REVIEW: Chuwi Hi10 Plus is a convertible tablet running Windows 10 and Remix OS

The dream of creating a universal device that would combine the best features of laptops and tablets has been around for a long time. Ideally, such a gadget should be compact enough to be used in any environment, and have enough processing power to handle most everyday tasks. Until recently, it was simply impossible to fulfill both conditions. And only now technologies have reached such a level that the release of such gadgets has become a reality.

The company has been working in this direction for about 10 years and has advanced further than many competitors. In any case, the transformers produced by this company are sold quite lively all over the world, including ours. This is explained by a humane pricing policy, as well as good quality and decent technical characteristics of products. Let's take a closer look at the latter.

Specifications

The Chuwi Hi10 Plus is an improved version of the company's previous tablet called the Chuwi Vi10 Plus. From the outside, it differs from its predecessor only in the presence of a metal case. The most important changes are hidden inside. The new model received twice as much RAM and internal memory - 4 and 64 GB, respectively, which, given the presence of a full version of Windows 10, can only please.

CPU	Intel Z8300
CPU frequency	1.44 GHz, Quad Core (up to 1.8)
RAM	4 GB
Built-in memory	64 GB
Display size	10.8 inches
Video processor	Intel Graphics
Front-camera	2 megapixels
Main camera	2 megapixels
Wireless interfaces	Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Bluetooth
Ports	USB 3.0 (Type-C), microUSB, microHDMI, 3.5 mm
Colour	Gray
Dimensions (edit)	27.64 × 18.48 × 0.88 cm
Battery	8 400 mAh
The weight	0.686 kg

Looking ahead, I want to note that this configuration easily copes with all the daily tasks facing the user. You will not experience any inconvenience when surfing the web, listening to music, working in office applications and watching HD videos, even if you combine all these activities.

Packaging and equipment

Chuwi Hi10 Plus comes in a neat box made of thick cardboard with the company's logo on the lid, and the name, serial number and main characteristics of the device on the sides. In the box, on a special cardboard stand, the tablet itself rests, in the side compartment there is a charger and a USB Type-C → USB 2.0 cable, which is useful for charging the gadget and connecting to a computer.

For the mandatory package described above, you can purchase additional accessories: a keyboard and a stylus. The keyboard, in my opinion, is a necessary addition to the Chuwi Hi10 Plus, because without it it loses the properties of a transformer and turns into a regular tablet, albeit with two operating systems.

The keyboard is combined with a cover. The tablet attaches to it using magnetic mounts and holds firmly enough. It is possible to fix the Chuwi Hi10 Plus in a comfortable position for working at the desk, so that it becomes almost indistinguishable from a laptop.

The cover is made of a velvet material that collects dust, so you need to clean it quite often. But it perfectly protects the gadget from abrasions, scratches and other dangers. In the closed position, you can safely put the Chuwi Hi10 Plus in a bag or backpack and not be afraid that something might happen to it. The perfect choice for always-on-a-rush business and student travelers!

Of course, not everyone will need a stylus. I will say right away that his work is unlikely to suit professional artists, designers and representatives of other creative professions. The accuracy of the lines drawn with the stylus leaves much to be desired, moreover, there is no pressure recognition. On the other hand, it is quite convenient to use it to take handwritten notes, rough sketches, take notes on screenshots, and so on. Therefore, if you have the opportunity, I recommend trying this accessory in action.

Appearance

The tablet is enclosed in a body made of a very pleasant to the touch silver-gray metal. The manufacturer has pasted a film on the front surface, which I do not recommend removing. The display is framed by rather thick black bezels, in front there is also a front camera peephole and a Home button with the Windows logo.

All connectors are concentrated on the left side edge, on top there is a metal power button and a volume rocker. Below there are fasteners and a connector for connecting a keyboard. The assembly leaves the most pleasant impression: no extraneous cracks, backlashes, rattles or creaks. The only caveat concerns poor speaker placement. When used in tablet mode, they will almost always be covered by the palms, which, of course, distorts the sound.

Screen

The tablet display has a diagonal of 10, 8 inches and a somewhat unusual aspect ratio (3: 2), which, however, is well suited for viewing widescreen films. The Chuwi Hi10 Plus uses a matrix made using inexpensive IPS technology, which, however, does not affect the picture in any way. The screen looks great, no matter what operating system you are using.

Correct color rendition, good viewing angle - there is nothing to complain about. And the margin of brightness is such that in the room you have to twist all the controls to zero. But on the street you can use the device without any problems even in bright sun.

Sound

Even when I turned on the tablet for the first time, I noticed that the sound of the Chuwi Hi10 Plus is somewhat unusual. It turned out that the device supports stereo mode and, thanks to the presence of two high-quality speakers, spaced apart on different side faces, it really works. Of course, you shouldn't expect any supernatural sound from the miniature tablet speakers, but this is perhaps the best sound I've heard from a mobile device. In headphones, especially high-quality ones, the sound becomes even better.

