The Taiwanese company ASUS continues to develop its line of budget MEMO Pad tablets. Last year, the company released the first two devices in this series - the ten-inch Smart 10” (ME301T) and the very simple seven-inch ME172V with a TN matrix and a single-core processor. The first gadget was quite successful, but the younger one didn’t turn out very well. We didn't even write about it.
It's time to get better. This year at the Computex exhibition, the company updated both the older model, which received a high-resolution screen and an Intel Atom processor, and the younger one, which is the subject of today’s material. The MEMO Pad HD 7 has more than enough differences compared to its predecessor - now it is truly a full-fledged tablet that costs very little, but at the same time proudly bears the ASUS logo on the back panel.
⇡ Appearance
The exterior of the tablet gives away its low cost: the gadget is quite well-fed - its thickness, taking into account the protruding rim of the rear camera, is a little more than a centimeter - and the design of the case as a whole is devoid of any frills. A typical seven-inch Android tablet.
ASUS MEMO Pad HD 7 - front panel
There are no navigation keys on the front of the tablet. The “Back”, “Menu” and “Home” buttons standard for the operating system are software, they are located directly on the screen. At the top of the panel is the front camera lens.
ASUS MEMO Pad HD 7 full face
The layout of the tablet's controls is quite familiar. The power and volume control buttons are located on the top end of the device, the micro-USB interface and the 3.5 mm audio jack are placed on the left side. The headphone jack is not in the best location - during operation, this is the place where you want to grab your hand. The memory card slot is located at the bottom end.
ASUS MEMO Pad HD 7 - sides
The back panel of the tablet is made of plastic, and it is far from the most durable. The “back” of the MEMO Pad HD 7 is easily scratched and gets dirty quite quickly. The panel is glossy, non-textured, however, despite this, the tablet does not try to slip out of your hands. On the back of the device there is a main five-megapixel camera lens and an external speaker slot.
ASUS MEMO Pad HD 7 is assembled quite well. During testing, we did not find any critical gaps. The plastic creaks a little when you squeeze the body, but we’ve already gotten used to it. On sale, this tablet can theoretically be found in different colors: white, pink, light green, dark blue and dark gray.
ASUS MEMO Pad HD 7 - various colors
The front side will be black in any case, and only the back panel will be different in color. Interestingly, the first three of these versions have glossy backs, but the last two have matte ones. So this tablet is also suitable for those who value practical design - they just need to pay attention to the dark colors.
⇡ Technical specifications
| ASUS MEMO Pad HD 7 (ME173X) | |
|---|---|
| Display | 7 inches, 1280x800 (215 ppi), IPS |
| Touch screen | Capacitive, up to ten points, without the ability to work with gloves |
| Air gap | Eat |
| Oleophobic coating | Absent |
| Polarizing filter | Absent |
| CPU | MediaTek MT8125: four ARM Cortex-A7 (ARMv7) cores, 1.2 GHz Process technology 28 nm |
| Graphics controller | PowerVR SGX544, 300 MHz |
| RAM | 1024 MB |
| Flash memory | 16 GB + MicroSD |
| Ports | 1 x Micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 x MicroSD 1 x 3.5mm audio jack |
| cellular | No built-in modem |
| IR port | Absent |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 |
| WiFi | 802.11b/g/n |
| GPS | Eat |
| NFC | Absent |
| Sensors | Accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) |
| Main camera | 5 MP (2560x1920), with autofocus, no flash |
| Front-camera | 1.2 MP (1280x960), no autofocus |
| Nutrition | Non-removable battery, capacity 15 Wh (4050 mAh, 3.7 V) |
| Size | 197x121x10.8 mm |
| Weight | 305 g |
| operating system | Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean Standard shell with minimal changes |
| Official manufacturer's warranty | 12 months |
| Average retail price | |
If a year ago all tablet manufacturers, including ASUS, vied with each other to present their High-End class devices, today most of them pay more attention to budget devices of various form factors.
One such device is a ten-inch tablet. ASUS Memo Pad Smart 10, a review of which I want to introduce you to today.
When it comes to ten-inch tablets, few would argue with the fact that ASUS is the leading manufacturer of devices with a similar form factor - just remember the ASUS Transformer family. In addition, it is this company that produces the Google Nexus 7, which became a bestseller on the Android tablet market in the second half of last year, 2012.
Before proceeding with a detailed review of the tablet, let's briefly look at its main advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages: The Memo Pad Smart 10 has excellent build quality, allowing it to look on par with its more expensive siblings. It's powered by a fairly powerful quad-core processor and comes with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which is pretty good for a tablet that's only $100 more expensive than the cheapest, 16GB version of the seven-inch Nexus 7 tablet. The tablet is light in weight and quite comfortable to hold in your hands.
Flaws: Tablet screen resolution. The only way the manufacturer decided to save money is the tablet screen, which has a resolution of only 1280 x 800 pixels. In addition, the tablet's power button could be placed in a different, more convenient place.
