Frequently Bought Together
Product Information
Size Name: 32 GB | Color Name: Amethyst Gray
| Screen Size | 10.1 inches |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1280x800 pixels |
| Processor | 1.66 GHz Tegra 3.0 |
| RAM | 1 GB DDR2 |
| Hard Drive | 32 GB |
| Graphics Coprocessor | NVIDIA Tegra 3 |
| Chipset Brand | NVIDIA |
| Wireless Type | 802.11bgn |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 12 hours |
| Brand Name | Asus |
| Series | Eee Pad Transformer |
| Item model number | TF201-B1-GR |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Operating System | Android 3.2 |
| Item Weight | 1.3 pounds |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 10.35 x 0.33 x 7.12 inches |
| Color | Amethyst Gray |
| Rear Webcam Resolution | 8 MP |
| Processor Brand | NVIDIA |
| Processor Count | 1 |
| Computer Memory Type | SDRAM |
| Flash Memory Size | 32 GB |
| Hard Drive Interface | Serial ATA |
| Hard Drive Rotational Speed | 5400 RPM |
| Batteries: | 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included) |
Additional Information
| ASIN | B0067PLM5E |
| Shipping Weight | 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) |
| Shipping | Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. |
| Date First Available | December 18, 2011 |
Warranty & Support
Amazon.com Return Policy: You may return any new computer purchased from Amazon.com that is "dead on arrival," arrives in damaged condition, or is still in unopened boxes, for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. Amazon.com reserves the right to test "dead on arrival" returns and impose a customer fee equal to 15 percent of the product sales price if the customer misrepresents the condition of the product. Any returned computer that is damaged through customer misuse, is missing parts, or is in unsellable… Read more condition due to customer tampering will result in the customer being charged a higher restocking fee based on the condition of the product. Amazon.com will not accept returns of any desktop or notebook computer more than 30 days after you receive the shipment. New, used, and refurbished products purchased from Marketplace vendors are subject to the returns policy of the individual vendor.
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Product Description
Size: 32 GB | Color: Amethyst Gray
Amazon.com
Paired for Perfection
Breaking free from the normal constraints of a device through constant innovation, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime is the perfect example of what a tablet should be. The feature that gives the Eee Pad Transformer Prime its name, the mobile docking station, gives a whole new meaning to the term Paired for Perfection.
The new Eee Pad Transformer Prime is mind-blowingly slim and light weight and with a beautiful metallic spun finished design. In fact, it is the slimmest tablet on the market yet, only 0.33" thin and 1.29lbs light. You can easily carry it with you no matter where you go.
Breaking free from the normal constraints of a device through constant innovation, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime is the perfect example of what a tablet should be. The feature that gives the Eee Pad Transformer Prime its name, the mobile docking station, gives a whole new meaning to the term Paired for Perfection.
The new Eee Pad Transformer Prime is mind-blowingly slim and light weight and with a beautiful metallic spun finished design. In fact, it is the slimmest tablet on the market yet, only 0.33" thin and 1.29lbs light. You can easily carry it with you no matter where you go.
Key Features
- 10.1-inch WXGA Super IPS+ capacitive pressure-sensing multi touch display made with Corning® Gorilla® Glass for brilliant HD entertainment and intuitive navigation. 178° viewing angle (1280 x 800)
- Ultra-slim and light (.33" thin and 1.29lbs light) with metallic spun finish design
- Powered by NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 Quad-core CPU for excellent multitasking, 1080p HD video output playback and 3D games for SUPERB performance (Learn more)
- 1.2MP front camera and 8MP auto-focus rear camera with flash, back-illuminated CMOS sensor, and large aperture design to clearly capture every moment. (Learn more)
- Android™ 3.2 Honeycomb (Upgradable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) OS with Adobe® Flash® support and over 500,000 downloadable applications on the Android ™ Market.1 (Learn more)
- Optional Docking station with Full QWERTY keyboard adds additional 6 hours of battery life, to instantly turn the Eee Pad Transformer Prime into PC mode with up to 18 hours of battery life.2
Learn More | |
 | Performance & ProductivityBeing the first tablet that is powered by the world's first Quad-core processor NVIDIA® Tegra® 3, the Eee Pad Transformer Prime browses the web and outputs 1080p HD video at blazing speeds. The snappier response time and better multi-tasking performance make the Eee Pad Transformer Prime a true mobile entertainment powerhouse.The feature that gives the Eee Pad Transformer Prime its name, the mobile docking station, gives a whole new meaning to the term versatility. The innovative design not only seamlessly provides the user with a keyboard, touchpad and expandability options, but also increases battery life to 18 hours for all day computing & productivity.2 Stunning Visuals & SoundEquipped with the Super IPS + panel that's protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass with 178° ultra-viewing angle, the Eee Pad Transformer Prime's screen brightness has also been enhanced to make it easier than ever to read outside in the sun. 8MP rear camera with flash, back-illuminated CMOS sensor and large aperture design ensures that every precious moment is being captured while 1.2MP front camera allows for vivid video conferencing.The Eee Pad Transformer Prime houses an updated audio solution offering sound unheard of from any other tablet, powered by SonicMaster technology, one of the industry's renowned codecs for crisp and acoustically accurate audio. |
Connectivity & ExpandabilityStay connected while you're on the move with the Eee Pad Transformer Prime that comes with MicroSD Card Reader, Micro HDMI port and unlimited free web storage space for a year for easy sharing & expandability.2With Android™ 3.2 Honeycomb (Upgradable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) OS with Adobe® Flash® support and over 500,000 downloadable applications on the Android™ Market, entertainment is just a finger swipe away.1 The convenient ASUS Launcher also allows users to launch software, manage content, access online services and connect devices with a few simple taps. Allows users to easily stream digital media wirelessly within home network devices with the Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Play HD videos or music on any home network devices such as the HDTV monitor or desktop PCs for an even better experience from the Eee Pad Transformer Prime.3 Consolidates downloaded books, magazines and newspapers in to one easy to browse profile that syncs with Google Bookstore and ASUS @Vibe. MyCloud is a total cloud solution, providing access to digital content such as music, videos and files from the cloud anywhere, anytime. Users can even use MyCloud to remotely access and control any PC or Mac system and access applications or files to extend the versatility of the Eee Pad Transformer Prime experience. |  |
Relax, ASUS Has You Covered
Ranked as the #1 most reliable PC brand by 3 independent sources4, readers and editors alike choose ASUS as their trusted notebook and netbook. We tirelessly strive to exceed expectations of quality to ensure you an unmatched peace of mind every time you turn on your Eee Pad Transformer Prime.We also back our commitment with the industry's most comprehensive warranty.
