ASUS VivoBook Flip TP301

Unboxing Guide

Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2

From tablet to laptop, and everything in between ............................................................................. 3

First impressions ............................................................................................................................... 4

Stunning display ................................................................................................................................ 6

The magic touch ................................................................................................................................ 7

Making a great screen even better .................................................................................................... 8

Looking after your eyes ................................................................................................................... 10

Video processing and output ........................................................................................................... 10

Using the TP301 .............................................................................................................................. 11

Face to face ..................................................................................................................................... 12

Touching and typing ........................................................................................................................ 12

Music to your ears ........................................................................................................................... 13

Speaking plainly............................................................................................................................... 14

Peak performance ........................................................................................................................... 14

Putting the TP301 to the test ........................................................................................................... 14

Performance verdict ........................................................................................................................ 17

Brilliant battery life .......................................................................................................................... 17

ASUS IceCool Technology ................................................................................................................ 18

Get connected ................................................................................................................................. 18

Getting online ................................................................................................................................. 20

Connecting to other devices ............................................................................................................ 20

TP301 – your constant companion................................................................................................... 21

Something for everyone .................................................................................................................. 22

Introduction Just when you thought the ASUS VivoBook Flip couldn’t get any better … it just did. The innovative

format, which allows you to use your device your way, has been teamed with Intel’s latest sixth-

generation processors, the Skylake family, to create a notebook that is sure to be your constant

companion at home, at work, at school, at college, and on the way to all of those places and more.

The latest addition to this range of smart design is the VivoBook Flip TP301, carefully built around

Intel’s newest and best processors and teamed with up to 8GB of RAM and offered with a choice of

hard drive solutions to deliver a notebook that fits into your life.

All the ASUS touches are there: craftsmanship, design and attention to detail – and above all, a price

that’s sure to appeal to the demanding user who also cares about value for money.

This is the notebook designed to look better, perform better, be more power-efficient and, best of

all, achieve better value for money than other similar devices such as the Acer Aspire R13, Lenovo’s

Yoga 2 and Yoga 3 devices and the HP Pavilion x 360. MacBook Air. Lightweight, power-efficient and

beautiful, the ASUS VivoBook Flip TP301, which comes with Windows 10, is the perfect choice for

the highly mobile user who cares about good looks and the right price and who wants a notebook to

fit into their lives.

From tablet to laptop, and everything in between The coolest thing about the TP301 is how it can be a traditional laptop, perfect for working at a desk,

a tablet, which is perfect for surfing the web when you’re lying on the sofa or in bed, or pretty much

anything in between

Stand it up so that it looks like a tent and, thanks to the great viewing angle and fantastic colour

reproduction, you’re good to go for a movie night with friends. Or if you prefer, turn it the other way

round so that the keyboard is face down and the screen is standing up, which is also great for movie

night – just don’t forget the popcorn! This is also a great mode for watching a box set in bed: you can

sit the TP301 on the duvet without the keyboard getting in the way – but watch out for bits of

popcorn in the bed!

All this is possible thanks to the four-gear metal hinge, which is sturdy enough to cope with as many

changes of format as you can throw at it, but which nonetheless offers a silky-smooth, effortless

transition every single time.

One other cool thing about this multi-mode magic is that if the keyboard is face-down on a table or

when you’re using it as a tablet, ASUS FlipLock technology automatically disables the keyboard and

touchpad, so that you won’t get unwanted input: the control is at your fingertips.

First impressions The first thing you’ll notice when you take your new TP301 out of its box is its good looks. This

notebook is available in two stylish colours.

Pure Black is an elegantly minimal colour, perfect for the discerning user who likes something

understated yet classy.

Icicle Gold, with its soft brushed metal finish, is just right for someone who likes their devices to

stand out from the crowd without being too flashy.

The next thing you’ll notice is the weight: at just 1.5kg, the TP301 is light enough to put in a

backpack or big handbag and carry around all day so that you can get it out and start working,

connecting with friends or watching a movie wherever you are.

