# Asus Transformer Infinity TF700 tablet-cum-laptop



## editor (Jun 26, 2012)

This is set to be released in the UK August and is looking like one very tasty device indeed - certainly one worth its own thread.

It's basically the current T201 with an improved screen res. I'm not altogether convinced that I need a super high res screen, so some folks may want to wait for the price drop on the T201 when this comes out.









> Previous Transformer tablets handled multitasking, high-definition video playback and HD gaming like a champ, and the Infinity doesn’t disappoint. In all of my test situations, the Infinity handled these intensive tasks smoothly and without sluggishness or glitches. As with previous Transformers, the Infinity has a micro-HDMI port on the left side, making it easy to hook the tablet into an HDTV.
> 
> On the back of the Infinity is an 8-megapixel camera paired with an LED flash. It shoots some of the best photos I’ve seen a tablet snap. Granted, this 8-megapixel camera won’t produce photos as beautiful as the 8-megapixel cameras on Apple’s iPhone 4S and HTC’s One X smartphones, but progress is being made on the tablet camera front. Still unchanged, however, is the extreme awkwardness of taking a photo with a 10.1-inch tablet.
> 
> ...


 
I know Crustychick is in for this model, whereas both me and Eme are mulling over this or the T201. Any other urbanites tempted?


----------



## editor (Jun 26, 2012)

Interesting comparison with the Transformer Prime (once you skip past the dull 'unboxing' bollocks).



http://www.technobuffalo.com/reviews/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-tf700-review/


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jun 27, 2012)

> tablet-cum-laptop


----------



## editor (Jun 27, 2012)

Kid_Eternity said:


>


*cum Preposition* /ko͝om/ /kəm/ 

Combined with; also used as (used to describe things with a dual nature or function)
a study-_cum_-bedroom


----------



## elbows (Jun 27, 2012)

I wouldn't recommend studying my cum bedroom too closely.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jun 27, 2012)

elbows said:


> I wouldn't recommend studying my cum bedroom too closely.



I wouldn't either.


----------



## elbows (Jun 27, 2012)

Waka Waka Waka


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jun 27, 2012)




----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

Uptown top trollin'. Again.


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

Back on topic, PC Advisor were feeling the love for the TF700:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/tablets/3366239/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-tf700-review/


> *WIRED* Lots of speed and brawn. Beautiful display is one of the best on a tablet. Ice Cream Sandwich is a joy compared to previous versions of Android. Lightweight. Built with top-notch materials — feels durable, not cheap. Mobile dock adds a comfortable keyboard and a significant battery life boost.
> http://www.wired.com/reviews/2012/06/asus-transformer-infinity/all/


Still not sure that I care enough about the higher res screen to pay an extra £100.


----------



## mrs quoad (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> Still not sure that I care enough about the higher res screen to pay an extra £100.


They're apparently irrelevant for photographers, fwiw.


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> They're apparently irrelevant for photographers, fwiw.


A higher res screen is always welcome, but they're certainly nowhere as useful as a built-in SD card slot, USB port and a far superior way of viewing photos straight off the card.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> Uptown top trollin'. Again.


 
Uptown? You trolled yourself with your filty porn laden talk about tablets cumming on laptops!


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Uptown? You trolled yourself with your filty porn laden talk about tablets cumming on laptops!


Are you ever going to contribute anything on-topic to this thread, troll boy?


----------



## elbows (Jun 28, 2012)

Id probably get one of these if I had a job, there is something quite appealing about it. Should help motivate me to get my development chores done and get some revenue coming in.


----------



## spanglechick (Jun 28, 2012)

i'm at the very beginning of considering one of these when my poorly laptop finally carks it...  but i'm put off becuase i like running office. i know there are alternatives, but i need integration with word, publisher, excel and powerpoint for work...


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

spanglechick said:


> i'm at the very beginning of considering one of these when my poorly laptop finally carks it... but i'm put off becuase i like running office. i know there are alternatives, but i need integration with word, publisher, excel and powerpoint for work...


