The tablet itself lies between the Surface Pro 3 (9 mm) and iPad Air 2 (6.1 mm) and is also noticeably longer in length compared to other 12.5-inch devices, which means a larger bezel to hold onto. It's relatively lightweight, but Asus' own 13.3-inch Zenbook UX305 is about 200 grams lighter. Even with the combined thickness of 16.5 mm, the T300 Chi is still a very thin 12.5-inch notebook. Meanwhile, the keyboard dock comes in slightly thicker and heavier at 8.9 mm and 725 grams. The size and weight of the tablet are attractive selling points at just 7.6 mm thick and 720 grams.
The maximum angle is also a bit low at about 130 degrees, but we imagine that this limitation is intentional to avoid the convertible from tipping over due to the heavier display. Unfortunately, the connection is not perfect as the tablet portion can still wobble like a regular display would on cheap hinges. The magnets here are powerful enough to hold the two parts together without fear of any accidents.
This allows the user to more easily attach or separate the two pieces without much fumbling.
Note that the keyboard attachment connects to the tablet with magnets and operates via Bluetooth There are no switch releases or proprietary connections here as commonly found on most other detachables. Applying pressure on the center of the keyboard will show some slight warping. The keyboard dock is less impressive as it feels hollow with plastic keys. The device itself feels dense yet lightweight and its wide length makes it easier to hold in the landscape orientation. Twisting side-to-side produces no creaking or significant bending and applying pressure on the back or front results in no depressions. The older TX300, for example, has a brighter and less subdued look.Ĭonstruction quality is very good, especially for a thin 12.5-inch tablet. It's certainly a classier and less flashy aesthetic compared to Transformer Books of yore where the concentrically brushed aluminum lids made the models stand out a bit more from the crowd. Slap a Samsung logo and Asus would have had everyone fooled. Its got the same dark blue color scheme, smooth matte aluminum body surfaces, chrome-cut edges and corners, and a flat ultra-thin profile from all angles.
3D Printing, 5G, Accessory, AI, Alder Lake, AMD, Android, Apple, ARM, Audio, Benchmark, Biotech, Business, Camera, Cannon Lake, Cezanne (Zen 3), Charts, Chinese Tech, Chromebook, Coffee Lake, Comet Lake, Console, Convertible / 2-in-1, Cryptocurrency, Cyberlaw, Deal, Desktop, E-Mobility, Education, Exclusive, Fail, Foldable, Gadget, Galaxy Note, Galaxy S, Gamecheck, Gaming, Geforce, Google Pixel, GPU, How To, Ice Lake, Intel, Intel Evo, Internet of Things (IoT), iOS, iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, Jasper Lake, Lakefield, Laptop, Launch, Leaks / Rumors, Linux / Unix, List, Lucienne (Zen 2), MacBook, Mini PC, Monitor, MSI, OnePlus, Opinion, Phablet, Radeon, Raptor Lake, Renoir, Review Snippet, Rocket Lake, Ryzen (Zen), Science, Security, Single-Board Computer (SBC), Smart Home, Smartphone, Smartwatch, Software, Storage, Tablet, ThinkPad, Thunderbolt, Tiger Lake, Touchscreen, Ultrabook, Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR), Wearable, Wi-Fi 7, Windows, Workstation, XPS, Zen 3 (Vermeer), Zen 4Īt first glance, the new T300 Chi can be easily mistaken as an ATIV Book 9 series from a distance.