Let the onslaught of new Windows devices continue, this time with the announcement of the ASUS VivoTab RT, a Windows RT-based tablet powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 SoC. We have seen the VivoTab RT leaks and pictures for several months including a price listing just last month, all of which seem to have been spot on.
One of the flagship Windows RT devices, the ASUS tablet utilizes an NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoC running at up to 1.3 GHz in either dual or quad-core mode. You can see more background information on the processor itself in our story from September of last year when the product was first announced.
The tablet has a sleek design with a 8.3mm profile (0.32 in), 525g weight (1.15 lb) and 10.1-in Super IPS+ screen with a 1366×768 resolution behind scratch-resistant Corning Fit Glass. It will be available with either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage and will start at $599 with an included keyboard dock.
As we saw with ASUS Transformer series of tablets, the VivoTab RT will have an optional keyboard dock that includes a trackpad and nearly doubles the battery life of the machine. Below is the full spec sheet as provided by ASUS:
When docked, ASUS is claiming a total of 16 hours of usable battery life and with the inclusion of the Office Home and Student version of Microsoft Office 2013 RT, you should actually be able to use this tablet for content creation and business purposes – something we haven't been fond of claiming on Android or iOS based tablets.
If you are curious to learn more about the VivoTab RT we'll be doing a live streaming run through on the device on our PC Perspective Live! page at 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT, so be sure to join us!!
Missed the live stream? Here is a replay so you can enjoy seeing our experiences for a solid hour of usage including SmartGlass! Also, make sure you pay attention to the first few minutes as we explain the pricing.
New York City, USA (October 23, 2012) — ASUS today announces ASUS VivoTab™ RT, its first Windows RT tablet. VivoTab RT features a mobile dock that transforms the tablet into a notebook for increased productivity and longer battery life. VivoTab RT uses the powerful NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor for smooth and responsive use with Windows RT. Available from October 23, 2012, ASUS VivoTab RT prices start at US$599* for the Wi-Fi version that includes the docking station. A 4G LTE model will also be available in the US via AT&T and a 3G model will be available in select European countries via Vodafone.
VivoTab RT hardware and software features
Microsoft Corporation and ASUS worked closely together to create one of the first Windows RT tablets on the market. With its metallic design, 8.3mm profile and 525g weight, ASUS VivoTab RT is one of the thinnest and lightest 10.1” tablets available. VivoTab RT features the powerful NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor and is available with either 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage.
ASUS VivoTab RT has a ‘hidden hinge’ design for a sleek, streamlined look and fully adjustable screen angle when used with the optional mobile dock. When docked, VivoTab RT becomes an ultra-portable productivity tool with keyboard, multi-touch touchpad and USB port, plus up to 16 hours use with the dock’s built-in battery. VivoTab RT with Windows RT comes preloaded with Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview for productivity at home and on the move. With its innovative tablet and mobile dock design, VivoTab RT delivers an excellent combination of performance and portability, both for work and play.
Specifications
Operating System |
Windows RT Office Home & Student 2013 RT preview |
CPU / Modem |
NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core / Icera410 |
Size / Weight |
263 x 171 x 8.3mm / 525g |
Memory / storage |
RAM: 2GB DDR3L (low voltage) Storage: 32/64GB |
Connectivity / Network |
802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.0 Wi-Fi Direct (Optional) 3G: DC-HSPA+ 4G: LTE |
Display |
10.1” (1366 x 768) with 178° viewing angle Scratch-resistant Corning® Fit Glass Outdoor-readable Super IPS+ technology Capacitive multi-touch |
Camera |
Rear: 8MP auto-focus with LED flash Front: 2MP with LED indicator 1080p HD video recording |
Interface |
2-in-1 audio jack (headphone/mic) 1x Micro HDMI 1x microSD card reader (SDXC) Internal mic Quad-speakers with SonicMaster audio technology |
Battery |
Tablet only: 25Wh Li-polymer for up to 9 hours use With Dock: 25Wh + 22Wh Li-polymer for up to 16 hours use |
GPS |
Supported |
Sensor |
G-Sensor, ambient light Sensor, gyroscope, e-compass, NFC |
- Specifications and pricing may vary by SKU and country.*
- Battery life is measured with 720p video playback, brightness at 100 nits and default volume with headphones
- Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview will update to Office Home & Student 2013 RT on launch day. For further details, please go to http://office.com/officeRT
###
About ASUS
ASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s best-selling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktops, Eee Box and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, tablet devices, servers, multimedia and wireless solutions, networking devices, and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,886 awards in 2011, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than 11,000 and a world-class R&D team of 3,100 engineers, the company’s revenue for 2011 was around US$11.9 billion.
Beats the crap out of an Ipad
Beats the crap out of an Ipad mini.
But why are they using the
But why are they using the Tegra 3 instead of their own chips?
Confusing?
It will be
Confusing?
Then
So does the $599 price include the keyboard dock or not?
For $599 you get the 32GB
For $599 you get the 32GB model AND the keyboard dock. We had some initial confusion.
I am told they will eventually sell them seperately, but not yet.
Good review, thanks for
Good review, thanks for posting it. I will be getting the Surface RT tomorrow, I would love to see you guys do a review on it. Don’t really care about retina, I think that its marketing and people cant really notice the difference when viewing at normal distances. I would love to see you guys do test on my theory so we can put these stupid resolution wars to rest. Unless your display is larger than 15″ anything higher than 1080p I think is a waist of processing power.
MicroCenter currently is
MicroCenter currently is selling this Asus tablet for $499.99 and Asus is offering the keyboard docking station for FREE in an on-line promotion which lasts until December 31, 2012.
My only objection is the Win 8 RT OS which will not run only programs specifically designed for it. Other Windows compatible programs will not run on RT. I have not made up my mind yet as to just how important that disadvantage would be to me.
Asus nexus 7 is also equipped
Asus nexus 7 is also equipped with Nvidia Tegra 3
what are its advantages??
asus nexus 7 review