I got the i7 Vaio Duo 11 after watching your review specifically for it, and I absolutely love it. It fulfills all of the things I wanted it for, and exceeds my expectations for performance. Thanks again for a great comparison, wouldn't think about sending it back and going to the Taichi.
Most all computer displays use 60HHz refresh (there's a setting option for 40HHz to save a little power but it usually results in ghosting when watching fast motion in games or movies). What the camera is seeing and showing you is the LED backlight turning on and off rapidly and it happens to be in sync with the camera recording at 60 fps. LED displays don't dim like CRTs, they cycle the backlight elements rapidly.
Yes the Taichi and Sony pen are interchangeable. But I'd make sure that the version of the Taichi sold without the pen actually has an active digitizer. It may be they're selling a version without the required digitizer and pen.
Check the Intel power settings for the graphics card (use advanced mode in the app). There's a setting that drops the display down to 40Hz refresh (disable that) and additional power savings you might want to explore to get rid of the flicker you're seeing on gray backgrounds. It's an Intel graphics card power management issue for saving battery when unplugged, that's why there's no flicker when plugged in.
They're actually selling very well and Sony still can't make enough Duo 11 units to keep them in stock since its early Nov. launch. Not dying on the shelves.
The Sony's backlighting is refreshing at the same cycle as the camera captures (60Hhz- 60fps). Video cameras often show flickering the naked eye can't see. Modern LED backlighting adjusts brightness by cycling backlight on and off very quickly.
Lisa, Thank you for reviewing products objectively and accurately. It is a rare trait to find someone who can look at products objectively like you do in comparisons and I really appreciate that with your videos. My question concerns NFC on the Asus TaiChi. On the back of the Sony you can clearly see the NFC logo, indicating the hot spot (I presume) where the NFC sensor is located. However, I was unable to see one on the TaiChi. Online documentation states that the 21 DOES have NFC. True? Thx
You can't see the flickering with the naked eye, but the video camera sees it because it shares the same 60Hz refresh rate. Also, the flickering disappears if auto-brightness is turned off and brightness is set fairly high. It's the nature of today's LED displays, it's not a Sony defect.
I bought the Vaio Duo when it first came out from a Sony Style store. I know they're nearly impossible to find it stock nowadays :( Sony says they can't make them fast enough.
Photoshop runs just fine, I use it quite a bit. I don't use Vegas, but ULV CPUs used in Ultrabooks and convertibles is usable but not stellar as with bigger notebooks that have full mobile CPUs and/or dedicated graphics.
The Dell XPS 12 is pretty different to me since it's larger and doesn't support the digital pen. It has a much more conventional notebook form factor... other than the flipping screen of course.
I have the same feeling. And for docking keyboards, I get the feeling that they are a bit heavy to carry with you. Now you do get the extra battery life. I don't know about you, but I think that (despite all the criticism) Microsoft has found the best form factor with that nice keyboard cover and integrated kickstand.
Both are nice technological accomplishments, but in both cases the Asus with the double screen and Sony with all the moving parts and odd keyboar/optical nav, they seem more like necessary gimmicks to me. I think a winning tablet device for me should be one that spends all the engineering and money on durability, screen quality and pen input. I still think that the form factor on the EP121 slate was where most PC tablets should've gone... MAYBE a transformer docking keyboard. Great review!
Nice, I think i'm now sold on the Taichi ! My only question is about the digitizer pen, how does it compare to the pen on the VAIO? I know you mentioned in your Taichi review that the pen wasn't as responsive as normal, is it that bad? I plan to use this for photoshop and such
I have the Duo 11 for a week now.. i confirm that there is a screen flickering problem and many people on the internet forums are complaining about it too... You can notice this with grey colors (best example: native Music app).. It is very annoying and apparently there is no solution.. I have also noticed that when the vaio is plugged in, there is no flickering..
I freaking love ur reviews ur great!!!... oh nd can u plz do one on the Samsung ativ smart pc pro 700 if possible... thank you and keep up the great work
Vaio looks much better, but through out the video, the screen kept flickering whereas the Taichi wasn't. Do you notice this when using the Vaio tablet?
Lisa, great review but I had a question about the duo. I use oovoo and skype often(as im away at college) and was wondering how well the camera points on your face when on a surface perpendicular to your body. Thanks
I stuck on the Asus Tachi & the Lenovo Yoga, which would be a better buy. Price is not an issue. However, I want the solid ultrabook for a everyday driver. Could you compare the two. Please let me know soon. Thank you!
