Asus, Google and Samsung have all been releasing tablets throughout the year. With Asus' successful production of the Nexus 7 series, can it stand on its own against big names like Google and Samsung? Google is set to release the second generation Nexus 10 while Samsung has already released its 2014 Samsung Note 10.1. What tablet should give consumers their money's worth?

Asus Memo Pad FHD 10

Intel has not been as successful in the tablet arena as it has been for laptops and computers. Nonetheless, the company may have seen a change of that this 2013. The Asus MeMo Pad FHD 10 is one of the first Intel-Android tablets to come into the market. It starts at $329.

The Memo Pad series is different from other offerings from Asus such that it focused on a more playful look rather than an industrial design. The Transformer Pad series features a metallic rear panel but the Memo Pad FHD 10 sports a rubberized panel coat. Asus calls this as the three-dimensional, micro-weave finish.

The device measures 10.4 x 7.2 x 0.37 inches and measures 1.2 pounds. The FHD 10 is heavier and larger compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 nonetheless, it remains thinner and lighter compared to other competitors such as Toshiba's 10-inch Excite Pure. Toshiba's tablet measures 10.3 x 7.0 x 0.4 inches and weighs 1.3 pounds.

The ASUS MeMO Pad FHD 10 sports a 10-inch full high-definition, touch-screen display. More interestingly, the MeMO Pad FHD 10 offers 1920 x 1200 WUXGA screen. It also runs on Google's Android 4.2.2. People can get a unique Android experience from the Memo Pad. As for the interface, the device allows people to bring up six thumbnails to represent the six desktops of the MeMo Pad. The floating apps menu also allows people to access programs more conveniently.

The tablet runs on 1.6-GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 (Clover Trail) processor and 2GB of RAM which may or may not appeal to users. It may not be the fastest tablet around but it can provide basic functionality to help people complete their daily tasks.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition

Samsung expresses their intent to target the high end market through the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. The device features a sports a similar faux-metal plastic trim surrounding the edges. It also has a faux-leather finish. Another important improvement on the device is the screen.It offers a 2560-x-1600 LCD display with 300 pixels per inch. Previous generation only provided a 1280 x 800 display.

Other key features include:

Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7, Mali-T628MP6 GPU; Exynos 5420 chipset

3GB of RAM

Android OS v4.3 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UX UI

S Pen input and great software backend

One of a kind split-screen multitasking and pop-up mini apps

Quad-band GPRS/EDGE/HSPA and hexa-band LTE connectivity cat.4

Voice calls (on 3G and LTE models only)

16/32/64 GB of built-in memory

8 MP autofocus camera, 3264x2448 pixels, geotagging

1080p video recording @60fps (LTE model) / 1080p video recording @30fps (Wi-Fi and 3G models)

2MP front-facing camera; 1080p videos

Side-mounted stereo speakers

Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Direct, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot

Stereo Bluetooth v4.0

HDMI TV-out (adapter required), USB host (adapter required)

microSD card slot

Standard 3.5 mm audio jack

Infrared port

GPS with A-GPS support; GLONASS, digital compass

1080p XviD/MKV video support with subtitles

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS. The device has been upgraded offering additional premium features like the TouchWiz UI. Samsung has optimized the interface impressively. It works well with the larger screen plus it also functions just right with a split screen. Samsung also polished the widgets supporting both landscape and portrait mode. Samsung removed the shortcuts on the bottom of the screen.

There are two version of the device: Samsung Exynos 5 Octa-running Wi-Fi and 3G editions or a Snapdragon 800 supporting LTE. Consumers looking for design and functionality can find a good deal with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition.

Google Nexus 10 2

Google has yet to release their Nexus 10 tablet. As the market continues to wait for the release, consumers are also at bay whether they should wait for the device or not. There are already a lot of good tablets around but what makes people delay for their purchase? Reported specs for the second generation Nexus 10 include:

  • OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
  • Screen: Super PLS 10.1 in (2560 x 1600, 299ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 3
  • Processor: 2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 or nVidia Tegra 4
  • GPU: Adreno 330 (if CPU is Qualcomm)
  • Storage: Up to 32 GB (no microSD)
  • RAM: 2 GB or 3 GB
  • Cameras: 8Mp rear, 2.1 Mp front
  • Connectivity: dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, dual-side NFC, microUSB
  • Battery: Li-po 9500mAh non-removable

As seen on the Google Nexus 5, Android has deeper integration with the device through 4.4 KitKat update. People can expect better functionality especially since Google has improved its digital assistant, Google Now. People will need to wait to make a final choice if they want to include the second generation Neuxs 10 on their list.

The Asus Memo Pad FHD 10 is a great choice for those on a budget but do not want to lose out on the functionality of a reliable tablet. the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 are more for business professionals.