Now let's take a closer look at the tablet.
Equipment ASUS Memo Pad Smart
As mentioned, at a price of just $100 more than the cheapest version of the seven-inch Nexus 7, ASUS managed to equip its ten-inch Memo Pad Smart 10 (ME301T) quite well. It is based on a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor operating at 1.2 GHz and is equipped with 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, which, unlike its “cousin” Nexus 7, can be expanded using a MicroSD memory card slot with support for SDXC memory cards.
Despite the low resolution for these days, the tablet’s screen in other respects is not inferior to the screens of more expensive ASUS tablets. Memo Pad Smart-10 has a Super-IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels with wide viewing angles and a brightness of 400 nits.
The tablet has a fairly good set of ports: Micro USB (for charging and connecting to various devices), Micro HDMI 1.4 video output, the aforementioned MicroSD slot and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Also, Memo Pad Smart 10 is equipped with stereo speakers and two cameras.
Full technical specifications of ASUS Memo Pad Smart 10:
10.1-inch capacitive screen with IPS matrix with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels
Quad-core 1.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 T30L chip
GeForce ULP video processor
1 GB RAM
16 GB internal memory
Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean
5 megapixel camera on the back
1.2 MP front camera
Wi-Fi 802.11 A/B/G/N, Bluetooth
MicroSD card slot
Micro-USB 2.0, Micro-HDMI ports
GPS receiver
Accelerometer, gyroscope
Battery 5070 mAh
Weight 556 grams
Thickness 9.9 mm
Build quality
If you look at the front side of the Memo Pad Smart 10, you will not notice any differences from other 10-inch ASUS tablets. It looks like a large black rectangle with slightly rounded edges. However, if you look at the back of the tablet, you'll notice some pretty big differences. Instead of a rear panel made of aluminum alloy with a texture in the form of concentric circles, like on expensive ASUS tablets, you will see a panel made of rather hard plastic.
The coating on the back cover cannot be called too soft, however, holding the tablet even in one hand is quite comfortable and you don’t have to worry about it slipping out of it.
On the left side of the tablet, at the top, you will find a volume key and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. On the right side you will find Micro HDMI and USB ports, as well as a microphone hole.
The power button is located on the upper left side of the device, and this is not the most convenient place for it - it would be more convenient if it were placed on one of the side ends.
On the back panel, in the center of the upper part, there is a camera, and closer to the left and right sides of the tablet there are stereo speaker grilles.
Again, the speakers aren't in the best place - while watching movies and especially gaming, you'll tend to be covering the speakers with your hands.
Overall, the Memo Pad Smart-10 doesn't feel like a cheap tablet. Its design cannot be called bright, but the device looks quite decent.
Screen.
ASUS tablets have always been distinguished by fairly high-quality screens, and the Memo Pad Smart-10 is no exception in this regard. Here we will find the same Super IPS screen with excellent viewing angles (according to the manufacturer they are 170 degrees), color reproduction, contrast and brightness. The maximum screen brightness is 400 nits.
The only thing in which the screen of this tablet is inferior to the screens of more expensive Asus tablets is the resolution, which is “only” 1280 x 800 pixels. Of course, it's nowhere near the 1920 x 1200 pixels we see on other 10-inch tablets, and the difference will definitely be noticeable in some cases.
You may not notice the low screen resolution in games and when watching videos, but when it comes to displaying text, especially small text, the difference in resolution immediately comes to light.
Wireless capabilities and battery
In addition to a set of all the necessary sensors, Memo Pad Smart-10 also has a good set of wireless adapters, which include Bluetooth adapters, Wi-Fi and a GPS receiver. We did not notice any problems with the operation of all these modules.
The manufacturer claims that the tablet's battery is capable of providing battery life for at least 8.5 hours, and this is quite true. With sufficiently intensive use, your tablet can easily last without recharging for a day or more.
Let me remind you that the lithium-polymer battery of the Asus Memo Pad Smart 10 has a capacity of 5070 mAh or 19 Wh.
Software.
In this regard, ASUS is not original - like other tablets from this manufacturer, the Memo Pad Smart-10 has an almost “bare” Google Android operating system with a few minor changes to the interface.
The tablet runs the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, which means that you get all its advantages and disadvantages in the form of the “old” tablet interface for 10-inch tablets with a navigation bar located at the bottom left of the screen and a notification panel in it lower right part.
The new interface will be available when the tablet receives a system update to Android 4.2, but at the time of writing there is no information about the timing of its release.
Also, in addition to the standard set of Google applications, on the tablet you will also find several proprietary applications, such as a file manager, a backup program and an application for working with Asus’ proprietary cloud service for data storage.
In addition, the tablet has several proprietary Asus widgets, including a nice clock and weather widget that you see on the tablet's desktop immediately after turning it on.
Performance and usability
The quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and 1 GB of RAM are more than enough for the tablet with a screen resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels to work without problems with all modern applications, watch videos in HD quality and run heavy 3D games at maximum resolution.
