Pretty good review of the Asus TF300...I didn't expect Engadget to give it such praise.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/
I had no idea this was already a finished product
d1ez3 said:
I had no idea this was already a finished product
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Yea, releases today. It seems like everyone has only heard of the 700, but not this, so I posted it.
I'd love to sell my fiances Galaxy Tab to get her this,but she needs a 7". Can't wait to see the 7 incher from ASUS or ASUS/Google...
this was already posted in the 300 thread earlier today
A cheaper version of the Prime. The only difference really is not a sharp looking (cheaper materials) and no Super IPS+ display making it easy.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
Aside from the fact that the battery life isn't quite as epic as the Prime's, our most serious complaint has little to do with ASUS, and more with Android: even with a state-of-the-art chip running the latest version of the OS, the tablet occasionally hiccups when launching apps and resizing web pages.
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Love my prime for this
legendary1022 said:
A cheaper version of the Prime. The only difference really is not a sharp looking (cheaper materials) and no Super IPS+ display making it easy.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
It's also a bit thicker
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda premium
I was hoping they would be more comprehensive about the wi-fi. All they said was "we didn't encounter any problems." I'd really like some comparative analysis between the 300 and the Prime, particularly since the 300 has a plastic back plate.
jkvato said:
I was hoping they would be more comprehensive about the wi-fi. All they said was "we didn't encounter any problems." I'd really like some comparative analysis between the 300 and the Prime, particularly since the 300 has a plastic back plate.
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to be honest, I've seen breakdowns on wifi performance comparisons. the 300, according to those charts, does perform better on wifi across various distances from router. It can also be said alot of prime owners don't have an issue with their wifi. I think it may have been Anandtech review where i saw the comparison charts. I cant remember. Either them or Android Central. If i come across it again ill link you to it.
edit: i found it. it was Anandtech. he has a very thorough review of the 3oo. ill link you to the wifi comparison chart.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5756/asus-transformer-pad-300-review/5
jaycustom said:
Pretty good review of the Asus TF300...I didn't expect Engadget to give it such praise.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/
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You call that praise? I was thinking engadget's just like NO ME GUSTA to this...
Probably sent through one of those little windows in AOKP cornerstone for my tf9001.
demandarin said:
to be honest, I've seen breakdowns on wifi performance comparisons. the 300, according to those charts, does perform better on wifi across various distances from router. It can also be said alot of prime owners don't have an issue with their wifi. I think it may have been Anandtech review where i saw the comparison charts. I cant remember. Either them or Android Central. If i come across it again ill link you to it.
edit: i found it. it was Anandtech. he has a very thorough review of the 3oo. ill link you to the wifi comparison chart.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5756/asus-transformer-pad-300-review/5
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I'm confused... Are you saying that if our Prime performs similar to that chart then we don't have a problem?
Looking at that chart, I see that the Prime is obviously the worst performer and it seems to be a pretty big issue compared to the other tablets.
>http://www.anandtech.com/show/5756/asus-transformer-pad-300-review/5
I wouldn't draw any conclusion from this chart. It's not representative. The numbers are distorted, likely from variations from a single test.
Per the chart, the Prime would have better wifi at 50' + multiple obstructions than at 20' + single obstruction, which obviously is false. Ditto for TF300, which from this would have same wifi performance at 20' as at 80'.
When a single set of numbers is known to be wrong, then the whole work is suspect. I would look askance at the entire review. This is shoddy work. I expect better from Anandtech, especially when Anand dude himself put his own name on the article.
MK17 said:
I'm confused... Are you saying that if our Prime performs similar to that chart then we don't have a problem?
Looking at that chart, I see that the Prime is obviously the worst performer and it seems to be a pretty big issue compared to the other tablets.
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Click to collapse
you confusing me..lmao did you see the post i quoted? the original question was asked how does the 300 wifi performance compare to the prime. i gave the Anandtech comparison he did in his in depth review. Anandtech did a prime wifi tests early when prime first came out. his tests didn't fare well with the prime. my prime gets results more similar to the other devices listed. not all primes have wifi that perform bad, especially newer units.
Either way i just linked the person asking the question to a comparison chart showing how well 300 wifi performs. this has nothing to do with the prime by itself. this is just a recorded proof of comparison. that's all really. Since no other tech site has done what the person asked about so far.
what e.mote said is true also.
e.mote said:
>http://www.anandtech.com/show/5756/asus-transformer-pad-300-review/5
I wouldn't draw any conclusion from this chart. It's not representative. The numbers are distorted, likely from variations from a single test.
Per the chart, the Prime would have better wifi at 50' + multiple obstructions than at 20' + single obstruction, which obviously is false. Ditto for TF300, which from this would have same wifi performance at 20' as at 80'.
When a single set of numbers is known to be wrong, then the whole work is suspect. I would look askance at the entire review. This is shoddy work. I expect better from Anandtech, especially when Anand dude himself put his own name on the article.
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That chart tracks with my experience and likely the experience of most other Prime owners. The TF300 has slight dropoff, but consistently strong reception out to a much farther distance. The Prime has significant dropoff quickly, and almost total dropoff at the longer distance.
Both Primes I have owned were exactly the same as the one tested. Within 20 feet of the router, some dropoff. Outside of 20 feet, at least half, and at 60+ feet almost total dropoff. Also, it's reasonable that the 50 foot test was a little stronger than the 20 foot test because of the randomness of the signal dropoff. Sitting 50 feet from my router, I could run the speed test five consecutive times and get five different numbers. That doesn't make the numbers suspect, it makes the Prime's reception suspect because you get such random results.
You can make excuses and call the numbers "suspect" all day long, but I think a lot of Prime owners find those numbers very believable based on actual experience. I just think it's tragic that Asus CONTINUES to pretend that WiFi isn't a real issue, and continues to sell the Prime as the premium product even though it suffers from such a tragic flaw that doesn't seem to plague the "lower" model with the plastic back. Shipping an external GPS antenna to the obvious GPS problem was a nice step, but they still haven't done anything to make WiFi better. IMHO, a new caseback was the only viable solution and they have steadfastly refused to do it.
Asus should offer a trade-in program and see how many people would trade them their current Prime straight-up for a new TF300. That'll be a good indication of which one people think is actually the better product.
>it's reasonable that the 50 foot test was a little stronger than the 20 foot test because of the randomness of the signal dropoff.
OK, removed the "extra-curricular" commentary. Here's the sanitized version:
There are only 4 wifi numbers given for the Prime, one of which (50') is clearly wrong. If you accept that the 50' number is wrong due to "randomness", then the rest of the numbers have no credibility, because they can also be affected by the same "randomness." Hence, the need to minimize testing variability and to publish your testing method.
Wifi tests are highly variable, and you would want to minimize variability by taking some steps, the first of which is to test multiple times, remove the outliers, then normalize the result. The second of which is to publish your methodology so the test can be replicated. The Anandtech piece did neither.
dcAndroidFan said:
That chart tracks with my experience and likely the experience of most other Prime owners. The TF300 has slight dropoff, but consistently strong reception out to a much farther distance. The Prime has significant dropoff quickly, and almost total dropoff at the longer distance.
Both Primes I have owned were exactly the same as the one tested. Within 20 feet of the router, some dropoff. Outside of 20 feet, at least half, and at 60+ feet almost total dropoff. Also, it's reasonable that the 50 foot test was a little stronger than the 20 foot test because of the randomness of the signal dropoff. Sitting 50 feet from my router, I could run the speed test five consecutive times and get five different numbers. That doesn't make the numbers suspect, it makes the Prime's reception suspect because you get such random results.
You can make excuses and call the numbers "suspect" all day long, but I think a lot of Prime owners find those numbers very believable based on actual experience. I just think it's tragic that Asus CONTINUES to pretend that WiFi isn't a real issue, and continues to sell the Prime as the premium product even though it suffers from such a tragic flaw that doesn't seem to plague the "lower" model with the plastic back. Shipping an external GPS antenna to the obvious GPS problem was a nice step, but they still haven't done anything to make WiFi better. IMHO, a new caseback was the only viable solution and they have steadfastly refused to do it.
