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Asus VivoTab 8 M81C Tablet Review

A solid device. Like many other manufacturers, Asus now has a new 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet on the market. In terms of hardware, the VivoTab 8 is mostly on par with the competing models. In terms of price, however, currently the new Asus device is at the high end of the spectrum.

For the original German review, see here.

The major players Dell, HP and Acer have all recently released inexpensive 8-inch tablets, all of which we recently reviewed. Asus' VivoTab 8 M81C fits right in with the group. The new tablet's specs line up with the others' quite neatly, though Asus chose a different processor. Does the change in SoC give the Asus device an advantage over its competitors? Read our review to find out. 

The VivoTab's competition is composed of various 8-inch tablets that have come under our scrutiny in the last few months. This list includes the Acer Iconia Tab 8 W W1-810, the Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845, the HP Stream 8 5900ng, the Point of View Mobii WinTab 800W and the i.onik TW Series 1 8-inch.

Case & Connectivity

The VivoTab's case is constructed entirely out of plastic, and Asus decided against textured surfaces. Our test device came in a white case. The manufacturer also offers their tablet in black, gold and violet. In terms of manufacturing quality and stability, there isn't much to criticize here; both are what we'd expect from a tablet in this price range. At a weight of about 344 grams (~0.76 lbs), this is one of the lightest 8-inch tablets we've reviewed.

When it comes to connections, the VivoTab doesn't hold any surprises in store: micro USB, microSD, combined audio jack - and that's it. The Asus tablet mirrors the devices from the other big-name manufacturers here. If you're looking for an HDMI output, you'll have to turn to tablets produced by smaller manufacturers - for instance the i.onik TW Series 1 8-inch or the Point of View Mobii WinTab 800W.

Like the rest of the competition, the VivoTab runs the Windows 8.1 (32-bit) + Bing operating system. The 32-bit version is superior to the 64-bit version on such a device, as the former handles system resources more conservatively. This is an important feature, seeing as the tablet only has 1 GB of RAM at its command. Buyers of the VivoTab also receive a one-year MS Office 365 Personal license.

The Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W. (Image: Asus)
The Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W. (Image: Asus)
The case is white. (Image: Asus)
The case is white. (Image: Asus)
The back camera has a resolution of 2 MP. (Image: Asus)
The back camera has a resolution of 2 MP. (Image: Asus)
Top: MicroUSB, audio combo (Image: Asus)
Top: MicroUSB, audio combo (Image: Asus)
Bottom (Image: Asus)
Bottom (Image: Asus)
Left side: MicroSD memory-card reader (Image: Asus)
Left side: MicroSD memory-card reader (Image: Asus)
Right side: volume rocker, power button (Image: Asus)
Right side: volume rocker, power button (Image: Asus)

Touchscreen

The VivoTab 8's touchscreen supports 10 touch points. The screen reacts promptly to input and didn't create any problems for us.

Display

The VivoTab 8's reflective 8-inch display has a native resolution of 1280x800 pixels. The screen's brightness (340.4 cd/m²) and contrast (782:1) are both strong.

