Asus VivoBook V551LB-DB71T Review

Nice, but lacking for the price

CNET Editors' Rating

3.5 stars - Very good



$902.13 to $1,070.80

The good: The Asus VivoBook V551L is a thin, attractive, and seemingly well-constructed laptop. Its midrange discrete graphics card and 4th-gen Core i7 processor give it overall very good performance and battery life. And it has a 1TB hard drive and DVD burner.

The bad: For the V551LB's near-$1,000 price, the screen is pretty disappointing, as is its slow-spinning hard drive. Also, its keyboard is not backlit, which, again, for the price it should have.

The bottom line: An attractive, solidly built 15.6-inch thin laptop with overall good performance, the Asus VivoBook V551LB-DB71T is held back by its lackluster display.

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IFA - Asus spiffs up Transformer, FonePad, Memo Pad lines

The Transformer Book T300, the Memo Pads 8 and 10, and the FonePad 7 2014 Edition were unveiled at the company's IFA event in Berlin.

CNET - Asus, at its press event at the technology trade show IFA in Berlin, trotted out a trio (well, a trio and a half) of new products. The Transformer Book T300 is a hybrid that becomes a tablet by unclipping the screen of the laptop; a FonePad 7 2014 Edition quickly follows up the debut of the original phone/tablet in February; and duo of Memo Pad budget slates in expanded 8- and 10-inch screen sizes.

"Asus has been around for 24 years. ... Our success in the past two decades has been from responding quickly to innovation," Eric Chen, Asus vice president, said at the event.
"Back in 2007, we revolutionized the industry with the Eee PC," he said. "In 2010 we launched the Transformer, the first detachable PC. In 2012, we launched the PadFone."
Now it's taking those and the Memo Pad to new territory.   More

Asus VivoTab Smart ME400 Review

Clever accessories make this inexpensive tablet

 

CNET Editors' Rating

3.5 stars - Very good

$484.99 to $583.06

The good: The Asus VivoTab Smart ME400 is as inexpensive as Atom Windows 8 tablets get, and the add-on keyboard/touch-pad combo is excellent.

The bad: The keyboard doesn't actually attach, which can be a hassle, and the folding magnetic cover takes practice to set up properly.

The bottom line: In a sea of hard-to-distinguish Atom-powered Windows 8 tablets, the Asus VivoTab Smart ME400 stands out a bit thanks to clever accessories.

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This laptop has a screen on the back of its screen - Asus Taichi 21 Review

CNET -

CNET Editors' Rating

3.5 stars - Very good

$1,589.95 to $1,599.99

The good: The Asus Taichi 21 offers a clever implementation of a dual-screen design in a slim Core i7 chassis.

The bad: Only one of the screens is touch-enabled, which feels like a major oversight. There are probably only a handful of situations where you'd need an outward-facing display.

The bottom line: More of a clever proof-of-concept than a practical product, the Asus Taichi still delivers on its basic promise, combining two displays for a unique take on the laptop/tablet/hybrid genre.

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Google tablet set to limbo in at low $199 entry point

The Google Nexus tablet will be co-branded with Asus. More importantly, it will be inexpensive at $199.

Google Galaxy Nexus screen.

(Credit: Google)

 

 

h/t - Jeff Adams

 

CNET - Google will launch a $199 tablet this week at its developers conference co-branded with Asus, Bloomberg is reporting.

This follows a series of reports that have been trickling out for months about a 7-inch Nexus tablet being developed with Asus. The tablet is slated to debut at the Google I/O conference that starts Wednesday.

The one feature garnering the most attention is price. At $199, the Google tablet is $200 less than Apple's $399 iPad 2.

Previous reports have claimed the Nexus device will sport the Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" operating system, a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, 1GB of memory, and IPS (in-plane-switching) screen -- which boasts wide viewing angles.     More

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity Review

 

 CNET -

The good: The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700's high-resolution screen rivals the new iPad's display in sharpness and clarity. Also, apps launch quickly, GPS works well, and its rear camera is the best I've seen on any Android tablet. The tablet's body has the same great thin and light design as the Prime.

