Product Listing

ASUS Eee Pad Slider: Hybrid Gadget

By Sidney Wong - 4 Sep 2011
Launch SRP: S$799

Conclusion

A Truly Innovative Product  

ASUS has done it again! We thought that the Transformer was a great device with its optional keyboard docking station but the Eee Pad Slider took it up another notch with its built-in keyboard that actually worked somewhat reasonably. We were duly impressed with ASUS' style of bringing innovative products into the market to differentiate itself from the rest.

ASUS' line of Eee Pad tablets are nothing short of spectacular for introducing innovative products such as the ASUS Eee Pad Slider (left) and Eee Pad Transformer (right).

Before the arrival of the Slider, we had our doubts on using tablets as decent portable workstations. ASUS nailed our concerns with the introduction of the Eee Pad Slider as it provides a rather comfortable typing experience - well at least compared to virtual keyboards. For the first time ever, you can actually do some light productivity work (e.g. check emails and reply emails, type out documents) on a tablet as the user experience is comparable to that of using a small netbook. It is not far fetched to say that the Slider is one of the first gadgets to blur the line between tablets and notebooks. The keyboard size however is a little cramped, so we won't recommend it for essay writing or typing off it for a long time.. Keyboard aside, we also liked the inclusion of a full-sized USB port on the Slider as we can now easily transfer files to and from the Slider. This will be handy for users who plan to take the Slider for meetings and work-related activities. Also, the ability to plug in a mouse is also really convenient. Design-wise, the Slider looks fine and has a solid build.

For all of the Slider's unique selling points, you cannot yet have the best of both worlds at the moment. While you gain the extra functionality of a built-in keyboard, you have to lose the portability that makes tablets so popular. With a thickness of 17.3mm and a weight of 960g, it is easily the heaviest and thickest tablet in the market. It feels as though you are carrying a netbook around. The thickness and weight will bog you down further especially when you are using the Slider in its tablet form-factor. One-handed operation of the Slider will tire your hand quickly and holding it with both hands does not improve the situation much either. Another issue we had with the Slider is its reflective screen. With the screen locked at a fixed position when using the keyboard, we often find ourselves adjusting the Slider to minimize the reflection. While the battery life of the Slider is better than that of the Transformer, we would prefer ASUS bumping up its efforts in optimizing power management on its line of Eee Pad tablets. This will in turn strengthen their offerings as viable alternatives to the Apple iPads.

The ASUS Eee Pad Slider is available now for a list price of S$899, but we reckon you can get if for S$799 without much trouble. Compared to the Eee Pad Transformer that costs S$898 (with the keyboard docking station), it's a decent price point. Furthermore, compared to the Apple iPad 2 16GB Wi-Fi (S$668) and the Motorola Xoom 32GB Wi-Fi (S$888), the ASUS Eee Pad Slider comes across as a valuable purchase. If you don't mind the heft of the device and can benefit from a fully functional built-in keyboard, this is one tablet that's hard to ignore. On the other hand, if you need the flexibility to travel light, there are other options, including the Eee Pad Transformer from ASUS. Had the Slider been slimmer and lighter, the choice would have been really a no-brainer. For now, you'll have to choose between portability and functionality.

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8.5
The Good
Handy built-in keyboard
Full-sized USB port
Good build quality
The Bad
Too bulky
Screen is too reflective
Average camera performance
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