Chuwi, inspired by the design and functionality of the convertible Microsoft Surface Pro 4 tablet, introduced its own 2-in-1 hybrid model – Chuwi SurBook. The new product has a more affordable price, and is equipped with a 2K display, substantial amounts of memory, an Apollo Lake processor from Intel and a fairly capacious battery. In addition, the device runs a full-fledged Windows 10 OS, which provides the ability to work with any desktop programs.
Taking these features into account, the manufacturer positions SurBook as “powerful but affordable” a transformer that can be used as a tablet with a large display, or as portable laptop. Due to the visual similarity with the new transformers from Microsoft, many called the Chuwi SurBook a competitor to the Surface Pro 4. Despite this, there are significantly more differences between both models than might seem at first glance.
Kit and additional accessories
The tablet PC comes in a simple cardboard box containing the user manual, power adapter and cable for connecting it. If desired, you can separately purchase a proprietary keyboard with a magnetic mount, or a set consisting of a digital pen and a keyboard unit.
Detachable keyboard designed as a cover, without an additional battery and USB ports. Connects to a special interface, which is located on the bottom end of the Chuwi SurBook case. Powerful magnets provide reliable fastening, but the base of the cover is not rigid enough. Consequently, the stability of the case will depend on how hard and smooth the surface on which the device is located is. The keyboard cover is made of a pleasant-to-touch material reminiscent of suede. From a practical point of view, this is a rather controversial decision, since the surface of the material actively collects dust and quickly gets dirty.
The built-in touchpad handles touches correctly. The keys are pressed softly, have a good tactile response and sufficient travel length for comfortable typing. In addition, the keyboard is backlit, which makes working at night much easier. The problem with the lack of Cyrillic on the keys is solved by purchasing transparent waterproof stickers, through which you can see both the Latin engraving and the backlight.
HiPen H3 stylus received a metal body with a matte finish. Equipped with a thin 2mm tip that can distinguish up to 1024 pressure levels and even an inclination angle of up to 30°. The digital pen is fully compatible with the graphic editors Fresh paint and Manga Studio, a set of applications for Windows Ink touch input; and OneNote, a quick note-taking and organization tool. Powered by replaceable AAAA batteries. To save energy, there is a function to automatically switch to sleep mode when there is no activity.
Appearance
Key features of the design and construction of the case are almost completely borrowed from the latest MS Surface Pro models. As a result, the tablet looks very impressive and presentable. The body is completely made of metal, has a built-in footrest with an adjustable rotation angle from 0 to 125°. With its help, the user can install the device in any convenient position. The fastening of the stand ensures reliable fixation in a given position, and, according to the manufacturer, has a high level of wear resistance.
When comparing weight and dimensions, the SurBook is slightly larger (297 x 203.3 x 9.4) and heavier (967 g) than the Surface Pro 4. This fact is explained by the higher capacity of the built-in battery.
Connectors, cameras and speakers
All main ports are located on the right side. There are not many of them, but there is the most important thing: two full-size USB-A 3.0 and a symmetrical USB Type-C port. The latter is a universal solution as it can be used for recharging, transmitting audio and video signal, as well as for high-speed data exchange between drives and other compatible devices. A separate 3.5 mm audio interface is provided for connecting headphones and headsets.
The slot for installing MicroSD cards is also located on the right side, but to access it you need to move the built-in kickstand.
Due to the lack of an additional power connector, you will need a special adapter to simultaneously connect the tablet to an external monitor and charge.
The volume key and the on/off button are located on the top end.
Two stereo speakers are responsible for sound reproduction, the grilles of which can be found on the side faces on the right and left.
The 2 MP front camera and built-in microphone provide support for voice and video calling. The main 5-megapixel camera module can be used for technical photography (for example, scanning documents).
Display
The manufacturer equipped the device with a 12.3-inch IGZO screen, with a resolution of 2736 x 1824 and multi-touch for 10 touches. The use of IGZO technology allows us to achieve high pixel density, with more economical power consumption, compared to classic LTPS matrices. The screen has an optimal aspect ratio by modern standards (3:2), for comfortable web surfing and convenient work with office software.
