Review and testing of the tablet Acer Iconia W700. Experience with Acer Iconia W700 ultrabook tablet

Tablets have recently been developing faster than the old ones are covered with dust. Until recently, an ultrabook seemed to be the last word, but here you are - tablets have caught up with ultrabooks in terms of performance and run on the same OS. It may sound strange, but I don’t fully understand why they are needed. The result is thick and heavy devices with large enough dimensions for a tablet, and they are not as convenient to use as their less powerful counterparts. Often these sub-ultrabooks are well equipped with docks with a keyboard and trackpad (thank you very much if the extra battery fits there). But with what we have on review today, it's a different story.

The tablet we're talking about today is well built, comes with a bunch of extras, runs Windows 8, and boasts a third-generation Core i5 processor. He has everything to rightfully be called cool. And he is really good, today we will discuss Acer Iconia Tab W700.

First Impressions

When such a tablet falls into the hands, there is a feeling of confusion. He is big. When you think about a tablet, you definitely do not count on such dimensions of the device. The first thought that comes to mind is that someone tore off the laptop display. And why is the laptop so heavy? The tablet should be more convenient and compact. And after examining the complete accessories, it immediately becomes clear that this is not so mobile device. Further study of the physiology of the device increasingly discourages the desire to carry it with you.

The first impressions of working with the device are positive. But there is one nuance that left an unpleasant aftertaste. It is difficult to explain this in some way, but sometimes to enter a password from WiFi networks Or for login in Store it was necessary to reboot. The thing is that the operating system completely refused to enter the second character in the field and threw it to another menu. How to overcome this, I still did not understand, fortunately, one password entry is enough. Otherwise, first impressions can be called pleasant. But not in relation to mobility.

Design, buttons, display...

I have always liked the design of devices from Acer. They have their own style, and it's hard to confuse their device with another. At the same time, you can look at their devices without tears. On the contrary, they are pleasing to the eye. With the Iconia Tab W700, too, everything is fine, although subjectively. There are no associations with other manufacturers, which is good news. Pleasant to the touch monolithic body is made of unpainted aluminum, the appearance of scratches on it (from rings, for example) is a matter of time. Dropping it, like all other aluminum devices, is highly discouraged. If you drop it, then take care of your legs - you can get badly damaged by such a tablet.

The shape of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 differs from other tablets only in thickness, which is equal to the thickness of the bottom Macbook Pro. And the rest is the same rectangle with smoothed corners. The only plastic element on the case is located at the back. This is a white insert, under which the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennas are located. Although no, still plastic buttons. Stickers do not look very aesthetically pleasing technical information along the perimeter of the hull. Fortunately, you can get rid of them. A sticker Intel Core i5 inside on the back of the tablet causes a temporary pattern break.

So, if you twist the tablet, the following situation emerges. On the back, in addition to the plastic panel, there is a main camera with a microphone slot and a polished Acer logo. On the top side - automatically returning to one position, the display orientation lock slider and two large cooling slots. The lower edge is filled with "information" stickers, a slot for another microphone and holes for two stereo speakers. On the right side of the case there is a power button, a volume rocker, a headphone jack and another sticker with a serial number next to the Iconia logo. Speaking of buttons. They are miserable, pressed tightly and do not always respond to pressure. It is possible that this is just an option for journalists told a lot on the way, but not the essence. On the left is the third microphone, Micro HDMI, full-sized USB 3.0 and a power connector. The location of all these elements is convenient, but the speakers are often covered by a table, a belly, a hand, and everything that you want to lean on the device.

The front side is traditionally almost completely reserved for an 11.6 '' display. Protective glass surrounded by a thin border that only gets wider at the bottom. There, under the display, there is a Win button and an imprint of the Acer logo. Between the frame and the glass, a rubber gasket protrudes slightly. GorillaGlass 2 is used to protect the screen. The glass is very easily soiled, it is difficult to remove the remnants of work and the effects of a runny nose from it. The picture on the display looks beautiful and pleasing to the eye (thanks to the IPS matrix with proprietary CineCrystal technology and LED backlighting). The viewing angles are maximum, regardless of the position, the colors do not change. The display resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels with a pixel density of 189 ppi. The 16:9 aspect ratio goes well with the above. Despite the fact that ultra-high resolution displays are in vogue today, it is very pleasant to work with this and the pixel density is enough to head. The sensor supports ten simultaneous clicks.

Standard delivery

The standard delivery of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 includes a stand with a hub for three USB 3.0 and a wireless keyboard (the design of which is almost completely copied by you-know-who). The stand can be installed horizontally or vertically. It also has a power connector. There are two holes for sound and a slot for the Win button. A big disadvantage is the unregulated tilt level, which can make use uncomfortable. The keyboard has a fairly good move and did not cause any complaints from me.

All this together sounds good, if not for the size of the tablet. So, the case pulled 295 x 191 x 11.9 mm with a weight of 950 grams. There is a certain problem with this, since the tablet should ... no, it just has to weigh less! It is definitely inconvenient to hold a kilogram device on a canopy. Lying on the couch with such a fat man is also not what I would like from a tablet rested in my stomach. But he makes up for it with a very attractive appearance and accessories.

Cameras, photo and video

I would very much like to see a person who would be comfortable using the camera of this device. It's not that there are any serious flaws in it, just shooting on a tablet is already inconvenient, because this one is also heavy. But back to our Iconia Tab. There are two cameras - webcam and main. The front camera is up to 2 megapixels, but it is noisy. Although it should be enough for video communication. The main camera of 5 megapixels already sounds good, but looks so-so. It does not cause much enthusiasm and resembles the cameras of cheap smartphones that are not the first freshness. But do not forget that this is a camera in a tablet, which few people use. Personally, I have never used the camera in the tablet (pampering in the first couple of days of use does not count). At good light the photo can turn out to be watchable, but with the video it’s not very strong here (although the recording is in 1080p, but 10 frames per second spoil everything). So for show there are cameras, there are two of them, and, in principle, under certain conditions they can be useful.