Then you’ll notice the great range of ports: the VivoBook Flip boasts one new USB Type-C port. This

new standard and, thanks to the new shape, means that you can plug in the cable either way up –

there is no more fiddling about trying to work out which way up the plug should go.

This new USB standard means you’ll be able to transfer a movie to your VivoBook Flip from external

storage (which must also be of the new USB Type-C standard) in seconds. With your VivoBook Flip

loaded up so fast, you’ll be ready to hit the road in record time.

As well as the Type-C port, your VivoBook Flip also comes equipped with a USB 3.0 port for plugging

in fast peripherals that don’t yet have the up-to-the-minute reversible port, and a USB 2.0 port for

connecting your older devices and flash drives to your VivoBook Flip.

Additionally, the VivoBook Flip has a full-sized HDMI port that allows you to connect your laptop to

an external monitor, plus an SD card slot for adding further storage.

With so many connectivity options, your laptop is ready to join forces with So even before you open

it up to switch it on, you’ll be struck by how versatile it is: the VivoBook Flip can connect to hundreds

of other devices.

Stunning display Switch on the TP301 and you’ll be amazed the quality of its screen. That’s thanks to its 13.3inch Full

HD touchscreen panel with its anti-glare display that delivers richer and deeper colours whether

you’re watching a movie, editing photos, working or connecting with friends.

With its LED backlit IPS (In-plane switching) screen, even if you’re using it outdoors on the brightest

of days, the careful design from ASUS engineers means that you’ll enjoy the amazing clarity of its

colour reproduction. That’s thanks to the direct bonding technique, which reduces the number of

layers and gives higher transparency.

Your friends and family will appreciate the beautiful screen, too, thanks to the 178-degree viewing

angle. That means that even those sitting to the side of your notebook will still be able to enjoy the

rich and vivid colours of the anti-glare display.

The magic touch The TP301’s touchscreen makes the most of Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest operating system, which

is designed to offer the best of both a traditional desktop and the benefits of a touchscreen.

Those benefits become apparent when you flip the TP301 back on itself to become a tablet: it

automatically switches from desktop mode to tablet mode, surfacing the signature Windows tiled

interface and making icons on the taskbar and in applications bigger, further apart and generally

more touch-friendly.

As you’d expect from ASUS, the touchscreen is also engineered to be exceptional: it’s much more

responsive than touchscreens you’ll find on even the most expensive devices from other

manufacturers. ASUS engineers have incorporated actuators that sense your touch when just 5mm

of your fingertip touches the screen – industry-standard touchscreens can’t sense your fingertip until

7mm touches the panel. This means that ASUS touchscreens give you precise control over the

onscreen cursor whether you’re surfing the web, editing photographs or playing games.

While other devices use the industry-standard touchscreen response, with ASUS, luxury

enhancements such as the super-sensitive touchscreen come as standard.

Making a great screen even better A great viewing experience isn’t just about the hardware, though – great software has a role to play,

too. So to make the most of the screen, ASUS engineers have developed ASUS Splendid Technology

to make sure you get the best viewing experience whatever you’re doing with your constant

companion. This display colour gamut correction technology means that the TP301 reproduces

richer and deeper colours that can be optimised for the application: choose from the Normal or Vivid

presets, or tweak the colours manually to suit your preference.

This means that your movies and photos will leap out of the screen at you, their colours rich, vivid

and sharp.

Your TP301 also comes with ASUS TruVivid Technology, which helps make the notebook such a great

performer both indoors and outdoors. Thanks to direct bonding, the screen has fewer layers than

similar devices, offering better colour clarity and crucially reducing reflections so that the display’s

rich and bright colours are shown off at their best, even sitting outside in bright sunlight.

And of course, your VivoBook Flip also has a super-responsive touchscreen, engineered to be better

than the industry standard. Combined with the customisable rich colours and deep blacks delivered

by ASUS Splendid Technology combined with ASUS TruVivid Technology, this screen is streets ahead

of the competition. It’s not only easy on the eyes, it’s so good you’ll want to reach out and touch it,

too.

