Review and testing tablet ASUS Memo Pad. Memo Pad for writing and drawing Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the amount of memory for storing data

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	196.8 mm (millimeters) 19.68 cm (centimeters) 0.65 ft 7.75in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	120.6 mm (millimeters) 12.06 cm (centimeters) 0.4 ft 4.75 in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements.	10.8 mm (millimeters) 1.08 cm (centimeters) 0.04ft 0.43in
The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	302 g (grams) 0.67 lbs 10.65oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	256.33 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 15.57 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	The black White Grey Pink Green

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	MediaTek MT8125
Technological process Information about technological process on which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A7
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have more high performance compared to 32-bit processors, which for their part are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than system memory, and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but instead has a larger capacity to allow caching more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM.	1024 KB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core performs program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1200 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. AT mobile devices it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	PowerVR SGX544
Clock frequency GPU Speed ​​is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	300 MHz (megahertz)
Volume random access memory(RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	1 GB (gigabytes)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	7 in 177.8 mm (millimeters) 17.78 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	5.94in 150.77 mm (millimeters) 15.08 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	3.71in 94.23 mm (millimeters) 9.42 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.6:1 16:10
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper image detail.	1280 x 800 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	216 ppi (pixels per inch) 84 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	60.06% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its rear panel and can be combined with one or more additional cameras.

Image resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, giving an approximate number of pixels in millions.	2592 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps.	30 fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera.	autofocus geo tags Touch focus

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a PTZ camera, a cutout or hole in the display, a camera under the display.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

ASUS, without any doubt, is one of the trendsetters in the tablet market. At the same time, the devices of this manufacturer not only delight with advanced technical characteristics, but also traditionally deserve praise for their design. Initially, ASUS focused on the top segment, releasing one flagship after another. However, last year the strategy was changed.

First (in the spring) a line of cheaper transformer tablets (budget versions of the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime) appeared on sale, in the summer ASUS released the Nexus 7 tablet under the Google brand, which cost $ 199 abroad. And this year, the company has already announced two budget tablets under its own brand: a seven-inch and a ten-inch (also known as the Memo Pad 10). The first costs $149 in American retail, the second costs $299.

The seven-inch Memo Pad came into our hands first. In Russia, it will go on sale at the end of February and will cost 7,000 rubles. How this device corresponds to the requested money, and how it compares with the Nexus 7 and budget tablets from other manufacturers, we will try to understand this article.

First, let's look at the technical specifications of the device and compare it with competitors.

Specifications

ASUS Memo Pad has a lot of competitors: these are budget 7-inch tablets from smaller manufacturers, and such sensational models as Apple iPad mini, Amazon Kindle Fire HD, Barnes & Noble Nook HD and Google Nexus 7. True, iPad mini is still costs significantly more, and Amazon and B&N tablets are not officially delivered to Russia. Therefore, we decided to compare the ASUS Memo Pad primarily with the Google Nexus 7 (whose manufacturer, by the way, is the same ASUS).

Among tablets from lesser-known manufacturers, we chose the recently tested Prology Evolution Tab-750. Other vendors have similar models, but we chose this option because we were able to get to know it personally.

	ASUS Memo Pad	Prology Evolution Tab-750	Google Nexus 7
Screen	TN, 7″, 1024x600, 170ppi	IPS, 7″, 1024×600, 170 ppi	IPS, 7″, 1280×800, 216 ppi
SoC (processor)	VIA WM8950 @1 GHz (1 core, ARM Cortex-A9)	Allwinner (Boxchip) A10 @1.2GHz (1 core, ARM Cortex-A8)	NVIDIA Tegra 3 @1.2 GHz (4 cores + 1 auxiliary, ARM Cortex-A9)
GPU	Mali-400MP	Mali-400MP	ULP GeForce (416 MHz)
Flash memory	8 GB	8 GB	8 to 32 GB
Connectors		Mini-USB (OTG-enabled), Mini-HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack	Micro-USB, 3.5mm headphone jack
Memory card support	microSD (up to 32 GB)	microSD (up to 32 GB)	No
RAM	1 GB	1 GB	1 GB
cameras	front (1 MP)	front (0.3 MP), rear (2 MP)	front (1.2 MP)
Internet	WiFi	WiFi	Wi-Fi (optional - 3G)
Operating system	Google Android 4.0	Google Android 4.0	Google Android 4.1
Dimensions (mm)*	196×119×11.2	198×122×13	199×120×10.5
Weight (g)	370	298	340
Price**	7000 rub.	N/A(0)	9990 rub.

* - according to the manufacturer
** - Recommended price for ASUS Memo Pad and Google Nexus 7 tablets.

Well, our today's hero definitely loses the comparison with the Nexus 7. The only parameter in which the ASUS Memo Pad is better than the Nexus 7 is the presence of a card slot microSD memory. However, the cost of Memo Pad is 3000 rubles lower. But the Nexus 7 has twice the amount of flash memory (9990 rubles is asked for a model with 16 GB of memory), and the screen and SoC are definitely better in terms of performance.

With Prology, the difference in characteristics is not so great: in terms of SoC, memory size and OS version, these tablets are about the same level. However, Prology has an IPS screen, while ASUS has a TN display, a rear camera (albeit a very mediocre one) and an HDMI output. And the price is lower. Here full list device characteristics.