Hardware, software and battery

most strong point Acer Iconia Tab W700 is the stuffing. A very modern ultrabook was paved in the carcass of the tablet. Actually, that's where active cooling and almost a kilogram of weight come from. Specifications are really very good for a tablet: dual core Intel processor Core i5-3317U running at 1.7 GHz; 4 GB random access memory; integrated Intel HD 4000 chip; 128 GB SSD. Benchmark scores are not really high level but it's a tablet. Index Windows performance put a mark of 5.3 points out of 9.9 possible, where the video accelerator, as expected, became the weakest point. In the PCMark7 test, the Iconia Tab W700 scored 4475 points, which is an excellent result for a tablet or even an ultrabook. I must say that it does not get as hot as I expected. Although it is very unusual to hear the noise of the cooler in such devices.

"That's where he has to give up, is in autonomy!" I thought at first. And I was wrong. The 4850 mAh battery holds up well with such hardware. Unfortunately, I have no way to compare with the Microsoft Surface Pro, which, by the way, has exactly the same production capacity, but according to the specialized forums, the Acer Iconia Tab W700 will live a couple of hours longer. Personally, for a day of using the tablet in Internet browsing mode, watching videos and other undemanding tasks, I managed to land 65% of the battery charge. And I absolutely did not expect that he would last so long without an outlet. In other words, it should be enough for a working day, but if you have stressful tasks in your plans, then charging will definitely not hurt.

1. Contents of delivery
2. Positioning
3. Design, dimensions, controls
4. Display
5. Battery
6. Communication options
7. Memory
8. Camera
9. Performance
10. Hardware platform
11. Multimedia
12. Impression

Contents of delivery

The tablet came to us in a huge dense light gray package, the dimensions of which (440x235x125 mm) would be the envy of many shoeboxes from under boots. But before I tell you what is included in the complete kit, it is necessary to explain what options and specifications are generally available.

On the front panel there is a peephole of the front camera and a small indicator of its operation, at the bottom there is a mechanical button (dimensions 20x6x1mm) "Start". It is quite tight, so you have to press hard. Designed to return to the start screen or launch the previous application.

On the bottom side there are two speakers hidden under six holes on each side and covered with a red metal grille. In the center is a hardware reset button for the device.

Standard 3.5mm headphone jack, volume rocker and power button with LED. They rise a little above the body, are easily groped with fingers, the stroke is small.

On the top side there are two grids for output warm air(active cooling system) and non-fixed (moved to the side and returned to its original position) mechanical screen orientation lock.

The power socket, full-sized USB port, microHDMI and the second microphone are on the left side.

On the back side, on the left, there is a camera eye and a small LED signaling its operation.

In general, Acer W700 has a very nice ergonomic design, presentable appearance and cool body materials.

Display

Display Diagonal Acer tablet The Tab W700 is 11.6 inches. Its physical size is 256x144 mm, the aspect ratio is 16x9, the resolution is quite high for such a diagonal - 1920x1080 pixels, while the density is 189 pixels per inch. It uses a high-quality CineCrystal IPS-matrix. The sensitivity and accuracy of the calibration is at a high level, the touch layer works out up to 10 simultaneous touches.

The viewing angles are maximum, the picture is not distorted at all, the brightness remains almost unchanged even under significant screen tilts. Brightness is adjustable over a wide range: from about 30 cd/m2 to 340 cd/m2. Naturally, there is a light sensor that adjusts the brightness quite smoothly and quickly. The contrast ratio is approximately 950:1.

All screen settings are familiar to Windows.

Viewing angles of the Acer W700 display

Battery

The tablet has a 3-section lithium-polymer (Li-Pol) battery with a capacity of 4850 mAh. Maximum power supply - 65 watts. The developer does not provide any data on autonomy. I used the tablet in various modes with different screen brightness. On average, the tablet “lived” for about 10 hours: the brightness was 50%, mail and twitter synchronization was on, every hour I browsed sites for 20-30 minutes, used the menu, launched office documents. In Internet surfing mode, the device worked for about 8 hours - this is about 40% of the screen brightness, and all synchronization is turned on. If you want to watch a movie (HD 720p, sound output to headphones), then count on 5 hours at maximum brightness and about two hours if you “hack” into not the most resource-intensive toys. However, I tested the W700 on Need For Speed ​​Most Wanted. With NFS "battery" sat down after 1.5 hours (maximum brightness, sound output to speakers).

The most interesting thing is that the W700 lay in the "sleep" mode for about two weeks and did not discharge by one percent.

I can’t say that the figures are amazing, but almost all tablets often have less battery life. I would compare the autonomy of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 with, of course, if you do not "strain" the first one by 100%.

Communication options

The machine is equipped with wireless Wi-Fi technologies 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 / 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.0. Both controllers operate on a Qualcomm Atheros chip (AR5BMD222) with a PCIe x1 interface.

During testing, no failures were observed: the Internet via Wi-Fi steadily “reached” the tablet, and the Bluetooth keyboard functioned without problems.

Memory

Unfortunately, the Acer W700 was not equipped with a card reader, and there is only one USB input. Those. by connecting a “flash drive” to a USB, you will have to wait with the rest of the devices.

The drive is a high-speed 128 GB SSD drive from the company. The model is called THNSNS128GMCP. It uses 24nm flash memory, SATA-III 6Gb/s interface, power consumption is 3.9W. Brief technical characteristics:

• ATA standard: ATA8-ACS
• LBA Size: 48-bit
• Heads: 16
• Cylinders: 16 383
• Features: SMART, APM, NCQ, TRIM, SSD
• Maximum read speed: just over 400MB/s
• Maximum write speed: just over 230MB/s

Crystal Disk Mark Test

HD Tune Pro test

RAM in the device 4 GB (dual-channel DDR3 SDRAM, 665 MHz).

