Acer's 8-inch Windows 8 Tablet Shows Its Face Again

By Kevin Parrish
published

Remember that 8-inch Windows 8 tablet from Acer that briefly appeared on Amazon a few weeks ago? It's back, but this time on Acer's own Finnish website here. Called the Iconia W3, it's the first 8-inch Windows 8 tablet, the company claims, a true multi-user tablet with easy access to personal apps and settings. So far there's still no pricing, release date or an official list of hardware.

"The Iconia W3 Series puts desktop PC capability in a tablet, so you can work and play on the go more conveniently than ever," reads the description. "At 8-inches, it is compact enough to hold in one hand, yet sports a screen big enough for comfortable viewing. Rounding out this premium mobile companion are Windows 8 and a robust Intel processor."

According to the specs that were shown on the Amazon listing before it was pulled, the 8-inch tablet will weigh 1.1 pounds and sport a dual-core Atom Z2760 SoC from Intel, an 8.1-inch CrystalBrite LCD display with a 1280 x 800 resolution, integrated graphics with 64 MB of memory, 32 GB of internal storage, and 2 GB of RAM. Other features will include Wireless-N networking connectivity, a 2MP camera on the front and a 2MP camera on the back (which again seems odd), and a two-cell 3,500 mAh battery promising up to eight hours of continuous use on a single charge.

Amazon also listed the Acer tablet's pricing at $379.99, which seems a bit much for an 8-inch form factor. Then again, Windows 8 isn't free, thus consumers are eating the licensing costs even though Microsoft has supposedly cut a deal for ODMs producing devices under ten inches. Currently the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD starts at $269 USD, the 7.9-inch iPad mini starts at $329 USD, and the 7-inch Nexus 7 starts at $199 USD.

Will an 8-inch form factor help Microsoft bring Windows 8 to more consumers? It will definitely help if the price is reasonable, as the sub-ten-inch market clearly shows that consumers are looking for a form factor that's affordable, high-performance and easy to carry. However, overshooting the iPad Mini's selling price could prove destructive for a Windows 8-based tablet of the same size.

Kevin Parrish
18 Comments Comment from the forums
  • BringMeAnother
    Z2760? Next
    Reply
  • vmem
    "Will an 8-inch form factor help Microsoft bring Windows 8 to more consumers?"
    prediction: not at that cost with a plastic shell and those resolutions...
    Reply
  • timon_tablet
    All the current Atom z2760 tablets do not support SATA SSD, that are with very slow and bad eMMC SSD only, any brand.
    If maker claimed an SSD inside their Atom z2760 tablet, then you must be very cautious, usually they do not wish you to know eMMC inside the tablet.
    If you wanted a really creditable Atom tablet, need to wait for Bay Trail M until the end of this year, it will support for SATA 2.0 (not 3.0) and USB 3.0. Also, 8 or 9 inches Windows 8 tablet would come soon.
    (The current Clover Trail Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD and USB 3.0, but is a very bad eMMC SSD only, so, it is handicapped)

    In currently, Intel Core i3 3229Y is the new Y series processor, very fits to x86 Windows tablet, far better than the Atom z2760, despite that sounds like the z2760 with lower battery consumption.
    Also, in the Y series the Pentium 2129Y is also better than the Atom Z2760.
    I very expect the 8 or 9 inches (1280x800 IPS screen) Windows 8 tablet with the Y series ULV processor. I can accept the 6 hours battery on the 8 or 9 inches tablet, (In top-quality HD video continuous playback test will not less than 3 hours).
    The body's deep in 15mm would be good-enough, does not need 10mm or ultrathin, tablet is not like ultrathin stockings on erogenous thighs of belle.
    Maybe you were once wondering, why is MS did not release an Atom z2760 tablet to their Surface series, however, when you known the Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD, would get intelligible.
    The eMMC is much slower, and is insecure storage device. The eMMC is merely fit for cellphone and cheap of Android devices, but is not for WIndows x86.
    The Windows 8 is not very active in current tablet market, therein the problem in half actually showed from Intel Atom z2760. If with eMMC SSD, why need to buy the expensive Atom z2760 Windows 8? (eMMC is not acceptable performance on x86 OS). But iPad and Android devices are much cheaper with eMMC.
    Even if the eMMC SSD Windows 8 Atom z2760 to drop down the price will be still inconclusive, as the Android tablets are always with cheaper price and flooding around, but the Windows x86 tablet's mainly advantageous conditions are not the lowest-end market, so, Atom in x86 Windows must support SATA SSD with better performance.
    Reply
  • timon_tablet
    All the current Atom z2760 tablets do not support SATA SSD, that are with very slow and bad eMMC SSD only, any brand.
    If maker claimed an SSD inside their Atom z2760 tablet, then you must be very cautious, usually they do not wish you to know eMMC inside the tablet.
    If you wanted a really creditable Atom tablet, need to wait for Bay Trail M until the end of this year, it will support for SATA 2.0 (not 3.0) and USB 3.0. Also, 8 or 9 inches Windows 8 tablet would come soon.
    (The current Clover Trail Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD and USB 3.0, but is a very bad eMMC SSD only, so, it is handicapped)

