Acer Iconia W700: the most affordable Windows tablet with Core i5. Hybrid tablet – Acer Iconia Tab W700 Acer iconia tab w700 games

Tablets running the Windows operating system are divided into three types: ARM tablets running on a special Windows versions– Windows RT, Atom tablets and models based on more complex processors. We are already familiar with ARM models and Atom tablets, let’s consider the third category and, as an example, take Acer Iconia W700 – flagship tablet with IntelCore i5 processor and IPS display.

It is quite a difficult task for a manufacturer to create a tablet with an unusual and memorable design, and in Acer tablets this solution is the most successful among Windows devices from other companies. The austere body of simple shape, made of aluminum, looks very elegant and strict. The only drawback of the Acer Iconia W700 is its size.

Design and functionality of the Acer tablet

The Acer turned out to be larger than other Windows 8 tablets due to the margins protruding around the display by a centimeter in each direction, but this is somewhat compensated for by the metal extending onto the front side and visually the tablet looks smaller actual size. This aluminum strip has an active Windows button and you can see a fairly thick damper that protects the display from direct contact with metal. Also on the case there are three communication connectors: USB 3.0, a combined audio connector and a MicroHDMI video output, which does not allow the use of a large number peripheral devices and there is no reader even for “micro” memory cards.

The kit includes an adapter for connecting MicroHDMI and a full-size D-Sub connector. So if you need to connect to video equipment, you can rest assured that there will be no problems.

The main area of ​​the upper part of the tablet is occupied by ventilation holes. Most likely, the cooling system is similar to the cooling of the Aspire S7 ultrabooks, which consists of two fans operating in parallel, one for injection and the other for exhaust.

Acer tablet noise and sound

The noise level of such a system is quite low, but it still occurs, while Windows tablets based on the Atom processor are completely devoid of mechanical parts in the cooling system and are therefore completely silent.

There are two speakers on the bottom side of the case. The sound quality, although it leaves much to be desired, is loud enough if the tablet is oriented correctly.

The difficulty with the speakers is that the Iconia W700 has a decent weight and it takes a long time to hold it in your hands, like mobile phone If it doesn’t work out, you’ll have to use something as a support and, most often, your body. After all, if you put the tablet on your knees or on your stomach, the speakers will be obscured and the sound will practically sell out. All you have to do is hold it with your palm underneath to reflect the sound, but the easiest way is not to bother with this problem and buy headphones.

Acer tablet cameras

There are two video cameras in this model. The first is located on the front panel with a resolution of 1.3 megapixels and is unlikely to be useful for anything other than video calls. The resolution of the second camera is 5 megapixels, it is located on the back of the tablet and does not have a flash.

Acer tablet accessories

Additionally, the Acer Iconia W700 comes with several accessories. Firstly, there is a keyboard that communicates with the tablet via Bluetooth and thus leaves the USB port free. It is very convenient to use, the key mechanics are significantly better keyboards Most laptops, but up close the flaws in the casting of the case become noticeable.

Another accessory is a cheerful red-colored case, it looks good, is pleasant to the touch and can even be used as a stand, but it weighs almost as much as half a tablet - 470 grams.
The last item that comes with the Acer Iconia W700 is the docking station. The docking station is essentially just a USB hub that increases the number of USB connectors on the tablet to three and there is nothing complicated in its design and use. The stand is made entirely of plastic and allows you to install the leg so that the tablet stands vertically. It comes in all configurations except the minimum one, while the case is included even in the most affordable package.

Maximum volume from the tablet can be achieved by using the docking station; special recesses are made in its lower part so that the panel does not cover the speakers, which are also located at the bottom of the tablet.

Acer tablet equipment

On the domestic market Acer model Iconia W700 is available in two variations. The first is equipped with a 64 GB drive and a Core i3-2365M processor, limited to a frequency of 1.4 GHz, since it is a previous generation processor and does not support Turbo Boost mode. The second option is equipped with a 128 GB SSD and a Core i5-3317U processor from the Intel line. Standard frequency This processor has a 1.7 GHz frequency, but in Turbo Boost mode it can be overclocked to 2.6 GHz. We tested the tablet of this exact configuration. Both modifications are equipped with 4 GB of non-replaceable DDR-1333 memory. Graphics card The tablet is integrated, in the first version it is Intel HD 3000 and a more powerful HD in the second.
Disassembly of the tablet and user access to the electronic components are not provided; at home it is impossible to replace either the drive or RAM, so we advise you to think carefully when choosing a tablet, which version suits you best and meets your needs.