Camera

The device was equipped with two camera modules: the main one with 5 MP, the front one with 0.9 MP. The maximum photo resolution is 2592x1944 pixels, video is 1920x1080 pixels at 10 frames per second.

The photo quality is mediocre, comparable to budget phones. There is auto focus and manual focus. The minimum distance to the object is 30 mm. Video W700 writes no better: it greatly increases, the number of frames is only 10, the sound is gurgling and like from a barrel.

And here front-camera liked it. For communication in Skype is quite suitable.

Few camera settings:

• Permission
• Stabilization
• Brightness
• Contrast
• Focus (auto, manual)
• exposition

Camcorder settings:

• Resolution (from 240p to 1080p)
• Stabilization
• Brightness
• Contrast
• Focus (auto, manual)
• exposition

Video file characteristic:

• File Format: 3gp
• Video codec: AVC, 10 Mbps
• Resolution: 1920x1080, 10 fps
• Audio codec: AAC, 132 Kbps
• Channels: 2 channel, 44 kHz

Test table

• Sample video 1 (MP4, 69 MB) >>>
• Sample video 2 (MP4, 50 MB) >>>

Performance

IN this tablet the Intel Core i5 (3317U) processor, already familiar to almost all laptops and desktop PCs, is used:

Chipset - html " target="_blank">Intel HM77.

The performance index gives the device 5.4 points, the minimum value, which is natural, is gained by the graphics accelerator. The processor is rated at 6.9 points, memory - 5.9, graphics in games - 6.3, and HDD – 8.1.

CPU-Z Data

The usual integrated graphics of the Ivy Bridge processor line - Intel HD Graphics 4000 - also acts as a graphics accelerator. Compared to Intel HD Graphics 3000, HD4000 has been redesigned and offers DirectX 11 capabilities. Theoretically, it can show performance 60% higher than HD3000.

I think that neither the processor nor the video card really needs a wide introduction. For those who are interested, the following data: the game Mass Effect 3 (low quality) at a resolution of 1366x768 produces 23 - 33 frames per second, Dirt 3 (low quality) - 22 - 28 frames per second, Deus EX HR - 19 - 31 fps , Battlefield 3 - about 25 fps. In general, you can play, in principle, but at the minimum settings and at low resolution.

When decoding FullHD video, there are no problems: the videos are played smoothly without the slightest lag.

As for the noise, frankly speaking, even on the heaviest applications, the coolers did not overclock so much that they could be heard. Well, a warm breeze - yes, it came out.

performance test CPU

I would rate the volume of the built-in speakers at 4 out of 5: you can hear well at a distance of two meters, you don’t have to strain your hearing. The quality is adequate, considering that we have a tablet in front of us.

Conclusion

Ordinary bulky laptops are gradually being replaced by lightweight ultrabooks with the same filling, and over time they will be replaced by even lighter tablets. I like the current trend of ease of use mobile devices, and the use of touch screens has played a big role in this. However, now the turning point has come when we already have powerful tablet computers, but they are still relatively large for comfortable use in all situations. Therefore, I believe that it is difficult to attribute such devices to any class and clearly define the circle of consumers.

The Acer Iconia Tab W700 gadget was liked, first of all, by its appearance, case materials and high-quality screen. There are probably no negative points. If you think otherwise, please unsubscribe in the comments, I will read it with pleasure.

2 years ago

Enough for a long time battery life, performance, form factor.

2 years ago

A nice box and the equipment itself deserves respect; - small and light power supply; - long battery life; - the speed of the output of their sleep (namely, sleep, like a regular computer) and the boot time of the system; - build quality - no backlash, no creaks - monolith; - I consider optimally selected parameters (stone/memory); - the quality of the screen itself - viewing angles and the quality of the picture itself (dirt is removed quite easily; - this is Windows - unless you need another android; - an excellent case (similar to apple ones), with a choice of three stand positions.

2 years ago

Excellent screen, super color reproduction, great viewing angles. Good sound Functionality (win8, intel Ai3) Comfortable keyboard cover.

2 years ago

An excellent device in all respects and the merit of this is in the full-fledged Win on which you can install AutoCAD, 1C, Bank and Microsoft office(including Outlook, OneNote) to which, unfortunately, there is still no alternative. I've been using it for work for three years now.

2 years ago

In general, there are many advantages. For example, it replaces my ordinary PC. The processor is what you need, excellent quality, easy to use in the "fresh air". Permission is needed. Pleased with the presence of Bluetooth. The eighth Windows turned out to be very convenient (as it was not littered on the Internet), probably more convenient than the Seven. Pulls all games, but with brakes. Three USB connectors in the docking station pleased no less than the presence of Bluetooth. The keyboard is of high quality (it's a pity that there are no f1, f2, f3 ... f12 buttons and other functional buttons, you have to hold down fn).

2 years ago

Very high quality screen - complete set - EXCELLENT sound! - USB 3.0 - WIND 8

2 years ago

Impressive iron for its size, metal design

2 years ago

Very nimble and quite reliable. Very pleasant to the eye and to the touch. Excellent screen resolution. Perfectly catches wi-fi, without disconnections from its side. The presence of HDMI - perfectly connected to the TV.

2 years ago

There are really a lot of pluses, speed, windows 8, equipment, quality. All the disadvantages listed by me and other users are compensated by the speed of work. It is quite suitable for work, I personally use Sony vegans 11 on it without problems.

2 years ago

Super device! 1. Windows 8 is the best solution among mobile and desktop systems. Works great, sooo fast and smooth, plus all the features of a regular laptop. As a tablet, excellent, IE strikes with the speed of work, in general, the system is very well adapted for normal surfing the Internet - watching movies, toys, good applications, perfectly integrated with the system. As a workstation, excellent, i3-3217U is an excellent processor, Office 2013 touch mode is quite suitable, all software with previous versions Windows works well. 2. Extensibility. One port on the tablet, three on the station (I also have a replicator). As a result, at home, I have a tablet connected to a powerful external sound system, hard drive, keyboard mouse, printer and external monitor. How many USB ports are there on the iPad? :-) 3. Screen. IPS-matrix, excellent

2 years ago

Disk space.

