Asus Eee Pad Transformer vs Acer Iconia Tab A500

[Wlee1985]

Lisa, have they fixed the video issues with the A500 in the 3.2 update? I plan to purchase a tablet at the end of the month; however I am torn between the two with the horrible QC issues I have been reading about on the Asus. Do i have anything to worry about? Should I be concerned? This is making me re-think the Asus, which I was originally excited about. (The keyboard dock is not a selling point for me).

[kingmarco301]

Toshiba Thrive.. Forever!!!!

[mrallenakaneo]

Watching your videos are very insightful...I am getting a tablet within the next few weeks and your reviews of the Asus Transformer have really helped me solidify my decision, thank you so much and great work!!!

[MobileTechReview]

@mrallenakaneo Glad to hear it! Let us know how you like your new tablet! :)

[Yayness130]

This is one of the most thorough and comprehensible reviews I've ever seen. I'm definitely going to be checking you guys out for anything else I buy in the future. Great stuff! Didn't even think about some of the considerations you brought up.

[MobileTechReview]

@Yayness130 Thank you! Great feedback! And please share our reviews with friends. Thanks! :)

[SuperDy1an]

Its acer not Acur

[Titanz91]

I searched for a video of this hoping to find you in it, Lisa. Glad to of found it :D!

[potterismypassion]

I had an Asus tab, it wouldn't charge so I got the inconia and I like it much better

[Foxx6699]

The biggest problem with the Acer is that it's Acer.

[daremaster96]

I thought i got the acer for x-mas but got the asus but im so happy.

[sniper1087]

do you think i should get the transformer or transformer prime?, is performance that big difference?

[jahnxena]

do you know if acer fixed the 1080p video playback? i cant find any recent info about it

[MobileTechReview]

@jahnxena As of a week ago it's still running v3.01 and the video playback isn't fixed.

[unknowntech73]

@MobileTechReview I just purchased the A500 and have 2 updates go through in the past 24 hours. My Android version now shows 3.1

[aman43i]

who else had to watch t mobile's 4g wonderland video and thought for a second it said orgy wonderland??

[99hersheys]

II really like the asus transformer and guess what black friday is coming in three days and I'm getting it for 250$ which a really good deal and 100$ for the dock keyboard, also thnx for your review when it comes to tablets I chose your videos first

[MobileTechReview]

@99hersheys Great to hear! Thanks!

[connormck1996]

@99hersheys why not wait till the prime comes out

[Fletcherismine]

lol

[ClueTVcom]

Great detailed review. And oh my gosh I love your voice:-) .....really.

[camperxl]

Best comment @ 11:28 - "The Acer has a camera oddly placed to the side so if you like to feature your left ear when video chatting with your friends that's awesome but otherwise it's kind of bizarre..."

[vilmarmoccelin]

Oh, by the way, thanks for the review, very complete, and sory for my english...

[vilmarmoccelin]

The Acer Iconia solve the video problems with the 3.1 and 3.2??? I'm searching for a tablet and the price war here in Brazil is a bit crazy... The best price for the Transformer 16GB is R$1500, and for the Acer Iconia Tab 32GB and the Motorola Xoom is 1350 (probably becouse a new tax isention fot tablets manufactured here), the screen made me think about the Asus, but maybe the Acer is suficient (plus the USB), but this video problem is a BIG problem.

[fernandizo]

this is a very in depth review..great job.. I like how you dont just repeat whats on the description of the tablets and you give a context to the device. Very good review

[MobileTechReview]

@fernandizo Thank you! Please share our reviews with your friends and family! ;-)

[deathofkai]

The Acer does, in fact, actually support USB powered and external powered Hard Drives, but, only in FAT32 unless you root the device and download Drive Mount.

Wireless keyboards also work, and this is all out-of-the-box. HC 3.1/2 is NOT needed for support.

