New ZenPad 10 (Z300CL) with Intel Z3580 Moorefield CPU spotted

June 29, 2015 Categories: News, Z300CL, ZenPad 10 by 1 Comment

Just a few days ago we mentioned how Asus is known to produce a number of “variants” of a given device. Whether that’s a slight change in RAM, storage or CPU, there is usually some interesting variants in different countries.

We’ve just spotted an interesting ZenPad 10 model heading into India. The ZenPad 10 (Z300CL) 4G LTE model has only been officially listed as coming with the Z3560 processor (1.83GHz). However, just now we’ve spotted a listing for a Z300CL that comes with the almighty Z3680 processor which clocks at an impressive 2.33GHz.

Because we’ve seen Asus add a second variant of the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA), we certainly believe that there is such a ZenPad 10 model being tested out for release. If you’re getting a 4G LTE tablet, it makes sense to also off that same premium device with a top end Intel processor.

So we’ve seen this heading into India, but it’s not clear if that’s destined for a retail release or not. Stay tuned for new details as they emerge over the coming days!

Inside The Features: Power Saver

June 28, 2015 Categories: Inside The Features by 1 Comment

So far we have launched a series of articles under the “Inside The Specs”. We thought it would be apt to now come up with another series of articles for those who have bought a ZenPad. We are naming this series, “Inside The Features”. This is where we will look at various features of the ZenPads, including tricks and tips for getting the most out of the tablet. ZenUI is going to be new to a lot of new ZenPad owners, so we hope this will be useful to you.

A top priority for anyone is to maximize your ZenPad battery life. There are a few general tips that we can offer before we get into the feature specific settings that can maximize your battery life even further.

  • set audio to Smart Mode
  • keep the speaker volume set at a low level
  • decrease the brightness of the display
  • disable wifi
  • disable all auto-sync features
  • disable Bluetooth
  • disable PlayTo
  • disable GPS
  • enable airplane mode
  • close all running apps that are not in use
  • disable the screen auto-rotate feature

Those are a few tips, but a time saver is to go right into the ZenUI power saver settings. Details in next section!

Power Saver

First you need to launch Power Saver. This can be done in one of two ways. Either swipe down with two fingers from the top to display the Quick Settings panel (then tap Smart Saving) or you can tap ASUS then Power Saver.

Slide the “Smart saving” button to the ON position.

Then choose one of three modes, all of which have a varying degree of power saving:

  • ultra-saving mode – this will disconnect your network connection when the ZenPad is idle. Think of this as a maximum battery saving solution.
  • optimized mode – this will extend your battery while your ZenPad is connected to your network
  • customized mode – this is a great option. You can adjust power settings for a variety of activities. What this really means is that you can adjust the brightness that will be used for certain activities like reading email/ebooks, using the internet, watching videos, listening to music, etc. There is more, such as app specific power saving settings and the ability to auto disconnect from your network when your ZenPad is in sleep mode.

Inside The Specs: Display Enhancements

June 27, 2015 Categories: Inside The Specs by 0 Comments

Tablets are pretty much all about the display. Afterall, what is more important? A tablet can be light or super thin but if the display isn’t as great? It’s going to make everything else matter not so much.

For this installment of Inside The Specs, let’s have a look at what Asus put into the ZenPad tablets for display enhancements. First, Asus is marketing their enhancements under the VisualMaster branding. As they say in their official product pages, it is “a suite of exclusive visual enhancement technologies that combine hardware and software to optimize all aspects of the display…”.

All the ZenPads have a form of the VisualMaster technology. The Asus Tru2Life is what it is branded as. Confused yet? Think of VisualMaster and the umbrella and Tru2Life as being under that umbrella of enhancements.

So Tru2Life is for photo and image enhancements and Tru2Life+ is for video enhancements. Only the ZenPad S 8.0 – Z580CA comes with the “Plus”. Afterall, with that amazing display, it should be made to look as great as possible to take advantage of that pixel density.