Performance

Appearance and high-quality assembly are, of course, very important characteristics, but not the main ones. The ability of a gadget to perform its assigned duties primarily depends on performance. Especially in this case, when Chuwi Hi10 Plus claims to be not only a tablet, but also a mini-laptop.

As I wrote above, the tablet uses an Intel Z8300 processor (in the new versions - Intel Z8350), which operates at a frequency of 1.44-1.84 GHz and contains four cores on the Cherry Trail platform. The power of this processor is significantly lower than that of even the most inexpensive copies from the Core series, but it heats up less and allows the gadget to run on battery longer. It easily handles any Android and Windows application and allows you to do the kind of work you could only do on a computer before.

The integrated HD Graphics runs at up to 500 MHz. You will not have problems with Android games even if you set the highest quality settings. As far as Windows is concerned, not everything is so smooth. Comfortably playing the most modern computer games on such hardware will not work, so you have to limit your choice to hits of past years or specially adapted tablet versions from the Windows Store.

It is very important that Chuwi Hi10 Plus has enough RAM. The available four gigabytes are quite enough for a smooth and comfortable work in the Windows 10 environment, even when running resource-demanding programs. As for Android, there is nothing to even talk about - everything just flies.

Summing up this section, I want to emphasize once again that when buying a Chuwi Hi10 Plus, you need to clearly understand that this is still not a productive desktop or a gaming laptop. Yes, it easily allows you to work in office applications, but it will hardly be able to handle giant tables and databases. Yes, you can run any graphics editor on the Chuwi Hi10 Plus, but trying to process a lot of RAW files at once will cause a fit of deep thought. Yes, you can play modern computer games on it, but not all and not always at the highest graphics settings.

Remember this, so as not to be disappointed later.

Autonomy

The Chuwi Hi10 Plus uses an 8,400mAh battery, which is quite high for tablets. However, it is not in vain that this gadget is trying to simultaneously fulfill the role of a laptop?

According to the manufacturer, this should be enough for 4-6 hours of work, provided that the tablet is used for not too heavy tasks: web surfing, listening to music, reading. Oddly enough, but after almost two weeks of using this gadget, I got the impression that this estimate is somewhat underestimated. I almost always had enough battery for 6-7 hours of quiet use (internet, music, reading). Moreover, the Windows operating system has shown itself in terms of energy savings even better than Android.

Operating system

The presence of two operating systems is another highlight of the Chuwi Hi10 Plus. You can choose which environment you work in based on your tastes or business needs. Or you can combine all the advantages of Windows and Android, easily switching between them.

As you've probably already noticed, the Chuwi Hi10 Plus has a modified version of Android called Remix OS. It is specially adapted for use on Android laptops and has a lot in common with Windows. There is exactly the same taskbar with buttons for running applications, a similar main menu, a desktop with program shortcuts, and even a notification panel is almost the same as in the top ten. Since a more detailed review of the features of this operating system will lead to the transformation of this review into a whole novel, we decided to release it as a separate article soon. In the meantime, admire this creation of human hands in the screenshots.

Remix OS applications in multi-window mode

As for Windows 10, this operating system assumes the ability to use two modes: regular and tablet. Normal mode is familiar to everyone and is no different from what you see every day on your desktop or laptop. Although standard Windows applications are not very suitable for finger control, there are no problems when working with them. The dimensions of the Chuwi Hi10 Plus screen make it easy to get into even the smallest buttons and interface elements. Moreover, in the system settings, they can be easily increased to a size convenient for you.

But the Windows 10 tablet mode was a discovery for me. I never thought that it was so convenient and well thought out. A large selection of universal applications, real multitasking, smooth seamless switching between windows, data synchronization with a computer, a huge number of settings - all this is really impressive. So impressive is that many Chuwi Hi10 Plus owners remove Android altogether and leave Windows 10 as their primary and only operating system.

Output

Every time I get another device for testing, I ask myself the question: “What is this gadget for? Who will use it?"

In the case of the Chuwi Hi10 Plus, the answer does not need to be long sought. This tablet will find a place in the student's bag, which will be able to solve any educational tasks with its help, and also play during breaks. This transformer can appeal to business people who often have to work outside the office: on business trips, on the road or even on vacation. And of course, this model will be of interest to computer geeks who do not want to be isolated within the framework of one operating system.

Below I have compiled for you a short list of the main pros and cons of the Chuwi Hi10 Plus, which you should pay attention to in order to make the final decision on this gadget.

pros	Minuses
Excellent build	Poor quality of the front and main cameras
High performance for its class	Lack of a normal USB connector (only microUSB)
Autonomy	Keyboard not included in standard delivery
Two operating systems	No support for GPS navigation and 3G / 4G
Universal form factor (with optional keyboard)	Heavy for long-term use by weight (686 g)
Large amount of RAM and built-in memory
Bright, sensitive display with correct color reproduction
USB OTG support