I’ve recently bought the Chuwi Hi10 2-in-1 tablet-PC from SGShop recently, as you have read here.
I was pretty excited about this new gadget because it was only 10.1-inch in size, and could be either a tablet, or personal computer (PC), mimicking a laptop.
As for the 2-in-1 features, I thought it was dual boot, but apparently the version I bought only ran on Windows 10, and is considered as a Microsoft Suface competition with popular websites like Techradar giving it 3.5/5 stars and above, pretty high for an unknown brand. Mind you, even the Microsoft Surface gets only a 4 Stars rating by them.
THE BUILD
Except for the screen, the body of the Chuwi Hi10 is largely made out of plastic. This has it’s pros and cons.
The pros is that it makes the tablet light, hence being very comfortable to hold in one hand, or carry around.
The cons however is that it doesn’t look too premium, and it does feel cheap, though it still looks good.
On the left side, there’s one USB 2.0 port, one USB 3.0 port, a micro HDMI port, and a micro-USB port. There’s a 3.5mm audio jack as well, and a microSD slot that fits a 128GB memory card.
On the top side of the tablet, there’s the volume and power button, as well as a 2MPx front and rear camera.
The button of the Chuwi Hi10 houses two holes and connector to the detachable keyboard, while the right side has the speakers.
Frankly speaking, I am not sure if the screen glass comes with a laminated protector, so I’m not sure if its anti-scratch like most premium smartphones.
THE WINDOWS 10
Reviews suggest that the Chuwi Hi10 is a dual boot tablet/computer, but it was only after 48 hours that I realize the tablet I owned was a pure Windows 10 tablet.
This is good and bad – good as the Android version would be wasted as reviews suggested it would rarely be used and only takes up space, and bad because I didn’t couldn’t experience the tablet in Android.
Switching on the tablet takes some time, as you need to press the power button for about a minute, before you get it switched on. This makes it feel less responsive compared to other tablets which power up almost instantly upon a press of the power button for a second.
The Windows 10 OS nonetheless works like a charm, but I lag would be expected when tapping around using my fingers when the tab just started. – Using a mouse improved navigation around the OS tremendously nonetheless. On an even better note, Windows 10 supports Steam, and I was able to install and play Football Manager!
I find it however annoying that they virtual keyboard doesn’t pop up automatically when I need to type, and that the tablet goes to sleep every time it’s left unused. – A problem I attribute to not knowing how to change the keyboard setting.
SOUND, SPEAKER & CAMERA
Poor designing saw the Chuwi Hi10 place one speaker at the right side of the tablet and I would say the sound isn’t great.
Also, two speaker is way too small for enjoyment hence why I think it would be best to use earphones if you want to fully enjoy music, or watch a movie on your tablet.
When it comes to the camera, I really don’t have any comment because I consider using a tablet to take photos as weird and difficult.
Anyway, if you must know, the camera is only 2MP, both for the front and rear.
BATTERY LIFE
Most reviews say the Chuwi Hi10 would last 5-6 hours on continuous use.
Well, since I have a laptop and smartphone, I rarely use the tablet and always need to ‘wake the tablet up’ from sleep.
So far, on a single charge, the Chuwi Hi10 could last a whole day with minimal use, but on heavy use, I guess thr estimate of 5-6 hours is accurate. A normal laptop rarely hits 5 hours.
Charging would take quite a bit of time, but considering you can charge the tablet with a power bank, there’s no worry.
PERFORMANCE
The Chuwi Hi10 isn’t powerful enough for me to be honest, but it is just nice if you are looking to get your work done when on the go, especially if you are keen to use Windows to get the job done.
During my most recent trip to Siem Reap, I decided to bring the Chuwi Hi10 instead of my laptop, and it served its purpose very well as I managed to do my work while on the go, especially when doing things that really needed Windows.
CONCLUSION
For the price, I can’t complain about the Chuwi Hi10 as it is better than I personally expect. Compared to many other tablets out there, the Chuwi Hi10 is also very light, and this was something my back loved as I was carrying it around in my back pack on my travel in Siem Reap. Sure, there’s a few things that needs to be improved, but when price is concerned, Chuwi is a worthy buy especially since considering other brands would ask you to pay premium for a similar product.