How to recover Acer system Iconia W700 in factory condition?
What you will need:
1. DVD drive with USB output.
2. Four recovery disks that come with the Acer icona w700.
Next you need to go into the BIOS and select the option - boot from external storage. The following instructions will be quite clear, but we will still describe the recovery process in full.
1. Insert the first Support Disc.
2. Press F12 during reboot to enter the BIOS menu.
3. Select USB DVD-ROM drive.
4. Next will be the language selection and recovery type selection windows.
5. The system will ask you to insert the remaining 3 disks one by one.
6. Installation is complete - the tablet will reboot.

Original. For full or partial copying, a link is required.

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Making a tablet with an interesting and original design is not an easy task. Acer solved it, perhaps, most successfully of all Windows device manufacturers. The case is of a relatively simple shape, machined from a single piece of aluminum, looks strict and elegant.

True, the tablet turned out to be larger than other models with the Windows 8 operating system: the margins around the display are wider by about a centimeter in each direction. To disguise this not very pleasant fact, the metal extends from below to the front side, visually reducing the dimensions.

This metal strip contains a physical Windows button. In the photo below you can see a thick damper that protects protective glass display from direct contact with metal.

There are only three communication connectors on the body of the tablet itself: a full-size USB 3.0, a Micro HDMI video output and a combined audio connector. You can't go wrong with connecting peripherals. There is no memory card reader at all - not even in micro format.

The kit includes an adapter from Micro HDMI to a full-size D-Sub connector (analog VGA). So those who often give presentations on rented equipment should rest easy.

The upper side is entirely devoted to ventilation holes. Probably, the cooling system of the Iconia W700 is unified with the Aspire S7 ultrabooks: apparently, it has two fans, one of which works for blowing in, and the second for blowing out.

It doesn't make very loud noise. But still there is noise, while Winodws tablets built on the Atom processor simply lack an active component of the cooling system and operate completely silently.

There are a pair of speakers on the underside of the tablet. They don’t sound as good as God knows, but they are quite loud – at least if you orient the tablet correctly.

The thing is that in order to hold a heavy tablet for a long time, willy-nilly you have to use something as a support - as a rule, your own body. And if you put the Iconia W700 on your stomach or knees, the speakers are automatically obscured by a soft and dense, sound-not-very-permeable sound. You have to hold the tablet in a special way, slightly lifting the device above your palms placed under it, so that the sound is reflected from them. However, it’s better to ignore these manipulations and do something simpler: take headphones.

The tablet has two cameras. One of them is located on the front and has a resolution of 1.3 megapixels - so it is only suitable for video calls.

The second, on the back side of the body, is more serious: 5 megapixels, although without flash.

The Acer Iconia W700 comes with several accessories. Firstly, it is a keyboard that communicates with the tablet via Bluetooth and thus saves one USB port. It works great (let's say the key mechanism is noticeably nicer than most laptops) and looks quite aesthetically pleasing from a distance. But close to the eyes, the extremely low-quality casting of the plastic keyboard casing hurts greatly.

The second accessory is a good-quality case in an interesting red color. The case looks good, feels good and can work as a stand. One problem: it weighs exactly the same as half a tablet - 470 grams.

Finally, the third valuable thing that you can find included with the Acer Iconia W700 is the docking station.

In general, this is a rather simple thing: there are no complex electronics in it, there is only a USB hub that turns the tablet’s only USB connector into three at once.

The stand body is completely plastic. Despite the fact that the docking station is clearly not too expensive, for some reason it is not supplied with all versions of the Iconia W700 - it is not included in the most affordable configuration (but a case is included in all delivery options).

The leg on which it rests can be rearranged to place the tablet vertically.

At the bottom of the docking station, neat recesses are made so that the plastic panel does not obscure the Windows button and speakers, which, remember, are located at the bottom edge of the tablet body.

By the way, the maximum sound volume from the tablet can be obtained precisely when using the docking station: the cutouts for the speakers in its body are designed in such a way as to direct the sound towards the listener.

⇡ Technical specifications

On Russian market Acer tablet Iconia W700 is available in two versions. The younger one is equipped with a 64 GB drive and a Core i3-2365M processor. This is a previous generation processor, and even without Turbo Boost support - the frequency is limited to 1.4 GHz. The older configuration is equipped with a 128 GB SSD and a more powerful Core i5-3317U from modern line Intel. The nominal frequency of this processor is 1.7 GHz; in Turbo Boost mode it can accelerate to 2.6 GHz. This is exactly the modification we tested.

