New iPad 3 Versus Asus Transformer Prime: Battle of the Titans

Apple continues to dominate tablet market with its new iPad. Windows tablets are a few months away. At the moment when looking for some serious competition against the new iPad, Asus Transformer Prime is the first name that comes to mind.

Here is a detailed comparison between the new iPad and Asus Transformer Prime.

Design

Apple has scarcely changed its tablet design in the new iPad. The new tablet's design is almost same as its predecessors. The new iPad is 9.4mm thick (thicker than iPad 2) and weighs 652g. Wi-Fi + 4G model of third generation iPad gains additional 10g weight.

In comparison, Asus Transformer Prime is 8.3mm thick and weighs 586g, making it thinner and lighter than Apple's toy.

Screen

Retina screen is the main attraction of the new iPad. The 9.7-inch LED Backlit IPS touchscreen has a stunning resolution of 2048 X 1536 pixels, making it the best ever screen on a tablet.

On the other hand, Transformer Prime has 10.1-inch Super IPS+ LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 1280 X 800 pixels. Screen is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass.

Processor, Memory and Storage

The new iPad has dual-core 1 GHz A5X processor with quad-core graphics and 1GB of RAM. It offers 16/32/64GB of internal storage. However, the new iPad lacks microSD card slot for external memory options.

Turning towards Transformer Prime, the Android tablet has quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex A9 processor fitted on Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset. It has 1GB of RAM and 32/64 GB of internal storage. Outgunning the new iPad, Asus Transformer Prime also supports microSD card up to 32GB.

Connectivity

The third generation iPad comes with Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 4G connectivity models. It feature Bluetooth version 4.0. However, GPS is only feature in 4G models.

Asus Transformer Prime does not support any 3G or 4G network. It comes with Wi-Fi only option. Other connectivity features are Bluetooth with A2DP support, assisted GPS, microUSB version 2.0 and micro HDMI port.

Camera

Apple, answering all camera related calls, has upgraded its new iPad with 5-megapixel iSight camera sensor that can record 1080p videos at 30fps. There is also a front-facing VGA camera in the device. Image quality is good but lower than quality of iPhone 4S' camera.

Asus Transformer Prime has 8-megapixel camera with LED flash support. The camera is one of best cameras on a tablet. There is also a secondary 1.2-megapixel camera in the device.

User Interface

The same old question of iOS vs Android rises again in this section. Both have advantages and disadvantage over each other. iOS v5.1 on the third generation iPad looks like a charm with excellent graphics. On the other hand, Asus has updated its Transformer Prime with the latest Ice Cream Sandwich. Android is best for customization while iOS is more business-oriented.

Battery Life

The third generation iPad has a bigger battery but battery life is same as iPad 2. Apple's new tablet comes packed with 42.5Wh Lithium-Polymer battery, which can keep the tablet powered up to 10 hours (9 hours on 4G) without needing a recharge.

With a smaller battery, Transformer Prime stays ahead of the new iPad, in terms of battery life. Asus Transformer Prime, packed with 25Wh Lithium-Polymer, can run for up to 12 hours without needing a recharge.

Verdict

If you are looking for a 4G tablet, then you might not have been reading this article up to the end. 16GB Wi-Fi only model of third generation iPad costs $499. While 32GB model of Transformer Prime is also priced at $499. 4G model of the new iPad will cost you $130 more. Comparing base models of both these device, Transformer Prime gives more value for money.

Also, who can forget the touchpad dock that brings physical keyboard to Transformer Prime for easy typing. But, if you want a LTE-enabled tablet or are looking for a tablet best suitable for business purpose, then you better go for the new iPad. Also, the recent benchmark tests conducted by an Australian-based blogger suggest the new iPad is faster in performance than Transformer Prime.

(reported by Johnny Wills, edited by Surojit Chatterjee)

MUST READ - Nokia Lumia 900 vs Samsung Galaxy Note: AT&T Superphone Shootout

MUST READ - New iPad 3 Facing Smart Cover Problem: Why?

MUST READ - iPhone 5: iOS 5.1 Code Strings Assure 4G LTE, What Other Features Can We Expect?