- 1 year North America warranty
- Free one-way standard shipping
- 24/7 tech support
What's in the Box
- ASUS EeePad Transformer Prime TF201-B1 Tablet
- User manual
- Power adaptor with USB to 40 pin connector
- Warranty card
Specifications
| Display 10.1-inch WXGA Super IPS+ capacitive multi touch display built with Corning® Gorilla® Glass; 178° viewing angle(1280 x 800) Operating System Android 3.2 Honeycomb Platform (Upgradeable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Chipset NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 mobile processor | with Quad Core CPU Memory 1GB DDR2 Wireless 802.11b/g/n Bluetooth Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR Storage 32GB eMMC Flash Camera 1.2 megapixel (Front); 8.0 Megapixel (Rear) Speakers Built-in Stereo Speakers with SonicMaster Technology | Card Reader Micro SD Card Reader Input / Output 1 x Micro HDMI, 2-in-1 audio jack (head phone/mic-in jack), internal mic Battery Pack 25 W/h Li-polymer battery (up to 12 hours)2 Dimensions 10.35" x 7.12" x 0.33" (W x D x H) Weight 1.29lbs Color Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold  |
© 2011 ASUS Computer International. All Rights Reserved. ASUS is a registered trademark of ASUSTeK Computer. All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos. All trademarks are registered to their respective companies. ASUS shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
1 Upgradable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.Adobe® Flash® update required from Android Market.
2 Actual battery life varies with usage. Battery life tested under power saving mode, playing 720p video playback, Brightness: 60nits, default volume with headphones. Operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations.
3 Compatible with DLNA Certified devices only.
4 Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com's Service & Reliability Report 2010. Rated number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Q2 2010's RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/2010-2nd-Quarter-Computer-Reliability-Report.html.
| Check Out Other Great ASUS Products |
 ASUS Transformer Portfolio Protect your Eee Pad Transformer with the ASUS Portfolio cover designed to fit the tablet perfectly. The portfolio also has a fold-able cover that turns into a keyboard stand or a reader stand, making it convenient to use your Eee Pad comfortably for hours-on-end. |  Eee Pad Transformer Docking Keyboard It is meant to be together. Add a docking keyboard to your Transformer tablet and get up to an amazing 16 hours of battery life. With 2x USB ports, an 4-in-1 card reader, the expansion possibilities are almost limitless. Its full QWERTY keyboard and a row of shortcut keys means you can get what you want done, faster, more efficient. |  ASUS Index Sleeve - Black When docked, your Eee Pad Transformer is not just a tablet, it is also a very capable notebook style PC. Don't leave home without a sleeve protecting your Transformer. Check out this water-repellant textured leather sleeve with an soft sued interior. |  ASUS Index Sleeve – Pink When docked, your Eee Pad Transformer is not just a tablet, it is also a very capable notebook style PC. Don't leave home without a sleeve protecting your Transformer. Check out this water-repellant textured leather sleeve with an soft sued interior. |
Product Description
10.1" WXGA (1280x800) (LED Capacitive)/NVIDIA Tegra 3/1GB DDR2 RAM/32GB Flash Memory/Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)/802.11BGN/1.2MP Front Camera/8.0MP Rear Camera/Bluetooth 2.1/Up to 12 hours battery/G-Sensor/E-Compass/Light Sensor/Gyroscope/1YR North American Warranty
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
879 of 899 people found the following review helpful
By H. Wang
Color Name:Champagne| Size Name:32 GB|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've extensively used a lot of tablets, due to both longtime interest in mobile technology, and my line of work. To give you an idea of my frame of reference, I've either owned or used the following tablets: Ipad 2 (owned), HP Touchpad (owned - 2011 firesale!), Motorola Xoom / Galaxy Tab 10.1, LG G, original Asus Transformer (work). Heck, I've owned the following Windows Mobile / PocketPC devices from back in the day - HP Jornada, Toshiba e800. My phone is the iPhone 4.
With that said, this is one of the best tech gadget I've ever owned. The unanimous rave industry reviews (and very positive end user reviewers, even taking wifi issues etc. into account) aren't wrong.
* BUILD AND FORM FACTOR: evocative of but actually feels higher quality than the Ipad 2 and Macbook Air, which is a minor miracle at this price point. Beautifully machined aluminum, minimalist but not cold. The resolution of the screen is the best out of any current tablet, and can be crazily bright enough that it is useable outdoors in sunlight. It's definitely a fingerprint magnet though.
* COLOR - for those deciding between the gray or champagne, I received the champagne, and I actually called to confirm that I received the right one. It's much more silver than gold, it's basically silver aluminum with some gold highlights when the light catches it the right way. This is *exactly* what I wanted - it's reminiscent of the classic aluminum MacBook Pros, but with a touch of warmth from the gold. In short - it's not very gold at all.
