Dell Venue 8 7840 Tablet Review

1. Introduction2. Design3. Display4. Software5. Performance6. Camera7. Battery8. Closing Thoughts9. View All Pages

On the whole, then, it is safe to say we were amazed by the Dell Venue 8 7840.

The tablet's design is phenomenal, proving incredibly thin yet strong and sturdy. The aluminium construction looks and feels premium. Yes, the front camera is at the bottom of the device, which can make for awkward selfies – but it is not much of a problem to rotate the screen 180 degrees.

The display is also mega-sharp thanks to the 1600p panel – giving 359 PPI due to the 8.4-inch display size. It is incredibly sharp and very satisfying to use. Viewing angles are a let down, though, so be warned.

Dell included Android KitKat, which is more-or-less the stock version. Dell have made a few minor additions, but nothing major. It runs well and looks clean, but Lollipop will be a welcome upgrade in the near future.

The new Z3580 Intel Atom processor also works a charm. It absolutely rips through everyday tasks, and posted impressive benchmark scores too. It seems there is now serious competition to the Snapdragon CPU range.

Intel's RealSense Depth Camera is an interesting feature, allowing you to change the focus of your images after they are taken. While this is useful, the actual camera itself is disappointing – it is the weakest area of the tablet. Lighting and image detail are particularly bad.

Battery life is very strong though – most consumers will find that the Venue 8 lasts approximately 2 days on a single charge, but excessive use will drain the battery before then. With general usage, a 2 day battery life is definitely achievable.

It really is a great tablet overall, with the camera being the only major let-down. However, since tablets are not primarily used for their cameras anyway, it is not the end of the world.

You can buy the Dell Venue 8 7840 directly from Dell for £330.60 inc VAT. This even includes shipping costs, presumably to UK addresses.

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Pros

• Gorgeously thin design.
• Beautifully sharp display.
• Very impressive performance.
• Solid battery life.
• Interesting RealSense Depth Camera feature.

Cons

• Camera itself is poor.
• Less than stellar viewing angles.

KitGuru says: Previously we have said there has been no real challenger to the Nexus 9 as the premier Android tablet. We were wrong. If you want a new, top-spec Android tablet, this is the one to get.

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