Hands-on review: Asus Transformer Pad 300
Hands-on review: Asus Transformer Pad 300
Among the melee of Transformer devices unveiled at the Asus press conference was a new quad-core tablet, aimed at the entry level.
Touted as a tablet for professionals who want 'performance and value', the Asus Transformer Pad 300 is a 10-inch device, which feels like a stripped down Transformer Prime, but doesn't sacrifice too much power.
Under the hood is a Tegra 3 processor, but the screen is slightly less bright, with Asus ditching the Super IPS display, opting a standard 1280x800 panel which doesn't have the 'wow factor' of the original Prime.
While it might sound like the runt of the Transformer litter, it's still an extremely impressive device. The Transformer Pad 300 is available in a range of colours, including a head-turning red that we fell instantly in love with, and still delivers a fantastic experience.
The quad-core processor was more than capable of making mincemeat of Ice Cream Sandwich, with applications, photos and videos extremely responsive for a tactile experience.
Corners have clearly been cut in the design of the Transformer 300, and the body weighs 635g making it slightly heavier than the Transformer Prime.
Storage has also been cut, and there's just 16GB on the Transformer Pad 300, which will limit people with big app collections.
The plastic on the back isn't as well crafted, and the whole unit just packs less quality than its bigger brothers. That said, it's more than a match for most of Android tablets out there, not just in terms of build quality, but from the Tegra 3 performance too.
Typing on the keyboard dock was also less comfortable that on the Prime, with the buttons feeling flimsier and less well crafted.
There's still no word on pricing, and that will really determine whether the Asus Transformer Pad 300 is a success. If Asus can keep it to under £300, they will have a really exciting proposition on their hands.
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