* PROCESSOR - the Tegra 3 quad core processor is noticeably snappy, making the whole experience (even with Honeycomb) feel next gen. I've been getting great battery life, ~ 10-12 hours of normal mixed used, on balanced setting. With the dock, you're at 18+ hours. The NVIDIA fifth "stealth core" does its job seamlessly. It just works. For a quad core tablet with blazing power, this is again pretty mind-bending and next-gen. Is a quad core necessary? Strictly speaking, no. The Tegra 2 / OMAP / Snapdragon tablets do just fine, for the most part (although the un-overclocked Touchpad is noticeably slow), but every non ipad tablet lagged behind the iPad 2 in terms of real world performance (opening menus, browsing, launching apps). This isn't because Apple's processor is faster, but rather because if the sheer level of optimization between Apple hardware and software, which is industry-leading. With the Tegra 3 processor, though, this is the first non Apple tablet that both objectively is, and also noticeably feels, faster, more responsive, and more powerful than the iPad 2. It just brute forces past all of the Apple optimizations. For me, that is huge, especially if I'm going to be spending over $400 on something. Slowly but surely, more and more apps are optimizing for quad core (especially games), but even without that, I'd get a quad core for the general performance benefits alone, as it translates across every app.
* OS / SW - I really like the iOS UI for phones, it's simple yet powerful, but for a tablet it's always just felt incredibly limiting / frustrating / slightly condescending. I even prefer WebOS to it. Android Honeycomb is a nice balance between power, customization and being relatively easy to pick up, just perfect for the tablet form factor. My 2 year old toddler figured out how to use it in about 20 seconds (similar to WebOS and iOS). That being said, I'm looking forward to ICS, which should make things even more stable (HC still crashes occasionally)and uniform. The fact that the Prime gets an ICS in a month or two is fantastic. The pre-loaded Asus apps are relatively minimal and unobtrusive, and some actually are quite nice, such as the Asus cloud. Polaris Office is solid. The Android Market could be improved though, especially in terms of sorting and organization. Finding the right app can be a bit of a crapshoot.
CONS: Basically the same nits as others have pointed out.
* SPEAKER: the rear-facing speaker placement is a bit dumb, because it gets covered up relatively easily by your hands or when you set it down. However, you can still hear it even if it's completely covered, it's pretty loud, and it's located where the tablet tapers inwards so it doesn't get completely covered by a flat surface when setting it down. I don't mind the lack of a second speaker per se, as you hardly get stereo sound from any of the other tablets that have two speakers. I would say the sound quality of the Prime is on par with any other tablet, but it is just a bit easier to muffle. A jawbone jambox bluetooth speaker or the like works beautifully to supplement this tablet. It's certainly not needed, but it's a nice addition.
* CHARGER - the proprietary charger really annoys me. Until Asus comes out with more accessories, I'm basically stuck with using my one charging cord. Even charging via the dock requires the proprietary connector. It's not worth deducting a star for (at least for me), because it's more of an annoyance in light of how great the rest of the device is, but sheesh.
* PRODUCT LAUNCH - for a $21 billion company of 110,000+ employees, Asus still can't do a good product launch to save its life. This doesn't detract from the end product per se, but it's worth mentioning because so many pre-orders (on Amazon and elsewhere) were bungled or delayed. Asus is starting to consistently put out really great products, but in order to get to the "next level"(Sony, Apple etc.) in the eyes of the average consumer, they're going to really need to work on marketing and sales execution.
OVERALL: this thing is pretty ingenious, especially with the accessory dock / keyboard. Hopefully a harbinger of good things to come in the Android tablet space.
<<UPDATES AS OF 1/24/2012>>
These are discussed more in the comments, but I thought it would be useful to update the main review.
* ICS - I updated to ICS the first day it was out (good job Asus in pushing this out two days earlier), to absolutely no problems. It was like any other firmware update. The system notifies you that there's an update available, you tap yes, and voila. ~10 minutes later, ICS is installed. It's pretty seamless - no loss of applications or data. I haven't noticed wholesale differences, but everything is smoother, more streamlined, and sometimes faster. It's a definite plus. Asus has already provided multiple firmware updates (on top of ICS), which is a very good sign that this product is being actively supported.
* WiFi - it's been pretty definitively proven that an all-aluminum back-plate is not the best for enhancing WiFI signals. Asus attempted to make up for this via "antenna differentiation," a fancy way for saying that there are two antennas instead of one. In practice, mine has very good wifi reception up to about 25-30 feet from the router. Specific numbers: wifi analyzer average value of -50 to -60, and speedtest of up to 18mbps, exactly on par with my laptop. However, once you get really far away from the router (i.e. outside, or more than 75 feet from the router), the performance erodes at a higher rate than the comparison laptop (wifi analyzer -90). For my purposes, this is extremely useable, and I never noticed the supposedly weak wifi until I started doing actual tests out of curiosity. A lot of people have had luck with installing repeaters and / or more powerful routers, but I haven't needed to go that route. Asus has announced that they're making a new Transformer Prime variant, the 700T, due in a few months (supposedly). This one will have a different, non-metallic backplate, similar to the original Transformer (i.e. plastic). For me, I'm happy to sacrifice a slight amount of WiFi range for the distinctive spun-aluminum backplate; those who don't feel this way should perhaps wait for the 700T if they can.
* Dock - my champagne dock finally shipped yesterday, about a month after the actual tablet arrived. I can understand this somewhat if this device were sold out by the millions, but I don't think that that's the case (even though it looks like this tablet is, deservedly, a hit as far as Android tabs go). It's just an almost mind-bogglingly bad manufacturing / supply issue with Asus. It's like they make 10 at a time and call it a day. Hopefully it's just the first month hiccup - it looks like there are more docks (esp. the grey) among different retailers and that's a good sign. My original criticism stands though - Asus is insanely bad at product launches.
* Accessories - I ended up purchasing this MoKo(TM) Premium Quality Slim-Fit Folio Cover Case with built-in Multi-Angle Stand for Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201 10.1-Inch Android Tablet, and the Skinomi Techskin screen protector. The case is not as whiz-bang as some iPad cases - it's the same tired black pseudo leather, but it's cheap and it gets the job done in terms of functionality. The skin is ok but seems to, ironically, scratch easily. I've had better luck with Invisibleshield with past devices.
