ASUS ZenPad Z8 LTE Tablet Heads To Verizon For $250 Off Contract

ASUS has teamed up with Verizon to announce a new 8-inch class slate, the ZenPad Z8 (ZT581KL) powered by a 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 hexa-core System-on-Chip (SoC) with Adreno 510 graphics. Verizon is the only one taking pre-orders on the ZenPad Z8 and will carry the slate in stores next Thursday (June 23).

"ASUS is excited to launch the ZenPad Z8 with Verizon. The ASUS ZenPad Z8 brings an incredible feature set and top-end specifications to Verizon customers at a very attractive price," says Benson Lin, corporate vice president and general manager for mobile communications, ASUS. "We’re thrilled to begin this relationship with Verizon and for users to experience the ZenPad Z8 on Verizon’s expansive 4G LTE network."

ASUS ZenPad Z8

The ZenPad Z8 sports a 7.9-inch display with a 2048x1536 resolution. It's using an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel, which typically offers better clarity and color reproduction than Twisted Nematic (TN) screens, along with superior viewing angles—in this case ASUS advertises 178-degree viewing angles. ASUS also includes its VisualMaster technology to enhance and optimize contrast, sharpness, and motion clarity depending on the situation.

Measuring 8.08 x 5.37 x .30 inches (HxWxD) and weighing 11.29 ounces, the ZenPad Z8 is one of the thinner and lighter tablets out there. Nevertheless, ASUS didn't skimp on amenities—the ZenPad boasts 8-megapixel and 2-megapixel rear and front cameras, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in storage expandable via microSD. It also has a USB Type-C port and a 4,680 mAh battery (non-removable) that ASUS says is good for up to 13 hours of usage and up to 23 days of standby time. It ships with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow skinned with the ZenUI.

For wireless connectivity, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both present and accounted for, and of course there's a 4G LTE radio for connecting to Verizon's network.

You can pre-order the ASUS ZenPad Z8 now from Verizon for$10.41 per month for 24 months. Other payment options include buying it for $150 on a 2-year contract or paying $250 outright.