Asus should offer a trade-in program and see how many people would trade them their current Prime straight-up for a new TF300. That'll be a good indication of which one people think is actually the better product.
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Totally agree with you.
Does anyone know the reason why Asus decided not to change the back cover of his Prime?
Because if it's just only for aesthetics, it would be stupidiest reason ever held.
I would like to buy a Prime right now, the best of all Android devices, even with another backcover not-so-cool.
But seeing that problems I prefer buying the TF300 or go to another brand.
What a pity!
daioros said:
Totally agree with you.
Does anyone know the reason why Asus decided not to change the back cover of his Prime?
Because if it's just only for aesthetics, it would be stupidiest reason ever held.
I would like to buy a Prime right now, the best of all Android devices, even with another backcover not-so-cool.
But seeing that problems I prefer buying the TF300 or go to another brand.
What a pity!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I had to guess, I'd say it's the obvious answer -- money. If they replace the back cover, then they have to do it to every unit, at a support center, by trained technicians. They're already struggling to keep up with basic repair and support -- a total retrofit would be an insurmountable task for their current infrastructure.
If they ignore the WiFi problem completely and just "fix" the GPS, then they can manufacture an external part, mass-produce and package it, and mail it out to some percentage of their registered owners with no other cost to them.
daioros said:
Totally agree with you.
Does anyone know the reason why Asus decided not to change the back cover of his Prime?
Because if it's just only for aesthetics, it would be stupidiest reason ever held.
I would like to buy a Prime right now, the best of all Android devices, even with another backcover not-so-cool.
But seeing that problems I prefer buying the TF300 or go to another brand.
What a pity!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I continue to find these posts humoring. Have you looked at a dissected Prime, either here on XDA or at Anandtech? Everything but the glass and LCD is attached to the backplate. That means either several hours labor swapping all the parts from one back to another or just trashing the entire back assembly and replacing all internal components.
So, in short and as mentioned, money. Either of those circumstances is no bueno for ASUS's bottom line, and therefore neither one is happening.
buxtahuda said:
I continue to find these posts humoring. Have you looked at a dissected Prime, either here on XDA or at Anandtech? Everything but the glass and LCD is attached to the backplate. That means either several hours labor swapping all the parts from one back to another or just trashing the entire back assembly and replacing all internal components.
So, in short and as mentioned, money. Either of those circumstances is no bueno for ASUS's bottom line, and therefore neither one is happening.
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Click to collapse
Which also explains why not much availability. The 300 will be their mass production device.
This is SPARTA!!
e.mote said:
>it's reasonable that the 50 foot test was a little stronger than the 20 foot test because of the randomness of the signal dropoff.
OK, removed the "extra-curricular" commentary. Here's the sanitized version:
There are only 4 wifi numbers given for the Prime, one of which (50') is clearly wrong. If you accept that the 50' number is wrong due to "randomness", then the rest of the numbers have no credibility, because they can also be affected by the same "randomness." Hence, the need to minimize testing variability and to publish your testing method.
Wifi tests are highly variable, and you would want to minimize variability by taking some steps, the first of which is to test multiple times, remove the outliers, then normalize the result. The second of which is to publish your methodology so the test can be replicated. The Anandtech piece did neither.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Practical tests are best. Take two devices and compare when each becomes unstable and then stops working with wifi. For me, the Prime was about half as functional for signal compared to the Thrive, View and iPad.
Though good enough for some, not for others. Seems logical to fix the back panel on new production runs and maybe they would have, if the 300 and 700 were not releasing now/soon.
Related
Well it appears this is a design flaw!
When they where designing it they should have used some plastic! Using all metal backing makes the signal weak as hell!
Even if they can fix this problem idk! It would still be really weak!
For an example if you look at the ipad there is plastic for the Apple logo behind this is the wifi anttena!
Hopefully the back really is plastic and they did not overlook that problem! And it's just imperfections in the antenna!
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
I am pretty sure the Asus tech guys aren't totally dumb. I think they know about problems with WiFi and metal...
I guess the antenna is somewhere in the bezel. Anandtech (i think they were the ones) said that with their new unit wifi was okay, but it depends on the holding angle of the prime.
So it seems we DO have to take some comprises for having a full metal back. But I think I can life with that
Diamondback2010 said:
I am pretty sure the Asus tech guys aren't totally dumb. I think they know about problems with WiFi and metal...
I guess the antenna is somewhere in the bezel. Anandtech (i think they were the ones) said that with their new unit wifi was okay, but it depends on the holding angle of the prime.
So it seems we DO have to take some comprises for having a full metal back. But I think I can life with that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah but even still It's not a tablet unless you get great Internet signal!
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Diamondback2010 said:
I am pretty sure the Asus tech guys aren't totally dumb. I think they know about problems with WiFi and metal...
I guess the antenna is somewhere in the bezel. Anandtech (i think they were the ones) said that with their new unit wifi was okay, but it depends on the holding angle of the prime.
So it seems we DO have to take some comprises for having a full metal back. But I think I can life with that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anandtech said the new unit was better, but not as good as the original Transformer in terms of WIFI.
Don't assume that ASUS is not capable of making such a stupid mistake. There have been lots of cases of top tier companies shipping out products with such design flaws, and I don't think ASUS is in the category of top tier company. I work in a fortune 500 company, and we get the first batch of a lot of laptops, and we test them before the workers get them. Sometimes I'm amazed at the lack of basic quality control when these devices first come out. It's like they ship out beta hardware.
Ectoplasmic said:
Anandtech said the new unit was better, but not as good as the original Transformer in terms of WIFI.
Don't assume that ASUS is not capable of making such a stupid mistake. There have been lots of cases of top tier companies shipping out products with such design flaws, and I don't think ASUS is in the category of top tier company. I work in a fortune 500 company, and we get the first batch of a lot of laptops, and we test them before the workers get them. Sometimes I'm amazed at the lack of basic quality control when these devices first come out. It's like they ship out beta hardware.
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There is not one doubt in my mind Asus wasn't aware that the WiFi was wearker than the TF101. However you have to realize unless the performance literally was unacceptable by whatever QC standards they have, they are able to pass the design, build the product, and ship it. Fact is only because a couple top tier reviewers recieved units that weren't up to the standards of the rest, they decided to handle the situation the way they did. In fact if they weren't aware of it, they probably would've let the stock stay as is, launch as normal, and say that "there are a small number of reported cases" as companies usually do.
Ectoplasmic said:
Anandtech said the new unit was better, but not as good as the original Transformer in terms of WIFI.
Don't assume that ASUS is not capable of making such a stupid mistake. There have been lots of cases of top tier companies shipping out products with such design flaws, and I don't think ASUS is in the category of top tier company. I work in a fortune 500 company, and we get the first batch of a lot of laptops, and we test them before the workers get them. Sometimes I'm amazed at the lack of basic quality control when these devices first come out. It's like they ship out beta hardware.
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This happened with Apple and the Iphone 4. The antenna was located in the bottom
right of the phone and signal was lost when you had your hand over it.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5178/an-update-on-transformer-prime-battery-life-wifi-issues
"Using Ookla's Speedtest.net web app I get a consistent 34 - 37Mbps on the original Eee Pad Transformer (our actual WiFi performance tests involve downloading a file from a local server, but Speedtest was a quick and easy way to verify the problem). My original Prime review sample averaged around 0.5Mbps, while the replacement Prime got around 10Mbps - all in the same test location. Fiddling around with location I could get the replacement Prime up to 16Mbps. My test area is riddled with challenging interference so I setup a separate test area in another room. Even after buying the same Netgear WNDR4500 wireless AP that ASUS verified 31Mbps+ operation on, I wasn't able to break 16Mbps.
I have four other APs covering my house, I turned all of the radios off as a last ditch effort. Boom - 36Mbps on the Prime.
The culprit appeared to be either my 3rd gen Time Capsule or 5th gen Airport Extreme, with those radios off and using the WNDR4500 I was able to get performance competitive to the original Transformer. Here's where things get interesting. The original Transformer was made out of plastic, through which RF travels quite nicely. The Prime's metal construction makes things a bit more finicky. Indeed this is exactly what I saw, where depending on tablet and AP orientation I'd see anywhere between 10Mbps and 36Mbps downstream (average speed tended to be in the 15 - 20Mbps range). "
I also think it's a mistake to assume that other reviewers would necessarily notice this problem. Other reviewers might not have tested WIFI performance at all.
