Kuala Lumpur, 20 January 2017 — ASUS today announced ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Z500KL), the ultimate Android-powered tablet for cinematic entertainment on the go. The elegantly simple ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) is crafted with a slim, compact 5.8mm-thin aluminum chassis and features a stunning 9.7-inch QXGA (2048 by 1536) 2K resolution touchscreen.
ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) offers a comprehensive set of entertainment-focused features, including ASUS Tru2Life video-enhancement technology and an incredibly loud, clear and immersive audio system with virtual 7.1-channel surround-sound support.
ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) is also the first ASUS tablet to include a fingerprint sensor that allows the tablet to be rapidly locked or unlocked, and which can be work with apps for authentication. ZenPad 3S 10 LTE also supports the optional ASUS Z Stylus, which gives a natural pen-on-paper feel and works with many useful productivity apps.
Elegantly simple: Premium all-aluminum design with class-leading ultra-slim bezel
ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) has a chassis milled from a single block of aluminum to give it a pure, uncluttered appearance. This state-of-the art construction results in a chassis that is a mere 5.8 mm thick — even thinner than a typical smartphone. The metal rear surface and rounded edges are finely sandblasted to give it a smooth matte texture. Its simple elegance is enhanced with brilliant diamond-cut chamfers around the edges. All these premium design and construction elements combine to make ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) not only exquisitely luxurious to look at, but also comfortable to hold.
The display is bordered by the world’s thinnest 5.32 mm-thin bezel for a tablet, giving the ZenPad 3S 10 LTE a class-leading screen-to-body ratio of 78%. This makes the ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) one of the most compact and slim 9.7-inch tablets available.
Stunning display: 9.7-inch QXGA IPS display with ASUS Tru2Life and ASUS TruVivid
ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) houses a stunning 9.7-inch IPS touchscreen display with a sharp QXGA (2048 by 1536) 2K resolution, making it ideal for viewing high-resolution digital photos and HD movies.
Further enhancing its video playback quality, ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) features exclusive ASUS Tru2Life video-enhancement technology that increases the sharpness and contrast of videos. ASUS Tru2Life intelligently analyzes every single pixel in every single video frame and optimizes them for brightness, contrast, color and sharpness before the frame is displayed.
The display also features ASUS TruVivid direct-bonding technology to enhance clarity and brightness while reducing glare. ASUS TruVivid does this by reducing the number of glass layers from the typical six needed in a typical tablet, to just two. Together, ASUS Tru2Life and TruVivid technologies make ZenPad 3S 10 LTE’s screen easily readable — even in in bright sunlight.
Incredible audio: Powerful 5-magnet speakers, smart amplifiers and DTS Headphone
Matching ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 LTE’s superb display is its audio capability. The tablet features a powerful stereo audio system with new five-magnet speakers incorporating NXP smart amplifier technology. The speakers feature extremely strong voice coils that give them loud and clear audio. The smart amplifier incorporates algorithms allow the speakers to be driven at much higher volumes than a standard amplifier, intelligently limiting the coil travel to prevent both audio distortion and long-term speaker damage.
ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) also supports DTS Headphone:X virtual 7.1-channel surround-sound technology. DTS Headphone:X automatically optimizes and tunes attached headphones to simulate the immersive effect of a 7.1-channel surround-sound home theatre system.
Outstanding battery life: High-capacity 7800mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0
ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) has a high-capacity 7800mAh battery that can power it for 16 hours for movie watching. This battery also features Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology that delivers a full charge in about three hours — incredibly fast for such a high-capacity battery.
Powering ASUSZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) is a set of powerful components that includes a hexa-core Snapdragon 650 processor supported by a generous 4GB of RAM. For storage, the tablet has up to 32GB of onboard eMMC memory and a micro SD Card reader that can support micro SD Cards up to 128GB in capacity.
Completing its multimedia features are the front-facing 5MP camera and 8MP rear camera. The front camera is ideal for selfies, with an 85° field of view that enables a 140° panoramic selfie shooting capability. The rear camera features ASUS PixelMaster photographic technologies, including Low Light mode that combines four pixels on the sensor into a single, extremely light-sensitive pixel for shooting sharper photos in dark environments, or to remove the need for a harsh flash to illuminate subjects.
