Chuwi Surbook Series

Processor: Intel Celeron Celeron N3450, Intel Gemini Lake Celeron N4100
Graphics Adapter: Intel HD Graphics 500, Intel UHD Graphics 600
Display: 10.10 inch, 10.80 inch, 12.30 inch
Weight: 0.78kg, 1.043kg
price: 83%, performance: 70%, features: 78%, display: 83%, mobility: 73%, workmanship: 85%

 

Chuwi Surbook

The Chuwi SurBook began its life as an Indiegogo campaign, pitched as an affordable 2-in-1 Intel-based PC tablet that looks like an almost exact replica of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4, only without the hefty price tag. The SurBook has the same diagonal screen size (12.3 inches) and the same display resolution (2736 x 1824 pixels) as the Surface Pro 4. The chassis is made of a magnesium alloy - it is light, strong and a very good heat conductor, which is definitely a good thing. Users will notice that there are no fans on the SurBook and therefore no grilles; the only ones you will find are the two speaker grilles located on either side of the tablet. So, heat spreads in the entire chassis, which then acts like a giant heatsink. The screen, which sports a 3:2 aspect ratio, is surrounded by a bezel with a width varying between 15mm and 18mm; thin enough to be almost inconspicuous. The top edge of the device hosts the volume rocker and the power button. Four ports (two USB Type-A, an audio jack, and one USB Type-C port) are located on the right. There are no HDMI ports, which means users will need to get an adaptor to connect an external monitor. For the processor, Chuwi chose Intel's newest generation quad-core 4-thread Apollo Lake N3450 processor that was launched at the end of 2016. It is the perfect choice for 2-in-1 tablets and lightweight laptops, balancing best value with fantastic performance. Compared to the previous ‘Cherry Trail’ generation, it offers a 30% performance improvement, and finely tuned power management gives longer battery life. The SurBook can confidently handle all kinds of everyday scenarios, such as working, shopping or gaming, backed up by Intel Generation 9 HD graphics, meaning it can smoothly play HD videos and run 3D games.

Furthermore, there is a pair of cameras (5-megapixel at the back and 2-megapixel in the front). The keyboard, with large keys and decent feedback, is accurate and reasonably pleasant to use; the touchpad is also usable, but neither will stand the comparison with a traditional keyboard/touchpad combo on a laptop. The SurBook boasts an amazing 2736 x 1824 (2K) resolution screen, one of the world's highest resolution displays for a tablet. It is perfect for everyday use, but also suitable for specialist work. The sharp contrast and delicate colors can make works look even more outstanding. The display is excellent, probably on par with the Surface Pro 4. Expect vibrant colors with great viewing angles and outstanding image quality throughout. The detachable keyboard and adjustable kickstand make the SurBook ideal for business travelers. With an ultra-slim keyboard, it can be easily put into a bag or brought along anywhere you want. The keyboard is also backlit, so users can type with ease even in the dimmest light. Its 125-degree-angle kickstand frees hands and makes it easy to present the screen to colleagues or friends.

Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam

Specifications

Notebook: Chuwi Surbook
Processor: Intel Celeron Celeron N3450
Graphics Adapter: Intel HD Graphics 500
Display: 12.30 inch, 3:2, 2736 x 1824 pixels
Weight: 1.043kg
Links: Chuwi homepage

Pricecompare

Average Score: 71.11% - average

 

Reviews

Foreign Reviews

 

