Asus PadFone X review: Like no other

Smartphone controls

The earpiece, the ambient light and proximity sensors, as well as the 2MP front-facing camera are located above the display. There's nothing but an Asus logo below the screen.

The view above and below the display

The left side of the device is bare. The power/lock key and the volume rocker are located on the right.

The sides of the handset

The 3.5mm audio jack and a microphone pinhole sit on top of the smartphone. The microUSB port, the mouthpiece, and the docking mechanism are all located on the bottom of the device.

The top and bottom of the PadFone X

The back of the device is home to the 13MP camera and its single LED flash. The lone speaker sits right below the camera. A PadFone logo and an AT&T globe complete the landscape.

The back of the device

Removing the thin back cover reveals the SIM and the microSD card slots. The battery is non-removable.

A peek under the back cover

Tablet controls

The controls' layout of the tablet is simple. It consists of a power/lock key on top of the device, as well as a volume rocker on its left side.

A look at the controls of the tablet

Switching the Asus PadFone X from smartphone to tablet is easy - you simply slide it into the docking station and you are good to go. The mechanism is sturdy and holds the handset firmly during usage.

A duo of stereo speakers flanks both sides of the tablet. They make the slate quite convenient for watching videos, as well as for gaming.

Battery life

The Asus PadFone X handset is powered by a non-removable 2,330mAh battery, which propelled the device to the highly respectable endurance rating of 80h in our dedicated battery test. This means that you can use the PadFone X well over three full days if you opt for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily.

Our routine also includes a standby battery draw test, which is not featured in our battery test scorecard but is calculated in the total endurance rating. Our battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you want to learn more about it.

Asus has equipped the PadFone X with the increasingly popular battery saving mode. When on, it disconnects the network connection when the device is suspended.

Battery saving mode

The docking station of the device packs its own 4,990mAh Li-Polymer battery, which charges the handset when it is docked. We gave Asus PadFone X tablet setup the same go around our battery test track as a regular slate. See how it did below.

