Years ago, I sought for a powerful tablet that can help me with work & with play. That was the time I came across the Asus Transformer series which offered the keyboard dock that I needed & the internals that I wanted. Sadly, Android still can’t offer the level of productivity that I needed in a tablet.
Fast forward to the present, Asus continues the convertible Transformer form factor with the Transformer Book T100. It’s running on Windows 8.1 bundled with Microsoft Office 2013 + the keyboard, and it appears to be no slouch with the internals even with the plastic body. Is it the gamechanger we’ve been all waiting for in the tablet industry? Read on our full review to find out.
Design & Construction
Asus kept the circular pattern design from their other products and implemented it on the T100; the only big difference is that it’s glossy plastic. That essentially means that the tablet is prone to capturing fingerprint smudges & that the overall feel & experience is far from premium. On the positive side however, the T100 isn’t flimsy and feels light. In addition, the keyboard dock feels a lot better as it is made out of matte material, giving the whole package a very sturdy impression.
The Asus Transformer Pad T100 on our unit comes with a Windows logo in front, which won’t be making it to the final retail unit. Instead, the Start button is found on the left side, below the volume rocker. It’s very hard to press especially when the tablet is lying down on its back as you still have to lift it up. Anyway, you can always access the on-screen Start button through the charm bar so no worries here. Micro HDMI, micro USB & audio ports, the power button and the place for the keyboard dock are also located on the tablet’s sides.
When the keyboard is attached to the T100, it basically makes the whole device something like what you’d expect from a 2013 netbook. It has a very good keyboard for typing and it features a single USB 3.0 port. It’s not backlit, but we’re not expecting that anyway. The extra battery is also gone, making it lighter (you don’t need it anyway, you’ll find out soon enough why).
The only big problem we’ve had with the keyboard is the tiny trackpad. Asus has lots of room for improvement since it’s very jumpy and gives little space for the user. It didn’t cut short with gesture support though, and we can’t deny that the touchscreen offers a lot of flexibility.
Display
With a display resolution of 1366 x 768, you might immediately disregard this tablet for something else – you shouldn’t. It’s an IPS panel and it doesn’t have any bad viewing angles. At 10.1-inches, it fits exactly into both the multimedia tablet division and the infamous netbook group. Colors are vibrant & accurate while at a pixel density of 155ppi, text looked average in clarity.
Bring the T100 outside and the screen will surely lose its glimmer; that however is expected of a glossy screen so no surprises here. Anyway, you can still make out with the display even when the T100 is under the sun which is still very good to have.
OS, Apps & UI
It’s an iPad. It’s Android tablet. NO! It’s a Windows powerhouse – and we’re not talking about the RT version, we’re talking about no-compromise Windows 8.1. This is what wins it for us.
Basically, Windows 8.1 brings a lot of improvement over the first version, but we’re not going to tackle everything here. One of the major improvements was in multitasking – which is easily one of the most useful features you can ever find in a tablet. Asus bundled in some software too, but we don’t think any of those add value; what adds value to the T100 is no other than Microsoft Office 2013.
Microsoft Office makes the Transformer Book T100 worth considering for any student or worker out there who just wants to get the job done. Partnered with a keyboard, we don’t think there’s anything that will come close especially with the affordable price point.
Camera & Multimedia
Asus dropped the rear-facing camera on the T100 for two good & obvious reasons: first, for cost-cutting & second, you shouldn’t use your tablet as a camera. The front-facing one is kept however, and it does a pretty good job for most cases – selfies or video chatting.
The T100 won’t back down from a multimedia showdown. There are two speakers found on both the left & the right sides of the tablet. It fires very loud audio and it doesn’t distort much even at the loudest volume. Paired with the vibrant colors & the wide viewing angles of the display, it can’t get much better than this for its price.
Performance & Battery Life
Powering the Asus Transformer Book T100 is a quad-core Intel Atom Z3740 CPU clocked at 1.3GHz. Some may regard that weak for a laptop, but we have to differ. Paired with 2GB RAM, this thing roars.