Designed for ease of use: ASUS ZenUI 3.0, ZenMotion and optional ASUS Z Stylus
ASUS ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) offers a very user-friendly interface, with ASUS ZenUI 3.0 featuring ZenMotion touch gestures and an optional ASUS Z stylus. ZenMotion allows apps to be launched from standby simply by tapping or writing characters on its blank screen. For example, double-tapping the screen will wake the device up, writing ‘e’ will open email, writing ‘w’ will open Microsoft Edge browser, or writing ‘v’ will open Windows Movie & TV app. The apps assigned to each onscreen gesture can also be customized.
ZenPad 3S 10 LTE is also the first ASUS tablet to feature a fingerprint sensor that allows the tablet to be rapidly locked or unlocked, and also works in supported apps for authentication.
A thriving ZenPad community
ZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) owners can join a thriving global community of fellow ZenPad users on the ASUS ZenPad Content Hub at http://www.asus.com/lifestyle/zenpad/. Here, ZenPad owners can learn new tips and tricks for using their ZenPad, improve their photography skills, get help and support, read hardware and app reviews, or browse the latest educational, social and entertainment content shared by ASUS or their fellow ‘ZenFans’.
Asus ZenPad 3S 10 LTE Pricing & Availability
ASUSZenPad 3S 10 LTE (Amazon, Lazada) will be available from 20th January 2017 in Malaysia at retail price of RM1799 / ~US$ 399 (folio cover included). Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.
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The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is a cheap and cheerful mini-tablet. Powered by the low-cost Intel Atom x3 chip, it is never going to win any speed race. If you are looking for a mobile 3D gaming machine, then this is not what you are looking for. But it is perfect for 2D games and video playback, as well as office work.
When we reviewed the ASUS ZenPad 7.0, one of our biggest gripe was its rather limited battery life. It can last up to 6 hours with light use, or 4.5 hours of heavy use (PCMark rated) and about 3.5 hours if you are playing games on it. But ASUS has just the solution for you – the ASUS Power Case (CB71) for the ZenPad 7.0!
The ASUS Power Case is a power extender specially designed for their ZenPad series of tablets. They look like a normal ZenCase, just with a built-in battery that doubles the ZenPad’s battery life. Let’s see if that claim holds true! 😀
ASUS Power Case (CB71) Specifications
Model
CB71
Battery Cell Technology
Lithium-ion
Input Power
5.2 V, 1.2 A
Output Power
5.0 V, 0.9 A
Cell Capacity
3450 mAh (typical)
Rated Capacity
2150 mAh
Battery Life
Additional 6 hours
Dimensions
185.4 mm wide
97.6 mm tall
4.7 mm thick
Safety Features
- Temperature Protection
- Short circuit Protection
- Input over Voltage Protection
- Output over Voltage Protection
- Input reverse direction protection
- Over charge/over discharge protection
- Output Over Current Protection
- Cell PTC Protection
- Adapter protection
Operating Temperature
0 to 35 ℃
Weight
100 g
Model Compatibility
Z370C
Z370CG
Z370KL
Colour Options
Black / White
Unboxing The ASUS Power Case
The ASUS Power Case comes in a classy-looking cardboard box. The large ASUS ZenPad 7.0 branding in the front makes it clear that this Power Case is specifically designed for the ZenPad 7.0, not its larger brother – the ZenPad 8.0.
Inside, you will find the Power Case nestled within a corrugated cardboard box. The box has a small compartment, with the USB charging dongle for the Power Case hiding inside.
We have also prepared a video of our unboxing of the ASUS Power Case for the ZenPad 7.0 tablet. Check it out!
The ASUS Power Case package consists of the Power Case, a USB charging dongle, and a User Guide.
Now, let’s take a look at the Power Case, and how well it performs with the ZenPad 7.0 tablet…
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The Power Case Up Close
The Power Case for the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 looks like a normal ZenCase from a distance. It is just thicker and heavier, with a dark chrome trim for a classier look. On the inner side, there is a label and an 8-point power and data connector. Check out how the black Power Case looks on a white ZenPad 7.0.
The Power Case comes with a USB charging dongle. It doesn’t come with a power adaptor for this dongle because you can use your ZenPad 7.0‘s existing power adaptor. You don’t actually have to use the dongle. Once you install the Power Case onto the ZenPad 7.0, recharging the ZenPad 7.0‘s internal battery will also recharge the Power Case.
The dongle has two magnetic pads with two pegs on the underside. Together, they securely lock onto the power and data connector. Then all you need to do is plug in a USB cable to recharge the Power Case. Although less convenient than recharging the Power Case on the ZenPad 7.0, the dongle allows for a faster recharge.