Web browsing

• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
  12:53
• Sony Xperia C
  12:45h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:40h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  12:37h
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  12:30h
• LG G2
  11:22h
• HTC One Max
  11:20h
• Sony Xperia ZR
  11:20h
• HTC Butterfly S
  11:07h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  10:58h
• Apple iPad Air
  10:10h
• BlackBerry Q5
  10:04h
• HTC One
  9:58h
• Apple iPhone 5s
  9:58h
• Apple iPhone 5
  9:56h
• Samsung Ativ Odyssey I930
  9:54h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  9:47h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  9:43h
• Alcatel Hero
  9:40h
• Samsung Galaxy Core LTE
  9:37h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
  9:33h
• LG G Pro 2
  9:31h
• LG G Flex
  9:31h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 LTE
  9:16h
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  9:12h
• HTC One (M8)
  9:06h
• Oppo N1
  9:05h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
  9:05h
• Apple iPhone 5c
  9:05h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  9:04h
• Motorola Moto G
  9:04h
• Asus PadFone X
  9:00h
• Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100
  8:48h
• BlackBerry Q10
  8:42h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5
  8:25h
• Asus PadFone 2
  8:20h
• Nokia Lumia 810
  8:20h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  8:17h
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 I9200
  8:17h
• HTC One mini
  8:12h
• Nokia Lumia 610
  8:01h
• HTC One X+
  7:56h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo
  7:43h
• Motorola DROID RAZR M
  7:42h
• Sony Xperia E dual
  7:42h
• Samsung I8190 Galaxy S III mini
  7:38h
• Nokia Lumia 720
  7:37h
• Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active
  7:35h
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  7:24h
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  7:23h
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  7:23h
• HTC Radar
  7:17h
• Nokia Lumia 520
  7:15h
• LG Optimus GJ E975W
  7:11h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082
  7:09h
• Sony Xperia M
  7:09h
• Meizu MX3
  7:09h
• Samsung Galaxy Express I8730
  7:09h
• Nokia Lumia 625
  7:07h
• Motorola RAZR i XT890
  7:06h
• Sony Xperia J
  7:06h
• Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4
  6:58h
• Apple iPhone 4s
  6:56h
• Samsung P6800 Galaxy Tab 7.7
  6:54h
• Samsung Galaxy Core I8260
  6:54h
• HTC One V
  6:49h
• LG Optimus G Pro E985
  6:40h
• Sony Xperia L
  6:40h
• Samsung Galaxy Premier I9260
  6:40h
• HTC DROID DNA
  6:40h
• Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus
  6:40h
• Motorola ATRIX HD MB886
  6:40h
• BlackBerry Curve 9380
  6:40h
• Sony Xperia E
  6:40h
• HTC First
  6:39h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  6:38h
• Sony Xperia Z
  6:37h
• Samsung S7710 Galaxy Xcover 2
  6:35h
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  6:34h
• HTC Desire 500
  6:31h
• Huawei Ascend P6
  6:30h
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  6:27h
• BlackBerry Z10
  6:27h
• HTC Butterfly
  6:24h
• Sony Xperia SP
  6:18h
• Samsung Galaxy S III I747
  6:16h
• HTC One SV
  6:15h
• Samsung Focus S I937
  6:15h
• Nokia Lumia 510
  6:13h
• Sony Xperia ZL
  6:04h
• Samsung Galaxy mini 2 S6500
  6:03h
• Samsung P6200 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
  6:02h
• Oppo R819
  6:01h
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  6:01h
• Sony Xperia Z1
  5:59h
• Sony Xperia ion LTE
  5:56h
• Samsung Galaxy Fame S6810
  5:55h
• Samsung Rugby Smart I847
  5:53h
• Pantech Burst
  5:51h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  5:50h
• HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE
  5:48h
• Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G T769
  5:45h
• Nokia Lumia 920
  5:40h
• Nokia Lumia 928
  5:36h
• Samsung S8600 Wave 3
  5:34h
• Pantech Discover
  5:33h
• Oppo Find 5
  5:33h
• Samsung i927 Captivate Glide
  5:33h
• Sony Xperia T
  5:33h
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  5:28h
• Nokia Lumia 900
  5:25h
• Samsung Galaxy Note I717
  5:24h
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  5:23h
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562
  5:23h
• HTC Sensation XL
  5:20h
• Meizu MX 4-core
  5:19h
• Nokia Lumia Icon
  5:17h
• HTC Desire X
  5:16h
• HTC Rezound
  5:16h
• Sony Xperia acro S
  5:16h
• LG Optimus G E975
  5:15h
• HTC Rhyme
  5:08h
• Samsung I9103 Galaxy R
  5:07h
• LG Optimus L9 P760
  5:02h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia pro
  4:50h
• LG Optimus Vu F100S
  4:49h
• LG Nexus 5
  4:46h
• HTC Vivid
  4:46h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos S6802
  4:45h
• Meizu MX
  4:35h
• LG Nexus 4 E960
  4:34h
• Nokia N9
  4:33h
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  4:32h
• Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
  4:24h
• Nokia Lumia 820
  4:24h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
  4:20h
• HTC One X
  4:18h
• Nokia 808 PureView
  4:14h
• LG Optimus 3D Max P720
  4:10h
• Nokia Lumia 900 AT&T
  4:10h
• Nokia Lumia 800
  4:07h
• HTC One S C2
  4:03h
• HTC One S
  4:03h
• BlackBerry Bold 9790
  4:02h
• LG Nitro HD
  4:00h
• LG Optimus 4X HD P880
  3:59h
• Sony Xperia P
  3:59h
• Nokia Lumia 710
  3:51h
• Nokia Lumia 620
  3:50h
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300
  3:47h
• Samsung Galaxy Note N7000
  3:35h
• Huawei Ascend P1
  3:23h
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250
  3:01h