PassMark Rating – 421.7
There weren’t much slowdowns even with multitasking and just like we’ve said in our first impressions, the T100 can handle games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newearth & Company of Heroes. We’ve also mentioned in our first impressions that there were slowdowns in the Modern UI – well, not anymore as an update addressed the issue. In a nutshell, the T100 will surely get most tasks done be it work or entertainment. However, you can’t expect it to run Crysis.
Asus claims the battery inside the T100 will last for 11 hours; that’s a huge expectation to live up to, and a lot of manufacturers end up making that a lie. We’ve been very impressed with the power management of Intel’s new chipsets and glad to say it still impressed us up to here – it’s just not what Asus claimed to be.
At 50% brightness and 100% audio volume, we continuously played movies while WiFi is on the background; Facebook messages and other notifications were constantly coming in & we even had huge downloads hiding in another window. From a full charge, the Asus Transformer Book T100 gave us a long & solid 9 hours of usage. While you’re truly going to have a hard time draining it, you’re going to have a hard time charging it as well, probably because of the micro USB port (no proprietary).
Conclusion
At the beginning of this review, I posed my scenario and the T100 confirmed my thoughts. This tablet is a gamechanger. At Php23,995, you get a beautiful balance of work & play, hardware & software. This isn’t meant to be the reinvention of the netbook or a reimagination of the tablet – it’s basically an evolution of both. I don’t want to see more tablets that can’t do much in this price range and I surely don’t want to see any more netbooks either.
If you’re looking for a tablet because you want media consumption, you can get an iPad or an Android tablet; your choice. However, if you’re the one who’s considering getting a tablet because you need it to get work done, then get one with Windows 8.1, Microsoft Office, a set of powerful internals, great battery life & a seamless balance of everything else. For the price, the Asus Transformer Book T100 is one of the best buys out there right now.
Asus Transformer Book T100 specs:
10.1-inch IPS LCD display @ 1366×768 pixels, 155ppi
Intel Atom Z3740 1.33GHz quad-core CPU
Intel HD Graphics
2GB DDR3 RAM
32GB, 64GB internal storage
expandable to 64GB via microSD
1.2MP webcam
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
micro HDMI port
USB 3.0 port
Windows 8.1
263 x 171 x 10.5mm (dimensions)
550g (weight, tablet only)
What we liked about it:
What we didn’t like about it:
The Asus Transformer Book T100 has been featured in our Christmas Gadget Guide to Tablets this 2013. You can check all our guides here.
YugaTech.com is the largest and longest-running technology site in the Philippines. Originally established in October 2002, the site was transformed into a full-fledged technology platform in 2005.
How to transfer, withdraw money from PayPal to GCash
Prices of Starlink satellite in the Philippines
Install Google GBox to Huawei smartphones
Pag-IBIG MP2 online application
How to check PhilHealth contributions online
How to find your SIM card serial number
Globe, PLDT, Converge, Sky: Unli fiber internet plans compared
10 biggest games in the Google Play Store
LTO periodic medical exam for 10-year licenses
Netflix codes to unlock hidden TV shows, movies
Apple, Asus, Cherry Mobile, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Oppo, Samsung, Sony, Vivo, Xiaomi, Lenovo, Infinix Mobile, Pocophone, Honor, iPhone, OnePlus, Tecno, Realme, HTC, Gionee, Kata, IQ00, Redmi, Razer, CloudFone, Motorola, Panasonic, TCL, Wiko
Best Android smartphones between PHP 20,000 - 25,000
Smartphones under PHP 10,000 in the Philippines
Smartphones under PHP 12K Philippines
Best smartphones for kids under PHP 7,000
Smartphones under PHP 15,000 in the Philippines
Best Android smartphones between PHP 15,000 - 20,000
Smartphones under PHP 20,000 in the Philippines
Most affordable 5G phones in the Philippines under PHP 20K
5G smartphones in the Philippines under PHP 16K
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2024
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2023
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2022
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2021
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2020
employee says:
Yes! Finally someone writes about pdf converter to word.
Las Vegas Kenmore says:
I don’t even know the way I finished up right here, however
I believed this publish used to be good. I do not know who you are however definitely youu are going to a
well-known blogger in the event you aree not already. Cheers!
yoga journal says:
Awesome blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers?