2 years ago

The location of the power button and the volume rocker is often confused, you have to grope for it.
with active cooling (even on i3).
- there is no possibility to increase the amount of memory;
- as already mentioned - raw firewood for Wi-Fi out of the box;
- often because of one flush, the cooler starts to warm up and turns on (in the future it will probably clog and be noisier);
- no gprs modem (sim card) on the road would be very helpful.

2 years ago

Both cameras are budget-friendly... the quality is appropriate... the back one is quite frail, the front one for skype will do... given the weight, equipment and the fact that there is no modem and navigator, it's more of a laptop with a cool screen and a small hard drive, rather than a tablet like a stub )))
After the update, Windows began to blunt ...
Because of high definition everything is very small on the screen, farsightedness and a bluetooth mouse save me, which saves the rest, I have no idea ... I guess a magnifying glass)))

2 years ago

A few months ago, the screen began to flake off, bubbles formed under the touch glass, fortunately so far along the edges. Acer does not comment on this.

2 years ago

Heavy (but what do I want from a tablet PC?). The cameras are not very good (it will do for Scoop). Little memory (saved a portable hard drive). Because of the purchase of this tablet, they consider me to have gone. That's all the shortcomings.

2 years ago

Only 1 USB 3.0
- battery
- heavy
- no memory expansion slot

2 years ago

Perhaps the only drawback is the weight of the tablet in the case - the keyboard. But for me it is insignificant.

2 years ago

A couple of months after the purchase (it was in November 2013), bubbles began to appear under the screen along the edges. And today (May 2015) there are only a lot more of them. In addition, since the beginning of the year it has been non-working - Windows has flown with all the data after official updates.
Very heavy - you can’t take it with you for a walk and in a cafe.
The keyboard cover that came with the kit was unreliable, it suffered very quickly from cat claws. In addition, it does not fully dress - it feels like it is small by 3 mm, and it is also inconvenient to press the lock and sound buttons with it.
Weak speaker.
Discharges strongly, so you can actively use only when charging.

2 years ago

The weight, with the cover is really heavy, but what power, and even visible, it eats 20 gigs from the screw.

2 years ago

1. The pre-installed version of the system from Acer is terrible. Installed a clean Win 8 Pro x64.
2. The screen resolution is good, but in desktop mode it is difficult to do anything with your fingers.
3. Very cropped keyboard. The F-row is missing, many actions require Fn, the Windows 8 buttons are for some reason duplicated by Fn + number, although they can be called with the usual Win + C, Win + I, etc.
4. The idea of ​​a docking station is not as cool as I thought before buying, plus the ports are hidden far back. It also does not allow the use of wide microHDMI adapters.

(6 Votes)

Acer Iconia W700 tablet review

As long as the companies producing equipment equipped with an operating room Windows system 8, do not find out what users expect from a modern mobile PC, they will continue to release various devices in order to find the optimal set of qualities and characteristics for their products. But already now we can safely say that hybrid tablets-laptops are very popular. In the AV market, models with weak Atom processor and quite strong devices with a Core i5 CPU, the characteristics of which were not inferior to powerful laptops. Therefore, on this moment most users are forced to make a choice between high performance tablet and its time battery life.

Once we have already considered with a removable keyboard, and now we have to test the W700, the cost of which reaches 24,000 rubles. Acer Iconia W700 is 11 inch tablet, which is essentially an ultrabook without a keyboard. Some may think that the W700 is just a smaller copy of the W510, but they will be wrong. Unlike the W510, the new Acer doesn't have a detachable keyboard or docking station to charge the tablet, but it does come with a modular stand that can support the tablet in both landscape and portrait orientations. Let's test the Acer Iconia W700 and see how the lack of a detachable keyboard and docking station affects and what the Core i5 processor costs.

Design

To be honest, we don't even know where to start, because the W700 is a tablet/laptop hybrid. First of all, you need to evaluate the convenience of the device when using it as an 11-inch tablet. The Iconia W700 looks solid enough thanks to its one-piece aluminum body. But at the same time, the tablet is too bulky: it weighs 2.09 pounds and has a body thickness of 0.47 inches. Basically, these parameters are due to the presence of a full-size USB 3.0 port, the thickness of which would in no way allow developers to create an ultra-thin case. The tablet also has a micro HDMI port, headphone jack, volume rocker, power button, screen orientation lock and two speakers. In addition, the package includes an HDMI to VGA adapter in case the user wants to connect a projector to the device.

The developers also took into account the presence of a processor in the Core i5 tablet, which is typical for powerful laptops, and added two deep vents along the edges of the case. Of course, under these conditions, all other non-ventilated Atom CPU tablets will be significantly thinner and lighter than the Acer Iconia W700. Note that even some i5 tablets, including those with the same thickness, are lighter than the W700.

But who cares about a couple of extra grams when the tablet has high specifications. At first glance, the W700 is very good. Moreover, he has a very convenient stand, which will support the tablet in landscape or portrait orientation. Unfortunately, the cradle will not be able to charge your device, but it has three USB 3.0. ports, which will come in handy if you want to connect a mouse, hardware key or some other accessory. In this case, you will not be able to remove the connected device, since two more ports will remain in stock. In addition, the stand has another USB plug that connects directly to the tablet itself. Because of this, the tablet is very stable and will require force to remove it from the stand.

Besides, back panel the stand is removable, which allows you to change its position in accordance with desired orientation tablet. Unfortunately, the process of installing the device on a stand and changing its orientation is rather incomprehensible, although it is described in the instructions. For the experiment, we asked several people to change the orientation of the tablet, located on the stand. And all of them experienced difficulties before reaching the desired result. In addition, the stand itself is very thick and has sharp edges, which can easily scratch some fragile things in your bag. But, by and large, the stand is not so important, unlike the characteristics of the tablet itself.