346
cd/m²
329
cd/m²
321
cd/m²
340
cd/m²
352
cd/m²
331
cd/m²
354
cd/m²
348
cd/m²
343
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N080ICE-GB1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 354 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 340.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 352 cd/m²
Contrast: 782:1 (Black: 0.45 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.84 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.21 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
55.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
76.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
53.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.43
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
IPS 1280x800
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
IPS 1280x800
HP Stream 8 5900ng
IPS 1280x800
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
IPS 1280x800
i.onik TW Series 1
IPS 1280x800
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
TN 1280x800
Acer Iconia W4-820-2466
IPS 1280x800
Dell Venue 8 Pro
IPS 1280x800
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
IPS 1280x800
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
IPS 1920x1200
Point of View WinTab 800W
IPS 1280x800
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
IPS 1280x800
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
IPS 1280x800
Display
3%
-7%
-8%
-6%
13%
-6%
16%
-13%
Display P3 Coverage
53.8
55.7
4%
48.83
-9%
48.97
-9%
49.35
-8%
65.8
22%
51.3
-5%
65.1
21%
45.85
-15%
sRGB Coverage
76.6
77.5
1%
73.3
-4%
72.2
-6%
74.2
-3%
80.4
5%
71.6
-7%
85.9
12%
68.9
-10%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
55.4
57.7
4%
50.5
-9%
50.7
-8%
51
-8%
61.7
11%
52
-6%
63.3
14%
47.39
-14%
Screen
20%
1%
-14%
-11%
-0%
5%
15%
-4%
8%
-0%
-1%
-1%
Brightness middle
352
382
9%
340
-3%
313
-11%
208
-41%
303
-14%
417
18%
380.2
8%
295
-16%
333.3
-5%
220
-37%
362
3%
333
-5%
Brightness
340
365
7%
327
-4%
298
-12%
201
-41%
292
-14%
395
16%
365
7%
278
-18%
304
-11%
214
-37%
352
4%
311
-9%
Brightness Distribution
91
87
-4%
88
-3%
80
-12%
83
-9%
86
-5%
90
-1%
86
-5%
84
-8%
83
-9%
88
-3%
86
-5%
85
-7%
Black Level *
0.45
0.35
22%
0.61
-36%
0.57
-27%
0.35
22%
0.34
24%
0.46
-2%
0.312
31%
0.38
16%
0.463
-3%
0.303
33%
0.44
2%
0.54
-20%
Contrast
782
1091
40%
557
-29%
549
-30%
594
-24%
891
14%
907
16%
1219
56%
776
-1%
720
-8%
726
-7%
823
5%
617
-21%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.84
4.97
15%
4.89
16%
7.3
-25%
6.38
-9%
4.67
20%
6.59
-13%
7.03
-20%
8.01
-37%
4.98
15%
5.08
13%
6.78
-16%
4.64
21%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.21
4.44
38%
4.19
42%
8.38
-16%
7.64
-6%
9.26
-28%
6.96
3%
7.12
1%
6.58
9%
4.47
38%
5.85
19%
7.26
-1%
4.78
34%
Gamma
2.43 91%
2.37 93%
2.44 90%
2.43 91%
2.56 86%
4.12 53%
2.79 79%
1.59 138%
1.72 128%
1.83 120%
2.43 91%
2.94 75%
2.63 84%
CCT
6140 106%
6090 107%
7344 89%
6145 106%
7478 87%
7414 88%
6988 93%
6001 108%
6102 107%
7667 85%
6355 102%
6458 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
50.6
33%
46.5
22%
46
21%
47
24%
53.88
42%
46.68
23%
57.17
50%
44
16%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
12% / 15%
-3% / -2%
-11% / -12%
-9% / -9%
0% / -0%
5% / 5%
14% / 14%
-5% / -5%
12% / 10%
-7% / -4%
-1% / -1%
-1% / -1%

* ... smaller is better

Straight out of the factory, the tablet's display shows an average DeltaE 2000 deviation of 5.84. This number closely approaches the target range (DeltaE less than 3). The display doesn't have a blue cast.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - Color saturation
The VivoTab in outdoor use.
The VivoTab in outdoor use.

Asus outfitted their Vivotab with an IPS panel. As a result, the display content looks more or less correct from any angle. Outdoor use is difficult - the screen's brightness and contrast would be strong enough for use under the sun, but the display's reflective surface is usually a prohibitive factor.

Performance

The VivoTab 8's performance is sufficient for office and Internet-related applications. The tablet can run apps from the Windows Store as well as "normal" desktop applications. The device has no problem playing video content either. Our test model is currently available for about 150 Euros (~$162). We weren't able to unearth any alternative versions with different hardware.

