Asus Transformer Pad TF701T Review: An Android-Powered "Laptop"

The Asus Transformer Pad series was known as Android-powered "laptop" as it has the hardware QWERTY keyboard included in the package. Just as usual, special thanks to Asus Malaysia for sending us the Transformer Pad TF701T review unit, note that the unit we review may different to the final product that sell in markets.

The Asus Transformer Pad TF701T is a huge update over its predecessor. It has the faster processor, higher resolution display, more RAM and better battery life.


Here's the specifications of the Transformer Pad TF701T:
- 10.1-inches, 2560 x 1600 pixels (299 ppi pixel density) Super IPS+ LCD display
- Corning Gorilla Glass 2 protection
- 32 / 64 GB (Not available in Malaysia) internal memory
- support microSD, up to 32 GB
- 2 GB RAM
- 1.9 GHz quad-core Cortex-A15 Nvidia Tegra 4 T40X processor        
- ULP GeForce GPU
- 5 MP autofocus camera, 1080p@30fps video recording
- 1.2 MP (720p) front-facing camera
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
-31 Wh (tablet) / 16 Wh (dock) battery

Unboxing

The Asus Transformer Pad comes with standard tablet retail package, our review unit has only the tablet with dock, USB cable and AC adapter.

Design
The Transformer Pad has a good looking design, however the tablet is build with plastic material, which is a sad case for its pricing.

At the front of the Transformer Pad, it has a 10.1" IPS display with WQXGA resolution at 299 ppi of pixel density.

The Transformer Pad also comes with hardware QWERTY keyboard, which give you a better experience on typing.

On top of the display, there is a 1.2 MP front facing camera which provides you 720p video conferencing.

On top of the tablet, there is a power button, while the volume rocker, microSD card slot, mini USB port and 3.5 mm jack is at the left side.

The microphone for audio input is at the right side of the tablet.

At the back, it has a 5 MP shooter and the speaker. Sadly it is not a dual speakers so you won't get the experience like other device with dual stereo speakers.

Below the tablet, there's a USB port for charging and file transfer. There are also two connector port for the hardware QWERTY keyboard dock.

The dock connector in the hardware QWERTY keyboard.

The hardware QWERTY keyboard comes with USB 2.0/3.0 port and SD card slot just like the ordinary laptop.

Display

The Asus Transformer Pad TF701T has a 10.1" Super IPS+ LCD display with WQXGA resolution at 299 ppi of pixel density. The display is sharp and the viewing angle is good.

The tablet also has a good outdoor visibility. Sadly, we do not have much time for preparing the photos to you. We apologize for this problem to our readers.

Software and Performance

The Asus Transformer Pad TF701T runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with stock Android UI looking but with additional features.

Stock Android lockscreen with multi-widgets feature.

It is running on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with stock Android UI looking.

The apps drawer looks pretty similar to stock Android, but it comes with more options. The notification bar is also different from the stock Android, Asus has decided to put their skin on it.

The Transformer Pad TF701T has an additional feature call floating widgets & apps, this feature allow you to do up to 3 works once. The Google Now can be activate by long press the home button, you can also access other apps by taking the same action.

To add widgets, you need to access the drawer for widgets. You can lock the on-screen navigation button to prevent accidentally pressing those buttons.

Camera

The Asus Transformer Pad TF701T has a 5 MP camera. The camera has a lot of features such as HDR, night mode, beautification and more.

The camera interface and the gallery app.

 

 

 

The image quality is acceptable, however the noise level are high and the images are not quite sharp. The tablet did well in macro shoot, however the colour not so accurate.

The Transformer Pad also did well in low-light scene, especially you shoot it with night mode, the image will be more light but the noise level are higher than day time.

The Transformer Pad TF701T is able to record 1080p video at 30fps. The video runs smoothly but it lacks of details. The exposure is quick but the focus speed is a little bit slow.

Here's the video sample:


Battery
The Transformer Pad TF701T has a 31 Wh battery. Based on my test, the battery gets cut off 13% for 1 hours web browsing. The dock station has additional 16 Wh battery which promised to give you 17 hours multimedia usage with the tablet.

Price
The Asus Transformer Pad TF701T is priced at RM 1,799 for 32 GB version, it comes with hardware QWERTY keyboard out of the box. So far Asus hasn't plan to bring the 64 GB variant to Malaysian market.

Conclusion
The Transformer Pad TF701T is a nice tablet, but we do experience some lagging on it. Note that the review unit is different from the final product that sell in markets. However with such a high price, you can choose a better tablet with cheaper price.

Pros:
- Come with hardware QWERTY keyboard, which give you good typing experience
- High resolution display with good viewing experience
- Long battery life
- Thin body

Cons:
- Price tag is a little bit high
- Unimpressive user experience
- Heavy weight
- Plastic construction