You can view/edit all of those programs on Android via various apps, apart from Publisher.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dataviz.docstogo&hl=en

I'm just about sold on the thing - after I handed back the Transformer I had on loan, it felt a massive backward step going back to my ThinkPad, despite it being a fairly powerlap laptop.


----------



## spanglechick (Jun 28, 2012)

yeah - i use publisher a lot, though.  dunno - i know there are workarounds, it'd just be ideal, if i was going to spend all that money, that I can use the software i actually want. :/


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

spanglechick said:


> yeah - i use publisher a lot, though. dunno - i know there are workarounds, it'd just be ideal, if i was going to spend all that money, that I can use the software i actually want. :/


If I get the Transformer instead of a laptop, I'll miss Photoshop and a few other apps I use all the time, but I reckon I can do most things with Android alternatives.

Truth is that I found the machine so pleasurable to use, I think maybe it might be worth a few sacrifices.

Oh, this is supposed to be the best Android Office app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...sMSwyLDEsImNvbS5xby5hbmRyb2lkLnRhYmxldC5hbSJd


----------



## spanglechick (Jun 28, 2012)

mmmn - that doesn't look bad, actually...


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

Ooh, now this looks very interesting indeed for writers and it syncs with Scrivener. Skip past the rather weird reviewer's intro and take a look:


----------



## wtfftw (Jun 28, 2012)

I would definitely get one if I wasn't poor.


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

I've not had a go on the cheapo Transformer T300 but it seems to offer pretty good value at £399. 
Had some good reviews too:
http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/review/2173932/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/df-hardware-asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review


----------



## mrs quoad (Jun 28, 2012)

This thread's actually got me seriously considering a Macbook Air.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> This thread's actually got me seriously considering a Macbook Air.



Heh


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> This thread's actually got me seriously considering a Macbook Air.


Go rub yourself up into a froth of Apple loving in the appropriate thread then.


----------



## mrs quoad (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> Go rub yourself up into a froth of Apple loving in the appropriate thread then.


tbf, ed, you inspired me. With all your wonderful talk of keyboards, and so on, and so forth 

And the SSD, tbf. Very drawn by a silent, very light, keyboarded laptop. And I could do with something to be excited about for the very last weeks of my thesis...

And I know how unshy you are of posting about Android (and related) devices on Apple threads, so was sure you wouldn't mind


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

Back on topic - again - here's another couple of reviews, both very positive.

Fastest Android tablet we've tested yet
Gorgeous design
Super thin at .33"
Beautiful, bright high-res 1920X1200 display with Super IPS+ Mode
Hugely improved camera performance
32GB model is still just $499, even with all the upgrades
Respectable battery life
Cons: 

Still only one speaker port
Surface finish can scratch easily
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Asus-Transformer-Pad-Infinity-TF700-Review/[/QUOTE]


> Portability and form factor are just as good as always. Despite moving to a higher resolution panel, device thickness increased by no more than 0.1mm. There's no increase in battery capacity as a result, which does hurt battery life. Video playback is still fine at over 10 hours, it's really the general use and 3D workloads that take the biggest hit. By keeping the form factor constant however, ASUS guarantees the Infinity is just as easy to port around as its predecessors. Although the dock is nice, there's something about just carrying around an ultra thin, ultra light tablet that feels so comfortable.
> 
> While improved features and higher resolutions are nice, it's equally as important that ASUS delivers all of this without an increase in price. The Infinity was originally talked about as a $599+ device, but falling panel costs and increased competitive pressure dictated that $499 would be the actual starting point. Availability isn't scheduled until mid-July however, which actually brings us to our only issue with the Infinity: it doesn't run Windows 8
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/6036/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-tf700t-review


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> tbf, ed, you inspired me. With all your wonderful talk of keyboards, and so on, and so forth
> 
> And the SSD, tbf. Very drawn by a silent, very light, keyboarded laptop. And I could do with something to be excited about for the very last weeks of my thesis...


