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ASUS Fonepad 8 (FE380CG)

ASUS Fonepad 8 Review – Throughout this year, we’ve reviewed about three different devices in ASUS’ Fonepad family and it doesn’t seem like the expansion of this family is going to slow down as the Taiwanese tech powerhouse recently unveiled the Fonepad 8 (FE380CG), which we got to review this month. Much like the previous devices in the series, this one comes with its own set of charms that will definitely attract consumers to it. As always, we’ll take a look at its design first.

ASUS-Fonepad-8-300x252 ASUS Fonepad 8 (FE380CG)

ASUS Fonepad 8

For an 8-inch device, we were surprised at how slim and light it actually is. Holding it with one hand is comfortable enough but there’s no way you’ll be able to operate it one-handed. Our review unit came in black and we really liked it as it comes with a nice rubberised textured back which not only gives you better grip but also doesn’t attract smudges easily.

Much like previous Fonepads, this one also supports dual SIM cards. Another great thing about its design is how ASUS managed to slim down its bezel to a mere 5.06mm, which means users get more screen real-estate and better viewing angles. The 8-inch display has a 1,280 x 800 resolution and brightness of 400nits that makes it usable in any lighting condition, even under direct sunlight. Combine its brilliant display with front-facing MaxxAudio tuned speakers, this makes the device great for consuming multimedia such as music, videos and games.

ASUS have also equipped the Fonepad 8 with a camera albeit it is only a 5-megapixel one. However, it does come with plenty of features thanks to the PixelMaster technology. It produces decent photos in bright environments but falls flat in darker ones as it doesn’t come with an LED flash. When it comes to overall performance, the Fonepad 8’s Intel Atom processor does a great job at keeping up with the pace of users. It produced solid scores in our suite of benchmarks and was snappy and smooth throughout our time with it even when we were multi-tasking. Playing games such as Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 was also great as there was no lag whatsoever.

As for battery life, the device managed to last us about two days with light to medium usage, for heavy users it should be able to last a full day before needing a recharge. All in all, ASUS have once again created a device that offers consumers a good balance between price and features. The Fonepad 8 may not come with the highest-end hardware or fancy features but it comes with all the right stuff that most users look for in a phablet and that’s what really matters.

Pros

  • Good overall performance
  • Dual SIM
  • Affordable
  • Lightweight and slim

Cons

  • Rear camera is only 5MP & has no flash
  • Only 1GB RAM & 8GB internal storage

ASUS Fonepad 8 Specifications

  • Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
  • Processor: Intel Atom Z3530 Quad-Core, up to 1.33GHz, 64-bit
  • Frequency: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz, HSPA 850/900/1900/2100MHz
  • Screen: 8-inch LED Backlight WXGA (1,280 x 800) screen with IPS Panel
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, USB 2.0
  • Memory: 1GB
  • Storage: 8GB (internal), support for microSD cards up to 64GB, 5GB Life Time ASUS Webstorage space; with an additional 11GB for the first year
  • Others: 5-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera
  • Dimensions: 120 x 214 x 8.9mm
  • Weight: 310g

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