There's no denying the Microsoft Surface aesthetic ASUS is going for with this one. Tablet, detachable, magnetic kickstand, etc...this small-ish tablet gives us all the Surface Go vibes.
Like the Lenovo Duet it will compete with, this detaching tablet will double as a Chromebook when the keyboard is present, giving users the best of both worlds.
Unlike the Duet, this tablet will come with both the keyboard and the stowable USI pen included. We love the in-the-box keyboard of the Duet, so this is a step up from that beloved device.
Another leg up this Chromebook has over the Duet is the screen size. It gets a bump up to 10.5-inches (still 1920x1200) for more space when using it as a Chromebook and more space for a better keyboard, too.
Additionally, this tablet looks sleek and professional without the backing and very Duet-like when that back is on. But the folding hinge looks a bit simpler on this one, hopefully keeping the size down when attached.
In the images provided, it seems this kickstand will have a dual purpose for both landscape and portrait setups. We're not sure if this will actually be a thing when this device launches, but it's an interesting trick.
Inside, we're looking at the same MT8183 processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage that the Duet has. Don't expect a performance monster, but it'll get you by.
The tablet measures just 8mm in thickness and weighs in at only 1.16 pounds, making it nearly as thin as the Duet and only 0.16 pounds heavier. For an extra half inch of screen, we'll take it!
From what we can tell, this tablet will posses the necessary hardware to extend your screen like most other Chromebooks. This wasn't the case with the Duet, but this new ASUS should be up to the task.