I have used an early Kindle Fire 7" (rooted and upgraded to KitKat 4.4.2) for a while now. I wanted a more recent, faster device with a slightly bigger screen, that was lighter to hold. I waited for this tablet to be released, and I'm glad I did.+++ Performance +++The speed of the device is excellent. I notice almost no lag on pretty much anything I care to run on it (although I'm not a tablet gamer). I have a reference material app that is about 100MB in size and navigation and data retrieval from that app is snappy and without problems. Having Kitkat helps since it's the fastest android yet, but still, the quad-core processor in this tablet is quick.+++ Screen +++The display is 1280x800, looks very nice, is bright and the colors are vivid. I like the 8" size because it's great for reading with a decent font size, without the bulk of a 10" screen.+++ Physical feel / ergonomics / weight +++I liked the kind of rubberized back of the Kindle Fire so I wondered if I would like the back of this device as much. I have to say that I do like it. It doesn't feel quite as solid as the Kindle but then again it's much thinner and lighter, so maybe that's why. At 0.8 pounds this thing is great to hold even for extended periods. I am unsure about the [power/volume] button placement and style. The buttons are on the right side towards the top, but are located on the rounded 'corner' of the tablet between the side and the back. I guess this is so that whether you place the tablet on its side or back, the buttons won't get pressed by accident. The buttons do feel solid though.*** Edit Jan 10, 2015 ***Once you get used to the buttons they are fine to use. They are very solid and add to the feeling of this being a well-built tablet.+++ OS / GUI feel +++I like it. For those of you worried about whether Asus strayed too far from stock Android - don't be. There is a mild Asus 'skin' but it looks very nice and it's easy to get to every single stock android setting that you are used to. The quick menus that you pull down from the top are customizable and give access to pretty much everything you'd need fast access to.+++ Features +++This thing is loaded up. Latest Intel Atom quad-core CPU, GPS, Bluetooth, MicroSD card slot, front and rear cameras, it even supports Miracast to wirelessly transmit the tablet's video output to a TV or other large screen. And of course the latest version of Android.A lot of folks will want to know more about the camera performance. To be honest I don't really use them much on my tablet, since my Galaxy S5 has better cameras. But from what I've seen, the cameras are pretty good and should do an ok job.+++ Battery Life / Power / Charging +++I have only run it through a couple of charges so far. It seems to last pretty well. It drains quicker than my Kindle did but then again it does have 30% more screen area, and the screen is by far the biggest drain on the battery.The included charger is a 1.5 amp device. Pretty much any charger that outputs via MicroUSB seems to work. I keep a Powergen battery pack in the car in case any of my personal electronics start to die and it charges well off that too.www.amazon.com/PowerGen-12000mAh-External-Battery-Capacity/dp/B0085OB0IEI may edit this portion of my review after I've had it a month or two and seen how the battery performs.*** Edit Jan 10, 2015 ***I notice that others have complained about the battery life, but I haven't had much of an issue with it. Sure if you use it solid for 6-8 hours on a bright screen setting it's going to drain. But that's not unusual for most tablets.+++ Value for money +++For $199, I've never come across a tablet that's so well specified and loaded with features. For the money, I don't see how you can be disappointed. Blows the pants off an iPad mini, that's close to twice the price, and this tablet has a bigger screen.*** Edit Jan 10, 2015 ***I picked up the purple one for the missus at just $160 last week, even though this tablet has been out a few months you can't beat the spec at that price. I've seen this model available for as low as $149.99 with free shipping if you watch out for the deals.+++ Negatives +++It's hard to find any. But if I had to gripe about something, it's the lack of an ambient light sensor. A lot of tablets have this now, and it brightens and dims the screen automatically according to how bright it is in the room. However, the brightness slider is just one swipe away at all times (it's at the top of the right-hand menu pull-down). There's no way I could take a star off my review for this since it's is the only minor gripe I have with the device.+++ Conclusion +++If you are looking for a budget device but with the latest OS and great performance, this tablet is for you. I would recommend it without hesitation.