Honestly, I’m not sure what to expect from the Acer Iconia Tab 8 W when I first received it. I’ve heard that it is designated as a budget tablet but I hadn’t been too enthused about it. The fact that it runs on Windows just makes me wonder how it’s going to stand among the upcoming 2-in-1s as well. After trying it for two weeks, I can honestly tell you that my doubts about this tablet have not faded.

Let’s start with the design. The Iconia Tab 8 W is pretty straightforward as far as tablet designs go. It’s not ugly – far from it – but it is not exactly a looker either. It is plain and uninteresting and that is all I can say about the Iconia Tab 8 W. What I could say though is that it is thin and light. Personally, this is good and when paired with the nicely lit screen makes it all better.

As shown by the W in the name, the Iconia Tab 8 W runs on Windows 8.1. This should instantly make anyone who is familiar to Windows powered tablet feel right at home. For those who don’t or are new to Windows 8.1, it’ll probably take some time to be familiar with it as the new platform is a little complicated than using Android or iOS.

Inside the Shell

Hardware-wise, the Iconia Tab 8 W features some pretty standard budget tablet components. It contains an Intel Atom Z3735G Quad-Core and 1GB of RAM. The two allow the tablet to perform tasks without much complications. The battery life is pretty good too as it is able to last roughly eight hours  on a single charge while in constant use.

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 W is a decent budget tablet. The problem with it though is the question of who would want to own such a device. If you have already have a portable 2-in-1 Ultrabook, there is very little reason to get this. If you prefer Android, theirs really isn’t for you. In the end, the Iconia Tab 8 W just doesn’t really distinguish itself enough to stand out from the crowd of tablets, making it yet another decent entry in this expanding marketplace.