    In currently, Intel Core i3 3229Y is the new Y series processor, very fits to x86 Windows tablet, far better than the Atom z2760, despite that sounds like the z2760 with lower battery consumption.
    Also, in the Y series the Pentium 2129Y is also better than the Atom Z2760.
    I very expect the 8 or 9 inches (1280x800 IPS screen) Windows 8 tablet with the Y series ULV processor. I can accept the 6 hours battery on the 8 or 9 inches tablet, (In top-quality HD video continuous playback test will not less than 3 hours).
    The body's deep in 15mm would be good-enough, does not need 10mm or ultrathin, tablet is not like ultrathin stockings on erogenous thighs of belle.
    Maybe you were once wondering, why is MS did not release an Atom z2760 tablet to their Surface series, however, when you known the Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD, would get intelligible.
    The eMMC is much slower, and is insecure storage device. The eMMC is merely fit for cellphone and cheap of Android devices, but is not for WIndows x86.
    The Windows 8 is not very active in current tablet market, therein the problem in half actually showed from Intel Atom z2760. If with eMMC SSD, why need to buy the expensive Atom z2760 Windows 8? (eMMC is not acceptable performance on x86 OS). But iPad and Android devices are much cheaper with eMMC.
    Even if the eMMC SSD Windows 8 Atom z2760 to drop down the price will be still inconclusive, as the Android tablets are always with cheaper price and flooding around, but the Windows x86 tablet's mainly advantageous conditions are not the lowest-end market, so, Atom in x86 Windows must support SATA SSD with better performance.
    Reply
  • timon_tablet
    If you wanted a really creditable Atom tablet, need to wait for Bay Trail M at the end this year, will support for SATA 2.0 (not 3.0) and USB 3.0. Also, 8 or 9 inches Windows 8 tablet would come soon.
    (The current Clover Trail Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD and USB 3.0, but is a very bad eMMC SSD only, so, it is handicapped)
    In currently, Intel Core i3 3229Y is the new Y series processor, very fits to x86 Windows tablet, far better than the Atom z2760, despite that sounds like the z2760 with lower battery consumption.
    Also, in the Y series the Pentium 2129Y is also better than the Atom Z2760.
    I very expect the 8 or 9 inches (1280x800 IPS screen) Windows 8 tablet with the Y series ULV processor. I can accept the 6 hours battery on the 8 or 9 inches tablet, (In top-quality HD video continuous playback test will not less than 3 hours).
    The body's deep in 15mm would be good-enough, does not need 10mm or ultrathin, tablet is not like ultrathin stockings on erogenous thighs of belle.
    Reply
  • timon_tablet
    If you wanted a really creditable Atom tablet, need to wait for Bay Trail M at the end this year, will support for SATA 2.0 (not 3.0) and USB 3.0. Also, 8 or 9 inches Windows 8 tablet would come soon.
    (The current Clover Trail Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD and USB 3.0, but is a very bad eMMC SSD only, so, it is handicapped) .
    ------------------------------------------------------
    In currently, Intel Core i3 3229Y is the new Y series processor, very fits to x86 Windows tablet, far better than the Atom z2760, despite that sounds like the z2760 with lower battery consumption.
    Also, in the Y series the Pentium 2129Y is also better than the Atom Z2760.
    I very expect the 8 or 9 inches (1280x800 IPS screen) Windows 8 tablet with the Y series ULV processor. I can accept the 6 hours battery on the 8 or 9 inches tablet, (In top-quality HD video continuous playback test will not less than 3 hours).
    The body's deep in 15mm would be good-enough, does not need 10mm or ultrathin, tablet is not like ultrathin stockings on erogenous thighs of belle.
    Reply
  • timon_tablet
    If you wanted a really creditable Atom tablet, need to wait for Bay Trail M until the end of this year, it will support for SATA 2.0 (not 3.0) and USB 3.0. Also, 8 or 9 inches Windows 8 tablet would come soon.
    (The current Clover Trail Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD and USB 3.0, but is a very bad eMMC SSD only, so, it is handicapped.)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In currently, Intel Core i3 3229Y is the new Y series processor, very fits to x86 Windows tablet, far better than the Atom z2760, despite that sounds like the z2760 with lower battery consumption.
    Also, in the Y series the Pentium 2129Y is also better than the Atom Z2760.
    I very expect the 8 or 9 inches (1280x800 IPS screen) Windows 8 tablet with the Y series ULV processor. I can accept the 6 hours battery on the 8 or 9 inches tablet, (In top-quality HD video continuous playback test will not less than 3 hours).
    The body's deep in 15mm would be good-enough, does not need 10mm or ultrathin, tablet is not like ultrathin stockings on erogenous thighs of belle.