In both versions, the tablet is equipped with 4 GB of non-replaceable DDR3-1333 RAM.

Graphics are only integrated: Intel HD 3000 in the younger version and a more powerful HD 4000 in the older version.

User access to the hardware in the tablet is not provided at all - neither the memory nor the solid-state drive can be replaced independently. So when purchasing, you should think carefully about which version to give preference to.

The Acer Iconia Tab W700 tablet arrived at our test laboratory. The tablet was first introduced back in the summer of 2012, but still does not lose its relevance and is sold at very attractive prices. The tablet comes with full Windows 8, a large 11.6-inch screen and an Intel Core i5 processor. It turns out to be a full-fledged computer in a compact format. Read all the details in our review.

Appearance

Acer Iconia Tab W700 looks solid. This is ensured and big screen, and a one-piece aluminum body. The screen is protected by scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass. The build is really high quality. There are no backlashes or flexions of the body. There is a rubber gasket around the glass that protects the screen, which prevents dust from entering. Interesting feature are the meshes that cover the speakers. They are red here.

The tablet is quite thick. The thickness is 11.9 mm. The thickness is not too great, and this drawback can be forgiven given the fact that they managed to fit both the filling and the battery from a full-fledged laptop here. The Acer Iconia Tab W700 also weighs quite a lot for a tablet - 950 g. You get tired if you hold it with one hand.

There are few connectors and control buttons on the tablet. On the left side there are (from top to bottom): microphone holes, micro-HDMI connector, full USB port 3.0 and a connector for charging. At the top there is a screen orientation lock button and fan openings with a cooling radiator. On the right side there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a volume rocker and a power button with an LED for notifications. At the bottom there are two speakers and another microphone. Above the screen in the middle there is a 2-megapixel front-camera, LED camera operation indicator, as well as a light sensor. Below the screen is a Windows button to return to the home screen. At the back at the top there is a 5-megapixel camera, also with LED indicator work.

There are two fan holes, but this is done for symmetry; in fact, there is only one fan. It is located under the right grille. The cooling system works almost constantly; even while reading, the fan turns on and off. And the fan makes a lot of noise and loudly, fortunately at least the sound does not irritate the ears. The noise is very annoying. It may be related to our test sample.

Contents of delivery

The Acer Iconia Tab W700 comes with a very good package.

Inside the box, in addition to the tablet itself, there is a docking station with a built-in USB hub, wireless bluetooth keyboard, power supply, microHDMI-VGA adapter, instructions, warranty card, Windows recovery disks.

The docking station is a stand for the tablet. It itself is made of plastic, quite large and thick in size. The design looks much cheaper than the design of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 itself. There are corresponding holes for the speakers that “redirect” the sound forward. The design allows it to be used for landscape and portrait orientation. But the angle of inclination cannot be changed. And the standard angle is landscape orientation small - the tablet screen seems to look into the chest, and not into the face. The docking station has a built-in USB hub. It has three USB 3.0 ports. Unfortunately, it only works when the dock is connected to the network. To do this, use charging from the tablet.

The keyboard is good, membrane type. It looks stylish, the key travel is pleasant and quite large for portable devices. The keyboard does not flex when pressed. It's comfortable to work with her. The keys are white, so they get dirty quickly. You have to wipe them quite often. The inscriptions on the keys are black. Russian letters are not highlighted in a separate color. Inscriptions function keys using the gray Fn button. The keyboard has 66 keys. The keys are standard size. The distances between them are slightly narrower than standard, but not by much - you won’t miss when typing blindly. The arrows are half-height, with the up arrow located almost right next to the Shift key. You have to get used to this. The F1-F12 keys are available by pressing the Fn key. The only thing that upset me is the position of the Delete key - it is located in the place of the call key context menu. This is unusual and inconvenient. The keyboard connects to the tablet via Bluetooth. Operates on four AAA batteries. There are two indicators - battery charge and bluetooth connection. Both the keyboard and the docking station are rubber-lined and won't slide around on your desk.

We have a copy with such a delivery set. There are also tablets on sale with a case that has a built-in keyboard.

Software

Windows 8 was pre-installed on the tablet. The system offered to upgrade to Windows 8.1. After the update, the tablet began to react poorly to touching the screen and generally slow down. The situation can be corrected by reinstalling the drivers, which can be downloaded from the official support site.

The Windows 8.1 used is no different from the desktop version for a laptop or desktop computer, everything is familiar. Although the system is still created for mobile devices. Only by controlling gestures does it become convenient to call up a menu with charms (swipe your finger across the screen from the right edge), close applications in metro style (swipe your finger across the screen from the top edge), call the task manager, etc.

