The star of Asus' press conference at this year's Computex was the Taichi. Besides being a convertibleWindows 8 Ultrabook that can also transform into a tablet, the Asus Taichi features dual, full-HD screens. At first glance, it seems like an unusual design that teeters between innovative and ludicrous.
(Credit: Vincent Chang/CNET Asia)
Upside
While some PC vendors appear to be dragging their feet when it comes to adding full-HD displays on their latest laptops, Asus has added not just one, but two 11.6-inch high-resolution IPS screens on both sides of the lid. However, only the outward-facing screen is touch-capable and glossy--the other is matte. As you would expect from IPS screens, they look great and the touchscreen even supports a stylus.
This back-to-back design is key to the Taichi's ability to morph easily from tablet to laptop and vice versa. Unlike more exciting convertibles that flip, twist and rotate when transforming between the two forms, you merely close the lid on the Taichi to turn it from a conventional clamshell laptop to a tablet. It's that simple.
But it's the possibilities that come from having dual screens that make the Taichi interesting (and confusing). Asus has included custom software and a keyboard shortcut to allow users to switch between different display modes. Besides the basic one-screen usage (as a laptop and as a tablet), you can have the same content displayed on both screens (mirroring). The final mode is to treat the other screen as an extended display, or a second screen.
(Credit: Vincent Chang/CNET Asia)
(Credit: Vincent Chang/CNET Asia)
Since you can't really see what's on the outward-facing screen (unless you turn the Taichi around), there's also an Asus software utility that displays the content that's showing on the other screen in a small window on the desktop.
A plus for the unique design: The Asus Taichi doesn't compromise on the laptop experience. The keyboard is full-sized (and backlit), and not a cramped version like the Toshiba Satellite U920t. There's a proper touchpad, unlike the Sony Vaio Duo 11.
Hardware-wise, the Asus Taichi is as capable as any current Ultrabook--users can choose between a Core i5 or i7 chip with 4GB of RAM and an SSD (up to 256GB).
Despite having two screens, the Asus Taichi isn't much heavier than its peers. At just 1.25kg, it weighs around the same as the 11-inch version of the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga, which also uses a less powerful Nvidia Tegra 3 processor. Having said that, it's too heavy to be held in tablet form for long. In other words, don't expect to use the Taichi like a typical tablet.
(Credit: Vincent Chang/CNET Asia)
Downside
During our admittedly short hands-on with the device, we often found ourselves forgetting that the Taichi only has a single touchscreen. And we probably aren't the only ones--we noticed other first-time users having the same issues. Switching between the various usage modes also took some getting used to.
Another issue is that users tend to tilt their screens back slightly when using their machines. What happens when you have two users on opposite sides and they both prefer to tilt the screen backwards? While the Taichi's IPS screens mean that there shouldn't be any issues about viewing angles (though reflections due to the glossy touchscreen could cause some problems), it could lead to a less-than-satisfactory experience for one party.
(Credit: Vincent Chang/CNET Asia)
We also have concerns about the practicality of the examples raised by Asus. Do you really want to watch a movie on the other screen while another person is working on the Taichi on the other side? It may work as a babysitting tool, but it would also be cheaper to get a separate tablet or laptop for this purpose. Perhaps the most practical use of its unique dual-screen design is as a presentation device.
Although we would like to applaud Asus for trying something different with the Taichi, it feels like a repeat of the first PadFone. In short, it seems like an interesting concept device that isn't ready for primetime yet.
Outlook
At S$2,698 for the Core i7 version, the Asus Taichi has a similar price tag as the Sony Vaio Duo 11. Even for Windows 8 convertibles, which tend to be more pricey than the typical laptop, the Taichi is quite expensive. Frankly, we aren't too convinced about the usefulness of the dual-screen design. In most scenarios we can think of, the additional screen is likely to be underutilized.
In any case, even if you're persuaded by the Taichi, it's apparently not available at the moment. Asus hasn't committed to a release date yet and we believe that the company is still tweaking the software. Perhaps the final version will surprise our skeptical bones.