Asus TruVivid is yet another enhancement that falls under the VisualMaster umbrella of technologies. This technology improves screen clarity, brightness, and touch responsiveness.

logoUnder the hood, what’s powering the VisualMaster enhancements? It’s Pixelworks True Clarity technology. Certainly it’s going to be compared and reviewed based on the other mainstream tablet displays on tablets like the iPad mini, iPad Air and Galaxy Tab S2. We can talk about True Clarity technology but until it’s seen, how can words say how good it is?

So with the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA) in particular, the video will be enhanced thanks to the True Clarity technology. We will list some of the benefits which the companies both mention. Keep in mind though that it’s fine on paper, but it’s ultimately up to you and I to decide how impressive these enhancements really are. Will these be to the point where the ZenPad S stands far above the competition? The answers should be coming soon.

Pixelworks True Clarity list of enhancements:

  •  We are told that the high resolution displays on some tablets cause artifacts and blurring. On that basis, the True Clarity technology is said to smooth video playback. It will be very hard to rate this improvement unless there is a side by side comparison. It’s likely impressive, but it’s not possible to say how much better this will make the Z580CA over the competitors.
  • Automatically compensates for ambient lighting. Now this is interesting. The ZenPads will be able to adjust their display based on the lighting conditions of your environment. Now this is something interesting. Sound promising! To an extent, most every smartphone and tablet has some form of auto adjust brightness. So for this technology to stand out, we are hoping to see some advancements in auto adjustments.
  • Better gaming visuals. This is what’s promised and if you consider the moving pixels of video games, some enhancement to deal with those game details could be a strong selling point. Again, real hands-on usage is going to be required before making a judgement on how much better gaming will be on the Z580CA.

Here is a quote from the makers of True Clarity regarding the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA):

“This tablet will set the standard for the mobile viewing experience and will change how these devices are made, sold and used.” – Bruce Walicek, Pixelworks President and CEO

Is the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA) better than the iPad mini 4?

June 25, 2015 Categories: comparison, vs, vs. ipad mini 4 by 7 Comments

This could be a juicy battle royal in the  coming months. The summer is about to heat up a bit when it comes to the best of the best tablets on the market. Make no mistake about it, the ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580CA) is going to be the greatest of all Asus tablet offerings. It’s coming with a feature set that is fairly future proof, or at least as future proof as one can hope to be.

So during this summer, the iPad mini 4 rumors and speculation will heat up. The new iPads typically (always) come in late October with availability to buy in the first part of October. This put the Asus ZenPad unveils about 4 or 5 months earlier than the iPad mini 4.

Don’t fret though. Asus has often shown off some spectacular devices at Computex and brought them into market months and months later. We simply feel that the Z580C will be first, and the Z580CA will be for a bit later, perhaps as a counter measure to the iPad mini 4 release.

What we can say at this point is that the Z580CA is quite a bit better than the iPad mini 3 based on our preliminary comparison vs. article.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) vs ZenPad 8.0 (Z380C, Z380KL)

June 23, 2015 Categories: comparison, vs, vs. Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0), vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) by 1 Comment

Today we’re looking at how the ZenPad 8.0 series compares to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) tablet. This looks to be a close contest!

Let’s first look at the displays. Both of these tablets have a 1280 x 800 resolution. Asus does use the Tru2Life Technology to brighten up the contrast and detail, but until these tablets are compared side-by-side, we will case this a dry.

Under the hood, the ZenPad Z380C has a 1.2GHz x3-3200 quad-core processor (64-bit) and the ZenPad Z380KL has a Qualcomm MSM8929. The Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) has a 1.2GHz quad-core processor under the hood. RAM is pretty much a tie, with the Tab 4 (8.0) with 1.5GB RAM and the ZenPad 8.0 having range from 1GB to 2GB. You will have to check your country and models to see whether you’re at 1GB or 2GB RAM. Overall, under the hood, these tablets are almost the same. No true winner is our verdict.

asus-zenpad-8-0-reviewAs with all the ZenPads, they feature front facing speakers. The ZenPad 8 has DTS HD Premium sound and the Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) features a rear mounted speaker. Even though we can’t do a side-by-side comparison at the moment, we think you would agree that front facing is going to be better than a rear mounted speaker. Pointing a speaker away from your listening position seems counter intuitive.