• SoC VIA WM8950 @1 GHz (1 core, ARM Cortex-A9)
• GPU Mali-400MP
• RAM 1 GB
• Flash memory 8 or 16 GB
• 5 GB of ASUS WebStorage (lifetime, free)
• microSD memory cards (up to 32 GB)
• operating room android system 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• Touchscreen display TN, 7″, 1024×600 (170 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch
• Front camera (1 MP)
• WiFi 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz)
• Cellular: no
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jack, Micro-USB
• Li-polymer battery 16 Wh
• Accelerometer
• Gyroscope
• Dimensions 196.2×119.2×11.2 mm
• Weight 358 g

However, do not draw premature conclusions. First, it's worth getting to know the ASUS Memo Pad better.

Equipment

The tablet came to us for a test in a nice box, decorated in the corporate style of ASUS.

Complete set - the most modest: nothing but charger it was not found in the box (besides the tablet itself, of course). We believe that there will be some more user manuals in the commercial copy.

Design

When you take the tablet in your hands, you immediately pay attention to its mass. By the standards of 7-inch tablets Memo Pad is heavy (370 grams versus 300-310 for many competitors). At the same time, the back cover is entirely made of plastic, so the large mass of the device is all the more incomprehensible.

The front view is standard and unremarkable. But the rear surface is interesting in an unusual color - crimson (we are talking about a copy that came to us for testing; black and white colors are also available).

The texture of the surface is also unusual: it is corrugated, matte. Feelings when you hold the tablet in your hands are unusual - for an amateur. But from a practical point of view, this can be a plus: during active use (for example, in 3D games), your hands will sweat less, even if the tablet gets warm.

Nevertheless, we repeat, the back cover is made of ordinary plastic, and this, in our opinion, is not very good, although it can be explained by the desire to make the cheapest possible product.

If you hold the tablet vertically (with the ASUS inscription down), then on the bottom we will see a USB connector for connecting to a computer and recharging, as well as a slot for microSD memory cards.

On the top edge there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, as well as a hole for the built-in microphone.

Another microphone hole can be seen on the right side of the device. And on the left side we will find power button and volume rocker.

In general, the placement of connectors and buttons seems logical and convenient; in addition, the use of Micro-USB for recharging (rather than a proprietary connector) is pleasing. And what upsets is the lack of an HDMI output, which is so familiar in tablets of the lower price segment.

As for appearance ASUS Memo Pad, the tablet attracts the eye due to its unusual coloring, but does not give the impression of a branded high-end device. Next to the noble iPad mini, BlackBerry PlayBook, and even the quite pleasant, if underwhelming Nexus 7 new tablet ASUS Memo Pad looks rustic.

Screen

All previous ASUS tablets that we tested had an IPS screen. Memo Pad is equipped with a cheaper TN-matrix. How does this affect image quality?

Detailed screen examination using measuring instruments held by the editor of the sections "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his conclusion.

The screen of the tablet is covered with a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface and, judging by the reflection of bright light sources in it, does not have an anti-glare filter. There is an oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating on the outer surface of the screen, so fingerprints do not appear as quickly as in the case of ordinary glass, but are removed more easily. The surface of the matrix itself (under the glass) is slightly matte, but there is no visible “crystalline” effect.

With manual brightness control, its maximum value was 270 cd/m², the minimum was 70 cd/m². As a result, even at maximum brightness with bright daylight it will be difficult to see anything on the screen, and the minimum brightness will allow you to comfortably work with the tablet even in complete darkness. There is no automatic brightness adjustment, there is no flickering of the backlight at low brightness.

AT this tablet a TN-type matrix is ​​used, as a result, the screen has good viewing angles in the horizontal direction, but even with a slight vertical deviation upward (in portrait orientation of the screen), dark shades are inverted, and light shades are inverted when downward. Such an orientation of the matrix (as well as the location of the logo and the camera) indirectly indicates that the manufacturer intends to use the tablet for reading books, and not for watching movies. The uniformity of the black field is average, since there are areas with increased brightness of the black field along the screen borders. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 19 ms (16 ms on + 3 ms off). The transition between halftones of 25% and 75% (according to the numerical value of the color) takes a total of 35 ms. For the gamma curve constructed from 32 points, the exponent of the approximating power function turned out to be 2.06, which is slightly lower than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve slightly deviates from the power dependence:

The contrast is not very high - 680:1. Color gamut narrower than sRGB:

Apparently, the matrix filters slightly mix the components to each other. The spectra confirm this:

This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen at the same energy costs for backlighting, but as a result, the colors on the screen look less saturated than they really should be. The color temperature of the white field is above the standard 6500 K, and it rises rapidly as you move towards darker hues. Delta E (deviation from the blackbody spectrum) has an acceptable value for the white point, but, like the color temperature, this parameter changes noticeably from the light part of the gray scale to the dark:

The result is disappointing: a dim screen with a TN-matrix, which has a narrow color gamut and a mediocre color balance. Well at least there is an oleophobic coating.

Operating system and software

The tablet comes with an operating Google system Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). It's strange that it's not Android 4.1.

The operating system has been slightly modified: ASUS developers have added an additional button to the bottom panel, which provides quick access to special widgets tied to applications. Their set can be changed.

Note also the "exclusive" ASUS settings, allowing, in particular, to set the performance level of the tablet (the higher the performance, the shorter the battery life).

