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Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A Tablet Review

Zen for the masses. Asus takes the opposite approach of the first version that could be categorized in the upper price and performance sector: The manufacturer apparently ordered a brand-name, quality tablet for a budget price. We will find out just how obvious the extreme cutbacks are in the following report.

For the original German review, see here.

Asus presented an exciting, Android-based alternative for the iPad Mini with its ZenPad S 8.0 not quite a year ago. Stylish, compact, in an Apple-typical 4:3 screen format, with premium-range hardware, and all that for just half the price. Although it was not quite enough for the first place in the category, the "little Zen" definitely made a good impression.

Thus, the label "ZenPad" certainly kindles expectations. However, just looking at the hardware specs of the present ZenPad 8.0 Z380M lets us raise our eyebrows subtly: An ARM SoC clocked at 1.3 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, a screen resolution of just 1280x800 pixels - is this what winners look like?

That likely depends on the comparison group. At an extremely low RRP of around 150 Euros (~$169), it can be assumed that the review sample is sooner made for the masses. Xiaomi's MiPad 2, Amazon's Fire HD 8 (2015 version) and Huawei's MediaPad M2 have already proved that solid tablet quality is quite possible for below 200 Euros (~$226).

The (still available) 8-inch, Android-based Asus ZenPad S 8.0 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 mark the "premium-range" border at street prices of around 300 Euros (~$339). How will the latest ZenPad 8.0 fit into this broad sector?

Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Processor
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz 4 x 1.3 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
, DDR3L
Display
8.00 inch 16:10, 1280 x 800 pixel 189 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, 10-point multitouch, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 7.5 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm combo audio jack, Card Reader: micro-SD/SDXC max. 128 GB, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: ambient light, accelerometer, eCompass, Hall sensor, Miracast
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.5 x 210 x 125 ( = 0.3 x 8.27 x 4.92 in)
Battery
15 Wh, 4000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 10 h
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Camera
Primary Camera: 5 MPix autofocus, video recordings in 1920x1080 pixels
Secondary Camera: 2 MPix video recordings in 640x480 pixels
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, power supply, USB cable, warranty conditions, quick start guide, ZenUI, Google Apps, Mobile Device Management Support, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
354 g ( = 12.49 oz / 0.78 pounds), Power Supply: 56 g ( = 1.98 oz / 0.12 pounds)
Price
160 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The ZenPad's casing is made largely of plastic. The glossy silver metal display bezel and a grooved back cover contribute to the nevertheless high-quality overall impression (Asus calls this a "Clutch Bag" look). Apart from the aesthetic value, this feature also ensures that the device is non-slip and pleasant to hold. In conjunction with its impeccable build and absolute torsional stiffness, the ZenPad 8.0's appearance makes a very good impression in total.

With a weight of approximately 350 grams, the ZenPad 8.0 is roughly 50 grams heavier than its predecessor. However, it is still light enough for prolonged use in one hand. Its width of almost 12 centimeters (portrait mode) does not even require particularly big hands for holding.

Fans of the 90's lifestyle might be pleased about the option of swapping the back cover - greetings from Nokia 3310. However, removing the cover could involve very practical reasons: Firstly, functional components (more about that later) can then be connected, and secondly, the micro-SD slot is found behind it.

Size Comparison

214.8 mm / 8.46 inch 124 mm / 4.88 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 330 g0.728 lbs214 mm / 8.43 inch 128 mm / 5.04 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 311 g0.686 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 125 mm / 4.92 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 354 g0.78 lbs203.2 mm / 8 inch 134.5 mm / 5.3 inch 6.6 mm / 0.2598 inch 298 g0.657 lbs200.4 mm / 7.89 inch 132.6 mm / 5.22 inch 6.95 mm / 0.2736 inch 332 g0.732 lbs198.6 mm / 7.82 inch 134.8 mm / 5.31 inch 5.6 mm / 0.2205 inch 272 g0.6 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity

Well hidden: The micro-SD card reader
Well hidden: The micro-SD card reader

Using the card slot will be inevitable sooner or later particularly in view of just 16 GB of internal storage, and especially since only approximately 7.5 GB is left ex-factory. Unfortunately, the card reader is not exactly the fastest of its kind. In the test with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card, it just achieved a bit less than 35 MB/s in read and 25 MB/s in write.