The interface runs smoothly without any lag and all applications installed on the tablet launch and work as they should.
As for performance tests, here are the Geekbench and GLBenchmark test results:
Camera
Unlike many tablets of this level, Asus Memo Pad Smart 10 has two cameras.
It has a 5-megapixel autofocus camera on the back that takes pretty decent pictures especially in good lighting.
And while I think taking photos and videos with a tablet isn't the best thing to do, it's still nice to know that you can get photos with a quality that few people expect from an inexpensive tablet on your Memo Pad Smart 10.
You can shoot 1080p video with this same camera, and unlike many tablets and phones, this device comes with 1080P video shooting by default. Videos look quite decent, frame drops are not noticeable, and white balance and exposure quickly change automatically when the situation changes.
The camera on the front panel of the tablet is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel matrix, which is quite enough for working with Skype and other similar video conferencing applications.
Conclusions.
The ASUS MeMo Pad Smart 10 tablet is a fairly high-quality device, very well equipped at a price that is about $100 lower than the price of similar tablets from other leading manufacturers.
By choosing this tablet, you will get a not perfect, but very high-quality screen, excellent build quality for which all Asus tablets are famous, a powerful quad-core processor and good equipment.
In addition, the Taiwanese manufacturer is known for fairly prompt support for its devices in terms of releasing operating system updates, which is very important for those who do not plan to change their tablet to a newer one every six months.
Related materials:
The new 7-inch tablet is very similar to the ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7 released last year. Despite the similarities, it has become more compact, received powerful hardware and updated software. In general, I immediately want to take this device with me on a walk.
The new 7-inch tablet is very similar to the ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7 released last year. Despite the similarities, it has become more compact, received powerful hardware and updated software. In general, you immediately want to take this device with you on a walk.
Equipment
The stylish box contains a neatly packaged tablet, a quick start guide, a microUSB cable and a power adapter.
It is noteworthy that the packaging is made from a single piece of cardboard.
Design and ergonomics
The tablet is very similar to last year's version. The main changes affected materials and sizes. If the ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7, with a thickness of just over one cm, weighed 302 g, then the hero of this review, with a thickness of 9.6 mm, already weighs 295 g.
The front panel has received a protective coating, and the display is surrounded by a familiar frame.
The front camera lens is installed on the upper part of the edging, and the chrome-plated manufacturer logo is visible on the opposite panel.
The front side, in turn, also received a border - the light gray frame looks great and harmonizes with other materials used in the design of the case.
The back panel is made of matte polycarbonate - it smoothly blends into the side edges.
If you look at the display, on the right side there is a combined volume key and a power button, also known as a lock button.
At the top of the opposite edge there is a slot for microSD memory cards.
At the top there is a microUSB connector and a 3.5 mm audio slot. There is also a hole for the built-in microphone.
On the rear panel there is a slightly protruding lens of the main camera, and at the very bottom there is a speaker hidden under an elongated decorative grille.
The sound quality is at a good level; the available volume will be sufficient for listening to music and watching videos in quiet places.
ASUS MeMO Pad 7 is well-assembled, the parts fit closely, even under heavy load, it’s unlikely to make the tablet creak. The protective coating is quite durable; scratches and abrasions may appear only after “getting acquainted” with sand or sandpaper. In addition, the coating also received an oleophobic layer - fingerprints and greasy marks are wiped off in no time.
Display
The 7-inch screen is based on IPS technology with a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels and a pixel density of 216 ppi. It recognizes up to ten simultaneous touches.
The screen is good, color reproduction is natural, so watching movies, reading and doing other things is very comfortable.
Interface and software
The OS used here is Android version 4.4.2 with a proprietary graphical shell. Compared to what was in the latest ASUS devices, it has visually changed, but the very principle of the interface structure has remained unchanged.
Along with standard services and applications, proprietary programs are also preinstalled on the tablet. I would also like to mention the “mirror” reminder service, which works using the front camera, as well as a universal notepad in which you can draw and leave notes.
Performance
ASUS MeMO Pad 7 received a quad-core Intel Atom Z3745 chip. The core clock speed is 1.33 GHz, and the maximum frequency reaches 1.86 GHz. The integrated Intel HD Graphics accelerator is responsible for graphics processing. The RAM capacity is 1 GB, and the internal storage capacity is 8 GB or 16 GB, depending on the version. Our test sample received a 16 GB drive, of which just over 10 GB is available. This volume can be expanded using microSD memory cards. The new chip delivers stunning levels of performance. In synthetic tests, MeMO Pad 7 entered the top five, but in everyday use it is almost impossible to fully load it.
Camera
The tablet received two cameras - a front 2-megapixel one for video calls and a main 5-megapixel one. The pictures are of quite high quality, so there’s nothing to complain about. As for video shooting, it takes place in Full HD format (1920 x 1080 pixels).