Although slightly heavier, the fact that the Acer has a full sized USB port makes it the better choice. It really makes a HUGE difference, and the Asus is a very close second.

If Asus add USB in their Tegra 3 launch, I'll be first in line:)

[busfullofchinks]

"All displays are not created equal" that made me laugh :p

[serhatoden]

winner Acer Iconia Tab A500

[winddealer1]

Very well edited and excellent content. Thank you. Very informantive.

[jubjub449]

I thought the Toshiba Thrive was the chunkiest HC tablet on the market?

[MrThousandaire]

Iconia is on sale for $300 today (after $100 rebate) at a variety of places. I was about to buy it at Best Buy, but I played with the Transformer right next to it, and I couldn't do it. Transformer seemed much better. Now I have to wait for it to go on sale... Grrrrr

[Prabs95]

Hi Lisa, I was wondering if the lag on the Iconia A500 when playing 1080p videos is still present. I am a tech reviewer myself and was wondering if Acer ever fixed that issue.

[69fuzzynutz]

The point of the dock is extra battery life, keyboard (good for polaris office), 2 usb ports and a second sd card slot

[MaLuKuTmT]

watching it on my Acer iconia!!

[adam11209]

i have to say that this is one of the most biast videos i have ever seen. i have used both and decided the acer is way better and it does support everything that she says it doesnt. and whats the point of the dock thig? if i wanted a keyboard i would use my laptop. whats the point of buying a tablet then paying an extra 150 to turn it into a laptop

[GeeeK19]

on my Acer I can play 1080p videos clearly with no lag. try a differant video player

[timothyln12]

I have an Asus eee pad transformer. the build quality is quite low and applications seem to crash frequently. I uninstalled some apps, but the uneven glass is killing it for me. I'm returning it, but I'm afraid to get another one because I hear there is a whole batch of faulty transformers. what should I do? I'm considering the Acer but I'm not sure if I'm willing to give up the beautiful screen of the asus

[69fuzzynutz]

@timothyln12 Id try and get hold of newer one and return it if you dont like it, there was a batch with dust under the screen the one i got had honeycomb 3.1 on it so i presume its a newer one its not creaky and as of yet no dust build quality seems to be really good asus often listen to comments about their stuff via forums and correct any issues.

[Krezyle]

Argh! Apparently the name of Asus is Asous... Pronounce the word SUStainable and SUStenance. Now remove the first three letters and add an A in front of them, it should sound different this time... Perhaps the way it should be pronounced?

[pinedas678]

what kind of stand do you have the Acer on?

[MobileTechReview]

@pinedas678 iRest from Rain Design. You can find our review on MobileTechReview.

[MeesterChao]

thats my name on the transformer! and im watchinh

[ballershanelle]

can u Review the acer again with the upgrade please....

[ballershanelle]

I saw a kid break a basic ereader from khols..and he had a full android format plus a phone dailer... I really think we underestimate our teenagers...lol

[sfpx2]

I tried the 1080p trailer of Bourne Ultimatum on the Acer and it ran decently (android 3.1). I'll try on a xoom tomorrow to compare.

[milanvillan]

The Iconia was outdated in this version, it now has support of 1080p (althou still needs fine tuning). 1080p Can also be played thru the TV.

[chavalonm1]

15:05 "The Nigger of Narcissus"

[rawman18]

Honestly Lisa because of your reviews I am torn between these 2 tablets. Their secs are almost completely identical. I just want a tablet that I can use at home or on the go. Basically for surfing the web and watching vids on youtube. The apps aren't really a major selling point for me. I just want something that has decent specs and is reliable. Right now i'm leaning towards the acer iconica , but the failure to playback 1080 hd is a problem for me. Any suggestions?