The bad: So far, not enough Android apps take advantage of the TF700's higher pixel count. Also, its battery life isn't as good as the Prime's.

The bottom line: The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 is one of the fastest Android tablets out there, combining an already proven design with a better camera, a faster processor, and a beautiful screen.

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ASUS intros three new ROG TYTAN gaming desktops, Ivy Bridge on board

Engadget - Those of you looking for a fresh, Ivy Bridge-powered gaming rig may want to look ASUS' way. The Taiwanese outfit just welcomed a trifecta of new ROG TYTAN machines to its lineup, which include the CG8580, CG8270 and CM6870 -- all sporting similar aesthetics as that CG8490 we showed you a while back. For starters, the higher-end CG8580 packs a quad-core, 4.6GHz Core i7-3770k CPU alongside a single-touch Turbo Gear button for overclocking, a twin 128GB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX680 graphics card.          More

Asus Essentio with Intel’s new CPU

The good: The Asus Essentio CM6870 is a reasonably well-equipped mainstream PC that is one of the first to feature Intel’s new third-generation (aka Ivy Bridge) Core i7 CPUs.

The bad: This boring commodity desktop has little to recommend it over similar systems, and Asus also focused too much on pleasing everyone with the configuration.

The bottom line: Intel’s new CPUs are the most compelling feature in this new Asus Essentio CM6870 desktop. Otherwise, it’s just another midtower.

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New Asus Transformer Pad 300 tablet coming April 22 for $399

CNET - The follow-up to the Transformer Prime gets a little upgrade and a significant price drop.
It looks as though we’ll have another new big-name tablet hitting stores in a little more than a week as a new Asus Transformer Pad 300 has started popping up for preorder at some online retailers.

The French tablet maker has apparently dropped the “Eee” from the name, and the new Transformer will join the Galaxy Tab 2 to make its debut on April 22, according to a report from PC World.

Like its predecessor, the Transformer Prime, the new tablet features a quad-core processor and snaps into a keyboard dock (sold separately) to become a full-fledged Android laptop, but at a lower starting price than the Prime.

Retailers including BJs and Office Depot show a price of $399.99 for the Transformer Pad 300 with 32GB of memory, 1GB of RAM, and an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor — once it comes into stock.              More

Review: Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

The good: The Asus Transformer Prime sports an iPad 2-inspired design that’s even thinner and nearly as light, while also managing to include microSD and Micro-HDMI support. The Prime delivers smooth and clear 1080p video, and the 8-megapixel camera captures detail and color more accurately than any other tablet we’ve reviewed. Ice Cream Sandwich makes small, but significant improvements to Honeycomb.

The bad: Not every game takes advantage of the quad-core CPU, and frame rates can suffer as a result. When connected to the dock keyboard, the tablet is top-heavy and can easily slide off a lap or table if you’re not careful.

The bottom line: The Asus Transformer Prime is the best full-featured Android tablet yet, with a sexy design, thoughtful features, and an impressive camera.

Editors’ note: We changed the Asus Transformer Prime review text to reflect the Ice Cream Sandwich update the tablet received in Januaray 2012.

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ASUS roadmap outed: Transformer Prime 3G incoming; Win8 tab this year

Slash Gear -

ASUS has confirmed that there will a 3G-equipped version of the Eee Pad Transformer Prime in March, with the company also saying it plans to launch an ARM-based Windows 8 slate by the end of the year. The much-anticipated tablets were confirmed in a pre-CES briefing attended by NetbookNews, though there’s still room for some surprises next week: ASUS says it has two new models for the show, along with a further two tablets pencilled in for the latter half of 2012.