I’m hoping to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There
are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused ..
Any recommendations? Bless you!
bmw repair st says:
You can definitely see your expertise within the work you write.
The sector hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who
aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. At all times follow your heart.
Http://Www. says:
Pretty great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and
wished to say that I’ve truly loved broowsing your
wweblog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope
you write once more soon!
league of legends says:
It is important to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep to allow your muscles the
time to repair and rebuild. I perform them all but I’m not quite great
at them. That’s correct, League of Legends is one hundred% free of charge.
mike dillard the says:
This is a good tip especially to those new to the blogosphere.
Short but very precise information… Thanks for sharing this one.
A must read post!
Kasha says:
My Partner And I just recently setup a steam shower unit, best item i’ve
purchased in a long while, kids and family members think it’s great, just can’t see myself moving back to regular showers ever again
youtube.com says:
Today, while I was at work, my sister stole my iPad and tested
to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so
she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now destroyed and she has 83 views.
I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with
someone!
http://ow.Ly says:
Havve you ever considered creating an ebook or guest authoring on other sites?
I have a blog based on the same information you discuss aand would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my viewers wuld enjoy your work.
If you are even remotely interested, feel free to shoo me an e mail.
???? ???? ? says:
This paragraph is in fact a nice one it assists new web users, who are wishing in favor of
blogging.
kids science fair says:
There is definately a lot to find out about this topic.
I love all of the points you’ve made.
restaurant supplies says:
Fastidious answer back in return of this issue with genuine arguments and
describing all about that.
Weight loss says:
Today, internet has become the best source to know about the eercise
and celebrity dieting health program. These diet pills play an important part in removing extra
flesh of fat from boddy byy suppressing the appetite.
Fibers also ease constipation and aids in digestion.
Heere is my site – Weight loss supplements australia
Anonymous says:
I savor, cause I discovered just what I wass looking for.
You have ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you
man. Have a great day. Bye
Review my blog ??????????? MP3
youtube.com says:
Wonderful website lots of excellent steam shower info
here
Here is my blog :: steam shower whirlpool bath (youtube.com)
www. says:
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to mention that I
have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing for
your feed and I am hoping you write once more very soon!
artikel judi says:
M? family members every time say that ? am killing m? time ?ere at net, ?xcept I know I am getting know-how everyday by reading thes
good articles or reviews.
kite shop in says:
Hmm is anyone else having problems with the
images on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Feel free to visit my homepage – kite shop in spokane wa
nose trimmer says:
I’m curious to find out what blog system you have been using?
I’m experiencing some small security issues with my latest website and I’d like to find something more safeguarded.
Do you have any recommendations?
google says:
* Keep for Chrome does not allow users to share notes with others.
There’s rarely a case when creating a Gantt chart is the only thing I want to do with my data.
After you run your search, you’ll find the PPC
ads on the right-hand side of the screen.
efektívne chudnutie says:
Hello there! Quick question that’s totally off topic.
Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My blog looks weird when browsing from my iphone 4.
I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to resolve this problem.
If you have any suggestions, please share. Appreciate it!
admiral locksmith says:
Everyone loves what you guys are usually up too.
This type of clever work and exposure! Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve you guys to my personal blogroll.
Marquis says:
Nice steam showers, we had a unit installed about five
years ago and so it could do with replacing, would never buy
a mundane old routine kind of shower again
steam Shower Review says:
Great steam showers, my family had a unit built
around 5 years ago and it could maybe do with
replacing, never get a mundane old traditional type of shower ever again
https://www. says:
looked over the material within this site loads, planning to take the leap very
soon and get a steam shower cabin, probably immediately following the holidays
Aqualusso Steam says:
Really enjoy this fabulous site, terrific information here, had been a little sceptical around buying a steam
shower unit for our house but the information and knowledge
here sorted my head out, wonderful thanks for your insight
china phone reviews says:
only problem is no updates…even the sms bug (sending = sign to lenovo phone will cause reboot) is discovered, lenovo didnt bother to
fix it…u will be stuck with 4.1.1 forever unless root with custom rom
el origen del says:
I pay a visit everyday a few blogs and websites to
read content, except this website gives quality based posts.
www. says:
My loved ones loves the RC car challenges and that i love thinking up new
games and course for yopur kids to truly enjoy. The radio controlled boat hobby
is a growing one and there are thousands of people all over the world that
enjoy taking their radio controlled boats out for a spin on a regular basis.
