Asus Transformer Book Flip TP300LA review

We really wanted to like this laptop more, and certainly construction-wise it's an impressive piece of work. The price is pitched just right for people who want something above a budget line laptop. It also boasts a powerful new processor, but this particular model has its flaws with unreliable flipping software – and you might want to spend extra cash to get an SSD.

We liked

It's a sleek and sexy machine that you'll feel proud to whip out on a crowded train. The hinge isn't bulky and the flipping ability (when the software detects it) is a fantastic feature – just remind yourself that you've got it. The large 1TB drive is perfect for travelling abroad where there isn't any Wi-Fi to stream movies and music, just store everything on board. £600 (around $940, AU$1,180) for an i7-5500U Broadwell machine is a great deal and we never found it wanting when reopening Chrome with twenty or so tabs.

We disliked

It's quite a heavy thing which means it has little use when in tablet mode, it's just too weighty. The screen is murky and doesn't go bright enough to use on a sunny day. Furthermore, the hard drive on this particular model was incredibly noisy, even louder than when the fan kicked in when the processor was being used to the max. We'd recommend upgrading to a hybrid or SSD. The hard drive also slowed boot times and program opening.

Final verdict

Build-wise this is a beautiful machine – it has a brushed aluminium body, sturdy hinge and simple, sleek lines. And processing-wise, this is a powerhouse for the price.

The Transformer Book Flip is currently more powerful and cheaper than the equivalent Yoga 3 14-inch model but the lack of SSD should definitely be borne in mind. The screen is quite dark and it doesn't always lighten when plugged into the mains. The on-board speakers aren't brilliant but they're not terrible either.

The FlipLock software isn't reliable – it stopped working on both machines we tested (the first was returned due to a hard drive fault). Without the software the machine loses its unique flipping ability. If Asus can make the FlipLock software more reliable, then it would make the TP300LA far more enticing.

This robust and great looking machine is best for students, frequent travellers who want to store and watch movies and TV shows, and people who don't have a tablet but want touchscreen input. Just hurry up and update FlipLock, Asus.