ASUS didn't waste any time at Computer 2014, unveiling new MeMO Pad 7 and MeMO Pad 8 tablets with surprising specs.
While the company's MeMO brand typically involved more budget-friendly devices with little to no oomph in terms of specs, this time things seem to be a bit different with the new ASUS MeMO Pad 7 and MeMO Pad 8 slates.
ASUS MeMO Pad 7
This model doesn't stray too far from the MeMO brand characteristics, although it does sport better specifications compared to other devices in this lineup. The MeMO Pad 7 comes with a 7-inch HD panel with a resolution of 1280 x 800, which may still be quite low for some. Under the hood, the slate packs a 64-bit Intel Atom Z3745 processor, clocked at a maximum 1.86GHz.
It gets interesting, however, as ASUS touts its new MeMO Pad 7 as a multimedia hub, although other devices would have to do the heavy lifting. More specifically, ASUS touts that you can stream your media content to more capable output devices from the MeMO Pad 7. Miracast video streaming will allow output to TVs, while aptX will work with compatible Bluetooth gear. For its part, the MeMO Pad 7 comes with dual channel stereo speakers, which boast ASUS SonicMaster audio technology for a superior audio experience.
"The ASUS MeMO Pad 7 was created for those looking for a value tablet. The 7-inch ASUS MeMO Pad 7 punches well above its weight, boasting features and specifications more commonly found on high-end tablets," says the company.
ASUS MeMO Pad 8
The larger model, meanwhile, aims to raise the bar a bit higher compared to previous MeMO Pad offerings. The 8-inch display on the ASUS MeMO Pad 8 has a full HD resolution, and under the hood the tablet packs an Intel Atom Z3580 quad-core processor clocked at a maximum of 2.3GHz. Other specs include 2GB of RAM and a choice of 16GB or 32GB of internal storage capacity.
While these are already specs for a mid- to high-end tablet, ASUS still has another exciting addition for this slate: 4G LTE support. This addition is intriguing because it's not very commonly seen in devices packing Intel's mobile Atom chips or Samsung's Exynos processors.
"ASUS MeMO Pad 8 (ME581CL) provides users with superb performance and ultra-fast connectivity thanks to its 64-bit Intel Atom processor Z3580 (2.3GHzm Quad-Core), 801.11ac Wi-Fi, LTE and NFC communications. It features a lightweight, ultra-thin 7.45mm design that weighs just 299g, making it portable enough to be easily held in your palm. It features an 8-inch Full HD 1920 x 1200 IPS display for 178-degree wide viewing angles and ASUS Splendid and TrueVivid color enhancement technologies to deliver stunning visuals," touts the company.
The new ASUS MeMO Pad 7 will launch in white, black, yellow, blue, and red color options, while the MeMO Pad 8 will be available in white, blue, and pink. ASUS has yet to offer exact pricing and availability details for the new MeMO Pad slates, but we'll keep you up to date as soon as it provides more details.
