Zync Quad 10.1 tablet: Raw power

Indian low-cost tablet manufacturers have constantly been pushing the bar high with their products. Since the market is volatile, they often face a double challenge—to make a powerful tablet while keeping prices as low as possible. In a bid to stay ahead of competition, many companies have launched a series of tablets in a short span. Zync Global is one such company.

With phones and tablets in the Rs 3,000 to Rs 16,000 segment, Zync's products offer good value for money. Following the launch of Quad 9.7, a tablet with a high-resolution display, Zync has brought a bigger version—Quad 10.1—to the market.

As the name suggests, Quad 10.1 is a tablet with a quad-core processor. Apart from that, its high-resolution 10.1-inch display (1920 x 1200 pixels) and price are noteworthy features of the product. The tablet runs a relatively bloat-free Android Jelly Bean (4.1), and packs enough power to run resource-intensive apps without lags. Let's see if it makes the most of the horsepower underneath the screen.

Zync Quad 10.1 is a fairly conventional looking tablet. When you look at the device or when you first pick it up, no feature stands out. It looks like the Apple iPad, but owing to the price difference, does not feel anywhere as premium. However, if you compare it to other tablets in this price bracket, the Zync device is well-designed, lightweight (471 g) and fairly sturdy. However, none of the other tablets in this segment are 10-inch devices, they are smaller.

There is a 5-MP camera at the back and a 2-MP front camera. There is no problem with the placement of the ports. The HDMI and micro USB ports are hidden under a flap. Although this protects those ports from dust, the plastic flap seems to be easily breakable. Users can charge the tablet via microUSB and DC 5V ports. Charging via the DC port is much faster, but the pin kept loosening, and delayed the charging process significantly. There is no LED indicator when the device is charging, so users will have to keep turning the screen on to see if Zync Quad 10.1 is charging. This tablet was tested in New Delhi, which is humid and dusty. The tablet does get dirty very soon, so better buy yourself a cleaning spray and cloth.