As some of you may already know, I've recently been in the market for an eight-inch Windows 10 based tablet with pen support. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to come across one due to hardware makers seemingly pulling out of the premium, small tablet market. So instead, I settled for one of the more wallet-friendly options, a tablet from called NuVision. It doesn't have pen support, unfortunately, but it does have a lot of other things going for it.
I've not been using the NuVision very long, so today I'm just going over my very first impressions of the device. So far, I really like it. I paid around $100 for it, and you can likely get it for cheaper on Amazon. I was worried that because it's so cheap, it was going to be a poorly built tablet that was just horrible to use. Surprisingly not. The NuVision feels superb to hold in the hands, featuring a cold-to-the-touch metal back plate, and a gorgeous 1080p LCD on the front.
I was expecting this device to be plastic and creaky, with a low-resolution screen like found on most other mini Windows 10 tablets. Instead, I got the complete opposite. This tablet feels like I could have easily paid $300 or even $400 for it, it looks that good. The screen is incredibly crisp and clear because 1080p at the small size of 8-inches is plenty of pixels for a high-quality display. So, considering this device retails for less than $100, where did they cut corners?
Cutting some corners
The speakers that are built into this device are one of the worst I've ever heard on an eight-inch tablet. You are not going to want to be using this tablet for music. I'd recommend headphones at the very least. Luckily, this device is featuring a typical 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can do just that.
Speaking of ports, along with the 3.5mm headphone jack, we're rocking a Micro-USB port for charging, meaning no fast-charging here. We've also got a mini MicroSD expansion slot for expandable storage, which is handy considering this device only comes packed with 32GB of internal memory, never enough for a Windows 10 device. It also has a built-in microphone, handy for quick Skype calls and Cortana voice commands.
Performance seems OK for what I'm planning to do with it. These tablets are designed mostly for web browsing, email, and entertainment consumption. If you're planning to do any real work on the NuVision, you're going to want to look elsewhere. The NuVision powered by an Intel ATOM Z3735F, which is utter rubbish for performance. It also has 2GB RAM, which isn't much to do any real tasks with. Both CPU and RAM should hold up for light usage, however.
It's too early to give a verdict on battery life. So far, it's not looking good. It appears to drain rather quickly, even when using it lightly. I'll have a full verdict regarding battery life in my full review.
So far, I'm enjoying the NuVision more than I thought I would. It feels great in hand, with a crisp and bright looking display. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any pen support, which is what I need most in a small, eight-inch based tablet. That side, the NuVision is looking incredibly promising for the price you pay for it. I'll be doing a full review on the NuVision very soon, so stay tuned to Windows Central for that.
