14 DAY TRIAL // Back at IFA 2014 Toshiba launched one of the most affordable Windows 8.1 tablets we had seen by that time, in the form of the Encore Mini.
The tablet was originally announced with a $119 / €90 price tag, but a month after the product made a debut, the Microsoft Store already applied a discount on it. So if you want a really cheap Windows 8.1 with Bing device, the Encore Mini can now be yours for just $99 / €77.
This might seem a puzzling move, but Microsoft and Toshiba might have good reason to do so. Let’s find out why that is.
Toshiba Encore Mini spec round-up
The Toshiba Encore Mini takes advantage of a 7-inch display with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution with 16:9 radio. The slate took advantage of a quad-core Intel Atom CPU fitted with 1GB of RAM and backed up by 16GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD card).
The slate also has two cameras, micro USB 2.0 port and Wi-Fi 802.11n. We managed to track down the tablet at IFA 2014 and spend some moments working with the device.
However, the experience wasn’t all that great, as the tablet proved to be quite sluggish and experienced delay even as we tried to access PC settings.
But for this price, what would you expect, right?
Well, a few weeks after Toshiba launched the tablet, HP followed suit and launched the Stream 7 model.
This tablet is being marketed with a $99 / €77 price-tag from the get-go and offers a slightly better configuration.
HP Stream 7 spec roundup
The HP Stream 7 comes with a 7-inch display with 1280 x 800 pixel display and wide viewing angles, while the processor inside is an Intel Atom Z3735G fitted with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
Other selling points include a microUSB port, stereo speaker and 1-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365.
As you can see, the HP Stream tab offers the better resolution, so Toshiba probably realized the futility of trying to sell the Encore Mini for a larger price-tag, so it discounted the slate.
It should have probably lowered the price even more, because unless you hold a loyalty to the Toshiba brand, we don’t see why you won’t choose the HP one if you’re given the choice.
In the meanwhile, in Asia prices for Windows 8.1 tablets have been shrunken down to reach ridiculous limits, like the $65 / €50 Emdoor EM-I8170, which looks quite similar spec-wise to the Toshiba Encore Mini.