Looking after your eyes As well as the superb colour reproduction, ASUS Eye Care Technology means you’re taking the best

possible care of your eyes. Most LED panels emit blue light, which is implicated in macular

degeneration and retinal problems, but ASUS Eye Care Technology reduces the blue light levels from

the TP301’s display by 33% to make viewing more comfortable and help protect you from fatigue

and other eye problems. Just choose the EyeCare preset in the Splendid utility and you’ll

immediately see the difference: the colour temperature rises, making the screen look warmer and s

much more restful to view, especially at night when the screens of other devices, such as those from

Lenovo, Acer and HP, among others, can start to glare and feel harsh on your eyes.

That means you can carry on using your TP301 for longer without getting eye fatigue.

Video processing and output As video is such an important part of how we use notebooks, ASUS has carefully paired Intel’s latest

integrated graphics processing units (iGPU) with the newest sixth-generation Skylake processors to

provide an optimal balance of cutting-edge technology, power and energy efficiency.

The TP301 comes with the NVidia GeForce 920M graphics processor which comes with 2GB of VRAM

and which has a base clock speed of 135MHz and a maximum clock speed of 954MHz.

This choice of hardware balances the need for power with efficient battery use, and gives the TP301

a graphics performance that’s up to three times faster, meaning that as well as enjoying fluid

performance when watching a movie or working with photographs, the TP301 can even play games

comfortably – something even more expensive notebooks struggle to do.

Using the TP301 This latest version of the VivoBook flip comes pre-loaded with Windows 10, the latest version of

Microsoft’s versatile operating system.

Windows 10 takes the best parts of the much-loved Windows 7 OS and adds a modern look, ease of

use and the most up-to-date touch features. You will appreciate the way the TP301 automatically

switches between desktop mode and tablet mode when you turn the screen back on to the base to

use it as a tablet so that the touch features are right there and ready for you to use.

Of course, if you prefer to stick with the desktop mode even when you’re using your TP301 as a

tablet, you can do that, too: Windows 10 offers you the choice of which you prefer, meaning that

the TP301 is the device that works the way you want to – it doesn’t force you into a mode you don’t

want to use.

New, elegant and highly intuitive versions of productivity apps including Mail, Calendar and People

mean the TP301 with Windows 10 is a pleasure to use for work, while additional apps such as News,

Money and Sport mean you will always be up to date with what’s important in your world.

Microsoft’s new digital assistant, Cortana, is there to help you with search, managing your time and

finding things out – and Cortana has a sense of humour, too. Ask her a range of questions from “why

did the chicken cross the road?” to “open the pod bay doors” and she will answer with her signature

wry take on life.

As well as Windows 10, the TP301 comes with a suite of Asus software to help you make the most of

the notebook.

ASUS Install guides you through the extra software options to make sure you’ve got the best ASUS

software for your TP301, while ASUS Live Update checks that your notebook is running the most up-

to-date versions of Windows and any ASUS software installed.

Face to face We all love video-chatting: even if friends and family are far away, being able to chat face to face to

loved ones brings us closer together. It’s particularly great for students or young professionals

studying or working away from home. All you need to do is fire up the new Messaging app that

comes as standard with Windows 10 and you’ll be sharing your news with your far-flung family

within moments.

Your TP301 comes with a 0.3MP front camera with a focal length equivalent of 50cm, offering a

great balance between video quality and connectivity over VOIP connections.

Touching and typing The TP301 might be a go-anywhere device, but ASUS hasn’t skimped on the keyboard. Your

notebook features a full-sized chiclet keyboard that is a pleasure to type on. The keys feel springy

and responsive to the touch, thanks to the satisfying 1.6mm travel.

The keyboard is backlit, too, so you’ll be able to see what you’re doing even in low light conditions.