Asus provides the buyer with direct access to 5 GB of web storage for an unlimited time and a further 100 GB storage capacity in Google Drive (but this only for 2 years) when purchasing the ZenTab 8.0. This at least lessens the storage issue a bit as long as Internet access via Wi-Fi is available.

AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
24.9 MB/s
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
35.2 MB/s

In terms of interfaces, the ZenPad 8.0 is modest. A micro-USB 2.0 port on the casing's upper edge is present for data sharing and recharging. It apparently does not support USB OTG for connecting peripherals (we tested this with various USB flash drives and peripherals with no results). Apart from a combined microphone/headphone jack, there are no other ports.

To be fair, we have to mention that the opponents do not offer much more, either. It is at least possible to transmit screen content to external devices via Miracast.

Right: power/standby button, volume control
Right: power/standby button, volume control
Left: no interfaces
Left: no interfaces
Upper edge: Micro-USB 2.0, microphone/headphone combo
Upper edge: Micro-USB 2.0, microphone/headphone combo
Lower edge: microphone
Lower edge: microphone
SD Card Reader
maximum SDCardreader Maximum Transfer Rate
average SDCardreader Average Transfer Rate

Software

The latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system is preloaded. Rather than the stock user interface, Asus' own ZenUI is used. It offers some useful options in addition to all kinds of visual gimmicks (e.g. alternative swipe effects and icons for preloaded, stock Android applications). The feature "ZenMotion" offers extended options for gesture control, for example double-tapping the screen activates and deactivates standby. Although that is not revolutionary, it is quite nifty as it allows adding a bit of individuality to the mainstream tablet.

Naturally, Google's well-known standard apps like Hangouts or Gmail are also preloaded. Classic bloatware that is useless and stuffs the tight storage is fortunately scarce - that is if preloaded services are ignored, for example, the roughly 80 MB Facebook app that not everyone deems useful and which is not easy to uninstall.

Communication and GPS

Since our review sample does not have a LAN module, Wi-Fi is the primary communication channel. Unfortunately, the 802.11n standard is the maximum as the integrated MediaTek-SoC MT8163 V/B does not support more. We measured a gross data speed of 81.4 and 93.5 Mbit/s in ideal conditions (one meter away from our Linksys EA8500 reference router). By comparison: Samsung's ac-capable Galaxy Tab A 10.1 achieves transfer rates that are two (transmit) and three times (receive) as high. However, Internet browsing and video streaming in HD quality were no problem with the determined performance. The USB port is also present for occasionally transferring large data amounts as "plan B".

A ZenPad 8.0 model with LTE and telephony also exists. It is called Z380KL and costs roughly 200 Euros (~$226) in Asus' web store. Strangely, this edition is furnished with a slower CPU (Snapdragon 410) and the older Android 5.0 version. Too bad that the customer is faced with a trade-off here.

Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
81.4 MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2016 SM-T585
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
274 MBit/s +237%
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
93.5 MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2016 SM-T585
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
239 MBit/s +156%
GPS Test: outdoors
GPS Test: outdoors
GPS Test: near a window
GPS Test: near a window
GPS Test: center of building
GPS Test: center of building

The performance of the GPS/GLONASS modules is very good in return. Localization via the GPS Test app took less than a minute and had an accuracy of about half a meter. The accuracy was very good 1.5 meters indoors near a window, and tracking with an accuracy of less than 10 meters was still possible at a distance of 5 meters from the next window. Thus, navigating should be possible even in thick woods and/or heavily overcast skies.

The ZenPad 8.0 can stand up to a comparison with professional navigation systems, such as Garmin's Edge 500. On our bike navigation comparison, the logged route was "cut" by a few meters only because the tablet did not refresh the position as frequently (compared with the actual route).

Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M: total
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M: total
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M: woods
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M: woods
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M: bridge
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M: bridge
Garmin Edge 500: total
Garmin Edge 500: total
Garmin Edge 500: woods
Garmin Edge 500: woods
Garmin Edge 500: bridge
Garmin Edge 500: bridge

Cameras

Primary camera
Primary camera
Front-facing camera
Front-facing camera

Asus' ZenPad 8.0 Z380M sports two cameras. The primary camera has a maximum resolution of 5 MP and takes very decent daylight photos. The colors look vivid and the shot photos are rich in detail in total. The same is true for videos that can be recorded in a maximum of Full HD (1920x1080 pixels). However, image noise is quickly visible in low-light conditions.