It's funny because Asus used to make displays that flickered on camera. It's the nature of LED backlighting and how the refresh is handled-- sometimes the video camera will pick it up while the human eye won't. It has more to do with the display driver than the panel's quality.
I've read on forums that the N-trig pen isn't quite compatible with adobe. I just want something that allows me to annotate/draw on a PDF for note taking in class. Also, is it possible to integrate OneNote and Acrobat Pro? Could I open a PDF in OneNote, make searchable handwritten notes on the PDF pages, insert a blank page between PDF pages???
I think the optic mouse and the slider mechanism on the sony was a deal breaker for me. Although I wish there was an option for an extended battery on the ASUS, I think it would make a fine replacement for my T101MT ASUS.
You got this all wrong. It doesn't matter what the Taichi refresh rate is, it might be slightly higher or slightly lower than the Sony. The thing is that - by sheer chance - it doesn't match the camera's FPS. If it was a different camera with a slightly different FPS, it might have been the other screen flickering. And your eyes can't "feel it" or anything, they don't have a frames-per-second rate, so they really don't care if the refresh rate is 60hz or 62hz. It's all the same to us.
what did you like about it? is it really just 1 hr of battery? seems too low - what kind of battery life were you getting really? And can you write on PDFs and annotate the PDFs? I need to write on PDFs a lot.
No touch screen on laptop mode is deal breaker for me. If both screens were touch screen I would seriously consider Asus. It is off my list. Now Sony is my only remaining candidate.
Why do these tablet stylus' require a battery when they offer the exact same function as the Surface Pro's pen (which doesn't appear to require a battery)?
for the most part, windows 8 (not RT) runs most things that run on win7. The only problems I have found are Quickbooks 2013 and Cryengine3. I would go with the sony for the adobe suite. However, I don't own either so I can only speak based of of specs and online reviews. If you are working with the adobe suite however, you should invest in a 17" laptop. I recommend the awesome Toshiba Satellite P870. However, you lose the touchscreen.
im getting the Duo!! :D getting it today!! cant w8 :) i think thats better for my work (student) i enjoy the touch screen while typing thats the only reason,,, and i prefer the brightness, since i do photography i also need an SD card slot which the Asus does not have. hope i helped :)
8GB ram DDR3 1333hz. 512GB SSD 6gb/s. i7 2Ghz 8cores. FullHD LED display. And 14 hours of battery.... There isn't anything better than that in a tablet-computer device. It's just the best. If you don't like it just travel some years to the future.
Agreed, I am getting the Acer M5 (not the timeline) for $700. Comes with i5, touchscreen, and dvd drive..plus windows 8 pro. So far all of these "tablets" are more expensive and less durable and friendly. People are just paying for the "oh..wow thats cool".
after all ..... what is the best drawing tablet for graphic designers ... surface pro .. sony duo .. asus ... lenovo .. ipad with adonit jot touch ????
Different refresh rates; the Sony's one just happens to match the camera fps. Don't worry about it, it only shows up on camera, you can't actually see it.
I had the Sony Duo 11, good thing I got a 3 year warranty, the damn thing would charge with the power plugged in but the screen would go black when the power was in, worked fine when just running off the battery. Don't think I will get another sony laptop, it just turned me right off.
im pretty sure that wow will destroy the pc, even my alienware laptop I7 etc. overheats when im playing wow its annoying thats how i ruined my alienware and my mac :) i dont suggest anyone try high graphic games unless you want a hole where your leg "was" i burnt my leg puting a laptop on it after playing wow :) great review btw im getting the duo 11 :
I'm interested to hear what kind of devices you think are good. You better not mention Apple products. They have the same old, boring designs every year.
They're both beautiful designs. However I cannot get over Apple:( just in love with their products so bad. Once you use OS, you feel awkward with window.
Glad to hear you're enjoying your Taichi!
I got the i7 Vaio Duo 11 after watching your review specifically for it, and I absolutely love it. It fulfills all of the things I wanted it for, and exceeds my expectations for performance. Thanks again for a great comparison, wouldn't think about sending it back and going to the Taichi.
Most all computer displays use 60HHz refresh (there's a setting option for 40HHz to save a little power but it usually results in ghosting when watching fast motion in games or movies). What the camera is seeing and showing you is the LED backlight turning on and off rapidly and it happens to be in sync with the camera recording at 60 fps. LED displays don't dim like CRTs, they cycle the backlight elements rapidly.
