): The mobile typewriter revolutionized.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): The back of the tablet is slippery.
Asus Transformer Book T100TA + Keyboard Dock 32 GB (DK002H): The back of the tablet is slippery.

Similar Laptops

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

Acer One 10 S1002-17HU Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735F
Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 300-10IBY Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735F
HP Pavilion x2 10-n013dx Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3736F
Acer Aspire Switch 10E SW3-013 Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735F
Asus Transformer Book T100TAL Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735D
Dell Venue 10 Pro 5055 Convertible Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735F

Links

Compare Prices

Pros

+Great keyboard
+USB 3.0
+Good battery runtimes
+Very good display
+Low energy consumption
+Good performance on the road
+Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 (Full)
 

Cons

-Webcam quality
-Not enough storage (32 GB version)
-Not enough RAM

Shortcut

What we like

The performance has been improved and the SSD is not low-cost equipment. You can feel that in practice.

What we miss

More storage! 32 GB is not enough. Asus offers a 64 GB or 564 GB version (500 GB + 64 GB flash) respectively for 100 Euros (~$137) more.

What surprises us

Good IPS panels are becoming more frequently used in budget devices.

The competition

Aspire V5-122P (A6-1450) Subnotebook

Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 10 (64 GB) with keyboard dock

Samsung ATIV Tab 3 (64 GB) with keyboard case

Rating

Asus Transformer Book T100TA-C1-GR - 04/23/2014 v4(old)
Sebastian Jentsch

Chassis
57 / 98 → 58%
Keyboard
62%
Pointing Device
61%
Connectivity
52 / 80 → 65%
Weight
74 / 35-78 → 91%
Battery
93%
Display
82%
Games Performance
36 / 68 → 53%
Application Performance
58 / 87 → 67%
Temperature
77%
Noise
100%
Audio
40 / 91 → 44%
Camera
38 / 85 → 45%
Average
64%
74%
Convertible - Weighted Average
Sebastian Jentsch, 2013-11-29 (Update: 2018-05-15)