But, nevertheless, when buying an Acer Iconia W700, it is worth considering all the components that you have to constantly carry with you in order to enjoy the versatility of the tablet. We have already mentioned the stand and the device itself. In addition, you will need the case that comes with the kit, as well as wireless keyboard and a mouse if you want to fully use the W700 as a laptop. Also, do not forget about the adapter. As a result, instead of a keyboard dock, you will have to carry at least seven removable accessories with you, each of which takes up a lot of space. If Acer followed the already trodden path and released its tablet with a docking station, then we would get a very convenient device that includes a keyboard, recharging, a stand, several ports, and the only drawback would be the inability to place the tablet in portrait orientation.

Keyboard

The Acer Iconia W700 comes with a Bluetooth keyboard. It is she who is built into the docking station of the previous W510 model. The design of the keyboard is made in metallic silver color with white buttons. However, compared to the W510, the W700's keyboard buttons are more prominent and larger, and typing won't take long. In addition, the keyboard has an activation mode switch, which eliminates the need to hold the button to turn on the device.

It's unfortunate that Acer abandoned the docking station idea in favor of a separate mobile stand that needs to be reassembled each time. The previous model's docking station was a little cramped, but we're sure Acer could find a way out. We hope that they will do so by the time the next model of this line is released.

It's worth adding that it would have been nice to include a mouse, as neither the docking station nor the standalone keyboard from Acer have a touchpad that could replace the mouse (many other manufacturers have already equipped their docking stations with similar pads). We're sure most users would ditch the case that came with their tablet in favor of a small mouse. Why build a tablet with 1080 pixels resolution and the ability to mount it vertically if it doesn't even come with a mouse? With this screen resolution, it is quite difficult to manage the tablet desktop. We used touch panel Logitech Rechargeable Trackpad to control the menus, but most users will likely have to run to the nearest store and buy some kind of trackpad to control the panels windows menu 8. Of course, if you are ready to spend another 1,500 rubles for your convenience, then such a question will not bother you.

Display

Ultrabook Acer Aspire The S7 is already on our list of favorite displays, so it's no surprise to see a high-quality monitor on the W700. It's still the same IPS 1080p coated screen Gorilla glass, although on an 11-inch display, this quality looks even more amazing, unlike a 13-inch ultrabook. Image quality is noticeable both in desktop mode using the stand, and when viewing photos or tablet menus. Even at a maximum brightness of 350 nits, we had no problems with the monitor. The screen has wide viewing angles, and it's a pity that the tablet stand does not allow you to adjust the viewing angle. This feature would come in handy for watching movies. At maximum settings brightness, you can notice the glare of the screen, but they are so slight that they will not be able to distract you from work.

Camera

From our past reviews, you probably already understood that we are not fans of cameras on tablets. But to our surprise, the W700 was able to take some really decent shots. The tablet's 5-megapixel camera has autofocus and fast response. Even compared to the Samsung ATIV Smart PC we reviewed just recently, the W700's camera response times are significantly faster. And the quality of the photos themselves could pleasantly surprise. The camera renders colors realistically and we were even able to take some good shots despite the strong lighting. Most other tablet cameras would produce exceptionally blown out shots in situations like this. We posted a frame with a photo of the sky for viewing, because it shows that the camera was able to preserve the natural blue of the sky, although for this we had to tinker with the settings. Of course, not all shots were of high quality, but you can still take some good photos.

Performance and battery life

Most of the characteristics of the W700 speak for good tablet performance. Acer has 4GB RAM, 128GB Toshiba hard drive, Core i5-3317U processor with integrated graphic solution Intel HD 4000. The same processor can be found on many new models of ultrabooks. But, despite similar characteristics to competitors, the Acer Iconia W700 still loses a little to ultrabooks when tested by PCMark 7. The W700 boots up in 12 seconds and this is an average indicator among other Windows 8 devices. And the read and write speeds (542 MB / s and 534 MB / s, respectively) calculated by the Disk Benchmark utility were so high that only an Acer Aspire S7 with a dual SSD in a RAID 0 configuration could overtake it. In addition, thanks to two air vents in the case, the tablet practically does not heat up.

The weak point of the W700 can be considered graphics performance, which, by the way, has never been a strong point of laptops or tablets. 3DMark06 scored a performance score of 3548, well below other Windows 8 devices. Even if the tablet's resolution is reduced as much as possible, its graphics performance remains at a very weak level, on par with the Aspire S7 and Dell XPS 12.

It's worth noting that the W700 has the same processor and touchscreen as most of the Windows 8 devices we've tested. But, despite this, the battery of the tablet with three cells and 4850 mAh lasted an hour longer than others. touch windows 8 devices. To be more precise, the Iconia W700 worked without recharging for 7 hours and 13 minutes. And all this time we were cyclically playing the video file with local disk via Wi-Fi at 65% screen brightness. For reference, the second place in terms of battery life took from 5.5 hours. That being said, the Yoga 13's chassis clearly allows for a much larger and more powerful battery than the W700's. And some other Windows 8 tablets didn't even last four hours.

Acer Iconia W700 looks even more advantageous compared to more light tablets with ARM battery. You might say that such a comparison would be completely unfair, but, in fact, the difference in the batteries of these tablets is not that big. Especially if you take into account the tablets, which have much lower performance. But the W700 will only benefit from such a comparison, because even the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 worked for only an hour more, and even for 10 minutes. Of course, we admit that the Nexus 10 itself has a very short battery life, but we don't know of any other tablet with a Core i5 processor that can come close to it. Usually high performance and the touch screen significantly reduce battery life. Take for example with its 4 hours of operation, and the related W700, which has the same characteristics, but can last up to 7.5 hours! And it's really incredible for such powerful tablet with high performance.

