Asus eeePad Transformer Reviews

2011-06-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

The Asus eeePad Transformer is a tablet with a removable keyboard (the keyboard containng a battery so that the battery life of the tablet can be doubled. It retails in the UK for 379.99/429.99 and in the US for $399.99/499.99 (for 16GB version w/o keyboard and 32GB version w/ keyboard respectively)

Specs

Processor: Nvidia Tegra 2
Processor Clock: 1GHz
Memory: 746MB
Memory slots: 1
Size: 171x271x13mm
Weight: 680g
Pointing device: Touch Screen

Screen size: 10.1 inches
Native resolution: 1,280x800
Graphics Processor: Nvidia Tegra 2
Graphics/video Output: HDMI

Storage:
Total Storage Capacity: 16GB/32GB
Supported Memory Cards: Micro SDHC

TechRadar UK had this to say:

What it all comes down to is the price. If this had been a £600 tablet, we would have said 'nice try, but it's not quite there'. But this is a £429 tablet – or £379 without the keyboard – which makes it, without question, the most attractive Android tablet yet to hit the shelves.

It's also the first non-Windows tablet that can reasonably claim to render the netbook obsolete. So should you buy one? Of course you should.

4.5/5

Trusted Reviews said:

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer is what we've been waiting for - a tablet that can truly replace a netbook or ultra-portable laptop. With the keyboard disengaged, it's a slim, fairly light tablet with a great screen and touchscreen. With the dock in-tow, it's a typing demon whose battery will outlast almost any laptop you can find.

9/10

ExpertReviews said:

With its high-quality screen and relatively low price, the Eee Pad Transformer is currently the best Android 3.0 tablet there is, easily beating the Motorola Xoom. We have to say that the Apple iPad 2 remains the best tablet in terms of how smooth and easy it is to use. If you're adverse to Apple products and want something else, though, this is the tablet to buy. The keyboard dock isn't essential, but it's a nice add-on and gives you better battery life; if this isn't important, buy the cheaper dock-free model instead.

5/5

Total Score: 94%
Expert Reviews: 5/5 (100%)
TechRadar: 4.5/5 (90%)
Trusted Reviews: 90% (90%)

94/100

(I would easily recommend this tablet, and plan to buy it personally in the near future)

Sources:
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/asus-eee-pad-transformer-954145/review
http://www.trustedreviews.com/Asus-Eee-Pad-Transformer_Laptop_review
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/laptops/1284412/asus-eee-pad-transformer

OCZ Vertex 3 240GB Solid State Drive

2011-06-12T03:04:00.000-07:00

The OCZ Vertex 3 is the first solution to feature the SandForce SF-2200 SSD processor, and raises the bar in performance. The maximized speed significantly improves gaming, multimedia, and the overall computing experience over traditional mechanical hard drives, as well as other competing SSDs.

Specifications:

- Capacity: 240GB
- Controller: SandForce SF-2281
- Maximum Read: 550MB/sec
- Maximum Write: 525MB/sec
- Sustained Write: 525MB/sec
- Max I/O Per Second (IOPS): 60000 IOPS (4KB File)
- NAND Flash: Multi-Level Cell (MLC)
- Interface: SATA-III / 6Gbps (Backwards compatible with SATA-II / 3Gbps)
- TRIM Support (Requires Windows 7)
- Warranty: 3 Years

Hexus thought:

The Good
The fastest 2.5in SSD we've ever tested
Makes good use of the SATA 6Gbps interface
First SandForce SF-2281 drive to reach the market
The Bad
Fetches a hefty premium over Vertex 2
Struggles to match last-generation drives over SATA 3Gbps

Bit-Tech had this to say:

The Vertex 3 is the fastest 2.5in SSD we've seen, with sequential read and write speeds that are twice as fast as those of older Indilinx-based SSDs. While the biggest factor in SSD performance is still the ultra-low access times that all drives share, being able to move data at such speeds is still a great bonus. A system with a Vertex 3 will fly through storage-intensive tasks.

Nevertheless, the Vertex 3 offers unmatched performance. If you absolutely must have the fastest SSD in the room, the Vertex 3 is it.

Tech Radar had this to say:

We liked
SandForce's SF-2000 range of controllers provide stunning sequential read /write performance and shows where the future of SSD's is to be heading.
After all if the combination of SandForce and OCZ can produce a drive in the shape of the Vertex 3 250GB that is almost twice as fast as the previous one in only one generation of the controller, who knows where we'll end up, one things for sure, the replacement for SATA 6Gb/s needs to devolved a lot faster than previous thought.
We Disliked
It's a bit pricey and although the headline performance figures make for amazing reading, is it worth the hundred pound or so premium over the previous generation Vertex 2?
Well, of course it is.
Final word
Quite simply the SSD that all others will be measured by...for now.

Scores + Aggregated

Tech Radar - 4.5/5 (90%)
Hexus - 4.5/5 (90%)
Bit-Tech - 80%

Total Score: 87%

Sources:
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-components/storage/disk-drives-hdd-ssd-/ocz-vertex-3-240gb-957359/review
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=29786
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/storage/2011/06/07/ocz-vertex-3-240gb-review/

Hardware Review Aggregator

Asus eeePad Transformer Reviews

OCZ Vertex 3 240GB Solid State Drive