Review ASUS ZenPad 10 tablet

Many types of devices at one time went through certain stages of development. Since the appearance of the first representatives of a new species, the development of technical characteristics has been going on. New models have wider capabilities, work faster, show and play better, etc. Over time, the market is saturated, new models are not so much different in their technical characteristics. And there comes a new stage in the life cycle of this type of device - manufacturers are starting to focus on the appearance of gadgets. A similar situation has developed with smartphones and tablets, many of which today are trying to stand out primarily with their design. This is clearly evidenced by the appearance of the tablet ASUS ZenPad 10.

Specifications

Operating System : Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
Display :

• 10.1 "LED WXGA (1280x800), IPS-matrix.
• Support 10 simultaneous touches.
• Corning gorilla glass
• Oleophobic coating
• ASUS Tru2Life Technology Support

Processor : quad-core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3560
RAM : 2 GB
Data storage : 8/16/32/64 GB
Graphics : PowerVR G6430
Supported network standards :

• 2G: EDGE / GSM: 850/900/1800/1900
• 3G: WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100
• 4G: LTE: 700/800/850/850/850/900/1800/1800/2100/2500/2600

Wireless data transfer :

• WLAN802.11 b / g / n
• Bluetooth V4.0
• Miracast Support

Cameras :

• Front 2 MP
• The main 5 megapixel

Sound : 2 x speakers with support for DTS HD Premium Sound and Sonic Master.
Connectors :
1 × Micro USB
1 × audio 2-in-1
1 × Micro SD, 64 GB (SDXC)
1 x Micro SIM
1 x connector for accessories
Sensors : gyroscope / compass / light sensor / Hall sensor
Battery : built-in, 18 W * h
Navigation : GPS & GLONASS
Color : black, white, metallic gold
Dimensions : 251.6 x 172 x 7.9 mm (L x W x H)
Weight : 510 gr

Appearance

ZenPad 10 can be described as a "gadget accessory." The back panel is made of plastic with a textured texture “under the skin”. Below is a strip of smooth plastic, resulting in the effect of a small leather folder or bag.





This texture allows you to hold the tablet much more reliably. Fortunately, he weighs a pound.

At the bottom there is a connector for accessories and a plug under which slots for a SIM card and memory card are hidden.





In this case, accessories means a keyboard-acoustic docking station, which can be purchased complete with ZenPad 10.



Also, the tablet is compatible with the proprietary Z-stylus.



The right end is pristine.



And on the left side there is a power connector, an audio connector and volume buttons.





Finally, the power button can be found on the top end, near the volume buttons. It is conveniently located directly under the index finger, if you hold the tablet in landscape orientation.







The front side around the perimeter is decorated with a silver frame that blends beautifully with the gray-black tablet case.



The frame protrudes by a fraction of a millimeter above the surface of the protective glass. This reduces the chance of scratches if you like to place the tablet face down on the table.

Along the top face there is a narrow slot closed by a mesh. Two speakers hide under it.

Display

The tablet uses a display with an IPS-matrix with a resolution of 1280x800 (149 dpi). Color reproduction is good, the viewing angle is great. The pixel density is not too high, and you can see them if you wish. But this does not affect the comfort of perceiving the picture.

Sound

The ZenPad 10 audio system supports DTS HD Premium Sound and Sonic Master technologies. The tablet sounds really pretty decent. Of course, the possibilities of its sound are revealed only with good headphones. Although the built-in speakers play nicely: you can enjoy listening to even heavy music, despite the lack of low frequencies. But movies and games generally go off with a bang.

Wireless and cellular

In nature, there are three modifications of the ZenPad 10: Z300CL, Z300CG and Z300C. The review was Z300CL. They differ in processors, graphics chips, cameras and wireless capabilities. The first two models - Z300CL and Z300CG - have cellular modules, but the Z300C does not. Z300CG can only work in 2G and 3G networks, and Z300CL also in LTE. All three models are equipped with WLAN802.11 b / g / n and Bluetooth 4.0 modules, and also work in GPS and GLONASS networks.

Performance and Software

Modification Z300CL is equipped with a 64-bit four-core Intel Atom Z3560 processor , operating at a frequency of up to 1.83 GHz. The graphics chip is the PowerVR G6430 , the second fastest in the sixth series. RAM is 2 GB, and 16 GB is allocated for data storage (11 available to the user). Please note that there are 32 and 64 GB options on sale. You can also insert a microSD card.

The operating system uses Android 5.0.1 with a proprietary ZenUI graphical shell.



The tablet is preinstalled with a standard set of ASUS proprietary applications: Splendid, Share Link, PC Link, Remote Link, Super Note. Also installed MiniMovie (an application for creating slide shows) and Zen Circle (an infotainment resource for users of ASUS products).

The battery capacity is only 4890 mAh.



For a 10-inch tablet, this is very modest. However, in surfing mode (traveling through sites, music, videos on Youtube) and an average display brightness, the ZenPad 10 lived for 9 hours and 40 minutes. However, I did not resort to cutting performance to save energy. Probably, such a longevity was achieved, including due to not the highest resolution display, as well as a fairly economical processor.


ZenPad 10 works confidently, does not fly, but does not slow down. According to my impressions of work, this is a strong middle peasant: you can play a movie and play normal games without problems. By the way, even at high load ZenPad 10 heats up very weakly.

Conclusion

ZenPad 10 will primarily be of interest to those who do not pursue high resolution and maximum performance. If you just need a tablet with a big enough screen, good performance, decent working time and no extra twists, then ZenPad 10 is the thing. On the other hand, by design it is a spilled accessory. So, although this is not a top-end device, it doesn’t look cheap at all. You don’t even need a cover to somehow ennoble it. Therefore, boldly carry the tablet in your hand at evening parties, in clubs, and simply on the street - you will not look like a geek who cannot part with his favorite gadget. Even if it is.

Recommended retail price:
Z300CL - 24,990 rub.
Z300CG - 14 990 rub.
Z300C - 12,490 rubles.