Asus Transformer Pad TF300T Review: Tegra 3, More Affordable

Features
By Andrew Ku
published

The new Transformer tablet from Asus costs less—and yet it still manages to impress us. A follow-up to the acclaimed Transformer Prime, the Tegra 3-powered Transformer Pad TF300T is perhaps the best bargain we've ever seen from an Android-based tablet.

The Transformer Pad TF300T's GPS Works!

Disable WiFi Location Service

Last week's Transformer Prime TF201 review mentioned that the tablet had a problem with its embedded GPS feature in that it didn't work. Eager to rectify its issue, Asus attempted to resolve the Prime's malfunctioning GPS by offering its customers a free dongle, though that requires attaching a big piece of hardware externally whenever an application needs geolocation information. It's possible that the TF201's misbehaving GPS played a role in the company's decision switch from an aluminum chassis to plastic, but Asus isn't talking.

Fortunately, the Transformer Pad's GPS works just fine. Running GPS Test reveals no problems, and Google Maps finds and correctly reports our location using GPS satellites. Asus apparently learned from its Transformer Prime TF201 implementation, and we can happily report that GPS signal reception is no longer a problem.

Andrew Ku
32 Comments Comment from the forums
  • samuelspark
    Yay. Excellent price/performance tablet. :D
    Reply
  • burnley14
    Looks like a great tablet. The screen could use a little work, especially the resolution, but everything else checks out well. I too will be interested to see a tablet like this one running Windows 8, could be a game-changer.
    Reply
  • netadmin
    "Fortunately, Asus is sticking with $149 as the price for TF300T's complementary accessory."

    Maybe it's just me, but I don't see anything fortunate about paying the same price for an inferior product. Based on reviews at other sites, the keyboard dock for the TF300T has a 16 Wh battery compared to the 22 Wh battery for the Prime dock. Is it being suggested that 27% lower battery capacity does not make any difference in price? I understand that ASUS has to make a profit, but would it not be reasonable to lower the price a little bit, at least?
    Reply
  • vicsrealms
    Looks like a great tablet, but I can't even find the Asus Transformer Prime anywhere. Maybe it the availability is good I may try to manage to pick one up, but i have given up on the Prime.
    Reply
  • halcyon
    I really would like to see a successor to the Transformer Prime with a display with the same or higher resolution as the 3rd gen iPad. That'd be quite something.
    Reply
  • xkche
    3 weeks ago i buy a TF101 :( for just $10 less than this price....
    Reply
  • frabber
    it's 80 euros below retina, it would be a bargain if it had a retina display
    Reply
  • Stardude82
    Oh... you're in Bakersfield... I'm sorry. :-P
    Reply
  • mobomofo
    How come no one has pulled the "Does it play Crysis?" yet.
    That joke can't die. We gotta keep it alive people.

    +2 for the Bakersfield joke. Good eye.
    Reply
  • everygamer
    Anyone get a PS3 or other mainstream game controller paired with the Transformer via bluetooth without rooting?
    Reply