ASUS may have stepped away from smartphones, but bro, apparently the brand is not done with mobile-style devices just yet.
A new leak has shown off what is claimed to be the upcoming ASUS Pad, giving us an early look at the tablet through fresh renders. This comes after ASUS officially confirmed in January that it was leaving the smartphone market — a move that hit pretty hard for fans of the Zenfone and ROG Phone lines.
But tablets? Different story, it seems.
A premium-looking ASUS tablet is on the way
Based on the leaked renders, the ASUS Pad looks like a clean, modern tablet with fairly slim bezels. Nothing too wild design-wise, but it gives off that “premium productivity and entertainment slate” vibe rather than a cheap casual device.
The bigger headline is the display. The ASUS Pad is rumoured to feature a 12.2-inch dual-layer OLED panel. If that sounds familiar, it is the same general idea as Apple’s Tandem OLED tech — stacking OLED layers to improve brightness and image quality.
For Malaysian users who watch a lot of anime, YouTube, Netflix, or use tablets as a second screen, this could be a very nice upgrade if ASUS gets the tuning right. OLED already means punchy colours and deep blacks; a dual-layer setup could make it even better for HDR content.
The leak also claims a 144Hz refresh rate, which is spicy for a tablet. That makes sense for gaming, fast scrolling, and stylus work if ASUS decides to push this as a creator or entertainment device. Add Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, and it sounds like ASUS is clearly targeting people who care about media quality.
Slim body, big battery
The ASUS Pad is reportedly packing a 9,000mAh battery with fast charging support, although the exact charging speed has not been revealed yet.
That battery size sounds reasonable for a 12-inch class tablet, especially if the screen is bright and high refresh rate. For SEA users, battery life matters a lot — whether you are travelling between KL and Penang, commuting, using it in class, or just camping at a mamak with Wi-Fi and Mobile Legends streams running in the background.
The tablet is also said to weigh 523g and measure just 6.5mm thick. That is pretty slim, especially for a device with this kind of display and battery setup. If the weight balance is good, it should be comfortable enough for reading manga, watching anime in bed, or using it as a portable work machine.
ASUS is also expected to offer a first-party case that doubles as a stand. That is basically essential for a tablet this size — nobody wants to hold a 12.2-inch slab through an entire movie or long Discord call.
Why this matters for Malaysia and SEA
The interesting question is: what exactly is ASUS trying to do here?
ASUS has not been active in Android tablets for years, and the leak does not confirm whether this ASUS Pad runs Android, Windows, or ChromeOS. That detail will change everything.
If it is Android, ASUS could be going after Samsung’s Galaxy Tab crowd and people who want a premium entertainment tablet. If it is Windows or ChromeOS, then this might be more of a productivity-first device, closer to a detachable laptop alternative.
For Malaysia, pricing will be the real fight. A fancy OLED tablet with 144Hz can sound amazing, but if it lands too close to iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab S pricing, ASUS needs to bring something special — maybe better gaming support, bundled accessories, or aggressive regional pricing in RM.
Still, it is nice to see ASUS experimenting again outside laptops and handheld gaming PCs. The ROG Phone fans may still be mourning, but a high-end ASUS tablet could be interesting if the company nails the software, accessories, and price.
For now, there is no confirmed launch date, no official pricing, and no clear explanation for where this device fits in ASUS’ lineup. But if this leak is accurate, the ASUS Pad is worth keeping an eye on — especially for gamers, anime watchers, and productivity users who want a big OLED screen without immediately defaulting to Apple or Samsung.
Source: GSMArena