dDual-booting Samsung ATIV Q sounds great, looks bad

Samsung has unveiled two tablets overnight: the dual-booting Windows/Android ATIV Q and the Windows 8 Samsung Tab 3. Both devices have piqued our interest, but the ATIV Q is arguably most interesting, despite some immediate concerns.

The ATIV Q

The ATIV Q is a dual-booting Windows 8/Android hybrid tablet/laptop. Users can jump between the two OSes at the press of a button. Impressively there’s little to no loading time in this transition, the speed of the switch is comparable to opening an app on your phone. There’s also an S-Pen and a built-in fold-away keyboard, but more on that later. Currently Samsung seems to be pushing the ATIV Q as more of a tablet option, but we feel this is probably wrong. While it clearly functions as both, the dimensions and weight clearly label the Q as a portable work station, rather than a media device like a tab. The Q sports a 13.3 inch 3200x1800 display. Depending on where you’re looking from (tablet or laptop), that’s either huge or quite compact. No matter what kind of customer you are the resolution is fantastic. At 275 pixels per inch (ppi) the ATIV Q even beats out the 239ppi resolution of  the Google Pixel. It’s not just the size of the screen that we think defines the ATIV Q as a laptop; but the weight. Where most tablets weigh between 500 and 750g, the ATIV Q comes in with a whopping 1.3Kg. The 13.9mm profile, too, depends on whether it’s a tablet or a laptop. Over 10mm for any tablet is pretty thick, but under 15mm for a laptop is verging on anaemically thin. By comparison, the MacBook Air is 17mm thick and 1.08Kg. It certainly doesn’t look like the MacBook Air, either. In fact, the ATIV Q isn’t an attractive device at all. What it boasts in versatility and raw power is thoroughly compromized by how ungainly it appears. At full extension it sort of looks like a display model tablet has been awkwardly glued to a keyboard, kickstand and all.

Specs

The ATIV Q comes rocking some impressive specs, no matter what kind of device you’re after. Whatever Samsung says, though, this is definitely not the spec sheet of a tablet-first, laptop-second device.

• Display : 13.3” qHD 3200×1800, 275ppi LCD Screen
• Color: Ash Black
• OS: Windows 8/Android 4.2
• Hard Drive: 128GB SSD
• CPU: Intel Core i5
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4400
• RAM: 4GB DDR3L
• Camera: 720p HD video capture
• Battery: Up to 9 hours continuous use
• Dimensions: 327.0×217.8×13.9mm
• Weight: 1.29kg
• I/O Ports : 1xUSB3.0, 1xUSB2.0, HDMI, RJ45 (dongle), HP/Mic combo, micro SD

Verdict

Ultimately the ATIV Q sounds like a killer laptop option. It will also appeal as a tablet to users who are after something with serious power and screen size, but don’t mind adding a bit of weight to their gait – especially one that can switch from Windows to Android with the press of a button.