If you've got double the money to spend on a completely different device running a different OS, off you go then.


----------



## mrs quoad (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> If you've got double the money to spend on a completely different device running a different OS, off you go then.


Yes.

That was essentially what I posted  Though thank you for your approval


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> That was essentially what I posted  Though thank you for your approval


Thanks. Now fuck off and brag elsewhere. Ta.


----------



## mrs quoad (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> Thanks. Now fuck off and brag elsewhere. Ta.


What? How was I bragging? 

ffs, you aren't half a precious hypocrite sometimes 

Your thread got me thinking. ATM, I could do with something to make work a bit more exciting anyhows. Your thread has led me to thinking of one way of making the final stages of an incredibly dull writing process considerably more interesting.

For which, many thanks! You are _properly _weird sometimes


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> Your thread got me thinking. ATM, I could do with something to make work a bit more exciting anyhows. Your thread has led me to thinking of one way of making the final stages of an incredibly dull writing process considerably more interesting.


I imagine spending around a thousand pounds of disposable income would make most dull processes interesting, although it seems scant justification for such a huge outlay.

You certainly don't need such a high end, powerful computer for such a job, although it could be argued that the Transformer would be a better bet for writers anyway, on account of its vastly superior battery life.


----------



## mrs quoad (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> I imagine spending around a thousand pounds of disposable income would make most dull processes interesting, although it seems scant justification for such a huge outlay.
> 
> You certainly don't need such a high end, powerful computer for such a job, although it could be argued that the Transformer would be a better bet for writers anyway, on account of its vastly superior battery life.


Well then.

Thank you for telling me exactly what I do and don't need, and commenting on the superiority of your preferred choice 

I thought I was the one who was bragging? 

e2a: and yeah, you're completely right - it's a shit justification  I've been well paid for teaching work, it's the excitement that's lacking, and - yep - buying things I REALLY ENJOY working with has previously done wonders for my productivity. And enjoyment. A laptop _is _a different beast to a tablet, though, ennit? Unless the Asus can run full Word-style word processing programmes?! Which it may well do, ay.


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> Well then.
> 
> Thank you for telling me exactly what I do and don't need, and commenting on the superiority of your preferred choice


I'm not telling you anything and I'm certainly not 'bragging (wtf?). Try reading what I said.


----------



## mrs quoad (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> I'm not telling you anything and I'm certainly not 'bragging (wtf?). Try reading what I said.


Ahhh.

Yes. Sorry, fell foul of the editor fallacy for a minute there 

Thanks for pointing it out 

I've edited since then - out of interest, can the Asus run full word processing (etc) programmes? Or is it essentially a tablet wrt performance / apps / etc?


----------



## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

mrs quoad said:


> I've edited since then - out of interest, can the Asus run full word processing (etc) programmes? Or is it essentially a tablet wrt performance / apps / etc?


I'm not sure what constitutes a "full" word processing program, but it can run ones that would certainly be good enough for all my needs, and there's many apps that will let you read/edit Word docs. I've already linked to them in this thread. 

For me, JotterPad looks perfect (see video earlier in this thread too).


----------



## editor (Jun 29, 2012)

I dusted off my HTC Flyer last night, loaded it up with a load of programs and had a play about, but found that I'm not really into tablets unless they come with a keyboard. It's rubbish trying to type on a big screen.


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2012)

Handy comparison of the various Prime models.







http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/0...mer-pad-tf300-prime-tf201-and-infinity-tf700/


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2012)

Another review. All very positive with the major downside being the lack of available apps to take advantage of the high res display.


