Note: We may earn commissions (at no cost to you) if you buy through links on our site. Learn more.
Asus ZenPad S 8.0
Asus ZenPad S 8.0
Asus ZenPad S 8.0
Asus ZenPad S 8.0
...


7.7/10
Informr score
The Asus ZenPad S 8.0 currently has an Informr score of 7.7 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 10 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Sharp display with excellent viewing angles and vibrant colors
  • Generally smooth performance during basic tasks
  • Chic design
  • Lightweight

What's bad

  • Some creaks and give on case
  • Middling battery life
  • Dim display

Asus isn't necessarily a household name when it comes to tablets despite the role they played with the original Nexus 7. The company hopes to change this with the release of the ZenPad S 8.0. For the price, experts were impressed with the overall style of the tablet. It is light at 298 grams and quite compact measuring 8 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches. The majority of the back is composed of plastic with a smooth brushed metal finish, but a strip on the bottom of the tablet sports a faux-leather texture. This provided experts with both a premium looking device and excellent grip. While it might look premium, experts discovered build quality was far from it. They noticed some creaks and give on the casing.

The most noticeable aspect of the ZenPad S 8.0 is, of course, the display. At 7.9 inches and a resolution of 2048 x 1536, it provides a very high pixel density of 324 ppi. Combined with IPS LCD technology and zero air gap between the glass and screen, experts describe it as beautiful and sharp with excellent viewing angles. They were also impressed with the overall color range though it tended to skew towards the cooler side. The biggest let down for critics was its overall brightness. Not only was it difficult to read outdoors, they also had to manually adjust the setting as auto-brightness tended to be too low in every situation.

The ZenPad S 8.0 rocks a 2.3GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. For the most part, experts had no problems when performing basic tasks like reading email, browsing the web or even playing a casual game. They only ran into a few hiccups when playing more graphic-intensive games or doing some heavy multi-tasking. With that said, they found it fast enough for daily use. It also comes with up to 64GB of internal storage, though they found much of this was taken up with unnecessary Asus software. Luckily, many of these apps are removable and Asus does include a microSD slot for additional storage. They were left unimpressed with the battery life as they barely eked out a full day's worth of use even with moderate use. Tablet PC Review adds, "…those expecting to use this device heavily for long periods should never be far from a charger."

While the 8MP main shooter of the ZenPad S 8.0 can't compete with the one on the iPhone 6S, experts were happy to report it held its own against other tablets. They were able to capture bright, sharp and vibrant pictures in good lighting situations. Unsurprisingly, their low light images were often grainy and noisy due to the smaller lens. The front 5MP camera was not as good as they noticed oversaturation of some colors and green/blue tinges on white backgrounds. Still, they found it good enough for video calls.

For the most part, reviewers believe the Asus ZenPad S 8.0 is a good deal. Android Authority states, "This tablet manages to exceed all expectations…[it] is definitely worth picking up." Android Police adds, "It's a very good tablet, and dangerously close to being great." Other experts are not quite as optimistic with their verdict. The Verge notes, "…if you're looking for one compelling reason you need this in your life, well, it probably doesn't exist. And that's pretty disappointing…"


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.3 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.3 GHz
8"
Screen Size
Screen Size
8"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
15 WHr
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


TechRadar
TechRadar

The Asus ZenPad S 8.0 is an attractive alternative to better-known models from Samsung and Apple, and packs in an impressive array of bells and whistles which you might expect to find on a more expensive tablet.It's not as blisteringly fast as the Google Nexus 9, but Intel's quad-core 64-bit process...

- Ben Stinson, TechRadar
TrustedReviews
TrustedReviews

The ZenPad S 8.0 targets a currently underserved segment of the tablet market. There are currently woefully few decent affordable tablets available. The ZenPad S 8.0 is far from perfect, with its custom ZenUI skin and out of date Android Lollipop operating system hamper its overall appeal.But even w...

- Alastair Stevenson, TrustedReviews
Pocket-lint
Pocket-lint

The Asus ZenPad S 8.0 is special because it crams a good, super-sharp screen into a very slim and handy body for a great price. Samsung's best at this level is the Samsung Tab 4 8.0, which isn't nearly as good by comparison.The Asus ZenPad S 8.0 piddles all over the hardware some rivals are bringing...

- Andrew Williams, Pocket-lint
Mobile Choice
Mobile Choice

Asus have shown us that consumers shouldnt have to choose between form and function when on the lookout for a mid-range device. Not only does the tablet look great but the dual front facing speakers, 2k display, expandable memory and good battery life all make it a great device to own. Yes there is...

- Sunetra Chakravarti, Mobile Choice
Tablet News
Tablet News

This device is good for gaming and video consumption, plus work if you have a keyboard and stylus for it. Too bad for the screen and bloatware, plus the plastic edges.

- James A., Tablet News


Prices (Where to Buy)




Ask the Community


No questions for the moment.


Resources


Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed

Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.


Quick view

Screen Size
8"

The Asus ZenPad S 8.0's screen size is 8 inches with 1536 x 2048 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.3 GHz

There is a Intel Atom Z3580 Quad core 2.3 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The tablet runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system (OS).

Camera
8+ MP
You can take photos with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera. There is also a secondary front facing camera with 5+ megapixels resolution.
Storage
16/32/64 GB

Internal memory is 16/32/64 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
15WHr

The tablet is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 15 WHr battery. Asus's performance ratings are 7 hours Wi-Fi surfing.

ZenPad S 8.0 Specs

Overview
Release Date July 10, 2015
Regions Available USA
Operating System Android 5.0 Lollipop

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Intel Atom Z3580 Quad core 2.3 GHz
Internal Storage 16/32/64 GB
RAM 2 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Body: 1.14 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual
Cellular
Networks
No
Mobile / Cellular Data
No (Option available)
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
No
variations
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Yes
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/n
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB)
NFC No
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Main Camera Info
Face detection, ISO, Self-timer, White balance, Exposure value, Burst shot
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1536 x 2048 pixels
Pixel density 320 pixels
Size 8 inches
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification Yes
Screen Orientation Lock Yes
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 15 WHr
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time Unknown
Video Playback Time Up to 8 hours
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 7 hours
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Standby Time Unknown
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Black, White
Dimensions [H x W x D] 20.3 x 13.4 x 0.7 cm (8 x 5.3 x 0.3 in)
Weight 298 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech No
Screen Reader Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Asus Z580CA
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Asus ZenPad S 8.0 Reviews
Where to buy Asus ZenPad S 8.0
Suggest a correction