Finland has produced some fine devices over the years, of course, being the home of Nokia. This latest one isn't from a name you'd necessarily recognize, but it is interesting. The Eve T1 is an 8-inch, Windows 8.1 tablet with an affordable price point. The Windows tablet space is becoming increasingly crowded, so to stand out you need to have a quality product.
The announcement of this one generated a bit of interest, so we've got one in to take a look at it. Is this the 8-incher for you? Read on for some first impressions.
It's not often the packaging is worth mentioning, but the Eve T1 is very well presented. There's not much in the box, but it's well designed, and when there's thought in the packaging it gives you a better first impression of what's inside.
What's inside, is from the front at least, a pretty regular looking Windows tablet. Black slate, Windows button, 8-inch display. Round the back it's a similar story, and while there's a textured pattern, ultimately it's a pretty regular looking tablet. It is pretty minimal though, which I like. There aren't many ports or connectors, but personally, I think that's how it should be on a small tablet. The microSD card slot is hidden behind a door, and otherwise it's just a microUSB charging port, power button, volume rocker and headphone jack.
So, what about the hardware? Here's the list of specs:
- 8-inch IPS HD 1280x800 display
- Intel© Bay Trail Z3735F 1.8 GHz CPU
- 2GB of RAM
- 32GB onboard storage
- MicroSD card support up to 64GB
- 4000mAh battery
- 5MP rear camera
- 2MP front camera
- 802.11ac Wifi
- 130mm x 216mm x 9mm
- Weighs 395g
- Miracast
Comparable to some competitors, but that extra 1GB of RAM over some competing small Windows 8.1 tablets will surely make a difference. And, as is the norm of late with small tablets you get a free 1-year subscription to Office 365 included as well.
So, first impressions? Pretty good, actually. Windows 8.1 runs well on low memory devices, but the T1 has a full extra GB of RAM over my own 8-inch tablet, and it seems all the better for it. It's hard to measure but it feels a little snappier. The display is bright and colorful with good viewing angles, and while it feels plasticky to touch, it's responsive to the touch. My one, personal gripe, would be the back cover. The textured finish is great, but on something this size a soft touch back may have been a nicer finish.
But it's shaping up to be a nice, well-priced Windows 8.1 tablet. We're going to spend some more time with it before coming to a final conclusion, but it's made a good first impression. If you can get one (they're out of stock right now) for 159 Euro it's yours.