$100 cheaper than an entry-level electric hobby class vehicle.
rc cars says:
There are many fine stores to choose from, but consider the following:1.
Black Ops is a downgrade to previous installments of the series in many ways.
$100 cheaper than an entry-level electric
hobby class vehicle.
drift rc cars says:
People have different hobbies and it comes in different forms.
Black Ops is a downgrade to previous installments of
the series in many ways. It has far too wide of a blast radius for a
tiny little remote-controlled ccar beiong able to kill someone across an entire room
with the triggered explosion.
nitro cars says:
People have different hobbies and it comes in different forms.
This article aims to share with you basic tips with regard
to these two features of RC for you too make a more informed decision. Starting up
the world’s most advanced toy is something not to be taken lightly.
mcdonaldkykt. says:
Hi there everyone, it’s my first visit at this site, and article is truly fruitful in support of
me, keep up posting these types of articles.
Carin says:
Hi there mates, good paragraph and fastidious arguments commented
at this place, I am truly enjoying by these.
buy garcinia says:
Eating two rred tomatoes every morning at breakfast a few months.
Both varieties of ginseng (Panax and Siberian ginseng) have a solid reputatiokn for energy enhancement.I went to get
some water and the next thing i knew I was feeling palpitations which I had never felt before and
knew that it wasn’t good.
hollywoodinterrupted says:
Some precautions should be kept in mind while using herbs.
Serotonin iss a chemical element or natural chemical wwhich influences our state of minds and emotional states, just what this means is that with the aid of the Hydroxycitric acid’s
effect on raising the serotonin, it will certainly minimize
sadness triggering, advertising sensations of happiness and well-being.
Mike literally shares his weight-loss experience in his first two weeks of taking a Premium Garcinia Cambogia Supplement.
It Service Atlanta says:
Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful post. Thanks for supplying
these details.
Here is my page It Service Atlanta
https://www.youtube. says:
Provide a list of individuals or organizations that are not directly affiliated to the agency which can aid you with your adoption, along with the costs of those services.
1) How many families does the agency have in its China
Waiting Child program. As opposed to IFRS accounting, wherein the cost recovery
method is used.
My weblog … adoption services (https://www.youtube.com/)
clash of clans says:
Today, while I wass at work, my sister stole my apple ipad
and tested tto see if it can survive a forty fot drop,
just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and she
has 83 views. I kbow this is completely off topic buut I
had to share it with someone!
Feel free to visit mmy webpage clash of clans android and ios hack channel
frontline commando 2 says:
Hi I am so glad I found your blog, I really found you by
accident, while I was browsing on Digg for something else,
Regardless I am here now and would just like to say many thanks for a
incredible post and a all round exciting blog
(I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the minute
but I have book-marked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back
to read more, Please do keep up the fantastic work.
Software says:
Yes! Finally someone writes about Tempat Download Software Terbaik.
jobs from working says:
Hi would you mind letting me know which webhost you’re using?
I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most.
Can you suggest a good hosting provider at a fair price?
Cheers, I appreciate it!
http://tiny.cc/ says:
Hey there, You’ve done a fantastic job. I will certainly digg it andd personally
recokmend too my friends. I’m confident they’ll be benefited from this site.
samsung galaxy s4 says:
Thanks in support of sharing such a fastidious thought, post is good, thats why i have read it fully
Paket Wisata Pulau says:
My spouse and I stumbled over here different page and thought I might check things out.
I like what I see so now i’m following you. Look forward to looking at your web page yet again.
friv11online.com says:
Thanks for your marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author.
I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will often come back in the foreseeable
future. I want to encourage you to continue your great work, have a
nice morning!
whats The Best way says:
I’m not sure why but this website is loading very slow
for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end?
