As if there weren’t already enough options in the Android budget tablet segment, Acer has just come out with a few more options – 2 to be precise – to entice buyers. Both the tablets form part of the Iconia model line-up and run Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean instead of the latest Android KitKat, which might be a small price to pay considering both are priced well within the affordable range.
The range starts with the Iconia B1-720 and is priced a quite attractive $130. The tablet sports matching specs which includes a dual core 1.3 GHz chip, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of storage that is complemented with a microSD card slot that can add another 32 GB of storage. The tablet also comes with a front facing camera with none at the rear.
However, the real issue here could be the just 5 hours of battery life that the B1-720 has to offer. With specs that can support ebook reading, playing games, web surfing and so on, the paltry backup time can prove to be the deal breaker here. This since with that much of battery life, the use of the device for just reading ebooks, considered perhaps the most basic of tasks to be accomplished on a tablet can also turn out to be chore.
With the Iconia A1-830, it’s a slightly bigger device that we are looking at, one that offers a 7.9 inch 1024 x 768 pixel display. The rest of the specs are similar to its smaller sibling expect that it is powered by an Intel Atom Z2560 Clover trail chip clocked at 1.6GHz. The tablet also sports a micro USB port and comes with front 720p and rear HD webcam. Battery life is a bit more respectable 7.5 hours. All this for a price tag of $149 in the US and $199 in Canada. This makes us wonder why would anyone opt for the cheaper B1-720 when one can have a better and bigger device for just $20 more. Acer originally announced the price to be $180 though clarified it later to be $149.
In any case, the Iconia A1-830 at $149 can be considered to have been priced just right as it comes across as an affordable option for the ultra-low cost tablet segment that is comprised mainly of products from tier-two companies while also coming across as an affordable option against better placed tablet offering such as the Galaxy Tab 3 or even the Nexus 7. True the A1-830 may lack the oomph factor of the Nexus 7 tablet that starts at $230 but comes across as an affordable option for those who are ready to sacrifice performance for a few bucks.
Sovan Mandal is the senior tablet and tech corespondent for goodereader.com. He brings a international approach to news that is not just applicable to the North American market, but also Asia, India, Europe and others. Sovy brings his own writing flavor to the website and is interested in Science Fiction, Technology and Writing. Any questions, send an email