Asus FonePad vs Samsung Galaxy Note 510: Both Debut in India, Which One Should You Buy?

When it comes to tablet market across the globe, Apple iPad/iPad mini dominate the segment till last year, but at the same time the market has shown some ups and downs, which can result in some dramatic changes by the end of 2013.

According to IDC latest report, the popularity of the iPad will fade away to some extent with the diversity in the tablet market. Also, IDC predicted that Android-based devices will make up about 48 percent of the tablet market in 2013, while iPad slates will settle in at 46 percent.

It is evident as the Android tablets are scoring massive sales in the 7 inch market segment beating the iPad Mini. Also, following the launch of the iPad Mini, the other manufacturers out there have also come up with 8 inch tablets in order to outshine the Apple tablet.

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At the MWC 2013, Samsung announced the 8 inch rival to iPad Mini - Galaxy Note 8.0 aka Note 510 in India. The tablet was launched in the country the following month and is now available on the Samsung eStore for pre-order at a price of Rs 30,900. Also, the company is offering a free Book Cover worth Rs 2,699 for every booking.

Samsung has made the tablet available for pre-order just a day after the release of Asus FonePad, the voice calling tablet with 3G in India at Rs 15,999. Well, the FonePad was released in the nation on April 25 at an event in New Delhi and the tablet will be made available for purchase starting from April 30, 2013.

Now, two different tablets have entered the Indian market with different traits. One is a 3G voice calling tablet and the other is an 8 inch device with a stylus. If you are planning to buy a tablet, today's GizBot comparison might help you to decide which one might suit you.

Form Factor: Obviously, Galaxy Note 510 measuring 210.8 x 135.9 x 8 mm in in dimension and weighing in at 338 grams is lighter and thinner than the FonePad carrying a dimension of 196.4 x 120.1 x 10.4 mm and weighing around 340 grams.

Galaxy Note 510 houses an 8 inch WXGA multi-touch capacitive touchscreen display with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution and 189 ppi pixel density.

In comparison, FonePad boasts a 7 inch multi-touch IPS capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 800 pixels and 216 ppi pixel density approximately.

Further, the Galaxy Note 510 comes with S Pen support, optimized applications including S Pen Gesture, Splanner, Air View feature, WACOM technology and more.

Processor: Galaxy Note 510 grabs the score as it is packed with a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos as compared to the 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 processor in FonePad.

The Exynos 4 Quad SoC uses 20% less power and being a quad core chipset, it results in effective multi-tasking performance, whereas, the Intel Z2420 chip Hyper-Threading technology offers impressive performance for quick web browsing and great multimedia experience.

Operating System: Both the tablets run on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and hence, they will have software features including Project Butter, which offers faster, smoother and responsive performance, on-screen navigation buttons, expandable and contractible Android notifications, resizable App Widgets functionality, high resolution contact photos, Android Beam app and more.

Camera: In terms of camera optics, Galaxy Note 510 has a 5MP rear camera with autofocus, geotagging and 1080p video recording ability and a 1.3MP front camera for video calling.

On the other hand, 3.2MP rear camera with autofocus and a 1.2MP secondary camera for video calling.

Storage: Galaxy Note 510 is a winner in terms of storage as it comes with 16GB/32GB onboard storage, 2GB RAM and micro SD card slot supporting up to 64GB additional storage. In comparison, FonePad has 8GB internal storage, 1GB RAM and a micro SD card slot supporting up to 32GB additional storage.

Connectivity: Galaxy Note 510 and FonePad are packed with features including dual band Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth and micro USB 2.0. The Galaxy Note 510 comes with IrDA connectivity as well.

Battery: While Galaxy Note 8.0 has a non-removable 4,600 mAh Li-ion battery, FonePad is equipped with a 4,270 mAh battery that is claimed to deliver up to 9 hours backup.

Price: Galaxy Note 510 is available for pre-order at Rs 30,900 and FonePad is launched at Rs 15,999.

Other Features: Galaxy Note 8.0 is packed with a plethora of software features including Samsung Apps, Samsung Kies/Kies Air, Samsung Hub, ChatOn mobile communication service, Smart Stay, Direct Call, Page Buddy/Tag Buddy/Word Buddy, Paper Artist, Flipboard and Multi-View.

At the same time, Asus FonePad comes with SonicMaster Audio Technology with the award winning Maxx Audio processor by Waves to ensure clear and well rounded sound quality. Also, FonePad offers 50GB lifetime Asus WebStore storage for free, which enables users to view, create, edit and share their documents anywhere anytime via the cloud storage service.

Verdict

Both Galaxy Notw 510 and FonePad are Android Jelly Bean tablets are advanced offerings available in the market at different price points.

For those who like to opt for the tablet that can make voice calls with a SIM card slot, free cloud storage and a relatively low priced device, Asus FonePad is a better option.

On the other hand, if the concern is on a lightweight device with stylus support and advanced software features, the Samsung Galaxy Note 510 should be a right choice.

In the end, Gizbot has left the decision to the readers on which is a good tablet on the basis of specs, features and price.