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Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T Convertible Review

21 hours. Stylish aluminum dress meets 360-degree hinge. Is the 650 Euro (~$725) model a match for its more expensive rivals? Why does it last 21 hours when idling, but not even 5 hours when browsing on the Internet?
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T

For the original German review, see here.

360-degree convertibles based on a (15-watt) standard processor are still apparently popular - at least, a decent selection is available on the market. Every reputable manufacturer now has these devices in their lineup. 13-inch models are typical, but 15 and 17-inch models also exist. Asus offers a particularly affordable model with a Core i3 for just 650 Euros (~$725) in the form of the VivoBook Flip TP301UJ. It is considerably more expensive with better hardware (bigger SSD, Core i5/i7). The competition also offers 13-inchers with the 360-degree feature in the mid-price range (to 1000 Euros/~$1116).

Dell's Inspiron 13 5368 that proved to be extremely fast but weak in battery life would be mentioned here. Acer’s Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N, which is sold starting at 900 Euros (~$1004), also takes part. HP has its Spectre x360 13-4104ng to offer. However, the 13-incher with 2560x1440 pixels costs at least 1100 Euros (~$1227). The slim 360-degree bundle with a Core m by Asus is less expensive: 800 Euros (~$893) are due for the Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T.

Asus  VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T (VivoBook Flip TP301 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-6100U 2 x 2.3 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 520, Core: 950 MHz, Memory: 798 MHz
Memory
8 GB 
, single-channel, DDR3L 1600 MHz SDRAM, onboard memory 4 GB , DIMM up to 8 G
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, 10-finger capacitive, BOE HB133WX1-402, TN, optional IPS FHD (1920x1080), glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP, 128 GB 
, SATA 2.5-inch, 50 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: line-out + mic, Card Reader: SD/​SDHC/​SDXC, Sensors: gyroscope
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.9 x 323 x 227 ( = 0.78 x 12.72 x 8.94 in)
Battery
55 Wh Lithium-Ion, 3 cells, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 10 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP 640x480
Additional features
Speakers: stereo with SonicMaster Lite Technology, Keyboard: chiclet, 45-watt power supply, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.658 kg ( = 58.48 oz / 3.66 pounds), Power Supply: 172 g ( = 6.07 oz / 0.38 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The VivoBook Flip TP301UJ is inside a plastic chassis that is furnished with a brushed aluminum work surface. The aluminum sides that are a part of the upper side make the base exceptionally stiff. Thus, the casing's upper part and sides are made of one piece of aluminum. That reminds us of the design used for the Zenbook lineups, just that the removable base plate is plastic with a matte finish here. It is fitted impeccably and screws secure it very well. The build does not flex from below or above. Unfortunately, this is not true for the keyboard, but more about that in "Input Devices".

The hinges just barely keep the display in place; we would have wished that they were pulled tighter. The display tends to fall back by itself when carrying the device around in "Laptop" mode (vibrations). Unfortunately, the lid is not secured either mechanically or magnetically in the tablet's end position. Thus, the user always has to cope with a gap that interferes with handling in "Tablet" mode. In contrast to that, we could hardly open the closed "Laptop" with one finger since magnets secure the lid exemplarily. The lid's warping resistance is good; it only flexes marginally in some spots.

In sum, Asus presents an appealing casing with higher stability than the Inspiron 13 5368, and which can almost compete with Acer's Aspire R13 R7 and HP's Spectre x360 in terms of quality.

The TP301UJ's weight of 1.7 kilograms (~3.75 lb) is quite heavy for a 13-incher. The Aspire R13 R7-372T only weighs 1.5 kilograms (~3.31 lb) and the slim Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T even just 1.3 kilograms (~2.87 lb). The Flip is also relatively thick with a height of 20 millimeters (~0.79 in), but the Inspiron 13 5368 is on par with that. The Aspire R13 has the biggest dimensions for a 13-incher due to the fundamentally different design with a hinge on the display's side. Buyers looking for a compact and as thin as possible device should look at the Spectre x360 13 or Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T (16 and 14 mm/~0.63 and 0.55 in).