The front-facing camera has a much lower resolution of 2 MP. Intense image noise is already visible in normal light conditions, and colors look pale. The quality is too low even for videoconferencing especially since only a resolution of 640x480 pixels can be selected here.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
Screenshot of ColorChecker colors: Target colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.
Screenshot of ColorChecker colors: Target colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.

The evaluation with the ColorChecker Passport test chart was interesting. The colors photographed with the primary camera correspond to the test chart's reference colors in most cases - with one very obvious exception: Blue tones are too bright.

However, this effect is not as evident in everyday use, which is particularly visible in scene 3 of the image comparison. In contrast to the other photos, the blue slide shot with the ZenPad's camera even looks too dark.

Accessories and Warranty

Only the USB power supply and cable, as well as a quick-start guide and warranty conditions are included. The standard warranty period is 12 months with pick-up and return. One year upgrades are offered for 50 and 60 Euros (~$56 and ~$67, with national and international validity).

The only accessories available for the ZenPad are basically different swappable back covers. While the basic, colorful plastic versions only involve a (questionable) visual added value, the Power Case is really useful: As the name suggests, it houses a lithium-polymer battery that is connected to a proprietary port on the tablet's back. With 3450 mAh, it almost supplies the same amount of power as the internal battery and thus, it should clearly boost the runtime (Asus states up to an additional 6 hours but without details about the use scenario).

A second option is the Audio Cover. It is also connected in place of the standard back cover and adds a 5.1 speaker set to the ZenPad (four satellites, a center, and a subwoofer) besides up to six hours of extra runtime. The package, according to Asus, is to provide strong bass and low-noise surround sound in DTS HD standard.

Both covers cost approximately 70 Euros (~$79) in Asus' web shop. That seems quite high compared with the tablet's purchase price. However, especially the Audio Cover might offer a clear added value (e.g. for a spontaneous outdoor party or for massively countering harassment from "squawk boxes" in public transportation).

Input Devices and Handling

The capacitive, multi-touchscreen in the ZenPad 8.0 makes a good impression: Inputs are implemented quickly and accurately into the display's lateral areas. The special input options of ZenUI, such as directly opening predefined apps via "drawing" letters on the screen, also function impeccably even in standby.

Working with the virtual keyboard of ZenUI is also very pleasant. It can be configured with multiple languages and allows entering text relatively quickly in both portrait and landscape modes.

Interestingly, the three physical keys on the casing's right only sometimes caused problems. They are situated in the casing's center where fingers often rest when using one hand in portrait mode. A regular consequence of this design: The device is put in standby unintentionally. In the writer's case, the problem resolved itself after a short while via "learning by doing".

Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard landscape mode

Display

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

As the name suggests, the glare-type, IPS panel in our review sample has a size of 8-inches. An aspect ratio of 16:10 leads to a resolution of 1280x800 pixels and 189 PPI - that is little even for the lower price-range of compact tablets. Xiaomi's MiPad2, for example, offers a screen resolution of 2048x1536 pixels (in the 4:3 format) at a price of roughly 200 Euros (~$226). However, the ZenPad 8.0's screen resolution is basically not a drawback in view of the extremely sharp reproduction of both images and fonts.

The screen's average maximum brightness of 350 cd/m² is not particularly high; even very low-cost rivals, such as Amazon's Fire HD 8, do a considerably better job here. Then again, the panel's illumination is pleasingly homogeneous. The brightness never decreases more than 10% from the center to the edges. The review sample is on par with the opponents here.