ASUS had disappointed many by announcing back in November that it had no plans – at launch, at least – for a 3G variant of the Tegra 3-based Transformer Prime. The company’s German division then reiterated that last month, claiming that no UMTS/HSPA model was incoming.             More

Meet the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, the World’s First Supercomputer Tablet

When Apple’s Power Mac G4 came out it was classified 
as a super computer. It had dual-processors! 
What would the people 
of the past have made of this tablet computer, 
which is the first 
to have a quad-core processor?

Hell, what will the people of today make of it?

On paper this absolutely blows all other tablets out of the water. Besides being the first to use NVIDIA’s new quad-core (plus one) Tegra 3 a.k.a. Kal-El processor (click here for an amazing demo of what it can do), it looks gorgeous. The original Asus Eee Pad Transformer was one of the most popular Android tablets of the year, but it was thick and boxy—just sort of a big, boring rectangle. The Transformer Prime is way more attractive. They’ve swapped out the cheap plastic back for some very nice looking aluminum with a swirl pattern. It is extremely thin and light: 8.3mm (or 0.33 inches) and 586 grams (1.29 pounds), which is slightly thinner and lighter than the iPad 2, despite the Prime’s screen being larger by 0.4 inches (10.1 versus 9.7 on the iPad 2). Speaking of the screen, it’s a Super IPS+ display (at 1280×800) under Gorilla Glass and has a 178-degree viewing-angle and some proprietary tech that supposedly makes it much brighter. The original Transformer and the Eee Pad Slider both had pretty ho-hum screens, so this is a welcomed upgrade.

Full size

And yes, it’s a Transformer Pad, so you know it’s got a keyboard dock (sold separately). We liked the original, but this new dock will be thinner and sport an aluminum casing with a revised metallic swirl pattern to match the Prime unit. Touch-screen typing has grown by leaps and bounds, but when you’ve got to pound out some serious emails there’s no substitute for a real keyboard.

More

Review: Asus Eee Pad Slider SL101 - Tablet With Keyboard

The good: The Asus Eee Pad Slider SL101‘s keyboard mechanism is well-implemented and useful to those frustrated with typing on a tablet screen. Also, the inclusion of Mini-HDMI, a microSD card slot, USB 2.0, and the latest version of Honeycomb makes this tablet worth its price.

The bad: The Slider is bulky and heavy for a tablet and can’t be detached from the keyboard plate. Also, the typing environment feels cramped and the curved design on the keyboard plate blocks the spacebar. No LED flash on the camera means no nighttime picture taking.

The bottom line: Though it prevents a “pure” tablet experience, the Asus Eee Pad Slider’s built-in keyboard is a welcome feature for those who break into cold sweats whenever typing on a tablet is mentioned.

Read the Full Review

Best 5 tablets

Apple iPad 2 (16GB, Wi-Fi, black)

The iPad 2 refines an already excellent product. Its easy-to-use interface, vast app catalog, and marathon battery life bolster Apple's claim to being the king of tablets.

Price: $561.29 - $629.95 (check prices)

• 4.0 stars
  Excellent

Read full review

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (16GB)

Sleek, sexy, and light, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets as close to the iPad 2 as any Android tablet before it.
Price: $499.99 (check prices)

• 3.5 stars
  Very good

Read full review 

T-Mobile G-Slate

Thanks to its high-quality screen, streaming TV features, and 4G support (if you're willing to sign a contract), the T-Mobile G-Slate is one of the better Honeycomb tablets on the market today; however, its high no-contract price insures that it's not the best.
Price: $799.99 (check prices)

• 3.5 stars
  Very good

Read full review

 

Asus Eee Pad Transformer (16GB, Wi-Fi)

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer is a low-price, quality Honeycomb tablet with useful options.
Price: $399.00 - $426.99 (check prices)

• 3.5 stars
  Very good

Read full review

 BlackBerry PlayBook (16GB)

The BlackBerry PlayBook ably showcases RIM's powerful new mobile operating system, but its middling size diminishes many of its best features.
Price: $479.99 - $499.99 (check prices)

• 3.5 stars
  Very good

Read full review