Asus Intros Taichi, Vivo Tab RT and More at NYC Event

By Kevin Parrish
published

It's a whole train of new Windows 8 products from Asus.

On Tuesday Asus Chairman Jonney Shih introduced a complete Windows 8 product lineup during the company's "In Search of Incredible" event in New York City. These devices range from notebooks to tablets to AIO PCs, offering a little something for everyone looking to purchase a new Windows 8 device later this week.

"We are approaching a critical transition from an age of personal computing to a new era of ubiquitous cloud computing, where every device must be intuitive, mobile and adaptable," said ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih. “With Windows 8 and our relentless pursuit of incredible innovation, ASUS is at the very forefront of this transition."

Here's a brief rundown of each announcement, including links to the actual product:

Asus Transformer Book (opens in new tab)
* The "world's first" detachable notebook
* 13-inch Full HD IPS multi-touch display
* 4 GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600 MHz
* 128 GB MSATA Gen III SSD (Pad), 500 GB HDD (Dock)
* SonicMaster Audio
* 3rd-Gen Intel Core i5-3317U or Core i7-3517U processor
* Smart Battery technology ensures maximum battery life
* 5MP Camera on front, optional 720p recording rear camera
* 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 + EDR connectivity
* Dock: SD card reader, Gigabit LAN, 2x USB 3.0, more

ET2300 All-in-One PC Series (opens in new tab)
* 23-inch 10pt multi-touch IPS display with 178° wide-view angle
* 3rd-gen Intel i7 processors
* Discreet Nvidia GeForce GT 630M (1 GB / 2 GB) or Intel HD 2500 / 4000 Graphics
* Unique double-hinge design for folding it flat
* Built-in array speaker and subwoofer, an external subwoofer, and ASUS SonicMaster technology
* 2x Intel Thunderbolt ports
* Intel WiDi
* 4x USB 3.0 ports
* 1x HDMI Input
* 2MP 1080P camera
* Up to 8GB DDR3 at 1600 Mhz, 2 x SO-DIMM
* Up to 2 TB SATA hard drive
* Optional TV Tuner
* 3-in-1 card reader
* HDMI-in/out

New Touch-Powered Asus VivoBook Series (opens in new tab)
* VivoBook S200 = 11.6-inch 16:9 HD (1366 x 768) LED-backlit
* VivoBook S400 Ultrabook = 14-inch 16:9 HD (1366 x 768) LED-backlit
* Integrated Intel HD Graphics
* Slim and light form factor
* Chassis uses durable yet artful metal
* All edges rounded and smoothed for a reassuring feel
* Available in vibrant colors
* S200 uses a touchpad sized for 14-inch notebooks
* S200 speakers designed for 14-inch and 15-inch models
* ASUS SonicMaster audio
* 32 GB of WebStorage cloud space for three years
* 2-second instant on
* 3rd-Gen Intel Core i3, i5, i7 processors
* HDD and SSD storage options
* Up to 4 GB of DDR3 1600 MHz
* 802.11 b/g/n connectivity
* HD web camera
* Gigabit Ethernet

Expanded Zenbook Family (opens in new tab)
* Prices range from $699 to $1999, spanning six models
* Features a choice of 3rd-Gen Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors
* Up to 10 GB of RAM
* 11.6, 13.3, 14, and 15.6-inch Full HD IPS displays
* Capacitive multi-touch displays available on U500VZ and UX31A models
* Backlit keyboards
* Large multi-touch touchpads
* Dual-band Wi-Fi
* Bluetooth 4.0
* Asus Super Hybrid II technology offers longer battery life
* Nvidia GT mobile graphics on U500VZ, UX32VD, UX42VS and UX52VS models
* External subwoofer on U500VZ model
* Internal optical drives on UX42VS and UX52VS models
* Lid features unique "spun metal" finish
* SSD, Hybrid storage options

Asus Taichi (opens in new tab)
* Dual-screen design with 1080p IPS displays
* Lid open = Ultrabook mode; lid closed = tablet mode
* In dual-screen mode, both screens can be used simultaneously or independently
* Tablet Display: 11.6-inch 16:9 with 10pt Touch FHD (1920 x 1080)
* Notebook Display: 11.6-inch 16:9 FHD (1920 x 1080)
* Intel Core i5-3317U or Core i7-3517U processor
* 4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz
* Intel HD 4000 Graphics
* 128 GB or 256 GB of SSD storage
* Dual-band 802.11n, Intel WiDi, and Bluetooth 4.0
* 2x USB 3.0 ports, 1x Mini VGA port, 1x Micro HDMI 1.4 port
* 5MP auto-focus camera with 1080p Full HD video recording (tablet)
* 720p HD video camera (notebook)
* Noise-suppressing array microphone
* Black mirror finish

