The ASUS ZenPad S (Z580CA) Review
by Brandon Chester on August 31, 2015 8:00 AM ESTGPU Performance
Rather than using Intel’s HD series iGPUs, the Atom Z3530 and Z3580 SoCs in both versions of the ZenPad S use Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR G6430 GPU. Since this implementation is identical to the one in the ZenFone 2 it’s not likely we’ll see a large gap in absolute performance. However, the larger chassis of the ZenPad may allow it to dissipate heat more effectively, which could help performance in long-term sustained workloads. It’s also worth noting that the less expensive Atom Z3530 model of the ZenPad S will suffer from reduced performance in GPU heavy workloads due to the 1GHz reduction in max CPU clock compared to the $299 model, as well as the drop in GPU speed from 533MHz to 457MHz.
In 3DMark we actually see a noticeable gap between the ZenPad S and the ZenFone 2. The latter ends up scoring around 2000 points higher in both sub-tests, which leads to an overall score which is also around 2000 points higher. I would mostly attribute this to software differences rather than any issues with throttling, and the next tests will help to confirm that assumption.
The ZenPad S doesn’t perform as well as the ZenFone 2 in BaseMark X’s on screen tests, which isn’t surprising given that it’s pushing 1.6 million more pixels. In the off screen tests we see both devices perform roughly equally, and this is reflected in the overall score. In other reviews, such as my review of the Dell Venue 8 and Venue 10 I mentioned that G6430 is a bit slow compared to the competition at that price point. For a $299 it fits perfectly, and coincidentally a lower clocked version of it is what’s used in the iPad Mini 2 which is also $299.
In GFXBench we again see the ZenPad S performs worse than the ZenFone 2 at its native resolution, but the overall GPU power of the two devices is equal. Like the Venue 8 and Venue 10, the PowerVR G6430 implementation in Atom Z3580 outperforms Apple’s A7 by a significant degree in the T-Rex HD test, but not in any other.
It’s clear from our tests that the GPU performance of the ZenPad S Z580CA is roughly the same as Apple’s iPad Mini 2. Since both devices have the same price, the ZenPad S is right where it needs to be in this regard. Performance in programs running at a device’s native resolution will obviously be slower than the ZenFone 2 due to the ZenPad S’s higher resolution, but I think G6430 provides more than adequate performance to run the display, and is the best you’ll be able to find in a $299 device right now.
NAND Performance
The performance of a mobile device's internal storage can have a significant impact on performance. When any applications are performing reads or writes in the background, a low NAND solution can cause the tasks the user is currently performing to grind to a halt. On top of that, there are fairly obvious implications for the time it takes to move music, movies, pictures, and other media to and from the device.
Both random read and random write speeds on the ZenPad S are very good for a mobile device. In both cases it ends up being the fastest tablet on record.
The sequential read speed on the ZenPad S is good for a $299 device, and the sequential write speed is actually the fastest we've seen in an Android tablet. However, it's disappointing to see that Android devices can now adopt USB 3.0 without terrible connectors by using USB Type-C, yet they still have NAND that won't even saturate a USB 2.0 link in the best possible scenario. Relative to the NAND in other Android devices the ZenPad S performs well, but the speed of eMMC flash memory still leaves much to be desired.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
114 Comments
View All Comments
MrSavage - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
Aside from possibly mentioning the stylus support in the review. I would imagine with that logic, you would assume the S Pen is no biggie when it comes to the Samsung Note. Like just a passing point. It's not like the note taking is a selling point (a big one at that) of the Note series. But in this tablet review, your readers wouldn't even know it existed. I guess you decide on what's the responsible way of reporting on a product.Kepe - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
The difference is that a Galaxy Note always comes with the pen. How could you review something you don't have? If ASUS had sent him the stylus, he would've written about it. You can't possibly assume that a review mentions every optional extra there is available for a device. "Oooh, your laptop review sucks because you didn't mention the carrying bag or the Kensington lock available for that laptop!!"MrSavage - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
Friend, again, the point is what? A stylus is a BIG VALUE ADD. No? I give you the example of the Samsung Note to prove that it's a big selling point. To have that feature in the Z580CA yet not have it mentioned it actually irresponsible. You speak of it like it's some smart case that wasn't available at the time of publishing. Optional extra? LOL. List 8-inch tablet with stylus support. Then narrow that list down to similarly priced tablets. None? Right. Leave it out of the review because stylus is just so meh. You are dazzled by charts and graphs that compare apple with oranges and are willing to see a graph to make a determination on screen quality rather than going into a store and looking for yourself.Kepe - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
omg. Now you're saying a stylus doesn't add value to the product. Then why are you crying about stylus support not being mentioned in the review?And the thing with screen quality is that it is all about accurate color reproduction. So if there is a faintly red flower in a photo, it should look faintly red on your display. If it looks like a hot super bright red flower on a display, then that display is not accurate and isn't good. Even if it makes some things "look" better. Samsung Galaxy S3 for example. Pictures look super pretty on its display. You know why? The display oversaturates everything, and as such it is actually not accurate and not a good display. If you personally like to look at oversaturated things, then buy the SGS3, no one is stopping you. BUT the fact still remains that the display isn't accurate. This was of course just an example. Some things can't be quantified by just looking at it or feeling it somehow.
And this is my last reply to you. Hope ASUS pays you well. Have a good night with your mediocre, badly made tablet. Thanks to the review, I will look elsewhere if and when I need a new tablet.
superflex - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
Is ASUS paying you in Hot Pockets?You're a pretty poor troll.
MrSavage - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
@superflex if you care to debate any of the points I'm making, go ahead. I likely know more about the product than most, so I'm going to inform people and hope that people with a large audience will be responsible. If for nothing more than being professional. Like I said, you think I'm wrong about anything I've said in the comments, please advise me. I have a thick skin. People might have learned that the Z580CA has stylus support, so to say that makes me a troll? I only take issue with unprofessional.Winterblade - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
Is just sad that everyone just forgot another great alternative, the Xperia Tablet Compact, too sad it came dead on arrival due it's high price, I actually found one in clearance for about $230 USD and could not be happier, the build quality is superb, the performance is too, it was even updated to 5.1.1 within the first few hours I had it. If only Sony had managed to sell it for around 300-350 I think it would have been a very very good alternative for people that like mid sized tablets. BTW, the Z3 have an aluminum frame AND is lighter AND thinner than the Zenpad so... it is posible to achieve a lighter device without going full plastic.DanNeely - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
Sony has a negligible presence in the US market; and their longstanding refusal to provide review samples more or less guarantees their largely being ignored by the US tech press.They make above average hardware; but it doesn't matter to me. I'll be carrying my grudge against them over the rootkit to the grave.
et20 - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
Thank you for the review.This tablet looked interesting and there's nothing like an Anandtech review to clarify things.
I was interested in the cheaper model so I had proportionately low expectations, but the poor screen calibration is a deal breaker. Too bad.
MonkeyPaw - Monday, August 31, 2015 - link
As a bit of feedback, I think better pictures of the products are needed in these reviews. As I look at these photos, I just can't help but think of someone awkwardly holding a tablet out with one hand while trying to photograph it with the other. I know not everyone is a photographer, but good, clean, properly lit product shots go a long way for a professional look. Make a little product photo booth out of white paperboard/foamcore and mount a camera on a tripod for flashless photography.