Asus VivoTab RT review

Powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset running at 1.3GHz and 2GB of RAM, the VivoTab coped well in everyday use. Windows RT has been optimised for low-power processors and we certainly had no trouble running basic applications. It completed the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark in 994.8ms, so it’s as fast as the current crop of Intel-powered smartphones and Windows Phone 8 devices when it comes to web rendering. We couldn’t run our usual desktop benchmarks or mobile tests, so it’s tough to make like-for-like comparisons. It had no trouble loading full-screen apps from the Start Screen, but running several desktop apps would slow the system down significantly.

Windows RT will be a familiar experience for anyone who’s used Windows 8, but we struggled with it because we couldn’t install many of the applications we take for granted, and you’re limited to downloading applications through the Windows Store. Conveniently, it comes with Office 2013 RT, which lets you create word documents, spreadsheets and presentations with Microsoft’s fantastic Office applications.

We’ve reviewed the £540 64GB version of the VivoTab. Add the keyboard dock and you’ll have spent over £650, which is over £100 more than an equivalent Microsoft Surface. You can pick up a 32GB model and add a 32GB MicroSD card to save yourself some of the initial cost, but even at this price, we feel the hardware has some build quality concerns and that Windows RT is far from ready to replace your existing laptop or tablet. The uncomfortably compact keyboard makes typing a challenge for long periods of time and there’s presently a lack of good software. Microsoft’s Surface might be thicker and heavier, but its keyboard covers are far easier to type on and its build quality is far superior. If you’re determined to buy a Windows RT device, we think you should opt for that instead of the VivoTab RT.