The second iteration of the Transformer has barely been released to market, and Asus have the latest version to show us, named the TF700 series.
It’s important to note that the TF700 is still a fair few months away from market, and it’s really only the form factor that has been locked down with any certainty. Asus could not confirm the processor or other performance specs and there could be some intriguing reasons this is staying on the low down for the time being.
My guess? Given Microsoft’s announcement at their final CES keynote a few days ago, Asus may be testing the Windows 8 platform on the ARM architecture, which has previously not been compatible with the upcoming OS, and there may indeed be multiple configurations of this series, as the “series” name does hint at.
So what are the differences between the just-released Prime and the TF700 series? To start with, an improved screen resolution, 1920 x 1080, for a full high definition experience with a very high pixel density, which should theoretically ramp up the visual quality even further.
The webcams are also being upgraded to 8MP for the back camera and 2MP for the front. The front one will be particularly appreciated for webchats. There’s not much more we know about this new TF700 series.
The Transformer Prime captured the imagination of the tablet market, and there is still passionate discussion over on our Question and Answer page, particularly now that the Ice Cream Sandwich update has been deployed in some regions.
We are still keen to help our readers with some of the issues you’ve experienced on the Prime, so keep that chat going and we’ll be getting our hands on a Prime on our return to Australia so we can test and provide.
In the meantime, here’s a taste of what’s to come in the coming months for Asus:
What are your thoughts on the new Prime?
Harold says
To be honest Ritchie, I waited so long for the TF-201 and finally got it last Friday with a lot of disappointsments, e.g. bad Wifi, GPS not working, backlight bleeding. Therefore I sold the Prime 2 days later with a loss of
€ 40,– and I stick for the time being to my Asus UX-31 which is a super ultrabook and wait for the developments regarding the TF-700, special when it comes with Windows-8.
Ritchie says
Hi Harold,
Thanks for the comment, and it’s definitely a shame that the TF-201 had too many issues for you as it’s a tablet that showed a lot of promise.
On the Windows and Intel stands they both have an Ultrabook area, and the UX31 still stands out in terms of design and screen resolution.
We probably won’t see anything more on the TF700 (remembering that it is a series and there will be multiple variations) for a few months but we’ll be reporting on it as more details emerge.
Cheers! Ritchie
Flan Roberts says
Harold
where did you get yor prime. I got mine from best buy and am loving it. Only Issue I have is what appears to be a scratch in the top left hand corner that only appears during bootup and in apps that have a dark background
I have GPS in my car so it does not bother me that it does not work as it should
where in europe are you as I noticed you mentioned the euro – I’m from Ireland
where did you sell yours
Izzi says
Hello Ritchie,
I am not sure if you had a lot of time to play with TF700 but I wonder how crisp is text while browsing? Did you notice that and does a higher resolution make any difference as far as text in browser?
The reason I ask is because on the TF201 it is not perfectly crisp unless you zoom in a bit. Don’t get me wrong it still looks good but maybe with resolution of 1920×1200 it may be even better.
Thank you,
Ritchie says
Hey Izzi,
How are you? We didn’t even get to see the TF700 on, it had apparently been working for a little but wasn’t powered when we we up close and personal with it. If the Acer A700 is anything to go by, the 1920 x 1080 screen will be amazing, but it will need some grunt to handle the graphics at that resolution.
Cheers, Ritchie.
Izzi says
I am doing well Ritchie, thanks. I hope you are having a good time at CES. 🙂
Okay, I was just curious if higher resolution makes any difference.
Of course one would think that specs should be a bit higher in order for it to handle such resolution. I am anxious to see the full specs on it.
Cheers!
Ritchie says
Hey Izzi,
Back in Sydney now!
I did see another brand with a 1920 x 1080 screen with a Tegra 3 processor and it looked absolutely superb. You’re right, the unit would need some grunt to assist performance.
Hopefully more info will filter out as the weeks go by.
Cheers,
Ritchie
DarylO says
I had been wondering the same thing. I’ve been very disappointed with the anti-aliasing in the Prime, particularly with small fonts. I’m having other issues with my Prime post-ICS upgrade, so I’ll probably be swapping mine out, but it’s going to be difficult with the low stock quantities out there!
Ritchie says
Hi Daryl,
Sounds like ICS upgrade has been an issue for a few people. We’ll be looking at a Prime shortly and hopefully put these issues to the test and give feedback.
Thanks, Ritchie
DarylO says
Most of my problems with ICS went away after I did a factory reset, but I’m still experiencing 1 – 2 hours of less battery life! That really bugs me, since I had never gotten the promised 12 hours to begin with. Small fonts still look bad, as well. Does anyone know if there are any anti-aliasing settings that one may adjust in Android? I haven’t played much with an Apple iPad, but it couldn’t possibly have fonts that look this bad, could it?
Kyle says
After the problems I had with my Asus Transformer Prime Tf201, I will never buy an Asus product again. In case you’re wondering, the tablet I purchased had a defective screen and corrupted software.
Ritchie says
Hey Kyle,
Thanks for your feedback. Let us know when you decide on your next tablet purchase, will look forward to your impressions at that time.
Ritchie
studat says
Hey Harold,
I am glad too see i was not the only one has had a bad experience with the prime. I have all your problems and a few more. Sorry that you lost money,i will be returning myprime to the shop tomorrow for a refund. This prime was the replacment prime for the first one i got which failed day one.
Can not say i will be waiting for the 700 series, may just be all hype.
Studat!!!
studat says
Hey Ritchie,
If you speak to Asus please inform them that it is of the upmost importance that the wifi on a wifi only tablet works.
Cheers ex prime owner.
Nitant says
if TF700 have 3g????????????????