RedFox WizPad 5 Quick Review

Looking for an affordable yet capable Windows 8 slate that you can easily take with you so you can be productive while on the go? Then you might want to look at the RedFox WizPad 5 – a 10.1-inch Windows 8.1-powered tablet that is powered by Intel’s BayTrail T processor and comes with a keyboard dock.

At first glance, the WizPad 5 looks like a generic, uninspired slate. It’s got thick bezels with glossy plastic edges and a body that is made of aluminum. If it weren’t for the Windows logo below the display, you would mistake it for an Android device.

Found on the front of the device is the 10.1-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 or equal to 148ppi, and 10 capacitive touch points. Placed above it is the 2 megapixel front camera while down below is the Windows button.

Found on top are the plastic power/lock and volume keys with chrome finish. Take a look at the left side and you’ll see a number of ports: headphone input / mic output combo jack, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, microSD card slot (up to 32GB), HDMI out, microUSB port (for charging), and a microphone. Flip it on its back and you’ll see the 2 megapixel rear camera, the RedFox logo, and the left and right speakers.

On hand, the Wizpad 5 feels pretty solid and has a slight premium feel to it thanks to the aluminum body with matte finish. At 600g, it’s a bit hefty but still easy to use with one hand in either landscape or portrait mode. One thing we didn’t like though are the sharp edges around the ports. It feels uncomfortable every time your fingers brush on it.

The Wizpad 5 comes with a Bluetooth-enabled keyboard stand. We call it a stand instead of a dock as it only lets you prop the Wizpad 5 and doesn’t really secure it in place. It’s thin, light and made of plastic with a brushed metal finish on top. The keys feel great and has good tactile feedback.

Pairing it with the Wizpad 5 is easy to do and only requires eight simple steps. The package comes with an easy-to-follow manual so it shouldn’t be a problem. When paired, the keyboard works well and didn’t cause any problem. In addition, you can also use this for your iOS or Android device.

What disappoints us though is that the keyboard doesn’t indicate the status of the battery if it’s full or running low which makes it very unreliable. It only has a red LED light to show if it is charging which can be done via its microUSB port, while the other LED light is just there to show if Bluetooth is on. I recommend purchasing a better keyboard if you really want to be productive with the Wizpad 5.

The Wizpad 5 is equipped a 1.46GHz Intel Atom BayTrail-T Z3770 quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 32-bit Windows 8.1 OS. Performance is good and should be able to handle your day-to-day tasks like handling MS Office documents (Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 included), surfing the web, and some light gaming on the side.

It’s a good multimedia companion too thanks to the large display and stereo speakers, however, we find it lacking when it comes to loudness so you’re better off using headphones or an external speaker.

Powering the Wizpad 5 is an 8,000mAh battery. We ran our routine battery test which includes using a 1080p movie file playing in Airplane mode at 50% brightness with headphones plugged in at 50% volume. The result is 5.26 hours worth of playback.

The Wizpad 5 has a price tag of Php19,500USD 332INR 28,170EUR 316CNY 2,420. Although priced at under Php20k, it will face serious competition in the form of the Acer Aspire Switch 10 which sports similar specs and price (Php19,990USD 341INR 28,878EUR 324CNY 2,481) but with better build and design and a high-quality keyboard dock.

To conclude, the Wizpad 5 is a very capable Windows 8.1 tablet downplayed by the generic build and flimsy keyboard. Redfox also also failed to include its own charger in the package which adds to the cons. With that in mind, the Wizpad 5 is definitely going to be a tough sell considering that its competitors have better offerings within the same price range.

Redfox Wizpad 5 specs:
10.1-inch HD (1280 x 800) IPS display, 148ppi
1.46GHz Intel Atom BayTrail-T Z3770 quad-core CPU
2GB RAM
32GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
2 megapixel rear camera
2 megapixel front camera
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0 + HS
GPS
USB 3.0, USB 2.0
HDMI out
Earphone/mic jack
Windows 8.1 OS 32-bit
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013
8,000mAh battery
257.8 x 172.4 x 6.3-9.8mm
600g

What we liked:
* Good display
* Good performance
* Sub-Php20k price tag

What we didn’t like:
* Generic build and design
* Flimsy keyboard
* Charger not included in package

UPDATE (October 8, 2014):

• According to Redfox, a 5V 2A USB wall charger is included in the Wizpad 5 package.
• Redfox has updated its SRP and is now selling at Php18,000USD 307INR 26,003EUR 292CNY 2,234.