October sees the debut of Windows 8 and everyone from Samsung, Acer and even Microsoft are releasing tablets for the new OS. Acer has opted for a premium ‘desktop’ model...

Acer Iconia W700: Features

The Iconia W700 includes an i3 or i5 process alongside Windows 8, a charge dock and a wireless keyboard and mouse. Essentially, it’s a skinny (11.9mm) PC or super powered i5 tablet, depending on how you look at it.

There’s a 5 megapixel camera alongside a 1.3 front facing camera and a 64GB SSD on the version we saw at IFA 2012, though a 32GB will be available from October too. A Thunderbolt port, Micro HDMI output and headphone socket sit alongside a USB 3.0 socket. Strangely, there are also large air vents on the edge of the W700 - don’t expect iPad style simplicity and style.

Acer Iconia W700: Screen

The 11.6 inch display doesn’t run very close to the edge of the tablet, meaning you get a wide bezel to frame the 1920 x 1080 pixel display. Imagery is sharp, however and response times good.

Acer Iconia W700: Performance

The chunky dock works well - simply drop the W700 in place and you can start typing with the high quality keyboard and mouse. Eight hours of battery life is quoted, though we haven’t had time to test this just yet.

The i5 processor means performance will be fast but Dell’s XPS Duo 12 boasts an i7 option and, as a portable option, the Microsoft Surface beats the W700 due to the chunky charge dock.

Acer Iconia W700: Verdict

As a skinny PC for web work and general typing, Windows 8 tablets with keyboards are quickly becoming what Google had hoped Chrome Books would become.

The only sticking point is the unannounced price - an iPad retails for £399 and Microsoft Surface is likely to be the same price or lower, including a keyboard. Acer’s own S5 i7 Ultrabook costs just £600 online too, making the argument for a Windows 8 tablet an interesting one...

Acer Iconia W700 availability: TBC

Acer Iconia W700 price: TBC

Words: Richard Melville