Communications
The standard set of Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 modules is supplemented by a GPS module with support for A-GPS and GLONASS. All wireless interfaces work flawlessly. A microUSB connector is provided for synchronization with a computer and recharging.
Working hours
A lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 15 Wh (about 3900 mAh) will provide the user with up to ten hours of battery life when playing video in high definition. If you use the tablet in a more moderate mode, you can count on several days of operation without recharging.
Impression
ASUS MeMO Pad 7 is an excellent continuation of the line of portable tablets from the world famous manufacturer.
It is compact and has a pleasant appearance. In addition, it received quite powerful hardware and a capacious battery, so it can easily compete with most similar devices.
PECULIARITIES
Nice design.
7" IPS display.
Android 4.4.2.
Intel quad-core chip.
Two cameras .
Capacious battery.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model ASUS MeMO Pad 7 (ME176CX)
Dimensions 18.93 x 11.37 x 0.96 cm
Weight 295 g
CPU Intel Atom Z3745, 1.33 GHz - 1.86 GHz (quad core)
GPU Intel HD Graphics
Display 7", IPS, touch, 10 touches
Permission 800 x 1280 pixels
RAM 1 GB
Memory 8/16 GB
Nutrition Li-Pol 15 hWh (3900 mAh)
Camera 5 MP + 2 MP
Despite the fact that ASUS already has a very popular budget model in its product portfolio, this manufacturer decided to offer the market an even simpler and, accordingly, cheaper 7-inch tablet. So, meet ASUS MeMO Pad (ME172V)– Android tablet with TN screen and single-core VIA WM8950 processor.
Equipment, accessories
Tablet ASUS MeMO Pad (ME172V) comes in a compact black cardboard box, from the design of which you can learn about the color of its back panel and the amount of built-in memory. Unlike the Nexus 7, which is offered in a single color option, the MeMO Pad comes in three different versions - grey, white and pink, and the storage capacity can be 8 or 16 GB. The device is housed in a plastic tray with two deep compartments for a wall charger and a USB/micro-USB data cable.
For those who like additional protection, ASUS offers branded plastic cases Spectrum Cover. The accessory is available in four different colors (three like the tablet plus an additional blue), which allows you to quickly and easily change the image of the device. The case only covers the sides and back of the tablet, so it is suggested to use a film to protect the screen.
Design
Front panel of the tablet ASUS MeMO Pad covered with a material unnamed by the manufacturer, while the Nexus 7 used the popular protective glass Corning Fit Glass. At the bottom of the frame there is a manufacturer’s logo, at the top there is a lens of a single 1 MP camera. There is no light sensor next to the camera, so you will have to adjust the brightness exclusively manually.
The upper part of the sides of the tablet is surrounded by a glossy black insert, and the lower part consists of rounded parts of the base of the case. Note that the glossy insert smoothly increases its width as it moves to the short edges of the case. The back panel is made of plastic textured with a diagonal pattern. The material is quite pleasant to the touch, but it turned out to be noticeably more slippery than the “perforated” soft-touch plastic of the Nexus 7. In the middle of the back ASUS MeMO Pad The manufacturer's logo is placed, in the lower left corner there is a slot above the only multimedia speaker.
The power button and volume rocker are located at the top of the left side; on the top edge you can find an audio output and a single microphone; There is a forced reset hole on the right side. Finally, on the bottom edge there is a Micro-USB port and a MicroSD card slot. As you can see, the layout of buttons and ports ASUS MeMO Pad does not replicate its older brother Nexus 7, moreover, the device with a lower cost has received the highly sought-after ability to expand the built-in data storage using memory cards.
Concluding the description of the appearance, we note that both tablets are almost identical in size and weight, the difference is units and fractions of millimeters and a couple of tens of grams. White and pink versions ASUS MeMO Pad look very fresh, but lovers of more conservative solutions may well choose a gray option, very similar to the dark brown Nexus 7.
Screen
One of the most “bottleneck” places ASUS MeMO Pad- his screen. From a normal angle, it appears to be a completely ordinary 7-inch display, similar to the screen of the Nexus 7. However, as soon as you change the viewing angle, it becomes clear that this is a TN matrix, and not a higher-quality IPS.
In a vertical position, the image fades when the tablet is tilted away from you and darkens, followed by inversion when tilted towards you. Upon closer inspection, graininess also becomes noticeable, due to the resolution of 1024 by 600 pixels, rather than 1280 by 800, like more expensive models. The backlight brightness is adjustable from 70 to 290 cd/m2, there is no automatic adjustment. The capacitive sensor handles up to 10 simultaneous touches.
Functionality
Unlike the Nexus 7, which is built on the quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoC, the model ASUS MeMO Pad is based on the not very common budget platform VIA WM8950, which includes one ARM Cortex-A9 computing core with an operating frequency (1 GHz) and Mali-400 graphics. The RAM capacity is 1 GB, the storage capacity is 8 or 16 GB, plus a potential microSD card capacity of up to 32 GB. The model is equipped with a Wi-Fi module, but it does not have Bluetooth or even optional 3G.
