If you like your laptops casual, mobile and flexible but don’t want to shell out a ton of money for one, the ASUS Transformer Flip TP200 might be for you. Based on the Braswell platform (2015 entry-level) these home-targeted convertibles come with a good size battery, Windows 10 and silence! There’s a hands-on video for you below but first lets take a look at the specifications.

Asus Flip TP200

The specifications look very much like the 2014 Transformer Book T200TA but the Flip TP200 isn’t a detachable it’s a Yoga-style fold-back design. For some, that could be better because having a fold-back stand is worth gold when you need a connected screen while watching TV. Note the USB-C and USB 3.0 ports. Miracast and other Windows 10 casting features should be supported.

Asus Transformer Book Flip TP200 Specifications

• CPU: Braswell Celeron or Pentium.
• Screen: 11.6-inches 1366 x 768 IPS
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage: 32 GB or 64 GB (probably eMMC)
• WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0
• USB 3.0, USB 2.0, USB-C, Micro-HDMI, Headset jack
• Separate DC-in.
• Battery: 38 Wh
• Size: 297 x 201.3 x 18.45
• Weight: 1.2 KG
• Availability: Q3 2015
• Price: Unknown

Asus Flip TP200

Mobilegeeks highlight the ‘huge’ trackpad and a thin aluminum cover. It’s confirmed to be fanless.  As with all the new generation Windows laptops and tablets we’re talking about full 64-bit operating system compatibility.

Pricing hasn’t been given but given that the T200TA started at about $350, expect the Asus Trnasformer Book Flip TP200 to be about the same (32 GB / 2 GB) and going to $450 for the 64 GB / 4GB RAM version. Those pricing estimates are yet to be confirmed though.

Competing in this sector are the Toshiba Satellite Radius 11, the Lenovo Flex 3 11 and the Lenovo Yoga 2 11.  (Comparison link.)

Asus are showing a new netbook-style 11.6-inch laptop at Computex. The E202 has just been spotted by Mobilegeeks and not only do the specifications sound interesting but it looks great too. A 4GB version with Pentium 4-core Braswell-family processor was seen with a USB-C port. It’s fanless and weighs just 1.2 KG. This could be the perfect entry-level, back-to-school laptop.

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Intel’s new entry-level mini PCs, codenamed Pinnacle Canyon, have appeared in retail channels and will start at $140. The new NUCs, NUC5CPYH  and NUC5PPYH, will replace the Baytrail-M versions that were available in 2014 and add an SD card slot, optical audio output, optional VGA and replaceable lid modules. A consumer IR receiver is included on the front of the unit.

Intel’s Braswell-based NUCs for 2015

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The Lenovo S21e 11.6-inch Windows laptop has popped up in locations across the globe and it’s yet another low-cost notebook. It’s almost the Flex 3 11 without the flex!

Lenovo S21e

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The new range of Intel NUCs, soon to include a Braswell variant, have upgradable lid capability. Yes, you’ll be able to buy different colors but the real attraction is in the data and power headers that have been provided. Intel hope that expansion modules made by third parties will include NFC, wireless charging, enhanced data ports and LTE modules. And why not have a battery pack too? With a USB-powered Displaylink monitor the NUC then becomes a truly mobile solution.

2015 Intel NUCs have replaceable and upgradable lids.

Cosmetic Replaceable Lids are simply shot in different colors or have custom artwork/logos -, without adding features. Functional Replaceable Lids can add features such as more NFC, USB 2.0 ports, VGA, RS232C COM ports, SDXC card reader, 4G/LTE, IoT hub, etc. There is virtually no limit to what can be done with Replaceable Lids.

Headers inside each NUC provide Power (5V out, 12-19V in,) USB 2.0 (x2) and NFC and Intel have even created 3D printing files that you can work with to create your own.

Intel NUC lid headers.

More information and 3D printing files can be found here and more information on the NUC lids can be found in this Intel PDF.

