Latest crop of Windows 8.1 tablets cost no more than $150

Scorpus

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Microsoft is beginning its push into the low cost tablet market with a selection of new products announced today at IFA in Berlin. In doing so the company is tackling Android head on, attempting to steal away some market share in a crowded and fierce market.

The first device unveiled was Toshiba's Encore Mini, which packs a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, an unspecified quad-core Intel Atom SoC, and 16 GB of internal storage plus an SD card slot. It runs Windows 8.1 with Bing, which is Microsoft's low-cost operating system variant that requires OEMs set Bing as Internet Explorer's default browser.

Most importantly, the Encore Mini goes on sale today for just $119.99, making it one of the cheapest devices on the market running Windows. It also comes with a one year subscription to Office 365 Personal, which might come in handy for on-the-fly document creation if you manage to successfully navigate the Windows 8.1 desktop environment.

latest windows acer microsoft asus tablet windows 8.1 ifa 2014

Acer also announced a cheap Windows 8.1 tablet, the Iconia Tab 8 W, which packs an 8-inch 1280 x 800 IPS display and will retail for just $150. Internally you'll find Intel's 'Bay Trail' Atom Z3735G SoC, and there's a pair of cameras on board plus a microSD card slot. Like the Encore Mini, the Iconia Tab 8 W runs Windows 8.1 with Bing.

These two tablets aren't the only sub-$200 Windows devices expected to be available for the upcoming holiday season. HP is also reportedly working on a $99 tablet to slot into their Stream line, while other manufacturers are likely to join in on the action as well.

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I'm hoping to see Dell improve on the Venue Pro 8. It always looked like the best all around 8" tablet to me.
 
So wait are these x86?!? or (not being too familiar with ARM) are there ARM atoms now?
Being Bay Trail parts one has to assume they are x86. These come in at a pretty affordable price with 'Intel Inside' so they'll just cost you a LEG this time, not an ARM as well.
 
Awesome.... I think I'll go get one. Will be nice to be able to do real work. Something as simple as copy and paste shouldn't be that difficult, but half the time it doesn't let me do what I want in Android.
 
Yep it's x86, I don't think ARM versions of Windows really took off, Microsoft themselves are maybe the only ones that still use it (Surface RT).

Having said that, these are pretty good value for x86 with full version of Windows, I might just get one of these just to try them out.
 
I wouldn't buy it if it was $5.
That's right, I'm still riding the Win8 hatred train!
Why? That's so 2013!

On a serious note, these are actually tablets (which benefit from the Metro UI) so they might be worth a look, unless of course, you dislike tablets in general.
 
Once upon a time children, they made, "digital picture frames". This was back in the dark ages kids, when "Circuit City" was still in business.

How many of you remember Circuit city? Let me see a show of hands.

These digital picture frames had no other function, save for turning your photos into a tabletop slide show. The resolutions were piss poor, as low as 240 x 360, and prices started at $60.00 or so, going up to about $200.00 for 1024 by whatever goes with that. (768, I know).

My point being, the IPS tablet in the article, is a godsend, even if all you do with it is show your pictures.

I hate to admit this, but I actually might buy one. It's gotta beat by a country mile, hauling my ancient TN screen laptop around just to show photos. Which is pretty much all I ever do with it. Of course the lappy does have a DVD burner....
 
@captaincranky - I actually bought one of those digital picture frames from a Circuit City many years ago to give as a gift.

A part of me wants to get a tablet, but I really can't think of anything I'd do with it that I'm not already accomplishing with either a laptop at home or a work provided smartphone when not at home. Maybe its worth the risk at $99.
 
I wouldn't buy it if it was $5.
That's right, I'm still riding the Win8 hatred train!

I got my copy for free through my college is the only reason I have it. Anyways, it isn't as bad as people think. I never really have to use the tiles. I always have mine on the regular desktop and it works fine for me.

I don't blame you for sticking to an earlier version though but if you can aquire a copy for free, try it out. :D
 
One by one the train is emptying. lol
On my part I'd have to say, "no, not really". My interest in it rests solely on it's ability to show photos. So, to me it would be just this years model of a, digital picture frame".

I don't have wireless interwebz, I have no need for M$ Office, but I do know how to work a Redbox kiosk.

It's still a compromise size wise, but with the touch and stretch zoom function it would get your point across, better than trying to adjust the much larger laptop's lid angle to get the right color and density for the viewer.

Besides, you can't argue in favor of "holding out with Win 7", with these devices. They don't exist with Win 7, and retro-installing it would cost nearly as much as the tablet.

Anyway, I thought "we" agreed, my needs are "atypical", since they don't align with your perception of what they should be.:D
 
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