If you’re a Windows user and do a lot of work on-the-go, a Windows tablet is great to have when you’re away from your desktop. It’s also more portable than a bulky laptop. Windows tablets aren’t just great for Windows users, though. They provide enough functionality and features to make anyone happy, and they’re not hard to get used to.

The iClever Windows tablet is one that is very easy to get up and running. It comes with Windows 10 installed, and it also includes a detachable keyboard and stand. It may not have the best specs as far as tablets go, but it’s definitely usable and can really come in handy if you need to do minor things like edit a document, check your email, do some research, or even watching a tutorial video (for a project you may be working on).

Even though it can get a little warm to touch when watching long videos (like a TV show or movie), it’s still very capable of doing just about anything you can do on a Windows PC. Be sure to check out the specifications below for more technical information.

Without further ado, let’s see what this Windows tablet offers.

What’s in the Box

You’re probably curious to know exactly what you get when you purchase (or win) this tablet. It comes with the following:

  • The iClever 10.1″ tablet (orange is the only color it comes in)A 10″ detachable keyboard with a soft caseOne charging cable and power adapterOne USB OTG cable (an on-the-go cable that lets you attach USB devices to the tablet)A user manualA warranty card

What’s on the Tablet

For a tablet, this one sure does have a lot of buttons and ports all around it. Starting from the top and moving clockwise, you’ll find:

  • A volume button: Pressing the left side decreases the volume while pressing the right side increases the volume.Speakers: There are two visible “loudspeakers” on the top of the tablet.Movable base keyboard interface: This interface is magnetic; it lines up and attaches firmly to the keyboard, allowing you to use it in laptop mode.Microphone outlet.Power DC interface for charging.USB interface for external storage and data transmission.Micro-USB interface.Micro-SD and Micro-SDHC card slot for expanding storage.Mini HDMI interface.Headphones jack.Power button.DC indicator: There’s a DC LED indicator on the power button. When charging the tablet the LED shows red. When the tablet is fully charged it turns blue.

There’s also a front camera for taking pictures and recording video. It’s not the best quality, but it come in handy in a pinch. There’s a camera indicator right next to it that illuminates when the camera is in use.

Finally, on the bottom of the front of the camera is a Windows key. When you’re in tablet mode, tapping this will display the start page (looks much like the Windows 8 start screen). However, if you’re not in tablet mode, tapping this will display the Windows menu. If the Windows menu is already displayed, tapping it will hide the menu.

Note: You can enable tablet mode by tapping the “Tablet mode” button at the bottom of the Action Center.

Using the Keyboard and Stand

One of the coolest things about this tablet is the fact that it comes with a detachable keyboard, that’s built into a stand. This isn’t your traditional stand, though. It folds up and uses magnets to hold the folded sides together.

These folded sides also support the back of the tablet, which is 1.3 pounds, by the way. Since the cover is on the soft side, it’s not very sturdy with a tablet of that weight leaning against it. So, it’s best to use it on a flat surface for best results. Trying to use the stand on your lap will more than likely result in you getting quickly annoyed by it constantly falling down.

When not in use, the cover also closes up around the tablet like a book. The front part is secured by a magnetic closure.

The keyboard, which is attached to the cover, is much like any individual Bluetooth keyboard that you can purchase for your smartphone or tablet. The keys are small and take some getting used to if you don’t regularly use a portable Bluetooth keyboard.

One of the great things about the keyboard is the fact that it includes a touchpad with two buttons (like most laptops). You can use the tablet like a laptop and control it with a tiny mouse pointer. Even though the two buttons below the touchpad are quite handy, sometimes they do have a slight delay to them (around 2-3 seconds). This mainly seems to depend on how much you have going on (how many apps open, active processes, etc), though.

Using the Tablet

If you know how to use Windows 10, then you know how to use this tablet. There’s really no difference other than the fact that you can switch in and out of tablet mode whenever you’d like. In tablet mode, there is no Window 10 style menu; you get more of a Windows 8 style menu. You can use tablet mode whether you have the keyboard connected or not.

When you don’t have the keyboard connected, you’ll use the on-screen keyboard to type. Sometimes, it doesn’t always pop up as it should, but luckily there is a keyboard status icon that you can tap to bring it up whenever needed. Also, when not using the keyboard or touchpad, you can still access the right-click menu by lock pressing on just about anything.

Everything else about the tablet is pretty much the same as using a Windows laptop. You have the Windows Store available to download apps, update work the same as always, and so on. I was also happy to see that the “PrtScr” button on the keyboard works as expected: taking screenshots (which can automatically be saved to OneDrive).

Speaking of OneDrive, it’s also deeply integrated into the tablet, which is very handy since you don’t get much internal space. It only makes sense to use it for media storage (especially pictures).

The worst thing about the tablet, though, is the battery life. Not only does it drain pretty quickly if you use it constantly, but it also takes forever to fully charge. We’re not talking a couple hours here, we’re talking 7-8 hours. A full charge will only last you around 4-5 hour with constant usage. However, if you only use it every now and then, it can go twice as long.

So, you really need to make sure it’s charged up before taking it with and use it only when absolutely needed – especially if you won’t have access to a power outlet. Also, the fact that it can only be charged via a DC adapter (no USB) may also be inconvenient for some in a now USB/micro-USB dominated world.

Specifications

  • Operating system: Windows 10 (It originally came with Windows 8.1, but it seems like the new ones have been upgraded as the one I received already had Windows 10 on it)CPU: Intel BayTrail-T Quad-Core Processor (up to 1.83GHz)Memory: 2GB RAM + 32GB Flash StorageScreen: 10-point Capacitive Touch ScreenResolution: 1280 x 800 IPSCCD Camera: 5.0MP rear and 2.0MP frontKey/Interface: Volume +/-, power key, audio jack, HDMI port, TF card slot, Micro USB, Standard USB, DC In 5V 2A(Max.) portBattery Capacity: 7800mAh. Up to 24 hoursSupport HDMI, OTG, Microphone, Bluetooth 4.0, Wifi: 802.11b/g/n

Final Thoughts

The iClever Windows tablet overall is great for occasional and casual users. For constant and hardcore users, you’ll probably be frustrated by the battery and sometimes slow-to-respond touchpad keys. You’ll also need to have this plugged in all the time.

The quality of the display and sound is slightly above average, as is the performance. You will only notice a drop in performance when you have too many apps going at once, or when the tablet has been used for hours at a time (especially when watching long videos).

Besides that, the iClever Windows tablet is definitely better than most other low-budget tablets I’ve used in the past. For the price, you really can’t go wrong.

Charnita has been a Freelance Writer & Professional Blogger since 2008. As an early adopter she loves trying out new apps and services. As a Windows, Mac, Linux and iOS user, she has a great love for bleeding edge technology. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

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