[Cali5556]

@rawman18 Dunno how much my humble suggestion would mean to you, but having owned the Acer Iconia A500 a good week before I turned it in and got an Asus Eee Pad Transformer as a replacement, I would most definitely recommend the latter for at least two reasons: (1.) it's much lighter. The Iconia holds the distinction of being the heaviest Android tablet in the market right now, and believe me, you would definitely FEEL it even after just a few minutes of usage; and... (continued)

[rawman18]

@Cali5556 Thanks for the feedback Cali5556. I've decided to go with the Asus Transformer. I went to best buy to compare both tablets , and the transformer just struck the right accord with me. I like the feel and quality of it. And the price isn;t bad either.

[Cali5556]

@rawman18 ... (2.) it uses an IPS panel, which has a 178 degree viewing angle and a much crisper display. The Iconia's display, on the other hand, looks washed-out and absolutely so-so (as pointed out in other online tech reviews) even at maximum brightness setting.

[DrBlkDrgn]

Is the Iconia now able to play 1080 videos with the 3.1 update?

[Earthen80]

Yes I like reviews from MobileTech :)

[spideylover]

I just have to comment that I only completely trust two review sources: engadget and you guys

[MobileTechReview]

@spideylover Thank you very much! Please share our videos with your friends and family.

[maddoc5979]

@MobileTechReview Excellent and unbiased review, love you guys! I have a couple of questions..Do you know if the ASUS can play adobe flash based facebook games like farmville? how is video calling on it?

[MobileTechReview]

@maddoc5979 Works fine with Google Talk. Have to try Farmville. ;-)

[69fuzzynutz]

@maddoc5979 The asus has hardware accelerated (via the tegra 2) flash 10.3 support its runs flash based games like a rocket

[megamanofawsomeness]

@spideylover dont forget jon4lakers :)

[faraon3000]

@spideylover I agree with you. They do complete honest reviews of the products.

[KeitelStevele]

@spideylover totally agree... :)

[halfmumi]

How long the full batteries do last? (Asus with the dock)

They say that it reaches to 16 Hours,do you have any tests with the dock(keyboard) system with Asus? Acer is going about 4,5 hours i guess,How about Asus?

[schwabothetoast]

@halfmumi its 9-10 hours for just the tablet but the dock adds 6-7 hours

[halfmumi]

@schwabothetoast... Are you telling me it has capacity of reaching 15 Hours?? o_0 i will be buying it this week....!

[mebobbygillis]

I checked out both at Best Buy and the screen on the Asus is actually much better than the Ionia.....the Ionia was nice but the Asus screen really popped and that's what sold me on getting it....besides it was also cheaper.

[kebsood]

im running a custom 3.2 rom on my iconia, totally different machine. also as far as i was aware mine could mount fat32 self powered usb drives out the box

[FreshLevel1000001]

i want a good tab for movies and a usb port, what should i get help

[SilentFool602]

@FreshLevel1000001 id say transformer. it doesnt have a onboard usb port but you can get the keyboard dock (extra 150) its a nice add-on. I think the transformer has a nicer and clearer screen. not just saying that because i own one either. plus you want something nice and light then watching movies, and you can easily hold the transformer with one hand. Plus it is a 10.1 inch WIDESCREEN tablet, so movies look great.

[SilentFool602]

at 7:03, you can see that transformer has a sharper looking picture while the iconia is fuzzy and not as clear.

[500milerunner]

I've seen a couple of videos you made of Acer Iconia a500... of course you can't run a 1080p video without problems, when they have optimized it for 720p.. read the videoplay specs and you'll find :" 720p video playback" . NOT 1080p..

[MobileTechReview]

@500milerunner It's our obligation to point out that the Iconia A500 is the only Android Honeycomb tablet that can't play 1080p videos.

[yudalevid]

I do not believe Acer Iconia A500 tab at the video playback...

[erickadbay]

maybe they thought that the video chat would be in portrait mode or they just have an ear fetish

[Heythumb88]

Have you not noticed any backlight bleeding on the Asus? Im not my second tab and no luck yet

[raddam141]

why does it have gps if it doesnt have 3g? 

