Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 review: a great dual-OS tablet with Windows and Android

Written by B Johnson June 07, 2014
Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 Specs
In September 2013 last year, Asus struck the world with its revolutionary tablet – bragged as the true dual-bot-OS tablet that can be transformed from a normal regular tablet running Android OS, into a full-fledged Windows 8 Pro laptop and even the real desktop.

(Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 Specs)


That tablet was Asus Transformer Book Trio, which i’ve already showed you on this website a couple of months ago.

And that’s pretty cool. No – that was awesome because not only does it have 2 OSes in one device, but it also comes packed with 2 very different type of specs – the lighter one and the heavier monster one.

When used as a normal regular Android tablet, you can count on its performance on the Intel Atom Cloverview Z2580, accompanied with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU and 2GB of RAM – which are reliable and powerful enough to handle any basic and graphics-related tasks on this tablet, even at once.

However, when this tablet is attached to the separate keyboard dock - and you press the dual-bot-OS button -, Asus Transformer Book Trio will transform itself into a way more powerful Windows 8 Pro full-fledged laptop, with Intel Core i7 Haswell processor and Intel HD Graphics Card taking over the job of its entire performance.

And this is insane because it’s still pretty rare to find any tablet with this same type of specs of this tablet.

But Asus doesn’t have any plan to stop there yet as this company has prepared the next-gen model of Asus Transformer Book Trio.

In fact, this sequel of Book Trio has just been announced by Asus at the recent CES 2014 event.

And this next-gen model is called Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300, which still continuous the torch from the predecessor – a dual-bot-OS tablet with Android OS and full-fledged Windows 8 Pro OS -, inheriting the same type of hardware but bump up some sectors on its specs.

Today, i’m pretty interested to bring up Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 and review it to you, especially its gaming performance.

If you’re interested to get to know with this tablet, then here you go, my personal review of Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300.

Anyway, if you feel my review of this tablet is useful and informative to you, don't forget to share this article to your friends or family by using the social media icons around this page.

It would mean a lot to me and this community.

Introduction

The great thing of having a dual-OS tablet like Asus Transformer Book Trio is definitely its ability to run all of your favorite apps, games and software that you’ve already come to love on your laptop and regular Android tablet.

I mean – can you imagine that, by getting this tablet, you can have the chance to play PC games like Call of Duty and the Android mobile version of that game - Modern Combat 4 – all in one device.

I think that’s really cool.

Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 Specs

Besides for playing games, Asus Transformer Book Trio is also a really great device because – when you’re on the go, like traveling or maybe just chilling out in some cafe – you just need to carry one device in your bag, and you can still use it in 2 different ways – based on your mood.

So if you’re in the mood of being a productive writer, you can attach this tablet to the keyboard dock and run either Android OS or Windows 8 Pro OS.

On the other hand, when you just want to relax and enjoy some new media contents, you can detach the device and use it as a regular media-consumption Android tablet.

Those are the same things that you’re gonna get on the next-gen model - Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300. This tablet still inherits all the same typical hardware found inside the predecessor.

However, given that this device is the sequel model, then it’s pretty obvious that Asus will bring some bumped up specs here and there on its hardware.

If the predecessor is packing a smaller 11.6-inch display – similar just like what Microsoft has on its Surface Pro -, now the Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 is getting a slightly bigger 13.3-inch display, sporting the same resolution of 1080p or 1920x1200 pixels.

But the question is, despite getting some boosted specs, does Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 have what it takes to take the crown in both Android tablet market and laptop market, especially in gaming performance?

Well, we’re about to find out about that in this review.

Design

In terms of design, Asus actually made some complete design overhaul compared to the predecessor.

If the predecessor looks quite a bit like some Android tablet with keyboard dock – similar like Asus Transformer line -, now the Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 has more matured looking design which i think, looks more like a full-fledged laptop than an Android tablet with keyboard dock.

In fact, on the inside, this tablet kind of reminds me with the design of Macbook Pro, especially with the dark black keyboard keys among the gray-looking aluminum finish all over the keyboard dock.

Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 Review and Gaming Performance
Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 Review and Gaming Performance

And its black-bezel tablet makes it look like Apple’s laptop actually. I personally like this design, but i think Asus can do better than that.

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  • Status Unavailable
  • 13.3-inch IPS touchscreen display 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • 4th-gen Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor
  • Intel HD Graphics GPU
  • 4GB DDR3 RAM
  • Windows 8 and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
  • up to 128GB SSD internal storage (tablet mode)
  • up to 1TB HDD internal storage (Keyboard dock)
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 ac
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • USB 3.0
  • HDMI 1.4
  • Weight 4.19 pounds
  • microSD memory card slot for up to 64 GB
  • Wi-Fi support 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11ac
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • 3.5mm Headphone jack
  • Accelerometer
  • 38Whr battery
Similar just like the previous-gen model - Asus Transformer Book Trio -, the second-gen Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 still comes with the same exact Intel Core i7 Haswell processor along with the same Intel HD Graphics Card and 4GB of RAM.

However, there are still some sectors of this hybrid tablet that get bumped up to the next higher level, like its display that is now packing a slightly larger 13.3-inches with the same full HD 1920x1200 pixel resolution, but slightly lower -166 ppi pixel density – as opposed to the 190 ppi on the predecessor, and then its basic 128GB internal storage, as opposed to the smaller 16GB/32GB/64GB of internal storage on predecessor.

However, despite those spec boosts, Asus also sacrifices some of the sectors of this tablet, like its camera.

If on the predecessor, there are 2 cameras found on the front and rear tablet, now the Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 only comes with 1 camera and it’s only on the front-side, dubbed as the HD quality camera.

I think this could steer some of the consumers when planning to get this tablet because, we all know that, camera has become one of the most important things on any tablet, even today’s laptops.

So i still don’t understand why would Asus remove the rear-facing camera of this tablet. But Asus probably has its reason.

Besides the camera, Asus now also provides a slightly less powerful 35Whr battery capacity with 5 hours battery life on the keyboard dock and 6 hours on the tablet, as opposed to the 19Wh battery on the predecessor that can produce 5 hours on the keyboard dock and 8 hours on the tablet.

Screen

Similar just like the predecessor, Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 still inherits the same full HD 1920x1200 pixel display.

However, given that this next-gen model is now packing a much larger 13.3-inch screen, then its sharpness is definitely not as great as the previous-gen model.

But in the real world quality, 1080p resolution actually already looks really sharp even on a 13.3-inch device (i mean, 720p resolution already looks sharp on my 14-inch laptop).

So probably there’s no significant difference in sharpness between the first-gen and the sequel models.

They both look sharp.

And the performance using this full HD display will be also satisfying for users because its Intel Core i7 and Intel HD Graphics Card are beast, even for today’s standards (and even in laptop market).

So these 2 pieces of hardware won’t have any problem executing all the pixels on its display in smooth performance.

Performance

Intel Core i7 processor along with its Intel HD Graphics Card are considered as 2 beast chipsets even on today’s laptop market.

So if a tablet like Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 is packing these 2 monsters in its engine, then nothing can stop this tablet to perform blazing fast just like any other laptops with the same exact Intel’s chipsets.

So for doing most of the tasks on this hybrid device, these 2 core chipsets will handle the entire job – of course when Windows 8 Pro OS is deployed.

However, when this device is transformed into a regular Android tablet, then its performance will be taken care by much lighter-grade hardware.

Too bad i haven’t found any information about what mobile processor and GPU that Asus equips on this tablet – when Android OS is deployed.

But it’s probably similar just like the predecessor – given that this sequel-model also uses the same Intel Core i7 and Intel HD Graphics Card.

So if the predecessor - Asus Transformer Book Trio - is powered by Intel Atom Cloverview Z2580 along with PowerVR SGX 544 MP and 2GB of RAM on its Android tablet, then it’s probably the same with Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300.

But i can’t assure that because there is still no information about that.

