Review: Linx 8

Introduction and design

When you think of cheap tablets, the undeniable truth is that you're probably thinking of a plastic Google Android tablet to keep your kids happy. If I had suggested just a few short years ago that buying a fully-fledged Windows tablet (not those awful Windows RT models) for less than £100 was even possible, I'd probably have been pointed and laughed at by all and sundry.

How about if I suggested that this was now entirely possible with the Linx 8, which can be easily found for less than £90 (around $134, AU$173). Fortunately for Microsoft, the age of cheap, capable Windows tablets has well and truly dawned, and Linx's 8-inch offering is perfectly poised to steal a share from underwhelming Android alternatives like the Acer Iconia 7.

However, it doesn't arrive at the cheap end of the Windows tablet party all on its own – there are a raft of alternatives such as the slightly more expensive, but equally unknown Pipo W2, or even the Argos MyTablet, which comes in even cheaper at only £69.99 (around $104, AU$135) – albeit with a few compromises.

There's a 10.1-inch version, unsurprisingly called the Linx 10, which I've reviewed separately, should you be after something a little larger.

Design

Whilst the Linx 8 may initially look like yet another non-descript black rectangle, it is actually a surprisingly well-made tablet with an understated, yet reasonably attractive design that – from some angles – could almost be mistaken for an iPad mini, were it not for the capacitive Windows logo that sits beneath the display (which brings up the Start screen). Above the screen is the only other feature to note up front beyond the screen, and that's the 2MP front-facing camera.

Flip the tablet around and you'll find a smooth yet tactile rubberised plastic that covers the rear and the side edges of the Linx 8, making it a lot easier to handle, and less of a fingerprint magnet than some – it's certainly my choice of material if solid metal finishes can't be included at this price. The 2MP rear-facing camera sits in the top left of the rear panel, and at the bottom are two separate stereo speakers, which are each covered by a metallic grille.

Of course, if you're looking for the same kind of connectivity a laptop affords, you'll be sorely disappointed, but on the bright side, Linx has incorporated an easily accessible microSD card slot on one side, whilst a micro-HDMI port, micro-USB port and 3.5mm headphone socket sit on the top edge – all welcome connectivity, especially the HDMI socket, which affords the ability to output to a TV or monitor. If you equip the Linx 8 with a third-party OTG cable, you'll also be able to easily use any number of full-sized USB accessories.

It may sound like a minor point, but I really like the three external buttons on the Linx 8; the circular power button and separated volume buttons are raised and easy to find without any mistake.

Overall I found the Linx 8 to be very comfortable, well balanced and nicely made – a real surprise for such a budget-priced tablet.

Specifications

Measuring 215 x 125 x 8.9mm, the Linx 8 is only slightly taller but not as thick as the similar Pipo W2, and overall feels like a slim and rather compact package, especially when you consider that Intel's SoC is definitely bigger than other, less powerful chipsets found in many other 8-inch tablets. At 377g it weighs 27g more than the Argos MyTablet, but definitely doesn't feel like a strain to hold, with enough weight to feel suitably solid.

Here's the full spec sheet:

• Processor: Intel Bay Trail-T Quad Core Z3735F 1.83GHz processor
• Operating System: Windows 8.1
• Memory: 1 GB LPDDR3
• Display: 8-inch 16:9 IPS HD (1280 x 800) with 5 point multi-touchscreen
• Graphics: Integrated Intel HD Graphics
• Storage: 32GB eMMC
• Camera: Front 2MP and rear 2MP
• Networking: Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth V4.0
• Connectivity: 1 x micro-HDMI, 1 x micro-USB, 1 x microSD card
• Audio: Built-in stereo speakers and microphone
• Battery: 4,000 mAh li-ion
• Dimensions: 215 x 125 x 8.9mm (H x W x D)
• Weight: 0.83lb (377g)

Performance

Benchmarks

• 3D Mark: Fire Strike: would not run; Sky Diver: 453; Cloud Gate: 1,179; Ice Storm Unlimited: 14,463; Ice Storm Extreme: 8,791
• CineBench 11.5: CPU: 1.08 (multi), 0.29 (single); Graphics: 5.8fps
• PC Mark 8: Home Test: 1,097; Battery Life: 10 hours

Under the hood of the Linx 8 you'll find a quad-core Intel Z3735F Bay Trail-T Atom processor clocked at 1.83GHz. It's the same passively-cooled 22nm processor that is found in a variety of the latest lower-end Windows tablets, featuring Intel's Gen7 architecture that supports DirectX 11, even with the relatively low clock speed of Intel's HD graphics, which maxes out at 646MHz. Backing up the processor is 1GB of DDR3 RAM – not a whole lot, but enough for limited multi-tasking.