[grammypanties08]

Can you get Netflix on the transformer??

[cuntquistador32]

@kandimann Android doesn't have the app support to be for adults. Developers are concerned with making games instead of a decent note taking app with capacitive stylus support whereas ios has like 9 of those.

[tbor1277]

Asus cheated. Review them as tablets. Its like pacquiao vs mayweather but mayweather is allowed to kick and bite ears off.

[bgreenjr7149]

Excellent review Lisa!

[suaveeze]

The Asus oz better only missing stock USB :(

[doddtube2525]

First of All Love the review, Beside the comparison of running videos on Youtube, Could you please test how well those tablets handle the Internet browsers or running games ? Thank You

[MobileTechReview]

@doddtube2525 We have more in-depth video reviews of the both, and we have full written reviews of both covering browsing and gaming. Check those out. Thanks!

[shaban96]

could u please do a Asus Eee pad vs Ipad 2 Please i wanna know

[2008C6Vette]

I've played with both of these at BestBuy. I don't like these better than the iPad 2. But both are excellent devices, I like the Asus Eee Pad better than the Acer. :)

[dpolsoni]

I saw in many stores you can get the transformer+keyboard for 499...very very good!

[kak672]

Can you charge the battery in the docking station for the transformer?

[MobileTechReview]

@kak672 Yes, you can.

[xenover]

I heard iconia is very slow for Tegra 2

can anyone confirm ?

[MobileTechReview]

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MTR

[mranthonymcneil85]

You like Eminem? You are so awesome =)...oh and you reviews/comparisons are great.

[MrMrgrogles]

@SOLIDSNAKEXXX360 that's discusting...

[smallfish008]

Can you use external hard drive on transformer??

[kandiman1224]

@nbcorde apple extreme simplicity is perfect for fun, no t for tasks at all though, so for simple minded fun ipad, android is for multitaskers and in a sense business due to its many abilities and open mindedness so, ipad for kids, android for adults

[EdouardDubois]

By god Samsung's looks like an iPad... from the front anyway. It's no wonder Apple is suing their pants off.

[solarlightning]

@EdouardDubois apple is an idiot i hope smsung stops making their procesers

[EdouardDubois]

@solarlightning

Hey, don't get me wrong I consider myself an Apple hater (except for the iPod I own, gotta have my tunes), but I've seen the iPads in stores... you can't deny the blatant similarities.

[solarlightning]

@EdouardDubois they are similar but if it wanst that thin they wouldnt be that similar....if they put any other design it would have to be thicker...

[deathofkai]

@EdouardDubois - and because Apple is as money hungry as Microsoft. Anything to make a quick buck (I'm sure they always say)

[Coaster1313]

I just got my Transformer Yesterday. I love the thing. Many people have complained about the speakers but i think i got a good one or they fixed it because mine is decently loud. I have yet to put it down. Even brought it to work haha

[dragnet53]

damn my LG G2X smokes these tablets minus the tablet screen size. XD

[Wedcot]

your videos are the best most unbiased ones ive seen, I even watch these for fun!

[BoABranDish]

These two look identical in the looks.

[dragnet53]

I hear tablet makers are now considering to add a phone to the tablet units. If they ever do that I will buy one.

[chillipeanuts]

Lisa, please compare Asus Eee Pad Transformer v Motorola Xoom. Thanks buddy. :)

[pabuloustube]

hooray for the dark tower

[nbcorde]

Which do you think is appropriate for a kid, an iPad or an Android tablet?

[flipinwash]

i've been looking for the Asus for a couple of weeks now, but it's sold out. so now i am looking at the Acer. thank you for this review! glad i subscribed earlier this week!

[chris4071000]

id like to muhfackin have that

[MobileTechReview]

@chris4071000 Which one?

[068674415]

@MobileTechReview looooooooooooooooolll

[robertorobotoful]

:) My favorite reviewer