Which is the better tablet? Apple's new iPad, or the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime?
• Apple new iPad review
• ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime review
• The new iPad ultimate buying guide
Specifications
| Feature | Apple iPad | ASUS Eee Pad Transformer | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size | 9.7in | 10.1in | Transformer Prime |
| Display technology | LED backlit IPS | Super IPS+ LCD | Draw |
| Display resolution | 2048x1536 pixels | 1280x800 pixels | New iPad |
| Multitouch | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| Front camera | VGA | 1.2 megapixels | Transformer Prime |
| Rear camera | 5 megapixels, no flash, autofocus, geotagging, HDR, face detection | 8 megapixels, LED flash, autofocus, geotagging | Transformer Prime |
| Video recording | Yes, 1080p @30fps | Yes, 1080p @30fps | Draw | GPS | Yes (4G models only) | Yes, with A-GPS | Transformer Prime |
| Internal memory | 16GB, 32GB or 64GB | 32GB or 64GB | Draw |
| Expandable memory | None | microSD (full sized SD on dock) | Transformer Prime |
| Thickness | 9.4mm | 8.3mm | Transformer Prime |
| Weight | 652g | 586g | Transformer Prime |
| Processor | Apple A5X dual-core (1GHz) | NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core (1.3GHz) | Transformer Prime |
| RAM | 1GB | 1GB | Draw |
| Australian 3G networks | 850, 900, 2100 (Wi-Fi + 4G models) | Wi-Fi only | New iPad |
| HDMI-out | No (Yes with optional digital AV adapter) | Yes, micro HDMI | Transformer Prime |
| USB port | No | Yes, on keyboard dock | Transformer Prime |
| Quoted battery life | Up to 10 hours | Up to 12 hours (18 with dock) | Transformer Prime |
| Removable battery | No | No | Draw |
| Adobe Flash support | No | Yes | Transformer Prime |
Screen
The key feature of the new iPad is its "retina" display. The resolution of 2048x1536 is double that of the original iPad and significantly higher than most Android tablets, including the Transformer Prime. This gives it a pixel per inch (ppi) of 263, a significant increase over the 132ppi of the iPad 2, and the 149ppi of the Transformer Prime.
The Transformer Prime's Super IPS screen certainly isn't a bad display, in fact, its a very good one. The screen is bright, crisp and clear and feels smooth to swipe. It also has very impressive viewing angles. At full brightness we found it significantly brighter than most other Android tablets on the market.
Verdict: The new iPad has by far and away the best display on any mobile device on the market. Text is crisp and clear with no visible aberrations, even when zoomed right in. Photos and videos look bright and vivid but not over-saturated like many other mobile displays. The iPad's screen is so sharp that it constantly highlights the low quality of many images on the Internet. After using the new iPad, switching to another display makes text and images look blurry and low quality by comparison. It's a clear winner in this battle.
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