Acer has been present on the tablet market for more than a year, and the buyer has already managed to be remembered by the buyer for several bright models from its products. Even now Iconia devices are on sale, although the very launch of this line began back in 2011. Then one of the first tablets came out - Acer A500. It was distinguished by its novelty (thanks to working on the Android 3.0 operating system), its not entirely ordinary design (developers did not, unlike many others, copy the appearance of a successful Apple iPad) and its accessibility - the device cost only fourteen thousand rubles. Read more about what the user received for this money, read in this article.
Device concept
If you take the tablet in your hands, it seems that its creators profess strict minimalism - there really is nothing superfluous in the device. They even decided to remove even such a common and convenient navigation mechanism on the device as physical keys on the front side - all functions are performed using virtually designated buttons. How comfortable this is - should be judged by the direct buyers of the tablet. However, the question of how to turn on the tablet does not bother the user of the device - there is a key with the corresponding marking, which we will discuss later.
Returning to the design, it should be noted the metal case (which can only be seen on more expensive devices), as well as a colorful screen with a resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels. However, let's not get ahead of ourselves and begin the step-by-step description of the Acer A500 device.
Equipment
We are used to the fact that the packaging of devices from this manufacturer, as a rule, is somewhat modest in nature, has simplicity and conciseness. If we are talking about the Acer Iconia tablet, we see a different picture - the box is beautifully made and looks expensive: the developers clearly hoped to make it something of a gift box. A tablet is placed on it in all its glory with a stylistic signature (name), as well as icons of some of the most significant functions of the device.
If you open the box, we find the power supply (which, incidentally, is large enough, due to its high power), a cord for connecting to a PC, and also a cloth for cleaning the screen.
Appearance
In addition to simplicity in the design of the device, you can also notice some manufacturability, convenient placement of various elements on the side panels. The device is quite thin - without excess, but so much that it is quite convenient to hold it in your hands. On one of the side panels (with horizontal orientation) you can find the power button and a headphone jack (standard, 3.5 millimeters). On the other there is an input for USB, a connector for microUSB, as well as a miniature button for resetting the settings (the so-called Reset). The bottom edge (in the same position) places the port, obviously, used to connect to the docking stations of the tablet.
The metal frame surrounding the display goes to the back of the tablet - here it covers the entire space. The developers performed this panel (which directly contacts the skin of the user's hands) with a special faceted texture, which is a pleasure to touch. And dirt, scuffs and scratches on such a coating will not be visible. Slots for speakers are visible in the lid of the device, and a camera is placed on the left side of the device. The Acer Iconia tablet has a flash located here.
As a small result, I want to say that the model looks pretty nice, and the grayness of the metal and its layout with plastic give the device a technological look.
Screen
Traditionally, we will start with the display, the most visible element for any sensor device. So, we have already noted its resolution, and I want to say that thanks to it, the displayed image looks quite smooth and bright. The device will not be able to boast of color rendering - it is not the most “juicy” here, as it is popular on modern gadgets. However, for everyday work and the performance of ordinary functions, the screen of the Acer A500 tablet is quite suitable.
The display is covered with a special glass, which, according to reviews, is not so actively dirty with handprints. Also, a matte film, which is sold separately from the tablet, can save the situation.
In the vertical orientation at the top is the eye of the proximity sensor, as well as the front camera.
Performance
Describing the data on the processor and device platform, it should be understood that we are talking about the 2011 model. Of course, by modern standards, the tablet can be considered obsolete, while at that time these figures were perceived quite differently.
So, Acer A500 operates on the basis of the Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset (two cores), which gives performance at the level of 1 GHz.
In simple terms, in practice, the tablet’s work with Full HD and 1080p video has a lot of problems. The former are not reproduced at all, the latter are jerky and delayed. Displaying 720p video files is acceptable, but the picture will be appropriate.
The Tegra 2 processor is able to work with the advanced games of that time. Of course, he cannot reproduce modern bulky toys. But some classic games (for example, the same Angry birds, which is mentioned in almost all reviews) will go off with a bang.