The ASUS Smart Gesture app lets you configure the touchpad to suit your way of working. It guides

you through setting your preferences for tapping, scrolling and using gestures such as pinch-to-zoom.

The touchpad itself is a good size and silky-smooth to the touch, while clicking is a satisfyingly

definite movement that means you won’t accidentally click on something you didn’t want to.

ASUS SmartGesture software supports up to four-fingered gestures, which means you can navigate

quickly through documents and applications as well as pinch and zoom windows much more quickly.

This means that you can do everything on the touchpad without needing to stop and click, either on

the touchpad or with a mouse plugged into the USB port. It makes editing a document much more

straightforward, while browsing the web or looking at pictures is a breeze. All your computing tasks

become fingertip-natural.

One of the great things about the TP301 is that the generously sized touchpad carefully calibrated so

that if you rest your palm on it, you won’t accidentally trigger a gesture.

Music to your ears Notebook speakers can be disappointing, but that’s definitely not the case with the TP301. ASUS

Sonic Master Technology, a unique standard developed by the ASUS Golden Ear team, combines

premium hardware and software with thoughtful design to deliver top of the range audio quality.

SonicMaster software is independently certified by ICEpower, ASUS’s industry-leading partner. The

overall exceptional quality is achieved thanks to an optimised amplifier, larger speakers and

resonance chambers combined with a professional codec that work together to deliver audio of a

quality that far outstrips expectations.

The result is crystal-clear sound with a deeper and richer bass and a wider sonic range, all of which

combine to deliver distinct vocals and an audio output that will impress whether you’re watching a

movie or delivering a presentation.

Not only do the speakers produce a crystal-clear sound, they are also set up to produce a true stereo

output: music and speech come clearly from the channels they were designed for.

You can fine-tune the sound profiles using the Audio Wizard tool, which allows you to set the right

profile for the task: Music mode, Movie mode, Recording mode, Gaming mode or Speech mode.

That means you can enjoy lifelike sound whether you’re listening to music, watching a movie or

playing a game, with all five modes fine-tuned by the ASUS Golden Ear team.

Speaking plainly One of the coolest things about Windows 10 is Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant. Say “Hey,

Cortana!” and she springs to life, ready to help you set reminders, send emails and search. And of

course, ASUS makes this easy with the sleek array microphone which is optimised for Cortana.

Setting up the microphone is a breeze, and you’ll be ready to go with Cortana before you know it.

Peak performance Any concerns about compromise in the elegant thin and light design are banished when you look at

the specifications of the TP301.

Using up-to-the-minute components means that the VivoBook Flip is well-equipped for a range of

computing tasks, from straightforward, low-impact tasks such as web-browsing and working with

Microsoft Word, Excel or Powerpoint, to more demanding leisure activities such as showing your

photographs to family or watching a movie.

As well as viewing pictures, your VivoBook Flip can also handle editing those images, too, thanks to

its powerful Skylake processor teamed with up to 8GB of RAM and Nvidia’s GeForce 920M mobile

graphics chip. You’ll be able to crop and tweak your pictures without any lag or stuttering.

And you’ll even be able to enjoy some gaming: the Nvidia GPU supports the latest DirectX 12

standard that is part of Windows 10. DirectX 12 means smoother, richer graphics and a more

immersive experience.

Intel’s Skylake processors have been teamed with Nvidia’s GeForce 920M mobile graphics chipset,

which is designed to transition seamlessly between the efficient Intel Integrated Graphics and Nvidia

graphics when you’re doing something that demands superior graphics processing such as playing a

game or encoding video.

You have a choice of three Skylake processors: the dual-core Core i3 6100, with a base clock speed of

2.3GHz; the dual-core Core i5 6200, with a base clock speed of 2.3GHz and a maximum of 2.8GHz, or

the top of the range dual-core Core i7 6500, with a base clock speed of 2.5GHz and maximum of

3.1GHz.

You also have a choice of storage devices: if you like plenty of space to store your documents, music,

photos and movies, go for either the 512GB/1TB H hard disk drive, or if you prefer speed over

storage, choose an SSD (128GB/256GB/512GB).