The new Intel NUCs come in three flavors:

• Rock Canyon – NUC5xxRYx (consumer Core. E.g. NUC5i5RYK) [Currently $369 at Amazon – Aff. link.]
• Maple Canyon – NUC5xxMYxE (high end Core. Eg. NUC5i5MYBE)
• Pinnacle Canyon – NUC5CPYH, NUC5PPYH (consumer Braswell / Celeron -based.)

Information on the Braswell-based Pinnacle Canyon is difficult to find right now but we’ve tracked some data down and we expect it to make a popular HTPC choice, especially as it has a Toslink digital audio output (possibly on a header.) There’s also an SD card slot. Like the popular N2820/N2830 NUC there’s also a consumer IR receiver built-in. TDP of the CPU is down and the ‘scenario’ design power is 4W which means there’s a high possibility that it will be fanless. [Ed: My Baytrail-M DN2820FYK has a fan but it’s not loud]

NUC5CPYH, NUC5PPYH specificaitons. (Unconfirmed.)

• Celeron Braswell processor.  (N3000, N3050, N3150)
• TDP down to 6W from 7.5W but clock rate also down. GPU performance up.
• 4K support via HDMI
• Ports: HDMI, VGA, SDXC UHS-I, USB3 (x4), LAN
• WiFi and Bluetooth included.
• Consumer IR built-in.
• 2.5” SATA3 SSD/HDD drive bay
• TOSLINK/NFC & Aux Power Hdrs/2.5” drive
• CPU performance will be in the same ballpark as teh existing Baytrail-M models but GPU performance could see a boost. Intel Quick Sync hardware video decoding is built-in.

We’re tracking news on the new NUCs and will bring you an update as soon as we have price and availability for the NUC5CPYH and NUC5PPYH.

In other SFF PC news

Keep an eye out for new ECS Liva models with Core M and Braswell. “The ECS Liva Core, which features an Intel Core M Broadwell processor, and the ECS Liva X², which has a cheaper, lower-performance Intel Braswell chip.” [source: Liliputing.]  Note: These are likely to be based on the Intel Mini Lake design. [Source.]

Intel have updated their Compute Stick information page.

Presented in a technical session at Intel’s IDF in Shenzen today were details about up-coming low-cost tablet and 2-in-1 platforms. The session covered a Core M reference design (used to make the Cube i7 low cost Core M tablet) and talked about the advantages of Atom X5 / X7. They also presented Brawsell as a solution for clamshells and 2-in-1s. Orchid Island is the reference design.

Orchid Island

It’s build around a Celeron N3000 (Brawsell) and a target price of $299. For $299 – $349 Intel expects you to get a 1366 x 768 11.6-inch multitouch IPS screen with 64GB of eMMC storage and 4GB of RAM. A useful 37 Wh battery is included in the reference design.

There’s an HDMI port, USB 3.0 (Braswell does not support USB 3.1) and an SD card slot. The ‘lid’ weighs about 750 grams.  The operating system could be Windows, Android or even Chrome OS. Battery life is said to be up to 11.5% better than systems built on previous generation (Baytrail M) processors.

We’ve previously seen most low-cost 2-in-1s being built on Baytrail-T (now X5 / X7) but it looks like Intel think that the Braswell platform can offer enough for the low-cost market. Lighter solutions with the longest battery life are possible with Atom X5 and X7 but at the end of day it’s the OEMs decision.

Orchid Island slide from IDF15 Source: Intel

You are probably familiar with Intel’s NUC range of Mini PCs. They’ve been popular and now that Braswell is shipping you’re probably going to see a new range of them. Intel are also introducing a Mini Lake reference design that will be over 30% smaller. Beyond Mini Lake though is a proposal for a completely wire-free Mini PC. Meet the ‘no wire’ Mini PC.

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Intel’s Braswell platform, the replacement for the Baytrail-M platform that you see in many Chromebooks and low-cost Windows laptops under the Pentium and Celeron brand, is now shipping to their customers. Intel claims that it will have 2X GPU performance and that 40 designs are in the pipeline.

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