> Much like the Transformer Prime TF201, the Infinity TF700 has a Super IPS+ mode that jacks the brightness up to 600 nits. Apple doesn't list an exact brightness for its displays, but the TF700 is much brighter than the iPad—so much so that I found myself checking to make sure the iPad was in fact set at max brightness. Viewing angle is solid and colors look pleasantly saturated in both normal and Super IPS+ modes....
> 
> Pushing all these pixels is Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 3 processor with 1GB RAM that has been updated from DDR2 in the TF201 to DDR3 in the TF700. The clock speed of the processor has been bumped up to a 1.6GHz max with two to four cores active and up to 1.7GHz in single core operation, compared with the 1.3GHz and 1.4GHz maxes with the TF201. That leads to some pretty impressive scores with the Antutu system benchmark, where the TF700 blew away the competition. It notched a 12,187 versus the next fastest tablet, the Toshiba Excite 10 ($449, 3.5 stars), which recorded 10,485 using a lower clocked 1.3GHz Tegra 3 processor. Everything ran completely smoothly; I could switch between multiple running apps and all system actions ran without a hitch.....
> 
> The new iPad's high-resolution display warranted a large 42.5-watt-hour battery. Asus went with a 25-watt-hour battery, and has a display that is considerably brighter, albeit with slightly lower resolution. In our battery rundown test, which loops a video with Wi-Fi on and screen brightness set to max, the Infinity TF700 lasted 7 hours, 17 minutes, which is better than the new iPad's 5 hours, 33 minutes in the same test. The original TF201 lasted 7 hours, 38 minutes in the same test, so expect the same all day endurance from the newest Transformer. And don't forget about the optional keyboard dock, which will add around 5 hours to that figure.


http://www.techreviewsource.com/Notebook-Computers/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-tf700


----------



## Chz (Aug 14, 2012)

We're only getting the 64GB version and it's £600. Sod that.


----------



## editor (Aug 14, 2012)

Chz said:


> We're only getting the 64GB version and it's £600. Sod that.


I'm hoping that the street price will be cheaper. With 64GB cards being so cheap now, I won't have to worry about running out of storage if I get the Transformer.

That said, the Nexus 7 is proving to be so practical and useful, I'm questioning whether I should be looking at the Transformer or an ultrabook again....


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Aug 14, 2012)

How many units has this cum ridden tablet sold now?


----------



## editor (Aug 14, 2012)

Kid_Eternity said:


> How many units has this cum ridden tablet sold now?


Now idea why you're acting so childishly here ("cum-ridden  ), but tablet hasn't been released yet.


----------



## FridgeMagnet (Aug 14, 2012)

You can clean the cum out of a tablet with isopropyl alcohol. Apparently.


----------



## editor (Aug 14, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> You can clean the cum out of a tablet with isopropyl alcohol. Apparently.


Yeah, thanks for that.


----------



## editor (Aug 14, 2012)

Reg Hardware has given it a very good review, and added some food for thought (for me) at the end:


> *Verdict*
> The Asus Transformer range continues to expand and evolve apace and with the Infinity you get a superb 1080p screen, 64GB of storage and an even more powerful incarnation of Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chipset. In use it is an altogether superb device but at £200 more than the basic Transformer Pad, the premium for the HD screen is a high one.
> 
> If it was my money, I’d probably be more inclined to buy a Transformer Pad and a 8GB Nexus 7, and a lot of beer with the change
> http://www.reghardware.com/2012/08/...nfinity_tf700t_64gb_android_tablet/page3.html


Pocket Lint:


> *Laptop replacement*
> If you're serious about using the Infinity as a laptop replacement, then the good news is that the software included pretty much makes that possible. Polaris Office is pre-installed, and is very good indeed. It's capable of opening MS Office documents, and you can create new documents from scratch, or using templates. It's a nice looking piece of software too...
> 
> And, it's quite important not to forget that the web browsing experience on the Infinity is second to none. We install Chrome in addition to the stock browser, but both are really good on this screen, and tabbed browsing makes for a very computer-like experience...
> ...


Let's hope that it does indeed come in less than £599 or I'll probably be looking elsewhere....