Processor

The VivoTab 8 is equipped with an Atom Z3745 quad-core processor. Thanks to its low TDP (<4 Watts), the CPU can be passively cooled. The processor runs at a base clock speed of 1.33 GHz. Using turbo, the speed can be increased to up to 1.86 GHz. The tablet takes full advantage of the turbo. The processor completed the Cinebench benchmark's single-thread and multi-thread tests both at 1.86 MHz. The same was true in both AC power mode and battery mode.

Our comparison chart below reveals that when it comes to multi-thread applications the VivoTab 8 performs better than the various other 8-inch Windows tablets we've reviewed in the last few months. It would thus stand to reason that the Asus tablet possesses a stronger processor - after all, it has a higher number (Z3745 vs. Z3735G). But this is not the case. The two CPUs' processing speeds are almost identical. The VivoTab processor's number is higher because it has a stronger graphics core and is able to support a greater amount of working memory. The Z3745's advantage is the result of one simple fact: The competitors' processors throttle down to a speed of 1.58 GHz in the multi-thread tests and thus achieve lower scores.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
1757
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
3229
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
941
Help
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3229 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2907 Points -10%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2925 Points -9%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2881 Points -11%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2857 Points -12%
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
SGX545, Z2760, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1705 Points -47%
Acer Iconia W4-820-2466
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 64 GB eMMC Flash
3352 Points +4%
Dell Venue 8 Pro
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740D, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3219 Points 0%
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2899 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
3308 Points +2%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2891 Points -10%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
941 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
950 Points +1%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
958 Points +2%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
945 Points 0%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
946 Points +1%
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
SGX545, Z2760, 32 GB eMMC Flash
609 Points -35%
Acer Iconia W4-820-2466
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 64 GB eMMC Flash
963 Points +2%
Dell Venue 8 Pro
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740D, 32 GB eMMC Flash
961 Points +2%
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
946 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
1189 Points +26%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
916 Points -3%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
760 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
720 Points -5%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
724 Points -5%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
724 Points -5%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
724 Points -5%
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB eMMC Flash
771 Points +1%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
326 Points -57%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2414 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2105 Points -13%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2110 Points -13%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2118 Points -12%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2110 Points -13%
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2324 Points -4%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1047 Points -57%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
423.3 ms *
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
471.7 ms * -11%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
517 ms * -22%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
496.2 ms * -17%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
492 ms * -16%
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
SGX545, Z2760, 32 GB eMMC Flash
931 ms * -120%
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
770 ms * -82%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
864 ms * -104%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
512 ms * -21%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
512 ms * -21%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
498 ms * -18%
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB eMMC Flash
609 ms * -44%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1034 ms * -144%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3470 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3375 Points -3%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3381 Points -3%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3394 Points -2%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3393 Points -2%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3246 Points -6%
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5148 Points +48%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1989 Points -43%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
8721 ms *
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
8969 ms * -3%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
8936 ms * -2%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
8984 ms * -3%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
9001 ms * -3%
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5496 ms * +37%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
14907 ms * -71%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
659 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
642 Points -3%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
621 Points -6%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
628 Points -5%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
624 Points -5%
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
SGX545, Z2760, 32 GB eMMC Flash
691 Points +5%
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
837 Points +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
1214 Points +84%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
927 Points +41%
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
610 Points -7%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
680 Points +3%
Browsermark - 2.1 (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1025 points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
936 points -9%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1011 points -1%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
997 points -3%
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1309 points +28%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
894 points -13%
WebXPRT 2013 - Overall (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
330 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
305 Points -8%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
305 Points -8%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
305 Points -8%
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB eMMC Flash
378 Points +15%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
160 Points -52%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The tablet's system is fast and stable. We didn't run into any difficulties here. However, if you want to use desktop applications, you may encounter some minor problems. The tablet only has 1 GB of working memory at its command. The results in the PCMark benchmark correspond to the Atom processor's performance capabilities. In these benchmarks too, the VivoTab scores higher than its competitors. The reasons: Firstly, Asus outfitted their VivoTab with a faster version of the HD Graphics core. Secondly, our test device's processor runs multi-thread applications at maximum speed.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1165 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
1008 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
1225 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1165 Points
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1037 Points -11%
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1062 Points -9%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1069 Points -8%

