iPad Mini 3 vs. ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA)

It’s safe to say that a lot of the tech community is impressed with the unveiling of the ZenPad S 8.0. We feel that if the comparisons are starting already, then we better get on this right away. Please understand that we’re swamped with information right now so we will be adding and tweaking this posting in the coming days.

For now, the big comparison in this vs. battle is with the build or size.

ZenPad S 8.0 – 0.25-inches (6mm) thick vs iPad mini 3 – 0.29-inches (7.5mm) thick

ZenPad S 8.0 – 10.5oz (298g) thick vs iPad mini 3 – 11.6oz (331g)

In terms of thin and weight, Asus ZenPad S 8.0 has the iPad Mini 3 beat. We don’t need to know the price vs. because Asus will win that contest easily. Speakers? Front facing (ZenPad S) vs. side facing (iPad Mini 3). What speaker placement is the better one? We can’t yet speak to the quality of audio, but I don’t think there is a scenario where side facing speakers are preferred over front facing ones.

Storage wise, Apple and the iPad mini 3 offer up a 128GB model which is greater than the max 64GB storage for the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580).

Screen resolution, we have a tie in a 1536 x 2048 spec comparison. Brightness wise? This should be a tie. Both are great displays, no question about it.

The camera comparison between the iPad mini 3 and ZenPad S 8.0 is interesting. Apple have been the leaders in mobile device photos. On the surface, you can expect Apple to take the win on this battle, but let’s think again. We certainly need some reviews and samples before making a final verdict. However in terms of just raw megapixel counts, the ZenPad has front facing 5MP whereas the iPad mini 3 has just a 1.2MP front facing camera. Video conferencing and Skype will be superior on the ZenPad with this spec. For the rear camera, the iPad mini sports a 5MP whereas the ZenPad S 8.0 has a 8MP rear camera. More megapixels doesn’t mean greater photos, but spec wise, Asus has Apple beat. Quality need to be evaluated at a later date.

Connectivity, the iPad mini 3 comes with a 4G LTE version whereas currently there is not a 4G or 3G ZenPad S model. Wifi spec comparison, the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA) beats out the iPad mini 3 because of the ac standard. The iPad mini 3 has a/b/g/n but no ac.

Battery life? Apple and the iPads have been the kings of battery life. We can’t compare, but it’s safe to say that Apple will beat out the ZenPad S 8.0 in terms of battery life. It’s only a question of by how much.

Stay tuned for more updates!