An SSD means much better performance: the TP301 with an SSD at its heart boots into Windows in a

matter of seconds, even from a cold start, because it doesn’t have to wait for the disk to spin up. An

SSD handles data faster than an HDD, too.

There’s a choice of RAM, too: the base configuration is 4GB, but the TP301 supports up to 8GB,

which boosts performance even further.

But don’t take our word for it: the benchmarks speak for themselves.

Putting the TP301 to the test Intel’s sixth-generation Skylake processors combined with up to 8GB of RAM mean that the TP301 is

a solid all-rounder, handling a range of computing tasks more than effectively. Using the PCMark 8

benchmarking application, the TP301 equipped with the Core i7-6500 CPU, NVidia’s GEForce 920M

graphics chipset and 4GB of RAM scored 2903 in the Home Conventional 3.0 test.

You can see how that score was reached in the breakdown of results:

Using PCMark Vantage suite, which tests a range of applications, the TP301 scored an overall

PCMark Score of 9018, with screen resolution set to 1024x768. The breakdown shows how the

device performed in the full range of tests (note that the TV and Movies score relies on the MPEG2

codec, which isn’t installed by default in Windows 10, hence that test failing).

The 3DMark Vantage benchmark tests the GPU and the CPU to produce an overall score for the

device and separate scores for the processor and graphics. The TP301 produced an overall 3DMark

Vantage score of P5098, with a GPU score of 4278 and a CPU score of 11978. You can see how this

breaks down in the following screenshot:

The TP301’s overall 3dMark 11 score came in at P1573, with the breakdown as follows:

Performance verdict And so the verdict is in: the TP301 handles a wide range of computing tasks more than competently,

making good use of its carefully chosen components.

Brilliant battery life Top-of-the-range components can be power-hungry, but the VivoBook Flip has been designed to

keep going for as long as you do. ASUS engineers have included a 55Wh, 4640 mAH lithium polymer

battery that offers up to 10 hours of portability. That means that if you’re out and about during the

day, you won’t need to bring the VivoBook Flip’s charger with you – you can just open it up and get

started on your work or play.

The great battery life also makes the VivoBook Flip a fantastic travelling companion: you’ll be able to

watch a movie, listen to music or catch up on work on all but the longest of intercontinental flights.

It’s amazing how much power lurks under the hood of this smart notebook – it just goes to show

that you should never judge a notebook by its cover.

*Battery hour performance depends on different condition and spec.

CPU Intel Skylake I5-6200 Intel Skylake I7-6500

Main memory 4G on board + 2G socket

DIMM

4G on board + 4G socket

DIMM

Connection 802.11AC 802.11BGN

Game 5H 12M 2H 32M

1080P off line 10H 52M 8H 50M

1080P online 9H 13M 8H 47M

Web browsing 8H 16M 8H 26M

ASUS IceCool Technology Delivering computing power can mean a laptop runs hot. That’s not the case with the VivoBook Flip:

despite using the powerful Core I series processors, TP301 will always feel cool to the touch thanks

to IceCool Technology, which optimises the internal design of the notebook so that heat is kept away

from the palm rest. That means a temperature of between 28C and 35C is always maintained – it is

lower than your body temperature and so it always feels cool to the touch.

Get connected A quick look at the side of your TP301 reveals its extensive connectivity options: it sports a USB

Type-C ports. This is the very latest USB standard, with a reversible plug to make connecting devices

so much easier.

The Fast USB Type-C port offers transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps, which means you can transfer a 2GB

movie in under two seconds – that’s some 10 times faster than the previous USB 2.0 standard. That

fast transfer speed is perfect for the busy person who wants to get and go quickly and not wait

around for that box set to transfer from external storage.

As well as the USB Type-C ports, the VivoBook Flip also has a standard USB 3.0 port and a USB 2.0

port. The latter is perfect for plugging in peripherals such as an external keyboard or mouse. (Note:

USB 2.0 hardware plugged into a USB 3.0 port will transfer data at the lower speed of the older

standard.)

