This is where I think the VivoTab RT really distinguishes itself. If you were to ask me for one reason to buy the ASUS over Surface, this is it. The tablet is quoted as having similar battery life to Surface actually, even though it has a smaller 25Wh battery (Surface RT has a capacity of 31.5Wh, but both manufacturers claim 9 hours of battery runtime.) The higher power efficiency claim is likely due to the smaller display. I saw just under 8.5 hours in our web-browsing test, and a hair over 10 hours in our HD video playback test. These were a bit lower than what we’ve seen from the 2012 iPad, Transformer Prime, and other recently tested devices, but dead on with the Transformer Infinity and not too far off the pace set by the others.

Web Browsing Battery Life

Video Playback - H.264 720p High Profile (4Mbps)

And anyways, when you toss in the integrated 22Wh battery in the docking station, you’re looking at nearly 14 hours of battery runtime in light-load workflows. It’s awesome. Truly all-day computing, something that Surface and the iPad come close to but can’t really match. 

Tegra 3 and Windows RT: Performance ASUS VivoTab RT - The Cameras
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  • N4g4rok - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    This review definitely made my view of Windows 8/RT tablets a little more optimistic. I'm still set on the Surface Pro or some other x86 capable Win8 Tablet, providing the price is right.

    Good to know RT is starting out so well. Let's hope the developers jump on it quickly.
  • andykins - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    I'm really optimistic and excited about Win8/RT :D
  • tipoo - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    Interesting that it goes from a wide lead in Sunspider to such a loss in the other tests, if I'm not mistaken the x86 IE10 does not have that kind of variance. So I wonder if it has to do with Tegra 3s memory bandwidth becoming an issue, or something else. However if it can beat the Nexus 7 by such a margin with a similar Tegra 3 that says good things about ARM IE10.
  • lowlymarine - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    Actually, that's right in line with x86 IE10. On my Core i3-based ASUS laptop, IE10 crushes every other browser at Sunspider but is only about half as fast as Chrome at Kraken and V8/Octane.

    Given these results and the results from the iPhone 5 review, it's clear that IE and Safari are locked in a "who can cheat more at Sunspider" contest.
  • VivekGowri - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    Yeah, basically this. It's not much of a credible benchmark anymore, too many people are starting to optimize very heavily for it in software.
  • The1nchicago - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    This is the ONLY blog site I visit where I truly believe Anand opinion is not biased. I got blessed out by people for saying the Ipad Retina was not the greatest business tool. Glad someone shares my view in a sense.
  • JKflipflop98 - Wednesday, October 24, 2012 - link

    I think you mean that his bias matches your own.
  • augiem - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    "Side note: in Windows 8, particularly for normal notebook and desktop users, this is an entirely overblown issue - ... but people who claim that Windows 8 will ruin their desktops just sound ignorant to me. But I digress."

    This does not belong in a review of this tablet. And calling people ignorant who don't agree with you on how their workflow is affected by the changes to the UI is totally inappropriate.
  • Boogaloo - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    If you've actually used win8 you'd agree with what he's saying. It's literally exactly the same as windows 7, except with a fancy startbar. The only way someone would profess something different is based on ignorance (which isn't stupidity, it's lack of knowledge).
  • Pirks - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 - link

    only slowpokes and lame/dumb oldfags keep saying Metro "ruins" something

    they will slowly get it that they are wrong and the noise will disappear

    don't pay attention to them. I use Win8 RTM for more than a month already and I know what I'm talking about.

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