The Power Case’s Performance
ASUS promised that the Power Case will double the ZenPad 7.0‘s battery life from 8 hours to 16 hours. Our tests show that the ZenPad 7.0‘s battery life under heavy use is about 4.5 hours. The Power Case extends that by 6.5 hours to just over 11 hours, more than doubling its battery life.
With light use, you can expect the rated 16 hours of battery life, but if you play games non-stop on it, expect it to run out of juice after 7.5 hours. While this falls short of the rated battery life of “up to 16 hours”, the Power Case erases all battery life anxiety for ZenPad 7.0 users. You can use it for a full working day without worrying about running out of battery power.
We also checked how long it took to fully recharge both the ZenPad 7.0‘s internal battery and the Power Case – 14 hours 24 minutes. This was based on the 7 W power adaptor that came with the ASUS ZenPad 7.0. Charging will be slower if you plug the ZenPad 7.0 (with the Power Case attached) to a computer USB port. If you need a quicker charge, you should remove the Power Case and recharge it using the charging dongle.
Our Verdict
The ASUS Power Case for the ZenPad 7.0 should not be considered an optional upgrade. It is a necessary upgrade, because it solves the ZenPad 7.0‘s biggest flaw – its limited battery life.
[adrotate banner=”4″]Although it looks like a ZenCase, it adds quite a bit of heft (100 grams or 3.5 oz) to the ZenPad 7.0, which weighs just 272 g (9.6 oz). That is a 36% increase in its weight. You will feel it, but IMHO, it’s worth the extra battery life.
Installing the Power Case will also increase the time it takes to recharge the ZenPad 7.0. It is simply too inconvenient to remove the Power Case for a quicker recharge, so you will have to live with the long charging time.
If you intend to buy the ASUS ZenPad 7.0, or already own one, make sure you get the Power Case. It will transform your ZenPad 7.0 tablet, allowing you to really use it “hard” without worrying about running out of juice.
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The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 (Z370CG) tablet was designed as a more affordable alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0. Priced at least 30% lower than the Galaxy Tab A 8.0, it even offers a higher resolution screen and a higher-resolution rear camera. How did ASUS accomplish this feat?
A major reason is the Intel Atom x3 SoC that powers the ZenPad 7.0. Codenamed SoFIA, it is a low-cost chip that combines a quad-core Intel Atom CPU, an ARM GPU, and a 3G modem. The ZenPad 7.0 uses a detuned Intel Atom x3-C3230RK, allowing ASUS to achieve a lower price point with better features.
So what does ASUS’ experiment with the Intel Atom x3 chip offer in return? Take a look at this comparison of the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 :
Specifications
ASUS ZenPad 7.0
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0
Model
Z370CG
SM-T350N
Operating System
Android 5.0 Lollipop
Platform
Intel Atom x3 (SoFIA)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
Processor
900 MHz* Intel Atom x3-C3230 (quad-core) processor
1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A53 (quad-core) processor
GPU
ARM Mali-450 MP4
Qualcomm Adreno 306
Display
7" IPS display
- 800 x 1280 resolution
- 216 ppi pixel density
8" IPS display
- 768 x 1024 resolution
- 160 ppi pixel density
Now, let’s check out the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 in detail, and see how it performs…
Updated @ 2016-03-13 : Revamped the review with an additional page and links to theASUS Power Case review.
What’s Inside The Box?
The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 that is sold here in Malaysia comes in a slightly larger box, because it contains a surprise inside – an extra ASUS ZenCase. The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is available in three colour options – Black, White and Metallic, so check the colour printed on the back label to make sure you are getting the right colour.
4 / 6
When you open the box, you will find the following items :
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The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 (Z370CG) Tablet
The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet has a 7″ IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 800. It is powered by the quad-core Intel Atom x3-C3230 SoC with 2 GB of LPDDR3 SDRAM, and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI. It comes with 16 GB of flash storage, which can be expanded through a microSD slot.
For selfies, the ZenPad 7.0 has a 2 MP wide-angle shooter in the front, but for serious photography, there is an 8 MP PixelMaster camera at the back. The only buttons are on the left side – a rocker Volume button and a smaller Power button. At the bottom of the ZenPad 7.0 is the micro-USB port and the microphone.
