Chuwi Hi10 Dual OS Tablet PC with Full HD Display Review

The Chuwi Hi10 is another dual OS tablet PC from the stables of Chinese manufacturer Chuwi. Chinese OEMs continue to release more devices yearly and at really competitive prices. The Chuwi Hi10 is a classic example of one such low priced but decent specs and finely designed devices.

The Chuwi Hi10 is a sort of direct competitor to the more expensive Microsoft Surface 3. Although the tablet is targeted for emerging markets, it comes with exciting features that can contend with the “big boys.”

Stay tuned and keep reading to see what makes this device from an oddly named OEM a competitor of the Surface 3.

Design

Chuwi used plastic all through for the Hi10, except for the screen which is made of glass. The form factor is rectangular with a varying thickness that maxes at 9.9mm. Though 9.9mm can come off as thick to some users, it is quite justifiable in the Chuwi Hi10. This is because there are two full sized USB ports included in the tab – where one is a USB 3.0 and the other USB 2.0. Also, the size of the battery adds to the thickness of the device. The tablet also comes with a micro-HDMI port and a micro-USB port. There’s a 2MP camera at the front with a status LED to indicate charging and power. At the back, you find another 2MP snapper and the Chuwi and Intel logos.

Memory and Storage

Unlike other tablets in the same price range that come with an average of 2GB RAM, Chuwi Hi10 uses a 4GB RAM. This RAM size is pretty sufficient for running virtually all Windows apps and any Android app.

Internal storage is 64GB eMMC. If this isn’t large enough for you, you have the option of expanding via a microSD card of up to 128GB.

Operating System

Unlike most other current Chinese tablets that dual OS, the Chuwi Hi10 uses only one, Windows 10. So as a user you don’t have the option of switching between OSes.

Processor and GPU

Chuwi used the now standard Intel Atom X5-Z8300 Cherry Trail CPU which has 4 cores and is 64-bit. The CPU is clocked at 1.44GHz but can reach a max of 1.84GHz.

For the GPU, the Intel HD 8^th gen graphics processor is used. This offers excellent rendering for graphics. The speed of the graphics processor can reach 500MHz which is quite decent for running most graphics intensive software.

Display

The screen on the Hi10 is a 10.1 inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. There is no anti-smudge protection on the screen, and as such, it is prone to smudges. The screen brightness is good enough and the colour reproduction OK.

Aspect ratio on the device is 16:10 and pixel density 226PPI. Since the screen is full HD, images and graphics appear to be crisp and clear on the device.

Camera

The front and rear cameras are the same with 2MP snappers. The images captured from the cameras are certainly not going to be of high quality, so if you are getting the device because of cameras, you might be disappointed. However, for basic needs like video chatting, the front camera should be enough.

Battery

Battery capacity for the Chuwi Hi10 is 6600mAh. This is just enough for a day on light usage. According to the spec sheet from Chuwi, it states that the tablet can last for up to 6 hours of video playback after a single complete charge. To put it simple, battery life is average for the Chuwi Hi10.

Specs At A Glance

Summary

The Chuwi Hi10 offers a great value for money, giving the price of the device. But a dual OS (like most new devices in the same price category) should have been better. The thickness of the device and battery performance can also be turn-offs for some peeps. Regardless, the device still comes with some pretty nice features like a 4GB RAM that should suffice most of your application needs, an expandable storage, and full sized USB ports. You also get a full HD display at an affordable price with the Hi10. In short, if you are looking a cheaper version of the Microsoft Surface 3, you can consider getting this device.