The tablet runs Android OS 4.1 Jelly Bean with a modified proprietary shell. The interface is available in both vertical and horizontal positions and features an additional panel with application shortcuts and a hidden “rotating” panel with proprietary ASUS widgets that can work in multitasking mode.
Test results ASUS MeMO Pad synthetic benchmarks show the expected lag of the single-core VIA WM8950 solution from the quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3. During real use, some sluggishness is felt even when navigating the interface, applications take longer to launch and heavy games run less smoothly. But from the point of view of video playback, everything is quite good - the hardware decoder copes with MKV videos in quality up to 1080p. With a 16 Wh battery, the tablet can last up to 7 hours in video playback mode and 4 hours 30 minutes at maximum load.
Video review of ASUS MeMO Pad (ME172V) tablet
Results
Eventually, ASUS MeMO Pad (ME172V)– a budget tablet with a 7-inch TN screen, built on a single-core platform from VIA. Compared to its older brother, the Nexus 7, this tablet is slower and has a lesser-quality screen, but it is cheaper ($149 versus $199 in the US) and boasts a MicroSD card slot.
Liked
+ slot for MicroSD memory cards
+ relatively low cost
+ proprietary software shell with Floating Apps widgets
+ cute design
Did not like
— TN screen with minimal viewing angles and low resolution
- weak single-core platform VIA WM8950
The product was provided for testing by ASUS, www.asus.ua
 |
ASUS MeMO Pad 8GB Gray (ME172V-1B078A) Notify when on sale |
| Type | Tablet |
| Screen diagonal, inches | 7 |
| Matrix | TN+Film |
| Screen covering type | glossy |
| Screen resolution | 1024x600 |
| Touchpad type | capacitive |
| Multi touch | + |
| Processor type | VIA WM8950 |
| Frequency, GHz | 1 |
| Number of Cores | 1 |
| Graphic arts | Mali-400 MP |
| Pre-installed OS | Android 4.1 |
| Amount of RAM, MB | 1024 |
| Built-in memory capacity, GB | 8 |
| External ports | micro-USB, 3.5 mm audio |
| Card reader | microSD |
| Front-camera | 1.3 MP |
| Rear camera | — |
| Orientation sensor | + |
| Ethernet | — |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | — |
| GSM/3G/4G(LTE) module | — |
| Voice communication in GSM/3G networks | — |
| WiMAX | — |
| GPS | — |
| Battery capacity | 4270 mAh (16 Wh) |
| Battery life | 7 o'clock |
| Weight, g | 358 |
| Dimensions, mm | 196.2x119.2x11.2 |
| 5 GB of disk space in the ASUS WebStorage cloud service |
ASUS is, without any doubt, one of the trendsetters in the tablet market. At the same time, devices from this manufacturer not only delight with advanced technical characteristics, but also traditionally deserve praise for their design. Initially, ASUS relied on the top segment, releasing one flagship after another. However, last year the strategy was changed.
First (in the spring) a line of cheaper transforming tablets (budget versions of the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime model) appeared on sale; in the summer, ASUS under the Google brand released the Nexus 7 tablet, which cost $199 abroad. And this year, the company announced two budget tablets under its own brand: a seven-inch and a ten-inch (also known as Memo Pad 10). The first costs $149 in American retail, the second costs $299.
The seven-inch Memo Pad was the first to fall into our hands. In Russia it will go on sale at the end of February and will cost 7,000 rubles. We will try to understand in this article how well this device corresponds to the money requested, and how it compares with the Nexus 7 and budget tablets from other manufacturers.
First, let's look at the technical specifications of the device and compare it with its competitors.
Specifications
ASUS Memo Pad has many competitors: these are budget 7-inch tablets from smaller manufacturers, and such sensational models as Apple iPad mini, Amazon Kindle Fire HD, Barnes & Noble Nook HD and Google Nexus 7. True, the iPad mini is still costs significantly more, and Amazon and B&N tablets are not officially supplied to Russia. Therefore, we decided to compare the ASUS Memo Pad first of all with the Google Nexus 7 (whose manufacturer, by the way, is the same ASUS).
Among the tablets from lesser-known manufacturers, we chose the Prology Evolution Tab-750, which we recently tested. Other vendors have similar models, but we chose this option because we were able to get to know it personally.
