Benchmark Tests
PCMark05 Results
CPU
Longer bars are better
Memory
Longer bars are better
HDD
Longer bars are better
Video Playback Battery Life Test
Battery life in minutes
Longer bars are better
COMMENTS
iPad "equivalent" for Win 7???
Seriously?
- Is Win 7 or this Archos tablet always on? No.
- Is Win 7 instant on? No, about 2.5 minutes to boot on the processor...
- Is it touch optimize and designed? No.
- Will it support auto rotate? Possibly, though many apps have issues with this.
- Can you share licenses with your other PCs? No.
- Can I get 3G data without a contract for $29? No.
- Does it require near zero maintenance like an iPad? No.
- 1/2" in think? no.
- under 1.5lbs? No.
- 10+ hours watching video over wifi? No, just over 2 hours, with WiFi OFF.
- 30 days standby? well, yes likely, since it's not always on...
- 1024x768? Nope, only 1024x600.
- 720P h.264 decode support? Oh, sorry, no on the GMA... Can't even do 420p.
- GPU? Nope.
- Processor to compete with A4/2GHz snapdragon? Nope, Atom 1.1Ghz... especially with only 1GB RAM for Win7, ouch!
- 32GB storage? Nope, it;s 60GB drive has only 25GB free out of the box...
Other than it has a touchscreen, it seems Archos saved EVERY expense. It competes with an iPad in ZERO categories. It;s slower, bulkier, 1/5th the battery, not IPS, lower resolution, less storage, no native 3G, and to top it all off, MORE expensive. Most regular nebooks are faster, lighter, and cheaper. EPIC FAIL.
archos customer service
Let's not forget Archos truly awful approach to customer service, just have a look at some of the forums.
Having bought archos kit before my experience is such that I will never buy it again or recommend it to anyone.
Windows Starter
How bizarre. Produce a touch screen only tablet device and then don't install a version of Windows 7 that supports it! Instead hook in some 3rd party keyboard that doesn't work well. It also won't have the handwriting recognition.
I guess they're doing this in an effort to keep the price down with the cheaper Windows version. Unfortunately it totally compromises the concept.
Hardware is very low spec, dreadful battery life and once again Archos is sticking with it's ridiculous (and darn ugly) docks concept.
Archos seem to be trying to grab headlines by jumping on any passing bandwagon. Unfortunately the resulting products are pretty dire lash ups (take the awful Android 5 I.T. PMP that has to boot up the old Linux based OS to playback HD because they haven't ported the TI drivers).
If you've got
David, if you've got a desktop, a laptop, a netbook, a phone, a PDA, a video player, and a girlfriend (and, let's assume, a car), then I think you aren't allowed to buy yourself any more toys.
So you buy the Archos tablet for your girlfriend.
And then she wants to know why you didn't just get that one yourself instead of all the other stuff.
But is this a phone too? I suppose if you use a 3G-to-wireless soapbar and Skype, then it can be.
Price fail
I'm not sure what this thing is, and why I should pay £600 of my hard-earned for it. Does it replace my phone? My PDA? My laptop? My netbook? My desktop? My iPod (or similar generic music and video player)? Is there a tablet-sized gap in my life that this fits into?
I think the answer to those questions is NO to all.
And for that reason, I'm out. And I have (very kindly) disregarded the APPALLING (in fact non-existant) customer service I got from Archos when my son's Archos MP3 player got so hot it burned his jacket pocket several years ago.