Yes the Taichi and Sony pen are interchangeable. But I'd make sure that the version of the Taichi sold without the pen actually has an active digitizer. It may be they're selling a version without the required digitizer and pen.
Check the Intel power settings for the graphics card (use advanced mode in the app). There's a setting that drops the display down to 40Hz refresh (disable that) and additional power savings you might want to explore to get rid of the flicker you're seeing on gray backgrounds. It's an Intel graphics card power management issue for saving battery when unplugged, that's why there's no flicker when plugged in.
Yes the Taichi has NFC. There was a sticker showing the hotspot but I removed it since it was large and unsightly.
They're actually selling very well and Sony still can't make enough Duo 11 units to keep them in stock since its early Nov. launch. Not dying on the shelves.
The Sony's backlighting is refreshing at the same cycle as the camera captures (60Hhz- 60fps). Video cameras often show flickering the naked eye can't see. Modern LED backlighting adjusts brightness by cycling backlight on and off very quickly.
It means the refresh rate matches a 60 frame per second video camera's recording timing. It will not hurt your eyes.
Lisa,
Thank you for reviewing products objectively and accurately. It is a rare trait to find someone who can look at products objectively like you do in comparisons and I really appreciate that with your videos.
My question concerns NFC on the Asus TaiChi. On the back of the Sony you can clearly see the NFC logo, indicating the hot spot (I presume) where the NFC sensor is located. However, I was unable to see one on the TaiChi. Online documentation states that the 21 DOES have NFC. True?
Thx
You can't see the flickering with the naked eye, but the video camera sees it because it shares the same 60Hz refresh rate. Also, the flickering disappears if auto-brightness is turned off and brightness is set fairly high. It's the nature of today's LED displays, it's not a Sony defect.
Your so lucky to be around the newest tech everyday
Most things we review are review unit loaners from the manufacturer or carrier.
I bought the Vaio Duo when it first came out from a Sony Style store. I know they're nearly impossible to find it stock nowadays :( Sony says they can't make them fast enough.
Photoshop runs just fine, I use it quite a bit. I don't use Vegas, but ULV CPUs used in Ultrabooks and convertibles is usable but not stellar as with bigger notebooks that have full mobile CPUs and/or dedicated graphics.
You make the best reviews on the web... can you tell me which one would you choose between this two options ?
Great review. Just ordered my duo.
The more expensive i7 version is usually in stock at stores like B&H, and can be found through Amazon. The i5 version is very difficult to find.
Thanks for the review. Just what I was looking for.
The Dell XPS 12 is pretty different to me since it's larger and doesn't support the digital pen. It has a much more conventional notebook form factor... other than the flipping screen of course.
They have equal power in terms of CPU and graphics, so do equally well for Adobe CS products. Yes, you can play online games with these.
Lisa, some of these only have 1 RAM slot soldered to the board, but you are still able to install memory in the other RAM slots if you want to.
I don't know if you figured this out already but the Duo 11 actually has two cameras! There is one on the back next the the vents!
Nice work, really professional. I cannot wait to see the same for the Toshiba U920.
Probably the best smackdown will be between...
Taichi vs. VAIO Duo 11 vs. ATIV 700 Pro vs. Surface Pro
Can't wait!!!
I have the same feeling. And for docking keyboards, I get the feeling that they are a bit heavy to carry with you. Now you do get the extra battery life. I don't know about you, but I think that (despite all the criticism) Microsoft has found the best form factor with that nice keyboard cover and integrated kickstand.
Hey Lisa, when do you think we will see the ASUS Taichi 31 be released to the Australian or US markets? Thanks for the video as always.
Both are nice technological accomplishments, but in both cases the Asus with the double screen and Sony with all the moving parts and odd keyboar/optical nav, they seem more like necessary gimmicks to me. I think a winning tablet device for me should be one that spends all the engineering and money on durability, screen quality and pen input. I still think that the form factor on the EP121 slate was where most PC tablets should've gone... MAYBE a transformer docking keyboard.
Great review!
Nice, I think i'm now sold on the Taichi !
My only question is about the digitizer pen, how does it compare to the pen on the VAIO?