| ASUS Memo Pad | Prology Evolution Tab-750 | Google Nexus 7 | |
| Screen | TN, 7″, 1024×600, 170 ppi | IPS, 7″, 1024×600, 170 ppi | IPS, 7″, 1280×800, 216 ppi |
| SoC (processor) | VIA WM8950 @1 GHz (1 core, ARM Cortex-A9) | Allwinner (Boxchip) A10 @1.2 GHz (1 core, ARM Cortex-A8) | NVIDIA Tegra 3 @1.2 GHz (4 cores + 1 auxiliary, ARM Cortex-A9) |
| GPU | Mali-400MP | Mali-400MP | ULP GeForce (416 MHz) |
| Flash memory | 8 GB | 8 GB | from 8 to 32 GB |
| Connectors | Mini-USB (with OTG support), Mini-HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack | Micro-USB, 3.5 mm headphone jack | |
| Memory card support | microSD (up to 32 GB) | microSD (up to 32 GB) | No |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Cameras | front (1 MP) | front (0.3 MP), rear (2 MP) | front (1.2 MP) |
| Internet | WiFi | WiFi | Wi-Fi (optional - 3G) |
| operating system | Google Android 4.0 | Google Android 4.0 | Google Android 4.1 |
| Dimensions (mm)* | 196×119×11.2 | 198×122×13 | 199×120×10.5 |
| Weight (g) | 370 | 298 | 340 |
| Price** | 7000 rub. | N/A(0) | 9990 rub. |
* - according to the manufacturer
** - for ASUS Memo Pad and Google Nexus 7 tablets the recommended price is indicated.
Well, our today’s hero definitely loses in comparison with the Nexus 7. The only parameter in which the ASUS Memo Pad is better than the Nexus 7 is the presence of a slot for microSD memory cards. However, the cost of Memo Pad is 3,000 rubles lower. But the Nexus 7 has twice as much flash memory (9,990 rubles are asked for a model with 16 GB of memory), and the screen and SoC are certainly better in terms of characteristics.
With Prology, the difference in characteristics is not so great: in terms of SoC, memory capacity and OS version, these tablets are approximately on the same level. However, Prology has an IPS screen, while ASUS has a TN display, has a rear camera (albeit a very mediocre one) and an HDMI output. And the price is lower. Here is a complete list of device specifications.
- SoC VIA WM8950 @1 GHz (1 core, ARM Cortex-A9)
- GPU Mali-400MP
- RAM 1 GB
- Flash memory 8 or 16 GB
- 5 GB in ASUS WebStorage (lifetime, free)
- microSD memory cards (up to 32 GB)
- Operating system Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
- Touch display TN, 7″, 1024×600 (170 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch
- Front camera (1 MP)
- WiFi 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
- Cellular connection: no
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jack, Micro-USB
- Lithium polymer battery 16 Wh
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Dimensions 196.2×119.2×11.2 mm
- Weight 358 g
However, one should not draw premature conclusions. First, you should take a closer look at the ASUS Memo Pad.
Equipment
The tablet came to us for testing in a nice box decorated in the ASUS corporate style.
The package contents are as modest as possible: nothing other than a charger was found in the box (besides the tablet itself, of course). We believe that the commercial copy will include some other user manuals.
Design
When you pick up the tablet, you immediately notice its weight. By the standards of 7-inch tablets, the Memo Pad is heavy (370 grams versus 300-310 for many competitors). At the same time, the back cover is entirely made of plastic, so the large mass of the device is even more incomprehensible.
The front view is standard and does not stand out in any way. But the rear surface is interesting because of its unusual color - crimson (we are talking about a specimen that came to us for testing; black and white colors are also available).
The surface texture is also unusual: it is corrugated and matte. The feeling when you hold the tablet in your hands is unusual - not for everyone. But from a practical point of view, this can be a plus: during active use (for example, in 3D games), your hands will sweat less, even if the tablet gets warm.
However, we repeat, the back cover is made of ordinary plastic, and this, in our opinion, is not very good, although it is quite understandable by the desire to make the cheapest possible product.
If you hold the tablet vertically (with the ASUS inscription facing down), then on the bottom edge we will see a USB connector for connecting to a computer and charging, as well as a slot for microSD memory cards.
On the top edge there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, as well as a built-in microphone hole.
Another microphone hole can be seen on the right side of the device. And on the left side we will find the Power button and the volume rocker.
In general, the placement of connectors and buttons seems logical and convenient; In addition, it’s nice to use Micro-USB for charging (rather than a proprietary connector). What's disappointing is the lack of an HDMI output, so common in tablets in the lower price segment.
As for the appearance of the ASUS Memo Pad, the tablet attracts the eye thanks to its unusual colors, but does not give the impression of a branded, high-end device. Next to the noble iPad mini, BlackBerry PlayBook and even the quite pleasant, although not exciting Nexus 7, the new ASUS Memo Pad tablet looks rustic.
Screen
All previous ASUS tablets that we tested had an IPS screen. Memo Pad is equipped with a cheaper TN matrix. How did this affect the image quality?
A detailed examination of the screen using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his conclusion.
The tablet's screen is covered with a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface and, judging by the reflection of bright light sources in it, does not have an anti-glare filter. There is an oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating on the outer surface of the screen, so fingerprints do not appear as quickly as with regular glass, but are easier to remove. The surface of the matrix itself (under the glass) is slightly matte, but there is no visible “crystalline” effect.
