ASUS Transformer Book 12-Inch T200TA-C1-BL 2-in-1 Detachable Touchscreen Laptop, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB Storage

The ASUS T200TA-C1 is an excellent sub-$500 2 in 1 Windows Tablet/NotebookI purchased the T200TA-C1 2 in 1 simply because I wanted a Windows tablet to play with and I wanted something with a screen a bit larger than my wife's T100TA (10.1 inch screen). While there are larger screen 2 in 1 units, they are somewhat bulky and I feel this size screen works best for me.Rather than re-state that which has been said in some of the previous reviews, I'd like to point out some of the features that I believe set the ASUS T200TA-C1 apart from many of the other sub-$500 2 in 1s. First, I would like to note that some of the "cons" listed here in other reviews are "cons" for most, if not all, of the sub-$500 units: RAM size (in this case 4 GB) that is not upgrade-able, internal storage (64 GB) that is not upgrade-able, and others, so I won't re-hash them either.The obvious:The larger screen size also allows for a larger keyboard module. It can not be overstated that the close to full sized keyboard is simply easier to adjust to.Separate charging port. You are not using one of the USB ports for charging and will not have to disconnect something from that port while charging.The Hard Drive bay in the keyboard dock allows you to increase the internal storage to "up to 1 TB" according to ASUS. It is unknown whether the limit of 1 TB is simply because that is the largest (physical size, 7mm) that currently fits the bay. Also, you can put a SSD in this bay.It has one USB 3.0 port. If one has a USB 3.0 peripheral, such as a Blu-ray/DVD drive, they may appreciate this faster speed port.Not quite so obvious:There is an actual RJ-45 LAN port (Ethernet) on the keyboard dock. While for some this is an almost meaningless specification, for those with some technical expertise, this could be a deal-breaker requirement. Example: by being connected by wire to a wireless router one can configure the router.The micro SD card slot allows the inserted card to fit flush with the tablet. It does not stick out at all. Increasing the internal memory of the T200TA is as simple as inserting a micro SD card. ASUS Tech says it will take up to a 64 GB card. Perhaps this is the largest capacity card they have tested and it can handle larger cards? Hopefully an owner will test a larger capacity card and let us know.Some reviews note that there is a "bezel" or "frame" around the screen, meaning the displayed screen doesn't go all the way to the edge of the screen module, which makes the tablet portion larger than perhaps necessary.. I find this to be a "pro" simply because almost always when I've used a screen where the touch portion extends to the edge, I've touched the active part of the screen and selected something I didn't mean to. With this screen that is not a problem.The wireless adapter is Miracast capable. If you don't have a Miracast enabled HDTV or a Miracast adapter for your HDTV than being able to mirror your T200TA screen on your HDTV wirelessly is probably not important to you, but for those who do, it is handy. On the other hand, the T200TA does have a micro HDMI port which, with the proper cable (not supplied), will also allow you to show your screen on an HDTV screen.We note that the screen is "only" 1366 x 768, commonly referred to as "HD" while "Full HD" would be a 1920 x 1080 screen. Again, some may find this to be limiting factor but I find the screen at 1366 x 768 doesn't make some of the text too small and is just about right for this screen. Personal preference here, but I have run some videos on this unit and they look just fine.This T200TA with 64 GB ram is about $150 more than the current T100TA with 64 GB RAM. For that extra $150 you get a larger screen, larger keyboard, a dock for either an HD or an SSD, separate charging port, Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 bit (which is somewhat more secure than Windows 8.1 32 bit), an extra 2 GB RAM (which can be used by the 64 bit operating system), and slightly better graphics (Intel HD Graphic), and a LAN port. On the other hand, you do not get Microsoft Office. I am using the free KingSoft Office which meets my needs, so this wasn't an issue for me, although it could be a deal-breaker for some.Edit to add (to save folks from reading the comments to this review): Also included in that $150 is a slightly better front-facing "webcam" - 2MP (T100TA has 1.2MP webcam) and an additional 5MP rear-facing camera. (Thanks to Amazon member "Pen Name" for reminding me.) Also, on this date (11/16/14,) Amazon has the 64GB T200TA for $120 more than the 64GB T100TA rather than the $150 we've noted.Overall, at this price point, the T200TA-C1 appears to be a quality unit with what seems to be a sturdy assembly that locks the tablet and keyboard together. It will meet one's needs if they are an average Web surfer, video/youtube viewer, e mailer, light office user, or other similar non-power demanding PC uses who wants to run Windows 8.1 in both a tablet and notebook form.Additional Edit: I bought and recommend the IVSO ASUS Transformer Book T200TA High Quality Leather Keyboard Portfolio Stand Cover Case-Will only fit ASUS Transformer Book T200TA Tablet (Black) and it fits nicely but has one minor problem. See my Amazon review for details.