The screen lock function is unusual. The tablet goes to sleep and it takes time to unlock (about 1.5s). This should be remembered, because if you press the power button twice, the tablet will not wake up. But in this sleep mode, the tablet consumes virtually no energy and can lie for a long time.

In Metro mode, the tablet is convenient to use. Thanks to the touch screen, the system can be controlled using various gestures. In windowed mode at a standard scale, everything is very small (Full-HD resolution on the screen is 11.6"). You can work comfortably only at a scale of 150%. Then you can safely hit the buttons on the screen with your finger. But in this case, quite a lot of space fits on the screen There is not enough information. In addition, not all applications support scaling, because of this the picture in them is blurry. In fact, the windowed mode is not intended for finger control. If you set the scale to 125%, then there is enough information and the size of the icons is acceptable. In this case, it is convenient to control using a mouse and keyboard.

In the shop Windows applications The Store is still quite sparse of useful apps compared to other platforms. Many popular mobile applications no ports for Windows 8 (games: Dead Trigger, Need for Speed; Instagram app). Some applications have ports, but they are less functional, for example the client of the popular social network In contact with. But in this case it's not such a big problem. The Acer Iconia Tab W700 runs full-fledged Windows, not the RT version, which means you can run standard .exe applications. But they usually don’t involve finger control. You have to connect a mouse.

Performance

Since we have both a tablet and a device with full-fledged Windows 8, we will conduct testing using a combined method.

Below are screenshots of CPU-Z.

Windows Experience Index

First of all, we assessed the system performance using the built-in index Windows performance. Only in Windows 8.1 the results are not displayed anywhere. They are contained in the system file.

The result is good. 4.9 points for compact tablet. The result is determined by the smallest value. In our case, the weak link is graphics core. All other components have even better results.

CPU performance

The next step was performance testing with the built-in benchmark of the popular WinRAR archiver, which loads all the processing cores of the processor.

The result (~3254 kB/s) is good for a mobile device. For comparison, the recently tested one showed a result of only 730 kB/s.

We tested the performance of the Intel Core i5 3317U chip of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 tablet using Linpack from the MetroBench package. Results are in millions of floating point operations per second (MFLOPS).

Average performance: 920 Mflop/s is the best result among the tablets we tested, but the processor is Intel Core i5, not Intel Atom. And ARM's rivals are noticeably behind.

GPU Performance

The 3DMark Ice Storm test uses tests that simulate 3D games, as well as synthetic tests of the video subsystem and CPU.

In standard mode, the results are not even displayed. The maximum possible values ​​have been exceeded. In Unlimited mode we were able to get results. The results are simply excellent for a tablet. But compared to its competitors from Microsoft, the Acer Iconia Tab W700 was slower than the Surface Pro. Slower than both the updated second version and the first.

We also measured the performance of the graphics subsystem using a cross-platform benchmark - Relative Benchmark.

Productivity is high. This is the best result among the tablets we tested.

JavaScript Performance

To test JavaScript performance, we used the SunSpider test.

The result is impressive: 228 ms (less is better). Another record.

Network performance

We tested network performance using IxChariot. The tablet was located about 1 meter from the access point. The maximum available network mode (802.11n) was tested; at this time there were no other active transmissions.

And here the result was excellent: 55 Mbit/s. It’s not for nothing that the aluminum tablet has a plastic insert on the back panel for the wireless communication module.

Games

All games from the store run on the tablet without any problems. There are no noticeable lags - everything is smooth and clear. You can control it using the touch screen, using the tilt of the tablet (position sensor), and using the keyboard (for example, in the game Asphalt 8 you can try all three methods).

But the Acer Iconia Tab W700 has full-fledged Windows 8, and not the RT version, so we won’t dwell on games from the Windows application store, we’ll try to run full-fledged games from the Steam store.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

This popular strategy game is adapted to be controlled using a touch screen. At startup, you can select the appropriate Touch mode. It's convenient to play. It's interesting just to try it. For example, to select a unit or press some control button, you do not need to move the mouse - you can immediately click on the desired place with your finger. You can also use multi-finger gestures, such as zoom. At maximum settings, the game, of course, slows down - it is, after all, an integrated HD4000 graphics core, and the native screen resolution is Full-HD (1920x1080). But at medium settings you can play quite comfortably. Only large maps are not loaded immediately, but this problem also exists on more powerful configurations. Unlike a laptop, it’s comfortable to play while lying in bed or sitting in a car/subway.