As for the pre-installed software, here it should be noted the ASUS Studio viewer, AudioWizard sound profile set, MyPainter drawing and collage application, SuperNote Lite note-taking application, MyLibrary Lite reader, and the App Locker utility for setting application passwords.

In general, one cannot but admit that ASUS reacted to software tablet carefully, it's just not clear why an outdated version of the operating system was chosen.

Platform and Performance

Most ASUS tablets run on NVIDIA Tegra 3 single-chip system (SoC). The exception is the devices of the ASUS Padfone line and the 3G version of the ASUS Transromer Pad Infinity (they contain Qualcomm SoC). Memo Pad has now been added to the list of exceptions. It is equipped with SoC. The reasons for this are obvious: the desire to minimize the cost. WM8950 is a budget solution from VIA (more precisely, its WonderMedia division), which is famous for the history of releasing its own x86 processors (“glorious” here should be read strictly in the sense of “known”) and has been integrating components for a long time, but today it is unlikely can be considered a serious competitor in the ARM tablet market to such companies as NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments…

However, let's not get upset ahead of time and look at how this SoC will show itself in benchmarks.

The first one we will have is Quadrant Standard. The result is mediocre: 2102 points. Google Nexus 7 in the same test scored 3594 points, and even the Prology Evolution Tab-750 on the budget SoC Allwinner (Boxchip) A10 was able to slightly overtake the Memo Pad.

In the browser test SunSpider 0.9.1, through which we run absolutely all tablets that have been in the edition, Memo Pad, having passed the test in 2300.6 ms, again lost to Nexus 7, but won against Prology.

Move on. AT AnTuTu Benchmark, testing the performance of all system components, the scenario was repeated. Our hero showed an average result: 4649 points, which is more than two times inferior to the Google Nexus 7, but slightly more than the Prology.

But Geekbench 2 and SuperPi worked on the tablet, alas, incorrectly. So the processor performance remains to be judged by the above tests.

As for GPU performance, we tested it using Nenamark 2 and the new Epic Citadel test for us.

The result in NenaMark 2 was mediocre: 26.1 fps. Prology has a little more, and the Google Nexus 7 has a generally incomparable result (it is two and a half times better than the Memo Pad).

Epic Citadel is a new benchmark in our methodology, so we did not test Google Nexus 7 in it, but we still consider it necessary to present the results for ASUS Memo Pad. The usefulness of Epic Citadel is explained by the fact that it demonstrates the game scene on the real Unreal engine, on which many popular games are made (Dark Meadow, Horn, Infinity Blade II, etc.). Therefore, the result that the tablet will show in this test will indicate how much you can play 3D games on the Unreal engine on this tablet.

Memo Pad showed a result of 18.5 fps. This is slightly more than the Prology (16.4 fps), but still far from the values ​​at which one could say that the tablet can really play games of this kind.

So, our tests have shown that the performance of the system based on the VIA WM8950 chip, on which the ASUS Memo Pad runs, roughly corresponds to the level of ultra-budget tablets. This is quite enough for the smooth operation of the OS interface, but it will be problematic to play 3D games from 2012 and newer.

We also checked the compatibility of this SoC with a number of popular games.

	ASUS Memo Pad (VIA WM8950)
Angry Birds Space	supported
cut the rope	supported
Modern Combat 4	supported
Asphalt 7	supported
N.O.V.A. 3	supported
Dead Trigger	supported
Shadowgun	supported
Dark Meadow	not supported on this device
Max Payne Mobile	not visible from this device in Google Play Store
Need for Speed: Most Wanted	supported

The result is decent. But we emphasize that in this case we are not talking about the performance of games, but only about the very fact that they can be installed on the tested device.

Video playback

The tablet, alas, is not equipped with an HDMI video output, so it will not work as a media player. As for watching videos on the tablet itself, it makes sense to play only files with a resolution of 720p or lower - at a screen resolution of 1024 × 600, Full HD files will be useless.

To check the playback of video files, we used the recently developed by the editors of the site method for testing video playback and display devices. Among other uses, it is designed to check the correct operation of mobile devices with popular video file formats on the web. Accordingly, if your mobile device plays our videos correctly, then most likely you will not have serious problems when using this device to watch videos.

Format	container, video, sound	MX Video Player	ASUS Studio
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	video is played normally, sound - only by software	video plays fine, no sound
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000Kbps, MP3+AC3	video is played normally, sound - only by software	video plays fine, no sound
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000Kbps, MP3+AC3+DTS	video is played normally, sound - only by software	video plays fine, no sound
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000Kbps, MP3+AC3+DTS	video is played normally, sound - only by software	video plays fine, no sound

As you can see, there were no problems with the video, but the sound could not be reproduced by hardware. Therefore, we recommend installing MX Player in order to be able to programmatically play audio.

Autonomy and ergonomics

In terms of battery life, the tablet shows average performance. The test results (in all cases we set the screen brightness to the maximum) are shown in the table.

So, ASUS Memo Pad loses to Google Nexus 7, is much inferior to iPad mini in terms of battery life in reading mode, but significantly outperforms the budget Prology Evolution Tab-750.

If the screen brightness is set to an average level (comfortable for use in a not very well-lit room), then the result will be better: the tablet can play YouTube videos up to 6 hours and 40 minutes.