* Overall - I'm pleased to report that the tablet is still working great. After a month of use, I'd say what really sets it apart is the Tegra 3 quad core, which is an unadulterated good. I can't imagine using a tablet without one now. The form factor and build are great, but with the caveats noted above.
With that said, this is one of the best tech gadget I've ever owned. The unanimous rave industry reviews (and very positive end user reviewers, even taking wifi issues etc. into account) aren't wrong.
* BUILD AND FORM FACTOR: evocative of but actually feels higher quality than the Ipad 2 and Macbook Air, which is a minor miracle at this price point. Beautifully machined aluminum, minimalist but not cold. The resolution of the screen is the best out of any current tablet, and can be crazily bright enough that it is useable outdoors in sunlight. It's definitely a fingerprint magnet though.
* COLOR - for those deciding between the gray or champagne, I received the champagne, and I actually called to confirm that I received the right one. It's much more silver than gold, it's basically silver aluminum with some gold highlights when the light catches it the right way. This is *exactly* what I wanted - it's reminiscent of the classic aluminum MacBook Pros, but with a touch of warmth from the gold. In short - it's not very gold at all.
* PROCESSOR - the Tegra 3 quad core processor is noticeably snappy, making the whole experience (even with Honeycomb) feel next gen. I've been getting great battery life, ~ 10-12 hours of normal mixed used, on balanced setting. With the dock, you're at 18+ hours. The NVIDIA fifth "stealth core" does its job seamlessly. It just works. For a quad core tablet with blazing power, this is again pretty mind-bending and next-gen. Is a quad core necessary? Strictly speaking, no. The Tegra 2 / OMAP / Snapdragon tablets do just fine, for the most part (although the un-overclocked Touchpad is noticeably slow), but every non ipad tablet lagged behind the iPad 2 in terms of real world performance (opening menus, browsing, launching apps). This isn't because Apple's processor is faster, but rather because if the sheer level of optimization between Apple hardware and software, which is industry-leading. With the Tegra 3 processor, though, this is the first non Apple tablet that both objectively is, and also noticeably feels, faster, more responsive, and more powerful than the iPad 2. It just brute forces past all of the Apple optimizations. For me, that is huge, especially if I'm going to be spending over $400 on something. Slowly but surely, more and more apps are optimizing for quad core (especially games), but even without that, I'd get a quad core for the general performance benefits alone, as it translates across every app.
* OS / SW - I really like the iOS UI for phones, it's simple yet powerful, but for a tablet it's always just felt incredibly limiting / frustrating / slightly condescending. I even prefer WebOS to it. Android Honeycomb is a nice balance between power, customization and being relatively easy to pick up, just perfect for the tablet form factor. My 2 year old toddler figured out how to use it in about 20 seconds (similar to WebOS and iOS). That being said, I'm looking forward to ICS, which should make things even more stable (HC still crashes occasionally)and uniform. The fact that the Prime gets an ICS in a month or two is fantastic. The pre-loaded Asus apps are relatively minimal and unobtrusive, and some actually are quite nice, such as the Asus cloud. Polaris Office is solid. The Android Market could be improved though, especially in terms of sorting and organization. Finding the right app can be a bit of a crapshoot.
CONS: Basically the same nits as others have pointed out.
* SPEAKER: the rear-facing speaker placement is a bit dumb, because it gets covered up relatively easily by your hands or when you set it down. However, you can still hear it even if it's completely covered, it's pretty loud, and it's located where the tablet tapers inwards so it doesn't get completely covered by a flat surface when setting it down. I don't mind the lack of a second speaker per se, as you hardly get stereo sound from any of the other tablets that have two speakers. I would say the sound quality of the Prime is on par with any other tablet, but it is just a bit easier to muffle. A jawbone jambox bluetooth speaker or the like works beautifully to supplement this tablet. It's certainly not needed, but it's a nice addition.
* CHARGER - the proprietary charger really annoys me. Until Asus comes out with more accessories, I'm basically stuck with using my one charging cord. Even charging via the dock requires the proprietary connector. It's not worth deducting a star for (at least for me), because it's more of an annoyance in light of how great the rest of the device is, but sheesh.
* PRODUCT LAUNCH - for a $21 billion company of 110,000+ employees, Asus still can't do a good product launch to save its life. This doesn't detract from the end product per se, but it's worth mentioning because so many pre-orders (on Amazon and elsewhere) were bungled or delayed. Asus is starting to consistently put out really great products, but in order to get to the "next level"(Sony, Apple etc.) in the eyes of the average consumer, they're going to really need to work on marketing and sales execution.
OVERALL: this thing is pretty ingenious, especially with the accessory dock / keyboard. Hopefully a harbinger of good things to come in the Android tablet space.
<<UPDATES AS OF 1/24/2012>>
These are discussed more in the comments, but I thought it would be useful to update the main review.
* ICS - I updated to ICS the first day it was out (good job Asus in pushing this out two days earlier), to absolutely no problems. It was like any other firmware update. The system notifies you that there's an update available, you tap yes, and voila. ~10 minutes later, ICS is installed. It's pretty seamless - no loss of applications or data. I haven't noticed wholesale differences, but everything is smoother, more streamlined, and sometimes faster. It's a definite plus. Asus has already provided multiple firmware updates (on top of ICS), which is a very good sign that this product is being actively supported.
* WiFi - it's been pretty definitively proven that an all-aluminum back-plate is not the best for enhancing WiFI signals. Asus attempted to make up for this via "antenna differentiation," a fancy way for saying that there are two antennas instead of one. In practice, mine has very good wifi reception up to about 25-30 feet from the router. Specific numbers: wifi analyzer average value of -50 to -60, and speedtest of up to 18mbps, exactly on par with my laptop. However, once you get really far away from the router (i.e. outside, or more than 75 feet from the router), the performance erodes at a higher rate than the comparison laptop (wifi analyzer -90). For my purposes, this is extremely useable, and I never noticed the supposedly weak wifi until I started doing actual tests out of curiosity. A lot of people have had luck with installing repeaters and / or more powerful routers, but I haven't needed to go that route. Asus has announced that they're making a new Transformer Prime variant, the 700T, due in a few months (supposedly). This one will have a different, non-metallic backplate, similar to the original Transformer (i.e. plastic). For me, I'm happy to sacrifice a slight amount of WiFi range for the distinctive spun-aluminum backplate; those who don't feel this way should perhaps wait for the 700T if they can.