The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet has a plastic chassis, but the matte finish of the main chassis and the leather finish of the back cover not only confers it a classy feel but a better grip as well. As a bonus, it is very resistant against fingerprint smears.
If you are fashion-concious and would like the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 to match your outfit for the day, you can actually swap out the back covers (ASUS calls them ZenCases). To do that, you just have to peel off the back cover at a small groove at the bottom right corner of the ZenPad 7.0.
You will also need to remove the back cover to gain access to the micro SIM slot, as well as the microSD card slot. The microSD card slot supports microSD, microSDHC and microSDXC cards. The 10-pin connector to the left of the micro SIM slot is only used to connect to the Audio Cover and Power Case upgrades.
The ASUS ZenCases
ASUS will offer ZenCases in four colour options – black, metallic, orange and blue. The ZenCases are simple plastic covers that replace the original back covers your ASUS ZenPad 7.0 comes with. Take a look at how they look when we swap out the original black ZenCase for the metallic, blue and orange ZenCases.
10 / 6
ASUS will also be making available the ASUS Zen Clutch, which is a folding leather cover for the ZenPad 7.0; as well as the Power Case, which extends the ZenPad 7.0’s battery life up to 16 hours. There is also an Audio Cover that upgrades the ASUS ZenPad 7.0‘s audio capabilities with 5 speakers and a subwoofer, with DTS technology.
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It’s ALIVE!
The first thing you will notice when you turn on the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is how vibrant the screen is, thanks to the ASUS Tru2Life Technology. Tru2Life dynamically applies a HDR effect to images displayed on the screen, giving them more “pop”.
The ZenPad 7.0 has a relatively high-resolution 800 x 1280 IPS display. That’s a million pixels packed into a 7″ screen. Thanks to the higher pixel density of 216 ppi, everything displayed looks really sharp and crisp at the normal viewing distance.
Available Storage & Memory
Out of the box, it runs on Android 5.0.2 and has 10.75 GB of free space, out of its internal 16 GB flash storage. As you can tell – that’s not a lot of storage space. Unless you are a light user, you are going to need to add additional storage via a micro SD card.
The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet comes with 2 GB of LPDDR3 memory, which is decent considering its price point. What’s just as important is the ZenPad 7.0 has relatively little bloat, leaving you with 1.2 GB of free memory to play with.
The Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system itself takes up 262 MB of RAM, with the ZenUI interface and ASUS apps taking up 221 MB of RAM. Another 220 MB of RAM is used to cache apps, leaving you with 1.2 GB of free memory. This is plenty enough for several apps to run at the same time.
Camera Capabilities & Options
The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet has an 8 MP PixelMaster camera at the back, and a 2 MP wide-angle camera in the front. Both cameras use a 4:3 ratio, with small crop sizes available in the settings menu. Neither cameras have an LED light to brighten up dark scenes. Even more disappointing was the rear camera’s video recording capability. Even though it sports an 8 MP sensor, it was only capable of recording 720p videos.
The camera comes with a bunch of built-in software features like a HDR mode and a low light option that extends the camera’s ability to capture poorly-lit scenes by combining light from multiple pixels. You can also apply some filters or convert your pictures into GIF animation.
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Camera Performance – Photos
The ASUS ZenPad 7.0‘s rear 8 MP PixelMaster camera handles shaded scenes pretty well, but overexposes in bright areas. This overexposure can be seen in the glass panes on the left in the elevator photo. Even a bright light shining down can cause the cloth in the background of the bottles photo to be terribly overexposed.
In these two shaded scenes, the exposure was appropriate. On closer inspection, you can see some blurring and considerable noise in the photo of warning signs. This is due to the dimmer light condition. In the brighter bubblegum photo, you can see that there is very little noise.
These two pictures of oranges and pineapples again show the abilities and limitations of the ASUS PixelMaster camera. The oranges were not directly lit so appear well-exposed and well-detailed. However, the upper part of the large pineapple in the foreground was overexposed, as were the Dole Tropical Gold labels on the two smaller pineapple. This was because a light was shining directly on these pineapples.
In summary, the ASUS ZenPad 7.0‘s rear PixelMaster camera works best in shaded areas, with indirect lighting. Any direct light will cause overexposure of the scene. On the other hand, if there is too little light, the sensor introduces a significant amount of noise.
Camera Performance – Video Recording
Even though the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 boasts an 8 MP PixelMaster camera, it can only record 720p video. Here is a sample video we recorded of a piano performance by Mr. Yang I-Deun.
