Android gaming devices are set to be
big news this year. Has Archos stolen a march on the competition with the
GamePad?
Android is a very flexible operating system
so in a way it is surprising to see it largely restricted to just phones and
tablets. Then again, when it does break out of the standard mold, things can go
wrong.
The Archos GamePad is a case in point.
Archos is a dark horse of the Android ecosystem. It has been producing
tablet-based devices for a very long time and its history in the portable music
sector is the stuff of legend. But its GamePad might just be something Archos
wishes it had never brought to market.
Archos
GamePad - A Video Gaming Tablet
There is nothing wrong with the basic idea.
Take an Android tablet, give it a fast processor and a great screen, and give
it really good sound output. Equip it with controls that are appropriate to
handheld gaming and Bob’s your uncle.
Sadly the basic idea has somewhat eluded
Archos. The GamePad might look like a great handheld gaming device, but the
reality doesn’t stack up. Let’s start with the screen. A seven-inch screen
sounds just about right for some serious gaming. It’s not too big to be
unwieldy to hold, but large enough that you’re not going to need to squint at
the screen. However, the screen quality is not great At 1,024 x 600 pixels it
is far from leading edge. The colors look a bit wished out the screen delivers,
fire for gameplay it isn't what would call top notch.
Sound isn't great cither. There are two
speakers either side of the screen, well positioned to punch out sound, but the
quality is average and quite tinny at times.
Along the short edges of the GamePad is a
huge selection of controller buttons. As well as four buttons on each side
you’ve got a D-Pad and L2 and R2 buttons, complete with two smaller buttons for
select on the left and start on the right. There is also a pair of shoulder
buttons.
There’s a smart button mapping utility that
lets you map touchscreen controls onto buttons so you can set things up how you
like them. In theory this is a great idea, and when it works well it is good.
But
a lot of android games are designed for touchscreen controls and the buttons
just don’t map onto a screen sweep
But a lot of Android games are designed for
touchscreen controls and the buttons just don’t map onto a screen sweep. Nor is
the D-Pad very good for are type actions. Sometimes, then, you still need to
touch the screen either because it is more convenient, or because you just have
to. Get beyond that and the buttons themselves aren’t actually all that great.
They just don’t feel as responsive as they should. They’re probably fine for
casual gaming, but if you are a serious player then you may well get
frustrated. Smaller hands will find using the D-Pad and shoulder button on the
same side of the GamePad a challenge too, just in terms of being able to reach
them both at the same time.
The build is plastic throughout and the
chassis can creak a bit. We’re sure it is tough enough, but there’s no getting
away from the fact that the GamePad’s looks are more on the budget side than
the premium one.
The
build is plastic throughout and the chassis can creak a bit.
Of course, the GamePad functions as a
standard Android tablet too, and you get a reasonable set of specifications.
Android 4.1, a dual-core 1.6GHz processor supported by 1GB of RAM, 8GB of
onboard memory and a micro SD card slot, HDMI, a front camera (but not
back-facing main camera), Bluetooth and, of course, Wi-Fi.
For the money, that’s not a bad set of
standard specifications, though the obvious competitor, the Google Nexus 7,
isn’t so much more expensive. But the GamePad isn’t sold as a standard Android
tablet, but one with a specialism. And sadly it doesn’t do that specialism very
well. To add to its woes, there are some higher-end games that it can’t cope
with at all.
Archos Gamepad
Information
·
Price: $199
·
More information: www.archos.com
Technical Specs
·
Operating system: Android 4.1
·
Processor: Dual-core 1.6GHz
·
Memory: 8GB storage
·
Dimensions: 229.8 x 118.7 x 15.4mm
·
Weight: 330g
·
Display size: Seven-inch
·
Display resolution: 1,024 x 600 pixels
·
Expanse slot: micro SD
Performance: 2/5
·
Button mapping is not perfect and not all
games are as smooth as you'd like
Design: 3/5
·
Tidy looks, but it feels a bit chunky thanks
to the gaming ‘wings'
Features: 2/5
·
Android 4.1 is nice to see but other features
are lacking. Screen is very mediocre
Value for money: 3/5
·
Inexpensive, but that might be the problem
with the GamePad.
Verdict: 2/5
·
Archos could have produced a winner with the
GamePad, but ultimately it feels like a missed opportunity
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