Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime – what does it have to offer?
Published in: Tablets on February 6, 2012 by Daniel Iuhasz
Asus has managed to push the envelope in terms of functionality, innovation and ultimately style with the introduction of the Transformer and Slide in 2011, but it’s surely time for an upgrade for 2012. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is considered to be a 2012 tablet because it manages to rise up to our expectations by packing a powerful Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB of RAM and an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
The Transformer Prime is replacing the original Transformer and while it surely has some similarities to its predecessor, it comes with some Aces under its sleeve which make it probably the most powerful slate out there. So, let’s see what this tablet can do!
Specs:
- Screen: Scratch Rezistant 10.1 inch Super IPS+ Panel with a 1920 x 1200 resolution and multi-touch
CPU: Quad-core NVidia Tegra 3 running at 1.3GHz- RAM: 1GB
- Storage Space: 32 to 64 GB
- SD Card: Yes, microSD
- Cameras: 8MP main camera with Autofocus and LED flash and 1.9MP secondary camera
- Wi-Fi: Yes: 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth: Yes, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
- Operating System: Android 3.2 HoneyComb with upgrade possibility to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
- Ports: microHDMI and 3.5mm audio jack
- Extras: Optional Dock with included battery, USB 2.0 port and card reader
Design, body and build
When you first lay your eyes on the Transformer Prime you’ll notice that it’s not your entry-level tablet. It comes with a metal back for extra protection which gives a certain business look to the tablet, but overall there are no details which pop out. On the front you have a crisp and clear display with a black bezel around it and the front-facing camera. Turn the tablet over and you’ll find the circularly-polished metal back with the Asus engraving and a camera, so if you are a fan of simplicity then this tablet is surely the one for you.
Weighing in at a very light 586 grams, it is also very light for a 10.1 inch tablet. If we were to compare it to other 10.1 inch slates, the transformer is comparable to the 565 grams of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and by far better than the Acer Iconia A200 or A700 which come in at 700 and 650 grams. The Transformer Prime is also very thin, measuring only 8.6mm.
Display, Touchscreen and Audio Performance
The 10.1 inch Super IPS+ 1920 x 1200 px resolution screen is surely a must-have for movie enthusiasts. Viewing angles and colors are also great, so at this moment we have nothing bad to say about the Transformer’s screen. When we talked about the Acer Iconia Tab A700 we told you what an amazing screen it has, but when compared to the Transformer Prime there will surely be a battle going on for which tablet is the best.
The Prime has a great screen
Touchscreen experience is also nice on the Asus Transformer Prime and we are happy to tell you that it actually handles much better than the Transformer. The responsiveness of the screen is very natural and kind of intuitive if you come to think about it. Switching from landscape to portrait is also faster than other tablets, but a bit behind the Apple’s iPad.
Audio Performance is good, but not great. Asus has opted for mono speakers (or speaker) on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, so you’ll not get the same audio quality as with other devices, but this is not such a major drawback.
Hardware Specs and Overall Performance
Performance-wise, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Primes comes with the NVidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor running at 1.3GHz and 1GB of RAM. What does this mean? Well, if you liked the way the Transformer handles then you will love the way it feels to browse the web, edit documents or play a game on the Transformer. NVidia Tegra 3 is surely a big step from the Tegra 2 which can be found on many mainstream tablets, so if you want to make a solid investment then I would invest in the Transformer Prime.
Furthermore, you get 32 GB or 64GB of storage space on the Transformer Prime which is enough to store some HD movies, music and games. Asus has let go of the 16GB version of the Transformer and started directly with 32GB, mainly because this eliminated your need to use the slower microSD card but also because this way they can start charging more for the basic 32GB version.
OS, Battery Life and Special Features
I will tell you from the start, the battery life of the Transformer Prime is great. I don’t think any Asus Transformer Prime review can comment that the 12 hour battery life of this tablet is under the user’s expectations because at this moment 
you can’t pull more juice out of a tablet no matter how hard you try. If you add the optional keyboard dock we talk about in the next paragraph you get an additional 6 hours of battery life, so a total of 18 hours.
The best thing about the Asus Eee Pad is the optional keyboard dock you can get for this tablet. By attaching the tablet to the dock you practically get an Android netbook; you’ll have an extra keyboard, touchpad and a SD card slot and full-sized USB connector and an extra battery that will give you 6 more hours of battery life. Surely the dock is something you want to have because it makes working with documents a breeze, but the sad part here is that it no longer comes included with the tablet, so you’ll have to buy it extra.
In terms of ports, the tablet by itself isn’t that amazing. You get a nice micro HDMI port which can stream high-quality 1080p output and a microSD card slot, but unfortunately there is no microUSB connection to directly transfer data from the PC to the tablet. You can transfer data via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but the micro USB is surely something I would have liked to see on the Transformer Prime.
Cameras on the Asus Transformer Prime are also good, for a tablet. On the back there is an 8MP camera which manages to pull out decent-looking photos (with a bit of noise in low-light conditions) and even film 1080p FullHD movies. The front-facing camera is pretty standard, having 1.2 megapixels and handling online conferences easily even if poorly-lit rooms.
Pricing and Availability
If you have been imagining that the Asus Eee Pad Transformer will set you back 1000 bucks, think again. The starting price online for the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is $573.72 for the 32GB version and $649.99 for the 64GB Transformer Prime. Pricing is decent considering what you get for this tablet, maybe a little pricier on the 64GB version. The extra keyboard dock can also be acquired online for $226.94, which was the best price I could.
Find it anywhere cheaper? Help out by giving us a link to show to other people!
Final Thoughts
All in all, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is an Amazing tablet which is rumored to be released in June 2012 at a price tag of about $600 in the US. I can’t wait to put my hands on one to show you guys, but until then, we’ll have to do with whatever news we stumble upon.
