Transformer Prime Experience Thread

[poofyhairguy]

Now that I have had my Prime for a month I thought I would do a write-up of my experience including the dock. Overall I like the Prime, but I must admit it is a mix of good and bad where I think the good wins out.

The design of tablet itself is really nice. Thin is in, and I like the metallic look (even if my wife swears the grey model is purple). The HDMI port works great- it mirrors onscreen except when I play a 1080p movie in Dice Player, then it outputs 1080p. The screen is the best I have seen on a tablet, mostly because of the IPS plus mode. It eats battery, but it works great in sunlight (and makes games look great indoors).

The only major downside to the Prime’s design (other than the infamous backplate) is that the SD card slot makes the card stick out too much. When I have it in a case it doesn’t matter, but I actually lost a 32GB class 10 card (ouch) when I used it outside the case in its dock. Now I don’t use SD card in it because honestly 32GB is enough for me thanks to NTFS support for external HDs. Load up up with mkvs/m2tses, play straight 1080p on a TV up to full Blu Ray quality (30+gb files).

As far as software is concerned, I love how the Prime was the first ICS tablet. ICS works great on it- very smooth with no stutter on the most recent update. My friend’s Xoom has a few slight stutters every now and then (mostly when playing with the app drawer) and the Prime lacks that. Browsing is fast, games are smooth. I love the added effects some games have when played with a Tegra 3 device, and I love playing Samurai 2 Vengeance, Riptide, and Shadowgun in stereoscopic 3D on my 3D plasma.

Honestly I don’t have a single complaint about the software. It is the best Android tablet experience I have seen, and one of the few Android devices I have seen that is as smooth as my SGS2. The SGS2 wins when it comes to Flash playback I think (just barely) but the Prime mops the floor with the SGS2 with web browsing (ESPECIALLY with AdFree+Chrome).

The dock is pretty cool. At first I was miffed that it was the only way to get a USB port, but honestly the Prime looks slick in the dock and I like the fact that it can replace my netbook (and mostly has). I even have it make the Transformer noise when it docks. The keys are better than my netbook, worse than my Macbook. I like that the dock has some keyboard shortcuts, and the mouse support is surprisingly good (even though I mostly leave the trackpad off to type). I am glad I have the dock.

Now for the bad: the backplate. Yes it blocks signals, mostly the GPS. The GPS is pretty much useless. Compared to any other device I have tested (Xoom, SGS2, Evo3D, GNex) the GPS is way behind. It tells your weather app what town you are in, and that is it. I wasn’t surprised by a useless GPS, as I had an aluminum cover for my SGS2 once and that wrecked its GPS. This doesn’t bug me so much because I bought a Bluetooth GPS for my Nook Color that I would use if I ever wanted a GPS in the car. At least the Prime will sync with that cheap GPS, unlike my wife’s iPad 2.

The other often cited issue with the Prime is wifi. Overall wifi is a mixed bag.

I don’t like how it lacks 5GHz support like the iPad 2 has and my SGS2 has been hacked to have. Maybe an unlocked bootloader will fix that in the future via 3rd party developments.

But the real issue is when using 2.4Ghz the Prime falls behind my other devices on the very edge of my network. But again, it’s a mixed bag.

Within 30 or so feet of the old router, my Prime is actually my fastest device. On speedtest it smokes my SGS2, my 3GS and my Nook Color. Only the wife’s iPad 2 competes toe-to-toe. I mean, sometimes it is more than double my SGS2 or NC. In most of my house, it is faster than my other Android devices in my current configuration.

The issue is that on the edge of the network (the land of one bar on all mentioned devices) the Prime slows way down compared to the rest. On the edge of the network, the Prime drops its speeds to be half as fast as my other devices (SGS2, NC). This has been cited as a flaw due to the all aluminum backing, and I can confirm it. Wifi is really important, but even with the speed drop the speeds are faster than the browser is often able to render pages. Still, it seems to be an unfixable flaw.

Personally I decided to keep the Prime despite these flaws, simply because right now is limbo-land with tablet devices and I love the Prime’s overall speed compared to other Android tablets I have used. My solution, as I hinted to earlier, was to finally use the Prime as an excuse to upgrade my router (an old WNDR3300). I found a V1 Cisco e4200 on the shelf of a local store, and that boosted my overall range to the point where the Prime wifi slowdown doesn’t happen on any piece of my property. With this I am happy, but if you are a road warrior depending on hopping on weak wifis in a motel room then the Prime probably isn’t suitable.