330
cd/m²
344
cd/m²
347
cd/m²
339
cd/m²
363
cd/m²
353
cd/m²
344
cd/m²
365
cd/m²
346
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 365 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 347.9 cd/m² Minimum: 7.87 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 363 cd/m²
Contrast: 1396:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
78.5% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.24
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
IPS, 1280x800, 8.00
Xiaomi MiPad 2
IPS, 2048x1536, 7.90
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
IPS, 1280x800, 8.00
Huawei MediaPad M2
IPS LCD, 1920x1200, 8.00
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Super AMOLED, 2048x1536, 8.00
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
IPS, 2048x1536, 8.00
Screen
5%
-14%
-10%
27%
-8%
Brightness middle
363
425
17%
550
52%
463
28%
347
-4%
369
2%
Brightness
348
402
16%
523
50%
445
28%
348
0%
346
-1%
Brightness Distribution
90
91
1%
88
-2%
92
2%
88
-2%
86
-4%
Black Level *
0.26
0.4
-54%
0.53
-104%
0.47
-81%
0.37
-42%
Contrast
1396
1063
-24%
1038
-26%
985
-29%
997
-29%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.8
4.98
14%
7.77
-34%
6.25
-8%
1.67
71%
5.58
4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
17.8
6.61
63%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.5
5.2
5%
7.48
-36%
6.16
-12%
1.75
68%
4.67
15%
Gamma
2.24 98%
2.65 83%
1.8 122%
2.43 91%
2.27 97%
2.25 98%
CCT
7388 88%
7249 90%
6633 98%
7921 82%
6361 102%
7927 82%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
95.4
70
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
86

* ... smaller is better

Grayscale, display mode "Adapted"
Grayscale, display mode "Adapted"
Colorspace, display mode "Adapted"
Colorspace, display mode "Adapted"
Saturation Sweeps, display mode "Adapted"
Saturation Sweeps, display mode "Adapted"
ColorChecker, display mode "Adapted"
ColorChecker, display mode "Adapted"
Grayscale, display mode "Balanced"
Grayscale, display mode "Balanced"
Colorspace, display mode "Balanced"
Colorspace, display mode "Balanced"
Saturation Sweeps, display mode "Balanced"
Saturation Sweeps, display mode "Balanced"
ColorChecker, display mode "Balanced"
ColorChecker, display mode "Balanced"
Grayscale, display mode "Vivid"
Grayscale, display mode "Vivid"
Colorspace, display mode "Vivid"
Colorspace, display mode "Vivid"
Saturation Sweeps, display mode "Vivid"
Saturation Sweeps, display mode "Vivid"
ColorChecker, display mode "Vivid"
ColorChecker, display mode "Vivid"

The display in the ZenPad can boast with the lowest black level and highest contrast in the comparison field. These aspects are not unimportant for the subjective impression as they are co-responsible for image sharpness and "vividness" of the image - the disadvantage of the ZenPad's low screen resolution is thus almost completely evened out.

Color temperature settings
Color temperature settings

We determined a shift of 5.8 (ColorChecker) and 5.5 (Grayscale) from the reference rate in our color reproduction measurements. Rates more than 3 mean that even untrained eyes would recognize color differences between the screen and an "ideal" reference photo. However, when a comparison cannot be made, the aberrations are usually not noticed unfavorably. The measured rates are still absolutely within the range in the category comparison - only the considerably more expensive Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 offers image-editing suitable color rates.

The color temperature of 7249 Kelvin is a bit cool but still remote enough from a visible bluish tint. We used the default "Balanced" screen setting like for all measurements. This setting also seems to retrieve the optimum from the ZenPad's screen compared with the options "Adapted" and "Vivid", and it does not have to be changed inevitably.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 22 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
80 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 58 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 99 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 357 Hz ≤ 50 % brightness setting
≤ 120 cd/m² brightness

The display backlight flickers at 357 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 50 % (120 cd/m²) and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 357 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware.

Flickering occurs at relatively low brightness settings, so extended use at this brightness setting or lower can cause eyestrain.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The ZenPad's low screen brightness could be a problem for outdoor use. The panel is still quite well-legible in indirect light even in bright sunlight thanks to the high contrast ratio. However, it is a problem as soon as a ray of sun hits a spot on the very glossy screen surface (even when the user is wearing sunglasses and does not temporarily go blind right away).

The viewing-angle stability is beyond reproach: Screen content can be read well from virtually every angle in normal light conditions.

As an interim verdict, we can say that the screen in our review sample has a very good overall quality for this price range.

In sunlight (without reflections)
In sunlight (without reflections)
In sunlight (with reflections)
In sunlight (with reflections)
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The ZenPad is based on an ARM SoC by MediaTek. Its four processing cores clock at a maximum of 1.3 GHz. Alongside the 520 MHz ARM Mali-T720 MP2 as the graphics unit, we are dealing with a solution for the low-cost sector that will not achieve the highest performance.

