ASUS Taichi 21 Windows 8 hybrid Ultrabook review

When we first starting testing the ASUS Taichi 21, we hated it. It came to us without its proper drivers installed, which meant that it was a major chore to effectively use the two screens on this unique, 11.6in, hybrid Ultrabook. However, ASUS dropped in to our office to manually install the proper drivers and update the system, and after we used the updated Taichi 21 for an extended period of time, we grew to like it. A lot.

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  A dual-screen hybrid

  The ASUS Taichi 21 has a minimal amount of moving parts for a hybrid Ultrabook. It's built using a traditional clamshell laptop form factor, but the differentiating factor is that it comes with a second screen built in to it. You get two screens with this hybrid laptop: a regular in-facing screen for laptop mode, and an out-facing touchscreen on the other side of the in-facing screen, which is for tablet mode.
  The out-facing touch panel is glossy thanks to its scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass surface, while the internal screen has more of a matte finish, although it is still susceptible to some glare. Both screens are 11.6in and they both have a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Furthermore, their viewable angles are wide from the sides, as well as from above and below, which makes the screens comfortable for viewing images and videos. They are also quite bright and they possess very good contrast. We did notice some backlight bleeding on both screens when watching movies though.
  In its most basic form, the ASUS Taichi 21 can be used with minimal user interaction. There is a physical toggle for the screen on the left side of the base. If it's set to 'on', then when you close the lid of the laptop the out-facing screen will switch on and you can then start using the laptop as a tablet. The touchscreen's accuracy is high and it provides a very enjoyable user experience for Windows 8 and its swipe-in gestures. The screen will auto-rotate depending on the way you hold it, but you can also easily disable this from the Charms' menu settings. Once you're done using the Taichi 21 as a tablet, you can open the lid and it will switch on the internal screen so that it can be used as a regular laptop once again.
  
  
  Reviews copy to link : http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/notebooks/asus/taichi_21_windows_8_hybrid_ultrabook_review/442397