We have been looking to buy a cheap tablet so when ASUS contacted us to test out the MeMo Pad 7 we were excited to put it through it’s paces.
Reviews are not something we are known for here at the Skint Dad blog but after receiving an email from Asus asking if we were interested in giving the Memo Pad 7 a test run we couldn’t say no.
We had been discussing for a while about the potential of purchasing a tablet and the Asus tablet was definitely in the price range we were looking at. As a professional blogger, who spends a huge amount of time online, I needed something that didn’t mean sitting at laptop for hours on end and the Asus tablet would hopefully solve that problem.
Although the tablet could be classed as a budget product retailing at around £99, as soon as I took it out of the box both Skint Mum and I commented that it certainly didn’t feel or look cheap.
The 7-inch tablet is really light and comes in a range of colours including yellow, blue, red and white. It has a 9 hour battery life and with a 2-megapixel front facing and 5-megapixel rear facing camera, this tablet gives you a lot of bang for your buck.
Switching it on after it was fully charged, I was impressed at how quick it booted up and within less than eight seconds I was ready to give it a test run. I’ve had a play on an iPad before and I felt the touchscreen on the Asus was just as responsive.
It came with a wealth of preloaded applications and within less than 10 minutes I had set up my Google accounts, Gmail and social networks I would use in a normal day. I really can’t tell you how nice it was being able to sit on the sofa while I check my emails rather than at the table.
For the next couple of days we all (including the children) put the tablet through it’s paces. The kids spent quite a lot of time watching silly cat videos on YouTube and we did notice the battery did not last as long as we thought it would, although I expect this is the same with other similar tablets.
The camera, albeit a little grainy, still produced a reasonable quality photo and would be more than sufficient for family snaps. Chloe has quickly learnt how to use the tablet and it’s now full of similar photos of herself, her feet and the carpet.
I must add that the screen also comes with an anti-fingerprint coating on the screen so if you have little ones like us wanting to watch Peppa Pig at 6am in the morning, you won’t have to worry about grubby little hands on it.
Overall I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an entry level tablet. For less than £100 you get everything a more expensive tablet can do but at a lower cost.
What ASUS Say:
The ASUS MeMO Pad 7 was created for those looking for a quality tablet at an affordable price. The 7-inch MeMO Pad 7 punches well above its weight, boasting features and specifications more commonly found on high-end tablets. It features a state-of-the-art Intel® Atom Z3745 processor (up to 1.86GHz) with 1GB RAM and crisp visuals on a 1280 x 800 HD display; while front-facing 2-megapixel and rear-facing 5-megapixel cameras with auto focus lets you shoot great images and record HD 1080p videos. Available in a variety of colours ranging from white, black, red, yellow and blue, MeMO Pad 7 lets you express yourself too.
Ricky Willis is the original Skint Dad. A money-making enthusiast, father, and husband to Naomi. He is always looking for unique ways to earn a little extra.
I have been using one of those for a year now (Asus MemoPad HD7, may not be the exact same model number) and love it. I use it for note taking at appointments and even write articles on it if I have time to spare between them or on longer train journeys.
Two recommendations I have for accessories would be a case with a handstrap so that you can hold it with one hand on the train, and the a bluetooth keyboard to write longer pieces with.
Sounds like great value for money. If anything happens to my current tablet I would certainly consider this one. Great choice of colours, as for running out of batterym I think they all run out quicker if you are multitasking.
Gonna be honest and say that tablet looks a bit, meh for £99. It is going to struggle at that price point as there is quite a bit of competition what with the all dominating Tesco Hudl 2 being just £20 more, the original ipad mini (also 7″) at £199 and who knows what discounts Amazon will put on the Kindle Hire HDX next week. Entry level tablets are not for me, I do FAR much on my iPad and really require a certain level of functionality that cheap end / android devices just don’t seem to be able to offer me. That’s not to say ‘at all’ that with the bright colours etc and a bit of pester power that there’s wouldn’t get snapped up by parents who just want a ‘tablet’ to give their children at Christmas.
Jon
Can I ask. Does anyone take the cover out on the products from the shop they bought it from or from other places? I have a couple of product covers that I am in two minds about, firstly If something was to happen are they going to sort it out or tell me that I have the basic cover to which nothing is covered so the money that I am paying could of gone to clearing some of my debts all be it a small amount but every little helps. Any help/advise would be greatly received.
Hi Claire,
The shop you bought it from will not be the only place you can get cover. If you think you need to protect your stuff, if you shop around you may be able to get a better deal elsewhere.
However, you may already be covered by your household’s contents insurance. Have a look at the terms and conditions (or give them a call and just ask) so you know if the cover is suitable for you and to see if the type of claim you might make would be covered.