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Last Updated on March 27, 2020
ASUS has become a popular name in the tablet world of late, in large part because of its successful MeMO Pad line. The ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7 aimed to provide a high-quality seven-inch tablet at a very wallet-friendly price point, and it mostly succeeded.
With the MeMO Pad FHD 10, the manufacturer is attempting to do the same with the ten-inch form factor. Despite a few small missteps, the result is a very solid tablet for an even better price.
Hands-On Impressions
Although it’s unmistakably constructed from plastic, the ASUS MeMO Pad HFD 10’s aesthetics compare to tablets in a much higher price bracket, including ASUS’ own aluminum-clad Transformer Pad Infinity.
The back panel is wrapped in a micro-weave finish that feels great to the touch, and is available in black, blue, pink or white. The 10.4-by-7.2-by-0.37 inch MeMO Pad FHD 10 is bigger and bulkier than the Nexus 10, but it’s also lighter than many of its competitors at 1.26 pounds.
Tablet Tour
In terms of connectivity, the MeMo Pad FHD 10 is a pretty basic affair. There’s a power button on the left side of the top edge, while the right edge sports a volume rocker and standard 3.5-millimeter headphone jack.
A micro-HDMI port, micro-SD slot and micro-USB socket are arrayed along the left edge. The micro-USB doubles as the charger, which is a distinct advantage compared to tablets with proprietary chargers.
Resolving the Details
As the “FHD” name would suggest, the MeMO Pad FHD 10 sports a full high-definition, 1920-by-1200 pixel display. The picture is as sharp as you’d expect given the decent pixel density, though it can’t match the Nexus 10’s gorgeous 2560-by-1600 pixel panel in a tablet comparison.
The picture quality is decidedly more hit-or-miss. The color rendering is inconsistent and sometimes noticeably inaccurate, and brightness is merely acceptable. The screen is also glossy, which means outdoor use can be a difficult proposition.
Under the Hood
The ASUS MeMO Pad FHD 10 is powered by a dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor running at 1.6 gigahertz, which is paired with a standard two gigabytes of RAM and a PowerVR SGX 544MP graphics chip.
The tablet produces a smooth, responsive experience during routine use, but the occasional hiccup serves as a reminder that this is not high-performance hardware. Basic apps and web browsing are quite zippy, but 3D gaming and other hardware-intensive tasks are a bit too much to ask.
Tablet Roundup
As is often the case when it comes to tablet comparisons, the decision may come down to a question of price. The ASUS MeMO Pad FHD 10 makes for a solid entry into the ten-inch tablet market, and it does few things wrong.
On the other hand, there’s also nothing the MeMO Pad does especially well. The build quality is very good and the color choices are nice, but it’s still fully plastic. The display is satisfyingly sharp, but it can’t stack up to the Nexus 10’s brilliant panel. It also can’t match the ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity’s superior brightness.
It also doesn’t have the hardware to match faster Nvidia Tegra 4-based tablets. Ultimately, the ASUS MeMO Pad FHD 10 certainly offers enough to justify the price, but not enough to surpass the competition.