The display is inferior to the fourth generation transformer produced by Microsoft only in anti-reflective properties, as well as the presence of an air gap between the glass and the surface of the matrix. However, the screen in Chuwi SurBook has wide viewing angles, demonstrates excellent color rendering, contrast and high brightness levels. At the maximum brightness level of the backlight (450 cd/m2), the image is clearly visible even on a sunny day.
Performance, memory
The tablet uses a 64-bit Intel Celeron N3450 processor from the Apollo Lake family, which is made using a 14 nm process technology. The chip consists of 4 cores with Goldmont microarchitecture, operating at frequencies from 1.1 GHz to 2.2 GHz. The graphics subsystem uses an integrated Intel HD 500 video core with support for DirectX 12.
The model is presented in two configurations, differing in the amount of internal storage (64 or 128 GB). You can double the amount of internal memory using a microSD card (maximum up to 128 GB). The manufacturer used eMMC 5.0 standard drives, which are not as fast as the SSDs installed in Microsoft's Surface Pro 4. Accordingly, programs installed in the internal memory of Chuwi SurBook will launch more slowly. But this does not mean that the Tablet PC will be too slow in everyday work.
Both tablet configurations are equipped with a fairly high amount of RAM (6 GB DDR3L). As a result, a sufficient level of performance is provided for playing video in 4K resolution, working with office software and resource-intensive programs such as Photoshop and AutoCAD.
The device can easily handle launching games from the App Store, as well as full-size, but not too resource-demanding games, such as Battlefield 2. You can also run more resource-intensive projects: for example, in the game World of Tank it is quite possible to achieve 30-40 FPS by reducing the graphics quality to a minimum.
Cooling system
Celeron N3450 is a budget, energy-efficient processor with a relatively low heat emission level. The maximum power consumption of this chip is only 6 W. Chuwi SurBook is equipped with a passive, completely silent cooling system based on graphene. Under intense and prolonged loads, the metal surface of the case may heat up. But even in such cases, the heat dissipation system effectively protects the internal components of the device from exposure to excessively high temperatures.
Battery
In terms of autonomy, Chuwi SurBook is ahead of its competitor, thanks to an economical processor and almost twice the capacity of the built-in battery - 10,000 mAh (37 Wh). For the average user, the battery will last about 8 hours in moderately active use. The tablet supports PD2.0 fast charging, but the included adapter does not. Therefore, to ensure a high speed of recharging the charge level, you must separately purchase a power supply compatible with PD2.0 technology.
Wireless interfaces
The network capabilities of this model include support for dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4/5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.0. Absence GPS/GLONASS module is not a disadvantage, since navigation services are rarely used on a tablet with such a large diagonal screen. As a last resort, you can use an external USB GPS receiver. What is really missing is a built-in module for connecting to the Internet via 3G/4G networks. On the other hand, the problem is easily solved by connecting an external modem to a free USB port.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros:
- stylish, modern design;
- metal body with adjustable footrest;
- high-quality 2K screen;
- capacious battery;
- quite large amounts of memory;
- availability of USB 3.0 and USB-C connectors;
- no noise or heating problems;
- Supports active stylus and backlit keyboard.
Minuses:
- eMMC memory is used instead of SSD;
- there is no M.2 slot for installing an SSD;
- The included power supply does not support fast charging.
Review results
Considering the nuances and shortcomings of this model, Chuwi SurBook cannot even indirectly be considered a direct competitor to the transformer released by Microsoft. The product is more suitable as an affordable alternative to representatives of the Surface line. With a reasonable price and extensive features, the device can be a good find for those who are looking for a portable, convenient and a multifunctional tool for solving a wide range of tasks, which will be useful not only at home, but also at work, on a trip, during vacations, etc.
But the cost of the gadget is much more pleasant than that of a Microsoft tablet: a SurBook with a 64 GB eMMC storage capacity will cost only $389, with double the memory capacity - $429. After the end of the pre-sale, the price may increase, so you should hurry: we start sending out tablets on September 29!
With the help of a detachable keyboard and a built-in kickstand, the tablet used for web surfing and watching movies easily turns into a mobile version of a full-fledged laptop. By additionally connecting a mouse and an external monitor to the device, the user receives a workstation - an analogue of a desktop system running Windows 10. And finally, the stylus, in combination with the necessary software, transforms the gadget into a digital notepad for handwritten notes, or the touchpad for drawing, photo editing, sketching, and sketches.
