Asus Transformer Pad 300

2StepSteve · 19 Apr 2012 at 18:11

Anyone getting excited about this?

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/ipad-and-tablets/asus-transformer-pad-300-review-50007235/

Basically it is a cheap and slimmed down version of the Transformer Prime. It's plastic construction and 1280x800 IPS panel mean it should be on sale for a more attractive price than the Transformer Prime and the (some time this year released!) Infinity.

Looks like it is to be released in the US this coming Sunday. No word on when it will land in the UK though??

2StepSteve · 22 Apr 2012 at 12:48

First review is out.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5756/asus-transformer-pad-300-review

After a quick read it looks pretty solid! I am a little disappointed with the battery life without using the dock though. Perhaps newer builds of ICS will improve power consumption.

I need a UK price and release date as I can see myself going for one of these!!!

2StepSteve · 22 Apr 2012 at 15:25

Another pleasing review:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review

2StepSteve · 23 Apr 2012 at 12:30

I was hoping for around the £350 mark. But still not bad I suppose.

Funny seeing all the disgruntled Transformer 1 owners on that FB feed being near enough ignored by Asus. It doesn't exactly enrich me with confidence.

2StepSteve · 23 Apr 2012 at 19:34

dl8860 said:
I know, it doesn't look too good for Asus at all.
It does sound, however, that anyone with decent tech knowledge would be able to solve it by rooting and installing a different ROM.
I know that isn't really the point, but for me it means I'm quite happy.
Besides, I know a few guys still using tf101s and they are still working great

Same here, I will be installing different ROMs when they are available. It just leaves such a bad taste in the mouth for people that can't or are too scared to do so. Asus need to get their act together though and do so quickly, as each day that goes by without a fix is killing potential buyers of their products.

warren_1979 said:
If its £199 I'm sold.

Edit - £399 bah no chance. Will wait for the Nexus tablet.

£199?! That was very wishful thinking.

It would have been nice though!

What does annoy me is that they aren't offering the tablet only to begin with, forcing you to splash out on the keyboard. Which costs.. what? Roughly £150? £399 is an awful lot of money to lay down in one lump for a tablet. It would have been nice if they offered the tablet standalone at launch.

I think I'm going to have to pop over to my local Currys to have a play and a proper look at this.

If I do go for one I can see myself selling it in the Summer for the Infinity, if it works! The good thing about the Transformer range of tablets is that they hold their value very well.

2StepSteve · 23 Apr 2012 at 23:00

I do agree with you. The UK price is disappointing. Asus seem to have their pricing brackets totally out of whack. I'd be whiling to say the Infinity will be priced at around £500 inc dock. Yet the 300 is being touted as a cut down and somewhat budget tablet using latest components but being sold at a price which is far from budget.

2StepSteve · 23 Apr 2012 at 23:42

dl8860 said:
But the thing is, it isn't a budget tablet. It is near as dammit the same performance spec as the prime, which is the best specced non (and in some cases including) apple tablet out there.

For me, I don't mind the price as I'd be buying the dock with it anyway, though I agree that it would be much more attractive at £280 without the dock. And when compared with apple again, for the equivalent product it is much, much better bang for buck.

I think the Infinity must surely come in at at least £550? Otherwise where does that leave the tf201?

You are right internal guts wise it is so close to the prime, it's just that damn dock on release is a problem though which pushes the price up. Especially if you don't want the dock straight away or at all.

Near the £600 mark is ridiculous though for the Infinity. I just can't see people going for it. It is ridiculous. Don't get me wrong I prefer the Android platform over iOS but you can easily build/be on your way to a med/high spec PC for that amount of money. For what tablets are able to do at this moment in time it is an excessive amount of money. If this was a Windows 8 tablet then I might be able to justify the price... but I guess we just speculating with the price of the Infinity.

I'm still not sure what to do really. I need a portable and lightweight flash enabled tablet for work but the options aren't exactly queuing up.

2StepSteve · 11 May 2012 at 17:24

Abraham said:
I've just ordered one for delivery tomorrow, was put off the prime by the wifi/gps issues and the price, this resolves both of those enough for me, I would've got the keyboard anyway as it's to completely replace a netbook

Let us know how you find it!

2StepSteve · 16 May 2012 at 22:56

Thanks for sharing your findings, it seems like a solid unit!

I'm afraid I'm going to have to harp back to the Infinity again, as you have mentioned about the 300's somewhat lacking display. It just seems kind of pointless shelling out £400 for on one of these when the Infinity, the flagship, with it's superior display is slated as coming in June or July.

I think I can see myself jumping on a Galaxy Tab 7.7 until the Infinity comes about, then I'll see from there.

2StepSteve · 28 May 2012 at 09:20

After looking at one of these at the weekend I've decided I'm gonna pick up one. The form and speed of it is brilliant. I couldn't drag myself away from it in the shop!