With manual brightness control, its maximum value was 270 cd/m², minimum - 70 cd/m². As a result, even at maximum brightness in bright daylight, it will be difficult to see anything on the screen, and minimum brightness will allow you to comfortably work with the tablet even in complete darkness. There is no automatic brightness adjustment, and there is no flickering of the backlight at low brightness.
This tablet uses a TN-type matrix, as a result the screen has good viewing angles in the horizontal direction, but even with a slight vertical deviation upward (in portrait screen orientation), dark shades are inverted, and with a downward deviation, light shades are inverted. This orientation of the matrix (as well as the location of the logo and camera) indirectly indicates that the manufacturer intends to use the tablet for reading books, and not for watching movies. The uniformity of the black field is average, since there are areas along the edges of the screen with increased brightness of the black field. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 19 ms (16 ms on + 3 ms off). The transition between halftones of 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) takes a total of 35 ms. For a gamma curve constructed from 32 points, the index of the approximating power function turned out to be 2.06, which is slightly lower than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve does not deviate much from the power dependence:
The contrast is not very high - 680:1. Color gamut narrower than sRGB:
Apparently, the matrix filters slightly mix the components with each other. The spectra confirm this:
This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same amount of energy spent on the backlight, but as a result, the colors on the screen look less saturated than they really should be. The color temperature of the white field is above the standard 6500 K, and it increases rapidly as you move towards darker shades. Delta E (deviation from the blackbody spectrum) has an acceptable value for the white point, but, like color temperature, this parameter changes noticeably from the light part of the gray scale to the dark:
The result is disappointing: a dim screen with a TN matrix with a narrow color gamut and mediocre color balance. It’s good at least there is an oleophobic coating.
Operating system and software
The tablet comes with Google Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system. It's strange that it's not Android 4.1.
The operating system has been slightly modified: ASUS developers have added an additional button to the bottom panel, which provides quick access to special widgets associated with applications. Their set can be changed.
We also note the “exclusive” ASUS settings, which allow, in particular, to set the tablet’s performance level (the higher the performance, the shorter the battery life).
As for the pre-installed software, we should note the ASUS Studio viewer, a set of AudioWizard sound profiles, the MyPainter drawing and collage application, the SuperNote Lite note-taking application, the MyLibrary Lite reader, as well as the App Locker utility for setting passwords for applications.
In general, it must be admitted that ASUS paid close attention to the tablet's software, but it is not clear why an outdated version of the operating system was chosen.
Platform and performance
Most ASUS tablets run on the NVIDIA Tegra 3 system on chip (SoC). The exceptions are devices from the ASUS Padfone line and the 3G version of the ASUS Transromer Pad Infinity (they contain Qualcomm SoC). Now Memo Pad has been added to the list of exceptions. It is equipped with SoC. The reasons for this are obvious: the desire to reduce costs as much as possible. The WM8950 is a budget solution from the manufacturer VIA (more precisely, its division WonderMedia), which has a famous history of releasing its own x86 processors (“famous” here should be read strictly in the sense of “known”) and has been integrating components for a long time, but today it is unlikely can be considered a serious competitor in the tablet market for ARM processors to companies such as NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments...
However, let’s not get upset ahead of time and let’s see how this SoC performs in benchmarks.
The first one we will have is Quadrant Standard. The result is mediocre: 2102 points. Google Nexus 7 scored 3594 points in the same test, and even the Prology Evolution Tab-750 on the budget SoC Allwinner (Boxchip) A10 was able to slightly outperform the Memo Pad.
In the SunSpider 0.9.1 browser test, through which we run absolutely all tablets that have been reviewed by the editors, the Memo Pad, passing the test in 2300.6 ms, again lost to the Nexus 7, but won against Prology.
Go ahead. In AnTuTu Benchmark, which tests the performance of all system components, the situation was repeated. Our hero showed an average result: 4649 points, which is more than twice as low as the Google Nexus 7, but slightly higher than Prology.
But Geekbench 2 and SuperPi worked on the tablet, alas, incorrectly. So the processor performance can only be judged by the above tests.
As for GPU performance, we tested it using Nenamark 2 and the new Epic Citadel test.
The result in NenaMark 2 was mediocre: 26.1 fps. Prology has a little more, but the Google Nexus 7 has a result that is generally incomparable (it is two and a half times better than the Memo Pad).
Epic Citadel is a new benchmark in our methodology, so we did not test the Google Nexus 7 in it, but we still consider it necessary to present the results for the ASUS Memo Pad. The usefulness of Epic Citadel is explained by the fact that it demonstrates the game scene on the real Unreal engine, on which many popular games are made (Dark Meadow, Horn, Infinity Blade II, etc.). Therefore, the result that the tablet shows in this test will indicate how much you can play 3D games on the Unreal engine on this tablet.
Memo Pad showed a result of 18.5 fps. This is slightly more than Prology (16.4 fps), but still far from the values at which one could say that the tablet can actually play games of this type.