During active use, the tablet body heats up, but not so much that it causes any discomfort or causes concern for the safety of the device.

cameras

The tablet is equipped with a single video camera - front. It is located on the short side in the center, and therefore, when video calling, it is desirable to hold the tablet vertically. The resolution of the camera when taking photos is 1 megapixel, but when transmitting video, the resolution can be up to 720p.

Alas, we were unable to use the camera during a Skype conversation: the video did not turn on in any way (we pressed the camera button in the Skype interface, but to no avail), and the interlocutor (he used Macbook Air) the video link icon was simply inactive during a call. However, the sound was transmitted normally.

To speak seriously about the quality of the resulting photographs and to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the camera in camera mode, we here consider it obviously unnecessary.

conclusions

ASUS has released its first truly budget tablet, deciding to compete with many lesser-known manufacturers who, by purchasing components in China or simply branding finished Chinese devices, today almost completely occupied the lower price segment. And most likely, the cost of their products will in any case be lower than the cost of an ASUS tablet (and it consists not so much of the cost of components, but of the payment for the work of employees). However, ASUS has other advantages: brand reputation, the ability to support its new product with a massive advertising campaign and present it as widely as possible in retail outlets. Obviously, the success of ASUS Memo Pad will depend primarily on how successfully the company will be able to take advantage of the above benefits.

The tablet itself gives the impression of a device, in the production of which they tried to save on everything they could. Plastic case, mediocre screen, weak filling even by the standards of budget tablets, lack of HDMI output, operating system outdated version... Unless the battery life is acceptable. Yes, and with stability order. The American price ($149) for such a set looks quite adequate. But the Russian one (7,000 rubles) is not very good. For less money, you can buy a much more advanced device from second-tier manufacturers from us, and by paying three thousand rubles you can get a fundamentally more worthy and high-quality Google Nexus 7. What can we say about seven-inch tablets from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and BlackBerry, which today can be ordered from abroad for about the same 7,000 rubles (including shipping), or even cheaper.

Considering all this, ASUS Memo Pad can be recommended to those buyers who want to purchase a seven-inch tablet of a well-known brand officially sold in Russia, but for minimal money. If you have exactly such wishes, and you are ready to put up with the shortcomings of the device described by us, then include ASUS Memo Pad in the list of candidates for purchase.

- This is the first 10-inch tablet among the A-brands, which belongs to the budget segment. According to the characteristics of the model of stars from the sky is not enough. In addition to an attractive price ratio (about UAH 2300), brand and form factor, it is interesting only for its IPS screen and a quad-core processor, although of unknown origin. But after all, not every user needs a tablet for advanced games and the opportunity to flaunt once again in a company that is conducive to that. Memo Pad 10 (ME102A) is aimed at those users who want to join the growing clan of tablet owners (perhaps not even really understanding what they need this gadget for), not yet ready to spend a large amount on portable entertainment or step over their own pride and prejudice to buy "Chinese". Let's see if it really makes sense to choose an inexpensive and not outstanding branded device when there are so many unnamed "stars" on the market.

Specifications

By the phrase “not enough stars from the sky”, I mean, first of all, the low screen resolution of Asus Memo Pad 10 (ME102A) - 1280x800 pixels. What is known about the tablet processor is that it is quad-core, with clock frequency 1.6 GHz, Mali 400 graphics. The tablet runs out of the box under Android control 4.2.2, like its FullHD predecessor Asus Memo Pad FHD 10 (review). The amount of RAM is 1 GB, which is already an unimpressive figure for the market. But in fact, with such a display resolution, 1 GB is more than enough. Despite the presence of a slot for memory cards, the model is available in two versions: with 8 GB and 16 GB of built-in "storage". The battery capacity of the tablet is 5070 mAh. On the one hand, against the background of the same “China”, this figure looks sad (some state employees have a capacity of up to 10,000 mAh). But as practice shows, this is just the case that the main thing is not size, but the ability to properly spend resources. Yes, in technical specifications models is listed as "up to 9.5 hours of HD video playback." Against the general background of inexpensive 10-inch tablets, such a promise is a golden mean. Therefore, the final verdict can only be made after field research.

Frame

Outwardly, Asus Memo Pad 10 (ME102A) differs from a typical budget Android tablet ... only by the nameplate on the front panel. The average state employee is usually devoid of any distinctive features, especially on the "face". On the Memo Pad 10, the manufacturer's logo proudly flaunts. The case is made of white glossy plastic, which tends to shimmer slightly in good light. Plastic visually resembles that in Galaxy smartphones S III and Note II and faithfully keeps fingerprints on itself. For Asus devices, it is atypical. Most of the tablets of this manufacturer are distinguished by the design in a "metal" style.

The tablet turned out to be completely non-compact, but the weight of the model is within the usual half a kilo with a little (522 g for the meticulous). But it still weighs less than the Memo Pad FHD 10. At the back, Asus immortalized the brand origin in an embossed logo. The logo itself appears to be metallic. These are not modest state employees of unknown origin, on which the name of the vendor is usually applied timidly, with barely noticeable paint.

Memo Pad 10 has another recognizable feature latest models Asus tablets are stereo speakers. Both are located on the back panel, but in the place where it gradually begins to round. Therefore, when the tablet lies on some surface, the sound from the speakers is practically not muffled. It is also difficult to close them with your hands. The speakers are loud and high-quality, do not wheeze, allow you to watch videos even in a small company without headphones.

