Acer Iconia A1 vs. iPad Mini vs. Galaxy Note 8.0: Spec showdown

Earlier today in New York City, Acer unveiled a series of new products. One of them, the Iconia A1, introduces the electronics manufacturer into the new 8-inch mini tablet competition. The newest of the mini tablets is very promising, particularly with its insanely competitive price point, which sits comfortably at about half the price, if not more, than its biggest competitors, the iPad Mini and the Galaxy Note 8. So let’s see how the three gadgets stack up against each other:

	Acer Iconia A1	iPad Mini Image used with permission by copyright holder	Galaxy Note 8 Image used with permission by copyright holder
Price	$170-$200	$330-$530	$400
OS	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean	iOS 6	Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Processor	1.2GHz MediaTek quad-core	Apple A5 dual-core	1.6GHz A9 quad-core
RAM	1GB	512MB	2GB
Display	7.9 inches	7.9 inches	8 inches
Resolution	1024×768	1024×768	1280×800
Weight	14.4 ounces	11 ounces	11.7 ounces
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, 3G	Wi-Fi, 4G LTE	Wi-Fi, 3G
Marketplace	Google Play Store	App Store	Google Play Store
Front Camera	VGA (.3 megapixels)	1.2 megapixels	1.3 megapixels
Back Camera	5 megapixels	5 megapixels	5 megapixels
Bluetooth	Yes, 4.0	Yes, 4.0	Yes, 4.0
Internal storage	8/16GB	16/32/64GB	16/32GB
SD card slot	Yes	No	Yes
Battery Life	3,250mAh (7 hours)	10 hours	4,600mAh (8-9 hours)

From the specs alone, the Aspire P3 is a little heavier than its competitors and slightly bulkier, but holds its ground. Though it’s battery life doesn’t appear to match up to either the Note 8.0 or iPad Mini, it costs roughly half (or even less) than either of its major competitors. Though we didn’t compare it here, the Google Nexus 7 may end up being the strongest competition for this budget tablet, though it’s screen is noticeably smaller. The Iconia A1 should hit the shelves in the U.S. sometime this upcoming June.

What do you think? Which of the three above would you be most likely to invest in?

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