Dell Streak 7
Key specs
Critic consensus
“Despite its speedy processor and competitive pricing, the Streak 7 is one Android tablet we simply can't recommend. Because of its unacceptably short battery life, this slate is far less portable than even the weakest smart phone and has less than half the endurance of its chief rival. Currently, the Samsung Galaxy Tab offers the most important features that the Streak lacks: all-day battery life, a 1024 x 600 display that makes the most of its 7-inch size, and compelling custom apps with dual-pane views. While an upgrade to Android 3.0 could help the Streak 7, it probably won't last long enough on a charge for you to enjoy it.”
“The Streak 7 is the tablet we've been waiting for Dell to make. It's a device that's worthy of the company. It couples solid, refined hardware with a creative spin on Android 2.2. Granted, we've seen similar 7-inch Android tablets come and go, but this time around Dell is raising the stakes by making the first 4G-compatible tablet. The Dell Streak 7 polishes Android 2.2 to a tablet-worthy shine, and is the first to deliver 4G compatibility--but it's not enough to distract us from the incoming wave of Android 3.0 tablets.”
“As I was checking it out and before I knew the pricing I said to myself that the only way this tablet makes any sense for T-Mobile is if it comes in cheaper than every other model and it does, by $50. However, even at this $199.99 price after rebate I still would not even consider the Dell Streak 7. And there is no way in the world you should pay $450 for this device, especially with a likely iPad 2 coming out in the $500 range in a WiFi ony model. I suppose if you want you can buy the Dell Streak 7 and use it as an HSPA+ MiFi device too since $40/month for unlimited data is still a cheaper deal than the MiFi on every other wireless carrier.”
“Luckily for the Dell Streak 7, there are some aspects about it that propel it to be a decent Android tablet despite seeing some blemishes on its report. Although it makes us wonder if Dell rushed the development of the tablet, the inclusion of its contemporary hardware combined with its affordable price makes it very difficult to not stand out. Sure it doesn’t excel in shooting photos or battery life, but when you compare it with some of its competition, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab, there’s no arguing that you get a good amount of bang for the buck. Only requiring you to shell out $200 on-contract or $450 no-contract, it undoubtedly still provides almost all the rich features you’d expect out of a mid-range Android powered tablet.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
The Dell Streak 7 is the latest tablet offering from Dell that, despite several promising features, falls short of expectations.
Hardware design is neither amazing nor horrific. While the tablet feels relatively solid, the plastic casing lacks the durability offered by competing tablets. The edges of the tablet taper and the general design looks nearly identical to the Samsung Tab. So, if you fell for the Tab you will probably fall for the Streak, as well. Dell’s offering comes in at just a half-inch longer, but most will never notice the difference. The screen measures seven inches (hence the name Streak 7) which comes in at roughly half the screen area of an Apple iPad. That’s big enough to catch a quick episode of your favorite television show on your own, but probably not big enough to throw a Lord of the Rings viewing party for friends and family. Compared to other tablets, the resolution is a bit lacking and looking at the screen from an angle leaves the image too obscured to decipher. The Streak also features a concealed SIM card and full-sized memory slot. Integrating full-sized memory cards is an especially nice feature as full-sized cards are cheaper and more convenient. All in all, the hardware is what would be expected and not a lot more.
Even with the advent of Honeycomb, the Android tablet operating system, the Dell Streak 7 still sports Android 2.2. Like any other tablet running Android 2.2, the performance of apps suffers. Running apps designed for a much smaller screen proves exceedingly awkward and cumbersome. In the future, Dell might update the operating system, but at this point Android 2.2 simply does not translate into the tablet format. Aside from this general awkwardness, the Streak is sluggish. This happens not only in high-intensity programs, but also in basic applications like email and notes. Once the email program loads, typing also proves frustrating as the key input requires pressing each key for an overly long amount of time. These software shortcomings are a deal breaker for most consumers and it is a bit hard to fathom how Dell failed to see that waiting for an email application to load would drive away customers.
One high-point of the performance of the Streak, however, comes through the 4g data connection. The 4g shines and allows for stunningly fast loading times for videos and music. Even this is marred by performance issues, however, as the internet browser and video applications lag in loading new pages and videos. Once the video actually starts, it runs perfectly and without interruption, but the lag time in beginning the video is unacceptable.
All of these shortcomings leave few reasons left to consider the Dell Streak 7, but for those set on a Dell product or a 7-inch screen, a Streak might still be the right tablet.
Need to Know: Dell Streak 7
1. Uses a 4g Data Connection. (The Good)
2. Full-Sized Memory Cards. (The Good)
3. Lagging Performance. (The Bad)
4. Runs Android 2.2. (The Bad)
What people actually want to know
When was the Dell Streak 7 released?
The Dell Streak 7 was released on April 19, 2011.
How long does the battery last on the Dell Streak 7?
The Dell Streak 7 has a 2,780 mAh battery.
Does the Dell Streak 7 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Dell Streak 7 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Where can I get support for the Dell Streak 7?
Visit Dell's official support page for warranty info, repairs, and troubleshooting.
Questions & answers
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