Galaxy Note 10.1 Vs Asus Transformer Prime TF700T: Showdown of Heavyweight Tablets

The release of the third-generation iPad (the new iPad) has spurred escalating competition from rival camps, particularly Samsung and Asus. Apple's biggest rival - Samsung - is all set to roll out its flagship tablet - the Galaxy Note 10.1.

Riding on the success of its earlier experiment - the Galaxy Note smartphone - the South Korean giant is poised to capitalise on the trending tablet market. The hybrid device popularly termed as "Phablet" sold more than five million units in the first few months of its launch. In a similar vein, the Galaxy Note 10.1 is expected to offer some serious competition to heavyweights like Apple's new iPad and Asus' Transformer Prime.

In an earlier IBTimes UK article, we have seen the comparison between the iPad 3 and the Galaxy Note 10.1. So, we shift our focus towards how Asus' flagship tablet fares against Samsung's newest tablet.

Here is a quick feature comparison between the two leading tablet devices:

Design

The Transformer Prime TF700T comes with dimensions of 263 x 180.8 x 8.3 mm and weighs 586 grams, whereas the Galaxy Note 10.1's dimensions are 256.7 x 175.3 x 8.9 mm. It weights 583g, which is about 80g lighter than the new iPad and almost the same as the Prime. So, design and weight-wise, Samsung gains a slight edge over its counterpart.

Display

The 10.1-inch TF700T sports a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels at 224ppi (pixels per inch) pixel density. While the company has enhanced the display by adding 50 percent more pixel density than the original Prime, the tablet is still less impressive than the 2048 X 1536 pixels of the new iPad. However, the Super IPS+ display panel of the Asus tablet enhances both image clarity and crispness, besides enriching colour accuracy and brightness levels.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Note sports a 10.1-inch PLS TFT touchscreen display with 800 X 1280 pixels resolution at 149ppi pixel density, which is too meagre compared to the iPad standards.

Processor and Memory

The Samsung Galaxy Note is powered by a dual-core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, Mali-400MP GPU, Exynos chipset and 1GB of RAM. It provides internal memory options of 16GB and 32GB only but the memory is expandable with microSD support up to 32GB.

In contrast, the Prime sports a quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A9 processor with Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset and 12-core ULP GeForce GPU onboard. This tablet also has 1GB RAM. Although the Prime packs a quad-core processor, the Tegra 3 is expected to be slower than the Exynos and A5X chips. However, a Tegra 3+ upgrade is on the cards.

A recent rumor, however, states that the Note 10.1 will also be upgraded to a quad-core processor. According to mk News, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 could sport a 1.5GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 processor, which could blow away all competition.

Operating System

The Prime TF700T runs on the latest Android operating system - Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 - integrated with ASUS Waveshare UI.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 will run Android OS 4.0 (dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich). The new tablet is expected to pack some Stylus Pen-based apps. According to rumors, the tablet has the ability to run and work on two apps simultaneously, which is a never-seen feature in tablet history.

Camera

The Galaxy Note 10.1 sports a 3.15 megapixel camera with LED flash support and records 1080p videos at 30fps. It also features a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. On the other hand, the Transformer Prime is expected to feature an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, with no further information available at this time.

Connectivity

The Galaxy Note 10.1, however, falls flat in this department. It supports only GSM, 2G and 3G networks. Other connectivity features include Bluetooth version 3.0, GPS and Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot functionality. In contrast, the Asus tablet comes with no support for GSM voice communication, SMS, and MMS as it is not a GSM.

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy Note is powered by a Standard Li-Ion 7,000 mAh battery. The Prime tablet comes with a standard Li-Po 25Wh battery.

Verdict

The Transformer Prime is still the favorite among the fans, riding as it does on the success of its predecessor. However, theStylus pen apps, along with LED flash, a faster processor and a superior front-facing camera tilt the scales in favour of the new 10.1-inch tablet from Samsung. The true winner can only be determined once the two tablets hit the market as finished products with the latest Android software onboard.

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