Ectoplasmic said:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5178/an-update-on-transformer-prime-battery-life-wifi-issues
"Using Ookla's Speedtest.net web app I get a consistent 34 - 37Mbps on the original Eee Pad Transformer (our actual WiFi performance tests involve downloading a file from a local server, but Speedtest was a quick and easy way to verify the problem). My original Prime review sample averaged around 0.5Mbps, while the replacement Prime got around 10Mbps - all in the same test location. Fiddling around with location I could get the replacement Prime up to 16Mbps."
I also think it's a mistake to assume that other reviewers would necessarily notice this problem. Other reviewers might not have tested WIFI performance at all.
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Click to collapse
No one is doubting the performance isn't up to par with the TF101. It's obvious it's not. Again Asus was well aware and thought it would slip by well because of something called everyday use. If it wasn't noticed by other reviewers it's for a reason, they tested it under normal use circumstances and found it to be quite acceptible. I am in no way making excuses for Asus or the design but it is what it is. Anandtech however doesn't test like that and which is why they were able to find such a flaw. It's all about a matter of usage.
I'm about to dump my pre-order. This whole release date debacle pissed me off, and now if there is possible WIFI issues...it might be a bad investment. I've been asking myself if I really need a tablet anyhow, and the answer is probably not.
please dump it.. saves it for the people who want it.
adampdx said:
I'm about to dump my pre-order. This whole release date debacle pissed me off, and now if there is possible WIFI issues...it might be a bad investment. I've been asking myself if I really need a tablet anyhow, and the answer is probably not.
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Click to collapse
I'm glad I didn't do the pre-order thing. I don't want to be first in line for this. I'll wait until it is generally available, and there has been time for reviews of retail units. Let other people be on the bleeding edge
I have not been close to cancelling my preorder up to this point but if this wifi issue is confirmed I may be tempted to buy the original TF. Especially considering they keep showing OOS open-box Transformers for $185 on a particular website we all know and love. If I see one in stock I think I will go that route until this issue is worked out.
I wish some more reviewers would do in-depth testing on this issue.
I hope they don't make it thicker with a redesign! It seems line it already was redesigned once aka the one poorly placed speaker...
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Wordlywisewiz said:
I hope they don't make it thicker with a redesign! It seems line it already was redesigned once aka the one poorly placed speaker...
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Haven't you ever seen a proper Wifi antenna? They at least as thick as your finger.
So they NEED to make it a lot thicker.
Otherwise we'll never get a proper Wifi signal.
You may better get a different device.
I am really not sure if you are trolling... But be assured, I AM.
Diamondback2010 said:
Haven't you ever seen a proper Wifi antenna? They at least as thick as your finger.
So they NEED to make it a lot thicker.
Otherwise we'll never get a proper Wifi signal.
You may better get a different device.
I am really not sure if you are trolling... But be assured, I AM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I'm just saying maybe they should have put a real wifi antenna in the dock also...
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Diamondback2010 said:
I am pretty sure the Asus tech guys aren't totally dumb. I think they know about problems with WiFi and metal...
I guess the antenna is somewhere in the bezel. Anandtech (i think they were the ones) said that with their new unit wifi was okay, but it depends on the holding angle of the prime.
So it seems we DO have to take some comprises for having a full metal back. But I think I can life with that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They were dumb enough to test the Wifi after they've mass produced the thing instead of before. What makes you think otherwise?
Folks, let's tell the whole story here. What Anandtech also said:
I have four other APs covering my house, I turned all of the radios off as a last ditch effort. Boom - 36Mbps on the Prime.
The culprit appeared to be either my 3rd gen Time Capsule or 5th gen Airport Extreme, with those radios off and using the WNDR4500 I was able to get performance competitive to the original Transformer. Here's where things get interesting. The original Transformer was made out of plastic, through which RF travels quite nicely. The Prime's metal construction makes things a bit more finicky. Indeed this is exactly what I saw, where depending on tablet and AP orientation I'd see anywhere between 10Mbps and 36Mbps downstream (average speed tended to be in the 15 - 20Mbps range). Apple gets around this issue in the iPad by putting the WiFi antenna behind the plastic Apple logo, however it's not entirely clear to me where the WiFi antenna is on the Prime (I have this policy about not taking things apart until I'm done testing them).
As to why performance was lower with the Apple APs active, I'm not entirely sure. Chasing down RF interference issues can be a severe undertaking. One thing is for sure, the Prime is going to be far more finicky than its predecessor when it comes to reaching peak speeds over WiFi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that the folks at Anandtech are smart people, but it seems like the reviewer conflated some things here. I don't know how much testing he did AFTER turning off the Apple AP's, but it sure seems to me like the fluctuating results he's talking about were from before he did so. Perhaps the Prime is fine in general but just had an interference issue with the Apple APs that actually resolved itself just fine once they were turned off.
Why would there be this kind of interference with the Apple APs? I have no idea, except that it would point to something in software and not hardware. But until we have someone who does a really good job of detailing precisely where a non-defective Prime has wifi issues, I'm personally writing this off to something being broken in his first unit.
True, he did say he could get it to 36Mbps "depending on tablet and AP orientation I'd see anywhere between 10Mbps and 36Mbps downstream (average speed tended to be in the 15 - 20Mbps range)"
This, along with:
ASUS feels the WiFi range does not currently meet their standards and has delayed all shipments worldwide. At the moment there is no ETA and noinformation on available quantities on the first batch.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=20155626
As a comparison, AnandTech shows the Kindle Fire's WiFi maxes at 15.2, and I couldn't get close to that in my own tests.
i posted in multiple threads my concerns about the wifi issue when the anandtech and cnet reviews came out. i've canceled my preorder at jr but will keep my adorama and bestbuy preorders for now though. all hype i had for this thing is completely gone. now i'm like whatever.
If Anandtech was able to get full WIFI speed turning off other AP's than that points more to an interoperability issue that should be correctable through firmware/driver rather than antenna/hardware design.
I am trying to decide if I want to wait for the 300 or go ahead with the 201. So it seems the main differences is the Screen (IPS vs IPS+), the clock (1.5? vs 1.3), and the case (metal vs plastic). I do care about wifi performance and I know that forums are terrible for being mostly negative (in that more people come to complain about something not working, than people come to praise something that it working just fine) so I am not sure the the 300 wifi will be that much better than the 201 wifi. So is it worth the price ($50-$100) for the 201 with the higher clock and better screen (how much better)? I know that no one has really seen the 300 but we do have some specs and just wanted to get an opinion.
I don't get you mate, you just highlighted the main differences between both models and still need to ask others? Make yourself the logical question, are the features between models important enough to justify the extra price tag?
In that answer you have your decision, good luck!
You are right, I need to make the decision. I guess since the 300 is like a Transformer/Transformer Prime hybrid (screen, case, possible wifi) is from someone that maybe has owned both the Prime and the OG, would you pay more for the Prime if the OG had a Tegra 3 in it. And really thats what it comes down to even looking at the current OG vs the Prime. Is the Tegra 3 that much better than the Tegra 2.
Also, keep in mind that the form factors are going to be different as the 300 is supposed to be thicker than the 201.
http://www.asuseeepad.net/blog/2012/02/updated-asus-transformer-tf300-rumors-facts-fiction/
Looks like it is rumored to be released this month. That is news to me. But after re-watching the teaser video it definitely looks thicker than the 201. With the plastic shell, thicker profile and the Red, White, and Blue color options it looks more like a toy and not a high tech gadget.
Character Zero said:
You are right, I need to make the decision. I guess since the 300 is like a Transformer/Transformer Prime hybrid (screen, case, possible wifi) is from someone that maybe has owned both the Prime and the OG, would you pay more for the Prime if the OG had a Tegra 3 in it. And really thats what it comes down to even looking at the current OG vs the Prime. Is the Tegra 3 that much better than the Tegra 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You seem to be a very rational and knowledgeable individual, therefore, easy decision for you.
Speaking for myself, I can't even take the 300 series seriously after owning the Prime, that looks like something my 3 year old could carry around the house.