Size Comparison

343.8 mm / 13.5 inch 230.4 mm / 9.07 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs324.8 mm / 12.8 inch 224.4 mm / 8.83 inch 20.4 mm / 0.803 inch 1.6 kg3.56 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 227 mm / 8.94 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.7 kg3.66 lbs325 mm / 12.8 inch 218 mm / 8.58 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.5 kg3.21 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 220 mm / 8.66 inch 13.9 mm / 0.547 inch 1.3 kg2.97 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The interface configuration corresponds to that of a modern laptop. Particularly this is part of the 360-degree design's attraction. Type-C USB is present besides three further USB Type-A ports. The Type-C port is a Type 3.1 Gen.1, and thus only a 3.0 port with reversible plug function. The Spectre x360 13 additionally features a DisplayPort and the Aspire R13 R7 tops that with a USB 3.0 Gen.2 with Thunderbolt. The Inspiron 13 5368, Zenbook UX360CA, and the review sample do not stand a chance against that.

Headphone/microphone, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, power-in
Headphone/microphone, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, power-in
USB 2.0, card reader, volume control, power button
USB 2.0, card reader, volume control, power button

SD Card Reader

We test the performance of the installed card reader with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference SD card. The maximum transfer rate when copying large data blocks is 39 MB/s while 31 MB/s can be expected with standard JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each). Those are decent but not very fast rates even if the rivals are even slower.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
 
31 MB/s
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
 
27.9 MB/s -10%
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
 
20.4 MB/s -34%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
 
14.3 MB/s -54%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
 
38.7 MB/s
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
 
37.17 MB/s -4%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
 
25.2 MB/s -35%
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
 
24.73 MB/s -36%

Communication

The buyer has to be satisfied with the basic configuration in the form of Intel's Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n/ac) including Bluetooth 4.0 for network connections. In contrast to the Wireless-AC 3165, the difference is found in the /h/ that stands for dynamic frequency selection and transmission power control. The module has two antennas (2x2) and a maximum gross data rate of 867 Mbps (vs. 433 Mbps @ AC 3165). The rivals are furnished with similarly good Wi-Fi modules, with the exception of the Inspiron 13 5368 with a Wireless-AC 3165.

The module achieved 200 to 300 Mbit in the Server test, which is only half the data that an AC 7265 in the Spectre x2 12 transfers. The Client test outcomes are appropriate although 867 Mbps is not realistically achievable. Only the review sample was connected to the router in the jperf networking test.

Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng
Intel Wireless-AC 7265
439 MBit/s +89%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (Seb)
232 MBit/s
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (Seb)
134 MBit/s -42%
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (Seb)
457 MBit/s
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng
Intel Wireless-AC 7265
323 MBit/s -29%
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (Seb)
281 MBit/s -39%

Webcam

640x480 pixels with intense noise
640x480 pixels with intense noise

The camera ridicules its name. The produced photos are not even suitable for Skype video chats in contemporary bandwidths. The VGA camera with 640x480 pixels only shoots blurred, shapeless photos even in ideal light. That was standard in 1998. Asus could just as well have omitted the camera.

Accessories

Apart from Microsoft's Office (30-day trial), the manufacturer preloads trial versions of Foxit Phantom PDF (30-day trial), Evernote (free), and WPS Office (60-day trial). The user can also test a 25-GB DropBox account for six months. Asus' Webstorage is a kind of OneDrive, i.e. data can be synchronized on multiple Windows devices. Tools, such as LiveUpdater (drivers, tools), FlipLock (settings for "Tablet" mode), Splendid Video Enhancement (color profiles) round off the package.

Compact 45-watt power supply
Compact 45-watt power supply
In form of a wall wart as usual for Asus
In form of a wall wart as usual for Asus

Maintenance

The maintenance options are very laudable. The base plate can be removed, which then allows accessing the working memory, fan (cleaning), 2.5-inch SATA SSD, wireless module, battery, and working memory. The TP301 has 4 GB of onboard memory; the other 4 GB of DDR3L are inserted.

Maintenance made easy:
Maintenance made easy:
Open the gap with, e.g., a putty knife
Open the gap with, e.g., a putty knife
Pry off the base plate
Pry off the base plate
Working memory under silver bezel
Working memory under silver bezel
The end piece of the main antenna
The end piece of the main antenna
The end piece of the auxiliary antenna
The end piece of the auxiliary antenna
SSD in traditional 2.5-inch SATA format
SSD in traditional 2.5-inch SATA format
Speaker
Speaker

Warranty

Asus includes a 24-month manufacturer warranty that does not affect the legal warranty. The warranty can be extended by one year (from 2 to 3 years) with pick-up & return service for 60 Euros (~$67).

