Updated on 06-02-2014 by Williams Pelegrin: Included more processor, battery, operating system, and storage details.
Asus has announced the Transformer Book V, a device that wants to be all things to all people. We’re used to Asus bringing out hybrid and all-in-one devices, but the Book V combines three different devices with two different operating systems, squeezing them into one all conquering machine. Microsoft promotes its newly announced Surface Pro 3 as the device to replace a separate tablet and laptop, but Asus has taken this a step further and added a phone into the mix. As you can imagine, the end result looks more than a little bit mad.
The smallest component is the smartphone. It has a 5-inch touchscreen with an unknown resolution, and is equipped with the latest Moorefield quad-core Intel Atom processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. The phone runs Android 4.4 KitKat, will connect to 4G LTE networks, and has a 2500mAh battery inside. It also has a 5-inch IPS HD display with up to 64GB of internal storage. The rear-facing shooter is 8-megapixels, while the front-facing camera shoots 2-megapixel images.
Slot it into the tablet dock and Android will be transferred over to the big screen, just like Asus’ PadFone range. However, at the touch of a button, the tablet will switch over and run Windows 8.1 “or other editions,” which could mean we could see Windows 8.1 with Bing as an option, a cheaper version of Windows 8.1 meant for OEMs that could allow them to price their devices lower. Yes, the Transformer Book V’s big 12.5-inch IPS display will let you use both operating systems and access both application stores, which Asus says makes it a “highly mobile entertainment and productivity powerhouse.”
The Book V’s versatility doesn’t stop there either. The pack comes with a full QWERTY keyboard dock, complete with a hardware button for switching between the operating systems, and a touchpad for easy navigation. The press release seems to indicate the laptop has its own Intel Core processor, likely Broadwell, and doesn’t need the phone to operate. It also includes a likely pairing of a 128GB SSD and a 1TB hard drive, but it’s not clear whether this is all onboard the device or includes some of Asus’ cloud storage space. Finally, it has a 2-cell, 28 watt-hour battery.
Asus hasn’t provided a complete spec list for the Transformer Book V yet, nor has it told us how much it’ll cost. We expect more details to emerge during the Computex trade show, which takes place over the coming week.