On one of the short ends, next to the speaker, there is an audio output and a slot for a memory card. Fortunately, without plugs and other tricks that complicate the process of replacing the card. The tablet even recognizes microSD cards with a capacity of 64 GB, which is commendable for a state employee. On the opposite end is the volume rocker and microUSB-connector. The place for the on/off volume control key is determined convenient and memorable, which is important: to the left of the nameplate above the screen. There are no complaints about the location of the microUSB connector either. The tablet comes with a USB-OTG cable for connecting external USB drives(although we didn’t have it in the box, but it will be in sale copies). Since large memory cards are also supported, there should be no problems with free space on the tablet.

One of the long ends is empty. On the other, top, if the tablet is used in landscape orientation, there is a screen lock key and a microphone.

Despite the fact that the Asus Memo Pad 10 is far from a inch, the model is doing well with ergonomics, the company's experience in the production of tablets is felt.

Contents of delivery

Screen

Asus Memo Pad 10 is equipped with a 10.1-inch IPS-screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. The pixel density is almost 150 ppi, which is a modest figure by the standards of a modern tablet, but the tablet owes its good performance and low price to the low screen resolution.

Asus Memo Pad 10's color gamut is smaller than sRGB, so the image looks a little washed out. The color temperature is closer to the reference 6500K than most displays. That is why images that are well known from mobile devices (in particular, games) look unusually warm. In general, all the display parameters measured by our colorimeter, except for brightness, are drawn to the “very good” rating. Already now I had to set the brightness to maximum during the day to watch movies. In summer, during daylight hours, you can only work with the tablet indoors. And here again, everything could be attributed to the budget model, if we had not previously encountered unexpectedly bright and high-quality displays in frankly budget models, and dim and poorly calibrated ones in far from budget ones. But in any case, if you do not take into account the low resolution, the Asus Memo Pad 10 display is one of the best representatives of its class among all devices that have been in our hands.

Tablet model	Brightness of the white field, cd/m2	Black field brightness cd/m2	Contrast
Asus Memo Pad 10	249.55	0.36	693:1
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition)	362.71	1.18	307:1
FidgetPad X10HD	228.97	0.92	249:1
GoClever Orion 101	197.58	0.4	494 :1
Sony Tablet Z	380.03	0.7	543 :1
Globex GU104C	155.06	0.34	456:1

Performance

The Asus Memo Pad 10 (ME102A) runs Android 4.2.2 out of the box, over which is used a lightweight and almost identical to stock Android branded Asus interface, equipped with a number of additional settings and branded Asus apps. The amount of RAM meets the needs of the tablet. The model and manufacturer of the processor are not indicated anywhere, including in the benchmarks, but they remind us of our new friend RochChip RK3188 (maybe you have other options?). In life, the behavior looks more like Alwinner A31, adjusted for the fact that the Asus tablet works stably, applications install normally and do not crash in the future, which is not at all characteristic of this miracle of engineering. The Memo Pad 10 can handle heavy graphics, play huge video files, but the interface is slow to toss and turn. Games like Real Racing 3 and Temple Run 2 run great. maximum settings does not slow down, including in the area with water, which is the most "heavy" in the game. In all benchmarks, the tablet shows a very high result.

autonomy

Asus Memo Pad 10 (ME102A) is equipped with a 5070 mAh battery, which is 1070 mAh more than the 10-inch model with FullHD display. However, this is one of the most modest indicators on the market. When playing HD-video tablet lasted almost seven hours. At the same time, the screen brightness was set to maximum (in the daytime it is comfortable only at such settings), and all communications were turned on. I suspect that the cherished 9.5 hours can be achieved with Wi-Fi and GPS turned off and with a muted screen (that is, somewhere on an airplane or train where these modules are not needed). But in the end, seven hours, in my opinion, this is a very good result. Another positive point: when the tablet is in standby mode, it does not quietly discharge. And if you lie for a couple of days in oblivion somewhere in the far corner for a couple of days, being fully charged, then all the same, the percentage of the battery charge will remain almost untouched after the end of the oblivion period. All this indirectly indicates that the tablet processor is made according to the 28-nm process technology. And again, the main suspect is RK3188, to which the editors gg treated very favorably.

Interface

You can read about the interface features of Android devices under the Asus brand and Android 4.2 control in this review. Of course, there are no stylus apps in the Asus Memo Pad since there is no stylus, but other than that the devices are very similar. It is worth adding that the 10-inch tablet has a very convenient keyboard layout, on which talented (in a good sense of the word, of course) employees of the company fit the entire alphabet. Other manufacturers of the so-called first tier should follow suit.

Camera

The tablet is equipped with a 2-megapixel main camera and a 1.2-megapixel front camera. The front camera is located well, on the long side of the tablet, almost in the center. On the big screen, low resolution image front camera looks quite blurry. But in general, the quality is decent for video calls, you can be seen and heard normally.

The camera interface is familiar to those who don't skip reviews of Asus Android devices. Despite the weak module, Asus hasn't cut back on camera capabilities. There are several preset shooting modes in the settings, including night and HDR, and the camcorder allows you to record videos with slow motion. The interface is user-friendly, especially for those who are not used to delving into the settings.

The main camera performs a nominal function. Video writes in 720p, but it lacks autofocus and flash. It shoots very quickly, and for such a weak equipment, in my opinion, it turns out decently. Although the faded colors and the inability to take pictures at close range will hardly allow the owner of the tablet to capture beautiful landscapes or cute knick-knacks.