Input Devices

Keyboard

The flat keys have a non-slip surface and are spaced well. The arrow keys are separated a bit and have been scaled down. The lettering is clear. The keyboard features a three-level backlight that shines through the letters and also lightens up the keys edges. The keys have a medium drop as well as a firm stroke on the far left and right. The surface wobbles clearly in the center, which leads to a spongy typing feel in this area. The pressure point is short.

Touchpad

The touchpad's 12-cm (~4.7 in) diameter surface is sleek. The areas of the outer edges are not touch sensitive but that does not affect use. The drop is very short, and thus the pressure point triggers a bit fast. We could work quickly with the pad although we missed a clear feedback.

Touchscreen

The capacitive multi-touchscreen easily detects all ten fingers at once. Drag and drop actions functioned without problems.

Spongy typing feel due to the slightly wobbly stroke
Spongy typing feel due to the slightly wobbly stroke

Display

FHD TN panel subpixels
FHD TN panel subpixels

The resolution of 1920x1080 pixels of BOE's screen is modest for today's conditions. Some rivals already have 3K (Aspire R13 R7, HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng). The glossy touchscreen has a hardened surface with 10-finger detection. Higher resolutions provide higher working comfort depending on the application scenario. However, this also consumes more power. Typically, the runtimes of these 3K or 4K models are shorter than in FHD versions. Asus does not offer a higher resolution option.

170
cd/m²
174
cd/m²
173
cd/m²
156
cd/m²
166
cd/m²
158
cd/m²
158
cd/m²
162
cd/m²
164
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE HB133WX1-402 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 174 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 164.6 cd/m² Minimum: 9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 166 cd/m²
Contrast: 377:1 (Black: 0.44 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.07 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.99 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
43.02% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
41.63% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.49
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
BOE HB133WX1-402, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
AUO B133HAB, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Sharp LQ133T1JW02, , 2560x1440, 13.30
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
LG Philips LGD0000, , 2560x1440, 13.30
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
AUO B133HAN02.7, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Display
-7%
63%
55%
53%
Display P3 Coverage
41.63
38.88
-7%
69.6
67%
66.8
60%
65.1
56%
sRGB Coverage
62.6
57.7
-8%
98
57%
92.8
48%
93
49%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
43.02
40.17
-7%
70.7
64%
67.3
56%
66.5
55%
Response Times
-130%
557%
-37%
55%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38 ?(19, 19)
44 ?(20, 24)
-16%
36 ?(12, 24)
5%
24 ?(11, 36)
37%
29 ?(15, 14)
24%
Response Time Black / White *
9 ?(4, 5)
31 ?(15, 16)
-244%
30 ?(8, 22)
-233%
19 ?(10, 28)
-111%
22 ?(5, 17)
-144%
PWM Frequency
50 ?(90)
1000 ?(10)
1900%
192 ?(30)
284%
Screen
21%
72%
49%
35%
Brightness middle
166
240
45%
320
93%
324
95%
302
82%
Brightness
165
229
39%
308
87%
324
96%
298
81%
Brightness Distribution
90
92
2%
91
1%
90
0%
90
0%
Black Level *
0.44
0.24
45%
0.17
61%
0.34
23%
0.21
52%
Contrast
377
1000
165%
1882
399%
953
153%
1438
281%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.07
4.75
-17%
3.18
22%
4.36
-7%
6.33
-56%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.38
9.09
-42%
9.91
-55%
11.89
-86%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.99
4.3
-8%
4.13
-4%
4.62
-16%
8.13
-104%
Gamma
2.49 88%
2.5 88%
2.03 108%
2.18 101%
2.52 87%
CCT
7491 87%
5893 110%
6752 96%
6857 95%
6811 95%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
40
36.79
-8%
65
63%
60
50%
60
50%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
63
57.39
-9%
98
56%
93
48%
93
48%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-39% / -5%
231% / 161%
22% / 38%
48% / 42%

* ... smaller is better

It is a TN panel, i.e. a viewing angle dependent screen model as installed in every entry-level laptop. Its contrast is very weak; 377:1 is quite low even for TNs. The illumination is very homogeneous. Light spots or backlight bleeding is not visible in the dark and on a black screen.

The sRGB and AdobeRGB color spaces are only covered to a small degree. BOE's panel is not suitable for professional image editors. CalMAN confirms this impression. The analysis with the photospectrometer proves that the Grayscale DeltaE of 4 is a bit too high, but not much. The graph shows a clear bluish tint that also visible to the naked eye.