----------



## editor (Sep 12, 2014)

The Transformer Prime - which I've used extensively since the day I bought it - got a bit slow and started to naff on me a bit. I went out and bought quite a snazzy secondhand touchscreen Vaio and thought that would be the perfect replacement but it simply wasn't as easy to use as the Asus - Android is just so much better for this kind of thing.

So I bought a brand new TF701T for the ridiculously cheap price of £260 - and it is one hell of an upgrade. The update to v4.4 Android brings in a very swishy interface - rather Wndows 8.1-esque - and it seems to have oodles of power (I can now swish thought dSLR images on my SD card as quickly as I might do on my home PC). So far, I'm really, really imprssed - and that 12+ hour battery life is somthing I like very much indeed.


----------



## elbows (Sep 12, 2014)

Glad to hear that the photos performance bottleneck which you mentioned previously has been solved with newer hardware.


----------



## editor (Sep 12, 2014)

elbows said:


> Glad to hear that the photos performance bottleneck which you mentioned previously has been solved with newer hardware.


I knew I was pushing a bottom end device where it didn't want to go when I was loading up thousands of full size photos and trying to browse and edit them. 

The old device would get there in the end - and I'd still recommend it for most uses - but it's not one I'd now suggest as suitable enthusiast/pro photographers looking to process high numbers of large image.

Happily, the FT701T seems to handle the photos with ease thus far and for £260 it's a blooming steal!


----------



## Stanley Edwards (Sep 15, 2014)

Anyone using one of these with PS, or GIMP? Not very processor intensive stuff, but I found the Dell Mini (that chazegee kindly sent me) to be a bit of a headache on the simplest of tasks.

I am tempted by the Asus, but don't intend on too much travel in the near future, so perhaps a second hand 'proper' laptop would be better?

Other than the simple stuff, I need a good screen for design work, something that can handle easy PS reprocessing, and deal with simple animation (Flash). Most important is good battery life - I want to expect a full days work from a single charge.

Budget €400 Max.

e2a; sorry, in internet cafe. No time to read the entire thread.


----------



## editor (Sep 15, 2014)

It runs Android so no 'full' Photoshop, but there's no shortage of fairly powerful apps that manage all the day to day photo-editing taskes (there's also an Adobe Photoshop mobile version you can run). 

The screen is superb at 2,560 x 1,600 pixels spread across 10.1 inches, its pixel density is 299ppi. That’s higher than the iPad 4 and iPad Air and the battery life incredible - something like 12/14 hours.

I bought a quite expensive Sony Windows laptop for photo editing on the move, but I think I'll just stick to this as it's faster, lighter and keeps on going for longer. For £269 it's a blooming bargain.


----------



## Stanley Edwards (Sep 15, 2014)

editor said:


> It runs Android so no 'full' Photoshop... For £269 it's a blooming bargain.



OK. I'm convinced. It was my favoured option anyway.


----------



## editor (Sep 15, 2014)

Stanley Edwards said:


> OK. I'm convinced. It was my favoured option anyway.


If you're going to go for it, make sure you get the TF701T (and not the 700).

The only thing I'd mark it down for is the fact that it's not as slim as the earlier model, but it's small (and tough) enough to lob into my daybag and that's all that matters really.


----------



## Stanley Edwards (Sep 15, 2014)

I'll see if Mediamarkt here stock it. Hate the place, but it is always the best price.

TF701T it is.


----------



## editor (Sep 15, 2014)

Stanley Edwards said:


> I'll see if Mediamarkt here stock it. Hate the place, but it is always the best price.
> 
> TF701T it is.


I'd definitely have a play on one first though to see if it's your kind of thing. Personally, I love the touch screen interface so much I've never touched the trackpad, but some folks here seem to have a massive problem with the concept.