I’ll check back later on and see if the problem
still exists.
best adult dating says:
When someone writes an piece of writing he/she maintains the plan of a user in his/her brain that how a user can understand
it. Thus that’s why this piece of writing is perfect. Thanks!
battle run s2 says:
Both smartphones have 8 MP cameras, LED flash and are capable of 1080p HD video recording at 30 FPS.
The incoming Camas lawmaker who is proposing legislation that would allow teachers and school administrators to have firearms in schools will
be meeting with constituents Saturday at the Battle Ground City Hall and the
Camas Library. The photos you can capture with the HTC Vivid are
worthy of the name ‘ they look vibrant with great
color reproduction.
Sep says:
Ayos po ba yong gadget plan ng smart bro para dito, Plan 999 tapos cashout ng 6000. Hindi ba consumable ang 999? At kung Plan 999 wala talagang babayarang extra? Thanks. Nag-iisip kasing magplan para dito, sulit ba kung nakaplan o mas maigi na lang na bilhin? Thanks.
Claah says:
Hi. Where can I buy this ASUS Transformer Book T100 in Manila? Is it available in MOA?
Samsung UN39FH5000 says:
We stumbled over here by a differen website annd thought I might as well check things out.
I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to looking into your web page ffor a second time.
kimkae says:
just got one from smart..with 500gb hd on keyboard.nice review.
Orange says:
Hi kimkae,
Sulit ba? I’m about to renew my smartbro so I’m hoping they offer this for their retention too. Either this or the Acer touch netbook. Fingers crossed
Justin says:
Intel Atom =
S
U
P
O
T
… pati na rin kayong lahat! Hehe!
hamit says:
May available na ngayon na may kasamang 500gb hdd..
Jarvis says:
I have this as my main driver for work and entertainment plus my Lumia 920. Nothing can come close for me. Only problem with the T100 is the glitch of the Windows Store which MS still cannot patch up going to 8.1. How I wish I could enjoy now the treats in the Windows Store. Any help pls? thank you in advance.
coollearner says:
bought this one and im recommending it :) best value for money
Nicholas says:
How long does it take for it to completely charge?
Eize says:
Okay, thanks!
coollearner says:
Be resourceful –look for valid asus retailers sa web and call them -heard na may variant na darating this week with 500Gb in the keyboard
Eize says:
Where were you able to buy one? I’ve looked almost everywhere in MoA and the PC stores don’t seem to have it.
Penoy says:
TWEWY forever
Toungue Ina Mo says:
@Justin
Di naman masyadong halata na nakatira ka sa era ng Pentium 4, dre?
Google google din pag may time para hindi ka masabihang bobo, tanga, inutil, indio at mangmang dito sa YugaTech.
Nakakawalang gana magbasa ng articles dito sa Yugatech dahil sa mga bobong kagaya mo.
Justin says:
P24k for an Atom tablet?… Pft! Laughable.
Ryan says:
yan yung tipong taong basa agad ng specs at derecho na sa comment section pra mauna lang. ni hinde binasa ung first paragraph ng review.
On the topic. I definitely considering this as my new toy. :)
Vixen says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZxzJGgox_E
Vixen says:
@Justin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZxzJGgox_E
You’re a failure as a human being.
French Connection UK says:
@Justin
Your feeble brain is more laughable than the Atom processor you’re laughing at. What a shame.
Real Gamer says:
Just to let you know, the “Atom” inside this hybrid laptop isn’t the same slow “Atom” we used to know. The “Atom” in this hybrid packs more more processing and graphics power than the old-gen Atoms.
Learn how to do some research next time before spreading the FUD here, okay?
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7314/intel-baytrail-preview-intel-atom-z3770-tested
Note: The Processor in this Asus T100 is in the same family as the Atom being tested at the AnandTech article above.
CB says:
It’s a windows 8 (full version) tablet with Microsoft office bundled, and the keyboard dock included already. It’s even cheaper in the US, going as low as $389 for the 64Gb version.
Try to find something that comes close, specs and price wise, idiot!
Real Gamer says:
That Start Screen backgroud = The World Ends With You! What a damn good RPG it is!
That aside, nice review! I’m pleased that this is one of the most straightforward reviews here in YugaTech.
Good job, @Bob Freking!