Come October 26 2012, there will be a number of OEMs offering Windows 8 tablets and the Asus Vivo tablet could be a tempting proposition for users who want a device which combines a big screen and long battery life.
When docked the tablet takes the form of a netbook. The supplied mobile dock adds a full QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, two USB ports and second battery for extended use. It's this extra battery life, which could be the key to swaying business users to opt for this device.
In terms of design, Asus has gone with the same gun-metal grey finish used in the Transformer Prime range.
The device is essentially a Transformer Prime running Windows 8
The 11.6in display is large and will be useful for those who want to create content on the move using the keyboard. However, we found the display to be too cumbersome when removed from the dock. It's hard to envisage scenarios when you would undock it.
Perhaps if you were standing up on the train journey to work, but certainly not if you wanted to browse the web or watch a movie at home. Plus you can't fit the screen into a jacket pocket like you can with a 7in device such as the Google Nexus 7.
The Vivo Tab feels cumbersome when it's undocked. First impressions suggest the 11.6in screen is too big to be used as a tablet
Despite our initial reservations about the size, there is no doubting the quality of the display. The screen packs a 1366 x 768 resolution and uses Super IPS+ technology, which Asus also included in its Transformer Prime range.
The model on show at IDF was running on Intel's Clover Trail dual-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz. This enables it to run the full edition of Windows 8 and provide access to legacy apps such as Word and Excel.
If you can cope with the 11.6in screen when it's undocked, this could be the Windows 8 tablet for you. IT Pro will have a full review soon. In the meantime, take a look at the video demo below:
Verdict
Windows 8 tablets are going to be flooding the market in come October, and it's going to be hard to differentiate between them. The Vivo Tab has what looks to be a superb display and two batteries, which is likely to help it stand out from the crowd.
