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Dell Venue 8 7000 review: thin design, great screen, gimmicky camera
Engadget doesn't review many tablets anymore. When it comes to Android devices, we're far more likely to write about phablets, those supersized smartphones that for many people have eliminated the need for a dedicated slate. Meanwhile, iPad sales have slowed, and Apple has made so few changes to its products that in some cases we actually recommend you buy the previous-gen model to save money. Still, there are some companies that continue to not just build tablets, but also produce interesting designs. One of them is none other than Dell, a company whose track record includes some sensible Windows slates, a series of forgettable Android tablets and a phablet that was ahead of its time. Lately, though, the company has been undergoing a reawakening, with a series of striking products that includes the XPS 13 and the Venue 8 7000, a $399 Android tablet. The Venue 8, as I'll call it from here on out, is notable mostly for its design, marked by a stunning OLED display and a skinny 6mm-thick frame. It also happens to be the first tablet with Intel's RealSense 3D camera setup. All told, that combination of specs was impressive enough to win it a Best of CES Award. But does that mean you should go out and buy one?
Best of CES 2015 Awards, Mobile Device: Dell Venue 8 7000 tablet
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-628616{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-628616, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-628616{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-628616").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Dell's new tablet houses a beautiful OLED screen running at 2,560 x 1,600. But you don't need the resolution numbers: Just know that it's a beautiful, crisp display housed inside a tablet shell that's just 6mm at its thinnest. That, the company says, makes it the Venue 8 7000 the slimmest tablet in the world. A good opening gambit, but the tablet also packs an Intel-powered multi-camera setup that lets you refocus your photos after you've taken them. Dell says tablet photography is here to stay.
Dell announces Venue 7 and Venue 8 Android tablets, prices start at $149
When Dell said it was going to revive the Venue brand, we assumed it was referring to Windows tablets. And indeed it was -- it just announced the Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro running Windows 8.1. But what we didn't know was that Dell was also planning on getting back into the Android market, and that these devices, too, would fall under the Venue brand. Here at a press event in New York City, the company announced the Venue 7 and Venue 8, both of which run Android 4.2.2 (upgradeable to KitKat) and will be offered in both WiFi-only and 4G configurations. As you'd expect, they're exactly what they sound like: the Venue 7 (pictured) has a 7-inch screen, and the Venue 8 is -- yep -- an 8-incher. Neither is particularly high-end: each has a 1,280 x 800 IPS screen and a 2GHz dual-core Intel Z2580 processor. The Venue 7 only has 16GB of internal storage, we're told, though the Venue 8 will be offered with either 16 or 32 gigs. Either way, you have a microSD slot at your disposal if you need more space. Pricing is set at $150 for the Venue 7, while the Venue 8 will cost $180. Both will be available October 18th.
