Acer's Iconia Tab A100 has some great redeeming features in its dinky compact chassis. That said, even the cheaper price isn't enough of an added impetus to go out and buy it.

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100: Build

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100 is one of the cheapest and dinkier tablets here, with a 7-inch screen that still does the job when watching movies or catching up with last night’s telly.

An nVidia dual-core processor means the Iconia Tab is as adept as most tablets when it comes to playing games and messing around with apps. HD movies play with next to no stuttering and the built-in speakers are surprisingly loud, although they sound rather tinny on top volume.

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100: Screen

The 1024 x 600 resolution keeps images sharp, and you won’t get eye strain thanks to the comfortable brightness levels. The excellent viewing angles mean you can enjoy a movie with a fellow traveller without crushing your heads together.

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100: Features

Browsing the web is a silky smooth experience, thanks to the responsive touchscreen. Pages load almost instantly over a decent Wi-Fi connection, and Flash is supported so you can enjoy BBC iPlayer and other video streaming sites.

The screen is responsive to swipe and prods, although it does gather fingerprints in seconds so make sure you keep a cloth handy.

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100: Battery

Battery life is sadly less impressive. We didn’t even get through four hours of TV before the Tab died, the worst result here. However, the light and compact body means it’s still highly portable.

The 13mm body is just 405g, so you can slip it into a handbag or tiny manbag without busting its seams. We liked the curved corners and swirling pattern on the rear, a welcome break from the traditional black rectangular design.

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100: Verdict

If you need something tiny and light to carry around, and don’t mind the short battery life, the Iconia Tab is a worthy entertainment device.

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100 availability: Out now

Acer’s Iconia Tab A100 price: £259