The 700 is the one I want to consider after the Tegra 4 is out and running, for the time being, my Prime is the one.
i'm in the same boat that you are in. but i think i'm going to go with the TF300. I do believe that Asus will fix the wifi and gps issue with this. (actually i don't know if there is gps in tf300..but i would imagine so). I'm not sure about the screen quality but the original transformer screen quality was fine with me so i would imagine that the tf300 would also be okay. Wifi is a big deal for me but i'm sure it will work. the thickness to me is irrelavent since i'm more focused on the functionality.
for $399 vs $499..i can't really complain. the only concern i really have with the tf300 is the battery life. 22WH. Acer's Iconia A510 had a significantly higher battery life for $450 but its also 1.3 gz on tegra 3.
as for the clock speed...i'm sure xda will have roms for the tf300 and you can get higher clock speeds on demand after a few months so that part to me also becomes irrelevant.
---------- Post added at 04:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 PM ----------
jordache16 said:
Also, keep in mind that the form factors are going to be different as the 300 is supposed to be thicker than the 201.
http://www.asuseeepad.net/blog/2012/02/updated-asus-transformer-tf300-rumors-facts-fiction/
Looks like it is rumored to be released this month. That is news to me. But after re-watching the teaser video it definitely looks thicker than the 201. With the plastic shell, thicker profile and the Red, White, and Blue color options it looks more like a toy and not a high tech gadget.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where did you see the rumor to be released this month? Also the website you gave has conflicting specs for it. one says 16gb another says 8gb. one had 1.2 GHz Tegra 3.
the second page: http://www.asuseeepad.net/blog/2012...er-pad-tf300t-details-pre-order-release-date/ from update 3.
jblah said:
...
where did you see the rumor to be released this month? Also the website you gave has conflicting specs for it. one says 16gb another says 8gb. one had 1.2 GHz Tegra 3.
the second page: http://www.asuseeepad.net/blog/2012...er-pad-tf300t-details-pre-order-release-date/ from update 3.
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Click to collapse
Ahh, you are right, my link doesn't cite the rumored release date. I think I first saw the date mentioned here. And it was also under the heading "Official Specifications of the Transformer TF300T:" on the second page from update 3 like you mentioned.
This site seems to be less and less credible the more I search around on it though. Under the "Official Specifications of the Transformer TF300T" it says the thing has a 8GB solid state drive... They also state on another page: "Expect the Transformer Pad TF300 pre orders to start in mid March". That was almost a month ago and still no official word on pre-orders.
you already pointed out most main differences. I see some that might not be correct though.
last time I checked official spec of 300 on Asus page, it has a top speed of only 1.2Ghz. prime top speed is 1.4Ghz. both in stock configuration. 300 will eventually get developer support and roms and be clocked higher. bit never will be as powerful as the prime. they probably using a cheaper tegra3 or one not able to withstand the stresses prime tegra3 can handle. lower power silicon process probably. anyways, 1.2Ghz is still good.
300 is a lower end model. so you should expect it to be lower spec and not as powerful or as many features. for ex. prime Super IPS+ display vs. regular ips. that is a huge difference as far as brightness and clarity of tablet goes. with that said, 300 display should still look good being ips.
300 model won't have as good battery life as prime but will still be good enough for most.
300 is priced tl be more affordable. its mainly for those not able to afford a prime or have that much extra money to spare. which nothing is wrong with thst. its Asus version of economy tablet at the moment.
300 will be alot thicker and heavier than the prime. but its still thinner and lighter than the OG transformer its replacing. plus it'll come in cool assortment of different colors. that white looks so sexy and professional looking. its something about white colored electronics. cars, etc...that give it a more distinguished look to it.
300 does have a good thing going for it. its said to include ddr3 ram. so that will help alot with multitasking although less powerful than prime.
300 will be made out of plastic. This "SHOULD" help out with its wireless capabilities. BUT and I mean BUT we have already seen the FCC report on this device. its already stated wifi/BT on the same chip. the report also "SPECIFICALLY" notes that the wifi/BT working at the same time is really not possible or will interfere with each other. So simultaneous mode is not needed. we have a thread with links to FCC report on the 300 If you want confirmation. it also shows wifi antennae gain is lower than prime. this usually means its wifi is not as powerful and show worse performance. MAIN THING IS DONT EXPECT WIFI/BT PERFORMANCE TO BE BETTER THAN PRIMES. maybe the 300 model doesn't need wifi signal as strong as prime since it has plastic back. who knows. but I'm pretty sure it will still perform just fine on wireless capabilities. Any device with wifi/BT on same chip sharing same antennae is prone to issues when used simultaneously. As we have people who own other devices and experience the same thing on it. the only difference is manufacturers do the best they can to minimize the impact. but the impact is always there. whether large or minute. Manufacturers have been using this single chip design because it cuts down on costs. So Asus not really to blame on that. they can only do the best they can to minimize the interference with each other. they use this to save space also in the device. devices that have separate wifi and BT chips doesn't suffer as much or at all vs. angle chip design. so wifi/BT dropout issues is not a prime exclusive problem or issue. this goes for most electronics now that use single chip design.
also forgot to add the 300 has lesser quality/less MP having cans. I think its rear is only 5mp vs. prime 8mp. plus 300 doesn't have a flash at all. so no nighttime pics or video recording. or low light ones.
What this all boils down to is how much do you want to spend? how much can you afford to use on a ttablet? there is no real comparing to the prime because prime is superior across the board. which is why it commands the higher price tag. So if you trying to decide based on specs comparison of which is better, it'll always be the prime, as its superior. Prime is the premium model. 300 is the lowend/economy one. 300 is a great value in its own. it should still perform great. of you have an extra $100 to spend and want the best, Prime is it.
Don't let anyone influence WHAT YOU WANT. DECIDE FOR YOURSELF BASED ON THE BEST RESEARCH YOU HAVE ON BOTH. ASK YOURSELF DO I WANT THE MOST POWERFUL DEVICE AND BELLS N WHISTLES, OR CAN I BE SATISFIED WITH A LESS SPEC DEVICE WHICH IS GOOD IN ITS OWN RIGHT AND I SAVE $100? EITHER WAY YOU GO, IT'LL BE A GOOD CHOICE.
GOOD LUCK DECIDING.
Thanks for the replies, I am still on the fence and even looking at a cheap TF101 if I happen across one. Just wanted to get some thoughts since the displays were similar (101 vs 201) and just some opinions. Thanks!
Character Zero said:
Thanks for the replies, I am still on the fence and even looking at a cheap TF101 if I happen across one. Just wanted to get some thoughts since the displays were similar (101 vs 201) and just some opinions. Thanks!
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Click to collapse
the price point for 101 and the 300 when that comes out will be a difference of $50 unless you are planning on getting one refurbished. if you have the money th3 201 is the way to go if you don't..i would wait for the tf300. nothing wrong with the 101 but why get that one when the new one is coming out with tegra 3 at about the same price point?
Yeah someone listed on on CL for $300 for the Tf101 and dock. So I thought that was a good deal. If I can't get a deal like that, then I think I am going to wait unless I just can't stand it and the impulse buyer in me takes over and I jump from store to store to find a Prime.
Character Zero said:
Yeah someone listed on on CL for $300 for the Tf101 and dock. So I thought that was a good deal. If I can't get a deal like that, then I think I am going to wait unless I just can't stand it and the impulse buyer in me takes over and I jump from store to store to find a Prime.
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Click to collapse
that is a good deal for tablet and dock. but it is really outdated. in mobile tech world. its display is not ips and it uses an older tegra2 chip. I'd say at least wait and get the 300 or the prime. that guy selling his to get money for new 300 tablet probably. I think 300 worth the wait if you only trying to spend so much.
good luck fighting off the impulse buying. I did before I got my prime. I wanted the td-101 during blackfriday sale but they were sold out. I got so impatient on wanting a new tablet and Android one that I almost got a Toshiba thrive, Acer-A100, or Kindle fire..lmfao. I'm so glad I didn't and just held out till I found out about the prime.
prime has been a great device for me ever since 12/22/2011.