GestureWorks Gameplay

At the moment, most games do not involve finger controls. But there is a solution for them too. There is an app called GestureWorks Gameplay that adds a virtual joystick to the screen. You can either create a set of virtual buttons yourself, or use ready-made ones from the website.

Thanks to this, the control becomes “playable”. Better to see once than hear a hundred times. Everything becomes clear from the following video.

Shooters are not so convenient to play without tactile feedback - the gameplay is similar to mobile shooters (Modern Combat). But games where the accuracy of the cursor is not so important are really convenient to play: Skyrim, Portal 2, Assassin’s Creed and any racing. We evaluated the work and functionality of the program using Portal 2 as an example.

Portal 2

The game itself is not particularly demanding on hardware; the system produces a sufficient number of FPS even at the “native” resolution. This game is mostly about thinking rather than reacting quickly, so you can play using the on-screen joystick and control buttons. The game speed is slower than with a keyboard, but it's worth it. It turns out to be a game for a tablet with adjustment to your grip and finger length. You can play these “adult” games on the road. It's comfortable. This may appeal to fans of quests. For PC good games there is much more of this genre.

It turns out that on the tablet you can normally play “adult” games from a PC. Then why buy a separate laptop or desktop computer for gaming? We evaluated the tablet's performance in several popular games that you can play while sitting at a table, placing the tablet in the docking station, and connecting a keyboard and mouse.

We launched World Of Warcraft Lich King. This game behaved a little strangely - 24 fps at low settings and a resolution of 1366x768, 23 fps at maximum settings and the “native” resolution of 1920x1080. The performance of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 should be sufficient for undemanding popular games such as WOW, CS and Dota. The screen has a high resolution, but is relatively small in size. But don’t forget about the micro-HDMI connector - you can connect large monitor and play if it's important to you.

In the game Mafia II at minimum settings, the built-in benchmark showed 11.9 and 22.0 FPS at a resolution of 1360x768 and 640x480, respectively. I even managed to launch Grand Theft Auto IV, although the built-in benchmark did not load, I was able to start the game itself. The game settings showed that the system allocated only 100 MB of video memory, but the game required at least 300 MB. Therefore, although the game loaded and produced a sufficient amount of FPS (there were no visible jerks or delays), the textures did not have time to load, and the car in the game drove through the “emptiness”.

You won't be able to play demanding games on the Acer Iconia Tab W700. At the moment, technology is not developed enough to fit a sufficiently powerful configuration into such a compact case and provide it with sufficient cooling.

Camera

Like most other tablets, the Acer Iconia Tab W700 is equipped with two cameras. Rear with a matrix resolution of 5 MP and front – 2 MP. The front camera is good, everything is visible clearly, and when moving the picture does not blur, only in poor lighting the picture becomes grainy. It will definitely be enough for video conferencing.

photo gallery. The video can be downloaded in uncompressed form (20 MB).

The rear camera is great for capturing moments when nothing else is available. Photos turn out grainy and blurry even when good lighting. The camera is located in a corner, making it difficult to navigate when photographing close objects. There is no flash.

I was pleased with the additional microphone, which really suppresses noise. The test videos filmed the street during the day. It's quite noisy, but you can't hear any background noise in the videos.

Below is an example of a front camera shot and a video. You can see all test photos in the photo gallery. The video can be downloaded in uncompressed form (52 ​​MB).

Video

Since April 2013, we have been using a new testing methodology for testing multimedia devices. It is divided into several parts.

• Popular formats— frequently used video formats and codecs. It is recommended to evaluate their support first
• Images DVDs and Blu-Ray— testing the playback of full DVD/Blu-ray images, including menus. Recommended if you store your media library as images
• Rare formats- less common formats, but still relevant
• Ultra HD 2K and 4K— formats with an eye to the future. Ultra-high-definition video will gain popularity in 2013

Testing was done using Media Player Classic after installing the codec package K-Lite Codec Pack Mega.

The tablet handled all video formats from our test video library successfully, with the exception of Ultra HD 4K. Acer Iconia Tab W700 can be connected via micro-HDMI to a large TV in the living room and get a full-fledged Smart TV with support for a large number of video formats. In addition, the kit includes a microHDMI-VGA adapter, thanks to which you can connect a projector to the tablet at a conference.

