The variety of tablets on the electronics market today is amazing. The buyer is offered cheap and expensive devices made in a plastic or metal case, operating on the basis of the Android, iOS or Windows operating system. You must admit that it is rather difficult to understand all this assortment, especially if a person does not have sufficient information about what advantages and disadvantages are hidden by a particular model.
In this article we will introduce you to another interesting device, which, in our opinion, deserves your attention. It's about the Acer W510 tablet. Today we will talk about how it is organized, what characteristics it is endowed with, what users write about it in reviews, and whether it is worth buying it for personal use. In the article we will try to characterize the device in terms of configuration, design, technical capabilities and price.
Positioning
In order for the user to understand how the manufacturer positions his device, we will begin this article with a description of its concept. So, which tablet computer do we characterize now? At what price level is it located in the hierarchy of Acer models, and who is its potential buyer?
We note right away that we are talking about a mid-class device, which debuted back in 2012. Despite this, the tablet continues to be sold on the market at a price of $ 500 per copy. Agree, for such a relatively old device, such a price bar looks strange. However, believe me, the technical capabilities of the gadget are fully consistent with that.
A tablet works on the basis of a powerful chip from Intel of the Atom Z2760 modification, which means that it has wide capabilities (a large amount of RAM, a high clock speed and "smart" work in general) for the average user. In addition, the device has an exclusive design, an original and stylish body, functional additions like a camera module and others. A large supply of memory, optimized software and good build quality - all this complements the big picture and exposes the Acer W510 in the most attractive light possible.
Equipment
We would like to start a more detailed description with a presentation of the device kit and a description of the auxiliary modules that come with the tablet. First of all, we are talking about a docking station. The developers of the device announced the release of the device exclusively complete with this accessory, which turns a simple tablet into a full-fledged laptop. As you can guess, the docking station that comes with the device for sale is an original development designed for the Acer W510. It is not worth worrying about its compatibility (both at the program level, and in terms of design and usability). In its dimensions, colors, materials of which the docking station is made, it is fully consistent with the concept of the tablet. That is why working with it using the Acer W510 is a pleasure.
The functionality of the docking station is very wide: it can become a convenient stand for your tablet if you deploy it at the opposite angle. It also integrates a USB port and a connector for connecting an external battery.
Design
The device has a very stylish appearance, which indicates the manufacturability of the device, its wide functionality. Critics emphasize that the developers did not use the common style used in all tablet models (the well-known "rectangle", which is used by both Chinese noname developers and leading brands for some of their cheap devices). The company that launched the Acer W510 tablet spared no resources to create its own design and integrate it into the overall ecosystem of its devices. In particular, a pseudo-metal casing (made of plastic), consisting of two parts - external and internal, can testify to this. The first includes a contour made in gray, while the second is a dark frame around the display and the "filling" of the tablet itself.
In their reviews, users emphasize that the device really looks interesting and to some extent even original (despite the wide variety of tablet PCs of different shapes and sizes). Nevertheless, such an image has its drawbacks. For example, one of them is the brandiness of the gadget. It is enough to apply just one careless scratch - and your Acer Iconia W510 tablet will lose its perfect look. To avoid this, you must be extremely careful in operation.
CPU
On the tablet, as already noted, the Intel Atom Z2760 chipset is installed. It supports the operation of the Windows operating system (x86), which we will discuss in more detail later. The speed of the processor itself is noted by reviews on the positive side. Users claim that they did not notice any problems with the response of their tablet. There is nothing surprising in this, since in general the system here is much more balanced and optimized than the shell that goes on some Android devices. Due to this, visually the operation of the device looks much "faster".
The Intel GMA 3650 accelerator also plays an important role. It is designed to work with "heavy" graphics, so there will be no problems with playing even the most top games on this device.
RAM
When it comes to the operation of mobile devices, it is very important to note how much RAM (or device RAM) has. With this feature, you will understand how the tablet computer will respond to the opening of several programs at the same time. Since the specifications describing our Acer Iconia W510 indicate the presence of 2 GB of RAM, you can be sure that even working with several applications will not affect its performance at all.
Autonomy
No matter how technological a mobile device is, the question of its autonomous operation and the level of energy consumption remains the most relevant. Indeed, in essence, this indicator depends on how long the device can function without additional charge. And in the case of the Acer Iconia W510, the situation regarding its autonomy can be called very positive. The device’s battery has a capacity of 3540 mAh, which makes it possible to work continuously in read mode for up to 10 hours on a single charge. This means that in maximum load mode on the entire system, the tablet will last up to 5 hours. This is enough to enjoy your device on the road or somewhere away from the outlet. At the same time, do not forget about the docking station mentioned above.
