Following rumors earlier this summer, ASUS has quietly refreshed its Transformer T100 tablet. ASUS is now offering T100 tablet versions in multiple colors with a faster Intel Bay Trail processor as well as a version that retains the original SoC but adds a 500GB hard drive to the keyboard dock. I have been keeping an eye on the T100 since it first launched almost a year ago at IFA 2013, and have been eagerly waiting for the rumored refresh. Fortunately, that wait is now over because the updated Transformer T100s are finally starting to appear and be available for purchase on retailers' websites (first at Tiger Direct, then Amazon, and others now).
The T100 is now available in red and white as well as the original gray. The red and white SKUs feature a higher end Bay Trail SoC while the updated gray SKU comes with a 500GB mechanical hard drive nested inside the keyboard dock. The table below lists the model numbers for the new tablets. I should note that there are conflicting specifications at different retailers for the model numbers listed, which makes this under-the-radar refresh so frustrating, but after a bit of digging I believe the specifications to be accurate and any conflicting information to simply be errors on the part of those retailers.
Model Numbers | Processor | Internal Storage | Color | Price (Amazon) | Price (MSRP) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
T100TA-C1-WH(S) | Intel Z3775 | 64GB eMMC | White | $394.99 | $399 |
T100TA-C1-RD(S) | Intel Z3775 | 64GB eMMC | Red | $388.99 | $399 |
T100TA-C1-GR(S) | Intel Z3775 | 64GB eMMC | Gray | $329.99 | $399 |
T100TA-H2-GR | Intel Z3740 | 64GB eMMC + 500GB HDD | Gray | $449.99 | $? |
T100TA-H1-GR | Intel Z3740 | 32GB eMMC + 500GB HDD | Gray | $369.00 | $399 |
The new colors are nice (I'm partial to the red T100), but the upgraded processor is the truly interesting bit about this Windows tablet (which won PC Perspective's "Best Hardware of 2013" award). The original T100 launched with an Intel Atom Z3740 SoC an the refreshed Transformer T100 uses a higher clocked Atom Z3775. The Z3775 is a higher-end Intel Bay Trail processor with four Silvermont CPU cores clocked at 1.46GHz that can boost to as high as 2.39GHz. The HD Graphics GPU retains the same base clockspeed as the Z3740 but has a higher turbo frequency of 778MHz (versus 667MHz on the Z3740). The table below lists the specifications of the two chips. The new SoC has significantly higher CPU clocks and a decent boost to potential GPU horsepower (thermals permitting).
Intel Atom SoC | Z3740 | Z3775 |
---|---|---|
CPU Cores | 4 x "Silvermont" Cores | 4 x "Silvermont" Cores |
CPU Clockspeeds (Base/Boost) | 1.33GHz / 1.86GHz | 1.46GHz / 2.39GHz |
HD Graphics GPU Clockspeeds (Base/Boost) | 311MHz / 667MHz | 311MHz / 778MHz |
L2 Cache | 2MB | 2MB |
Memory Support | 4GB 1066MHz | 4GB 1066MHz |
SDP | 2W | 2W |
Process Node | 22nm | 22nm |
Tray Price | $32.00 | $35.00 |
The refreshed T100 has an MSRP of $399 USD for the red and white versions with 64GB eMMC storage and gray SKU with 32GB internal storage and 500GB keyboard dock though retail prices are slightly less than that at the time of writing. The Transformer T100 with 64GB eMMC and additional 500GB hard drive has a retail price of around $450 but the MSRP is unknown.
If you have been holding off, now is a good time to pick up an updated version for a small price premium (or an older version at a discount!). However, if you already own a T100, the relatively minor update will is a hard to justify upgrade (you would likely be better off waiting on Cherry Trail-based devices with better battery life or other improvements as possible upgrades).
Actually, this isn’t entirely
Actually, this isn’t entirely correct. At least, on my side of the ‘pond’ (Europe) it isn’t.
Any T100 with an Atom Z3740 is part of the older generation. I know someone who purchased an older model with 64Gb + 500 Gb HDD last year. They were very rare, but they existed.
If it’s carrying the Z3775 it’s part of the refresh. I’ve been eying the T100TA-DK026H myself, which is the refreshed gray model (Atom Z3775) with 64Gb + 500Gb HDD. Some retailers here in Europe are already selling them from stock, so I’m pretty sure they exist.
Yup, the other side of the
Yup, the other side of the pond has had the newer models for awhile, lucky :).
I believe you about europe, but as far as I know, the hard drive+Z3740 has not been available for purchase in the US until now though. Further, I have not seen a model with the Z3775/64GB/500GB specification at all here (that one sounds nice!) :/
so far, the “refreshed” ones
so far, the “refreshed” ones listed here do not come with the 500gig option…
Right.
From what I’ve
Right.
From what I've gathered, in the US, you can either get a model with the new CPU /or/ a model with the hard drive, but not both. Hopefully it is coming–the refreshed models with new colors eventually made it over here (though it took a long time!).