Chuwi SurBook Mini

The SurBook Mini ticks all the right boxes and is a genuine Surface 3 replacement. Businesses will love its design and versatility, not to mention the very affordable price tag. At first glance, the Chuwi SurBook Mini looks exactly like its big brother, the Surbook, but there are some subtle differences in this mighty Mini. Obviously, it is a smaller device overall. The product size is 268.9 mm x 183.9 mm, and it is 8.7 mm thick. The Mini weighs 686 g. The Mini uses the same magnesium alloy material for its unibody chassis, and the location of its ports reflects that of its bigger brother. It is also very similar to the Microsoft Surface 3, but that is not a surprise. Chuwi engineers did their homework when it comes to economies of scale and reusing existing components either from competitors or from its own product portfolio. The screen is a fully laminated 10.8-inch model with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 1920 x 1280-pixel resolution, just like the Surface 3. The brushed finish, the kickstand, which can open up to 125 degrees and the Type Cover magnetic keyboard are all there to remind us where Chuwi got the inspiration for this hybrid. The device uses the same core components as its bigger brother: an Intel Celeron N3450 CPU, DDR3 RAM, and a SanDisk eMMC 5.1 for storage. The N3450 hails from a newer generation compared to the x7-Z8700 that powered the Surface 3. It might have the same number of cores and threads and the same amount of cache, but a lower frequency means that these two will perform comparably. Its 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage should be more than enough for the road warrior or commuter. A user also gets a pair of 2-megapixel cameras which are great only for quick snaps and video calls, a 35 Wh battery (powered by the same 12V,2A/24W power supply unit found in the SurBook), 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4 (courtesy of the Intel AC3165 chip), and a pair of speakers. The SurBook Mini has a simplified array of ports on the side of the housing. There are two USB 3.0 ports and a USB-C for video, audio, and device charging. It also has a 3.5 mm audio jack. Its 8000 mAh battery is more than adequate for several hours work. If a user ever wanted a Surface 3 but could not manage to buy one, then this device is even better. The SurBook Mini surpasses Microsoft’s hybrid without breaking the bank. There are no enterprise features (like vPro technology, a fingerprint reader, LTE or an encrypted SSD) but that is not what to expect from a device priced this cheaply. Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam

Specifications

Notebook: Chuwi SurBook Mini
Processor: Intel Celeron Celeron N3450
Graphics Adapter: Intel HD Graphics 500
Display: 10.80 inch, 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixels
Weight: 0.78kg
Links: Chuwi homepage

Pricecompare

Average Score: 77.83% - good

 

Reviews

Foreign Reviews

 

Chuwi SurBook SE

Specifications

Notebook: Chuwi SurBook SE
Processor: Intel Gemini Lake Celeron N4100
Graphics Adapter: Intel UHD Graphics 600
Display: 10.10 inch, 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixels
Weight: 0kg
Links: Chuwi homepage

Pricecompare

 

Foreign Reviews

 

Comment

Chuwi:

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Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.

Intel HD Graphics 500: Integrated low-end graphics adapter with DirectX 12 support, which can be found in some ULV SoCs from the Apollo Lake series.

Intel UHD Graphics 600: Integrated low-end graphics adapter with DirectX 12 support, which can be found in some ULV SoCs from the Gemini Lake series. Compared to the HD Graphics 500, the 600 offers improved display outputs. Compared to the faster UHD Graphics 605, the 600 offers less shaders at lower clock speeds.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

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Intel Celeron:

Celeron N3450: Frugal quad-core SoC from the Apollo Lake series for inexpensive notebook. Runs with clocks between 1.1-2.2 GHz and integrates a DirectX 12 capable graphics adapter. Compared to the previous Atom generation, the per-MHz performance of the CPU architecture was vastly improved and the graphics adapter was improved as well.

Intel Gemini Lake:

Celeron N4100: Low power quad-core SoC from the Gemini Lake series for inexpensive notebooks. Runs with clocks between 1.1-2.4 GHz and integrates a DirectX 12 capable graphics adapter.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

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» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.

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No weight comment found (one expected)!

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73.8%: This rating is poor. More than three quarters of the models are rated better. That is rather not a purchase recommendation. Even if verbal ratings in this area do not sound that bad ("sufficient" or "satisfactory"), they are usually euphemisms that disguise a classification as a below-average laptop.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

Devices with the same GPU and/or Screen Size

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