Tablets computers are changing laptops so much that the form-factors are being totally revised, with the lunch-box machine being flipped on its head, which is sort of what Asus is doing with a new computer.
Designed for both the 13 and 15 inch sizes, the next line of the long-running Asus Transformer series is about shifting a laptop into a tablet and backgammon, with the Transformer Book Flip.
Intel Core processors from the fourth generation “Haswell” run here, ranging from Core i3 to Core i7, working with between 4 and 8GB of RAM depending on the configuration, and an actual hard drive. Rather than the solid-state equipped Ultrabooks, the Asus Transformer Flip will rely on hard drives ranging between 750GB and 1TB, providing plenty of storage for people who need it.
The 13 and 15 inch screens are both touchscreens running with Windows 8.1, with graphics ranging from the Intel HD 4400 in the 13 inch model to NVidia’s GeForce GT840M in the 15 inch version.
Of particular note, however, is the hinge mechanism, which like the Lenovo Yoga and HP X360 appears to work in 360 degrees, sending the screen from a closed and down to the keyboard position all the way around to be used like a tablet.
Pricing for the Asus Transformer Book Flip starts at $799 for the 13 inch model, with the 15 inch variants starting at $999 when they land in stores this month.