* Dock - my champagne dock finally shipped yesterday, about a month after the actual tablet arrived. I can understand this somewhat if this device were sold out by the millions, but I don't think that that's the case (even though it looks like this tablet is, deservedly, a hit as far as Android tabs go). It's just an almost mind-bogglingly bad manufacturing / supply issue with Asus. It's like they make 10 at a time and call it a day. Hopefully it's just the first month hiccup - it looks like there are more docks (esp. the grey) among different retailers and that's a good sign. My original criticism stands though - Asus is insanely bad at product launches.
* Accessories - I ended up purchasing this MoKo(TM) Premium Quality Slim-Fit Folio Cover Case with built-in Multi-Angle Stand for Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201 10.1-Inch Android Tablet, and the Skinomi Techskin screen protector. The case is not as whiz-bang as some iPad cases - it's the same tired black pseudo leather, but it's cheap and it gets the job done in terms of functionality. The skin is ok but seems to, ironically, scratch easily. I've had better luck with Invisibleshield with past devices.
* Overall - I'm pleased to report that the tablet is still working great. After a month of use, I'd say what really sets it apart is the Tegra 3 quad core, which is an unadulterated good. I can't imagine using a tablet without one now. The form factor and build are great, but with the caveats noted above.
535 of 597 people found the following review helpful
By R. Richelson
Color Name:Champagne| Size Name:32 GB|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hi guys,
Figured I'd stop by since this is the hot toy for the Christmas season !
I purchased the 32GB champagne color. I havent put T201 thru its paces yet but
did perform some testing.
Quality =
Fit and finish is 100%, Very solid feel.
Size =
Very thin, kinda difficult to hold in hand, I'd recommend purchasing a gel case
or something similar.
Gaming =
Played the pre-install games and they both ran with 0 stutters and were
extremely fluid. did i purchase a a multipurpose tablet or a gaming tablet... i think the latter :)
Performance =
Tablet was completely fluid when changing from one screen to the next, i especially like the multi window
tab on the bottom left, it will allow you to select anything previously opened (and will allow you to close too)
Built in music player seemed basic and didnt appear to have the ability to download album art. I'll stick with
amazon cloud mp3 player.
Web =
(subjet to further testing) web browsing seemed to be alittle slow, this was experienced with java enabled... with disabled performance was snappy and good
YouTube & amazon streaming =
using the youtube app , it was a beautiful display and worked flawlessly. Amazon needs to make an app to stream their prime videos instead of going thru the web... however once a few buttons are pressed the video does fill the entire screen and works. Please note imbedded youtube in web DID NOT display any stutter or frame drops.
Sound =
Unfortunately this is what caused me to give 4 instead of 5 stars. The audio is quite loud and clear
however only being emitted from a single speaker port does not provide the spartial/stereo sound. perhaps
blue tooth or headset will eliminate this concern.
Camera =
Front facing 1.2MP camera provided acceptable image quality, however white balance should be adjusted to fully ensure quality (dont use automatic) , rear facing camera provided a good quality picture with decent focus and brightness... even in poor lighting conditions however any zoom used the image would be blurry depending upon x2 x3 etc. video mode was tested with low movement and provided a better quality then my nikon p500 (p500 seems to be abit jumpy).
Battery life =
Unable to report at this time since testing was limited to less then a full charge.
Display =
Was very colorful and bright, 600 nits of brightness will make it useable outside. normal amount of backlight bleeding (almost none but there's always some). backlight bleed test was performed and two hot spots were identified one on bottom and other on right side. As mentioned previously the amount of light imo is quite minimal and i've seen far worse on other items. one of my apps displayed a completely white page and there was two hot spots (white slightly brigter then the rest of the page) this may be a fluke or not... i was able to duplicate the brighter pixel, its barely noticeable however is visable on default screen in other colors... not a deal breaker its about the size of a pin head with a slight glow around it, clarification you wouldnt know its there unless i told you to look for it.
WIFI Range =
two apps were used to test the wifi range speedtest (same test server) and wifi analyzer. I've only compared the two and not a laptop.. plus my house has about 800watts of electronic interference :)
12 feet away from base station
evo3d = 15.38 down 4.86 up signal str = -46 dbm
prime = 20.50 down 5.00 up signal str = -43 dbm
two walls, outside, about 85 feet away
evo3d = 02.26 down 0.89 up signal str = -88 dbm
prime = 05.50 down 3.00 up signal str = -75 dbm
GPS =
Best reception i got was 5/9 stable 4/8.
UPDATE: Reports have been surfacing GPS isnt working or isnt working properly... When I performed the test it did find 4/8 and continued to have the searching graphic. Honestly I dont know what is normal for GPS reception with this device. Will compare against phone later.
Operation & bugs =
With any new device there will be patches and bug fixes, I dont assume any different with the prime.
while transferring pictures via usb , i was viewing the pictures and multiple times it froze and displayed
error resulting in restart of picture viewer. Another item was installation of a large gamesoft game dungeon
runners 2, I had music playing in the background and every 15 seconds or so the music would stutter for a second or two
and then continue playing. I'm sure this will be addressed with ICE and the use of 4/5 cores properly.
I'll update this review as time allows
If you guys want specific info or test , please feel free to ask !
01/09/12
GPS has issues... perhaps big onces since Asus removed GPS from spec sheet. it appears the metal backing is a hinderance for the gps signal.
Latest asus update has improved web speed w/java enabled. I prevously tested wireless and it provided a good speed outside the house. but a few rooms across in my house and the speed dropped extremely low, after update its doubled @ same location.