Asus VivoTab RT (opens in new tab)
* Pricing starts at $599 USD
* Windows RT
* Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview
* 10.1-inch Ratio: 16:9 ( 1366x768 ) 178° wide viewing angle IPS panel
* Quad-core Tegra 3 SoC
* 2 GB of DDR3L
* 32 GB or 64 GB of on-board storage
* Wi-Fi, 3G (Vodaphone) and 4G LTE (AT&T) models
* 8MP Auto-focus with LED Flash (rear)
* 2MP (front) with LED indicator
* 1080p video recording
* Bluetooth 4.0
* Wi-Fi Direct
* 1x Micro SD card reader
* Metallic design, 8.3-mm profile and 525g weight
* Optional keyboard dock with multi-touch touchpad, USB port, up to 16 hours battery

"As we transition from the personal computing era into the ubiquitous cloud computing era, we are given the freedom to access information in real time, real place and in real personalized ways," said Asus Chairman Jonney Shih. "One thing that hasn’t changed and will never change is our search for the incredible and persistence to bring the most seamless and joyful digital experience to our consumers. The arrival of Windows 8 with touch helps us to push forward and fulfill our vision of ubiquitous cloud computing. We aim to lead and accelerate this paradigm shift with incredible innovations."

Asus has launched a mini-site showcasing its new lineup here (opens in new tab). Also provided below is the video of the event.

Other Windows 8 products announced by Asus:

Asus Intros Windows 8 All-in-One with 21.5'' Touch Display
Asus Details Padfone 2, New Windows 8 Laptops
Asus Intros Windows 8-Ready 27-inch AIO Desktop

Kevin Parrish
12 Comments Comment from the forums
  • assasin32
    Must admit I like a lot of the things Asus is putting out, just wish I had the money for some of these toys. What can I say I like the idea of having a tablet and and laptop thrown together like this if it is done right. Even the one with the tegra 3 running windowsRT 8 has office which should put it in a league of it's own in terms of actual use for taking notes compared to what Android/Ipads have been using in terms of tablets.
    Reply
  • damianrobertjones
    Which one has a stylus and what technology? If this were an apple product apple would have shoved such features down out throats and then removed our wallets on the way back out
    Reply
  • frombehind
    hmm, Q2 2013 release date on the Asus transformer... this is exactly the windows 8 product that I was waiting for. Woulda been nice to get it by Christmas though =]
    Reply
  • nibir2011
    I think all( acer,asus and others) the surface series tablets looks a lot better than ipads
    Reply
  • chuckydb
    The Taichi really has my interest!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Reply
  • amdwilliam1985
    chuckydbThe Taichi really has my interest!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You read my mind, but I'll probably skip the first gen and look forward to second gen.
    I love the idea of tablet and laptop in one(keyboards are very important for me). They should reduce the weight and the thickness of the whole machine so that it can be use as a tablet for an extended period of time.
    Reply
  • deftonian
    While the Asus VivoTab RT sounds great, I'm sad they didn't keep the Transformer Pad Infinity resolution 1200p going. The only improvement I see are the RAM (by 1 gb, which is nice)... but the price being $100 more seems steep for getting less than their android predecessor. I have the Pad Infinity and was looking forward to a possible Windows 8 RT upgrade by ASUS but doesn't seem worth it now. Oh well, JellyBean has been great for me so far. Maybe next round ASUS :)
    Reply
  • ojas
    frombehindhmm, Q2 2013 release date on the Asus transformer... this is exactly the windows 8 product that I was waiting for. Woulda been nice to get it by Christmas though =]Agreed. Seems interesting.
    Reply
  • bander143
    I already have the Taichi coming on Saturday or Monday. As a saleman it is great for a presentation. As a techie I think it is a great toy. Also getting the Enegizer power source 18000 ma as I know the battery life could be better...... Will let you know soon.......
    Reply
  • murzar
    Impressive.
    Reply