Acer Iconia Tab A501-10S16u 10.1-Inch HD Tablet (Aluminum Metallic, Locked to AT&T))
The Acer Iconia Tab A200 has finally landed in the US and is on display at the CES event Las Vegas. This Tegra 2 powered tablet comes bearing the right mix of useful features and affordable pricing to make it stand out amongst the more powerful and hyped up options such as Tegra 3 devices and the Intel debutant Medfield. Even with Windows 8 demo devices all around and the A500 still on sell, the A200 still quite an attractive option for the market.
The Iconia Tab A200 has right features going for it — it is a 10inch tablet powered by NVIDIA’s last generation SoC Tegra 2. Before you turn up your nose at what can look like old hat, consider this — it will soon be updated to Android 4.0 ICS and it can be yours for $330. That’s right, this is a 10inch Android 4.0 tablet in the making that is selling for $330 MSRP. Actual selling price might be lower.
And for that amount, you will not be leaving much behind. The A200 does away with the aluminum body of the A500 and comes with a pastic body instead. However, it has not sacrificed much on the feel and it still has a soft and slightly textured finish that makes it comfortable to use. It is clearly thicker than most of the other tablets but it is one of the very few models that come with a USB 2.0. port.
It has a 10.1inch display that puts out 1280×800 pixels, which is great for HD video playback. Sure it is not 1080p like the A700 but then that is okay because it is not as expensive as the A700 or the A500 either. The display has a narrow viewing angle, which is okay for the personal use scenario that most tablets go through. It will only be an issue when you are trying to share it. But then how many people can you share a 10inch tablet with?
Additionally, the Acer Ring UI makes for a nice way to launch apps even if you decide to go round the normal way. It looks good and feels good in the hand too.
Over all, it is a good bet right now for those who want a sizeable android tablet but don’t want to shell out $500 for it. To be fair though, the A200’s 8GB version comes for $330 and the $16GB for $350. In comparison, the A500 is selling for below $500.
One argument that experts are making against such devices is that Tegra and similar devices are going to get cheaper and cheaper. The market has made its point clear about wanting cheap and functional designs and companies like Asus intend to deliver on that demand. In that light, it might become hard for the Iconia to compete in the market. But till that time arrives later this year, this is something your can get started on immediately.