An interesting comparison is in the build specs. Weight wise, the ZenPad 8.0 models both weigh 350g and the Galaxy Tab 8.0 weighs in at 320g. There is an outright spec win for Samsung! Next we look at which tablet is thicker. The Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) is 7.9mm and the ZenPad 8.0 are both 8.5mm. Another win for Samsung!

Battery life is one important spec/detail that unfortunately we can’t quite tackle at this time. In general Samsung mobile devices enjoy impressive battery life. It would be a surprise is Asus could beat out Samsung in the battery life department, but for now we will reserve judgement or a final verdict until some have been reviewed online.

If you care about tablet cameras, it appears that the ZenPad 8.0 series beats out the Tab 4 (8.0) in both front and rear megapixel counts. Of course MP isn’t everything, but it’s a substantial factor to be sure. The ZenPad has either a 2MP or a .3MP front camera with a 5 MP rear camera. The Galaxy Tab 4 is sporting a 1.3MP front and 3MP rear camera. Specs wise the ZenPad has slightly better, albeit confusing camera specs depending on the model, mega pixel count.

Storage size is a bit interesting. The Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) has just a 16GB configuration. The ZenPad 8.0 tablets have either 8GB or 16GB configurations. Both Samsung and Asus tablets have microsd slots for up to 64GB cards max capacity. It’s also worth noting that the ZenPads offer a lifetime of free 5GB Asus online storage. We would have to give Asus the slight edge just because of the variations available and the 5GB lifetime storage. It’s pretty much a draw though.

In terms of value added, let’s look at features and specs that either tablet has and the other doesn’t. Starting with the ZenPad 8.0, there is the option of buying a 4G LTE model, the Z380KL. The Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) does not have that option. Not a major point, but worthy of a mention. Next the ZenPad 8.0 has the interchangeable design which means you can add a case or cover that snaps into place, matching the style and adding less bulk to the tablet. You can obviously get a vast array of cases and covers for the Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) but the matching design and snap into place accessories for the ZenPad 8.0 are still a nicer option overall. This wouldn’t be a deal breaker for a lot of you I’m sure. The Galaxy Tab 4 does have an IR Blaster which means that it can double as a remote control. That’s pretty cool and would be quite useful in a lot of home entertainment environments.

Summary:

Price is going to be a big consideration in who wins out in this comparison. Samsung are known for more expensive devices that Asus and we expect the ZenPad 8.0 models to be equal to or lower than the Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) prices. The ZenPad is newer which means it will come to market with a potentially bigger price, but we simply don’t expect Asus to price it more than the comparable Tab 4. When you break it all down, these tablets are similar. The build size of Samsung is better than the ZenPad in terms of weight and thickness. That can be important for a lot of you. Battery life is another key comparison which we cannot accurately gauge right now. We will update with the final details which should help up provide a definitive winner.

 

 

 

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) vs. ZenPad 10 (Z300C, Z300CG, Z300CL)

June 23, 2015 Categories: comparison, vs, vs Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1), vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) by 1 Comment

asus-zenpad-10-reviewSamsung is definitely in the sights of Asus so it’s well worth looking at comparisons between the two. We’ve done a fair number of Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. ZenPad articles so far, and we hope to cover every model out there currently.

So on the surface, this does appear to be a reasonable vs. comparison. Both these tablets are 10.1-inch and sport a 16:10 aspect ratio. The ZenPad 10 is a slightly newer release than the Galaxy Tab 4, but they are close enough and likely going to be closely priced.