Video playback

• LG G Flex
  19:57h
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  16:35h
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  14:17h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  13:32h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  13:12h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  13:12h
• HTC One Max
  13:11h
• Sony Xperia C
  12:53h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
  12:52h
• Samsung Galaxy Premier I9260
  12:51h
• Apple iPad Air
  12:49h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:31h
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  12:30h
• BlackBerry Q5
  12:28h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  12:18h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 LTE
  12:10h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5
  12:05h
• LG G2
  11:51h
• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
  11:46
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  11:38h
• Samsung P6800 Galaxy Tab 7.7
  11:37h
• Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4
  11:29h
• Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100
  11:27h
• Oppo N1
  11:15h
• BlackBerry Q10
  11:15h
• HTC One (M8)
  11:14h
• Apple iPhone 5s
  10:31h
• Apple iPhone 5
  10:12h
• HTC First
  10:03h
• HTC One
  10:02h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  10:01h
• Asus PadFone X
  10:00h
• Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus
  10:00h
• Nokia 808 PureView
  9:53h
• Alcatel Hero
  9:49h
• Sony Xperia M
  9:49h
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  9:42h
• Samsung Rugby Smart I847
  9:34h
• Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
  9:30h
• HTC One S C2
  9:28h
• HTC One S
  9:28h
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  9:27h
• Apple iPhone 4s
  9:24h
• Samsung Galaxy mini 2 S6500
  9:22h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  9:17h
• HTC Butterfly S
  9:03h
• Motorola DROID RAZR M
  9:00h
• Sony Xperia E
  9:00h
• Samsung Ativ Odyssey I930
  8:59h
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  8:45h
• BlackBerry Z10
  8:44h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
  8:41h
• LG Optimus G Pro E985
  8:40h
• Nokia N9
  8:40h
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 I9200
  8:34h
• HTC Butterfly
  8:28h
• Samsung Galaxy Note N7000
  8:25h
• LG Optimus GJ E975W
  8:15h
• Samsung Galaxy S III I747
  8:14h
• HTC One X+
  8:11h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082
  8:11h
• Motorola RAZR i XT890
  8:11h
• Sony Xperia J
  8:11h
• Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
  8:00h
• Samsung Focus S I937
  7:55h
• Samsung S8600 Wave 3
  7:52h
• HTC Desire 500
  7:50h
• Samsung I8190 Galaxy S III mini
  7:46h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
  7:45h
• Apple iPhone 5c
  7:41h
• Asus PadFone 2
  7:38h
• Huawei Ascend P1
  7:38h
• Nokia Lumia Icon
  7:34h
• Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G T769
  7:33h
• Sony Xperia ZR
  7:30h
• Samsung Galaxy Core I8260
  7:30h
• HTC DROID DNA
  7:30h
• Samsung S7710 Galaxy Xcover 2
  7:30h
• Samsung Galaxy Note I717
  7:30h
• Sony Xperia SP
  7:27h
• HTC One mini
  7:23h
• Nokia Lumia 610
  7:23h
• LG Optimus G E975
  7:16h
• Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active
  7:03h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo
  6:55h
• Huawei Ascend P6
  6:55h
• HTC One SV
  6:55h
• Pantech Discover
  6:55h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  6:54h
• Nokia Lumia 928
  6:54h
• HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE
  6:51h
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  6:49h
• Nokia Lumia 720
  6:43h
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  6:40h
• Motorola Moto G
  6:37h
• Nokia Lumia 900
  6:37h
• Meizu MX 4-core
  6:33h
• Nokia Lumia 620
  6:32h
• Nokia Lumia 625
  6:29h
• Sony Xperia E dual
  6:27h
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  6:27h
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  6:26h
• Nokia Lumia 810
  6:26h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos S6802
  6:25h
• Nokia Lumia 820
  6:25h
• Nokia Lumia 510
  6:23h
• LG Optimus Vu F100S
  6:23h
• Samsung I9103 Galaxy R
  6:21h
• Nokia Lumia 920
  6:19h
• Sony Xperia Z1
  6:12h
• HTC Sensation XL
  6:12h
• LG Nexus 5
  6:06h
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300
  6:06h
• Samsung i927 Captivate Glide
  6:04h
• Sony Xperia ion LTE
  6:03h
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250
  6:02h
• Motorola ATRIX HD MB886
  6:01h
• Sony Xperia T
  6:01h
• HTC Vivid
  6:00h
• HTC Radar
  5:54h
• Oppo R819
  5:54h
• LG Optimus L9 P760
  5:53h
• Nokia Lumia 800
  5:52h
• Nokia Lumia 520
  5:50h
• LG G Pro 2
  5:49h
• BlackBerry Bold 9790
  5:47h
• HTC One X
  5:45h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia pro
  5:44h
• Sony Xperia Z
  5:39h
• Meizu MX3
  5:38h
• Pantech Burst
  5:38h
• HTC Desire X
  5:38h
• Sony Xperia acro S
  5:38h
• Samsung Galaxy Core LTE
  5:34h
• Sony Xperia ZL
  5:28h
• Meizu MX
  5:27h
• HTC Rhyme
  5:23h
• HTC One V
  5:20h
• Oppo Find 5
  5:18h
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  5:18h
• Nokia Lumia 900 AT&T
  5:18h
• Samsung P6200 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
  5:16h
• BlackBerry Curve 9380
  5:09h
• HTC Rezound
  5:03h
• Samsung Galaxy Fame S6810
  5:02h
• LG Nexus 4 E960
  4:55h
• Sony Xperia L
  4:44h
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562
  4:30h
• Sony Xperia P
  4:30h
• LG Nitro HD
  4:17h
• LG Optimus 4X HD P880
  4:14h
• LG Optimus 3D Max P720
  3:28h
• Nokia Lumia 710
  3:27h

Clearly, the device is not as energy efficient as a slate, compared to when you use the handset on its own. It is important to note that the PadFone X uses the batteries of the phone and the docking station simultaneously in tablet mode.

Connectivity

The Asus PadFone X packs of kitchen sink full of connectivity features. The GSM network connectivity includes support for quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE/3G/HSPA+/HSDPA, Cat 4 LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 17).

There is also dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi hotspot, as well as Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP.

The microUSB port supports USB host and allows you to plug USB flash drives or connect mice/keyboards. There's also TV-out (via MHL A/V link).

The device packs an on-board GPS/GLONASS chip. NFC is on board, too.

The handset also supports wireless charging out of the box. It utilizes the PMA standard, which is the standard that AT&T is currently backing.

One connectivity feature missing on the Asus PadFone X is the IR blaster. While many will perhaps consider this to be nitpicking, most of the device's rivals on the US market offer the functionality out of the box.