I thought the 101 had an ips display. I had an iPad then went to a7 inch Android tab now I want to go back to 10 inches.
Character Zero said:
I thought the 101 had an ips display. I had an iPad then went to a7 inch Android tab now I want to go back to 10 inches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I forgot what kind it is but do not think its an ips display(I could be wrong). The 300 has an ips. Prime has Super ips +.
Google search the tf-101 display spec. I forgot exactly what kind of display of was but know it wasn't an ips one. It was a lesser quality.
Edit: I tried to find out for you but conflicting specs all over the web. It does have same resolution though.
demandarin said:
I forgot what kind it is but do not think its an ips display(I could be wrong). The 300 has an ips. Prime has Super ips +.
Google search the tf-101 display spec. I forgot exactly what kind of display of was but know it wasn't an ips one. It was a lesser quality.
Edit: I tried to find out for you but conflicting specs all over the web. It does have same resolution though.
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Click to collapse
From the Asus Site :
10.1" LED Backlight WXGA (1280x800) Screen*1
*1 : IPS Panel, 178° wide view angle.
http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_TF101/#specifications
The TF101 has an IPS display panel (- same resolution as the Prime but isn't able to go as bright due to the lack of the 'plus' mode). I gave my wife my old transformer and it's a pretty decent performer apart from video playback of some high bandwidth formats and as long as you get one without quality control issues. I see the Pad 300 model is being a) The eventual replacement for the TF101 as it's pretty similar apart from the use of Tegra 3 and likely priced similarly. b) For those considering a Prime but wanted something with less flash storage (and for that reason not as expensive) or c) alternatively need something other than wi-fi only models (which has been the norm apart from the TF101G which was released in some regions). However, until there's a release date and actual physical availability the Pad 300 model remains unproven. Will it have any issues of its own, for example and what quality control problems if any will there be.
Robert
So I decided to straddle the fence a bit. I put in my order to Amazon for the 201 which ships in 3-4 weeks and that gives me time to see what happens with the 300. Hopefully I can make it that long.
according to this site there should be some announcement for the tf300 on monday the 9th.
http://news.portableone.com/asus-for-business/asus-to-release-transformer-tablet/
says monday march 9th...lol. probably doesn't know what they are talking about.
wifi
I haven't had any problems with my tf201 - you shouldn't be disappointed.
The wifi range isn't as good as my Galaxy S but still always picks up the routers fine.
Enjoy
Well I first had ordered the Grey since it was 3-4 weeks for delivery and that gave me time to think about my options (and probably regret it). But then the Champagne just showed up in stock and I jumped on it and canceled the grey.
Hey guys I am wondering if there is a legit place to pre order the TF300T, I saw that you could at PortableOne Inc.
Or should I find a used TF201?
If I can get a Prime for a little over $400 used, should I jump on it or wait for the TF300T?
http://www.amazon.com/Transformer-T...ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1334655831&sr=1-1
Shakenbake158 said:
Hey guys I am wondering if there is a legit place to pre order the TF300T, I saw that you could at PortableOne Inc.
Or should I find a used TF201?
If I can get a Prime for a little over $400 used, should I jump on it or wait for the TF300T?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can find a prime for that price, I'd wonder what's wrong with it. I've watched ebay for a couple weeks and they are all pretty much selling at or above retail. You can almost bet a good number of them are users who aren't satisfied with the wifi or whatever.
The prime went in stock the other day at amazon so I went that route and am waiting for it now. If it hadn't come instock, I probably would have ordered the 300 (but it's got a 10-13 day ship from Amazon - unless you pay over retail).
There are so many users that are thrilled with their prime, I'm hoping to be one of them! If I hadn't read on here, it never would have occurred to me to try the GPS on it -- I'm not mounting a 10" screen in my mini-van - I have a TomTom GPS. Thank goodness they don't make an armband for it because I'd look ridiculous jogging down the street with it. That's pretty much all I use GPS for and I have devices to dot hose things - I never had an expectation that I'd use it for GPS.
The 300 looks to be good on paper, but it also may have issues that are unknown. With a prime, you know what to look for. You can argue the spec differences, but that's been done all over. Go for whichever and test it out. If it's not functioning correctly, you can exchange it for a different one.
I would (and probably will) get the 300.
1. Plastic back so no wifi attenuation problems like the Prime
2. GPS without a dongle
3. Faster ram
4. Same chipset but clocked a little lower
5. $100 less
6. Though not IPS+, still IPS.
7. Due to how bad the Prime launched, we can safely assume the 300 will go more smooth. One would hope, unless Asus is nuts.
Gizmo is a user in the forums and actually had one, so not just a bunch of assumptions. Most people raved about the first Transformer and this seems a great step up.
Personally, one of my favorite things about the Prime is the IPS+ screen. Living in SoCal, I simply MUST be able to use my Prime in sunlight when I need to. That alone is reason enough for me to have no interest in the TF300.
rushless said:
I would (and probably will) get the 300.
1. Plastic back so no wifi attenuation problems like the Prime
2. GPS without a dongle
3. Faster ram
4. Same chipset but clocked a little lower
5. $100 less
6. Though not IPS+, still IPS.
7. Due to how bad the Prime launched, we can safely assume the 300 will go more smooth. One would hope, unless Asus is nuts.
Gizmo is a user in the forums and actually had one, so not just a bunch of assumptions. Most people raved about the first Transformer and this seems a great step up.
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Click to collapse
its not the same chip type. its still tegra 3 but a different type of tegra 3. the prime's tegra 3 is better and can always be clocked higher.
---------- Post added at 06:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:29 PM ----------
wynand32 said:
Personally, one of my favorite things about the Prime is the IPS+ screen. Living in SoCal, I simply MUST be able to use my Prime in sunlight when I need to. That alone is reason enough for me to have no interest in the TF300.
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Click to collapse
did you have the original transformer? how does that look under the sun? i would imagine it would be the same thing.
I already have a Prime but I was also in that stage previously. Everyone has gripes regarding a lower Tegra 3 but I wish for more information regarding the S4 version of the 300. If it's anything like the ones HTC have or better, I would have gone with the 300.
I'm very happy with my Prime though =D. I just put up an access point @ the house to battle the areas that are less than stellar. I have my Verizon GNEX to tether to when away from home that that can last for about 4-5hrs tethering with screen off. Love that I have spare bats for just that reason lol.
jblah said:
did you have the original transformer? how does that look under the sun? i would imagine it would be the same thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The IPS+ specifically has dramatically increased brightness that makes it more visible in direct sunlight. I did have an original Transformer, and compared them side by side in this video (which doesn't actually demonstrate how significant the difference is). Note that the original Transformer does not have an IPS+ screen (only IPS).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm8UP4P_7Ms
Suffice it to say, the difference is VERY significant, to wit: the Prime can be comfortably used in direct sunlight, while the original Transformer (and pretty much every other tablet on the market) cannot. IPS+ mode does burn additional battery life, but it's worth it for those times when I want to read ebooks on my back porch (or on the beach, or beside the pool, or whatever).
rushless said:
I would (and probably will) get the 300.
1. Plastic back so no wifi attenuation problems like the Prime
2. GPS without a dongle
3. Faster ram
4. Same chipset but clocked a little lower
5. $100 less
6. Though not IPS+, still IPS.
7. Due to how bad the Prime launched, we can safely assume the 300 will go more smooth. One would hope, unless Asus is nuts.
Gizmo is a user in the forums and actually had one, so not just a bunch of assumptions. Most people raved about the first Transformer and this seems a great step up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
About how much faster is this RAM? I remember on a prime stress test the RAM failed before the processor when playing multiple HD Videos.