Time battery life

Acer Iconia Tab W700 showed good battery life results. It has a 4850 mAh battery, but unlike Android tablets, the battery here is larger output voltage, and therefore the capacity cannot be compared in mAh, it must be compared in Wh. Such information is not provided on the official website. But for us the main thing is the final working time. We got 7.5 hours of movie viewing time at maximum brightness. In reading mode, the tablet will last for 11 hours. In our tests in game mode, it drained in less than three hours. But this was a Unigine Heaven test, which fully loads the system and discharges it as quickly as possible. The tablet was always enough for a day of normal use.

The Acer Iconia Tab W700 charges from a full-fledged laptop at 65 W, so the tablet charges quickly.

Conclusion

Every year computers become more and more mobile. First on shift desktop computers laptops came with a system unit the size of a large box, then laptops became thinner and lighter - ultrabooks appeared. The next stage was tablets running full-fledged Windows 8, which in their capabilities are in no way inferior to their “big brothers.” A striking example This concept is the Acer Iconia Tab W700, which is equipped with a full-fledged Intel Core processor. Thanks to this, unlike tablets on Intel Atom, it has the performance of a desktop computer. Moreover, all the filling fits into a relatively compact case weighing less than a kilogram.

With such size and performance, some compromises had to be made: the tablet is equipped with an active cooling system and, unlike ultrabooks, has only one USB 3.0 port. The main thing is that Acer did not strive for minimal weight and installed an impressive battery in the case, which is enough to fully use the tablet for a whole day, or sometimes two.

I really liked the tablet screen. IPS matrix with excellent viewing angles, Full-HD resolution at 11.6 inches. He's just great. The picture quality, its clarity, color and brightness are excellent. It is a pleasure to watch films, pictures, and read on such a screen. Thanks to high resolution the eyes don't get tired.

The tablet's performance is more than enough for all mobile applications, it is only not enough for modern high-performance games. Ultrabooks are equipped with exactly the same hardware and have the same performance, although they are less compact.

Windows tablets like these are the most multifunctional. They are convenient to use for both work and leisure. Full-fledged Microsoft Office, Adobe Dreamweaver for work, you can watch any movies (codecs for x86 processors are available for most formats), and you can play not only games from the store, but also from the “big brother”, for example Portal 2 or Civilization V. The last opportunity was memorable most. What else do you need from a tablet?

At the moment, this is the best tablet that I have ever owned. Of course, I want an even thinner body and longer battery life. I hope this will be in the updated version of the tablet with a Haswell processor.

Acer Iconia W7 is available on the market in several configurations. Two models are available - W700 and W701. The first comes without a 3G module, the second has it built-in. For each model on the Russian market there are three configurations:

• With Core i3 processor, 64Gb memory
• With Core i3 processor, 64Gb memory + docking station + keyboard
• With Core i5 processor, 128Gb memory + docking station + keyboard

The main advantage of the Acer Iconia W7 compared to competitors such as Microsoft Surface Pro, Samsung Ativ smart PC pro was the price. Acer cost around 30-35 thousand rubles, while competitors cost 40-45 thousand rubles. Now the Acer W7 is leaving the market, but the tablet can be purchased at sales. We will wait for the updated Haswell version in our test laboratory and hope that it will have the same “tasty” performance/price ratio.

Advantages of Acer Iconia Tab W700

• IPS Full-HD display
• High performance
• Fast SSD
• Support software for Windows, including Office
• Solid design and quality build
• Micro-HDMI output, full USB 3.0 port
• Ability to play “adult” games on a PC

Disadvantages of Acer Iconia Tab W700

• Large weight and dimensions
• Rear camera
• Loud fan noise on our test unit

The tablet arrived to us in a huge, dense, light gray package, the dimensions of which (440x235x125 mm) would make many shoe boxes jealous. But before I tell you what is included in the complete kit, it is necessary to explain what options and specifications there are.

The most affordable version of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 will cost 25,000 rubles. For this money you buy a tablet with an Intel Core i3 processor and a 64 GB SSD drive, and you get a cover as a gift. A complete tablet with a Core i3+64 GB SSD will cost 28,000 rubles, and for 35,000 a tablet version with a Core i5+128 GB SSD and a complete set is available.

The complete set includes:

• Tablet
• Network Charger
• HDMI-VGA adapter
• Docking station with stand
• Bluetooth keyboard
• Case
• Several DVDs (!?) for system recovery

Each item is neatly packed into cardboard compartments. However, after unpacking the entire box, I could not find a place for the leg from the docking station, since it has a curved shape and therefore practically does not fit anywhere with ease. Memories surfaced: as a child, I disassembled the telescope, but could not put it back together correctly. I think everyone has had such situations :)

Positioning

After the release of the eighth version Microsoft Windows Almost all companies related to the production of tablets and laptops rushed to release their devices on this operating system. It seems to me that this is absolutely the right step, since there are more and more gadgets with touch screens: laptops are gradually being replaced by ultrabooks, and those, in turn, by tablets, on which “Win8” looks more logical than on desktops and non-touch “laptops”. Using Windows on tablets has become much more comfortable, since you can’t miss the huge and bright tiles, and to close the application, you no longer have to be a sniper, hitting a tiny cross.

