ASUS VivoTab Smart

Looking to bring the success of the Transformer series to Windows 8 is the VivoTab ME400. This Asus tab has a 16:9 HD screen, 64GB of storage and an optional Surface-style, magnetic “TranSleeve” keyboard cover.

The ASUS VivoTab Smart is a 10.1 inch tablet that runs the full version of Windows 8 and has all the bells and whistles one would expect. Hardware wise, the VivoTab Smart is a pretty well stacked piece of equipment. At the heart of the VivoTab Smart is an Intel Atom Z2760 dual core processor backed up by 2Gb of DDR3 DRAM.

ASUS has a solid reputation for creating hybrid tablets although the Smart is genuinely a standalone device. In order to effectively use it with Windows’ desktop mode you’ll really need to add two ‘optional’ accessories: a magnetic snap-on cover and a matching wireless keyboard.

For people who want a relatively inexpensive device running full Windows 8, the VivoTab Smart offers far and away the best value.

Despite stylish looks and good build quality, the Asus struggles to make its case. The lack of a proper docking keyboard nixes its appeal as a laptop substitute, and the lack of a USB port severely impacts upon its day-to-day utility. While the VivoTab Smart ME400C gets the price and the looks right, it's sorely lacking in practicality.