As one of my first forays into Tech reviews, I was sent the Iconia One 8 by Acer. Ranging around the price mark of £100 and coming in a host of colours, the initial appearance of the tablet was welcoming. With its anti-slip criss-cross back it looked much more than the budget tablet I expected.
From the get go the Iconia took me by surprise with the general use of its touch screen. The wider viewing angle is great if someone is trying to muscle in beside you to see what you are watching or reading. Whilst there was glare when used outside, it was much less than I have encountered in other tablets alike. Acer have implemented the Precision Plusᶟ technology also to aid in giving the best touch you would want, whether you are writing or sketching with Acer’s very own Stylus or even with a pencil… yes an actual pencil!
Staying on the visuals, the Iconia One 8 comes with an 8-inch IPS Screen which boasts great colour and can keep up with pretty much anything. From fight scenes to high octane car chases all your films and TV shows are viewable, mainly thanks to the added boost you gain from the Android 5.1 Lollipop OS that the tab runs on.
Audio is a bit of let down as the speakers are situated on the back across the bottom of the Iconia. Meaning if you are resting it down or have hold of it (as most people would), the speaker is mostly blocked, so doesn’t add to an easy holding posture. On a side note, headphones could be used by the headphone port in the top, but isn’t something I personally prefer with tablets.
Getting into the works of the Iconia, as previously mentioned, is powered by Android™ 5.1 Lollipop. With 16 GB of memory (expandable by the SD slot on the side) plus 1GB of RAM using an Intel Atom Quad Core Processor.
The Iconia houses 2 cameras, a 0.3 MP Front facing Camera and the 5 MP Rear facing Camera. Now the only gripe I have with this is the front camera should be better given the use of TeamViewer, Skype or whatever your personal preference to video calls are.
Playing Games on the Iconia was also a breeze simply adding my Google account and downloading apps through Google Play as you would normally.
I encountered no crashes or freezes across an array of titles and really enjoyed myself enough to drain the battery, even with the helpful Battery Assist on prolong its life. From a full charge it can last up to 10 hours, giving you plenty of access throughout your day to Social Media, Work and Play. There are tools to hand to see where your consumption is at its most and even an estimated time of depletion gauged on current use.
Acer have done what I see as a great job with a budget tablet in a declining market, so much so I would go out and purchase one myself, whether for myself in work or just for home for the whole family. A great tablet with an easy functional interface, responsive & precise touch with apps and gadgets galore (just remember your headphones!).
Read more of Luke’s gaming and tech reviews HERE >