Acer Iconia B1
Verdict
Key specs
Critic consensus
“So, is the Acer Iconia B1-721 a price-performance gem? In short: Not really. True, its application performance is acceptable, and the communication modules perform flawlessly as well. UMTS 3G is on board alongside Bluetooth 4.0 and a relatively spacious 16 GB of internal memory. With its high maximum brightness level, the tablet is well-suited for outdoor use.But the tablet has several disadvantages to be weighed alongside the good. Its display has a low resolution and is plagued with heavy clouding and poor color reproduction. The webcam's quality is simply miserable, and the mono speaker produces a mediocre sound. Unfortunately, the device's battery life is also disappointing -- it cannot make it through an entire workday in constant use without reconnecting to the power supply. Also, its case can be twisted rather easily.”
“The rest of the Iconia B1 is fairly unremarkable. Unlike its big brother, the B1 uses a standard version of Android's Jelly Bean 4.1.2, not the latest 4.2.2. This leaves the B1 feeling a little dated by comparison, and we missed features such as multiple user accounts, but it's still fine for single users. We were able to jump straight into Google Search or use the webcam from the standby screen and sync various email accounts to the device. There's also a customisable app bar above the onscreen menu buttons that lets you access your favourite apps from any of the five home screens.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
If you’re looking for a barebones 7-inch Android tablet, you’ll find exactly that in the Acer Iconia B1. Among its best qualities is a low price tag which you won’t see many branded tablets with similar specs. However, as Techradar’s Jamie Carter rightly points out, this means that it comes with strings attached – largely in the form of lower quality components.
Still, that doesn’t mean that if you use the B1, it will disappoint in all departments. It relies on a 1.2GHz dual-core chip for processing power, comes with a front-facing VGA camera, 1GB of RAM, choices of either 8GB or 16GB of internal storage, and a built-in microSD card slot.
From this short list of specs, one can determine that the B1 is all about giving users a taste of the basic Android tablet experience. And again, if that’s exactly what you’re looking for, then the B1 will serve you quite well.
Engadget’s Dana Wollman is quick to admit that the build quality and screen on the B1 aren’t nearly as nice as what you’ll get on the 2012 model of the Nexus 7 tablet. And this should come as no surprise, given that the Nexus 7 is meant to be a flagship model for Google, while the B1 is nothing more than a second-string Android offering for Acer. The Taiwan-based company has a more expensive model sitting a notch above it in terms of price and performance.
The bottom line is that if you aren’t asking for much out of your Android tablet, then the B1 is right up your alley. Not to mention, Acer isn’t asking for much for it in terms of money, either. It serves all the most important tablet features in an easy-to-use and affordable package. As Katharin Byrne from Expert Reviews says, “it could be better, but it’s certainly no slouch at all”.
What people actually want to know
When was the Acer Iconia B1 released?
The Acer Iconia B1 was released on February 25, 2013.
How long does the battery last on the Acer Iconia B1?
The Acer Iconia B1 has a 2,640 mAh battery.
Does the Acer Iconia B1 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Acer Iconia B1 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Does the Acer Iconia B1 have NFC?
No, the Acer Iconia B1 does not have NFC. Contactless payments and tap-to-pair will not be available.
Where can I download the Acer Iconia B1 manual?
You can view and download the Acer Iconia B1 manual on our dedicated manual page.
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