The product: The Memo Pad does include a microSD slot, something the Nexus 7doesn’t have; however, even at $60 more, the Nexus 7 is clearly the better product. It’s faster, includes the very latest version of Android, and its sharp screen can be viewed from nearly any angle -- not something the Memo Pad can claim.
The ME172V is aimed at people looking to save a few bucks on their tablet purchase, but the budget-conscious would be better served by biting the bullet and paying more for the Nexus 7 (or even the $159 Kindle Fire), rather than saving a few bucks and regretting their purchase.
The Memo Pad has a 1,024x600-pixel-resolution screen, which in 2013 is low, even for a cheap 7-inch tablet. Text is fuzzy whether you’re surfing the Web or reading a book.
The tablet has a 1-megapixel front-facing camera, a headphone jack on the top edge, and a Micro-USB port on the bottom for file transfers and charging. It includes 16GB of storage and a microSD card slot for expanding its storage with up to 64 additional gigabytes.
What it offers:
The Asus Memo Pad ME172V won't set you back a ton, but with much better choices only $60 away, you should simply pay more now and regret less later.
The advantage:
The Asus Memo Pad ME172V carries a low $140 price and its storage can be expanded through a built-in microSD slot.
The unfavorable:
The screen's low resolution produces only fuzzy text, and its painfully narrow viewing angle hides detail. Overall system performance is slow, and the tablet crashes when attempting to run some of the latest games. It also burns through battery life quickly and isn't as comfortable to hold as the Nexus 7.
The price:
$149.00 to $164.99Via