Competitors

Asus Memo Pad 10 is between two camps. On the one hand, these are frisky “Chinese” who offer literally all the wonders of the world for the same money: both a FullHD display, and a more serious package, up to a case and headphones, and a 5-megapixel camera. You will almost certainly have to pay for this with the unstable operation of applications and the fact that in tablets with a FullHD display, originally from unknown factories, the interface often tosses and turns even more slowly and from time to time completely freezes. With a limited budget and if the Asus tablet for some reason does not fit, and you continue to search, I would advise you to bypass devices that use the Alwinner A31 and display resolution higher than FullHD (applies only to the "Chinese"). There are a whole bunch of offers in this segment, and the quality is approximately at the same level, so highlight some specific models against the background of the rest it makes no sense.

The second camp is A-brands. They often implement their best developments in 10-inch tablets, so you won’t be able to find an affordable one among them, Asus itself has Memo Pad FHD 10, which will cost at least 1000 UAH more. The same is with Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 – the prices for younger versions start at UAH 3400. True, with a price difference of 1000 UAH according to the characteristics Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 doesn't really outperform the budget Asus tablet.

In the dry matter

Asus Memo Pad 10 is a smart alternative to budget 10-inch Chinese tablets. Unlike most representatives of this segment, the Asus tablet works stably and has excellent ergonomics. If you're on a tight budget and want a 10-inch entertainment tablet, then this model is a great buy. The payback for a good name will be a low screen resolution and a poor (when compared with the "Chinese") equipment. But in my opinion, such sacrifices look quite justified. Moreover, the performance of the tablet is very good.

4 reasons to buy Asus Memo Pad 10:

• the most affordable branded 10-inch tablet;
• high enough performance for heavy games and large video files;
• decent autonomy (despite the actual low battery capacity);
• availability of Bluetooth and GPS;

2 reasons not to buy Asus Memo Pad 10:

• low screen resolution;
• you can afford, for example, Asus Memo Pad FHD 10.

Asus is known for its out-of-the-box development approach. tablet computers, this is especially clearly displayed on transformers that are successfully implemented on the market. The next addition to the already budget line was the ASUS Memo Pad HD 7 tablet, which can easily outperform the Nexus 7 and iPad Mini. However, the pre-installed Android system, in its purest form, upset many buyers, and this led to the identification of a huge number of errors and bugs during the operation of the device.

Internet connection

Get access to Internet resources using wireless module Wifi, very easy. To do this, you need to launch the settings through the desktop, after loading the menu, go to the Wi-Fi item, as shown below.

Wireless network

In the right upper corner, in the window that opens, move the slider to the active position and wait for the network scan to finish. It remains to select a suitable point and connect with a single click, if you need to enter a password. If the gadget freezes during the connection process or the address is cyclically allocated, you will have to change the system files. How to do this - you will learn a little later.

Additional settings

The following instructions for additional setting touch device can lead to unforeseen consequences - this is not for dummies, but for experienced users who have encountered similar situations more than once.

Getting root

Installing root rights on the tablet will take place using a computer, and therefore, first of all, you need to install the drivers that are on the official website at the link:

http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=ASUS+MeMO+Pad+HD+7.

We also download an application or a set of tools for obtaining root rights to the computer, using the link:

http://rghost.ru/45205805.

We create a folder on the hard drive and move all the files from the archive there, of course, into separate folders, so as not to get confused. Now, so that the tablet does not freeze during the installation process, it is recommended to install the drivers manually.

Running Drivers

To do this, be sure to connect the tablet to the computer and go to the folder of the first archive, where we then go to the directory called "Android", see above in the image. Select the first file and context menu click "Install".

Device Manager

Now we open the device manager window and find our tablet among the gadgets, it will be highlighted with an exclamation mark as unidentified. Right-click, click on the update drivers item: select the search on the computer, as soon as it is completed, we confirm the installation from the already installed drivers.

Run bat file

Congratulations, the drivers are installed correctly, now go to the files of the second archive and run run.bat, follow the on-screen instructions and reboot the gadget when finished. So that the tablet does not freeze during operation, sometimes it happens, we reboot it again.

Access to settings

Using the Superuser application installed during the rooting process: the user can change the service parameters depending on their goals, but again, these manipulations are not for dummies, since one wrong move and you have a “brick” or a new post on the network: “Why Android is frozen” .

Preparing for the firmware

Manual tablet firmware always assumes that the user who has undertaken this business has at least some basic concepts, since actions with system files may damage the device. First, download the archive with the firmware, which is located at:

https://yadi.sk/d/ZMdTAuKwTMi8a.

Now you need to download and install special application FlashTool, through which all actions will be performed, is located at the link: http://rghost.ru/49370899?r=2260.

Main program window

We start the program, press the highlighted button and through the explorer we find in the folder with the firmware a file whose name starts with MT6589 and has the extension txt - add it to the program.

Additional settings

After adding the file, we call the menu “Windows -> Write Memory”, as shown in the image above.

Manual stitching

As soon as the tab has been activated, it will immediately appear in the menu, where we click on it. A window will open in which you need to set the same parameters as shown in the image below. Through the "Open" button, add a file called scro-default, which is located in the folder with the firmware.

Setting parameters

After adding and setting all the values, press the Write Memory button and connect the switched off tablet through a working one. USB cable, if for some reason it does not turn off, then hold down Power all the way and hold for 5-7 seconds. We repeat the procedure, in this case a green circle will appear on top of the windows, as soon as it appears, we immediately turn off the tablet.

