ASUS Transformer Prime Hits UK Under 1080p 700 Series' Shadow

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime has finally gone on sale in the UK, with the first stock of the dockable Android tablet going to clear what the company describes as "huge demand and pre-orders." The Tegra 3 quadcore slate – which we reviewed back in December - has since seen an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich, which ASUS released ahead of schedule this week, and comes with a removable battery-equipped QWERTY keyboard for extending runtime and easing text entry.

Successor to the much-loved Eee Pad Transformer, the 10.1-inch tablet also has WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and twin cameras. ASUS says it delayed the UK launch so as to give retailers enough stock to clear their pre-orders, but that more units are expected "over the coming weeks."

In the meantime, of course, ASUS has revealed the Transformer Prime 700 series, a variant on the original Prime but using a 1080p-capable 1920 x 1200 display and sporting a redesigned rear panel to boost wireless and GPS performance. The surprise reveal at CES this week has left some Prime early-adopters fuming, though ASUS doesn't expect to have the Full HD version on the market for a few months yet.

So, grab a Transformer Prime now – complete with the Ice Cream Sandwich update – or hold off and pick up the 700 series version later in the year? Let us know what you plan to do in the comments.