Unfortunately, it is still difficult to determine the audience that will benefit from a tablet computer: Android or iOS tablets are suitable for home use - they are lighter in weight, smaller in size, practically do not heat up and do not make noise. You won’t be able to play on the “Win-tablet” either – the fillings are still very weak. Offices typically have desktop computers. As an option, use a Windows 8 tablet while traveling to perform specific tasks. Or, for example, for students who do not need to edit documents frequently, but would prefer to have applications such as AutoCAD, MathCAD and other unique programs compatible only with Microsoft OS. However, the question arises of the cost of such “pills”. Students need something cheap and cheerful, and for most students in universities, 25–35 thousand rubles is a lot of money.

In general, I think that currently the positioning of such gadgets is somewhat blurred.

Design, dimensions, control elements

Network adapter . It consists of a cable with a plug (length - 100 mm, diameter - 6.5 mm) and an adapter itself (dimensions 88x65x21 mm) with a one and a half meter cable (diameter 3.5 mm) for connecting to the device. Input – 100-240 V, 1.6 A, output – 19 V, 3.42 A. Model: PA-1650-80.

Keyboard. Made from silver painted plastic. Dimensions – 286x130x7 mm (at the thickest point – 16 mm). There are only 66 keys. Made of white plastic. Each size is 9x9x2 mm. They are spaced 3 mm apart. They have a clear click and a short stroke. Together with batteries, the device weighs about 400 grams.

On the top of the front panel there are two indicators: battery charge and operation. A little to the right - mechanical switch on off. On the back side there are four black rubberized feet, a “Connect” button (used to reconnect the keyboard) and a compartment for two AAA batteries.

Function buttons F1, F2, F3 ..., F12 are called by the combinations FN+Q, FN+W, FN+E..., FN+“]”.

Dock station. It is a plastic box with dimensions 300x270x30 mm. The model is called V1JV1. The inside and back are white, the front side is silver. On the left inside there are special connectors for power and USB. Additionally, there are three USB ports. At the bottom there are two cutouts for speakers. The tablet is inserted from right to left until it locks into place. To ensure a stable position of the docking station on a horizontal surface, you must insert a plastic foot at the back.

Tablet. Frankly speaking, I didn’t expect that Acer could make such a cool and stylish case for an ordinary tablet. It is made almost entirely of unpainted aluminum with a slightly rough matte surface. The feeling is very pleasant. The shape is familiar - a rectangle with slightly rounded edges. On the back there is a milky plastic insert. Behind it, apparently, there are antennas for wireless interfaces.

Since the body design is monolithic (“unibody”), there are no complaints about the assembly: nothing plays, does not creak, and does not crunch even when twisted strongly. After using the W700 for a month, only a few shallow scratches appeared on its surface. The screen is protected by durable glass (according to some information – Gorilla Glass 2). By the way, there is a thin black rubberized strip running along the edge of the display. As far as I understand, it has two important functions: first, since it is slightly raised, it protects the front side from damage; the second is shock-absorbing properties, i.e. when hitting the body, it reduces the impact of contact between metal and glass. Fingerprints remain on the screen and are difficult to erase, and due to the fact that the surface is mirrored, the marks are very noticeable.

The dimensions of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 tablet are 295 x 192 x 12 mm, and the weight is 940 grams. That is, you need to understand that the device is not small and not at all light, you can’t just read books or documents on the subway, and after 10-15 minutes your hand gets tired. The W700 cannot be called a bedside device either: personally, in such a situation, I find it more convenient to use a 650 g “tablet” from Apple or some even lighter plastic Samsung.

On the front panel there is a peephole for the front camera and a small indicator of its operation, at the bottom there is a mechanical “Start” button (dimensions 20x6x1mm). 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 edge 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 3.5 mm audio output for headphones, volume rocker key and power button with indicator. They rise slightly above the body, are easy to feel with your fingers, and the movement is small.

On the top edge there are two grilles for removing warm air (active cooling system) and a non-fixed (moves to the side and returns to its original position) mechanical screen orientation lock.

