Archos vaguely pre-announced the Gamepad 2 tablet just before the start of the IFA tech show last month, but didn’t show it off at the event, and hasn’t talked about it since. Now we’ve been treated to a selection of leaks regarding the device, including out first look at its technical specification. The original Archos Gamepad was released just before Christmas last year, and is a relatively ordinary 7-inch Android tablet, but with a set of physical gaming controls flanking the screen.
Despite its promise, the Gamepad wasn’t that well received, so we’re hoping for a lot more from the sequel. If the rumors are accurate, the screen will remain at 7-inches, but the resolution could be increased from 1024 x 600 to 1280 x 800, which may not be the best on offer, but is certainly better than before.
A quad-core, 1.6GHz processor and 2GB of RAM would represent a considerable upgrade over the first model, and alongside the 8GB standard model, a 16GB version may also be introduced. A microSD card slot should also be found on the tablet. From the look of the leaked picture, a set of d-pad controls and analog sticks will be fitted to either side of the screen, just above what we assume are forward-facing, stereo speakers. Visible on the top of the device are two sets of shoulder-mounted buttons.
The Gamepad 2 was spotted on a wholesale retailer’s website, but has since been removed, and the tablet has also passed through the FCC’s regulatory process, indicating an official announcement is imminent. Previously, Archos released the Gamepad in the UK and Europe before extending its availability, and priced it at £130/$170. Let’s hope it maintains this competitive price for the sequel. We’ll update you when Archos makes the tablet official.