Storage Devices

An eMMC module with a capacity of 32 GB serves as the system's mass storage device. At first glance, the storage device's transfer rates look disappointing. But it doesn't take long to discover the reason for these low numbers: The VivoTab comes with activated encryption. Once this is deactivated, the transfer rates rise to the normal level for eMMC storage. Out of the 32 GB of total storage, about 17.3 GB remains available to the owner of the tablet. The storage space can be expanded using a microSD card. Additionally, the user has access to up to 1 TB of storage space through Microsoft's "OneDrive" cloud storage, free for one year.

32 GB eMMC Flash
Sequential Read: 163.5 MB/s
Sequential Write: 75.6 MB/s
512K Read: 88.6 MB/s
512K Write: 34.83 MB/s
4K Read: 11.89 MB/s
4K Write: 10.52 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 47.68 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 11.62 MB/s
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
32GB eMMC
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
32GB eMMC
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
32GB eMMC
HP Stream 8 5900ng
32GB eMMC
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
32GB eMMC
i.onik TW Series 1
16GB eMMC
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
32GB eMMC
Acer Iconia W4-820-2466
64GB eMMC
Dell Venue 8 Pro
32GB eMMC
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
32GB eMMC
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
64GB eMMC
Point of View WinTab 800W
16GB eMMC
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-33%
-10%
-21%
-11%
-25%
-66%
-34%
-43%
0%
-47%
-37%
Read Seq
163.5

84.5

88.7
-46%
164.3
0%
160.2
-2%

87.2
-47%

172
5%
162.4
-1%
81.6
-50%
160
-2%
53.8
-67%
166
2%

116
-29%

123.4
-25%
134.1
-18%
Write Seq
75.6

52.6

50.7
-33%
81.6
8%
74.5
-1%

52.3
-31%

80.8
7%
54.4
-28%
30.14
-60%
46.92
-38%
40.15
-47%
75.7
0%

48.56
-36%

42.83
-43%
44.8
-41%
Read 512
156.2

88.6

80.6
-48%
141.2
-10%
143.9
-8%

81.2
-48%

141.7
-9%
155.5
0%
74.2
-52%
143.5
-8%
51.7
-67%
157.2
1%

119.4
-24%

115.5
-26%
136.3
-13%
Write 512
57.6

34.83

43.57
-24%
63.4
10%
65.2
13%

37.9
-34%

59.3
3%
19.16
-67%
10.57
-82%
23.93
-58%
32.57
-43%
59.7
4%

42.53
-26%

25.83
-55%
12.07
-79%
Read 4k
13.62

11.89

10.66
-22%
12.24
-10%
17.52
29%

16.43
21%

12.76
-6%
11.93
-12%
9.024
-34%
11.66
-14%
8.043
-41%
19.04
40%

16.32
20%

9.666
-29%
13.06
-4%
Write 4k
11.63

10.52

8.261
-29%
9.341
-20%
6.871
-41%

4.944
-57%

9.26
-20%
10.23
-12%
1.944
-83%
5.159
-56%
8.888
-24%
17.43
50%

12.86
11%

4.149
-64%
5.92
-49%
Read 4k QD32
49.84

47.68

25.95
-48%
24.58
-51%
37.23
-25%

35.69
-28%

26.31
-47%
25.37
-49%
10.24
-79%
26.98
-46%
28.75
-42%
25.75
-48%

24.45
-51%

11.86
-76%
23.67
-53%
Write 4k QD32
12.14

11.62

10.77
-11%
11.27
-7%
9.406
-23%

5.833
-52%

9.491
-22%
8.338
-31%
1.893
-84%
6.24
-49%
10.65
-12%
19.27
59%

16.23
34%

4.74
-61%
7.07
-42%

Graphics Card

Asus equipped their VivoTab with an Intel HD Graphics GPU. The graphics core supports DirectX 11 and runs at speeds of up to 778 MHz. Even with the same GPU, the Asus tablet performs better in the 3DMark benchmarks than competitors like the Acer Iconia Tab 8 W and the Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845. The reason isn't hard to find: The Intel GPU built into the competing tablets runs at a lower speed than the version in our VivoTab (646 MHz vs. 778 MHz).

