Hands-on with HP’s New Massive Slate 21 Android Device
Hands-on with HP’s New Massive Slate 21 Android Device
HP has just announced its new Android device in Beijing today, and it is the largest Android device we have seen yet. Dubbed the Slate 21, it is desktop AIO that runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and has a massive 21.5-inch display. Before you think that this is an Android tablet on steroids, the Slate 21 is actually positioned as a desktop device that allows families and friends to get together to play Android games. Hence, there’s no batteries here and the Slate 21 needs to be plugged in to work. The device also comes with a stand that tilts to a maximum of 70 degrees.
The 21.5-inch touchscreen IPS display supports Full HD and under its hood is NVIDIA’s latest Tegra 4 SoC. As detailed in our early hands-on, the new Tegra 4 SoC provides substantial performance gains over its predecessor, thanks to its 72 cores, and should therefore have sufficient computing horsepower to provide the Slate 21 and its users with a pleasant experience.
HP did not reveal how many touch-points the capacitive touchscreen display was capable of handling, but from our brief session with it, we found that it tracked capably and responsively. The large display was also pleasant to look at it and had wide viewing angles, which means friends sitting around the device would be able to see the display with little problems. Additionally, it also features dual speakers with DTS sound technology, which should help make it ideal for movie sessions. If users find the built-in speakers insufficient, there is an audio jack to pair the Slate 21 with beefier speakers.
The Slate 21 has a launch price of US$359, which is pretty attractive considering its size. No word yet on local pricing, but HP said that it expects to release it in Singapore in July.