This is owed to the "Normal" color profile (bluish tint) that can be selected in Splendid Video Enhancement (color profiles). Asus also offers some default calibration options dubbed "Eye Care Mode" (reddish tint) or "Vivid Mode" (contrast). This naturally cannot replace calibration since every screen is unique with slight differences in color reproduction.

AdobeRGB 40% color space
AdobeRGB 40% color space
sRGB 63% color space
sRGB 63% color space
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale

The brightness of 165 cd/m² that the VivoBook Flip TP301UA achieves is extremely weak. We have not measured such a low rate for quite some time. This makes use in daylight virtually impossible - especially due to the glossy surface.

166 cd/m² - too dark for outdoors
166 cd/m² - too dark for outdoors
The reflections are the final straw
The reflections are the final straw

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4 ms rise
↘ 5 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 19 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 19 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 49 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 50 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 50 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 50 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The TN panel clearly affects the viewing angles. Colors invert or brighten up soon, particularly vertically. The premium model of the VivoBook Flip TP301UJ is furnished with an IPS panel that should not suffer from this phenomenon.

Viewing angles: 1920x1080 BOE HB133WX1-402, TN (optional IPS FHD)
Viewing angles: 1920x1080 BOE HB133WX1-402, TN (optional IPS FHD)

Performance

Intel's Core i3-6100U (2.3 GHz) is a processor from the 6th generation. The 7th Kaby Lake generation is presently being launched. The 15-watt dual-core does not have Turbo Boost. An HD Graphics 520 graphics unit is integrated; further details can be found in the spec sheetIntel's Core i5-6200U and i7-6500U are optionally available. The SSD has a capacity of 256 GB and not just 128 GB as in the case of our review sample. A small dedicated Nvidia GeForce 920M is also installed in the premium version.

System info: CPU-Z CPU
System info: CPU-Z Cache
System info: CPU-Z Mainboard
System info: CPU-Z Memory
System info: Latency Checker OK
System info: GPU-Z HD 520

Processor

Prime95 Multi stable @2.3 GHz
Prime95 Multi stable @2.3 GHz

The system's performance will satisfy non-performance users. Performance geeks will not be as happy with a Core i3 or is its reputation worse than the performance it actually has? We look at the clock rates and Cinebench scores in the comparison.

The review sample performs the Cinebench benchmarks competently at 2.3 GHz. This frequency runs stably also during Prime95 and even in the stress test with simultaneous GPU load. This is impressive seeing that the 15-watt SoCs normally throttle the CPU clock speed but uphold the GPU clock. The performance is exactly the same in battery mode; Cinebench R15 finishes with an identical score.

The i5-6200U in the Spectre x360 13-4104ng calculates 16 to 20% faster, and the i7-6500U tops that by 30 to 40%. Although the Core i3 can defeat the Core m3 fanless solution in Asus' Zenbook UX360CA, a plus of 12 to 17% is marginal.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
Intel Core i7-6500U
130 Points +37%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel Core i5-6200U
113 Points +19%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Intel Core i7-6500U
104 Points +9%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Intel Core i3-6100U
95 Points
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
Intel Core m3-6Y30
85 Points -11%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Intel Core i7-6500U
321 Points +32%
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
Intel Core i7-6500U
312 Points +28%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel Core i5-6200U
284 Points +16%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Intel Core i3-6100U
244 Points
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
Intel Core m3-6Y30
208 Points -15%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
30.5 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
244 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
95 Points
Help

System Performance

Similar slight advantages over the Core m3 are seen in application performance as seen in pure computing power: PCMark 8 states 9 and 18%. Users who do not need much performance could unhesitatingly take Asus' Zenbook UX360CA. The Zenbook can also score with its faster SSD. On the other hand, convertibles like Acer's Aspire R13 R7-372T with a Core i7 are only 7% faster (Home score) and even somewhat slower (Work score) despite the faster SSD.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
3699 Points +25%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Lite-On CV1-8B256
3161 Points +7%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP
2960 Points
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
2727 Points -8%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
4577 Points +11%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP
4121 Points
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Lite-On CV1-8B256
3971 Points -4%
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
3496 Points -15%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2960 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4121 points
Help

Storage Device

Samsung's CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP is a SATA storage device in the 2.5-inch format. We emphasize this since SSDs in the rivals are inserted as M.2 modules (PCIe 2280) on the motherboard (except for Dell's Inspiron 13 5368). Compared with these models, Samsung's CM871 is at a disadvantage as the chart also illustrates: The memory can only communicate with the CPU via one controller using SATA. In PCIe, this communication is direct and subsequently faster. Write and read rates are both equally modest. The only advantage of SATA: The user can always change to a Terabyte hard drive - which may happen sooner than expected since only roughly 50 GB of storage are free in delivery state.

Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Lite-On CV1-8B256
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
Lite-On CV1-8B128
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
610%
761%
389%
406%
Read Seq
396
479
21%
507
28%
491.8
24%

491.8
24%

497
26%
Write Seq
133.5
270.1
102%
354.4
165%
264.5
98%

264.5
98%

182.9
37%
Read 512
259.5
428.3
65%
355.3
37%
396.2
53%

396.2
53%

353
36%
Write 512
23.86
267.9
1023%
353.9
1383%
264.5
1009%

264.5
1009%

144.1
504%
Read 4k
5.783
23.77
311%
32.66
465%
30.88
434%

30.88
434%

31.89
451%
Write 4k
8.507
81.4
857%
81.6
859%
75.6
789%

75.6
789%

62
629%
Read 4k QD32
97.5
333.6
242%
277.6
185%
31.85
-67%

31.85
-67%

207.7
113%
Write 4k QD32
8.515
200.9
2259%
261.2
2968%
73.9
768%

73.9
768%

131.8
1448%
Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP
Sequential Read: 396 MB/s
Sequential Write: 133.5 MB/s
512K Read: 259.5 MB/s
512K Write: 23.86 MB/s
4K Read: 5.783 MB/s
4K Write: 8.507 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 97.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 8.515 MB/s

Graphics Card

The Intel HD Graphics 520 operates with a single-channel memory although 4 GB of memory are onboard and 4 GB are inserted as DIMM. The differences among HD Graphics 520 graphics units are quite big; Dell's Inspiron 13 5368 with dual-channel achieves a lead of 41 and 68%. The VivoBook Flip TP301UA comes in last, which we will also discover in Games. The i3 model should not be selected when working with applications that utilize Intel's graphics.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
1490 Points +41%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
1415 Points +33%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1326 Points +25%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1326 Points +25%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6100U
1060 Points
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
714 Points -33%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
7945 Points +68%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
7843 Points +66%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
7439 Points +57%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
7439 Points +57%
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
5510 Points +17%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i3-6100U
4724 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
911 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
853 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
853 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1141 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3915 points
Help

Gaming Performance

As can be imagined, games run poorly on the Core i3's HD Graphics. The VivoBook Flip TP301UA comes in last place. Gamers with a liking for convertibles should consider taking the more expensive IPS version with Core i5/i7 and Nvidia's GeForce 920M.

Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1024x768 Lowest Preset
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
17.3 fps +24%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP
14 fps
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
8.4 fps -40%
BioShock Infinite - 1366x768 Medium Preset
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
32.2 fps +33%
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Lite-On CV1-8B256
29.6 fps +22%
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
27.3 fps +12%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP
24.3 fps
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Lite-On CV1-8B128
20.2 fps -17%
Thief - 1024x768 Very Low Preset
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
24.3 fps +83%
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
HD Graphics 520, 6100U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP
13.3 fps
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 43 24.3 18.4
Thief (2014) 13.3 8.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 14 9

Emissions

Noise characteristic: Flip TP301UA Core i3
Noise characteristic: Flip TP301UA Core i3

System Noise

The noise emissions are low; we measured just 35 dB(A) in the stress test and during basic processor load. It never gets louder. Rather the opposite is  the case since the fan tends to be inactive during prolonged idle periods. The Flip is noiseless then thanks to the SSD.

Noise Level

Idle
31.3 / 31.3 / 32.9 dB(A)
Load
35 / 34.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 31 dB(A)

Temperature

Stress test Prime95 + Furmark stable @2.3 GHz (54 °C)
Stress test Prime95 + Furmark stable @2.3 GHz (54 °C)

The VivoBook Flip TP301UA is a relatively cool device that does not get lukewarm even during load. We measured a maximum of 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) on the underside; the thermo-cam recorded 37 degrees (98.6 Fahrenheit) here. The temperatures do not have an impact on the SoC. It reached just 54 degrees Celsius (129.2 Fahrenheit) in our stress test. The clock rate is not throttled; 2.3 GHz ran stably in both the stress test and in the CPU benchmarks.