The slower Tegra 3 would worry me. I know they had to cut corners to get down $100 and I don't see the extra brightness of the IPS+ or the cost of using a plastic backing instead of aluminum being all that different to warrant the price differential.
wynand32 said:
The IPS+ specifically has dramatically increased brightness that makes it more visible in direct sunlight. I did have an original Transformer, and compared them side by side in this video (which doesn't actually demonstrate how significant the difference is). Note that the original Transformer does not have an IPS+ screen (only IPS).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm8UP4P_7Ms
Suffice it to say, the difference is VERY significant, to wit: the Prime can be comfortably used in direct sunlight, while the original Transformer (and pretty much every other tablet on the market) cannot. IPS+ mode does burn additional battery life, but it's worth it for those times when I want to read ebooks on my back porch (or on the beach, or beside the pool, or whatever).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there's another difference between a regular ips and superips+ screen. the only difference is not just the display being brighter. Ive seen the extensive detailed specs of the prime display vs. a regular ips display. People forgetting prime has the highest contrast ratio of any tablet out now(not sure if new Ipad beat it in that category). The contrast ratio is higher and the blacks and other colors are better in superips+ display. So the images on a regular ips display won't look as sharp on prime or the blacks won't be as dark or the whites as white. ill try to find that display spec sheet I saw. the detailed findings was done by a display website and others. but when prime came out, it was always toted as having the brightest display along with highest contrast ratio and other display important details that a regular ips display doesn't have. ill post it up as soon as I find it again.
---------- Post added at 06:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:18 PM ----------
Ziocomposite said:
I already have a Prime but I was also in that stage previously. Everyone has gripes regarding a lower Tegra 3 but I wish for more information regarding the S4 version of the 300. If it's anything like the ones HTC have or better, I would have gone with the 300.
I'm very happy with my Prime though =D. I just put up an access point @ the house to battle the areas that are less than stellar. I have my Verizon GNEX to tether to when away from home that that can last for about 4-5hrs tethering with screen off. Love that I have spare bats for just that reason lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
more info is that the S4 data version of 300 will be delayed. seems like the infinity pad 4g version and 300 data version that will have S4 chip will be delayed. for whatever reason. one possible reason is to manufacturing problems with the 28nm chip process. which is what the S4 chip is. Qualcomm could be giving phones priority over tablets on the chips since phones ship out in larger volume and more money to be made. no one exactly sure. but S4 chips being delayed in tablets is obvious sign there is a problem or issue somewhere with them.
wynand32 said:
Personally, one of my favorite things about the Prime is the IPS+ screen. Living in SoCal, I simply MUST be able to use my Prime in sunlight when I need to. That alone is reason enough for me to have no interest in the TF300.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw this earlier but have to say I didn't get the big deal until I got mine and turned it on... you need sunglasses if you activate super ips + in the house!!! Seriously, blinding! It's a big difference.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
If I learned anything from the TFP it is that you should wait to see whether there are any problems before giving them your money.
xGary said:
If I learned anything from the TFP it is that you should wait to see whether there are any problems before giving them your money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SAME here and that is EXACTLY what I am going to do....if Infinity has problems then I will wait for a Tegra 4 tablet.....waited long enough so far.....
Cheers,
M
Actually, the place that I found it so cheap is the Best Buy Outlet on eBay.
Hi,
this morning someone sent me a link from Tom's Hardware about this tablet. The articles mentions that some people have modded their case to improve GPS signals.
I wonder why Asus don't revise this product to address this issue.
Sent from my HTC Desire using xda premium
You DONT even have to do all that anymore. Asus is offering free GPS dongles to people who purchase a prime. Offer ends in July. Just take a look in my GPS dongle test thread. Then take a look at the link in my signature THST says positive transformer thread.
Prime is a great device. Get one asap
Well first of all, I find it hard to believe that the aluminum case is causing 100% of the problem. Because, if it were then like you said, why not just change the design of the backplate? My guess is that simply adding a plastic strip to the top of the backplate would not improve GPS performance that much. And personally I think the plastic strip look is ugly as hell. What they could have done is kept the all aluminum finish and just relocated the antenna to behind a speaker grill, which is similar to what other devices with metal casings have done. I am sure the GPS still wouldn't be 'professional grade' but it would at least be better than what we currently have.
Either way, the whole GPS problem was something that was obviously not 'caught' until really late in the production process. If it were caught earlier, I am sure something more pro-active would have been done about it. But by the time they found out, they were in too deep to make a hardware change as they were most likely already in mass production. The early regions of where the device was released they had already advertised the thing as having GPS, both on the box and on the official spec sheets. Then when it was released these people found out that GPS was virtually non-functional and ASUS had to quickly back track and pull GPS as a feature from the spec list. My guess is their lawyers told them they need to do something to avoid a class action law suit and any further bad press around this whole situation. So their options were:
1) Recall the device and then modify the hardware in some way to fix the GPS problem (whether that be done via a newly designed back pate or whatever). And then any new ones produced would obviously have this hardware change incorporated as well.
2) Offer a free addon that improves GPS performance.
As we now know, they went with option 2, which I am sure was also the cheaper route. Also, option 1 would imply an admission of guilt in that they messed up. The GPS dongle option allows them to say: "Although the TF201 is not a professional GPS device, as part of our unwavering commitment to our customers we are offering all customers who purchased a TF201 system a free external GPS extension kit, called a dongle, which may help improve signal reception and optimize the user experience".
Honestly I do not care about GPS in a tablet and I will probably only ever use my dongle a select few times in the entire span that I own and use the Prime. I do think it is good that ASUS is doing something about it though. Other companies may very well have just brushed this thing under the rug and moved on with life (which is what I assumed ASUS has been doing until we found out about the GPS dongle).
jordache16 said:
Well first of all, I find it hard to believe that the aluminum case is causing 100% of the problem. Because, if it were then like you said, why not just change the design of the backplate? My guess is that simply adding a plastic strip to the top of the backplate would not improve GPS performance that much. And personally I think the plastic strip look is ugly as hell. What they could have done is kept the all aluminum finish and just relocated the antenna to behind a speaker grill, which is similar to what other devices with metal casings have done. I am sure the GPS still wouldn't be 'professional grade' but it would at least be better than what we currently have.
Either way, the whole GPS problem was something that was obviously not 'caught' until really late in the production process. If it were caught earlier, I am sure something more pro-active would have been done about it. But by the time they found out, they were in too deep to make a hardware change as they were most likely already in mass production. The early regions of where the device was released they had already advertised the thing as having GPS, both on the box and on the official spec sheets. Then when it was released these people found out that GPS was virtually non-functional and ASUS had to quickly back track and pull GPS as a feature from the spec list. My guess is their lawyers told them they need to do something to avoid a class action law suit and any further bad press around this whole situation. So their options were:
1) Recall the device and then modify the hardware in some way to fix the GPS problem (whether that be done via a newly designed back pate or whatever). And then any new ones produced would obviously have this hardware change incorporated as well.
2) Offer a free addon that improves GPS performance.
As we now know, they went with option 2, which I am sure was also the cheaper route. Also, option 1 would imply an admission of guilt in that they messed up. The GPS dongle option allows them to say: "Although the TF201 is not a professional GPS device, as part of our unwavering commitment to our customers we are offering all customers who purchased a TF201 system a free external GPS extension kit, called a dongle, which may help improve signal reception and optimize the user experience".
Honestly I do not care about GPS in a tablet and I will probably only ever use my dongle a select few times in the entire span that I own and use the Prime. I do think it is good that ASUS is doing something about it though. Other companies may very well have just brushed this thing under the rug and moved on with life (which is what I assumed ASUS has been doing until we found out about the GPS dongle).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1...although the solution of a GPS dongle really kills the idea of a TRANSFORMER prime...cant use it with the keyboard dock, and its not as flush and they said it is..you wont be able to use majority of the leather cases and etc when you are using the dongle
I have owned the prime for months. My wifi strength is fine and I dont use GPS enough to justify the problem.
proxus01 said:
I have owned the prime for months. My wifi strength is fine and I dont use GPS enough to justify the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
kwazytazz said:
+1...although the solution of a GPS dongle really kills the idea of a TRANSFORMER prime...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really - now it can TRANSFORM into a 'professional grade' GPS device! ;-)
Regards,
Dave
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
jordache16 said:
why not just change the design of the backplate?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are, for the 300 and 700 series, back to plastic where the radios are going. iPad tried behind the speaker grille and it still has issues. Its better than nothing but def not perfect.
Yes, the black strip doesnt always look as appealing, however you could cover it with a case or carbon fiber sticker or whatever, i'd much rather go for plastic strip over no radio reception.