Here's the specs, if you're interested in that kind of thing:



> Dimensions 263 x 180.8 x 8.9 mm (10.35 x 7.12 x 0.35 in)
> Weight 585 g (1.29 lb)
> - Optional mobile dock with standard QWERTY keyboard and trackpad
> DISPLAYType Super IPS+ LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
> ...


----------



## contadino (Sep 15, 2014)

I got a 2nd hand 2011 Macbook Pro a couple of months ago for €400. Runs Photoshop slick as you like. I can't imagine using Photoshop on a tablet. It's nigh on unusable on a Surface.


----------



## Stanley Edwards (Sep 15, 2014)

contadino said:


> I got a 2nd hand 2011 Macbook Pro a couple of months ago for €400. Runs Photoshop slick as you like. I can't imagine using Photoshop on a tablet. It's nigh on unusable on a Surface.



Now this is what I really don't understand about specs and stuff.

Why did my 5 year old netbook run PS so smoothly when top notch 'today' stuff with better specs struggle?

May wait a couple of days more before parting with my cash.


----------



## elbows (Sep 15, 2014)

I'm not sure you'd find too many people who thought PS worked just lovely with a netbook years ago. There are some devilish details such as the version of photoshop in question and what size images you were throwing at it and what operations you were performing.

As far as potential to make a purchasing error now, I suspect the main thing that could go wrong is down to what exactly you want to do with the tablet version of photoshop. It's better to think of it as a totally different app to the PS you are used to, and check what it can actually do in detail before you plunge into the world of android.


----------



## Stanley Edwards (Sep 15, 2014)

elbows said:


> I'm not sure you'd find too many people who thought PS worked just lovely with a netbook years ago...



Was a netbook running Win XP with PS preinstalled and it worked magic.


----------



## editor (Sep 16, 2014)

contadino said:


> I got a 2nd hand 2011 Macbook Pro a couple of months ago for €400. Runs Photoshop slick as you like. I can't imagine using Photoshop on a tablet. It's nigh on unusable on a Surface.


The Asus is not really a tablet and for £270 you're getting a brand new and much more portable machine with a far better screen and battery life than a second hand, warranty-free MacBook.


----------



## Dr_Herbz (Sep 16, 2014)

Stanley Edwards said:


> Now this is what I really don't understand about specs and stuff.
> 
> Why did my 5 year old netbook run PS so smoothly when top notch 'today' stuff with better specs struggle?
> 
> May wait a couple of days more before parting with my cash.


Earlier versions of Photoshop used few system resources. The software is designed to run on the hardware of the day.

But this has given me an idea. I have 2 very old laptops here. I'll see if I can source some old versions of Photoshop and see how well, if at all, it runs on them.


----------



## Dr_Herbz (Sep 16, 2014)

Dell Latitude CPi... originally sold with Windows 98 and 128 MB of RAM.
I tried to boot it but the (4 gig!!) HDD was clicking its tits off, so I found an old drive, installed Windows XP Pro on it and it fired up  
It seems I must have robbed a stick of RAM out of it at some stage, 'cos it only has 64 meg but it runs Photoshop 5.5 like a boss  







64MB of RAM... lol


----------



## pogofish (Sep 19, 2014)

editor said:


> It runs Android so no 'full' Photoshop, but there's no shortage of fairly powerful apps that manage all the day to day photo-editing taskes (there's also an Adobe Photoshop mobile version you can run).



Can you point me at them please..?  I've just updated my rather battered Transformer Prime to one of these and editing on the move is something that its so well suited for.


----------



## editor (Sep 20, 2014)

pogofish said:


> Can you point me at them please..?  I've just updated my rather battered Transformer Prime to one of these and editing on the move is something that its so well suited for.


Photoshop Express: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adobe.psmobile
Photoshop Touch: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.adobe.pstouchphone

I use this one most though. It's fast and pretty powerful.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iudesk.android.photo.editor


----------



## pogofish (Sep 20, 2014)

Thanks - that last one looks exactly what I need.


----------

