Dell Venue 8 Pro review, specs: Windows 8.1 tablet Dell Venue 8 Pro is impressive in many respects. It has an 8-inch display with 1280 x 800 pixels and under the hood sports Intel Atom Bay Trail processors powered with 2GB of RAM. It has 32GB of expandable storage and a 5MP camera and 1.2MP front-facing camera. The unit weighs 395 grams.

Though some reviews has hailed the product for its performance and specs, a review made by the Financial Express pains the product in an unappealing way. They noted that the, “mediocre Windows 8 takes sheen off well-built tablet.”

Dell’s tablet measures 8-inches diagonally and is easy to carry around. The unit weighs 395 grams and is heavier than an iPad Mini with Retina Display, which clocks in at 331 grams. The weight difference isn’t much according to the Financial Express and the unit feels good to hold with both hands.

In terms of design, the Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet has a pattern at the back, which provides a good grip. It has volume and lock buttons on one side and a Windows button at the top. Financial Express notes that the Windows button takes you back to the home screen if you have any app open. The business site says that the placement is extremely awkward and Android and iOS devices have a home button just below the screen.

The screen of the Dell Venue 8 Pro has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It may not be as good as Apple’s iPad Mini with Retina, but it’s not something that can easily be detected. Financial Express notes that the Dell Venue 8 Pro is good for watching films because the viewing angles are great. You can also watch movies from nearly 180 degrees on either side and the video still won’t lose clarity.

The business site says that one downside is that the display is reflective. Financial Express says that if the light source (tube light, sun, etc.) is facing the screen, the display becomes unusable.

The display and design of the tablet are getting good reviews, but the reviewer at the business site says that the biggest problem with the Dell Venue 8 Pro is the software.

When the Dell Venue 8 Pro is on desktop mode, it is completely useless unless it’s paired with a tablet. Some of the apps won’t work well in desktop mode, while there are some apps that are exclusive to desktop mode.

The other mode for the Dell Venue 8 Pro via Windows 8.1 is the Modern UI. It’s good enough but doesn’t feel well optimized because there is too much blank space along the edges of the display. The tiles too are a little small.

In terms of applications, the Dell Venue 8 Pro performs well for browsing, reading and playing games. Battery life of the unit lasts for up to 7-8 hours with moderate usage. The device’s 5MP camera takes average photos.

Overall, though the unit bears great design and good enough specs, it’s the Windows 8.1 that powers it that makes it a let down. A quick look at Amazon shows the Dell Venue 8 Pro selling for $254.