Camera
As we already noted, there are two cameras on the tablet. Traditionally, one of them is located on the front, the other on the back of the device. Thus, using the main one (with a resolution of five megapixels), you can take pictures and videos of what is happening around, and using the front (its matrix has a resolution of only 2 megapixels), the user can take “selfies” or conduct video conferences in chat rooms.
The quality of the image received on the Acer A500 is mediocre, it is not worth expecting that it will perfectly transmit color balance. Perhaps using such optics, it’s possible to photograph text files for further reading from the device. And some more sophisticated methods of use, given its capabilities, are hard to come up with.
Battery
Autonomy, as a rule, is a very important parameter for a mobile device. This is not surprising, because no one likes to sit with the gadget at the outlet or carry a portable battery. Since the Acer A500 tablet operates on the basis of the Android operating system (and even one of the earliest versions), it is not worth counting on a high level of its autonomy.
In the technical specifications, it is stated that the model is able to hold out on a single charge up to six hours of time. If you conduct the simplest in essence tests, you can identify the actual battery life (whose capacity, by the way, is 3260 mAh). It equals 4-5 hours (depending on the nature of the actions performed on the tablet). If you need to stretch the duration of the gadget in conditions where it is not possible to recharge, you can resort to the services of the “Airplane” mode. Well, or in extreme cases, carry a charger for the Acer A500 and get ready to look for an outlet.
Memory
For tablets, the issue of placing personal data, of course, is the most relevant. Especially for those in which it is not possible to install a memory card.
On sale there were two versions of the A500 model - on 16 and 32 GB of internal memory. Which tablet to choose, the user decides, based on their own needs and the style of work with the device. However, even if you take less than you would like, you should not get upset - the computer supports memory cards, with which you could fit even more on the device. Thus, you can watch your favorite TV shows on the road or download new “toys” without any difficulty.
Reviews
Since the model was introduced back in 2011, a lot of reviews have appeared since then. This may indicate the popularity of the device, its relevance among users.
Most reviews are positive. They describe the benefits that we identified during the review. People note that it is worth working with a tablet due to the presence of a USB port, two cameras, low cost. Also, some emphasize the attractive, according to their opinion, design of the device, its high-quality assembly.
Of course, there is also part of the negative reviews in which people describe the shortcomings they encountered. These include a too short cord to charge; uncomfortable button (responsible for how to turn on the tablet); easily soiled screen on which fingerprints are too well visible; low autonomy. Some even mentioned various malfunctions of the Acer A500: the Wi-Fi module does not turn on, downloading applications from the Android Market is interrupted, and much more. You can solve such problems either by rebooting yourself or by contacting a service center.
However, it should be understood that each of the above characteristics is only a personal opinion that does not pretend to be objective. Perhaps some of the shortcomings will not seem to you as such after you yourself come across it.
Cost
When the Acer A500 tablet (you already know the specifications) was on sale, it was offered for 12-14 thousand rubles. Given that the device has a fairly strong equipment and supports a large number of functions, being, in fact, universal, we can say that it is inexpensive. That is why the reviews spoke of such an indisputable advantage as the affordable price for the Acer A500 model.
conclusions
So, the time has come to make some conclusions. It is impossible to clearly say anything about which tablet is good or bad. There are two opposing sides, choosing one of which is not so simple.
The A500 model is a fairly powerful tablet computer, which has a whole set of tools for comfortable work of the user. For this, buyers love the gadget. Also, the tablet has an attractive metal case, playing not only an aesthetic, but also a practical (protective) role. Some elements (for example, a camera) cannot be called ideal - but their presence should not be attributed to disadvantages.
At the same time, the device has obviously not the most powerful equipment (even by that standards), and in terms of performance, the tablet, roughly speaking, has room to grow. Therefore, how justified would be the purchase of such a device, everyone decides for himself. As the reviews may indicate, many people were satisfied.