Low-cost tablet ticks the boxes forstudents
Finally, a device that ticks all the boxes for students and home users
Linx 1020 Windows Tablet From€249 Seelinxtablets.com
Tablets have been everywhere for the last five or six years, with the market dominated by the iPad and Android tablets. Android tablets, in particular, been getting cheaper over time but if you wanted Windows on a tablet you had few options in the lower price range. Linx, though, has been trying to give us decent Windows performance on a tablet with an attractive price-tag.
Its updated 10in tablet, the 1020, is aimed squarely at education and home users.
Unboxing the Linx reveals a standard-looking 10in device. There’s also a keyboard dock and a three-pin power adapter with a USB charging cable.
The Linx, despite its lower price, has a pleasant, smoothfeeling casing, probably designed to be scuff proof. There are two cameras, front and back, both 2MP. Connectivity is good as there are two full-size USB 2.0 ports as well as the Micro USB. There is also a Micro HDMI port that will get your tablet’s images onto a TV or screen and a Linx Connect port that will allow the attachment or connection of specific Linx accessories.
The engine of this tablet is an Intel Atom 64-Bit chip. Sometimes dismissed as underpowered, the Atom is designed for portable computers like the Linx. They consume little power, run for hours and don’t require cooling fans. This, combined with the 32GB of storage and 2GB of Ram add up to a device that’s capable of much more than the price-tag might imply.
Once I’d powered up the Linx, and connected to WiFi, I went through a quick Windows setup using my Microsoft account. Once I’d downloaded a Windows 10 update I was ready to go. I tried the Edge web browser and the preinstalled version of Word for mobile, and performance is good. I tried a couple of games, including Minecraft, and the Linx handled all well. The keyboard dock attaches easily and firmly. If you’re typing a longer email – or maybe editing a Word document – the keyboard dock comes into its own, allowing you to avoid the onscreen keyboard and use the Linx more like a small laptop. The screen resolution is fair at 1,280 x 800 pixels, meaning you don’t get the crispness or contrast found on higher priced tablets. The Linx is also a little heavy with the keyboard attached but I used it mostly without. With ample connectivity, decent performance and good expandability this is a good entrylevel Windows option. When you consider the price, it’s a star.