Overall I have been pleased with my Prime. Not only is it a huge upgrade over the old Nook Color, but it surely bests other Android tablets I have messed with (Kindle Fire, Xoom, and Transformer 1,). Simply the fact that it is the first 10 inch Android tablet that can play my mkv files makes it a keeper for me- I am tired of waiting for a tablet that can do that. I like the SGS2-level framerates in games too.

I recommend the Prime to those that want a fast tablet despite the limitations, especially if you have a 3D tv…

 

[poofyhairguy]

Sorry about the wall of text. The Prime is a complicated tale.

 

[janas19]

Sooo... a really expensive tablet has better components than other mobile devices. Great. That really doesn't help us non-tablet users much. Rather than straight comparisons of wifi to wifi and such, have a suggestion: how about tell me what a tablet does that your other devices don't. I mean is it just the media and movie screen? Is it special apps? Is it easier to do certain work/tasks? I'm just trying to understand.

Thank you.

 

[Spoooon]

Sooo... a really expensive tablet has better components than other mobile devices. Great. That really doesn't help us non-tablet users much. Rather than straight comparisons of wifi to wifi and such, have a suggestion: how about tell me what a tablet does that your other devices don't. I mean is it just the media and movie screen? Is it special apps? Is it easier to do certain work/tasks? I'm just trying to understand.

Thank you.

If you don't already have the answers to those questions, you probably don't need a tablet.

Nice little write up. :thumbsup:

 

[poofyhairguy]

Sooo... a really expensive tablet has better components than other mobile devices. Great. That really doesn't help us non-tablet users much. Rather than straight comparisons of wifi to wifi and such, have a suggestion: how about tell me what a tablet does that your other devices don't. I mean is it just the media and movie screen? Is it special apps? Is it easier to do certain work/tasks? I'm just trying to understand.

Thank you.

I guess it is most reasonable to compare the Prime to my top netbook, my ION HP Mini 311. I basically bought the Prime to replace that device (and it has except for when I used the mini to hack on the Prime).

The Prime's advantage over the netbook is pretty simple to me- I can take the keyboard off and it runs longer at a much cooler temp. That all seems minor, but it is huge.

I primarily used the netbook (and use the Prime now) to do three things: browse the internet on my couch or my outside cigar chair, play HD mkv files on hotel or friend's TVs while traveling, and play mobile games (ala a successor to my DS). All three uses are about entertainment, but that is what a netbook or tablet is to me- a toy. When it comes to real work I am too spoiled on my desktop setup to even tolerate higher-end laptops.

The Prime easily wins at the first task. A laptop/netbook outright sucks to use sitting down without a surface compared to a tablet. No need to fit that bulky keyboard in my lap, or deal with the heat coming from the bottom. It's resolution is the same as my best netbook but with better pixel density. Plus a touch interface kills messing with that damn trackpad when on my lap. That means I can stand to sit on the couch and use it that much longer than I could my netbook, which works out when my wife wants to binge-watch a show I am not interested in but she wants me in the room with her.

At the second task, the Prime is better and worse. The actual playback is better- the ION1 chipset has trouble with files the Prime eats alive with Dice Player. But the Prime lacks that nice 10 foot interface of XBMC netbook has (maybe one day). Overall it is good enough for hotel duty thanks to built-in NTFS support.

At the third task the Prime absolutely rocks. I love the simplicity of mobile games- reminds me of my younger days when you could just pick up and play games in 15 minute spurts instead of having to commit yourself to hours in a murder simulator to really play the game. Speaking of older days, the Prime emulates all my favorite classic game consoles (SNES, N64, PSX) and can use a PS3mote to play them when rooted. For Android specific mobile games the Prime's GPU power makes the experience very smooth. I couldn't stand to play even Tegra 2 games on my friend's Xoom after I got my SGS2. The Prime is the first tablet outside the iPad 2 I have seen that plays every game on the market without any stutter what-so-ever (unless I am forcing it to play in stereoscopic 3D, then it stutters sometimes).

Again I know that is a wall of text, but that describes why I upgraded my netbook to a Prime. Overall the decision to get a tablet really depends on your own situation. It would have been useless back when I was a bachelor in college for the most part, but now it is easily my most used device at home.

 

[poofyhairguy]

If you don't already have the answers to those questions, you probably don't need a tablet.

I almost said that, but considering I got a Prime to replace a "real" computer I figured I might as well mention why.

Nice little write up. :thumbsup:

Thanks.

 

[janas19]

I guess it is most reasonable to compare the Prime to my top netbook, my ION HP Mini 311. I basically bought the Prime to replace that device (and it has except for when I used the mini to hack on the Prime).

