Asus Transformer Pad TF300T Review: Tegra 3, More Affordable

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.

LCD Performance Analysis: IPS Up Close

Subpixel Structure of Transformer Pad's IPS Panel

Putting the Transformer Pad TF300T’s 10.1" LCD display under a microscope reveals a subpixel structure that looks identical to that of the original Transformer and Transformer Prime. This is no surprise, as Hannstar is the exclusive supplier for all of the 10.1" 1280x800 IPS panels used by Asus in its Transformer tablets.

This also explains why the TF300T sports a color gamut nearly identical to the Transformer TF101 and TF201 tablets that preceded it. However, the TF300T’s display brightness also falls a bit short of those other two models. The TF101 and TF201 both feature panels with specified maximum brightness of 400 cd/m2, and the Super IPS+ display on the TF201 benefits from an underlying grid of LED backlights to boost brightness and improve outdoor readability. In comparison, the Transformer Pad TF300T utilizes a slightly cheaper panel with a maximum brightness of only 350 cd/m2, likely another cost-reduction measure to make Transformer Pad TF300T tablet more affordable.

Similarities in gamut benchmarks suggest that all three generations of Transformer tablets employ comparable IPS technology, as expected. However, there are some differences, though.

Beyond its slightly lower maximum luminance, the Transformer Pad TF300T enjoys a very good contrast ratio, even besting the older TF101 and TF201 with deeper blacks. However, the TF300T's gamma is too low and its color temperature is too cool to be considered color-accurate.

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