01/19/12
reduced another point due to asus removing GPS from their sales web site, Additionally Asus should offer a replacement backplate to elminate the gps and wifi issues. Please note ICS has made the web browsing experience lightning fast - im very impressed. I'm seriously concerned about the future of the prime , the handling of the signal issues , and amazon removing it from sale. I'm returning this to amazon till the smoke clears.
Figured I'd stop by since this is the hot toy for the Christmas season !
I purchased the 32GB champagne color. I havent put T201 thru its paces yet but
did perform some testing.
Quality =
Fit and finish is 100%, Very solid feel.
Size =
Very thin, kinda difficult to hold in hand, I'd recommend purchasing a gel case
or something similar.
Gaming =
Played the pre-install games and they both ran with 0 stutters and were
extremely fluid. did i purchase a a multipurpose tablet or a gaming tablet... i think the latter :)
Performance =
Tablet was completely fluid when changing from one screen to the next, i especially like the multi window
tab on the bottom left, it will allow you to select anything previously opened (and will allow you to close too)
Built in music player seemed basic and didnt appear to have the ability to download album art. I'll stick with
amazon cloud mp3 player.
Web =
(subjet to further testing) web browsing seemed to be alittle slow, this was experienced with java enabled... with disabled performance was snappy and good
YouTube & amazon streaming =
using the youtube app , it was a beautiful display and worked flawlessly. Amazon needs to make an app to stream their prime videos instead of going thru the web... however once a few buttons are pressed the video does fill the entire screen and works. Please note imbedded youtube in web DID NOT display any stutter or frame drops.
Sound =
Unfortunately this is what caused me to give 4 instead of 5 stars. The audio is quite loud and clear
however only being emitted from a single speaker port does not provide the spartial/stereo sound. perhaps
blue tooth or headset will eliminate this concern.
Camera =
Front facing 1.2MP camera provided acceptable image quality, however white balance should be adjusted to fully ensure quality (dont use automatic) , rear facing camera provided a good quality picture with decent focus and brightness... even in poor lighting conditions however any zoom used the image would be blurry depending upon x2 x3 etc. video mode was tested with low movement and provided a better quality then my nikon p500 (p500 seems to be abit jumpy).
Battery life =
Unable to report at this time since testing was limited to less then a full charge.
Display =
Was very colorful and bright, 600 nits of brightness will make it useable outside. normal amount of backlight bleeding (almost none but there's always some). backlight bleed test was performed and two hot spots were identified one on bottom and other on right side. As mentioned previously the amount of light imo is quite minimal and i've seen far worse on other items. one of my apps displayed a completely white page and there was two hot spots (white slightly brigter then the rest of the page) this may be a fluke or not... i was able to duplicate the brighter pixel, its barely noticeable however is visable on default screen in other colors... not a deal breaker its about the size of a pin head with a slight glow around it, clarification you wouldnt know its there unless i told you to look for it.
WIFI Range =
two apps were used to test the wifi range speedtest (same test server) and wifi analyzer. I've only compared the two and not a laptop.. plus my house has about 800watts of electronic interference :)
12 feet away from base station
evo3d = 15.38 down 4.86 up signal str = -46 dbm
prime = 20.50 down 5.00 up signal str = -43 dbm
two walls, outside, about 85 feet away
evo3d = 02.26 down 0.89 up signal str = -88 dbm
prime = 05.50 down 3.00 up signal str = -75 dbm
GPS =
Best reception i got was 5/9 stable 4/8.
UPDATE: Reports have been surfacing GPS isnt working or isnt working properly... When I performed the test it did find 4/8 and continued to have the searching graphic. Honestly I dont know what is normal for GPS reception with this device. Will compare against phone later.
Operation & bugs =
With any new device there will be patches and bug fixes, I dont assume any different with the prime.
while transferring pictures via usb , i was viewing the pictures and multiple times it froze and displayed
error resulting in restart of picture viewer. Another item was installation of a large gamesoft game dungeon
runners 2, I had music playing in the background and every 15 seconds or so the music would stutter for a second or two
and then continue playing. I'm sure this will be addressed with ICE and the use of 4/5 cores properly.
I'll update this review as time allows
If you guys want specific info or test , please feel free to ask !
01/09/12
GPS has issues... perhaps big onces since Asus removed GPS from spec sheet. it appears the metal backing is a hinderance for the gps signal.
Latest asus update has improved web speed w/java enabled. I prevously tested wireless and it provided a good speed outside the house. but a few rooms across in my house and the speed dropped extremely low, after update its doubled @ same location.
01/19/12
reduced another point due to asus removing GPS from their sales web site, Additionally Asus should offer a replacement backplate to elminate the gps and wifi issues. Please note ICS has made the web browsing experience lightning fast - im very impressed. I'm seriously concerned about the future of the prime , the handling of the signal issues , and amazon removing it from sale. I'm returning this to amazon till the smoke clears.
64 of 67 people found the following review helpful
By Jeremy
Color Name:Amethyst Gray| Size Name:64 GB|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a review for the 64gb Amethyst Gray model. (1/17/12) I have now had my dock for over a week, so I will update a few sections of this review with my impressions of the dock and tablet combined.
First, I'd like to take a brief moment to discuss the launch of this tablet. Asus announced it to much hype and the initial reviews only compounded that hype. I preordered it on specs alone back in November. The initial reviews were all glowing with very few negatives. Then the initial units went out and there appeared to be widespread disappointment. I am happy to say that my experience closely mirrors that of the initial professional reviewers.
Build Quality
This is by far the best looking tablet I've seen. I was worried about it being too purple, but I think the color is perfect. I love the aluminum body and how thin it is. It is very thin and light which makes it easy to hold an use for a long time. I really love the way it looks and feels. It's a fingerprint magnet, but I guess you'll have that when you're touching all over it constantly. Asus provides a microfiber cloth with the device that works very well at keeping it clean.