32GB of on-board storage is not to be sniffed at, and is considerably more storage than you'll get on many other budget tablets, but when you boot up the tablet, you'll find only around 18GB of free space for storage, primarily because of the size of Windows 8.1 and a number of pre-loaded applications.

The Linx 8 features an 8-inch, 1,280 x 800 IPS display, with image quality and viewing angles that are really rather good. The backlight pushes the maximum brightness up to an impressive 292cd/m2 – considerably brighter than the Argos MyTablet – whilst contrast comes in at 1,257:1, which is particularly good for such a low-end device. Despite the admirable brightness and contrast, colour can look a little artificial, with whites taking on a blue tint.

To give it a fair going over, I ran the suite of benchmarks detailed above. Whilst the 3D Mark scores were not abysmal, they showed that this certainly isn't a tablet destined to be a capable gaming machine, and is most definitely more suited to everyday browsing and light productivity.

Despite the 64-bit Atom processor, like so many other budget tablets I've come across, the Linx 8 runs a 32-bit version of Windows, so undoubtedly performance levels in the multi-core tests were affected by this.

Linx quote a battery life of anywhere between five to seven hours, and with the screen at full brightness and nothing else tampered with, the Linx 8 clocked in at just over six hours. After turning off the Wi-Fi and lowering the screen brightness, I found I could eke out just over eight hours of playing a 720p video on repeat – ideal for a long-haul plane journey.

Bundled software

There's not a whole lot to talk about where pre-loaded software on the Linx 8 is concerned. Apart from the selection of Windows programs and accessories, you'll find a year's subscription to Office 365 included as standard – as is found on many of the low-end Windows tablets these days.

It may not be software, but it's worth mentioning that to sweeten the deal, Linx will give you £30 cashback if you trade in your existing tablet, bringing the cost down to about £60 (around $90, AU$115), and leaving you with some extra cash to buy up any apps you might need from the Windows Store.

Verdict

There's very little to hold against the Linx 8. Whilst it may not be a 'premium' brand with any real pedigree, everything worth noting is entirely impressive – especially considering the price. The rubberised plastic rear feels higher quality than the price would suggest, and this slate feels surprisingly well made in every regard.

The processor packs enough grunt for running fully-fledged applications like Photoshop should you need, but the 1GB of RAM quickly becomes the main limitation for multi-tasking when you have more than a couple of apps running at the same time. The screen is a little low on the resolution scale, but what else would you expect at this price? It's still a bright and very usable screen, if a little over-saturated.

Although the Windows Store itself is quite limited where quality apps are concerned, the 8-inch Linx tablet comes with Microsoft Office 365 pre-loaded, so users can crack on with work straight out of the box (perhaps with the addition of a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse).

If you're willing to spend more for a little extra RAM, and a full-sized USB 3.0 port, then the Pipo W2 should also be on your shortlist, even if the design smacks a little more of 'cheap' tablets than the Linx.

We liked

For its price, the Linx 8 is a remarkably well-built tablet. I've encountered some really poorly built Android tablets for a similar price, which goes to show the value for money you're getting from this fully-fledged portable Windows PC.

There is enough power on board to please most casual users, and the battery life kept going for longer than I expected, especially if you're a bit more conservative with the screen and connectivity settings.

The microSD storage, micro-HDMI output and screen quality are more than you could ever expect from a tablet that comes in at such a low price.

We disliked

I feel like I'd be nit-picking if I tried to dig up too much bad to say about the Linx 8. Yes, I'd love to see a higher resolution screen, an extra Gigabyte of memory and a 64-bit version of Windows to complement the 64-bit Atom processor, but these wishes would heavily impact the price.

Otherwise, my only other complaint – and this applies to almost all Windows tablets – is that the standby battery life isn't that great. You'll get around 12 hours of sleep mode, which uses anything up to 20% of the battery in the downtime.

Final verdict

It may not be the most powerful tablet available, and there are undoubtedly better options with better specifications available, but let me say it again: they come in at around four times the price.

At just £90 (around $134, AU$173) the Linx 8 is the perfect multi-function tablet that's great for kids to do homework on (with some added peripherals), plus it can play HD video without a stutter, and even the odd bit of light gaming, too.

If you plan on doing more web browsing or gentle office work than any intensive gaming, music or video editing, the Linx 8 should not be underestimated.

You can pick it up from a number of online stores in the UK, or even grab one from your local Sainsbury's supermarket, where it was discounted to around £70 (around $104, AU$135) both before and after Christmas – a price that requires little convincing.

from TechRadar: All latest feeds http://ift.tt/1P5rD3e
via IFTTT