Let’s first peek at what’s under the hood in terms of processing power. The ZenPad 10 Series is packing the Intel Atom x3-C3200 (Z300C), x3-C3230 (Z300CG) and the x3-C3560 (Z300CL) processors. This means clock speeds from 1.2GHz to the 1.8GHz in the Z300CL (4G LTE model). The Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) is sporting a 1.2GHz processor which is similar to the Z300C and Z300CG. In the RAM department, the ZenPad 10 models have 1GB to 2GB, whereas the Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) has 1.5GB of RAM. It’s hard to pick a decisive winner for the processing power. The highest end ZenPad 10 model is a winner based on both RAM and processor, but the other ZenPad 10 models are in the same range.

Samsung have built quite a reputation on build quality. Does the Tab 4 beat out the ZenPad 10? Let’s look at thickness first. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) is 7.9 mm thick and the ZenPad 10 is 7.99 mm also. That is a draw folks! Next let’s compare weight. The ZenPad 10 series is from 500g to 510g in comparison to the Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) weighs 487g. That’s a win for Samsung. The Tab 4 is ever so slightly lighter.

Camera wise, this is quite close on the front camera. The Galaxy Tab 4 has a front facing camera that is 1.3MP and the ZenPad 10 has anything from a .3MP front to a 2MP front camera (only on Z300CL). The rear camera on the ZenPad 10 at best is a 5MP, but some models also have just a 2MP rear camera. The Galaxy Tab 4 has a 3MP rear camera. So this is really a mixed bag comparison. If you really care about the camera comparison, you best look at the detailed specs in your country because the ZenPad 10 camera seems to vary, depending on the country and model.

The storage comparison is interesting. Both Samsung and Asus has microSD with a max card size of 64GB supported. The Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) however only comes with a 16GB model, whereas the ZenPad 10 comes anywhere from 8GB to 16GB to 32GB and 64GB (only on Z300CL).  In addition, Asus offers a lifetime of 5GB cloud storage.

The most fun of a comparison vs. articles is when we can look at features or specs that one tablet has over the other tablet. In a sense there isn’t a comparison to be made! So the ZenPad 10 has the Z Stylus support whereas the Galaxy Tab 4 does not have S Pen support. Next is speakers, and the ZenPad 10 has dual stereo front facing speakers and the Tab 4 (10.1) only has the side mounted. Clearly the front facing speakers are the winner. The ZenPad 10 also has the specifically made keyboard dock. Certainly the Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) has the option of a keyboard case accessory, so the keyboard isn’t completely exclusive to the ZenPad 10. The ZenPad 10 also comes with a 3G and 4G LTE version in comparison to the Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) which doesn’t not have a 3G or 4G LTE option. Lastly, the ZenPad 10 has a color option which the Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) does not have. Both Samsung and ZenPad 10 have black and white, but ZenPad 10 also has a metallic color available. When most people cover the backs of their tablets with covers/cases we don’t think the colors are really a big deal in the first place.

Price comparison will need to be updated when official ZenPad 10 details are released. However, we can still provide some analysis. We know for a fact that Asus is going aggressive with their pricing. That means the ZenPad 10 should be cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (10.1) even though the Tab 4 is older. If anything, the pricing will be quite close. We certainly would be shocked to see the ZenPad 10 being more expensive than the Galaxy Tab 4.

Summary:

These two tablets are very similar. The two most important comparison specs would be in battery life and price, both of which we can’t give an accurate comparison for at the moment. Spec vs. spec though, there isn’t a lot to differentiate. In the extras department, the ZenPad 10 clearly takes a big advantage with the Z Stylus and keyboard dock. If we just look at the premium ZenPad 10 (Z300CL) then with that extra processing power, it’s clearly a better tablet. The other models, the Z300C and Z300CG are much closer in a spec to spec comparison. This is so close right now, we could give this comparison a draw, or give a slight edge to the ZenPad 10 right now. Keep in mind, the price and battery life are big factors and will be the specs that will answer the question of which tablet is the best. Stay tuned, we will update when those added details are known.

 

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