And also yes, the interference can definately be 10000% caused by the metalic back plate. Both by blocking the signal and RF noise. Everything pretty much is grounded to the metal back and it, in turn, has a lot of RF noise associated with it. If i attach a lead to the gps or wifi contact inside the tablet and have the wire run outside the tab i get excellent reception. Once that wire goes within about an inch of the tablet the signal drops dramatically. Even if the access point is on the proper side of the tablet so its not blocking the signal.
Asus knows how to make killer electronics. they did an amazing job on the prime, however the demand caught them off guard. They tried to do something different with the metalic design and got caught with their pants down. They will get it right eventually and in the mean time we are at least getting SOMETHING (free dongle for gps, why not?)
The prime is a great tablet, awesome for watching movies, playing games, browsing the internet. ya, the wifi is not that great, i look forward to mods for using the dongle for wifi instead of GPS, but in the mean time this is the best we got, and its good enough. When the 700 comes out i may sell my prime for that but i got money in my pocket. if your on a budget, buy the TF101, its still better than any other tablet (aside from the 201 IMO), or wait for the 300 series which will still be a cost efficent tablet.
Asus is doing their best to remedy this situation. They are a big company and big machines move slow. Considering their track record i will still continue buying their products. I have been impressed overall by the prime, and the 101 before it, and look forward to the 700 when it comes out. Continue doing your research and determine what is going to be important for you (and if you do go Prime make damn sure to test it every way you can before accepting it).
proxus01 said:
I have owned the prime for months. My wifi strength is fine and I dont use GPS enough to justify the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same for me.
proxus01 said:
I have owned the prime for months. My wifi strength is fine and I dont use GPS enough to justify the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SoTacMatt said:
Same here.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
texstar said:
Same for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same here..lmao
my wifi been been performing great where ever i go. whether at home, traveling and tethering, or some where else and hooking up to another public or private network.
The worst problem with the prime is the constant freezes it has...
It`s frustrating.
Tried all the browsers people recommend and the problem persists.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
I was at nfm today and saw the new tf 300 and tried it out. All I can say is I don't like it. Back plate is rough on the hands and GPS still does not work. Let GPS status go for 3 mins and nothing. Glad I an sticking with my prime
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium
monkey10120 said:
I was at nfm today and saw the new tf 300 and tried it out. All I can say is I don't like it. Back plate is rough on the hands and GPS still does not work. Let GPS status go for 3 mins and nothing. Glad I an sticking with my prime
Sent from my ADR6300 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, I'm glad you're happy with your Prime. It's a great device. Enjoy it.
That said, according to all of the reviews and pretty much anyone who owns one, the GPS reception on the 300 is fantastic, especially compared to the Prime. It's rather difficult to truly judge the GPS capabilities of a device just from the quick, informal test you ran on a display unit inside a store. That's about as far from conclusive evidence of its GPS capabilities as claiming the same without ever having even touched one.
As for the feel of the device, that's all personal preference. I don't find the slightly raised ridges to be rough on the hands in the slightest. In fact, it's quite comfortable and helps with grip tremendously. Actually, I can't imagine someone describing the back as rough. It's not even close to fitting the definition of that word. Additionally, the more rounded edges of the 300 definitely make holding the device for extended periods much more comfortable for me than holding the Prime. The Prime always felt like it was cutting into my hand after awhile. I don't get that at all with the 300.
The Prime is a fantastic device, and there are several things it has over the 300 (display, weight, thinness, etc). But the 300 definitely has a leg up over the Prime on GPS (and WiFi as well for many), and the feel of the device in hand all comes down to personal preference.
bsweetness said:
First, I'm glad you're happy with your Prime. It's a great device. Enjoy it.
That said, according to all of the reviews and pretty much anyone who owns one, the GPS reception on the 300 is fantastic, especially compared to the Prime. It's rather difficult to truly judge the GPS capabilities of a device just from the quick, informal test you ran on a display unit inside a store. That's about as far from conclusive evidence of its GPS capabilities as claiming the same without ever having even touched one.
As for the feel of the device, that's all personal preference. I don't find the slightly raised ridges to be rough on the hands in the slightest. In fact, it's quite comfortable and helps with grip tremendously. Actually, I can't imagine someone describing the back as rough. It's not even close to fitting the definition of that word. Additionally, the more rounded edges of the 300 definitely make holding the device for extended periods much more comfortable for me than holding the Prime. The Prime always felt like it was cutting into my hand after awhile. I don't get that at all with the 300.
The Prime is a fantastic device, and there are several things it has over the 300 (display, weight, thinness, etc). But the 300 definitely has a leg up over the Prime on GPS (and WiFi as well for many), and the feel of the device in hand all comes down to personal preference.
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I completely agree with you. It's very misleading when people open a new thread to give opinion on the device without properly testing it. Did OP test the GPS on other devices in the store, I highly doubt any other device will be able to lock on a satellite in an indoor environment, including the dedicated Garmin devices. The feel of the device is definitely a more personal choice, some people prefer the extra thickness and grip the plastic cover provides. The GPS/Wifi has been excellent on mine, not that it was horrible on the prime, but with plastic cover the signal simply travels through better.
andyxover said:
I completely agree with you. It's very misleading when people open a new thread to give opinion on the device without properly testing it. Did OP test the GPS on other devices in the store, I highly doubt any other device will be able to lock on a satellite in an indoor environment, including the dedicated Garmin devices. The feel of the device is definitely a more personal choice, some people prefer the extra thickness and grip the plastic cover provides. The GPS/Wifi has been excellent on mine, not that it was horrible on the prime, but with plastic cover the signal simply travels through better.
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I never just open threads without reason. I tested it with a galaxy tab, Sony s and the new Toshiba tablet. Forget what its called. Very nice by the way. But yeah they all has gps within 1 min. The tf300 never found 1 sat. That is all I am saying on this thread
I am in no way saying it is a bad device
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monkey10120 said:
I never just open threads without reason. I tested it with a galaxy tab, Sony s and the new Toshiba tablet. Forget what its called. Very nice by the way. But yeah they all has gps within 1 min. The tf300 never found 1 sat. That is all I am saying on this thread
I am in no way saying it is a bad device
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I agree with this and your original post. I'll go down to NFM to take look myself, but I already know if its thicker, heavier, and the screen isn't as good you can keep it. If I need GPS I'll use my phone or gps tether. No way on earth I'm sticking that dongle thing on my prime, but then again the dongle was free so you get what you pay for. I got the prime partially because of the looks, feel, weight, and screen. Whatever tablet I get next will have to be better in all areas than the prime, I'll wait till I see the 300 but I doubt it's better.
bsweetness said:
The Prime is a fantastic device, and there are several things it has over the 300 (display, weight, thinness, etc). But the 300 definitely has a leg up over the Prime on GPS (and WiFi as well for many), and the feel of the device in hand all comes down to personal preference.
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In 95% of cases, the Prime is the much better device. For people that dont use GPS its like 98% of cases
Also Tf300 screen is made of harden glass compared to the TF201 Gorilla Glass. I take my Prime with me everywhere I go. It's nice to see the screen in complete daylight with intense glare. If I can recall Primes have 600 nits compared to 350 nits on Tf300. The whole ergonomics deal with Tf300 is nice but my Moko slim case feels nice too and it even protects my investment. My wifi rocks just as good as my Galaxy tab 10.1 My TF201 internal GPS is weaker but can hold a lock while driving. Or just connect my dongle if need be. Love my Prime. To each his own right
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA Premium App
Flawless gps... In side and outside.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2
clouds5 said:
In 95% of cases, the Prime is the much better device. For people that dont use GPS its like 98% of cases
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Again, completely personal preference. I had the Prime and got rid of it. Now I have the TF300. I won't be getting rid of it. I definitely like it much better than the Prime as an overall device.
ill1 said:
I agree with this and your original post. I'll go down to NFM to take look myself, but I already know if its thicker, heavier, and the screen isn't as good you can keep it. If I need GPS I'll use my phone or gps tether. No way on earth I'm sticking that dongle thing on my prime, but then again the dongle was free so you get what you pay for. I got the prime partially because of the looks, feel, weight, and screen. Whatever tablet I get next will have to be better in all areas than the prime, I'll wait till I see the 300 but I doubt it's better.