I know you mentioned in your Taichi review that the pen wasn't as responsive as normal, is it that bad? I plan to use this for photoshop and such
8GB DDR3, i7, ultra light+sharp display, 512GB SSD, 14,1h of battery, nice keyboard and outstanding desing. Just love it xD
Hey you missed on thing on the sony...the sony has two camera's a well. Its on the bottom of the sony so you can use it when in tablet mode.
I have the Duo 11 for a week now.. i confirm that there is a screen flickering problem and many people on the internet forums are complaining about it too... You can notice this with grey colors (best example: native Music app).. It is very annoying and apparently there is no solution.. I have also noticed that when the vaio is plugged in, there is no flickering..
I freaking love ur reviews ur great!!!... oh nd can u plz do one on the Samsung ativ smart pc pro 700 if possible... thank you and keep up the great work
Vaio looks much better, but through out the video, the screen kept flickering whereas the Taichi wasn't. Do you notice this when using the Vaio tablet?
The Taichi and Duo 11 pens are interchangeable and nearly identical.
hey Lisa, great review! But can we run photoshop and Sony Vegas and those softwares, if can how is the performance?
Lisa, great review but I had a question about the duo. I use oovoo and skype often(as im away at college) and was wondering how well the camera points on your face when on a surface perpendicular to your body. Thanks
Hello Lisa, I was wondering where you purchased your Sony Vai Duo11. I cannot find any stores that have it in stock. Please reply, thank you.
The front camera is angled so it aims at you when the tablet is on a table or desk.
I stuck on the Asus Tachi & the Lenovo Yoga, which would be a better buy. Price is not an issue. However, I want the solid ultrabook for a everyday driver. Could you compare the two. Please let me know soon. Thank you!
hi, did you notice that when put them side by side, Duo 11's picture looks like a bit " flicker", there are wave rolling on the screen.
Lisa, most others say VAIO 11 duo can't upgrade the ram either though.
Lisa, can you make a video comparing dell xps12 and asus taichi 21. And I wonder which one of the two you like better. Tks
Good ! ! I like the desgin of VAIO Duo 11
It's funny because Asus used to make displays that flickered on camera. It's the nature of LED backlighting and how the refresh is handled-- sometimes the video camera will pick it up while the human eye won't. It has more to do with the display driver than the panel's quality.
yes, it does seem to flicker - is that an issue, or more of just how it reacts to this video maker's camera?
I've read on forums that the N-trig pen isn't quite compatible with adobe. I just want something that allows me to annotate/draw on a PDF for note taking in class. Also, is it possible to integrate OneNote and Acrobat Pro? Could I open a PDF in OneNote, make searchable handwritten notes on the PDF pages, insert a blank page between PDF pages???
I'm considering to get one of them, do you have any suggestions? Which one do you like better? Tks:)
I think the optic mouse and the slider mechanism on the sony was a deal breaker for me. Although I wish there was an option for an extended battery on the ASUS, I think it would make a fine replacement for my T101MT ASUS.
song labtop, the friquency is too low. when you put the screen down, it start flashing.
You got this all wrong. It doesn't matter what the Taichi refresh rate is, it might be slightly higher or slightly lower than the Sony. The thing is that - by sheer chance - it doesn't match the camera's FPS. If it was a different camera with a slightly different FPS, it might have been the other screen flickering. And your eyes can't "feel it" or anything, they don't have a frames-per-second rate, so they really don't care if the refresh rate is 60hz or 62hz. It's all the same to us.
love the asus idea of regular lap top and tablet. !!!
I just found the 6GB i5 memory edition of the sony on tiger direct yesterday for 1079. I think it's out of stock again today though(:
what did you like about it? is it really just 1 hr of battery? seems too low - what kind of battery life were you getting really? And can you write on PDFs and annotate the PDFs? I need to write on PDFs a lot.
oh and is this laptop good for a longterm plan, I am looking for a Laptop that can last about 6-8 years. Any recommendations please?
No touch screen on laptop mode is deal breaker for me. If both screens were touch screen I would seriously consider Asus. It is off my list. Now Sony is my only remaining candidate.
Do you think that you could use one, or a Lenovo yoga for 3d design
Why do these tablet stylus' require a battery when they offer the exact same function as the Surface Pro's pen (which doesn't appear to require a battery)?
