Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C review: Assembly line

Introduction

Of all the emerging Asian smart device manufacturers, Asus has easily one of the most diverse portfolios of devices around. From PadFone to Fonepad to Transformer Pad, the Taiwanese manufacturer provides a tablet for every market segment and user, with a new one popping up virtually every month. And the company's growing Memo Pad family is no exception.
The Asus Memo Pad 7 has so many iterations, in fact, that it's necessary to specify that we're reviewing the ME176C model, specifically. The ME176C is the lesser member of the new line of Memo Pads introduced by Asus last month. It features the same screen as the older Memo Pad HD7, but runs on Intel's Atom Z3745 chip rather a Mediatek one, and that should provide a huge performance boost.

Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C
The ME176C has also been updated to the latest Android build, sporting version 4.4.2 KitKat, with tons customizable extras from Asus. Like its predecessor, this Memo Pad 7 is firmly in the entry-level price point, with a WXGA screen, 8/16GB of internal storage, 1GB RAM, and a 5MP/2MP rear/front camera combo.
Let's take a closer look at what else the Memo Pad 7 ME176C brings to the table:

Key features

• 7" 800 x 1280 IPS LCD of 216ppi
• Intel Atom Z3745 chipset, 1GB of RAM
• Quad-core 1.86GHz processor
• Intel HD GPU based on Ivy Bridge
• Android 4.4.2 with Asus customizations
• 5MP back and 2MP front cameras
• microSD card support up to 64GB
• 3,910mAh battery
• Multiple color options
• Competitive price

Main disadvantages

• No cellular version
• Plastic build
• Low-res screen

While for the most part the specs sheet doesn't seem like anything worth writing home about, one thing that does jump out is the Intel Atom Z3745 processor. Based on Intel's Bay Trail-T 22nm architecture, the Z3745 is the same processor found on full-fledged Windows hybrid laptops like the Acer Aspire Switch 10. We're excited to see what kind of performance the ME175C will be able to achieve on this low-res droid even if it only has 1GB of RAM.

The Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C in our studio
As you can tell by our own photos, one thing that jumps out from a design standpoint is the vibrant color combinations. Our own bright yellow is complemented by equally eye-catching Red and Blue colors, besides the traditional Black and White options.

Retail package features just the basics

The Asus Memo Pad 7 features a standard retail package which contains the traditional standalone A/C adapter and microUSB cable. There are no heapdhones to be found, but those aren't a frequent occurrence in tablet boxes, let alone affordable ones.

Standard retail package

Design and handling

The Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C model doesn't deviate wildly from the design aesthetics of previous Memo Pad models. It comes in at 189.3 x 113.7 x 9.6mm and 295g, however, which is more compact and thinner in all of its measurable dimensions compared to its Asus Memo Pad HD7 predecessor released mid-2013.
The non-removable back panel wraps halfway around the sides of the device and is very rounded along its edges. While this is pleasing to the touch, Asus may have taken this rounding a bit too far though as the volume rocker and power/lock buttons aren't easily press-able with one hand. The buttons themselves also aren't of the highest quality, but are what you'd expect at this price point.

The Memo Pad 7 design strategy
The very reflective screen features no special protection and is fairly prone to fingerprints and smudges. The Android navigation buttons are part of the display rather than under it. We'll have more specific details on the display on the next page.
Handling the Memo Pad 7 is more difficult than it should be due to the overly-rounded rear panel edges - especially when trying to grip the device in one hand. Pressing the power/lock button or volume rocker on the right is tricky unless you stabilize the tablet with your other hand.

One-handed operation is not optimal
Otherwise, using the tablet in landscape mode with two hands is easy thanks to the compact screen diagonal.

Controls

The only two physical buttons on the Memo Pad 7 are the aforementioned volume rocker and power/lock button on the right side. A microSD card slot is across the way on the left edge.

The sides of the Memo Pad 7
The top of the Asus tablet has a centrally-placed 3.5mm headphone jack and microUSB port, alongside a microphone pinhole for audio recording. The bottom is bare.

Top and bottom
The back of the Memo Pad 7 has the 5MP camera, a centered Asus logo, and a speakerphone grille along the bottom edge. The large speakerphone grille is strategically placed right where the back panel starts to curve, which means it's not muffled when placing the tablet on a flat surface.

The back of the Memo Pad 7