Getting wise with the Wisebook

A new tablet computer powered by the latest Intel processor and running on Microsoft Windows 8.1 operating system, the CSC Wisebook AU891T will please anyone wanting good performance.

It’s once of three tablets developed by local firm, CSC, in cooperation with Microsoft and Intel. A well-known IT retailer with 30 years experience and 150 shops nationwide, CSC prides itself on excellent after-sale service.

The AU891T is slender, just 8mm thick and weighing 365 grammes. It’s powered by Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor running at 1.33 GHz and has two gigabytes of RAM or working memory and 16 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded with a microSD card to up to 64GB. For graphics horsepower, the Intel chipset uses the 7th generation Intel HD Graphics.

It has an 8.9-inch capacitive touch-screen that supports 10-inch multi-touch. The screen uses an IPS panel with 1,920 x 1200 pixel resolution, which is a little higher than the Full HD standard. The screen is also bright with 350 nits of brightness.

And like all tablets, it comes with a five-megapixel rear camera and a 2-MP front-facing camera.

The tablet has both Wi-Fi 802.11n and 3G connections: the two models have 3G 900/2100 MHz and 850/1900 MHz respectively so you should check with your mobile operator before getting one. It has a microSIM slot in addition to the microSD slot.

I tested the AU891T with a Wi-Fi connection and found that the tablet had good performance with the 2GB of RAM providing stability in multitask operations.

The touch panel and menus were responsive and the scrolling was fast too.

I had no problem logging on to my Microsoft ID (Hotmail) account to start using the tablet with my customised preferences.

A major bonus is that the Wisebook tablet comes with a free one-year subscription of Office 365 Personal, which retails for Bt1,899, and unlimited cloud storage on OneDrive. CSC Wisebook users can also make free Skype calls to more than 60 countries for 60 minutes each month.

The screen worked well when watching videos including YouTube clips and played games downloaded from Microsoft Store fast and smoothly.

The graphics of Gameloft’s “Depicable Me: Minion Rush” were rendered beautifully and the game characters ran smoothly without any performance hiccups.

The AU891T has impressive performance for a local brand though CSC might need to further develop that tablet’s chassis, as the body felt loose rather than firm and sturdy. That said, it is possible that the one sent for review had already been through many different hands or was perhaps a prototype, but when I pressed its body, I could hear plastic cracking sounds and could feel that the case was not firm at all.

The AU891T Wisebook has a large Li-polymer battery of 6,400 mAh and retails for Bt8,990.

 

Key specs: 

OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 with Bing, Office 365

CPU: Intel Atom Z3735F quad core 1.33 GHz.

Graphics chipset: 7th Generation Intel HD Graphics

Memory: 2 GB

Storage: 16 GB, expandable with microSD of up to 64 GB

Display: 8.9-inch capacitive touch-screen IPS panel 1920x1200 pixels

Cameras: 5 MP rear camera, 2 MP front camera

Connectivity: WiFi 802.11b/g/n, 3G: 900/2100 MHz or 850/1900 MHz

Ports: micro USB 2.0, 3.5mm stereo jack, microSIM slot

Battery: 6400 mAh Li-polymer

Dimensions: 233.2x148.2x8mm

Weight: 365g