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The less-pricey Asus ZenPad Z8 that might outcompete the iPad Mini 4

by Felix Omondi
The less-pricey Asus ZenPad Z8 that might outcompete the iPad Mini

It is really about Google versus Apple. While Google doesn’t exactly have its own line of OEM devices, there are now little doubts that it produces a stellar mobile operating system. Over time, Apple’s iOS has gradually been importing inspirations and ideas from Android and baking it into its own iOS platform (aaargh aaargh iOS 10), excuse me, I might be catching a cold!

That aside, the base model for iPad Mini goes for about $399. Well, for about just $250 you can get the new Asus ZenPad Z8 tablet with just about everything to offer as the iPad Mini does; if not more.The less-pricey Asus ZenPad Z8 that might outcompete the iPad Mini

The ZenPad Z8 comes with the latest Android version, (Android Marshmallow) with the ZenUI overlay. It starts shipping in U.S. on June 23 and will be available exclusively on Verizon Wireless. Think about this, a cellular-ready version of the iPad Mini 4 goes for $529; for that amount ($529 – $250 = $279), you can get two Asus ZenPad Z8 with stellar specs and are cellular-ready.

However, it all comes down to whether you prefer iOS or Android. Doesn’t it, Apple fans? Well, perhaps if you delve into what the ZenPad Z8 has to offer it terms of specs, features, and performance. You might change your mind and avoid breaking you bank going for the premium-priced iPad Mini 4.

Asus ZenPad Z8 Specs

Ø 9-Inch IPS Display with 2048×1536 res (QxGA) with 178-degree viewing angles.

Ø Snapdragon 650 Hexacore Chip; the first Qualcomm Snapdragon chip to power an Asus tablet

Ø 2GB RAM

Ø 16GB internal storage expandable to 128GB via a microSD card.

Ø 8MP rear Camera and a 2MP front Camera

Ø USB Type-C connector

Ø Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 and 4G LTE

Ø Weighs about 11.3 ounce / 320 grams

Ø 4680 mAh Battery said to run for 13 hours on a single full battery charge

Ø GPS/AGPS/GLONASS

Ø Dual front-facing stereo speakers with the DTS-HD audio

About USB Type-C connector and Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 chip

This connector is a multi-purpose port. It connects the tablet to external storage, displays, and other peripherals. The USB-C connector also serves as the charging port and is currently the emerging connector for modern PCs and mobile devices.

As for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor, the first to power an Asus tablet, it is one of the fastest mobile chips out there. You could be tempted to pit this processor against Apple’s A-Series powering the iPad Mini 4. That would be an unfair comparison as each chip is tailor-made and tweaked to its specific software, there are no benchmarks to compare the two against each other fairly.

The Snapdragon chip also comes with Adreno 510 graphics chip integrated inside, and it is enough to process 4K videos. The ZenPad Z8 also has Vulkan GPU, enabling you to play the recent video games developed using API (Application Programming Interface).

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