Firmware process

Now pay attention: we press the 1st button and connect the tablet, turn it off and repeat the action with the 2nd button and, similarly, after the circle appears, turn it off. We complete this action by pressing the 3rd button and connect the tablet. We wait from 5 to 7 minutes until everything is set, and after the circle appears, we turn it off for the last time.

Over the air update

After the system boots, we launch the settings menu and go down to the “About tablet” parameter, where we search and update the system, as soon as the process is completed, go to the “Restore and reset” item and perform a factory reset.

If the tablet freezes during the installation of the firmware, then you need to repeat the procedure from the very beginning: from the stage of installing the drivers, most likely, a failure occurred somewhere.

Bootloader unlock

This procedure will help novice users to conduct absolutely any experiments with their device, ranging from quick installation root-rights and ending with testing custom firmware. Before installing Recovery, you need to unlock the bootloader, by coincidence, unlocking is performed in the same way as described above.

Unlock

Only at the stage of connecting the device to the computer, it will not be necessary to constantly turn it off, once connected through the cord, clicked on the “Write Memory” button: a bar will run several times below in the progress bar. Then go to the "Download" tab and press the button of the same name.

The process will be completed after the green circle appears, if it does not appear, then the process is frozen and you will have to start all over from the beginning.

Recovery installation

After unlocking, if it was completed successfully, restart the Flash_Tool program and immediately go to the “Download” tab.

Adding a file

Through the "Scatter" button, we add the same file from the archive folder, if the computer freezes a little, there is no need to panic, files are being added. You can see the list just below in a single table, now you need to be very careful:

• Android 4.1: only preloader and recovery checkboxes should be checked;
• Android 4.2: we leave the checkboxes for recovery and uboot, we remove all the rest.

Choice of options

After the final choice, immediately click "Download" and answer in the affirmative when prompted, and only after it we connect the tablet, be sure to turn it off. We are waiting until all the files are installed and correctly configured, after the appearance of the next green circle, you can safely turn off the tablet and close the program.

Solving various problems

During operation or service functions very often there are unexpected errors, which can be directly related to the human factor or due to glitches in the operating system Android, which, unfortunately, still has a huge number of "holes".

The tablet does not respond to actions

Very often, the tablet does not turn off or simply freezes due to incorrect firmware installation, in this case, the only correct way to restore its performance is to reflash. But how to do this if the tablet does not respond:

• The first is to try to get to the battery and disconnect the connector for 3-4 minutes, after the time has elapsed, return everything back and make the firmware, as described above;
• Wait 2-3 days until the battery is completely dead and then perform the same resuscitation.

Sensor slows down or does not work

The first thing you should do, if possible, is to reset all settings to the factory state in order to rule out an application incompatibility problem. If, after a reset, the device again freezes on the launch of some application or does not respond, most likely the problem is in the hardware and you will have to open the case.

Opening the MeMO Pad

Instructions for disassembling the gadget for dummies:

• We start from the bottom of the device, we try to insert a nail or a special spatula into the gap between the two halves of the body;
• Carefully in a circle, we begin to snap off the lid.

Loop connectors

After opening, it turned out that the cable was disconnected, we return it to its place and close the lid, turn on the tablet and rejoice: after all, we did not have to go to the service center.

Charging problem

This is a fairly common problem among the owners of this device, when at one point the battery stops taking charge, both from the network and via USB. The problem is solved in a matter of 5-10 minutes, however, you will have to open back cover, as described above.

Juggling contacts

After opening the lid, we find the battery connector, gently hook it with a fingernail and snap it up: wait 5-7 minutes and return everything back, close the lid and wait another 5 minutes, now you can turn on the tablet.

If the device freezes during the boot process, hold down the Power button, repeat the procedure with contacts and put it on charge without turning it on, only after that we try to turn it on.

Slows down the desktop

The Android operating system, although it is one of the most popular in the world, but the question of why Android has frozen again is probably still for a long time will not lose its relevance. Resetting to factory settings, deleting all applications does not help? Then the best option for the gadget would be to install Launcher through PlayMarket, which will not only transform the user interface, but also increase the performance of the underlying system.

Games slow down

The gadget freezes again after the next launch of some game? First of all, you need to check if the power saving mode is enabled. If so, then disable it and reboot the system, the problem should be resolved. This is explained by the fact that the tablet does not exit the mode and you have to restart the system to confirm the actions. There is a feeling that the tablet was assembled in a hurry.

Doesn't connect to Wi-Fi

If you are in the process of connecting to WiFi networks there is a cyclic allocation of the address, and as a result, the tablet for some reason freezes again, then you need to get root rights, as described above, and install the Root Explorer utility.

Using the utility, go to the file manager and go to the address: system-> etc-> dhcpcd, find the dhcpcd-run-hooks file in the last folder and, holding it, call the context menu, where click on the “allow” item. Now you need to set the parameters like this:

Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 Key Features

Asus is a well-known Taiwanese company that manufactures various computer technology. The company has gained worldwide fame thanks to its high-quality laptops and smartphones. However, the guys from Asus did not stop there and decided to go even further. Relatively recently, a whole line of tablets from this company has been released. Were Asus specialists able to create something worthy? Should I get a brand new Asus Memo Pad 7? You can find answers to these and many other questions in this article.