As expected, the ZenPad 8.0 sometimes lags behind the rivals in almost all benchmarks that we performed. The PCMark measurements (relevant for practice) are an exception. The review sample is on par with considerably stronger systems, such as Huawei's MediaPad M2 (powered by a HiSilicon Kirin 930 with eight cores and a clock rate of 2 GHz).

This insight is significant as PCMark has a reputation of being quite realistic. It determines the performance in typical routine tasks, such as image editing and videoconferencing where it depends on the interplay of all system components (CPU, working memory, storage device, etc.). The system is more than the sum of its parts - the ZenPad 8.0's total performance is absolutely sufficient for working smoothly at all times.

Geekbench 3
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
617 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
990 Points +60%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1233 Points +100%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1888 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3170 Points +68%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4195 Points +122%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6006 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
25460 Points +324%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
10039 Points +67%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
11605 Points +93%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
19317 Points +222%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
20201 Points +236%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5326 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
27537 Points +417%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
10551 Points +98%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
11984 Points +125%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
20006 Points +276%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
14670 Points +175%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
10857 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
20142 Points +86%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8583 Points -21%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
10447 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
17240 Points +59%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
9031 Points -17%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
246 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1353 Points +450%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0 Points -100%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
929 Points +278%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
0 Points -100%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
203 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1300 Points +540%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0 Points -100%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
71 Points -65%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
830 Points +309%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
0 Points -100%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
920 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1580 Points +72%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0 Points -100%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
56 Points -94%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1586 Points +72%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
0 Points -100%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
17 fps
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13 fps -24%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
23 fps +35%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
14 fps -18%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
29 fps +71%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
19 fps +12%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
10 fps
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
32 fps +220%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
15 fps +50%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
15 fps +50%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
24 fps +140%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
28 fps +180%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7.2 fps
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6.3 fps -12%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
12 fps +67%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7.8 fps +8%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
11 fps +53%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
9.9 fps +38%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3.6 fps
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8.4 fps +133%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0 fps -100%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7.8 fps +117%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
10.4 fps +189%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
12 fps +233%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5.1 fps
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6.3 fps +24%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7.2 fps +41%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0 fps -100%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
4.7 fps -8%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2.3 fps
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13 fps +465%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3.2 fps +39%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
0 fps -100%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
6.9 fps +200%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4507 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5279 Points +17%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3998 Points -11%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4358 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
5564 Points +23%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
6419 Points +42%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
712 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1419 Points +99%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
665 Points -7%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1093 Points +54%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1044 Points +47%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
0 Points -100%
System (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1271 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1921 Points +51%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1350 Points +6%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1870 Points +47%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2764 Points +117%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
1630 Points +28%
Memory (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
908 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1379 Points +52%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
311 Points -66%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1235 Points +36%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
593 Points -35%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
632 Points -30%
Graphics (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
339 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1609 Points +375%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
575 Points +70%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
820 Points +142%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
876 Points +158%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
1321 Points +290%
Web (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
655 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
952 Points +45%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
810 Points +24%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
754 Points +15%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
952 Points +45%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
0 Points -100%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
36440 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
73083 Points +101%

Google's Chrome version 52 is preloaded on the ZenPad 8.0, which we also used for performing our browser benchmarks. Our review sample takes the last place in all tests. This again proves that pure, measured rates (even if they are almost exclusively based on realistic actions here) do not always deliver a realistic image. Slightly more complicated websites (such as from Notebookcheck) always opened at an agreeable speed; stutters only within a tenth-of-a-second range were noticed when scrolling, and videos were also played smoothly.

Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2821 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
7994 Points +183%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5894 Points +109%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3866 Points +37%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
7097 Points +152%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
8431 Points +199%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
12161 ms *
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
4420 ms * +64%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5695 ms * +53%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
11544 ms * +5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6512 ms * +46%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
4910 ms * +60%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
57 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
71 Points +25%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
67 Points +18%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
79 Points +39%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
121 Points +112%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
19.3 Points
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
43.04 Points +123%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
34.47 Points +79%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
23 Points +19%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
40.3 Points +109%

* ... smaller is better

Finally, we took a closer look at the ZenPad's internal storage of not exactly a lush 16 GB. The scores of the Androbench test show that the eMMC drive is not one of the fastest in total but does not lag very far behind the rivals. It even looks quite good when reading larger data blocks, which is reflected in pleasingly fast loading times in routine use.

AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
45.71 MB/s
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
56.4 MB/s +23%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
12.2 MB/s -73%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
40.72 MB/s -11%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
47.45 MB/s +4%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
75.6 MB/s +65%
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
158.4 MB/s
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
147.9 MB/s -7%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
125.6 MB/s -21%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
145 MB/s -8%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
248.3 MB/s +57%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
143 MB/s -10%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8.35 MB/s
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13.96 MB/s +67%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
5.41 MB/s -35%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
13.44 MB/s +61%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
9.68 MB/s +16%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
9.8 MB/s +17%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
21.96 MB/s
Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash
24.42 MB/s +11%
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash
14.04 MB/s -36%
Huawei MediaPad M2
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
25.09 MB/s +14%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
Mali-T760 MP6, Exynos 5433, 32 GB eMMC Flash
25.53 MB/s +16%
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
PowerVR G6430, Z3580, 64 GB SSD
27.5 MB/s +25%

Games

This might look different in games - after all, the Mali-T720 MP2 is not particularly potent seen purely nominally. However, the ZenPad also fares very well in practice here. An average of 46 frames per second using high details was achieved in Dead Trigger 2 and somewhat less in Asphalt 8 (42 frames). Both games belong to mobile games with higher graphics requirements.

The ZenPad's relatively low screen resolution likely proves to be an advantage here since the graphics unit calculates fewer image content than in Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) or even higher. If the hackneyed saying "less is more" was ever true, then this is the case.

Inputting control commands via the touchpad always functioned smoothly and accurately. Asphalt 8 also showed that the position sensor can be used very well as a control.

Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8
Dead Trigger 2 - high
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
46 fps
Asphalt 8: Airborne - high
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
Mali-T720 MP2, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
42 fps

Emissions

Temperature

The ZenPad 8.0 hardly surpasses 30 °C in routine use. There is no risk of burning even when the system is forced to operate at full load for a prolonged time with a result clearly below 40 °C, either. The hot spots that are all in the casing's upper area can also be avoided easily when holding the device in portrait mode.

We also determined whether the system's processing performance changes during full load via GFXBench's battery test. The performance screenshot illustrates that there were almost no frame rate fluctuations during the entire test period of approximately 15 minutes (although the curve looks quite erratic, it only moves between 932 and 940 frames).

GFXBench battery test: Total outcome
GFXBench battery test: Total outcome
GFXBench: Battery consumption
GFXBench: Battery consumption
GFXBench: Performance
GFXBench: Performance
Max. Load
 34.7 °C
94 F
29.4 °C
85 F
29.2 °C
85 F
 
 37.2 °C
99 F
29.9 °C
86 F
30.54 °C
87 F
 
 33.1 °C
92 F
29 °C
84 F
30.3 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 37.2 °C = 99 F
Average: 31.5 °C = 89 F
28.8 °C
84 F
30.2 °C
86 F
37 °C
99 F
29.5 °C
85 F
28.9 °C
84 F
38.4 °C
101 F
29.1 °C
84 F
29.7 °C
85 F
33.6 °C
92 F
Maximum: 38.4 °C = 101 F
Average: 31.7 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  42.6 °C = 109 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-350
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.5 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.2 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 38.4 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

Speaker assessments (off, half volume, maximum volume)
Speaker assessments (off, half volume, maximum volume)

The stereo speakers situated in the center of the casing's upper side hardly supply basses, which is normal for most tablets. Interestingly, the mids and trebles display a very linear response frequency. Thus, it is possible to discern single instruments well even in more complex music arrangements, for example.

