The Vivobook is a 13.3-inch Windows tablet with an OLED screen and a detachable keyboard. The most exciting thing about this convertible is the price, which starts at $599.99 and is remarkably reasonable for a display of this caliber. I’m a glutton for great screens, and it seems that the 13 Slate could be the perfect alternative to an iPad Pro. The iPad has a fantastic screen, but it’s not OLED, which offers incredible contrast compared to other technologies.
It’s All About the OLED
Asus claims that the 13 Slate’s OLED screen can display more than a billion colors, making it a great way to view streaming content. The tablet’s 16:9 aspect ratio will provide a full-screen viewing experience for enjoying videos that take up the whole screen. The fantastic screen on the 13 Slate deserves an excellent input device, and Asus will be making available a stylus to please both note scribblers and artists. The Asus Pen 2.0, which attaches magnetically to the chassis, offers 4096 pressure levels which should allow for shading effects when drawing. There’s a 266 Hz sampling rate which hopefully means that the lag between the touch of the pen and its input will be almost eliminated. It charges by USB-C, so you should be able to stick it in virtually any port for a quick top-up. But for serious text entry, you’ll want to stick with the included keyboard. It’s impressive that Asus managed to throw in the keyboard at the base price. I use the Microsoft Surface Pro 7, and while it’s a great device, I had to fork out extra cash for Microsoft’s handy but pricey Type Cover, which starts at more than $100.
Better Than iPad?
These days I mostly use the iPad Pro 12.9 inch with the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad. But as much as I love the iPad Pro, there are some things it could do better. For one thing, I’m not entirely sold on the portable version of Microsoft Office that is available on the iPad. The mobile Office lacks some of the functions that the full Windows version boasts. The iOS version of Microsoft Outlook is also notably inferior to the original Windows version, which can be a deal-breaker for many users who live by this combined calendar and messaging app. I’ve tried out OLED screens before, and the deep blacks they offer bring a sense of drama that even the super clear and crisp display on the latest iPads can’t match. To up the ante for entertainment lovers, Asus is including some technologies that should make watching Netflix or a download even more enjoyable. The Dolby Vision should make colors look more cinematic than your average screen. There’s also Dolby Atmos sound that will boost the four speakers in the device. Another point is that I’ve become bored with the iOS interface, which hasn’t changed much in recent years despite many tweaks behind the scenes. Windows still offers a degree of customization and personalization that isn’t possible with most mobile operating systems. Most damningly, I have started to feel that the iPad Pro is a kind of in-between machine that comes at a price that’s too high for an entertainment gadget, yet it’s too clumsy to use as a productivity machine. The Magic Keyboard couldn’t be better for typing, but I still reach for my MacBook Pro when it’s time to get real work done. The 13 Slate looks like the perfect combination of work and fun with its superb display and the ability to tackle serious computing tasks. I can’t wait to give this new tablet a try.
