ASUS ME172V shows up in benchmarks, could be budget Nexus 7
updated 12:28 pm EST, Fri November 30, 2012
ASUS ME172V benchmarks suggest cheaper Nexus 7 is close to launch
The rumored $99 version of the ASUS-built and Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet may be nearing release as some alleged performance benchmark scores for the device have been released online. The GLBenchmark results show a device called ME172V that runs on Android 4.1.1. Hardware specs include a 1GHz CPU and 400MHz Mali GPU.
The screen resolution is set at 1,024x600, or significantly less than the Nexus 7's 1,280x800 screen. The screen is expected to be sized at 7 inches as well, though the lower resolution is just one of the ways the price would be cut by half. The ME172V also gets a microSD memory card slot, which the Nexus 7 lacks. This also helps keep the price tag down, as owners can bring their own storage capacity.
The benchmark results compare much less favorably to the Nexus 7, though many tests weren't performed.
These specs lead some to believe this won't be a Nexus-branded tablet at all but a budget-priced one for emerging markets. Earlier rumors had the $100 Nexus 7 arriving in stores in time for the holidays.