I looked for a long time for a good 2-in-1, detachable laptop/tablet. I was strongly considering the Surface Pro 3, but really didn't like how limited its storage options were. The T200TA with the optional 2.5" storage compartment in its base is about perfect. I threw in a 64GB microMS card in the main tablet, and a 500GB SSD in the base and now walk around with all the storage I could need, not to mention the USB 3.0 slot that lets me plug in my 2TB passport. If you're happy with cloud-based storage and streaming content, this may not be a big deal, but if you like having local storage, the T200TA is for you. Also, the ethernet port in the dock is a very nice bonus for working at home. For those two features, I completely forgive the extra bulk, which seems to be a common complaint for this model.Performance is decent with the Broadwell, 4th gen Atom CPU. It actually has a higher base freq. than many core i3 chips that ship with laptops in this range and higher (it is missing certain math instructions and other things that make it lag the i3, depending on what you're running), and is far more energy efficient. Unless you're doing serious processing, you'll be perfectly happy with the CPU. 4GB of memory is also adequate for what you're likely to do on a laptop in this price range. Battery life is very good, though I'm disappointed Asus didn't put in a 2nd battery in the base like they do with other Transformers. The speaker is... there. Use bluetooth speakers or the headphone jack.Windows 8.1 is something you're going to like, tolerate or hate. I'm tolerating it until 10 comes along, but I'm not going to include Windows as part of this review, since if you want a different OS, you're going to get something that accommodates it, or just install it on this machine. Also the display is only 1366x768 at 16:9. 16:9 is a terrible resolution for tablets in profile mode (too narrow, you end up wasting a ton of vertical space for most things), and I would have happily paid extra for a full HD screen. I think OEMs are finally waking up to 16:10 or even 4:3 as being preferable for tablets, and by extension 2-in-1s. Still, it's rare at this time, so I won't deduct any stars for the display, especially for a sub $500 machine.Okay cons, and I do deduct a full star for everything below. And I blame Asus for these, not Windows.Power. It doesn't always turn on. As in from completely powered down, you press and hold the power button for a few seconds, and about 10% of the time, it won't turn on. It may start, get to POST, show the Asus logo, and then just go back off. Very inconsistent.Also, putting it in sleep instead of turning off is a risky move. If you just close the lid, or briefly press the power button, it should go to sleep (I configured Windows to this behavior, so it's probably the firmware). About half the time, the laptop remains active and drains the battery. I had similar problems with an older, Android Transformer model, and think this is something Asus has problems with. I pretty much always shut down completely now.Speaking of power, the proprietary power supply (and I should really take off an extra star for having a proprietary power supply--come on, Asus!) sometimes fails to charge if it gets too hot. So you can't just plug your laptop in all the time and expect it to stay active permanently. Again, rather random behavior, and I'd seen complaint about this issue with my older Transformer as well, including advice to fix it including sticking the power brick in the freezer, which means it's tripping its thermal breaker. Not a good sign.Despite all that, the T200TA is a great machine for the price. I haven't looked into updating the firmware/bios and seeing if that solves a lot of the problems above, but I'll report back if I ever get around to it. The power supply is pretty lame though.