Notebook Hunter

The 10.1in ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201 (32GB) is the only quad-core Android tablet currently available, and it’s pretty good value for $729, especially since it uniquely comes with a keyboard dock. It’s got a metal finish reminiscent of the ASUS Zenbook, and at 586 grams it’s among the lightest tablets currently available. While it currently runs Android 3.2, an update to Android 4.0 is on the way from ASUS so for the time being it really is the premier Android tablet.

It’s got a 1,280 x 800 capacitive resolution 10.1in screen that performs very smoothly. The connectivity on the tablet is a bit ordinary (it only has an audio jack, Micro HDMI and a Micro SD card reader) but the keyboard dock comes to the rescue. It adds a full-sized USB 2.0 port and SD card reader along with an in-built battery to extend the Prime’s usage time. At only 537 grams it’s really light as well, and together with the Prime the overall weight is lower than most netbooks.

As for the keyboard dock itself, while definitely useable the keys are a bit small. The touchpad also works acceptably well; as with the original Transformer, the Prime’s keyboard adds useful functionality rather than simply being a gimmick.

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