Windows Phone Thoughts: A Strong Competitor - Asus MyPal A730 Reviewed

Benchmarks
The MyPal A730 performed very well in the SPB Benchmark tests. In this preproduction unit, the A730 scored a value of 2064.2 in the CPU Index tests. However, the A730 scored lower than the iPAQ 4150 in platform index tests. Keep in mind that I was testing a preproduction unit, so take these benchmark values with a grain of salt. Overall, my informal tests with the A730 made me feel that the A730 was actually faster than my iPAQ 4155.


Figure 13: SPB Benchmark CPU Index.


Figure 14: SPB Benchmark Platform Index.

Regarding battery life, this Asus model was able to hold its juice very well, especially considering it sports a VGA screen and a very hot processor. I used SPB Benchmark to run battery tests on the device. At max backlight and standard usage, the device lasted for 3 hour, 9 minutes. However, with no backlight and no usage, the device lasted for over 6 and a half hours. This battery life is more than satisfactory to me. This A730 doesn't have built-in WiFi, so naturally the battery drain wouldn't be as high as a PDA with WiFi. However, Asus says the included 1100 mAh battery should last up to 9 hours. Obviously, I didn't get anywhere close to 9 hours. If you need more power, Asus sells an optional 1800 mAh battery as well.

Conclusion
All in all, I'd highly recommend the Asus MyPal A730 at its MSRP price of $499. If Asus is able to price their upcoming WiFi version at under $549, I think this device will be a steal. The MyPal A730 definitely has what it takes to compete with the HP iPAQ hx4705.