A modern-day PC
Forget about Androids and tablets for a moment. At the heart of the Transformer AiO there's a Windows 8 PC that's pleasantly well equipped. Measuring 466mm x 162mm x 267mm in size and weighing 4.1kg, the base station isn't the most suave all-in-one we've ever seen - it's actually a little chubby around the back - but from the front a blend of glossy black and brushed-effect grey plastic make the unit an attractive addition to most rooms.
Build quality is good, and though the stand doesn't look particularly substantial, it's more than up to the task of stowing the tablet in place. Magnetic points help guide the detachable display, and though the tablet is large, the docking process feels surprisingly natural and we never felt as though the stand would topple over.
...while the lack of solid-state storage prevents the system from feeling instantly responsive at all times, there's more than enough power on offer here to make light work of everyday tasks..What's helpful is that the base station can be tilted backwards by up to 30º, making it easy to find a suitable slant, and though there's no left or right rotation, the tablet's IPS display offers a wide 178º viewing angle.
On the whole, this is capable all-in-one hardware. Asus sent us the top-of-the-range Core i7 model for evaluation and, while the lack of solid-state storage prevents the system from feeling instantly responsive at all times, there's more than enough power on offer here to make light work of everyday tasks.
The Transformer AiO scored 3,923 in our PCMark 7 benchmark, putting it on par with similarly-equipped full-tower desktops, and the only real caveat here is 3D performance. Asus makes use of an Nvidia GeForce GT 730M 2GB graphics processor, which despite being a step up from an Intel IGP, isn't going to thrill in today's more demanding games; we had to turn in-game quality settings to low in order to achieve a playable framerate in most titles.
Still, one of the quickest third-generation Intel processors combined with 8GB of memory and 2TB of storage make this a very capable machine for anything other than gaming. Asus includes a wireless keyboard and mouse as part of the bundle, so you have everything you need to get going right out of the box, three-watt stereo speakers are built into the desktop unit, and there are plenty of connectivity options, too.
The base station's right side is equipped with a slot-loading DVD writer and single USB 2.0 port (used to connect the unified mouse and keyboard receiver), while the left side provides a card reader, four USB 3.0 ports, a pair of audio jacks and a Kensington lock. The connector for the bundled power supply is positioned around back, alongside an Ethernet port and HDMI output - the latter is a welcome addition, as it allows the base station to be hooked up to a secondary monitor. Handy if your kids happen to have run off with your 18in tablet.
