For gadget-fiends, Best Buy is typically the place to go to test out a device and get your hands on it first before finally purchasing it online for a better deal.
The big box retail store is stepping its game, however, by slashing the prices off some hot ticket items. The next device on sale from Best Buy is Asus' ZenPad S 8.0.
On Amazon, the same Asus ZenPad S 8.0 in a 32 GB variant is listed at $180. At Best Buy, the same device is $30 cheaper. The tablet itself received generally favorable reviews from online websites and should definitely be on the radar for those in the market for a new tablet.
Asus does have quite the offering for its ZenPad lineup of tablets. There's the Asus ZenPad 7, ZenPad 8, ZenPad S 8 and the ZenPad 10.1.
Not to be confused with the ZenPad 8.0, the "S" variant packs a lot more punch than the plain one with a similar name. The only similarities between the ZenPad 8.0 and the S 8.0 are in the device's display size and Android 5.0 Lollipop running them both. Beyond that, the S 8.0 trumps its predecessor in every other department.
The ZenPad S 8.0 comes with a much higher 2,048 x 1,536 resolution screen that offers a 178-degree viewing angle. Moreover, the higher end S 8.0 is powered by a more powerful 2.3 GHz quad-core 64-bit Intel Atom 3580 processor and an extra roomy 4 GB of RAM. In fact, Asus claims that the ZenPad S 8.0 is the first 8-inch tablet to come with that much RAM.
The tablets two front-facing speakers sound great and should be a feature on all tablets that are supposed to offer a rich media viewing experience. And even though we highly frown on taking photos with anything larger than a phablet, the ZenPad S 8.0's 8-megapixel camera does take better photos than similar tablets in its class.
Customers should note, however, that since both the devices pack the same sized battery, the S 8.0 might run out of juice a bit faster since it has a higher resolution display that will consume more power. Nonetheless, for just $150, Best Buy is offering a pretty sweet deal for a highly capable tablet. There really can't be too much to complain about on the Asus ZenPad S 8.0 at that price point.