A new line called Memo Pad 7 attracted attention during the announcement of IFA 2014. Thin and light tablets with amazing, high-quality screens made a splash. Among other things, we were pleased with the support of the long-suffering LTE, which provides high-speed data transfer between devices. Well, the icing on the cake was the announcement of the release of a new shell called ZenUI. Such "delicious" announcements made millions of users around the world wait for the release of a new line of tablets. So, a year has passed - and the device appeared on store shelves. But is it as good as we were promised? Have Asus been able to reach the set bar? You will find the answers in this material.

Design

The first thing that catches your eye is the excellent appearance of the device. The Asus Memo Pad 7 is not just a piece of plastic with rounded corners. The painstaking work of designers is noticeable. The elegant lines of the body give the gadget a certain aristocracy. Particularly pleased with the ultra-thin frame of the gadget – the width on the sides is only 9 millimeters. The assembly is also commendable. Everything is matched with perfect precision. No backlash, squeaks and gaps are observed even after a long service life. It is also worth noting that the Asus Memo Pad HD 7 ME173X is sold in various color variations. Therefore, if you are bored with the classic black and white colors, then you can purchase a red, blue and even yellow version of the gadget.

Also pleased with the dimensions of the tablet. The Memo Pad 7 line as a whole has an excellent balance. In spite of powerful stuffing, the device is quite compact. This allows you to put the gadget straight into your bag or backpack without any problems. Asus Memo Pad 7 weighs less than 300 grams. Thanks to this, the hands do not get tired and do not become numb even during prolonged use of the device.

The back panel of the gadget is made of matte plastic. It is pleasant to the touch and, most importantly, does not collect fingerprints. At the top is the camera. Around the lens there is a special influx that protects the camera from scratches and other damage.

Performance

The Asus Memo Pad 7 ME572CL is a pretty powerful device. Few can compete with it in terms of performance. Experts from Asus made a rather interesting decision. Instead of standard and already bored chips from NVIDIA, Qualcomm, MediaTek, the Memo Pad 7 used a modern 64-bit Z3560 processor from the notorious Intel company. Each of the four cores of this monster has a capacity of 1.89 GHz. And coupled with a video accelerator (this is exactly what is in the iPhone 5S), an incredibly productive device is obtained. Asus Memo Pad HD 7 ME173X is capable of processing large volumes of information in a split second. Thanks to this, the tablet is able to run the most demanding applications, games without the slightest sagging. What can we say about Internet surfing, watching movies, listening to music and reading books! These tasks Asus Memo Pad 7 clicks like nuts.

Screen

The Asus Memo Pad 7 ME173X display deserves special attention. The screen has a standard size - 1280 x 800 pixels. Nevertheless, the tablet boasts high-quality detail. The picture is very clear, without any smearing and blur. Pixelation is not noticeable at all. An IPS matrix with a special LED backlight has a positive effect on image quality. Thanks to her, the screen boasts bright, saturated colors. And reading books through Asus Memo Pad 7 is a real pleasure. Perhaps the main omission in terms of the display is the lack of anti-glare coating. Because of this, working with the tablet in the sun is uncomfortable - you have to set the brightness to maximum.

Tablet Asus Memo Pad HD 7 16GB has an excellent sensor. Each touch is instantly processed without any delay. Moreover, the screen can support up to 10 fingers at the same time.

Sound

The tablet has two speakers: one is located on the top edge, the other - on the bottom. Thanks to this, the sound is quite clear and loud, which is undoubtedly a plus of the device. Also, while watching movies, TV shows through the tablet, the so-called stereo effect is created. It gives extra atmosphere.

Music lovers will also be pleased. The speakers do a good job of reproducing a variety of frequencies. Therefore, at the output we get crystal clear sound without any interference.

Software

Asus Memo Pad 7 16GB runs on modern android versions. Updates come immediately after their official release. The operation of the interface does not cause reproaches either. Everything works very fast, without any slowdowns.

It is also worth noting that a special graphical shell from Asus called ZenUI is installed on top of the classic Android 4.4 KitKat. It in no way reduces the functionality of native software. The main function of ZenUI is to change the appearance of the interface, making it easier to work with it. And with this function, she copes quite well. Asus designers have greatly simplified the interface, it has become intuitive.

The new ZenUI looks pretty nice. Icons have become much simpler, the user interface is in line with all modern trends. Standard Applications were also changed to match the overall style. In general, ZenUI causes only positive emotions among users.

autonomy

The battery is the scourge of all modern gadgets. Now it is very difficult to find a tablet that would work long enough without a network connection. The specialists from Asus understood this very well, so they tried to make the Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176CX as autonomous as possible.

The capacity of the built-in battery is about 4000 mAh. And this is one of the most tenacious tablets on the market today. In normal mode, with measured operation, the gadget can last up to two days. And this is a wonderful indicator. Therefore, the device can be safely taken on long trips - the battery will not let you down.

Among other things, the tablet has a special section. In it, you can quite flexibly adjust the energy consumption. For example, by slightly reducing the backlight, you can postpone the trip to the outlet for a couple of hours.

Outcome

In conclusion, we can say that the Asus Memo Pad 7 16GB tablet is an amazing gadget that has a stylish design, high performance and great functionality. The device is perfect for home use and for long journeys. Although the price of the device bites, it is fully justified by the quality of the final product.