IFA 2013: Asus hands-ons

Asus MeMO Pad 8 and 10 hands-on

ASUS has a stake in the midrage tablet segment and its frontcourt is assembled by the MeMO Pad 8 and 10 tablets. Both feature 800 x 1280 resolution screens, quad-core processors and expandable storage.

Staying well out the bigger Transformer's business the two will aim affordability and wide availability.

ASUS MeMO Pad 8

The smaller of the bunch, MeMO Pad 8, tips the scales at a modest 350 g while the bigger 10-incher carries 522 g. Both devices deliver LED-backlit IPS LCDs.

The smaller MeMO Pad 8 opts for a 5 MP camera on the back, while the MeMO Pad 10 has a 2 MP snapper there. Both rear cameras can capture 720p video, while the front cameras are 1.2 MP units.

ASUS MeMO Pad 10

ASUS has incorporated its SonicMaster technology to get the clearest possible sound coming from the two speakers on board each of the tablets.

The quad-core chips have four cores with a clock speed of 1.6 GHz, on-board storage is 8 gigs on the MeMO Pad 8, while the bigger 10-incher has either 8 or 16 GB. Both have microSDXC support for storage expansion.

ASUS states the MeMO Pad 8 can run for 8 hours on a single charge, while the bigger one goes for 9.5 hours.

You can also go for the TriCover case, which is available in three colors and will protect both tablets' front and back.

Expect both tablets before the end of the year, hopefully around the holiday season.

Hardware overview

Both MeMO Pad tablets come in all-plastic bodies with the finish depending on the color option. The red and gray versions feature a matte finish, while the white one is very glossy and prone to smudging.

The MeMO Pad 8 is very light and its display, despite not exhibiting the highest pixel density around, offers great viewing angles and a very nice level of brightness.

The front features the 8" screen, the ASUS logo and front facing camera.

ASUS MeMO Pad 8

The back is where the loudspeaker grille lies along the bottom, while the 5 MP camera lens sits on top. To complete the tally there's an embedded ASUS logo in the middle.

The top of the device hosts the 3.5 mm headphone jack and a microUSB port with the power button and volume rocker on the right side.

We prefer the back with the matte finish as its way easier to handle and doesn't get oily and smudged as easily as the glossy white variant.

ASUS MeMO Pad 8

The great viewing angles and bright panel goes for the bigger ASUS MeMO Pad 10 as well. The display loses some of its sharpness over the 8-incher as the resolution gets significantly stretched but it isn't a deal-breaker.

Held at arm's length the 10-inch panel is crisp enough for browsing or enjoying multimedia content.

ASUS MeMO Pad 10

The power button and microphone are located at the top of the MeMO Pad 10, while on the right sits the microSD card slot along with the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

ASUS MeMO Pad 10

The MeMO Pad 10 shares the build materials of its little brother with the grey version being the preferable matte finish.