Toshiba Encore Review: Specs Of Windows 8.1 Tablet Features 8-inch 1280 x 800 Display; 1.3GHz Intel Bay Trail Processors; Speedy Tablet With Handy Apps, Good Performance

Toshiba Encore review: Specs of the Windows 8.1 tablet include an 8-inch 1280 x 800 display, Intel Bay Trail processors which clocks in at 1.33GHz and 1080P video. Laptop Mag describes the unit as a speedy Windows 8.1 tablet with handy apps, good performance and long battery life.

The $300 plus unit includes free Skype calls to landlines and mobile phones for 30 days. According to Laptop Mag, its main competitors are the Dell Venue 8 Pro and Lenovo Miix 2. The Bay Trail-powered device has stereo speakers and a variety of exclusive Toshiba apps.

Design-wise, the Toshiba Encore has an alluring plastic build with an aluminum color. In terms of weight, it’s a 15.3 oz unit and is heavier than its slimmer competitors. The Lenovo Miix 2 is at 12.2 ounces, while the Dell Venue 8 Pro is at 13.6 ounces. Laptop Mag says, it’s still lighter than the 1.1 pound Acer Iconia W3-810.

The Toshiba tablet’s textured back panel gives a nice grip and is basically bare aside from its 8MP camera lens featured on the top left. Dimensions of the Toshiba Encore is 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inch.

The display of the Toshiba Encore is at 8-inch, 1280 x 800 display. The colorful tiles and white text on the Windows 8.1 Start screen looked crip and content-heavy websites like ESPN.com are easy to read, according to Laptop Mag’s review of the tablet.

The Toshiba Encore’s screen registered an average brightness of 331 lux, outshining the 222-lux Iconia W3-810. Based on the LaptopMag report, the Encore’s display didn’t burn as bright as the 360-lux tablet average, the 377-lux Venue 8 Pro, or the Miix 2’s ultra-luminous 534 lux.

In terms of performance, the Toshiba Encore has Bay Trail processors that is packed with 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z3740 processor. LaptopMag’s review noted that it took an average of 1.46 seconds to open the Encore’s Camera app and the slate took an even quicker 0.72 seconds to return to the Start screen.

The Toshiba Encore’s 32GB of eMMC storage booted Windows 8.1 in 16 seconds, based on LaptopMag’s test, and is at part with the 16-second category average for its competitors.

The camera of the Toshiba Encore created good self-portraits and gives out great details of the subject, but the colors are washed out and the pictures quite pixelated. Same is true for its more powerful 8MP camera, which produces rich detail. The 1080P video produced a dimmer footage for Laptop Mag but was rich in detail as well.

Handy apps is one of the key pluses for having this unit. Its offers Microsoft first-party apps like SkyDrive, Xbox SmartGlass and Internet Explorer. It also has third-party offerings like Kindle, Amazon and eBay. The unit is preloaded with a full version of Office Home & Student 2013, which in itself is a $139.99 value.

Toshiba supplies the stock Windows 8.1 loadout with a variety of its own programs, like the Toshiba Central. The app serves as the main hub for the tablet, giving quick access to customer support options and a live social media feed.

Laptop Mag’s verdict on the Toshiba Encore is that it’s a “speedy Windows 8.1 tablet with handy apps, good performance and long battery life.” The review added that “overall, the Encore’s strong endurance and exclusive software makes it a strong choice, but you’ll have to live with a few tradeoffs.”