This may be the first face-off we’ve featured on the website, but we do hope that its not the last. For today’s battle, we will find out which of these hybrid laptops is the best one to own, the Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi or Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3.
Design
- Asus Transformer Book T300 chi
The Transformer is made of aluminum, anodized with a sparkling finish and chamfered edges. It looks and feels like a traditional laptop. When folded, it’s super-thin, and it’s also light – though it fattens up when you attach the keyboard.
- Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Wrapped in a silver-colored magnesium shell, it feels premium. It’s thin and light, while upper vents dissipate heat. The Windows home button is on the left side of the glass bezel, so it appears on the bottom of the slate when held upright.
Features
- Asus Transformer book T300 chi
The high resolution version comes with an impressive 2,560 x 1,440-pixel display, which will bring your movies and games to life. You only get a paltry 128GB of SSD storage though, and its slim profile equates to micro-sized ports.
- Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Its 12-inch, 2160 x 1440-pixel screen is sharp and displays more content due to its 3:2 aspect ratio. There are five USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet and more. It also has an accurate pen for on-screen perfect writing and drawing.
Performance
- Asus Transformer book T300 chi
Thanks to Intel’s impressive Core M processor, this hybrid will handle most tasks, whether editing images or streaming 4K video. Eight hours of battery life is claimed, though with rigorous testing found the true figure to be only half of that.
- Microsoft Surface Pro 3
The Core i5 version offers Ultrabook power – ideal for movie streaming and light gaming. It gets a bit hot and rowdy when pushed to its limits, though. It’s claimed that battery life is nine hours, but tests found it’s capable of just under four, in mixed use.
Usability
- Asus Transformer book T300 chi
It comes with a real keyboard that’s connectable via Bluetooth. This enables you to use the screen in a variety of circumstances where you wouldn’t be able to if the keyboard was attached. There’s no stand, though, which is inconvenient.
- Microsoft Surface Pro 3
The optional $120+ Type Cover keyboard is pricey but offers a lovely feedback, and a wider glass trackpad that clicks. A double hinge and strong magnet mean it’s stable to type on, and the kickstand can be adjusted for any situation.
Verdict
The Transformer Chi feels destined for entertainment, thanks to its sublime, wide display. It also feels at home doing work tasks, which business people will find very ideal. Its downside however are its low storage and disappointing battery life.
Doubles as a tablet, thanks to the brilliant Type Cover keyboard. Has an excellent screen and a variety of powerful processors although there are room for improvement to its battery life.
Though they seem to be equal, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 took the win over Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi no thanks to its low storage and so-so battery life which is not very ideal for most consumers.
