ASUS unveils the affordable MeMO Pad 8 and MeMO Pad 10 tablets

The MeMO Pad 8 will run on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and feature an 8-inch IPS panel running at 1280x800, powered by 1GB of RAM and a unnamed 1.6GHz quad-core chipset. Weighing in at 350g, the smaller slate sports a 5MP camera at the back, and a 1.2MP shooter at the front, both of which support 720p capture. With just 8GB of internal storage available, we sure are glad to see that the budget-friendly slate will have the option to expand that via microSD. Said to provide up to 9 hours of continuous 720p HD video playback, the MeMO Pad 8 is equipped with a 3950mAh battery unit. ASUS, in a gesture we appreciate, says that the listed battery life was tested under default volume, with headphones on, and with the display running at 100 nits brightness, all the while looping a 720p HD video.

There isn't a whole lot that will differentiate the MeMO Pad 10 from its smaller twin, mostly bulk and extra weight (522g) – the 10-incher runs near identical internals with the exception of a smaller, 2MP rear shooter and a more spacious 16GB of storage. Luckily, the MeMO Pad 10 is powered by a significantly larger 5070mAh battery, providing 9.5 hours of continuous 720p HD video playback. Virtually everything else, from the display tech and the resolution, through Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and the 1.6GHz quad-core SoC is an exact duplicate.

The two ASUS tablets also share an identical dual-speaker at the back, and will both come with a protective sleeve that doubles up as a stand, dubbed TriCover by the Taiwanese company.

While pricing remains unknown, the MeMO Pad line has been sticking to the more budget-friendly price tiers, and we are led to believe that the new slates won't disappoint in that regard. Availability hasn't been disclosed just yet.