    Reply
  • timon_tablet
    If you wanted a really creditable Atom tablet, need to wait for Bay Trail M until the end of this year, it will support for SATA 2.0 (not 3.0) and USB 3.0. Also, 8 or 9 inches Windows 8 tablet would come soon.
    (The current Clover Trail Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD and USB 3.0, but is a very bad eMMC SSD only, so, it is handicapped.)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In currently, Intel Core i3 3229Y is the new Y series processor, very fits to x86 Windows tablet, far better than the Atom z2760, despite that sounds like the z2760 with lower battery consumption.
    Also, in the Y series the Pentium 2129Y is also better than the Atom Z2760.
    I very expect the 8 or 9 inches (1280x800 IPS screen) Windows 8 tablet with the Y series ULV processor. I can accept the 6 hours battery on the 8 or 9 inches tablet, (In top-quality HD video continuous playback test will not less than 3 hours).
    The body's deep in 15mm would be good-enough, does not need 10mm or ultrathin, tablet is not like ultrathin stockings on erogenous thighs of belle.

    Reply
  • timon_tablet
    If you wanted a really creditable Atom tablet, need to wait for Bay Trail M until the end of this year, it will support for SATA 2.0 (not 3.0) and USB 3.0. Also, 8 or 9 inches Windows 8 tablet would come soon.
    (The current Clover Trail Atom z2760 does not support SATA SSD and USB 3.0, but is a very bad eMMC SSD only, so, it is handicapped.)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In currently, Intel Core i3 3229Y is the new Y series processor, very fits to x86 Windows tablet, far better than the Atom z2760, despite that sounds like the z2760 with lower battery consumption.
    Also, in the Y series the Pentium 2129Y is also better than the Atom Z2760.
    I very expect the 8 or 9 inches (1280x800 IPS screen) Windows 8 tablet with the Y series ULV processor. I can accept the 6 hours battery on the 8 or 9 inches tablet, (In top-quality HD video continuous playback test will not less than 3 hours).
    The body's deep in 15mm would be good-enough, does not need 10mm or ultrathin, tablet is not like ultrathin stockings on erogenous thighs of belle.

    Reply
  • kartu
    I don't get why these guys think that there are buyers willing to pay a premium price for something that has yet to deliver.
    If MS seriously wants to get some market share, they should get back to reality and push prices back. Even if that means giving WinBlabla for free. Consider it being another xbox.
    Reply