As you can see, the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 has problems controlling the exposure of the scene. All of the bright areas are grossly overexposed. ASUS needs to really work on the software to correct this. We don’t think this has anything to do with the camera hardware because we have seen less capable cameras do a better job of handling exposure…
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the ASUS ZenPad 7.0‘s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
ASUS
ZenPad 7.0
ASUS
ZenFone 2
Samsung
Galaxy S6
Work Performance Score
(Average)
2440
5644
5078
Web Browsing
1863
6108
6788
Video Playback
3443
3970
3091
Writing
2306
5039
5918
Photo Editing
2396
8301
5357
As the results show, the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet is no Speedy Gonzales. It was much slower than the ASUS ZenFone 2, which uses the much more powerful Intel Atom Z3580 processor and faster flash memory.
The ZenPad 7.0 did very well in video playback though. In fact, it actually beat the Samsung Galaxy S6 in the video playback test!
Battery Performance – PCMark
We then tested the ASUS ZenPad 7.0‘s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until the ZenPad 7.0’s battery dropped to 20%.
In normal usage, ASUS quotes a battery life of 8 hours, based on looping a 720p video with the brightness set to 100 nits and Gmail logged in for emails and updates.
As you can see, the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet lasts only about 4.5 hours on the PCMark stress test. Of course, this is a stress test that simulates the worst possible workload. In our real world experience, we had no problem using it for 6 hours at a time, although non-stop gaming dropped that to about 3.5 hours.
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Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the ASUS ZenPad 7.0‘s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Extreme test.
ASUS
ZenPad 7.0
ASUS
ZenFone 2
Samsung
Galaxy S6
Gaming Score
3794
10194
Maxed out!
Graphics
3423
9467
Maxed out!
Physics
6113
13943
Maxed out!
Graphics Test 1
16.4 fps
59.4 fps
59.6 fps
Graphics Test 2
13.7 fps
31.5 fps
49.6 fps
Physics
19.4 fps
44.3 fps
39.6 fps
Without a doubt, the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet is not really meant for 3D gaming. The ASUS ZenFone 2, in comparison, was more than 2.5X faster. Needless to say, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is even faster.
Overall Performance – AnTuTu Benchmark
AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.
The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is a cheap and cheerful mini-tablet. Powered by the low-cost Intel Atom x3 chip, it is never going to win any speed race. If you are looking for a mobile 3D gaming machine, then this is not what you are looking for.
The ZenPad 7.0 is targeted at consumers who want an affordable mini tablet and don’t need a stylus. In fact, it was obviously designed to lure away potential buyers of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 tablet. If you don’t need the Tab A’s S Pen, then the ZenPad 7.0 will probably be a better deal. After all, the ZenPad 7.0 boasts higher-resolution display and camera as well as a faster GPU at a significantly lower price point.
[adrotate banner=”4″]The ASUS Tru2Life display is really sharp and vivid – a real delight to use. Thanks to the integrated ARM Mali-450 MP4 GPU, the ZenPad 7.0 is as fast asASUS ZenFone 2 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 in 2D graphics and video playback capabilities.
The 8 MP PixelMaster camera, on the other hand, was a disappointment. Despite its higher resolution, it could not record 1080p video, and the 720p videos it recorded suffered from exposure issues. Its photographic capabilities were similarly marred by poor exposure control. It should be possible for ASUS to improve the camera’s firmware to better manage exposure, so we look forward to an update to fix this problem.
It also has rather limited battery life. This is not a significant problem if you intend to use it for basic tasks like web surfing, reading ebooks, etc. But if you intend to play games on it, it will run out of juice real quick. That is probably why ASUS offers the Power Case upgrade which basically doubles its battery life.
Despite its flaws, the ZenPad 7.0 is a delightful tablet to use, and it is rather well-built for its price point. ASUS even went to the effort of giving it user-swappable back covers, called ZenCases. ASUS now offers 6 different ZenCase colours as well as an Audio Cover upgrade and a Power Case for those who need longer battery life.
We would recommend this tablet for those who want a small 7-8″ tablet but do not require a stylus. The ASUS ZenPad 7.0 is best used for surfing the Internet, email and messaging, video playback, office applications and light games.
Lowest Prices
If you are interested in purchasing the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 outside of Malaysia, try the Amazon.com links below.
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