 24.3 °C
76 F
24.5 °C
76 F
25.1 °C
77 F
 
 24.2 °C
76 F
25.7 °C
78 F
25.4 °C
78 F
 
 24.2 °C
76 F
24.5 °C
76 F
25 °C
77 F
 
Maximum: 25.7 °C = 78 F
Average: 24.8 °C = 77 F
25.1 °C
77 F
25.4 °C
78 F
25.1 °C
77 F
25.9 °C
79 F
26.6 °C
80 F
25.5 °C
78 F
24.9 °C
77 F
24.7 °C
76 F
24.7 °C
76 F
Maximum: 26.6 °C = 80 F
Average: 25.3 °C = 78 F
Power Supply (max.)  28 °C = 82 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 27.2 °C / 81 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 30.6 °C / 87 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 33.3 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.8 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27.2 °C / 81 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (+0.9 °C / 1.6 F).
Idle: Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T with Core i3
Idle: Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T with Core i3
Idle: the hot spot on the underside gets a bit warmer
Idle: the hot spot on the underside gets a bit warmer
Load: Waste heat evolves in the center and on the right
Load: Waste heat evolves in the center and on the right
The heat pipe is very visible here
The heat pipe is very visible here

Speakers

The speakers do not have much power. Their sound remains thin even at high volumes. The little speakers emphasize the mid range, which produces a relatively boring sound mixture without differentiation. At least the speakers do not distort at maximum volume.

The dual-array microphone's recordings are relatively clear. Side noises are filtered well. The speaker can move 50 cm (~1.6 ft) or even 2 meters (~6.6 ft) away from the device and voice is recorded at a consistent level, anyway.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.929.537.92537.933.637.93138.834.338.84032.830.632.85030.932.430.96333.228.933.28030.728.430.71003726.43712544.126.544.116046.424.546.420042.824.442.825048.823.148.831553.522.653.540054.421.254.450049.220.449.263052.519.652.580061.219.461.2100065.41965.4125066.118.566.1160069.318.269.3200071.918.671.9250069.818.569.831507218.672400073.318.873.3500074.218.874.2630068.418.868.4800065.918.965.91000064.918.864.91250059.218.759.21600046.918.646.9SPL81.831.281.8N47.21.647.2median 61.2median 18.9median 61.2Delta10.31.410.339.136.833.739.137.936.337.137.936.237.735.836.233.633.833.633.631.932.832.431.930.831.229.830.828.429.328.528.428.530.433.428.531.835.439.331.835.439.14235.441.14547.841.1505458.45054.359.263.254.358.263.467.858.258.163.667.358.160.665.870.260.669.374.277.669.364.169.67364.159.564.868.459.554.6606454.656.161.665.556.155.260.564.355.254.159.363.254.153.258.562.853.248.553.956.148.543.748.952.543.744.249.553.144.245.851.355.545.855.56165.255.552.357.762.152.371.676.780.371.623.732.741.323.7median 54.1median 59.2median 63.2median 54.17.17.17.37.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006TAcer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (73 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 8.6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 71% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 22% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 71% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 23% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75 dB)
Analysis not possible as minimum curve is missing or too high

Frequency diagram in comparison (check boxes above can be turned on/off!)

Energy Management

Power Consumption

We were a bit surprised about the low power consumption: It was no more than 24 watts in the stress test. The reason is the absence of Turbo Boost in the Core i3. It looks even better when idle. 3 to 8 watts are top rates for a 13-incher. However, the TP301's low maximum brightness is also responsible for this. The specified 21 hours would also be possible purely arithmetically with its 55 watt-hours and low idle power consumption of just below 3 watts. When predicting an average of 10 watts in the Wi-Fi test, we would exactly achieve five hours. One thing is noteworthy: In terms of energy, the Core m3 (Zenbook UX360CA) and i3-6100U (review sample) are on par in this case.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.26 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.95 / 5.6 / 7.7 Watt
Load midlight 22.6 / 23.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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.
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
6100U, HD Graphics 520, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF128HCHP, TN, 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
6500U, HD Graphics 520, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
6500U, HD Graphics 520, Lite-On CV1-8B256, IPS, 2560x1440, 13.30
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
6200U, HD Graphics 520, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP, IPS, 2560x1440, 13.30
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, Lite-On CV1-8B128, IPS with 72% NTSC, 1920x1080, 13.30
Power Consumption
-22%
-67%
-25%
-2%
Idle Minimum *
2.95
4.4
-49%
6.2
-110%
3.9
-32%
3.4
-15%
Idle Average *
5.6
6.1
-9%
8
-43%
7.4
-32%
7
-25%
Idle Maximum *
7.7
6.8
12%
11.6
-51%
9.2
-19%
7.6
1%
Load Average *
22.6
29
-28%
40
-77%
28.1
-24%
19
16%
Load Maximum *
23.5
31.9
-36%
36.6
-56%
27.6
-17%
20.1
14%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

