Apple iPad 3 vs ASUS Transformer Prime TF700T: Quad-Core War Ahead

The battle between ASUS and Apple Inc. is anticipated to grew, as both tablet makers are bringing out their best weapons.

ASUS launched its flagship tablet - Eee Pad Transformer Prime - which is the first tablet to have the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor while Apple is expected to draw iPad 3 from their arsenal anytime in the next two months.

After the predecessor had some design flaw, ASUS had chosen to come out with the next version - Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF700T, which has a bigger battery, better screen resolution, new back panel, and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, apart from the original specifications.

ASUS Transformer Prime TF700T features a 10.1-inch Super IPS + LCD Gorilla Glass display with 1920 x 1200 screen resolution. It is powered by an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU, ULP GeForce GPU and offers 1GB RAM and 32/64 GB internal storage, which can be further expanded by another 32GB via microSD card.

It sports a rear-facing 8 megapixel LED flash camera with 1080p video playback and a secondary 2 megapixel front-facing camera. Transformer Prime TF700T optimizes Google Inc.'s latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. The Asus tablet has a 25 Wh battery, compared to the predecessor's 22 Wh.

Meanwhile, Apple's iPad 3, which is expected to go on sale in March, would sport a high-definition screen, run a faster processor and work with next-generation wireless networks and supports LTE, according to the Bloomberg citing people familiar with the situation.

Apple's manufacturing partners in Asia started ramping up production of the iPad 3 this month and plan to reach full volumes by February. The tablet will use a quad-core chip, an enhancement that lets users jump more quickly between applications, the people told Bloomberg.

Let's take a look at the specifications of ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF700T, in comparison with the expected features of Apple iPad 3.

Display: Transformer Prime TF700T tablet has a 10.1-inch high-definition Super IPS + LCD capacitive display with Corning's Gorilla glass protection providing a resolution of 1920 × 1200 pixels at 224 pixels per inch (ppi) density in 178 degrees ultra-wide viewing angle whereas iPad 3 will feature 9.7-inch or more 2048x1536 pixels Retina HD display with modified IGZO (indium, gallium, zinc) technology that will give 330 dpi pixel density.

Input Features: The input features in Transformer Prime TF700T are accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate, ASUS Waveshare UI, multi-touch input method, touch-sensitive controls with rotating icons, G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Compass and GPS. However, iPad 3 is expected to come with fingerprint scratch resistant oleophobic surface, multi-touch input method, accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate and three-axis gyro sensors.

Memory: The memory found in the ASUS tablet is 1GB RAM and 32/64 GB storage capacity with a microSD card slot giving an extra 32GB support while iPad 3 is projected to have 1GB or more RAM with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB internal storage support. It is expected that Apple will embed iPad 3 with an external microSD card slot that would have up to 64GB card support.

Operating system: The ASUS tablet features Google Inc.'s Android OS 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with a layer of the latest Waveshare UI. On the other hand, iPad 3 could optimize Apple's iOS 5. It is still not known whether Apple will bring out its next OS, presumably called iOS 6, at the WWDC in June 2012. And it is expected that iPad 3 could be upgradable to iOS 6 after June.

Processor: The ASUS tablet has Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU, ULP GeForce GPU. On the other hand, iPad 3 is expected to have 1.2-to-1.5 GHz quad-core A6 chip.

WLAN/Bluetooth/USB: The ASUS tablet has Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 2.1 version with EDR, and USB 2.0 version, while the Apple tablet could come with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 version with A2DP and EDR, and USB 2.0 version.

Camera: The camera in ASUS tablet is an 8 megapixel 3264x2448 pixels with LED flash and autofocus features and a secondary 2 megapixel camera for video calling. Transformer Prime offers 1080p video playback capability. On the other hand, it is expected that iPad 3 would come with rear-facing 5 megapixel or 8 megapixel dual-LED flash 3D camera with 1080p video capture capabilities and a secondary 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat.

Battery: When it comes to battery life, Transformer Prime TF700T has a 25 Wh Li-polymer Battery. A DigiTimes' report cited sources at Apple's supply chain partners who said the new iPad was expected to have enhanced battery life, with a capacity of as high as 14,000 milliampere-hour (mAh) used in the new iPads.

Pricing: ASUS Transformer Prime TF700T is likely to cost $499 for the 32GB version and $599 for the 64GB version. It is expected that Apple will price iPad 3 in the $499 to $699 range. Speculations are rife that when iPad 3 is launched, the price tag of iPad 2 might be dropped to $299.