Amazon.com: ASUS 10.1” Transformer Mini T102HA-D4-GR, 2in1 Touchscreen Laptop, Intel Quad-Core Atom, 4GB RAM, 128GB EMMC, Pen and Keyboard Included : Electronics

**New update 12/5/16 – See below**

**update 11/26/16 – Check below for updates**

Having owned a Surface Pro and a Surface Pro 3, I’ve become quite addicted to using a pen for writing notes on the screen. When I saw this little notebook announced, I figured I’d keep an eye on it and watch what Asus brought to the table. I’ve purchased several Asus computers before and I have never been disappointed. Now on to talking about this computer…

Pros:

+ No Bloatware
First of all, the computer is a nice little computer with very little bloatware. I was up and running in a few minutes and my account synced up as I knew it would thanks to Windows.

+No slowdowns
One of the main concerns I had with the computer was whether or not it would show much slowdown, but so far this little guy is running strong and I’ve had several tabs open in both Chrome and Edge.

+Includes Office (Mobile)
The computer does include the mobile version of office (computers in the 10″ range get it for free) so this really helps with the value of the PC in my opinion. You get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. If you’ve ever used the OneNote app , the mobile program will be very familiar since it uses the same exact interface.

+The Pen
One of the things that many users may want to know about is the accuracy of the pen, and I can happily say that the pen performs very well, even in the corners and edges. Many tablets have issues with the digitizers in the corners and the pen will behave erratic. This is NOT an issue here, and I must admit it is very refreshing. The pen does use N-trig technology, so if you happen to have a Surface Pro 3-4, then you have a pen readily available. Anyone with a Surface Pro 4 can tell you what a difference the pen tip from them makes. Here, the pen tip is just like on the Surface Pro 3, which isn’t bad, but it does glide faster than a normal pen on the screen. With a little getting used to, you’ll be perfectly ok.

+Bright Screen
I find myself never going over 40% brightness.

+Very low weight
Great for portability and nowhere near as heavy as any of my other computers.

+Solid build quality
No creaks or bends when using the tablet. This tablet feels solid! This computer feels like it is far more expensive than what I paid.

Mediocre:

0- Screen Resolution
Screen resolution is not as high as it could be, but honestly with a screen this size, you probably don’t want a much higher resolution. As it is, the font size can be a bit small (and I don’t need glasses)…so the resolution should not be an issue at all for most users.

0- The hinge design
Okay so maybe the Surface computers have spoiled me, but the hinge here is not as smooth nor does it feel as solid as the Microsoft one. It is nice that there is a hinge, but I’m going to be careful when opening and closing it.

Negatives:

– The keyboard
This is basically the reason I removed a star. Though solid and doesn’t flex when using it, the keys are just too cramped. I find myself straining after a while and you just won’t be using this type out very long papers. I actually find the touchscreen keyboard more usable than the physical keyboard. I typed this review while using the keyboard and I also found myself going to just two fingers because I’d often stumble if I tried typing like normal. I’ve actually never had this happen, so it is actually something worth noting because some users may get very frustrated with this.

The other issue with the keyboard is the pen loop. So they provide a pen loop but it is more like a flap where you can use the pen to clip onto by using the metal clasp. I was very confused at first since I am used to sliding the pen into the loop (again, thanks to the Surface) but this requires a different approach. If you aren’t using the keyboard, the pen holds very firmly on the bottom where the keyboard attaches and I find that more comfortable if I’m using the tablet as a…well…tablet.

Overall I recommend the tablet for anyone looking for a low cost tablet that has pen input. This is better suited for students that need something to take to school that wont break the bank if it falls and breaks. This is also a great secondary computer, or starting tablet, but I hesitate in recommending this as a primary computer.

**11/26/16**

I’ve been having BSOD (Blues screen of Death) issues with this computer now. I’ve noticed if I shut down the computer and start it up, I will almost always get a BSOD due to a driver issue. I did update all the drivers from the ASUS website and I’m still having the crashes. What a shame this is happening now. Hopefully there will be a fix for this since BSOD issues are not a funny matter.

Also, I’ve noticed the screen just isn’t as precise as my other devices. I compared the accuracy to two of my other stylus enabled devices and this one falls very far behind the other two. If I was solely comparing this to a surface pro Id understand why this would lose, but I also compared this to a lower end 8″ tablet also built by Asus and it wasn’t even close.

**12/5/16**

So I’ve done two full wipes on the pc in the search for a solution to my BSOD issues and general lag. There is definitely an issue with an Intel audio driver but I can’t seem to get it fixed. I did however fix the general lag it had. Turns out the system is using some older drivers for the integrated graphics. Of course if you go to the ASUS website they do not offer the new drivers to download so you have to get the files directly from Intel and install them yourself (from the INF file). Overall this is just a bad experience for me. I tried to like this computer and you can see the generally positive impressions I had initially. As time goes on I can’t justify this tablet in the state that it is in. I think you are better off with a Surface 3 for the price. Yes, you’ll need to buy a keyboard but those are going for around $50 on ebay and you’ll just have a much better experience than dealing with this tablet. It is really sad. I tried to like you ASUS but as a company, this product feels rushed and not ready. I’m contemplating returning the tablet due to the issues Ive been having.