Competition in the 7-inch Android tablet space is fierce and Acer’s latest release, the Iconia B1-A71, is a budget entry that’s looking to grab your attention. We examine what it has to offer when compared with Amazon’s revamped Kindle Fire and Google’s market leading Nexus 7. While the Nexus 7 is the clear winner in terms of raw power and quality, it will cost you at least $50 more. The Acer Iconia B1-A71 manages to come in significantly cheaper than the Kindle Fire, but the competition is far from clear cut. Check out the specs for yourself.
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Acer Iconia B1-A71  |
Kindle Fire  |
Nexus 7  |
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| Size | 197.4 x 128.5 x 11.3 (mm) | 189 x 120 x 11.5 (mm) | 198.5 x 120 x 10.45 (mm) |
| Weight | 320g | 400g | 340g |
| Screen | 7-inch | 7-inch | 7-inch |
| Resolution | 1024×600 pixels | 1024×600 pixels | 1280×800 pixels |
| OS | Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) | Android 4.0 (ICS) with Amazon overlay | Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) |
| Storage | 8GB | 8GB | 16GB/32GB |
| SD Card Slot | Yes | No | No |
| Processor | 1.2GHz Dual-core Mediatek | 1.2GHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 | 1.3GHz Quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 |
| RAM | 512MB | 1GB | 1GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi, HSPA+ |
| Camera | Front 0.3MP | None | Front 1.2MP |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No | Yes |
| Battery | 2710mAh | 4400mAh | 4325mAh |
| Marketplace | Google Play Store | Amazon App Store | Google Play Store |
| Price | Under $150 | $160/$175 | $200/$250/$300 |
The Nexus 7 is the clear leader, but for people on a really tight budget the fight comes down to the Acer Iconia B1-A71 and the Kindle Fire. There’s very little to separate the two. The Acer Iconia has the advantage of running stock Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), whereas the Kindle Fire sports the older Android 4.0 (ICS) with an Amazon overlay which also limits it to the Amazon App Store. You’ll have a bigger choice of content on the Acer. It also has a microSD card slot, Bluetooth 4.0 support, and a front-facing camera for Skype calls. The Kindle Fire has more RAM and a bigger battery, but is that realistically enough to tempt you in Amazon’s direction?
Though the small amount of RAM has us moderately worried, we think the Acer Iconia B1-A71 is a credible budget choice.