Software

We think having two clouds of live titles is a bad omen for a tablet. Why do manufacturers demonstrate all possible programs and additions to the device, if it would be possible to get by with a simple and concise menu, with the ability to configure and adjust it. On a tablet, you can find apps like Amazon.com; Kindle reader; Netflix; iCookBook; Hulu Plus; streaming music service 7digital; Evernote; eBay; Skitch; ChaCha; StumbleUpon; Internet radio station TuneIn; skype; Acer's CrystalEye webcam apps; Spotify; newsXpresso; and trial version McAfee Internet Suite. In addition, the W700 has several built-in games, including Zeptolab, The Treasures of Montezuma 3, and Shark Dash. And AcerCloud will allow you to copy and store information obtained when using IOS or Abdroid applications. There is also an Acer Explorer utility designed to display a list of all installed apps tablet.

Configuration Options and Warranty

Acer Iconia W700 will be sold in several variants. At $24,000, you get 1.8GHz, a Core i3 processor, and 64GB of hard drive space, but you still get the same high-quality 1080p screen. For 27,000 rubles, the tablet will already be equipped with a Core i5 processor with the same 64 GB of memory. Having paid another 3,000 rubles, the tablet's memory will increase to 128 GB. But at a cost of about 35,000 rubles, you will get a Core i5, 128 GB of memory and licensed Windows 8 with a two year warranty.

Whichever choice you make, the package will still include a mobile stand and a Bluetooth keyboard. While most companies, including Samsung and Microsoft, continue to sell the keyboard separately, regardless of the configuration of the tablets. Thus, Acer hopes to be a strong competitor in the AV equipment market.

Comparison

The Acer Iconia W700 is a truly amazing tablet/laptop hybrid. It has enough power to equal ultrabooks, yet it's portable and tiny like all other tablets. Plus, its battery life is truly amazing. But, it seems to us that a few illustrative examples are needed to sum up.

Let's compare the W700 to the Surface Pro, which isn't yet on sale but is already rocking the AV market. The Surface Pro will start at $24,000 for the 64GB model. However, its Touch Cover keyboard will be sold separately. As with , we expect this keyboard to be fairly stable and comfortable to type on. In addition, the Surface Pro's keyboard is smaller than the W700's and supports pen input that's not available on an Acer tablet. However, the Surface Pro falls short of the W700 in terms of battery life.

The ASUS TAICHI Dual Screen 1080p Ultrabook is also a tidbit for all laptop lovers, but it's out of stock for now. We have already managed to get one of these devices for testing and we can safely say that ASUS TAICHI will become a strong competitor for the W700.

One of them optimal options, which you can already find on store shelves is the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro, better known as the Series 7 Slate. Priced at around Rs. It differs from the W700 only in pen input or finger control and has the same S Pen app that you could find on Galaxy Note 10.1. In addition, the Series 7 Slate features a keyboard dock with a touchpad that can replace a mouse or any other pointing device.

Suppose that periodically you need to use your Personal Computer in mobile tablet mode. Why not then create a touch ultrabook that can be used as a tablet if necessary? Something similar and offers Dell XPS 12, costing from 36,000 rubles. The Dell XPS 12 is slightly larger than the Acer Iconia W700, yet has a great 1080p screen and a very comfortable detachable keyboard that can turn a tablet into a full-fledged ultrabook. Due to the fact that manufacturers strive to minimize their devices as much as possible, the size of the keyboard also becomes dependent on the diagonal of the tablet screen. And this means that even when buying a heavy-duty and expensive device, you will have to reckon with a small and cramped keyboard, which often turns the typing process into real torture. And there are hardly many people who want the display to also show all user actions on the outside of the tablet. Therefore, the W700 is in the lead again.

You can also take the Toshiba Satellite U925t for comparison, which, among other problems, has a disgusting build quality, a loud cooler and a short battery life. Suffered from similar problems Sony VAIO Duo 11. From this we can conclude that the Acer Iconia W700 looks very advantageous against the backdrop of all the latest innovations.

Conclusion

At first glance, we didn't really like the Acer Iconia W700. It is too thick and heavy, and the massive sloppy stand further spoils the appearance of the device. But, if you discard all aesthetic preferences and look inside, you will be pleasantly surprised. A powerful Core i5 processor, an amazingly long battery life, and an excellent 1080p high-quality screen combine to create a very attractive picture. We did not expect such capabilities from a regular tablet at all. The W700 is more like an ultrabook because no i5-powered tablet can last seven hours on battery at the moment.

Do not forget about the pleasant cost of the device. The starting price of the W700 is about 24,000 rubles. At the same time, the package includes a wireless keyboard, a stand and a case. Compared to Surface Pro, which costs $3,000 more for the same specs with i5 and hard drive at 64 GB, the W700 clearly wins thanks to the keyboard. Perhaps this keyboard is far from ideal, but the fact that it is already included in the price will disproportionately please buyers. Microsoft should learn from Acer pricing.

However, the problem with the massive design of the tablet and stand remains relevant. A docking station with a built-in keyboard and battery would have been more appropriate and organic. In order to use the Acer Iconia W700 as a laptop, you will need to carry up to seven different accessories with you, which take up a lot of space in your bags, and this is a significant minus. If you opt for the W700, then we would recommend that you use the tablet case as a stand. In this case, you will lose three additional USB 3.0 ports, but save a lot of space in your bag. In the future, we hope to see an organic docking station that will greatly simplify the process of working with the tablet and make it a very strong competitor.

The Acer Iconia W700 is a very powerful quality tablet PC with an excellent screen. The W700 has a clunky design and lots of detachable components, but the low price makes up for that inconvenience.

Part 1. Equipment, design, performance

Modern technologies allow manufacturers to create almost endless variations of products of different classes. For a tablet, they usually take a single-chip system, add several memory chips, charge it with a battery, sprinkle it with connectors, antennas, cameras and other trifles, and cover touch screen. So actually with "invent and make" problems should not be. For example, look at the current directory Acer: it presents 17 lines of devices of the "laptop" class, and each line has several modifications (and in one - even more than 40 (!)).

