Asus Eee Pad Transformer vs. Eee Pad Slider - which one is betterPosted on: August 17, 2011
Are you considering purchasing one of the two Asus 10-inch tablets and have trouble deciding? The Asus Eee Pad Transformer has made quite a fuss since its launch, becoming extremely popular among Android fans. That's mainly because it features a range of good specs, it's reasonably priced and it can be used as a netbook, once you add the optional keyboard docking station. The Eee Pad Slider hasn't been released yet, its launching being postponed, but it is expected to finally hit stores this September.
The two slates have mainly the same specs, but they differ mostly in design. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer can be used with or without the keyboard dock, which will cost you an extra $150, while the Eee Pad Slider integrates a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Since the Transformer is priced at $400 without dock, and the Slider will cost $550, the two devices will cost practically the same, that's if you choose to add the extra keyboard dock for the Transformer.
Both tablets feature an IPS capacitive screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, with accelerometers and proximity sensors, they both run the Honeycomb OS (version 3.1) and are equipped with a powerful Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz and 1GB of RAM. They're practically the same in the camera department as well, featuring a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and auto-focus and a resolution of 2592 x 1944 pixels, and a secondary front camera (1.3MP). While the Transformer is capable of 720p video recording at 30fps, the Slider tops that, with its 1080p video recording capability.
In terms of connectivity, the two slates are again very much alike, with Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, HDMI, and 3G connectivity. As for battery life, the Transformer can last up for 9.5 hours on a single charge, and up to 16 hours while docked, whereas the Slider is only capable of 8 hours of playback.
If you're interested in portability, then the Transformer is the right choice, since it's lighter and thinner than its Slider sibling. The Transformer has a thickness of 12.9mm and weighs 680 grams, while the Slider is much bulkier, at 17.7mm and 886 grams.
Both devices support Adobe Flash and have plenty of pre-installed apps and features, including Kindle Books, PressReader, Asus launcher, MyLibrary, MyNet, MyCloud, File Manager, and many more. Both feature the My Wave UI from ASUS and come in 16GB and 32GB configurations.
If you want extra functionality, meaning the included keyboard, and you're willing to accept the extra bulk that comes with it, then you can stick with the Asus Eee Pad Slider, which is due this September. But if you want a slimmer device and you want to always have the option whether you should add the keyboard or not, then go for the Transformer, and maybe even save some money. The differences between the two devices, specwise, are insignificant, so it's going to be purely a choice of portability and convenience.
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