Ever since the Apple iPad was introduced, the portable gaming market has been growing exponentially, and with the introduction of cheaper Android solutions the market reach has grown as well. Even though one can find a wide variety of tablets sporting an even wider variety of Android versions, only a few have enough hardware power able to match the sheer power of Apple products. IconBit are virtually unknown in Europe, but the development team behind their products seems to be the ultimate best of the best in Russia, and they seem to focus a lot on the visual capabilities of their tablet, making their product the top choice for gaming purposes.
The Nettab Thor is one of IconBit’s flagship Jellybean tablets sporting a 1Gb DDR3 RAM, a Cortex A9 1.6Ghz dual core CPU and a Quad Core GPU able to render native 1080p visuals, providing smooth 3D gaming and entertainment. The Screen is an IPS HD multi touch screen, which is extremely sensitive and provides lag free feedback. The tablet has only 8Gb of internal memory (which is fine for casual users), but can be upgraded through a Micro SD card for sizes up to 32Gb. The tablet also sports a 2.0Mp front facing camera which is enough for video chatting through Skype (but not in low light environments). There is also a camera at the back, also in 2.0Mp resolution, which provides low quality images by today’ standards, but to be honest I don’t really see the need of having a back camera on a tablet when you have smart phones with FullHD cameras. The build quality is exceptional, and the device is extremely light, making it a perfect tablet for spending long hours gaming or reading e-books. Since IconBit provide a wide variety of media players and Android PCs, they provide a large spectrum of video and audio codecs for their products, and in fact this tablet can virtually read any kind of video format, making it the perfect companion for people who always want their movie archive on the go without the hassle to convert.
When I first saw this tablet, I have to admit that I didn’t have any high hopes for it, since I have always been disappointed by Android tabs, and also because I never heard of this brand, but once I powered this beast on, I have to say, I was impressed. The screen provides stunning visuals matched with a great performing touch screen, making it an ultimate tool for 3D gaming. Multitasking is handled really well, and without hiccups. I threw everything at it, running a high end FPS, with both an RPG and a Football game in the background, and shifting between one and the other smoothly. Viewing videos has never been so easy on a tablet, all my video archive was played without the need of converting it, and even when hooking it up to a TV via HDMI the visuals were flawless and true to their native resolution. I can’t really think of any flaws I noticed during gameplay (which is supposed to torture the GPU), or regular usage, I mean, I wish I have something to complain about, but I really can’t. I finally found an Android tablet fit for a gamer.
This tablet is what the Android public was waiting for, and it is a definite must buy for all those gamers or heavy users who want a powerful tablet that can perform exceptionally well when need arises, without the need to invest in an iPad. There are so many applications available that make this device a perfect home and beyond solution without putting a dent in your wallet!
Overall Score: 9/10
17.10.12