Dell reboots its Venue line of low-cost, 2-in-1 enterprise-oriented tablets and reveals two models that host improved features, faster processors and, the latest USB standard, USB Type-C.
Three years ago, the company stopped producing smartphones in favor of tablets, and now the company is investing in hardware that is affordable and offers the latest software.
These devices are the Venue 8 Pro and Venue 10 Pro 5000 Series, two Intel Atom-powered business-centric slates costing less than $500. The higher-end version, the Venue 10 Pro, starts at $429 and competes directly with the Microsoft Surface 3, priced at $499. The 8-inch tablet is more affordable, selling for $299 in North America.
The Venue 10 Pro has a display resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels, while the 8-inch Venue 8 Pro offers two options. The standard resolution is 1,280 x 800 pixels, but customers can also buy a higher-resolution tablet with 1,920 x 1,200 pixels.
Users who are more comfortable typing using an external keyboard can also get the keyboard accessory for the Venue 10 Pro, which costs another $50.
An Intel Atom x5-Z8500 quad-core processor powers both slates, but the tablets differ in memory and storage. The 8-inch tablet comes with either 2 GB or 4 GB of RAM, while the 10-inch model carries a default 4 GB.
The smaller model can support between 32 GB and 64 GB of eMMC storage space, while its larger version starts with 64 GB and goes as far as 128 GB. MicroSD card slots are present in both gadgets, offering a maximum extension of 128GB in size.
The USB Type-C connector is one of the newest elements, but Dell does not mention if it supports USB 3.1 as well. Wi-Fi standards support the latest 802.11a/c.
The two Dell tablets share the same 2-megapixel camera in front, but are equipped with different rear cameras. The 8-inch slate has a 5-megapixel camera, which has three megapixels less than the 8-megapixel shooter on the Venue 10 Pro.
Security features include Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and Dell Data Protection/Encryption. For situations where IT managers need to manage a device remotely, Dell offers Client Command Suite.
Both tablets come with the 64-bit version of Windows 8.1 Home/Pro or Windows 10 Home/Pro.
The portability factor scores pretty good. The Venue 8 Pro and Venue 10 Pro weigh 0.83 pounds and 1.46 pounds, respectively. This makes Venue 10 Pro just a bit chunkier than its direct competitor, Microsoft Surface 3.
For users working in retail, hosting, health or manufacturing, the 9.5-hour battery life, solid technical specs, average performance and competitive price might be good reasons to buy Dell.
The Venue 8 Pro and Venue 10 Pro will be in stores in mid-November.