Battery Life
The battery life has exceeded my expectations. I can get 8-9 hours of constant use, browsing web pages, playing games, watching videos, all with wifi on and screen and normal brightness. When not in use, the battery hardly drains at all. There is no reason to power down even if you aren't going to use it for a couple days, you might lose like 5-8% battery during that whole time. (1/17/12) The dock does a great job extending the battery life. I can easily get 14-15 hours of use when they are together.
Processor (Gaming)
The Asus Transformer Prime uses the Tegra 3 processor. This makes the tablet very fast. Running games like Glowball and Shadowgun look fantastic. There is no slowdown to be seen. Switching between apps is also very quick. I've been very happy with the performance of this device, and I expect, going forward, that this quad-core processor will be able to keep up with the quickly evolving tablet landscape. It should be fairly "future-proof". Using HDMI-out and a wireless controller, you can play these amazing games on your big-screen tv, making this a type of videogame console. Using SNESoid, N64oid, and other emulators with the wireless controller turn this into a retro gaming powerhouse. (1/17/12) I have been able to get my PS3 controller to connect wirelessly to the Prime. Playing games on the TV is perfect with this.
Screen
It's great. The difference brightness settings make it a joy to look at no matter the lighting conditions. Videos and games look great on it. The touch response is perfect and it's very easy to operate. (1/5/12) I am able to confirm that there is slightly noticeable light bleed in the upper right part of the screen. It's very feint and can only be seen with certain black screens, and only if I'm specifically looking for it.
GPS
I must take a moment to discuss the GPS issues. So far, I have not been able to lock on any satellites. This does not lower my review score because I never intended to use the GPS on a Wifi only device. My cell phone with 3g/4g data and 4.5" screen is a much better navigator. If using a 10" screen to navigate is a priority for you, you should probably look elsewhere. This simply won't get the job done. The tablet is still easily able to tell your location using Wifi, so all location-based services function without issue.
Wifi
There were reports of bad wifi on the tablet. In my everyday use, it has been more than adequate. It quickly connects, and I have been able to download apps and browse webpages quickly. It's signal strength is on par with my Galaxy Nexus smartphone. My room is 2 floors below the router, and I still get full bars.
Camera
The rear camera is great, but I don't expect to get much use out of it. It's difficult to take pictures using such a large device. I'm happy they included a front-facing camera though, it works great with the Skype and Google Messenger apps.
Sound
The rear speaker is decent enough for notifications and a quick video, but I'd recommend using headphones in most cases. It's loud enough, but still has a small speaker sound, and I get much better audio out of my headphones. I'd say the speaker is better than other tablet speakers I've heard, but I'd still use an external speaker or headphones if you need better quality.
Expandability
I want to touch on the expandability on this tablet versus the competition. At this time, I can only comment on the tablet itself, which has a micro-sd port. I had read complaints that the micro-sd sticks out too far, but it doesn't create a problem for me. I can still hold the tablet by it's sides without problem. It won't pop out automatically or anything. The keyboard dock will add a full-size sd card slot as well as a full-size USB port which will accept USB hubs. As tablets are primarily media consumption devices, this expandability is important to me so that I can take many high-quality movies, tv shows, and music with me on-the-go. No other tablets come close to this capacity.
Android OS
Running Android versus iOS was a requirement for me. I'm a gadget lover and love the ability to customize. With Android, if you don't like the stock keyboard, you can replace it, which I did, with Swiftkey. Swiftkey allows you to use a "split" keyboard, so if you hold the tablet in your hands, it's very easy to type with, and makes the tablet experience much better. This level of customization is found throughout Android. The task switcher makes it easy to go from app to app. I honestly love the stock browser. If you turn on the quick controls from the advanced settings, you can switch between bookmarks, tabs, forward, back, etc with just the swipe of a finger. Pages seemed to load quickly. (1/17/12) With ICS and the keyboard dock, the Transformer Prime really starts to shine. I never thought using a mouse and keyboard would be so great and intuitive with Android. I really love it, it's like they were made for each other.
Conclusion
I have wanted a tablet for a while, since the iPad took off, and this was the first tablet that seemed good enough to take the plunge. I'm glad I waited because this meets my every expectation. The reason I'm giving it 5 stars despite my minor complains is because it is exactly what I expected out of a tablet. I've seen the other tablets out there, and this is by far the best one I've seen/used. (1/17/12) If you get the Prime, it is really worth it to get the dock as well. They work beautifully together, and it is awesome that you can just rip the screen off of your netbook whenever you want to watch movies on the couch. I highly recommend this device to anyone looking to take the plunge into Android tablets.
First, I'd like to take a brief moment to discuss the launch of this tablet. Asus announced it to much hype and the initial reviews only compounded that hype. I preordered it on specs alone back in November. The initial reviews were all glowing with very few negatives. Then the initial units went out and there appeared to be widespread disappointment. I am happy to say that my experience closely mirrors that of the initial professional reviewers.
Build Quality
This is by far the best looking tablet I've seen. I was worried about it being too purple, but I think the color is perfect. I love the aluminum body and how thin it is. It is very thin and light which makes it easy to hold an use for a long time. I really love the way it looks and feels. It's a fingerprint magnet, but I guess you'll have that when you're touching all over it constantly. Asus provides a microfiber cloth with the device that works very well at keeping it clean.
Battery Life
The battery life has exceeded my expectations. I can get 8-9 hours of constant use, browsing web pages, playing games, watching videos, all with wifi on and screen and normal brightness. When not in use, the battery hardly drains at all. There is no reason to power down even if you aren't going to use it for a couple days, you might lose like 5-8% battery during that whole time. (1/17/12) The dock does a great job extending the battery life. I can easily get 14-15 hours of use when they are together.