But when i found out about that in the future, i’ll definitely let you know through this same page.

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When talking about the gaming performance of this hybrid-tablet, then it should consist 2 parts of reviews for this sector – the gaming performance on Android platform and Windows 8 Pro OS. But i’ll start with the Android gaming performance first.
However, given that i haven’t found any specific information about the processor and mobile GPU for its Android platform, then i cannot tell you anything about that.

But if Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 indeed is powered by the Intel Atom Cloverview Z2580 and PowerVR SGX 544 GPU, plus 2GB of RAM – just like the predecessor -, then i can say that this tablet definitely will have great gaming performance.

Its PowerVR SGX 544 MP GPU is actually the one found inside the iPhone 5 (while iPad 4th-gen takes the more powerful PowerVR SGX 554 MP4 GPU).

So for playing most of the latest graphically demanding games across the Google Play Store, then this hybrid-tablet won’t have any problem whatsoever.

Its GPU – along with its Intel Atom Z2580, which is a flagship mobile processor from Intel - is more than capable to handle most of games like Asphalt 8: Airborne, Modern Combat 4, Need for Speed Most Wanted, GTA Vice City, N.O.V.A 3, Dead Trigger 2, ShadowGun DeadZone or Real Racing 3 – all in smooth performance and in full high graphics.

Meanwhile, on the Windows 8 Pro platform, Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 without a doubt will also be a great gaming laptop.

Many graphics intense games you’ve already come to love on your PC or laptop, mostly can perform well on this tablet – thanks to its Intel Core i7 and Intel HD Graphics Card.

However, it also depends on the system requirements of the games you would like to play on this tablet – i mean, hybrid tablet.

So for latest heavy games like GTA 5, Call of Duty: Ghost or Assassins’ Creed IV, then i have doubts this tablet is capable to run these games, even in low-graphics.

And that’s still acceptable because Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 is intended by Asus as a productivity tablet, not a gaming laptop.

So if you’re looking for a more reliable and powerful gaming laptop, then you should probably aim for the real gaming laptops, not this hybrid tablet.

Battery Life

According to Asus, Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 could last in 5 hours when the Windows 8 Pro is deployed and around 6 hours if you use it as a regular Android tablet.

This tablet is packing 38Whr battery, as opposed to the 19Wh inside the predecessor.

But bigger number doesn’t equal to longer battery life because on the predecessor, even though it has the same 5 hours of battery life on Windows 8 OS, Asus Transformer Book Trio actually could last much longer – 8 hours -, when the Android OS is deployed.

But still, having 5 hours of battery life on Windows 8 plus 6 hours of battery life on Android platform is still considered as great for a hybrid tablet like this.

My Personal Opinions

Okay, i have good news and bad news. But i’ll start with good one first.

Okay, the good news is, i personally that think Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 is one of the best productivity tablets you’ll ever find on the market to date – no doubt about that.

It has some monster specs, great modern-looking laptop design (similar like Mac Book keyboard design), great gaming performance on both sides (Android and Windows 8.1 OS), a huge database of Android games that can be played on this tablet and the most importantly, it’s priced lower than the flagship Microsoft Surface Pro 2 and other Windows 8.1 OS tablets out there.

So you’ll make no mistake when getting this tablet, especially if you’re looking for a productivity tablet that has great gaming performance.

And that is the good news. How about the bad news? Do you really want to hear it? Okay then.

The bad news is, according to many recent reports, Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 doesn’t get support and permission from both Google and Microsoft.

Both of these tech giants apparently don’t really want tablet or laptop manufacturers to use their OS on the same one device.

So as a result, Asus sadly doesn’t get the permission from Google and Microsoft to sell Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 to the market, thus forcing them to cancel and even stop the production of this hybrid-device.

So long story short, even though Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 looks really tempting for many of you guys here, unfortunately, you’ll never find this tablet around the market – at least, until they solve this issue in the near future.

But as soon as i get the good news regarding this matter, i’ll definitely let you know on this page in the near future through update.

So you might want to bookmark this page for future read.

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