But it is much more difficult then to sell your creation and make money on it. The key to the success of a particular product is a unique combination of characteristics and cost that will be of interest to a certain circle of consumers. It is almost impossible to achieve an accurate hit. Even if you conduct surveys and research, actively work with consumers, then by the time the model is released, it turns out that the market has already changed, and along with users and their needs, and competitors are not sitting still. The choice is also hampered by the fact that in most cases for any product you can find an analogue in which one or more characteristics will be better. On the other hand, there are noticeably more consumers (in quantitative terms) than models on the market, so even for the most unusual devices, if desired (and with the right pricing policy), buyers can be found. Examples here are "re-smartphones" with screens larger than five inches, or mobile workstations with powerful processors, RAID arrays and a pair of professional video cards in the format of a very large and heavy laptop.

Interestingly, a similar situation occurs in other areas. You don't have to look far for examples: the recently introduced "All-new Range Rover" (by the way, this name also intersects with a well-known product in IT) combines unique off-road qualities and premium interior design. It's hard enough to imagine that style and comfort seekers would wad up to 90cm deep or need a 30° rollover angle. And vice versa - if you have already gone to ride on stones, then the presence of precious woods in the interior trim will hardly excite you.

Turning to the object of today's article, we can say that in terms of form factor it is a tablet, in terms of configuration it is a monoblock, and in terms of hardware configuration it is an ultrabook. Buying such an ambiguous device "just like that" is quite difficult. However, if the user clearly imagines the tasks and usage scenarios that need to be solved, then it may very well be that the Acer Iconia W700 will be the best choice for him.

Tablet packaging

The device comes in a fairly large box (44.5 × 24 × 12.6 cm) - for some models of modern laptops, a two-fold smaller version can be used. Considering that we are still considering a tablet, the large size of the package indicates a good bundle. And indeed it is. But first, let's talk a little about the design of the box. It is surprisingly very simple - a large photo with partial lamination and the name on the front side, barely visible options for mounting on a stand, the name of the tablet manufacturer and the Intel logo on the silver ends.

You can also notice a QR code for with a promotional video and a link to the product description. From it you can find out what's on Russian market three modifications of the W700 are presented, differing in processor, volume solid state drive and kit. Detailed configuration information specific device provided on a special sticker. In general, the box turned out to be quite stylish. But, in our opinion, it was still worth adding a little more bright elements. Moreover, the kit's weight of almost 4.5 kg still does not really match the "airy" design in white and silver tones.

Inside the main package, in numerous compartments and boxes, there are: a tablet, a power supply and a cable, a leather case, a stand (two-piece) for stationary work, a wireless keyboard, a Micro-HDMI-VGA adapter, a white cloth for cleaning the screen, quick guide user (in Russian), a set of CDs with software. We will talk about the design of the tablet in the corresponding section, but here we will look at the rest of the delivery elements. The power supply looks good: a fairly small size, white matte plastic, a cable (also white) of about 180 cm with Velcro for packaging and a thin (3 mm) connector for connecting to a tablet. But this beauty is spoiled by a power cable - one meter, three cores of 0.75 mm², a three-pin plug that can withstand 16 A 250 V. Except for some features of local standards, this decision is very difficult to explain. Given that it requires 65 watts, something simpler and more convenient could be implemented.

The leather case has a beige color and a soft gray lining. It feels like it will be good to protect the tablet screen from damage. Installation is easy and the tablet stays firmly in the case. Of the additional design elements, there is a silver logo of the manufacturer. The package leaflet provides options for using the case as a stand. In total, there are three positions: one almost horizontal for working with the on-screen keyboard and two “higher” for watching videos and other similar operations.

When installed in a case, all tablet controls remain accessible and can be used. The only exception is the external camera: in normal mode, it is covered by a Velcro pocket. So if you suddenly want to take pictures with your hands on the road, you must not forget to open the lens. Maybe it's not very convenient, but there is additional protection. We also note the presence of a mount for a fountain pen or stylus (not included).

The complete stand is designed for installation in a stationary mode on a desktop. It consists of two elements, combining which different ways you can implement one of three options for placing the tablet: in portrait mode, in portrait mode with one of two tilt angles (for working with an external or on-screen keyboard). The elements themselves are made of matte white plastic, there is some silver paint and rubber inserts for a secure fit on the table. All controls and connectors on the tablet, except for the external camera and USB port, remain available. The speakers are provided with special holes for efficient sound transmission. The stand itself has an input for the power supply and an indicator of its connection, as well as three USB 3.0 ports. The latter are implemented through a hub and work only with external power.

Based on the foregoing, it seems that this design can be used as an office docking station with power, mouse, keyboard, portable drives, network adapters and other peripherals. But with an external monitor, not everything is so good - the Micro-HDMI connector remains only on the tablet itself, and for connection external device it will not be enough just to dock the tablet. In terms of design, in some cases, the possibility of smooth tilt adjustment or a more accessible USB port may not be enough, and the width of the front “corner” may seem too large.

An office PC suite would be incomplete without a keyboard. The Acer Iconia W700 uses an external wireless model with Bluetooth interface. From the photographs, many will notice a similarity with the version of another well-known manufacturer, but in fact the similarity is precisely external. Case material of the considered keyboard - plastic. The main part is painted in silver color, the buttons themselves are matte white, the symbols on them are applied in black paint, additional functions are highlighted in gray. On the top edge there are indicators for Bluetooth and charging level. To save batteries (2×AAA), a hardware power switch is provided. In case of loss of connection or the need to connect to another device, there is a “Connect” button. The bottom surface of the keyboard has rubber feet, on which it stands very firmly, despite its light weight (400 g). The possibility of changing the angle of inclination is not provided.

The physical dimensions of the keyboard correspond to the format of a tablet and 11.6″ laptops (field width - 277 mm, main buttons - 15 × 15 mm). A reasonable question arises: was it worth making a keyboard of this size and with only five rows of buttons? Because if we are talking about effective work on the table, then “more” (within reasonable limits) usually means “better”. Perhaps, in this case, the equipment is just such a compact option is justified. If the user needs it, he will be able to choose a suitable model for himself, and the standard one is fully functional as a semi-mobile version. Moreover, her weight is small (400 g with batteries). By the way, the orientation of the tablet on Windows 8 also affected this element: in addition to the usual keyboard shortcuts for controlling the player, brightness / volume and video output, the keyboard has several new ones to work in this version operating system.