There’s also a full-sized HDMI port which means you won’t have to remember to carry a special

HDMI cable or adapter around if you want to connect your TP301 to an external display.. While

some devices use a confusing range of mini HDMI or micro HDMI ports, your TP301 uses the

straightforward cables that most people already have, lightening the load of accessories you have to

carry with you.

Getting online Your TP301 will always be able to get online thanks to the latest Wi-Fi technology coming as

standard.

When it comes to wireless connections, the TP301 boasts the latest dual-band two-stream 802.11ac

technology, offering Wi-Fi performance that’s up to three times faster than previous Wi-Fi standards,

with better coverage and battery efficiency than notebooks implementing the 802.11n standard.

The 802.11ac technology operates exclusively in the 5GHz band, which is much less crowded than

the 2.4GHz band. That means your VivoBook Flip doesn’t have to compete with myriad other devices

for crowded bandwidth: not only other laptops, tablets and cellphones, but also microwave ovens,

Bluetooth devices, cordless phones and even baby-listening monitors are on that band and often

cause interference with other devices.

802.11ac offers much faster wireless transfers, too. So your VivoBook Flip will be able to enjoy being

able to share big files with other laptops, tablets and phones without other devices on the same

frequency competing for bandwidth and slowing it down.

Connecting to other devices Do you need to exchange files with someone else? There’s no need to use clumsy workarounds such

as emailing documents back and forth. Or perhaps you want to connect a wireless peripheral to your

TP301 such as a speaker or a keyboard and mouse.

That will be easy thanks to the fact that the new family of TP301 comes with the power-efficient

Bluetooth 4.0 as standard.

The power efficiency of Bluetooth 4.0 also means the TP301 is a great companion for some of the

most up to the minute devices such as fitness and heartbeat monitors and other wearable

technology. Using Bluetooth 4.0, you can share the data collected by those devices for analysis by

specialist software.

TP301 – your constant companion There’s no denying that the TP301 is the best yet. It builds on the achievements of the TP300 with

both its software and its hardware. Windows 10 is the perfect OS to complement the hardware and

is especially suitable for the multi-mode TP301, offering as it does a seamless switch between

desktop and tablet mode.

The most up-to-date processors from Intel – the Skylake family – are teamed with the equally up-to-

date Nvidia 920M graphics card, while the TP301 offers the speed and power of SSD technology in

some configurations – a step up from the TP300, which only had spinning HDDs.

Battery life is better with the TP301 thanks to the 55W Lithium polymer battery: your notebook will

keep going as long as you do, with up to 10 hours of battery life.

And despite the added power, the TP301 is actually lighter than its predecessor, the TP300, weighing

in at just 1.5kg. The TP300 weighed 1.75kg, so you’ll appreciate the slimmed-down size – you’ll

certainly want to take it everywhere you go.

Something for everyone Everyone will love this sleek notebook. It will particularly appeal to the young professional who cares

about value for money but who doesn’t want to compromise on stunning looks and great

performance. It’s particularly great for the young professional who travels a lot, whether for work or

play, because of its versatility and excellent battery life of up to 10 hours.

Students will also love the TP301 for how lightweight and slim it is: this is a laptop you can easily

carry around between classes. It’s great for all the family, too. Teenagers will love being able to play

games on the VivoBook Flip, while the adults will appreciate it not just for its sturdy, high-quality

keyboard that’s perfect for work, but also for how it can handle editing videos and photos from

family events. And everyone in the family will enjoy being able to watch movies and TV on the

VivoBook Flip, while far-flung family members will love being able to keep in touch via video-

messaging services such as Skype.

The VivoBook Flip’s power and versatility covers all the bases with its various modes, from

traditional notebook to tablet and everything in between.

It’s like having several devices all in one – and of course, it’s better than having several devices,

because who wants to carry around all that kit?