The Prime's advantage over the netbook is pretty simple to me- I can take the keyboard off and it runs longer at a much cooler temp. That all seems minor, but it is huge.

I primarily used the netbook (and use the Prime now) to do three things: browse the internet on my couch or my outside cigar chair, play HD mkv files on hotel or friend's TVs while traveling, and play mobile games (ala a successor to my DS). All three uses are about entertainment, but that is what a netbook or tablet is to me- a toy. When it comes to real work I am too spoiled on my desktop setup to even tolerate higher-end laptops.

The Prime easily wins at the first task. A laptop/netbook outright sucks to use sitting down without a surface compared to a tablet. No need to fit that bulky keyboard in my lap, or deal with the heat coming from the bottom. It's resolution is the same as my best netbook but with better pixel density. Plus a touch interface kills messing with that damn trackpad when on my lap. That means I can stand to sit on the couch and use it that much longer than I could my netbook, which works out when my wife wants to binge-watch a show I am not interested in but she wants me in the room with her.

At the second task, the Prime is better and worse. The actual playback is better- the ION1 chipset has trouble with files the Prime eats alive with Dice Player. But the Prime lacks that nice 10 foot interface of XBMC netbook has (maybe one day). Overall it is good enough for hotel duty thanks to built-in NTFS support.

At the third task the Prime absolutely rocks. I love the simplicity of mobile games- reminds me of my younger days when you could just pick up and play games in 15 minute spurts instead of having to commit yourself to hours in a murder simulator to really play the game. Speaking of older days, the Prime emulates all my favorite classic game consoles (SNES, N64, PSX) and can use a PS3mote to play them when rooted. For Android specific mobile games the Prime's GPU power makes the experience very smooth. I couldn't stand to play even Tegra 2 games on my friend's Xoom after I got my SGS2. The Prime is the first tablet outside the iPad 2 I have seen that plays every game on the market without any stutter what-so-ever (unless I am forcing it to play in stereoscopic 3D, then it stutters sometimes).

Again I know that is a wall of text, but that describes why I upgraded my netbook to a Prime. Overall the decision to get a tablet really depends on your own situation. It would have been useless back when I was a bachelor in college for the most part, but now it is easily my most used device at home.

Wow, that really helped me. Thanks.

 

[Bateluer]

Thanks for the write up. On the weak wifi, does it ever disconnect or just got weak signal? Does it just got slower relative to your other wifi devices or does it completely drop?

Edit - Have any of the updates that note 'Improved WiFi' in the change logs made any noticeable difference?

 

[Spoooon]

I almost said that, but considering I got a Prime to replace a "real" computer I figured I might as well mention why.



Thanks.

Before I got my Touchpad, I thought a tablet would be better than a netbook for doing progress notes and crap on at work when away from the desktop. I was mistaken.

Tablet is superior to my laptop in many ways at home though (media consumption, browsing, quick games).

Transformer is a nice compromise. Want one, but I think I'm going to wait for Transformer Omega Supreme.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Thanks for the write up.

Glad to be able to contribute on the forum now that my other devices (NC and SGS2) are old news.

On the weak wifi, does it ever disconnect or just got weak signal? Does it just got slower relative to your other wifi devices or does it completely drop?

No, it doesn't disconnect ever. Nor does it really get a weak signal. At every range- including where the speeds drop- Wifi Analyzer shows my Prime to basically have the same signal my SGS2 has. Without the speedtest results, you wouldn't know anything is going on. It is strange.

Edit - Have any of the updates that note 'Improved WiFi' in the change logs made any noticeable difference?

After the very last update when in the intermediate range from my router I got a 20% or so boost. It completely caught it up to an iPad 2 in that range.

None of the OTA updates have helped the dropoff in speeds at the edge of the network.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Wow, that really helped me. Thanks.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I forgot about any testing. Sorry.

Using the Chrome Browser in Performance Mode (but with no special overclocks or nothing) the Prime scores 139449 in Browsermark. My HP Mini 311, which is a first gen Atom n270 overclocked to 2.2ghz, scores a 114265 with the most up-to-date Chrome.

That means a Prime will whoop most netbooks.

 

[Aikouka]

I've still been on the fence over the Prime, and fortunately, the low availability at launch made the decision of purchasing one a slight bit easier on me. The GPS problems kind of makes me balk a bit, but I know I probably won't ever use it since the Prime also lacks a modem. I could tether it through my phone, but then I have to worry about power drain on multiple devices, which I've never liked.

