Asus to disrupt Android Tablet space with cheaper Quad Core Transformer TF300T

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

As a cheaper alternative to the stellar Asus Eee Transformer Prime, which is the best Android tablet in the market today. the new Transformer Pad TF300T is a compelling triple-threat tablet option in the market. Here's a fast quad core tablet with an optional keyboard dock that features the latest ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich) build of Android, all for an expected price that starts at US $375.

The upcoming ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T drops the Eee moniker and substitutes the metal rear casing of the Transformer Prime  with a plastic one.

The new Pad has a similar NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad core processor but is clocked at a lower 1.2GHz than the Transformer Prime's 1.5GHz. This will still blow away anything that is currently out there in the Android tablet space and it has a 10 hour battery.

It is also slightly thicker, and has a standard 1280-by-800-pixel IPS display as opposed to the Prime's stunning IPS+ screen which is brighter. It is also slightly heavier at 1.39 pounds vs. 1.28 pounds. Also included are a 8 megapixel rear camera (without an LED flash) as well as a 1.2GHz front facing camera.

Asus is really disrupting the Android tablet space by offering a slightly scaled down but more affordable version of the best Android tablet in the market.

They now have the only two available ICS tablets with quad core processors in an array of sizes (at 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities). The Transformer Pad  TF300T is expected to compete in price with some 7-inch tablets with older processors. 

In terms of keyboard docks, the Prime's and the Pad's are very similar although they are not interchangeable. The new dock should cost around $149 and adds a 16.5Wh battery, a full-size USB port, and an SD card slot. The TF300T is available in three new colors, namely Royal Blue, Iceberg White, and Torch Red. Final pricing and Canadian availability to be announced real soon.