Dell Venue Pro 8
Ratings: 3.5/5
Price: Rs 26,499
Specs: 8 inch display; 5 MP camera; 1.8GHz Intel Quad-core processor; 2GB RAM; 16GB internal storage, expandable memory card slot, Miracast, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; 4830 mAh battery
The tablet market is on the upswing but for me tablets still remain a media consumption device. They can't replace my laptop. Dell's Venue Pro 8 is a Windows tablet that the company is pushing as the ultimate productivity companion. Featuring a full blown Windows 8.1 operating system, it packs in 1.8GHz quad core Intel Atom processor with 2GB of RAM. The 8 inch touch display has a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, which is low in comparison to the iPad Mini or many other Android tablets. Even then, the text and images appear crisp on full brightness. One can enjoy reading on this tablet. when held horizontally. it works as a media playback device too. It's not that the onscreen keypad isn't any good but the compact size makes it difficult to type for long durations. Running Windows 8.1 means that one gets access to all the apps available on s laptop. While not many will be used on the tablet, Microsoft Office Home and Students 2013 is one that I used a lot. Of course, I had to configure my Microsoft account that linked me to Windows Marketplace from where I was able to download more apps. The Dell Venue Pro 8 is a neat device but lacks a few basics such as there any physical video out or a Micro HDMI port. It does support Miracast but you need a compatible device or adapter to utilize this feature. Of the 32 GB onboard storage, only 12 GB is user accessible. This Windows tablet does recognise pen input but it is available as an optional accessory that you will have to buy.
Bag it or junk it: It can't replace even a netbook until you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard.
