Product Listing

ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T - Powerful Beast

By Sidney Wong - 21 Nov 2013
Launch SRP: S$749

Overview, Design and Features

Overview

ASUS continues to blur the line between a tablet and a netbook with its latest Transformer Pad TF701T.

ASUS announced the Transformer Pad TF701T (formerly known as the new Transformer Pad Infinity) at Computex 2013 in Taiwan. Back then, the Transformer Pad TF701T was one of the three Android tablets (Google Nexus 10 and Toshiba Excite Write) to boast ultra-high resolution (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) displays. 

Within five months, the 10-inch tablet market saw the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, Sony Xperia Tablet Z and the Apple iPad Air. With so many contenders, can the Transformer Pad TF701T help ASUS fend off the competition and establish itself as the productivity tablet to get? Well, this review will attempt to answer this question. Here's a quick look at its specs and how it compares with the current competition:

ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T vs The Competition
  ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T Apple iPad Air Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition (LTE) Sony Xperia Tablet Z (16GB, 4G LTE) Toshiba Excite Write (3G)
  ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T Apple iPad Air Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition (LTE) Sony Xperia Tablet Z (16GB, 4G LTE) Toshiba Excite Write (3G)
Launch SRP
  • From S$749
  • From S$688
  • From S$998
  • From S$988
  • From S$899
Operating system
  • Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
  • Apple iOS 7
  • Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
  • Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
Processor
  • NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core 1.9GHz
  • A7 dual-core 1.4GHz processor with 64-bit architecture and M7 motion coprocessor
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz Quad-core
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 quad-core 1.5GHz + MDM9125M cellular radio
  • GPU core: Adreno 320
  • NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core 1.8GHz
  • GPU core: GeForce ULP
Memory
  • 2GB RAM
  • 1GB RAM
  • 3GB RAM
  • 2GB RAM
  • 2GB RAM
Display
  • 10.1-inch / 2,560 x 1,600 (WQXGA, 300ppi) / LED-backlit with IPS, 10-point capacitive multi-touch
  • 9.7‑inch / 2048 x 1536 resolution at 264ppi / Retina display / LED-backlit Multi‑Touch display with IPS technology / Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
  • 10.1-inch / 2560 x 1600 resolution / Super Clear LCD display
  • 10.1-inch / 1920 x 1200 / TFT
  • 10.1-inch / 2560 x 1600 / PLS TFT, Corning Gorilla Glass 2
Camera
  • Main: 5 Megapixels, 1080p Full HD video recording
  • Front-facing: 1.2 Megapixels, 720p HD video recording
  • 5-megapixel iSight Camera / Autofocus / Five-element lens / Hybrid IR filter / f/2.4 aperture / 1080p HD video recording
  • 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD Camera (720p HD video)
  • Main: 8 Megapixels / Front-facing: 2 Megapixels
  • 8.1-megapixel with Exmor R for mobile
  • Secondary: 2.2-megapixel HD camera with Exmor for mobile
  • 8MP / autofocus / F2.2 aperture / LED flash
  • Secondary: 1.2MP
I/O Ports
  • Tablet: Micro HDMI, 3.5mm headphone/mic jack
  • Dock: USB 3.0, microSDXC card slot
  • USB 2.0
  • micro-USB port, 3.5mm audio output jack
  • micro-USB 2.0, micro-HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack
Connectivity
  • 802.11a/b/g/n (dual-band) with Miracast, Bluetooth v3.0 + EDR
  • 802.11a/b/g/n Wi‑Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth v4.0
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth v4.0, MHL 2.0
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 ac+a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.0
Storage
  • 32GB internal storage with microSDXC (tablet) & SDXC (dock) slots
  • 16/32/64/128GB
  • 32GB internal storage
  • microSD card (up to 64GB)
  • 16GB internal storage
  • microSD support up to 64GB
  • 32GB internal storage
  • microSD support up to 128GB
Battery
  • 7000mAh
  • 8,827mAh
  • 8,220mAh
  • 6,000mAh
  • 4,380mAh
Dimensions
  • 263 x 180.8 x 8.9mm
  • 240 x 169.5 x 7.5 mm
  • 243.1 x 171.4 x 7.9mm
  • 266 x 172 x 6.9mm
  • 260.7 x 178.9 x 10.50mm
Weight
  • 585g
  • 469g (Wi-Fi) 478g (4G LTE)
  • 547g
  • 495g
  • 630g
Other Features
  • IPX5/7 (Water-resistant) & IP5X (Dust-proof)

 

Design and Features 

The design of ASUS's 10-inch tablets hasn't changed much since the Transformer Pad Prime in 2011, and it's good to see the company standardizing it across its product portfolio. You still see the elegant metallic spun finish on the rear which is comparable in aesthetics and quality to the Apple iPad Air. Still, the ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T has made minor design enhancements, so what are they?