So, our tests showed that the performance of the system on the VIA WM8950 chip, on which the ASUS Memo Pad runs, is approximately at the level of ultra-budget tablets. This is quite enough for the smooth operation of the OS interface, but it will be problematic to play 3D games from 2012 and newer.
We also checked the compatibility of this SoC with a number of popular games.
| ASUS Memo Pad (VIA WM8950) |
|
| Angry Birds Space | supported |
| Cut the Rope | supported |
| Modern Combat 4 | supported |
| Asphalt 7 | supported |
| N.O.V.A. 3 | supported |
| Dead Trigger | supported |
| Shadowgun | supported |
| Dark Meadow | not supported on this device |
| Max Payne Mobile | is not visible from this device in the Google Play Store |
| Need for Speed: Most Wanted | supported |
The result is decent. But we emphasize that in this case we are not talking about the performance of games, but only about the very fact that they can be installed on the device under test.
Playing video
The tablet, alas, is not equipped with an HDMI video output, so you won’t be able to use it as a media player. As for watching videos on the tablet itself, it makes sense to play only files with a resolution of 720p or lower - with a screen resolution of 1024x600, Full HD files will be useless.
To test the playback of video files, we used a recently developed method for testing video playback and display devices by the site editors. Among other applications, it is intended to check the correct operation of mobile devices with popular video file formats on the Internet. Accordingly, if a mobile device plays our video files correctly, then most likely you will not have any serious problems when using this device to watch videos.
| Format | Container, video, sound | MX Video Player | ASUS Studio |
| DVDRip | AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | ||
| Web-DL SD | AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | The video plays normally, the sound is played only by software | The video plays fine, there is no sound |
| Web-DL HD | MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | The video plays normally, the sound is played only by software | The video plays fine, there is no sound |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, MP3+AC3+DTS | The video plays normally, the sound is played only by software | The video plays fine, there is no sound |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, MP3+AC3+DTS | The video plays normally, the sound is played only by software | The video plays fine, there is no sound |
As you can see, there were no problems with the video, but the sound could not be reproduced in hardware. Therefore, we recommend installing MX Player to be able to play audio programmatically.
Autonomous operation and ergonomics
In terms of battery life, the tablet demonstrates average performance. The test results (in all cases we set the screen brightness to maximum) are shown in the table.
So, ASUS Memo Pad loses to Google Nexus 7, is much inferior to iPad mini in terms of battery life in reading mode, but is significantly superior to the budget Prology Evolution Tab-750.
If the screen brightness is set to a medium level (comfortable for use in a not very well-lit room), the result will be better: the tablet can play YouTube videos for up to 6 hours 40 minutes.
During active use, the tablet body heats up, but not so much that it causes any discomfort or causes concern for the safety of the device.
Cameras
The tablet is equipped with a single video camera - the front one. It is located on the short side in the center, and therefore, when video chatting, it is advisable to hold the tablet vertically. The camera resolution when taking photos is 1 megapixel, but when transmitting video, the resolution can be up to 720p.
Unfortunately, we were unable to use the camera while communicating via Skype: the video did not turn on at all (we pressed the camera button in the Skype interface, but to no avail), and the video call icon of the interlocutor (he was using a MacBook Air) was simply inactive during the conversation. However, the sound was transmitted normally.
We consider it obviously unnecessary to talk seriously about the quality of the resulting photographs and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the camera’s operation in camera mode.
conclusions
ASUS has released its first truly budget tablet, deciding to compete with many lesser-known manufacturers who, by purchasing components in China or simply branding ready-made Chinese devices, today almost entirely occupy the lower price segment. And most likely, the cost of their products will in any case be lower than the cost of an ASUS tablet (and it consists not so much of the cost of components, but of the payment of employees). However, ASUS has other advantages: brand reputation, the opportunity to support its new product with a massive advertising campaign and present it as widely as possible in retail outlets. Obviously, the success of ASUS Memo Pad will depend primarily on how well the company can take advantage of the above advantages.
The tablet itself gives the impression of a device, during the production of which they tried to save on everything possible. Plastic body, mediocre screen, weak hardware even by the standards of budget tablets, lack of HDMI output, outdated operating system... Unless the battery life is acceptable. Yes, and stability is in order. The American price ($149) for such a set looks quite reasonable. But the Russian one (7000 rubles) is not very good. With us, for less money, you can purchase a much more advanced device in terms of characteristics from second-tier manufacturers, and by paying an additional three thousand rubles, you can get a fundamentally more worthy and high-quality Google Nexus 7. What can we say about the seven-inch tablets from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and BlackBerry, which today You can order from abroad for about the same 7,000 rubles (including delivery), or even cheaper.
Taking all this into account, ASUS Memo Pad can be recommended to those buyers who want to purchase a seven-inch tablet from a well-known brand officially sold in Russia, but for minimal money. If you have exactly these wishes, and you are ready to come to terms with the shortcomings of the device described by us, then include ASUS Memo Pad in the list of candidates for purchase.