Hi Lisa, can you do a review of Acer Iconia B1??
for the most part, windows 8 (not RT) runs most things that run on win7. The only problems I have found are Quickbooks 2013 and Cryengine3. I would go with the sony for the adobe suite. However, I don't own either so I can only speak based of of specs and online reviews. If you are working with the adobe suite however, you should invest in a 17" laptop. I recommend the awesome Toshiba Satellite P870. However, you lose the touchscreen.
can you write on PDFs and annotate the PDFs with these two? I need to write on PDFs a lot.
I'm thinking these are aimed at people seeking an experience between a laptop/ultra book with more portabilty
im getting the Duo!! :D getting it today!! cant w8 :) i think thats better for my work (student) i enjoy the touch screen while typing thats the only reason,,, and i prefer the brightness, since i do photography i also need an SD card slot which the Asus does not have. hope i helped :)
8GB ram DDR3 1333hz.
512GB SSD 6gb/s.
i7 2Ghz 8cores.
FullHD LED display. And 14 hours of battery.... There isn't anything better than that in a tablet-computer device. It's just the best. If you don't like it just travel some years to the future.
Please i need to buy one of them but i find them both have advantages and disadvantages can you please tell what is the best :-)
Agreed, I am getting the Acer M5 (not the timeline) for $700. Comes with i5, touchscreen, and dvd drive..plus windows 8 pro. So far all of these "tablets" are more expensive and less durable and friendly. People are just paying for the "oh..wow thats cool".
Both are very cool and beautiful pieces of hardware, but I think a touch screen regular laptop will do the job.
after all ..... what is the best drawing tablet for graphic designers ... surface pro .. sony duo .. asus ... lenovo .. ipad with adonit jot touch ????
1 more great thing will be the mirror mode of taichi..able to show stuff on your notebook without turning it..
On camera, the Sony screen flickers, dies that mean the Sony has a screen not as good as the taichi?
So the Sony or the Dell XPS 12? Can't decide!!
Vaio looks amazing!
Do you think I should get ipod 5 or android what do you think is better in YOUR oponion
its a touch screen, like many other tablets, it will flicker when recording.
Different refresh rates; the Sony's one just happens to match the camera fps. Don't worry about it, it only shows up on camera, you can't actually see it.
How to use digital pen?
Which size of battery?
Sony VAIO is same asus tab. So Asus Tai, 2 or more in one, you are one!
great video
I had the Sony Duo 11, good thing I got a 3 year warranty, the damn thing would charge with the power plugged in but the screen would go black when the power was in, worked fine when just running off the battery. Don't think I will get another sony laptop, it just turned me right off.
Is sony's laptop really bad?
+JESUSISGREATEST I won't get another one again from my last experience with it. Go with a surface pro. So much better.
why an OPTICAL nav?!!! the physical red dot on the lonovo i so much better!i like it more then the track pad!
Can the asus taichi can upgrade the ram . Would love to use for photoshop and need more ram
Verry Good Inovation for Sony Vaio Duo 11
How can you comfortably hold a 1,2kg tablet?
its really disapointing about the adobe programs not having pressure sensitivity on the sony... it would be my top choice if it did... so sad
hey i have a question plz help me find the best tablet for business but i need it very power full cuz i will have a server plz help
Why was the Sony's screen flashing?
i was shocked wit the 2 screens but the no touch killed it =/ my opinion though :)
Is it just me or does the Sony have a "lower" refresh rate compared to the Asus?
TAICHI is superior ( VAIO )?? what iss this??
If only the Tiachi had a touch screen on both sides, it would be essentially the perfect device...
does the taichi have a wirless network?
yes it has wireless network
No you have to buy a USB Ethernet adapter and connect it with a lan cable
mine you don´t
the taichi has a USB Ethernet adapter included.. also has a vga-minivga adapter included :)
Are does two Windows rt?
And dose the has back led keyboard
im pretty sure that wow will destroy the pc, even my alienware laptop I7 etc. overheats when im playing wow its annoying thats how i ruined my alienware and my mac :) i dont suggest anyone try high graphic games unless you want a hole where your leg "was" i burnt my leg puting a laptop on it after playing wow :) great review btw im getting the duo 11 :
I'm interested to hear what kind of devices you think are good. You better not mention Apple products. They have the same old, boring designs every year.
I like the M5 a lot (also the BMW M5) :)
Haswell probably won't be out until the fall.
Amazing
most of the time I'm typing on my lap. I wonder how the Sony holds up to that.
They're both beautiful designs. However I cannot get over Apple:( just in love with their products so bad. Once you use OS, you feel awkward with window.