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Archos GamePad 7-inch portable Android console released

by Mark Tyson on 7 December 2012, 11:30

Tags: Archos (EPA:JXR), PC, Google (NASDAQ:GOOG)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qabp5v

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Archos has released “the first true Android games console” the Archos GamePad, in the UK. (US purchasers will have to wait until early next year.) It’s a handheld console which looks like a super inflated Nintendo GameBoy Advance. The concept is simple enough; a 7-inch Android tablet has been melded with gaming control hardware. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer...

The Wi-Fi equipped Archos Gamepad does seem to have pretty good specifications and enough grunt for playing modern Android games titles. A 1.6GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor and Mali 400 MP quad-core graphics co-processor are supported by a respectable 1GB of RAM. The GamePad comes with 8GB of storage and a lovely microSD card slot. Its 7-inch screen offers 5-point multi-touch upon its 1024x600 pixels. This Android games console is well equipped with ports including; mini-HDMI, USB, 3.5mm audio and the aforementioned microSD slot. Completing the standard Android tablet configuration we have a camera (but only 0.3 megapixels) and stereo speakers.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is the OS and users will have full access to the Google Play store including games, music, movies etc. The fully integrated game controller offers directional pads, two analogue sticks & 14 buttons. The device is a slim 10mm thick and weighs in at 330g. Also to complete the gaming pedigree you have the “Unique & patented ARCHOS Mapping tool - make any virtual control game work with physical controls”. The GamePad is also priced to sell; it’s just £129.98 including VAT from Archos.

Unfortunately, if you are interested in the Archos GamePad, it seems to have sold out already at Archos but will be re-stocked on 18th December. There is already a review up from fan-site ArcTablet here. The full specs and information page for the GamePad are here.



HEXUS Forums :: 9 Comments

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Looks alright, but despite owning a nexus 7 I've never particularly enjoyed android/iOS gaming (its more a media device to me), if I wanted to game when I was moving around, I'd buy a 3DS (sadly my old original DS broke, but I got thousands of hours out of that!)
Good price. Archos are not well known though for quality or software updates.

Also worth looking at is the note 10.1 can accept USB joy pads and HDMI out to achieve the same result but with much better quality and speed.. (albeit more expensive set up)
Brewster0101
Also worth looking at is the note 10.1 can accept USB joy pads and HDMI out to achieve the same result but with much better quality and speed.. (albeit more expensive set up)

Or any tablet with bluetooth and HDMI out, so long as it can pair with a PS3 controller
Might be good as a games console - the main reason I don't really play 3D games on a tablet is the lack of tactile controls. That being said I use my tablet for other stuff mainly anyway.

If I wanted a handhold console this might be worth a look, as the games are cheap and would link to my existing Google play account.

It's a good price, but you'd have to add an SD card if you want to play games. Perhaps a better screen wouldn't be a bad thing either.
Good Job Archos but a bigger screen & a Quad-Core Processor Would be better than this IMO.