Acer Iconia W700 is a Windows 8 tablet of standard proportions for what we see in this operating system. The Taiwanese company already has enough experience in the manufacture of tablets, and although its most notable models have always been on Android, it has also worked with Microsoft operating systems for touch devices. The other model that we know, the W510, is more of a hybrid tablet with an optional keyboard - dock that gives us a more tablet experience by being smaller and lighter. In this case, and this is also the case in high-end Windows 8 tablets, we have an 11,6-inch screen and, having Intel Core processors, they become devices closer to ultrabooks than tablets. In its competitors such as Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro, they continued to opt for a hybrid model with a station keyboard, but Acer has taken another route and presents us with a loose, more traditional tablet that, to get the most out of it, needs many accessories.
Designer
Iconia W700 is a well made tablet, very compact. Its aluminum housing has a great finish with a brushed back that helps it not slip when we hold it. It is a device quite heavy, above the kilo, so we must hold it tightly. This excessive weight prevents us from transporting it comfortably. It gives the feeling that we must sit down to use it and that, even if it had 3G, we would take it out of the house more than we would take an ultrabook. It is quite large, with dimensions of 295 x 190 x 12,7 mm. That is to say, really thick at 1,27cm thick But of course, it has a beast of a processor inside and a great battery. The materials are clearly noble and the buttons work well and feel very durable.
The speakers are well placed on the bottom of the tablet as we will rarely cover them with our hand when holding the tablet in a landscape position.
Usually I would talk about the accessories of the tablet at the end, but in this case it is essential for the experience of the same because of its approach. The box in which this tablet is packed warns us of the quantity of accessories that are coming to us.
First of all, we have a support that connects to the power input and the USB of the tablet and on the left side. The USB becomes 3 and the input for the charger is simply jumpered. Gaps at the bottom allow sound to come out clearly.
The strange and positive thing about this support is that it is worth both for horizontal and vertical position. To hold it we have a rare wedge that must be inserted in two ways depending on what position we are looking for. We have a sticker with visual instructions that are a clear omen of the difficulty of assembling that wedge properly at the station. The assembly is unintuitive, although once we learn it, it is done with speed.
In this position we can access the tablet without having to hold it and by accessing the classic Windows mode we are prompted to use the second accessory: the bluetooth keyboard. This one comes conveniently equipped with an on and off button that is very useful so that there is no confusion. The white gum keys are inserted into a plastic surface with metallic paint. It has a certain elevation in the back to make typing more comfortable. We miss a pad, honestly. Since if we want to have a satisfactory desktop mode experience, using the finger as a mouse will give us headaches.
Finally, we have a leather case really beautiful that serves as a support in two degrees of inclination when folded. Inside, it has a soft material that perfectly protects the screen. Without a doubt, it is the best of the three accessories.
Screen
We have a screen 11,6-inch Full HD with a resolution of X resulting in a pixel density of 191 ppi. We are before a panel IPS LCD that, in addition to giving us a great angle of vision, gives us a very interesting luminosity. This is also seen in the company's notebooks that shine brightly and have remarkable sharpness.
On the other hand, the response to touch gestures is really good, although perhaps the good processor and the operating system have a lot to say about that.
Performance and autonomy
This tablet can be obtained in two models with different processors. Or an Intel Intel Core i3 2365M with HD 3000 graphics card or a Intel Core i5 3317U with HD 4000 graphics card. Both come with 4 GB of RAM accompanied but one goes with 64 GB of ROM and another with 128 GB, respectively. The model that we have tested is the least powerful. Still, we can say that the machine responds very well to all the processes that it starts, both launching applications, browsing or playing games. Although honestly, it cannot be said that it outperforms an Android tablet or an iPad with a much less powerful processor. What is remarkable is the speed with which it turns on, nothing to do with Windows desktop or laptop PCs.
In benchmarks the model with Intel Core-i5 has achieved great marks, above other models with exactly the same processor. Which means that Acer is doing things right. The Intel Core-i3 model is above other Windows 8 tablets that use Atom processors.
On the other hand, the 4850 mAh battery takes full advantage of giving a excellent autonomy, above 10 o'clock, which is already the house brand.
Conference proceedings
The model with only 64GB may be short on you, since the operating system occupies 26 GB and we do not have an SD card. The 128GB model is more than enough.
Connectivity
We are talking about a computer with great connectivity within the home or office. As he USB 3.0, the Bluetooth and the microHDMI They make it a great tablet to coordinate with other devices or to export the image to a larger screen.
Operating System
We have Windows 8 with its virtues and its drawbacks. The desktop version has Office if we buy it, although in this tablet we will need to buy a mouse to get the most out of it. The mosaic version is fine, fast and intuitive. Although there are certain normal actions such as return, change open application or select that are not performed easily. In addition, some proprietary applications such as mail are limited and the ability to share materials such as photos, documents and videos from them to other applications or cloud or mail services is a bit limited.
Cameras
The cameras are not bad, the front fulfills its function for video calls with Skype normally. The 5 MPX rear works well and takes sharp photos with good color intensity. However, in complex lighting conditions it does not respond well. In the video we notice it even more.
Prices and conclusions
We are facing a tablet focused on professionals without a doubt. Their prices range from 559 euros, in the most basic model with only one accessory, up to the most expensive model up to 959 with the most complete model, with Windows 8 Pro and all the accessories. There are up to 6 different approaches to choose from. From what we see, their prices are not the cheapest and perhaps for houses and people who are going to enjoy content there are more reasonable and cheaper options.
On the other hand, even if the team is really powerful, its design is a bit confusing and its limited portability will make us leave it at home or use it with one more touchscreen ultrabook.