At $199 (ZenPad S 8.0 – Z580C), what other tablets can you buy at that price.

People seem really thrilled about the $199 Z580C even with a few of its shortcomings in comparison to the hero Z580CA. No question, the 2K screen, front facing speakers and slim build are great and people who bought the Z580C have said as much.

So we have been thinking, at $199, what other Android tablets are out there and how do they compare? Obviously release date plays a role here as you’re about to find out. A new Android 5.0 tablet at $199 and 8-inches? Let’s see just how impressive the price point is.

Asus ZenPad S 8.0 (Z580C)

  • $199
  • Android 5.0
  • 32GB
  • 2GB RAM
  • 2048 x 1536 pixels
  • 1.33GHz processor
  • 5MP rear camera, 2MP front
  • speaker location: front
  • microsd slot: yes
  • thin: .27-inches
  • weight: 10.4 ounces

Lenovo Tab 2 A10 (10-inch)

  • $199
  • Android 4.4 KitKat (upgradeable to 5.0)
  • 16GB
  • 1920 x 1200 pixels
  • 2GB RAM
  • 1.5GHz processor (MediaTek)
  • 7000mAh battery
  • cameras: 8MP rear, 5MP front
  • speaker location: rear
  • microsd slot: yes
  • thin: 9mm (.35-inch)
  • weight: 1.1 pounds

Galaxy Tab A (8-inch)

  • $219-$229
  • Android 5.0
  • 16GB
  • 1024 x 768 pixels
  • 1.5GB RAM
  • microsd slot: yes
  • weight: .69 lbs
  • 5MP rear camera
  • thin: .30-inches

Google Nexus 7

  • $199
  • 16GB
  • 1280 x 800 pixels
  • 1GB RAM
  • 1.2GHz processor (Nvidia Tegra)
  • 4325mAh battery
  • speaker location: rear
  • microsd slot: no
  • thin:(.39-inch)
  • weight: 12 ounces (.75-pounds)

Acer Iconia Tab 8

  • list $386 – on sale $173 and up
  • Android 4.4
  • 16GB
  • 1920 x 1200 pixels
  • 2GB RAM
  • 1.33GHz processor
  • 4600mAh battery
  • speaker location: rear
  • microsd slot: yes
  • thin: .33-inches
  • weight: .79 lbs – 360g

HP 8

  • $189
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
  • 1.0GHz processor
  • 16GB
  • 1GB RAM
  • 1024 x 768 pixels
  • 2MP rear camera
  • microsd slot: yes
  • 3800mAh battery
  • speaker location: rear
  • thin: .31-inches
  • weight: .82 lbs

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (2013 Model)

  • $189
  • Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
  • 1280 x 800 pixels
  • 1.5Ghz processor
  • 16GB storage
  • 1.5GB RAM
  • 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera
  • microsd slot: yes
  • speaker location: rear
  • weight: .68 pounds
  • thin: .27-inches

Conclusion and Summary: Say what you want, but the 32GB at the $199 price tag is impressive for the Z580C. Resolution wise, the ZenPad S 8.0 is also a step above anything that’s in the $199 price range right now. When you look at weight and size, the Z580C is right there among the best for the price. Processor and RAM wise, the ZenPad S8 (Z580C) also among the top tablets at the price, but that’s to be expected considering it’s the newest release of all the tablets listed here. The dual front facing speakers on the Z580C are also very well received for sound quality and very few other similarly priced tablets have front facing speakers. It’s a big added value feature considering videos and media are a big part of a tablet experience.

3 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Shawn July 29, 2015 at 12:47 am #

    I just came back from a Best buy That had the C on display. This tablet is legit!It’s very light and felt good in my hands. The screen is very, very good and it was incredibly responsive. I tried to slow it up and couldn’t. No hitches at all. I was very tempted to buy it and cancel my pre-order of the CA, but decided that if I liked the C this much then I’d just love the CA. I’m with most people who have purchased or tried it – I have no idea how they can charge $200 for something that comes off so premium. Couldn’t really test the WIFI. Everything was slow on BBs routers (100 devices connected at once I’m sure).

    • Staff July 30, 2015 at 6:44 am #

      Thanks for the great write up!

    • quadtronix August 2, 2015 at 12:58 pm #

      I would have to agree with all of the above! Picked up one at best buy last Friday, July 31st, and am very happy with the purchase. Only had to charge it once since then. Battery life is superb! Screen is amazing! I have the Dell Venue 8 7000 also which has a Super AMOLED display but at this price I gotta say, not much difference especially considering that the Dell is $200 more expensive…

      Snappy performance all around… great value IMO! I highly recommend this tablet!

Leave a Reply to quadtronix