I don't know if it's worth waiting for the higher-end one that they're releasing later. Maybe Apple will follow suit with the whole docking thing on the iPad 3. A lack of a physical keyboard is my #1 gripe with the iPad (and being able to connect a controller would be nice too), so that would be nice.

 

[J-Money]

I ordered one last week and it should arrive early next week.

Mainly ordered one because with a 2 month old at home it's hard for the wife to whip out the laptop. Much easier on a tablet.

I picked the Prime because it's currently "the best" and ICS is great (on my Galaxy Nexus at least it is so I figured it'd be awesome on a tablet).

GPS on it we will never use so no big deal.

Good write up OP.

 

[TheStu]

Great write-up poofyhairguy, and excellent response to janas19's question.

So does the Prime have ICS?

 

[Pliablemoose]

Thanks for the write up, when I read Anand's review and saw the connectivity issues, it gave me serious pause, especially when the replacement units did the same thing

 

[kubani1]

i really like my transformer prime, i am using quite often, although it does have its draw backs.

i've never used a netbook, so the typing with the dock feels small, but I can get used to it, it just doesn't compare to my MBP.

the screen looks great, and I have had no issues with wifi, i get coverage all over my house, and this is a big granite building.

I can't say that i would need the prime, but i am making good use of it, mostly apps that i would use on my phone, but they are generally much nicer to use on the tablet. plus, i can now leave my MBP at home as my desktop and bring the prime with me to meetings when i need it for documents and notes.

I know, i'm not a power user, a laptop serves my most complex needs in the computing world, but for us low end users, the prime with dock is a great piece of kit, and can actually be useful, but most of all, its a fun toy, and anyone who says they need it, are just full of shit. Get it if you want it, leave it if you don't.

and as far as the GPS goes, i really don't care, I wouldn't use the GPS even if it did work, i have GPS on my phone if i need it, and i only use that for navigation purposes.

 

[ponyo]

Yes, Prime is the only high end tablet I would consider at this point. After using ICS, it's 100% requirement for any high end Android device, phone or tablet. I'm not a fan of the dock. It's something I would hardly ever use and waste of money. I have HP Bluetooth keyboard for the Touchpad I never use. If I'm going to bother with a dock, I'm going use my netbook instead.

I know some people prefer lower resolution screen for gaming performance but I'm not much of a gamer. I'm more interested in the upcoming rumored high resolution tablets like the iPad3, Prime, and high res Galaxy Tab3. I'm leaning iPad3 at this point but we will see.

 

[pcslookout]

Yes, Prime is the only high end tablet I would consider at this point. After using ICS, it's 100% requirement for any high end Android device, phone or tablet. I'm not a fan of the dock. It's something I would hardly ever use and waste of money. I have HP Bluetooth keyboard for the Touchpad I never use. If I'm going to bother with a dock, I'm going use my netbook instead.

I know some people prefer lower resolution screen for gaming performance but I'm not much of a gamer. I'm more interested in the upcoming rumored high resolution tablets like the iPad3, Prime, and high res Galaxy Tab3. I'm leaning iPad3 at this point but we will see.

The iPad3 will be out next month supposedly. I just want to know what it offers then see how others reaction.

 

[Bateluer]

So does the Prime have ICS?

Yes. It was actually the first tablet to get ICS.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yes. It was actually the first tablet to get ICS.

Yep. We got it the night the high-res Transformer Prime was announced. I think in retrospect the timing was to alleviate any buyers remorse.

I don't have any remorse though. After reading all about Android GUI acceleration on this forum, I feel the high-res version will have the same stuttery app drawer the Xoom (and all Android tablets with GPUs unmatched to their resolutions) has.

 

[Bateluer]

Yep. We got it the night the high-res Transformer Prime was announced. I think in retrospect the timing was to alleviate any buyers remorse.

I don't have any remorse though. After reading all about Android GUI acceleration on this forum, I feel the high-res version will have the same stuttery app drawer the Xoom (and all Android tablets with GPUs unmatched to their resolutions) has.

Nvidia has updated the drivers several times for the Tegra 2 in various updates, I'd expect the same with Tegra 3. Not to mention the performance improvements we seem to be seeing in 4.0.4.

 

[Necrolezbeast]

Yes.
It was actually the first tablet to get ICS.

Actually I reckon ainol had the first ics tablet with the maps based novo 7... Not that it's a mainstream device, but still noteworthy..

 

[theeedude]

Asus should go back to the nice textured back they had before. Function before form.

 

[Skott]

Nice write up. Some good info here. I almost bought the Prime when it released but then the GPS problem became known and then ASUS announced a better screen April/May version plus fixes. So I'm holding off til then and see how that works out.