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are you in Omaha?
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bsweetness said:
Again, completely personal preference. I had the Prime and got rid of it. Now I have the TF300. I won't be getting rid of it. I definitely like it much better than the Prime as an overall device.
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Some parts of it are personal preference, i agree. But some are just Facts. I based my statement on how often and how i use my Tablet. For example The display is better on the prime because of the IPS+. And I use the display alot Wifi on the other hand is only better in certain locations far away from the router. GPS yeah, no argument here but thats something I hardly ever use, thats why it only got a small %age in my statement
The look (aluminum/colored plastic) is personal preference. And all the other hardware stuff... Cpu clock, Gorilla Glass, speaker? etcetc are just better on the prime.
But i could see myself being happy with the TF300 as well but i already have a prime that works perfectly in all situations in which i need a tablet, so for me the TF300 is only superior in the 2% of my usage time where i need GPS. I'd never even think about exchanging it for a TF300^^
clouds5 said:
Some parts of it are personal preference, i agree. But some are just Facts. I based my statement on how often and how i use my Tablet. For example The display is better on the prime because of the IPS+. And I use the display alot Wifi on the other hand is only better in certain locations far away from the router. GPS yeah, no argument here but thats something I hardly ever use, thats why it only got a small %age in my statement
The look (aluminum/colored plastic) is personal preference. And all the other hardware stuff... Cpu clock, Gorilla Glass, speaker? etcetc are just better on the prime.
But i could see myself being happy with the TF300 as well but i already have a prime that works perfectly in all situations in which i need a tablet, so for me the TF300 is only superior in the 2% of my usage time where i need GPS. I'd never even think about exchanging it for a TF300^^
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For me, the display isn't that big of a deal. Indoors, the displays are pretty comparable (unless you want retina burning brightness). Outside, it's not even a contest, but I don't use it outside. So the display argument again comes down to personal preference. Sure the Prime's display is better, but in general use, not much of a difference will be seen. CPU clock speed pretty much is a wash as well in every day use. The speaker on the Prime might be slightly better, but again, they're so similar that it would be tough for anyone to distinguish in a blind test.
I find the TF300 to be superior for my uses. I had incredibly spotting WiFi reception on my Prime, which in and of itself is pretty much a deal breaker. No such problems on the TF300. I actually use GPS fairly often, so that's a given on the TF300. The feel of the TF300 is much better in hand to me, particularly because of it being slightly thicker and having more rounded sides. I use the dock extensively, so using the Prime in a case to make the ergonomics more comfortable for long periods was frustrating since I had to constantly take it on and off. With the TF300, I don't have to worry about one.
So while I'll certainly agree that on paper the Prime is clearly ahead of the TF300, but in everyday use, I find the TF300 to be much more usable than the Prime was for me. And again, most of the reasons I listed why it is such come down to personal preference. You won't catch me knocking the Prime. It's fantastic. And I can certainly understand why people who own it wouldn't want to get rid of it for the TF300. But the TF300 just works for me in ways that the Prime didn't. The minor trade-offs in a few areas from the Prime have been more than worth it for improvements in daily use.
Posters like cloud5 & jjdevega make me feel good about my purchase. Prime is a great device, when you have a really good working one like we do..lol. I use my prime everyday. This is my computer as years ago(when first Ipad came out) I converted to using tablets for any and every computer function I needed. Now that I have the dock also, it adds a whole new dimension to prime and extends its already superior battery life. As far as how it feels, Prime feels great holding it. I'm 6'5, with big hands, so the whole prime cuts into people hands seem over exaggerated to me. like apple would say, "You holding it wrong" if it does..lol. Im still just as amazed with my device since the first day I got it. Everyone loves how thin and light it is. plus the differences in display compared to 300 isn't just prime being brighter. If you look at any tech site detailed breakdown of the 2 displays, Prime is clearly superior. With that said 300 still has a decent display. it not being gorilla glass will make it's display easier to break/scratch. so people better make sure to protect it. I haven't had a case or screen protector for my prime since day 1 and no scratches or cracks on the screen.
I can see why a few like the 300 over the prime. its because their experience with Prime wasn't a good one like mines. I bet if they had a prime like mines, or cloud5 or jjdevega, they wouldn't even want to downgrade to 300. It is a downgrade. Even Asus calls it this themselves. its the low end replacement to the OG Transformer. No disputing that.
I like having a device that's kind of exclusive. If i want to be a "me to" guy, I would've just got a new Ipad.
mods do need to go on and make a 300 section so we can get all these mofos up outta here..lol j/k..300 is the little brother to prime. its like little kids(300) running around playing. they need their own playground now so the grownups(Prime) can conduct business..lmfao
monkey10120 said:
are you in Omaha?
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We have NFM here in kansas. I'll be out that way today and I'll drop in and see if they have one.
ill1 said:
We have NFM here in kansas. I'll be out that way today and I'll drop in and see if they have one.
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Thats what I thought. Only 2 nfm's, it had to be one if them. I actually drove to Kansas city for worlds of fun... Small world lol
Never been to the nfm in Kansas though. Great store.
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monkey10120 said:
Let GPS status go for 3 mins and nothing
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First GPS lock can take up to 12.5 minutes (internet connection could speed this up depending if AGPS was properly configured by manufacturer, which Asus often forgets to do it seems). Next locks will be much faster. 3 mins is too little to test GPS. The time is 12.5 because you need to get data about satellite positions from the satellites.
Magnesus said:
First GPS lock can take up to 12.5 minutes (internet connection could speed this up depending if AGPS was properly configured by manufacturer, which Asus often forgets to do it seems). Next locks will be much faster. 3 mins is too little to test GPS. The time is 12.5 because you need to get data about satellite positions from the satellites.
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Is this normal I ask as I don't use GPS on a tablet but I just tried GPS tether with my evo and got an instant lock. I would think waiting almost 12 minutes would leave me very lost.
The NFM by me didn't either have the the 300 or have them on display.
demandarin said:
Posters like cloud5 & jjdevega make me feel good about my purchase. Prime is a great device, when you have a really good working one like we do..lol. I use my prime everyday. This is my computer as years ago(when first Ipad came out) I converted to using tablets for any and every computer function I needed. Now that I have the dock also, it adds a whole new dimension to prime and extends its already superior battery life. As far as how it feels, Prime feels great holding it. I'm 6'5, with big hands, so the whole prime cuts into people hands seem over exaggerated to me. like apple would say, "You holding it wrong" if it does..lol. Im still just as amazed with my device since the first day I got it. Everyone loves how thin and light it is. plus the differences in display compared to 300 isn't just prime being brighter. If you look at any tech site detailed breakdown of the 2 displays, Prime is clearly superior. With that said 300 still has a decent display. it not being gorilla glass will make it's display easier to break/scratch. so people better make sure to protect it. I haven't had a case or screen protector for my prime since day 1 and no scratches or cracks on the screen.
I can see why a few like the 300 over the prime. its because their experience with Prime wasn't a good one like mines. I bet if they had a prime like mines, or cloud5 or jjdevega, they wouldn't even want to downgrade to 300. It is a downgrade. Even Asus calls it this themselves. its the low end replacement to the OG Transformer. No disputing that.
I like having a device that's kind of exclusive. If i want to be a "me to" guy, I would've just got a new Ipad.
mods do need to go on and make a 300 section so we can get all these mofos up outta here..lol j/k..300 is the little brother to prime. its like little kids(300) running around playing. they need their own playground now so the grownups(Prime) can conduct business..lmfao
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I don't think you need other people to prove you are happy about your Prime... BTW: Are you going to buy the TF700 because that is the "big brother to the Prime!"
JoeyLe said:
I don't think you need other people to prove you are happy about your Prime... BTW: Are you going to buy the TF700 because that is the "big brother to the Prime!"
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It all depends. More than likely ill just keep my prime.
really, I don't know yet. ill cross That bridge once it comes.
ill1 said:
Is this normal I ask as I don't use GPS on a tablet but I just tried GPS tether with my evo and got an instant lock. I would think waiting almost 12 minutes would leave me very lost.
The NFM by me didn't either have the the 300 or have them on display.
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The one I tested was the NFM in Omaha.