LAS VEGAS: The next-gen 10.1in quad-core tablet from Acer looks to be a considerable step up from previous models released by the firm.

Not only does the tablet boast some impressive specifications, but the design looks much better than the existing Acer A500 Iconia Tab and the build quality feels sturdy too.

The Acer will follow in the footsteps of the Asus Transformer Prime, and ship with the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM.

We were impressed with the speed of the Acer during our hands on, and when pinching-to-zoom there was no redrawing and the device handled HD video playback comfortably.

The tablet comes with a 10.1in display with a 1920x1200 resolution and on the brightest setting it was reasonably bright in low lighting.

Acer claims the screen quality is better than most IPS displays on the market and the viewing angle on the tablet was impressive as we were able to view text and video when the device was flat on the tablet and we looked at it side on.

Acer will pre-load Android Ice Cream Sandwich on the device and has added some of its own customisations. Top of the list includes the Acer Ring - which allows users to access applications quickly from the lock screen by pressing and holding on the screen and choosing the app they want to open.

With a weight of around 650g, the device is comfortable to hold. However, we feel that Acer could have done more to trim a few grams off the device especially as Apple and Samsung are expected to release ultra-portable next generation tablets soon.

An area where Acer usually impresses is connectivity. The latest tablet continues this trend and will include HDMI, micro USB and micro SD ports, catering to almost everyone's connectivity needs. The Iconia tablet will also be compatible with the firm's newly announced AcerCloud service, although we did not get to see this in action.

Acer has made what looks to be a competent Android tablet and all it is missing now is a name, release date and price. If the latter can be competitive, and the device has a good battery life, this could gives the big boys a run for their money.

09 Jan 2012