Processor (Gaming)
The Asus Transformer Prime uses the Tegra 3 processor. This makes the tablet very fast. Running games like Glowball and Shadowgun look fantastic. There is no slowdown to be seen. Switching between apps is also very quick. I've been very happy with the performance of this device, and I expect, going forward, that this quad-core processor will be able to keep up with the quickly evolving tablet landscape. It should be fairly "future-proof". Using HDMI-out and a wireless controller, you can play these amazing games on your big-screen tv, making this a type of videogame console. Using SNESoid, N64oid, and other emulators with the wireless controller turn this into a retro gaming powerhouse. (1/17/12) I have been able to get my PS3 controller to connect wirelessly to the Prime. Playing games on the TV is perfect with this.
Screen
It's great. The difference brightness settings make it a joy to look at no matter the lighting conditions. Videos and games look great on it. The touch response is perfect and it's very easy to operate. (1/5/12) I am able to confirm that there is slightly noticeable light bleed in the upper right part of the screen. It's very feint and can only be seen with certain black screens, and only if I'm specifically looking for it.
GPS
I must take a moment to discuss the GPS issues. So far, I have not been able to lock on any satellites. This does not lower my review score because I never intended to use the GPS on a Wifi only device. My cell phone with 3g/4g data and 4.5" screen is a much better navigator. If using a 10" screen to navigate is a priority for you, you should probably look elsewhere. This simply won't get the job done. The tablet is still easily able to tell your location using Wifi, so all location-based services function without issue.
Wifi
There were reports of bad wifi on the tablet. In my everyday use, it has been more than adequate. It quickly connects, and I have been able to download apps and browse webpages quickly. It's signal strength is on par with my Galaxy Nexus smartphone. My room is 2 floors below the router, and I still get full bars.
Camera
The rear camera is great, but I don't expect to get much use out of it. It's difficult to take pictures using such a large device. I'm happy they included a front-facing camera though, it works great with the Skype and Google Messenger apps.
Sound
The rear speaker is decent enough for notifications and a quick video, but I'd recommend using headphones in most cases. It's loud enough, but still has a small speaker sound, and I get much better audio out of my headphones. I'd say the speaker is better than other tablet speakers I've heard, but I'd still use an external speaker or headphones if you need better quality.
Expandability
I want to touch on the expandability on this tablet versus the competition. At this time, I can only comment on the tablet itself, which has a micro-sd port. I had read complaints that the micro-sd sticks out too far, but it doesn't create a problem for me. I can still hold the tablet by it's sides without problem. It won't pop out automatically or anything. The keyboard dock will add a full-size sd card slot as well as a full-size USB port which will accept USB hubs. As tablets are primarily media consumption devices, this expandability is important to me so that I can take many high-quality movies, tv shows, and music with me on-the-go. No other tablets come close to this capacity.
Android OS
Running Android versus iOS was a requirement for me. I'm a gadget lover and love the ability to customize. With Android, if you don't like the stock keyboard, you can replace it, which I did, with Swiftkey. Swiftkey allows you to use a "split" keyboard, so if you hold the tablet in your hands, it's very easy to type with, and makes the tablet experience much better. This level of customization is found throughout Android. The task switcher makes it easy to go from app to app. I honestly love the stock browser. If you turn on the quick controls from the advanced settings, you can switch between bookmarks, tabs, forward, back, etc with just the swipe of a finger. Pages seemed to load quickly. (1/17/12) With ICS and the keyboard dock, the Transformer Prime really starts to shine. I never thought using a mouse and keyboard would be so great and intuitive with Android. I really love it, it's like they were made for each other.
Conclusion
I have wanted a tablet for a while, since the iPad took off, and this was the first tablet that seemed good enough to take the plunge. I'm glad I waited because this meets my every expectation. The reason I'm giving it 5 stars despite my minor complains is because it is exactly what I expected out of a tablet. I've seen the other tablets out there, and this is by far the best one I've seen/used. (1/17/12) If you get the Prime, it is really worth it to get the dock as well. They work beautifully together, and it is awesome that you can just rip the screen off of your netbook whenever you want to watch movies on the couch. I highly recommend this device to anyone looking to take the plunge into Android tablets.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Harder to use then iPad
I had an iPad already and needed another one for my kids. After finding out how to turn it on (much harder then iPad ), I Realized the previous owner had left their photos on it. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Tammy Klawitter
1.0 out of 5 stars
Terrible tablet and worse customer service
My tablet has awful WiFi/GPS connectivity and the ASUS Android wrapper is terrible, it crashes constantly, including apps like Skype and Facebook. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Eric
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sick
This tablet is amazing. I've had it for almost a year now. It's super fast an does everything that I want it to do. Read more
Published 12 days ago by ERIC
4.0 out of 5 stars
SIZE IS GREAT.
I was disappointed that it did not have Microsoft Windows capability....did not come with any instructions or functionality uses. STILL learning how to use it. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Joan
1.0 out of 5 stars
An overrated device
If you're trying to decide on buying a tablet please avoid this one. Camera is problemtic, and support for it is poor. I can't begin to narrate my experience. Read more
Published 26 days ago by A. Abiiba
4.0 out of 5 stars
My 79yr Old Mom uses this
Do I really have to say more? Functions great, solid build. We have the lower version TF-300? Same unit but plastic build. Both are worth the cash.
Published 29 days ago by Vyking
1.0 out of 5 stars
Horrible Service... Do not buy an Asus product
Asus service is horrible. It is so bad that the Better Business Bureau has posted an alert to warn consumers. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Frankie Frank
1.0 out of 5 stars
Most hyped product..
This is the 3rd product I've got with in 45days of purchase! still i'm not satisfied. Every thing has a light bleed at the corners of the screen. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kranthi Kumar Kotagiri
3.0 out of 5 stars
WiFi issues....i went from 1 star to 5 stars
At this moment I love my prime, but about 6 months ago I was not loving it at all and was left pondering how one could just flush $500 away. . Read more
Published 1 month ago by The Book Dork
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great item
Great item, excellent customer service. After having a small misunderstanding with the table, the customer service solved the problem in the following day. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jose Capelo
|
|
|||||||
|