3DMark 11 Performance
221 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
15933 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
1232 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
221 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
200 Points -10%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
196 Points -11%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
199 Points -10%
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
198 Points -10%
Dell Venue 8 Pro
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740D, 32 GB eMMC Flash
216 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
209 Points -5%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
15933 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
13071 Points -18%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
11580 Points -27%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
13145 Points -17%
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
SGX545, Z2760, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3533 Points -78%
Dell Venue 8 Pro
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740D, 32 GB eMMC Flash
15800 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
9708 Points -39%
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5631 Points -65%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1232 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
998 Points -19%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
994 Points -19%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1013 Points -18%
Dell Venue 8 Pro
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740D, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1217 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
955 Points -22%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
489 Points
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
401 Points -18%
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
381 Points -22%
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
398 Points -19%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
83 Points

Gaming Performance

Modern games like The Crew can't be played on the VivoTab - the hardware is too weak. Titles from the Windows Store, however, generally run without a problem on the Asus tablet.

low med. high ultra
Trackmania Nations Forever (2008) 71.6 19.3

Emissions & Energy

The VivoTab 8 in the stress test.
The VivoTab 8 in the stress test.

The tablet completed our stress test (Prime95 and Furmark running simultaneously for at least an hour) in the same way in both AC power mode and battery mode. The CPU and GPU ran at full speed for the first two minutes. Afterwards, they started to throttle. The processor ran at 1.33 GHz for the remainder of the test. The graphics core fluctuated continuously between speeds of 300 and 600 MHz. The tablet only warmed up slightly during the stress test; the case temperatures remained substantially beneath 40 °C (104 °F) in every spot we measured.

 29.2 °C
85 F
27.3 °C
81 F
28.6 °C
83 F
 
 29 °C
84 F
27.8 °C
82 F
31.5 °C
89 F
 
 28.4 °C
83 F
27.1 °C
81 F
30 °C
86 F
 
Maximum: 31.5 °C = 89 F
Average: 28.8 °C = 84 F
27.2 °C
81 F
28.8 °C
84 F
30.4 °C
87 F
27.8 °C
82 F
28.1 °C
83 F
30.2 °C
86 F
28 °C
82 F
27.5 °C
82 F
29.8 °C
86 F
Maximum: 30.4 °C = 87 F
Average: 28.6 °C = 83 F
Room Temperature 22.8 °C = 73 F | Raytek Raynger ST // Voltcraft IR-360
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.7 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.8 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

The stereo speakers are located on the lower edge of the back side of the device. They generate a tolerable sound; we've certainly heard worse.

Energy Consumption

Power Management

In idle mode, the VivoTab uses energy conservatively - we measured up to 2.4 Watts. During the stress test, the tablet's energy consumption rate fluctuated between 6 and 7.1 Watts, due to the fact that the GPU's speed continuously vacillates.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.01 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1 / 2.3 / 2.4 Watt
Load midlight 7.7 / 7.1 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 Life

In our WLAN test, which is designed to simulate practical, everyday use, we run a script that automatically loads a new webpage every 40 seconds. The energy-saving profile is activated and the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². The VivoTab ran for 5:11 h in this test. This isn't an outstanding runtime, but it is satisfactory. Competitors like the Acer Iconia Tab 8 W and the Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845 keep chugging along for a good hour longer, doubtless because their capacities are larger (Asus: 15 Wh, Acer: 17 Wh, Dell: 18 Wh).

