So far, when comparing compact tablets, there were only two platforms to use. On the one hand, Android with a huge variety of equipment for all pockets and user profiles and, on the other, iOS ’s relationship with the iPad mini, a more expensive product although with some exceptional benefits. Since Acer has announced its Iconia W3, Windows 8 joins the list of possible devices for users looking for a tablet between 7 and 8 inches.
La Acer Iconia W3 was presented in public during the past Computex and is the first mini tablet with Windows 8. In this comparison we will measure it by iPad mini, to see what it offers us in relation to what is possibly the device of its most demanded range.
Let's see which of the two is better, separated by section.
Designer
Apple has always excelled in the design of its products and the iPad mini It is one of the best examples of the high level of the firm. Narrow frames, minimal thickness, solid and handy construction; those are its most important assets. The dimensions of the tablet are 20cm x 13,4cm x 7,1mm, and it weighs 312 grams.
For its part, Iconia W3 It measures only slightly higher in width and length, but is considerably thicker: 21,8 cm x 13,5 cm x 11,4 mm. Its weight is also greater, reaching 500 grams. In any case, as we will see later, the operating system of the latter is heavier, so the differences are logical. Regarding its external appearance, the equipment is elegant and offers all the typical features of compact tablets, its speakers and the home button are located in the same position as those of iPad mini.
The native keyboard / charger that comes with the tablet Asus It is also a point in its favor.
Screen
The screen resolution on both devices is discreet. Both reach the HD standard but are far from the full HD panels of some 10-inch tablets or the Retina displays of the iPad.
The iPad mini It is 7,9 inches and its resolution is 1024 × 768 pixels, while in the case of the Iconia W3 we will have 8,1 inches and 1200 × 800 dots, that is, 30% more pixels than the iPad mini.
However, in the first unboxing that we have seen from the tablet with Windows 8, we were able to verify that their viewing angles were not entirely perfect, while in the iPad mini, panel brightness and viewing angles reach high quality standards. It is a factor that should be taken into account.
Performance and Operating System
It is a difficult section to measure, although clearly the hardware of the Iconia W8 looks more advanced: Acer's tablet has a 1,8 GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM, while Apple It also has a chip with two cores at 1GHz and 512MB of RAM. Nevertheless, iOS is a smoother and better optimized system for tablets that Windows 8.
La App Store It also offers many more applications than the Windows App Store, many of them exclusive. In this regard Windows 8 is a younger system and still needs some baggage.
Despite what has been said, the W3 it has an advantage that other platforms would like for themselves, and that is the possibility of running any desktop program, including Microsoft Office, which, together with the Iconia W3 keyboard, offers excellent performance for working. In fact, this device brings Office Home Studio pre-installed.
Storage capacity
The Acer tablet has two versions, of 32GB and 64GB, while in the iPad mini we can choose 3 different models: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Although, as we know, the higher the capacity, the higher the price. The W3 also support cards external memory. Another point in its favor.
Cameras
The cameras of the Iconia W3 are more powerful than the iPad mini, both the front (2Mpx against 1,2 Mpx) and the rear (8Mpx against 5Mpx). However, the enforcement The default for the camera is even more advanced in iOS than in Windows 8.
Battery
Here the balance tips in favor of iPad mini. Despite being a thinner device, it offers a higher charge (4.490 mAh versus 3.500 mAh) and quite possibly, given the lightness of its OS, also a much more moderate power consumption. In return, the Iconia W3 you can expand your initial capacity with the keyboard, and even recharge the tablet thanks to this accessory
Price and conclusions
The two tablets have exactly the same price in their most basic model, that is, 329 Euros. Of course, the keyboard in the Acer team is sold separately and will cost just over 60 euros.
The strengths of each device are clear. Although at iPad mini you can add a keyboard and productivity applications, it is, to a greater extent, a pure tablet and as such it is lighter and offers a much (much) greater number of applications. The Iconia W3 is a hybrid that has an exceptional asset such as its version Windows 8 Pro and the facilities when working. Its tablet aspect is more limited, however, it is also stocked for this function: it will allow us to transport it easily and throw ourselves on the sofa to enjoy a movie or a game when necessary.