The sound characteristic of the ZenPad's speaker when using Skype and co. is not at all a shortcoming. Bass is virtually unimportant for understanding the contact. A decent microphone on the casing's lower edge also ensures that the ZenPad user's voice is recorded in a satisfactory quality and then transmitted.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2024.330.828.624.32525.930.22725.93126.329.83026.34029.130.334.929.15027.627.531.627.66323.624.935.323.68022.824.528.122.810027.627.728.827.612538.638.236.338.616020.12321.720.120022.926.720.422.92502933.620.12931539.943.921.139.940047.752.123.347.750055.159.72455.163051.25618.751.280058.462.918.458.410006164.5186112506265.916.56216006064.414.360200058.162.515.658.1250056.760.714.156.731505963.3145940006165.214.361500058.96314.858.9630059.263.513.759.2800057.361.313.457.31000051.955.913.251.91250060.263.913.260.21600056.960.613.156.9SPL7175.129.471N26.734.41.326.7median 56.9median 60.7median 16.5median 56.9Delta109.93.91035.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026AApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.5% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (18.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 68% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 67% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 26% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (check boxes above can be turned on/off!)
Rate 1: Pink Noise 100 % volume; Rate 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Our review sample consumes pleasingly little power - regardless whether in standby, when idling or even during load. The compact USB power supply does not have any difficulties keeping the battery's charge state stable at all times.

Not as practical: Recharging is only marginally faster than power depletion. That means that roughly four-and-a-half hours pass from completely drained to completely full.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.16 / 0.17 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.32 / 2.71 / 2.83 Watt
Load midlight 4.24 / 5.01 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

The battery life stands in opposition to the system's low power consumption. They are all above average, whereby the outcome of our own Wi-Fi test has a major practical significance here.

Browsing through changing websites using an average screen brightness, as simulated here, will likely belong to one of the most common application scenarios - and eight hours is a very good time for this.

The optionally available Battery Cover will thus only be needed in the rarest cases.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
21h 45min
WiFi Websurfing
7h 52min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
10h 24min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 47min
Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A
4000 mAh
Xiaomi MiPad 2
6190 mAh
Amazon Fire HD 8 inch 2015
 mAh
Huawei MediaPad M2
 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE
 mAh
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Z580CA
 mAh
Battery Runtime
-11%
-29%
17%
5%
-30%
Reader / Idle
1305
832
-36%
1546
18%
1399
7%
677
-48%
H.264
624
541
-13%
727
17%
780
25%
450
-28%
WiFi v1.3
472
421
-11%
388
-18%
525
11%
442
-6%
340
-28%
Load
287
144
-50%
343
20%
265
-8%
240
-16%

Pros

+ screen's overall quality
+ decent input devices
+ accurate localization via GPS
+ expansion options
+ long battery life
+ superb price-performance ratio in total

Cons

- screen's low resolution
- slow card reader
- no high-speed WiFi 802.11ac
- long charging times

Verdict

In review: Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M. Review sample courtesy of Asus Germany.
In review: Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M. Review sample courtesy of Asus Germany.

Asus delivers a very impressive device with its ZenPad 8.0 Z380M. The affordable tablet presents good to very good outcomes in all significant sectors and regularly outshines considerably more expensive rivals.

Especially the screen convinces in its totality, and the long battery life turns the ZenPad 8.0 into an outstanding everyday companion. The system makes up for its lack of pure hardware performance in detail with the good interaction of the single components as a whole.

Our review sample can even be recommended for some special tasks thanks to its expandability: The Audio Cover turns it into a jukebox for on the go, and the combination of a highly receptive GPS unit and optional Battery Cover could definitely replace a full-fledged navigation system on prolonged hikes.

The ZenPad 8.0 hardly makes any serious mistakes. The Wi-Fi performance suffers under the lack of 802.11ac support (but only in relation to transmission rates; its reception strength is satisfactory). Otherwise, only the 2 MP front-facing camera has to be mentioned here that could just as well have been omitted in view of its performance.

In brief: At a street price of just around 150 Euros (~$169), the buyer will basically not make a mistake in buying the ZenPad 8.0. If importance is placed on higher screen resolutions or more computing power in total, it is worthwhile to look at opponents like Xiaomi's MiPad 2 or even the twice as expensive Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 by Samsung.

Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A - 08/15/2016 v5.1(old)
Oliver Moebel

Chassis
89%
Keyboard
79 / 80 → 99%
Pointing Device
91%
Connectivity
37 / 65 → 56%
Weight
85 / 40-88 → 94%
Battery
91%
Display
82%
Games Performance
11 / 68 → 16%
Application Performance
37 / 76 → 48%
Temperature
92%
Noise
0%
Audio
71 / 91 → 78%
Camera
63 / 85 → 74%
Average
69%
84%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ZenPad 8.0 Z380M-6B026A Tablet Review
Oliver Moebel, 2016-08-19 (Update: 2018-05-15)