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

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

Overall, the Acer W700 has a very nice ergonomic design, presentable appearance and classy body materials.

Acer W700 and Samsung Note II

Display

The display diagonal of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 tablet is 11.6 inches. Its physical size is 256x144 mm, 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 calibration are at a high level, the touch layer handles up to 10 simultaneous touches.

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

All screen settings are familiar to Windows.

Acer W700 display viewing angles

Battery

The tablet has a 3-cell lithium polymer (Li-Pol) battery with a capacity of 4850 mAh. Maximum power power supply – 65 W. The developer does not provide any data on autonomy. I used the tablet in different modes with different screen brightness. On average, the tablet “lived” for about 10 hours: brightness at 50%, synchronization of mail and Twitter turned on, every hour for 20-30 minutes browsing sites, using the menu, launching office documents. In Internet surfing mode, the device worked for about 8 hours - this is approximately 40% of the screen brightness, and all synchronization was 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 are stuck with not the most resource-intensive toys. However, I tested the W700 on Need For Speed Most Wanted. With NFS, the battery died after 1.5 hours (maximum brightness, sound output to speakers).

The most interesting thing is that the W700 stayed in “sleep” mode for about two weeks and did not discharge one percent.

I can’t say that the figures are amazing, but almost all Android tablets often have shorter battery life. I would compare the autonomy of the Acer Iconia Tab W700 with Apple iPad 4, of course, if you don’t “stress” the first one 100%.

Communication capabilities

The device 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 glitches were observed: the Internet via Wi-Fi reliably reached the tablet, and the keyboard via Bluetooth functioned without problems.

Memory

Unfortunately, the Acer W700 was not equipped with a card reader, and USB input only one. Those. Having connected a USB flash drive, you will have to wait with other devices.

The storage device is a high-speed 128 GB SSD from Toshiba. The model is called THNSNS128GMCP. 24-nanometer flash memory is used, interface SATA-III 6 Gbit/s, consumption – 3.9 W. Brief technical characteristics:

• Maximum speed read: just over 400 MB/s
• Maximum write speed: just over 230 MB/s

Crystal Disk Mark Test

HD Tune Pro test

Random access memory The device has 4 GB (dual-channel DDR3 SDRAM, 1333 MHz).

Camera

The device was equipped with two camera modules: the main one is 5 MP, the front one is 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 automatic focusing and there is manual focusing. The minimum distance to the object is 30 mm. The W700 does not record video any better: it zooms in a lot, the number of frames is only 10, the sound is gurgling and like coming from a barrel.

But I liked the front camera. It is quite suitable for communication on Skype.

There are few camera settings:

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

Video camera settings:

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

Video file characteristics:

• File Format: 3GP
• Video codec: AVC, 10 Mbit/s
• Resolution: 1920x1080, 10 fps
• Audio codec: AAC, 132 Kbps
• Channels: 2 channel, 44 kHz

The performance index gives the device 5.4 points, the minimum value, which, naturally, is scored 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 graphics accelerator is also the familiar integrated graphics of the Ivy Bridge processor line - Intel HD Graphics 4000. Compared to the Intel HD Graphics 3000, the HD4000 has been redesigned and offers DirectX 11 capabilities. Theoretically, it can show performance 60% higher than the HD3000.

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

There are no problems when decoding FullHD video: videos are played back smoothly without the slightest lag.

As for noise, frankly speaking, even in the heaviest applications the coolers were not overclocked enough to be audible. Well, yes, there was a warm breeze.

Performance Test CPU

Performance Test 2D

Performance Test 3D

Performance Test Memory

Performance Test SSD

PCMark 7 test

Software platform

Acer Iconia Tab W700 tablet running in the operating room Microsoft system Windows 8 64-bit. I will not express my impression of the OS, since this is a purely subjective opinion. Overall, pretty and nimble, but not always intuitive and logical.

An additional interesting feature was the proprietary original graphic design for viewing photos, videos, documents and managing wireless interfaces. In order to launch this interface, you need to touch the screen with all fingers of one hand.

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

Conclusion

Regular bulky laptops are gradually being replaced by lightweight ultrabooks with the same hardware, and over time they will be replaced by even lighter tablets. I like modern trend simplification of use mobile devices, and application touch screens 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 any situation. Therefore, I believe that such devices are difficult to classify and clearly define the circle of consumers.

I liked the Acer Iconia Tab W700 gadget, first of all, appearance, case materials and high-quality screen. There are probably no negative aspects. If you think otherwise, please leave a comment, I’ll be happy to read it.

Roman Belykh (