Excellent tablet with great battery life, bloated software

New Android tablets have been few and far between in the past year. I can count on one hand the slates launched this year by established brands.

Joining this list is the new Asus ZenPad 3 8.0, which is also the first Android tablet I have tested this year.

Despite the ZenPad running Android 6.0 compared with version 5.0 on my previous Android slate, the Android tablet experience feels largely unchanged, which is disappointing.

Most apps still feel like their smartphone versions, but stretched.

Few developers have created tablet-specific apps to fully utilise a tablet's larger display.

Google threw Android tablets a bone by introducing a split-screen mode in the recently-launched Android 7.0 Nougat that lets you run multiple apps side by side.

But the ZenPad is unlikely to receive Nougat soon, because Asus would need to update its custom ZenUI user interface to support the newer Android software.

The ZenUI feels bloated, with Asus duplicating standard apps and tools, such as a file manager and a calculator, instead of using the stock Android apps.

In addition, the ZenPad is preloaded with unnecessary third-party apps, such as TripAdvisor and Lazada.

However, I did find some useful gems among the bloatware, like Asus' proprietary Splendid app that lets you adjust the display's colour temperature.

While ZenUI feels fluid during page transitions and is quick to open apps, I encountered occasional stuttering, often during typing on the ZenUI virtual keyboard.

The ZenPad's hardware is above average. Its 8-inch 2,048 x 1,536-pixel display has an identical screen resolution as the Apple iPad mini 4.

The screen is very bright at its maximum setting, and viewing angles are good.

A motion blur reduction feature kicked in automatically when I streamed videos from Netflix. While useful for action and sports videos, this feature may not be everyone's cup of tea.

With its 4:3 aspect ratio and light weight (320g), the ZenPad is easy to use with one hand. Its textured back also provides a better grip than the metal-clad and slippery iPad mini 4.

Powering this tablet is a Qualcomm hexa-core processor and 4GB of system memory. The ZenPad was quick to launch games like the racing title Asphalt Airborne 8 and the graphics looked good.

Asus has replaced the microUSB port with a new USB Type-C version for charging.

Hidden under a flap are the microSIM and microSD card slots. The ZenPad also supports LTE speeds of up to 300Mbps.

The ZenPad scored very well in our video-loop battery test. It lasted around 9½hrs with the screen brightness and volume both set to maximum.

This is about two hours longer than the iPad mini 4.

Vincent Chang

Verdict:

The ZenPad is affordable and well-made, but is let down by its bloated software.

TECH SPECS

PRICE: $499

PROCESSOR: Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (1.8GHz)

RAM: 4GB DISPLAY: 8 inches, 2,048 x 1,536 pixels

CAMERA: 8 megapixels (rear), 2 megapixels (front)

STORAGE: 32GB, microSD expandability up to 128GB

BATTERY: 4,650mAh

RATING

FEATURES: 4/5

DESIGN: 4/5

PERFORMANCE: 3/5

BATTERY LIFE: 5/5

VALUE: 4/5

OVERALL: 4/5

This article was first published on September 14, 2016.
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