Affordable ASUS ZenPad 7.0 announced for Malaysia

Very much on the smaller side of tablets, ASUS will soon release its new ZenPad series that promises to offer a premium tablet experience for the masses. Touted to be the first tablet with customisable functional back covers, ASUS is adding the ZenPad 7.0 (Z370CG) into its tablet line-up and it joins its entry-level ZenPad C. The ZenPad series is the tablet equivalent of its Zenfone line up and eventually this would replace its current FonePad and MeMoPad tablet series.

Although, not booming with power the tablet runs a respectable Quad-core 64-bit Intel Atom x3-C3230 processor. RAM and internal storage of this budget device will slot in at 2GB and 16GB, respectively. Should you need more storage to store your movies, the ZenPad 7.0 comes with a microSD slot that supports up to 128GB extra. The 7-inch screen promises a 1280 x 800 (HD) resolution IPS display and will be sure to please those looking for an affordable HD capable tablet.

Camera optics stand at an 8-megapixel rear sensor, while the front gets only a 2-megapixel shutter. Those consuming media could be interested in the DTS-HD front speaker that the ZenPad 7.0 is equip with – touted to offer premium sound by ASUS. As a portable media device, the tablet will be considered quite light; 272g. It should be noted that the screen to body ratio is 72% and the dimensions are 189 x 110.9 x 8.7mm – considered light and compact for its dimensions, probably due to the plastic body that still has an upmarket feel, thanks to the leather-looking texture.

Given the device’s affordable nature, it doesn’t come with 4G LTE and we’ll only get a 3G model that supports a single SIM. Out of the box, it runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with ASUS’ own Zen UI. Functionality will be one of the main aspects of the 7-inch tablet with a slew of easily detachable back covers, each with its own use.

For a touch of personalisation there’s a variety of of colourful Zen Cases that snaps on easily. For a longer battery life, there’s a Power Case pushes a total of up to 15 hours of battery life on a single charge. If you love to play music or watch videos, the Audio Cover that turns your ZenPad into an impressive 5.1 channel surround sound playback device.

According to ASUS, the ZenPad 7.0 will be sold below RM700 and it is expected to go on sale on 26th of August. So far that’s all we have for the ZenPad series and ASUS Malaysia is still mum on the availability of the rest of the ZenPad line up which includes the ZenPad 8.0 and the top-of-the-line ZenPad S 8.0.

Thank to tipster @KevinNgTK for letting us know about the pricing of the product.