Next Generation Asus Transformer technical specifications spotted on a fuzzy screenshot – Seems legit
Asus doesn’t have to go to the neighbor for some innovation. They single handedly kicked-off the netbook revolution (Anyone remembers the 701?), spearheaded the Ultrabook movement and now, they’re pushing hard with their hybrid tablet/netbook.
Just a couple months after releasing the TF201 (also known as the Transformer Prime), there is a sidegrade (as it hardly is an up or a downgrade) cooking: TF300T.
Since there isn’t much in the ways of a stronger processor they can build a tablet around, the TF300T will be equipped with the same Nvidia Tegra 3 CPU as the TF201, albeit clocked 100 MHz lower at 1.2GHz instead of 1.3GHz.
TF201 contained either 32GB or 64GB internal storage, TF300T allegedly comes with ‘only’ 16GB. I wouldn’t start flailing my arms in shocked disbelief just yet, there is a MicroSD card reader slot for those who walk around with their entire music collection on their tablets.
Asus put the same amount of operating memory in the tablet — 1GB — as they put in the Transformer Prime. This time, however, it apparently follows the DDR3L standard rather being LPDDR2. According to Engadget, there are multiple benefits to utilizing Low-power DDR3 vs. its DDR2 counterpart:
[...]debuting its LPDDR3 chip, brushing aside LPDDR2 with twice the data rates at 6.4GB/s a slice, and a 25 percent smaller power-drain in tow[...]
If that doesn’t offset the performance loss stemming from the lower CPU clock-frequency, I’m not sure what does.
The new Transformer seems to have put up some weight since the TF201 days, being exactly as wide and long as the predecessor but 1.6mm (~1/16th inch) thicker. It weighs 60 grams (2.2 oz) or almost 11% more than the previous model.
Despite having the same resolution –1280×800– screen (though it isn’t rated as Super-IPS, just IPS), more efficient operating RAM, lower internal capacity and CPU clock-speed, thicker chassis and heavier body, the TF300T runs 8.5 hours on one charge versus the 9.5 hours its predecessor pulls. When connected to the keyboard-dock the battery-life gap widens to 5.5 hours between 12.5 hours and 18 hours.
Making sense
The TF300T seems like a facelift on the TF201 if anything. Its specs come really close to that of the older model, while in some respects it’s worse than that. There is one logical explanation I can come up with. If these specs aren’t completely bogus, the new model will arrive at a lower price point, essentially catering for a different target audience.
I hope the new, 4.0 Android OS by default coupled with a lower price-tag isn’t all that ASUS has up its sleeves, but plans to put a definitive end to the weird software and firmware issues, too.
via BGR, tabletowo.pl