The TF701T is 14g lighter than its predecessor, the Transformer Pad TF700T. It is also thinner at 8.9mm, compared to the tapered chassis (8~10.4mm) of the TF700T. However, we feel that ASUS could have done much more as the competition is a step or two ahead this time. The TF701T is still thicker and heavier than some flagship tablets: 

A picture speaks a thousand words ...

 

Display

ASUS collaborated with Sharp to build the 10.1-inch Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) display panel on the TF701T. For an in-depth explanation of how IGZO technology works, do check out our feature article on "Sharp Wants to Change Your World with IGZO & ICC Technologies". 

In a nutshell, IGZO technology is able to achieve twice the resolution of conventional LCDs without sacrificing power efficiency unlike conventional display technologies that sip more power. We've seen how the use of IGZO technology lowered the power consumption for the TF701T in our reviews of the iPad Air and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition.

The 10.1-inch display has a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels (299ppi), which is a tad higher than the Apple iPad Air (264ppi) and on-par with the recent Android flagship tablets such as the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition and Toshiba Excite Write. Text and images look great on the TF701T.

While Apple and Samsung shrunk the bezels around the displays of their latest 10-inch tablets, ASUS chose to retain the thick bezel around the display of the TF701T. Considering that the slate is mainly designed to be used in landscape mode, the wide bezel can be a benefit for users with large hands. On the other hand, if ASUS can shrink its bezel size, there is a possibility that the TF701T will have a smaller footprint like the iPad Air.

There is a lot of unused space around the displays of the ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T (top) and Sony Xperia Tablet Z (bottom).

 

Keyboard Mobile Dock 

The keyboard mobile dock has been a signature design component of the Transformer series. ASUS first introduced this concept in 2011 with the Eee Pad Transformer , and it's a perfect accessory for road warriors who need to punch out documents on the go. 

The keyboard dock sports a full-sized QWERTY keyboard with quick function Android keys such as auto brightness, camera, Bluetooth and toggle to enable or disable the Touchpad. While it seems like it is built using aluminium, the keyboard dock is actually made using plastic. As a result, we noticed a degree of flex in the center while typing on the keyboard dock. The keys are chiclet styled and offer decent tactile feedback, but they feel a little small compared to the standard notebook keyboard.

The rear of the keyboard mobile dock (left) may look metallic, but it is actually made of plastic.

We find it comfortable to type on the keyboard mobile dock, but it can still be a tad cramped compared to a laptop's keyboard.

The keyboard dock also comes with a USB 3.0 port on the top right corner, a 36-pin connector port on the top left corner (for battery charging and connecting to the PC for data syncing), and a SD card reader (supports SDXC cards of up to 64GB capacity) on the bottom right corner. 

Weighing at 570g, the keyboard dock is almost as heavy as the TF701T tablet (585g)! This is mainly due to the dock's built-in 4,170mAh battery. According to ASUS, it is able to provide up to 4 hours of extra battery life.

 

Handling

The handling of the TF701T is not as good as the rest of the 10-inch tablets due to its weight. Most tablets of its class, except the Toshiba Excite Write, are lighter and slimmer, and this makes the TF701T feel like a brick. 

On a positive note, the brushed aluminum design gives the TF701T a premium look and feel, and is certainly more solid than the plastic Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition and Xperia Tablet Z.

 

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

The TF701T came with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but it received an over-the-air (OTA) update to Android 4.3. Aside from the minor new features of Android 4.3,  ASUS also has some of its own software customization baked into the stock Android interface which include cleaner, simplified icons and menus as seen in the new PadFone Infinity and Floating Apps as seen in the entry level MeMO Pad HD 7

The Android interface remains largely unchanged except for the designs of some apps.

Overall, we like the redesigned interface on the TF701T as it does not seem as cluttered as competing tablets from Samsung. While it does not offer as much features as the Samsung counterpart, the TF701T boasts some cool features which deserve mention here: 

  • App Backup - back up either data or complete apps to local or external storage.
  • App Locker - an additional layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to apps on the tablet. 
  • SuperNote 3.1 - handwriting app that converts your scribbles into text and can be shared in JPEG, PDF and TXT formats. 
  • ASUS WebStorage - 5GB Webstorage space is free for TF701 users.
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9.0
  • Design 8.5
  • Features 9
  • User-Friendliness 8.5
  • Performance 9.5
  • Value 9
The Good
Solid design and build quality
Good display
Comes with keyboard mobile dock
Excellent overall performance
The Bad
A tad thicker and heavier than better designed competitors
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