Hardware

Display

The Dell Venue 8 comes with an 8 inch display that touts a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. This is particularly impressive because Apple’s iPad mini (1st gen) that is a direct competitor for the device comes with only a 768p display. The device will be a good companion for those looking for multimedia on the go as well, apart from the usual productivity applications. An 8 inch form factor is very well accepted by the masses. However, the aspect ratio o this one is widescreen unlike the iPad mini which comes with a 4:3 ratio, which is a more all-round one. Nonetheless, the device will be easy to hold in one hand.

Camera and Storage

Not that this is a major consideration before you go for a tablet, but the Venue 8 comes with a camera duo of a 2MP front and a 5MP rear. We’re pretty sure the 5MP rear would hardly find any use of its own, while the 2MP front is what will be used more often. Thanks to 3G connectivity, buyers will be able to use the device for video calls on while the move. What’s great about the tablet is that unlike other domestic devices, it comes with a wholesome 16GB of on-board ROM, with a higher priced 32GB variant also on offer. There’s also a microSD slot for further expansion should you feel the need for more.

Processor and Battery

The tablet comes with an Intel Z2580 processor, which features a dual-core CPU clocked at 2GHz per core. Along with this, there’s 2GB of RAM which is very impressive for a device priced under 20,000 INR. We at GadgetsToUse foresee this particular device to be one among the bestsellers for this year! You can expect more than decent performance and multitasking abilities from the device. There’s a 4100mAh battery feeding the internals with juice. One can expect to have about 4-5 hours of screen on time which should translate to 1-2 days of normal usage.

Form Factor and Competitors

Design

The device has a good curved rectangular design to it. Although there’s nothing too distinctive about the tablet, the device does look premium and worthy of its price tag.

Competitors

Apple iPad miniSamsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0Nexus 7 2013Xolo Tegra Note

Conclusion

We are quite impressed by the device. This is simply because of the attractive price tag it comes with, which really is a bargain when considering the device’s powerful specs. For under 20k INR, you can get yourself an international branded tablet with 3G support, Intel processor and 2GB RAM – that’s about all one can ask for. It will be interesting to see how the device stacks up against other Qualcomm and MediaTek powered tablets that are currently favourites among the masses.