With it, the operating time of your Acer Iconia W510 doubles! Indeed, inside this accessory is mounted yet another battery having a similar capacity. So in general, we can talk about the fact that in any operating mode, our tablet is enough for a full-time work.
operating system
In order to characterize the operation of Windows 8, originally presented on this device, it is necessary for the reader to have experience with this modification of the system. First of all, the "Desktop" mode, which we observed on other mobile versions of Windows-oriented devices, should be noted. It looks like this: before the user appears a screen with a "tile" in the Microsoft-style, symbolizing the designation of various programs and applications. In a way, this is the same “desktop” of Android devices, stylized differently. If desired, the user can leave it and go to the menu where all applications and add-ons will be available.
The logic of the Windows system on the Acer Iconia W510 is fully preserved. To understand what is meant, you need to work with the device yourself. Some users believe that such an organization of the system is very efficient and convenient, while others, on the contrary, criticize Windows and consider it uncomfortable for work.
And, of course, let's not forget about the obvious advantages of this system, such as a suite of office applications, for example. For some users, they are a determining factor in choosing a system for their tablet.
Screen
Looking at the device’s display, the bright and saturated colors of the IPS matrix immediately become noticeable. They can not be confused with anything and, according to users, it is precisely this saturation that makes working with the tablet very convenient and understandable in any lighting conditions. Another point showing the quality of the Acer W510 screen (reviews confirm this) is the excellent visibility of the image on the monitor, even if the device is tilted. Anyway, viewing angles can be a universal measure of screen quality, so in this case of this model we could give a rating of "5" at the very beginning of the test.
Another confirmation of this is the high resolution and pixel accuracy. Despite the fact that the screen diagonal is only 10.1 inches, the device has a resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels. This means high pixel density and, as a result, excellent image quality.
Communication
In terms of communication capabilities, the Acer W510 (the review of which we are conducting) is ambiguous. There are classic data transfer modules (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth), as well as a contactless payment module and NFC battery charging. In this case, the tablet does not have a SIM card slot (therefore, there is no support for 3G / LTE connection); and also there is no GPS sensor to determine the location of the tablet. Probably, the developers refused these additions due to the positioning of the device not as a portable portable gadget, but rather as a personal computer or laptop for solving work tasks.
Heating
Another interesting point that we would like to disclose in this article is how hot the device’s body becomes during its operation. After all, as you know, the more powerful the gadget, the higher the risk that it will become very hot and at the same time create additional discomfort to the user. How is the problem with the Acer W510?
Characteristics indicate that the tablet is equipped with a passive cooling system, which means an increased risk of heating it during operation. In addition, a processor with an X86 architecture is installed here, which also makes it more prone to temperature increase. However, you really should not worry about this.
User reviews commenting on the work of the Acer Iconia W510 show that even in maximum load mode the device heats up no more than a regular laptop during normal operation. This means that you won’t be burnt about its back cover every time you launch games with 3D graphics or watch HD-quality films.
Laptop / Tablet Modes
A couple of words I would like to devote to the possibility of switching modes of using the gadget. There are two of them, as you already understood from the name: a tablet with a touch screen and a full-fledged laptop with a touchpad. The first is characterized by autonomous operation and recognition of user commands through the touch screen, while the second is the operation of the device using the docking station and, accordingly, user input through the touchpad located at the base of the accessory.
Reviews
What information do users who purchase the model described in this article leave? How satisfied are they with their purchase? This is best found in the reviews about the tablet. Many of them are dated 2012, however, despite this, they remain relevant for us and our article.
So, in general, buyers note the operation of the device is very positive. For many of them, the tablet seemed the perfect solution, because it perfectly combines the portability of the tablet and the functionality of the laptop. In addition, the excellent build quality, design and features of Windows 8 only improve the impression of the model.
Negatively, many of the buyers rate Acer's pricing. Obviously, the developer determines the cost of devices not based on the real technical capabilities of the model, but based on some marketing considerations. Some buyers complain about the high cost of the tablet.
There are also comments regarding stability. Users are likely to encounter defective device instances. The Acer W510 they bought does not charge, does not catch a Wi-Fi network, or does not “see” the docking station. In this case, the best solution is to contact the store and exchange the device for a working one.
conclusions
What about the W510 as a whole? This is a good tablet that combines the positive qualities of a portable device and a laptop. It can be a great choice for business people who know what they need. Therefore, we would recommend such a gadget to you if it seems suitable for your purpose.