It is a pity that they decided not to add a mouse. Perhaps the "hand of Microsoft" is visible here, which is trying to develop the popularity of the touch interface of the new Windows versions. But for stationary use of a device with a relatively small screen size in a traditional operating system interface, a familiar mouse is still preferable today.

The final package note concerns the recovery CDs for the operating system and software. With the cost of a regular 32 GB USB 3.0 flash drive at 800 rubles, force the user to look somewhere optical drive in case of problems - at least strange. At the same time, there is no recovery partition on the built-in drive with fully systems, although this is good in terms of increasing available to the user volume.

Design

Anything other than "rounded rectangle" is very rare in tablets today. The Acer Iconia W700 was no exception. The dimensions of the device are about 295×192×12 mm, and the weight is 940 g. For the 11.6″ format, this is not bad, but it is difficult to compare these parameters with traditional tablets. These figures are more similar to those of some models of ultraportable laptops and ultrabooks, such as the Acer Aspire S7. But it should be noted that the choice in this category is not so great.

The main body material is aluminium. The paint is not used, the matte finish turned out to be quite pleasant and beautiful. The grain is larger than known devices unibody design, so it will be comfortable to hold the tablet. At the back, in the upper part, you can see a strip of white plastic, fortunately not glossy, behind which, apparently, there are antennas for wireless interfaces.

A little lower, on the left side, there is a 5 megapixel camera window, near which there is an indicator of its operation. The lens itself is slightly recessed, so you can safely put the tablet on the table.

The front side is almost completely devoted to the screen of the tablet, the manufacturer does not indicate the material of the outer coating. Around it - a low rubber side, which serves to protect the screen. Note that the case itself is noticeably larger than the matrix - the frame is about 2 cm at the top and sides, 2.5 cm at the bottom. At the top in the center is the front camera with an operation indicator, and at the bottom it stands out windows button, pressing which returns the user to the start screen of the Metro interface (hereinafter, we omit the note "previously known by the name").

On the top edge, there is a sliding non-latching screen rotation lock switch. Rotation works in applications that support this feature, including the traditional desktop, the orientation is determined by the built-in sensor. Also visible here are two grids of the active cooling system. At the bottom you can see stereo speakers, and in the center there is a hidden button hard reset devices.

The left side was chosen for the microphone, Micro-HDMI output, USB 3.0 port and input for charger. The last two connectors are used when docking the tablet.

On the right there is a power control button, it can be used to turn on / off and put the device to sleep / wake up. It has a built in charging indicator. battery, however, it does not work in all power saving modes, which is not very convenient. Just below there is a volume rocker and a standard headphone or headset jack. With some diligence next to them on the display frame, you can see the light sensor window.

In general, the design can hardly be called original, but the device looks quite attractive. A thin metal frame on the front side gives the tablet elegance. However, given its rather large size and thickness (visually it seems smaller due to the bevel on the bottom surface), I would like to see more ports: for example, USB, microSD or even Thunderbolt.

Hardware Configuration Features

For comparison with other solutions on Windows 8, here is a table of their characteristics, familiar from past testing.

	ASUS VivoTab TF810C	ASUS VivoTab RT TF600T	Acer Iconia W700	Sony VAIO Duo 11
Screen	11.6″, Super IPS+, 1366×768 (135 ppi)	10.1″, Super IPS+, 1366×768 (155 ppi)		11.6″, IPS, 1920×1080 (190 ppi)
CPU	Intel Atom Z2760 @1.8 GHz (2 cores, support HT and TB)	NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30L @1.2 GHz (4 cores + 1 auxiliary, ARM Cortex-A9)	Intel Core i3-2365M @1.4GHz (2 cores, HT support) / Intel Core i5-3317U @1.7GHz (2 cores, HT and TB support)	Intel Core i3-2365M @1.4GHz (2 cores, HT support) / Intel Core i7-3517U @1.9GHz (2 cores, HT and TB support)
GPU	Imagination SGX545	GeForce ULP	Intel HD 3000 / 4000	Intel HD 3000 / 4000
Flash memory		32 or 64 GB+ cloud storage 32 GB (for 3 years)	64 / 128 GB SSD	128 / 256 SSD
Connectors	Micro-HDMI, 3.5mm headset jack, two USB 2.0 (on docking station)	Micro-HDMI, 3.5mm headset jack, USB 2.0 (on docking station)	Micro-HDMI (included with VGA adapter), 3.5mm headset jack, one USB 3.0 (on tablet, not available when docked) and three USB 3.0 (on docking station)	HDMI, 3.5mm headset jack, two USB 3.0, Ethernet, VGA
Memory card support	microSD/SDHC (up to 64 GB)	microSD/SDHC (up to 64 GB)	No	SD/SDHC (up to 64 GB)
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	4 GB	6/8 GB
cameras		rear (8 MP) and front (2 MP)	rear (photo - 5 MP, video - 1080p) and front (photo - 0.9 MP, video - 720p)	rear (photo - 2.4 MP, video - 1920 × 1080), front (2.4 MP)
Internet	WiFi	Wi-Fi (optional - 3G and 4G LTE)	WiFi	WiFi, Ethernet
operating system	Microsoft Windows 8	Microsoft Windows RT	Microsoft Windows 8	Microsoft Windows 8
Dimensions* (mm)	294×189×8.7	263×171×8.3	295×191×11.9	320×199×17.9
Weight without and with docking station (g)	675/1340	538/1036	940	1300

* - according to the manufacturer; in case of ASUS devices and Acer are specified thickness without a docking station.

We thank the Russian representative office of the company
for the equipment provided for testing