Battery Runtime
WiFi Surfing
5h 11min
Battery Runtime - WiFi (sort by value)
Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 32 GB eMMC Flash
311 min
Point of View WinTab 800W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
300 min
HP Stream 8 5900ng
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
324 min
i.onik TW Series 1
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 16 GB eMMC Flash
339 min
Lenovo ThinkPad 8
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3770, SanDisk SEM64G
345 min
Acer Iconia Tab 8 W
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
362 min
Dell Venue 8 Pro
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740D, 32 GB eMMC Flash
373 min
Toshiba WT8-B-102‏
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
390 min
Dell Venue 8 Pro 3845
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735G, 32 GB eMMC Flash
402 min
Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CX
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3745, 16 GB eMMC Flash
442 min
Acer Iconia W4-820-2466
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3740, 64 GB eMMC Flash
484 min
Acer Iconia-W3-810-27602G03nsw
SGX545, Z2760, 32 GB eMMC Flash
545 min
LG G Pad 8.0 V480
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash
653 min

Verdict

The Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W is a simple 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet. It offers enough performance for office and Internet-related applications. Thanks to the full-fledged Windows installation, it's also possible to use normal desktop applications. The tablet barely warms up at all and offers a reasonably good battery life. Additionally, Asus outfitted the device with a bright, high-contrast IPS display with stable viewing angles. But like many of its competitors, the VivoTab lacks an HDMI output. As a result, the user is unable to connect the tablet to their home TV and play movies or music through the interface. But for those who don't mind that limitation, the VivoTab proves to be a solid Windows tablet.

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In review: Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W. Test model courtesy of cyberport.de.
In review: Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W. Test model courtesy of cyberport.de.

Specifications

Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W
Processor
Intel Atom Z3745 4 x 1.3 - 1.9 GHz, Bay Trail-T
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Core: 778 MHz, 10.18.10.3740
Memory
1024 MB 
, DDR3
Display
8.00 inch 16:10, 1280 x 800 pixel, 10-point multitouch, Chi Mei N080ICE-GB1, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 17.3 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Valleyview SoC - HD Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: Audio combo, Card Reader: MicroSD, Sensors: GPS (Broadcom GNSS 4752), Orientation sensor
Networking
Broadcom 802.11bgn SDIO Adapter (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.8 x 211.7 x 124.9 ( = 0.35 x 8.33 x 4.92 in)
Battery
15 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Windows 8.1 (32 Bit) + Bing
Camera
Webcam: 2 MP (front), 2 MP (back)
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard Light: no, MS Office 365 Personal (one-year license), 12 Months Warranty
Weight
344 g ( = 12.13 oz / 0.76 pounds), Power Supply: 79 g ( = 2.79 oz / 0.17 pounds)
Price
199 Euro

 

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HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735F
i.onik TW Series 1 Tablet Review
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735G
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HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Atom Z3735G
Dell Venue 8 Pro (Model 3845) Tablet Review Update
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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Price Comparison

Pros

+Bright, high-contrast IPS display
+Always remains cool
+One-year Office 365 license
 

Cons

-Only 1 GB working memory

Shortcut

What we like

The bright, high-contrast IPS display.

What we'd like to see

An HDMI output.

What surprises us

Nothing.

The competition

Acer Iconia Tab 8 W W1-810Dell Venue 8 ProToshiba Encore 2 WT8-B-102HP Stream 8 5900ngLenovo ThinkPad Tablet 8Point of View Mobii WinTab 800WAcer Iconia W4-820-2466Asus Memo Pad 8 ME181CXLG G Pad 8.0 V480, i.onik TW Series 1 8-inch.

Rating

Asus VivoTab 8 M81C-1B010W - 02/11/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
72%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
38 / 65 → 58%
Weight
86 / 40-88 → 96%
Battery
88%
Display
82%
Games Performance
37 / 68 → 54%
Application Performance
37 / 76 → 49%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
50 / 91 → 55%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
67%
80%
Tablet - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2015-02-21 (Update: 2018-05-15)