A battery life of 21 hours seems impressive, but this is achieved in the idle test. Here, the brightness is reduced to its absolute minimum, flight mode is enabled (wireless off), and the system is not loaded. This is, however, a very unrealistic scenario since users cannot recognize anything on the screen at 9 cd/m². Our "Wi-Fi browsing test" using the "Balanced" mode at a brightness of approximately 150 cd/m² is more realistic. The VivoBook Flip TP301UA lasts almost 5 hours in this case, which is not a big deal when compared with the rivals. The Spectre x360 13-410ng with almost the same watt-hours runs for 8 hours in the Wi-Fi test, and the Aspire R13 R7-372T for over six hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
21h 00min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 50min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 13min
Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T
6100U, HD Graphics 520, 55 Wh
Dell Inspiron 13 5368
6500U, HD Graphics 520, 42 Wh
Acer Aspire R13 R7-372T-746N
6500U, HD Graphics 520, 49 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13-4104ng
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 56 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX360CA-FC060T
6Y30, HD Graphics 515, 54 Wh
Battery Runtime
-40%
-24%
72%
13%
Reader / Idle
1260
674
-47%
669
-47%
1027
-18%
WiFi v1.3
290
240
-17%
382
32%
500
72%
386
33%
Load
193
86
-55%
85
-56%
239
24%
H.264
393

Pros

+ solid, high-quality build
+ maintenance-friendly
+ very quiet and cool
+ low power consumption

Cons

- comparatively poor battery life
- keyboard's spongy feedback
- dark TN panel
- PWM @ 50 Hz starts below 90 % brightness
- slow SATA SSD
- slow HD 520

Verdict

In review: Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de
In review: Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de

Asus does a good job in many aspects, but it also makes some major mistakes. The VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T could have been an interesting convertible primarily in the lower price range. 650 Euros (~$725) for a solid aluminum casing, Full HD resolution, enough interfaces, maintenance-friendliness, laptop performance with SSD, and useful runtimes looks appealing at first glance.

However, Asus incorporates shortcomings that are partly due to the low-end configuration. The biggest weak point is the HD panel based on TN technology - unstable viewing angles are simply inappropriate on a tablet. The slightly spongy keyboard and not particularly tight hinges add to that. For this reason, we cannot recommend the review sample, but we can recommend the IPS models with the same resolution. They cost at least 999 Euros (~$1115) but do not suffer from weak viewing angles. The extra charge also includes a GeForce 920M and 256 GB SSD. The slow SATA SSD will likely also be installed in the more expensive version, but it should have a higher capacity.

Buyers who want extensive interfaces should opt for Acer's Aspire R13 R7-372T and, if so, accept the larger dimensions. The Aspire R13 R7-372TSpectre x360 13-4104ng, and Zenbook UX360CA have two advantages over the VivoBook Flip: M.2 SSDs with faster data rates and superior IPS screens. The Spectre x360 13-4104ng offers a high-quality casing should that be important. Here we also find the highest resolution, just like in the Aspire R13 R7.

Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T - 08/30/2016 v5.1(old)
Sebastian Jentsch

Chassis
87 / 98 → 89%
Keyboard
71%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
46 / 80 → 57%
Weight
67 / 35-78 → 74%
Battery
80%
Display
74%
Games Performance
54 / 68 → 79%
Application Performance
76 / 87 → 87%
Temperature
96%
Noise
90%
Audio
59 / 91 → 65%
Camera
23 / 85 → 27%
Average
70%
78%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus VivoBook Flip TP301UA-DW006T Convertible Review
Sebastian Jentsch, 2016-09- 1 (Update: 2018-05-15)