Hands-on with the HP Slate 7, a $199 Android tablet

The [[artnid:454649|HP Slate 7]] is a 7in Android tablet targeted squarely at consumers. With a $199 price tag in Australia, it's one of the [[artnid:454773|cheapest Android tablets on the market]]. Let's take a look!

Here's the Australian retail packaging for the Slate 7.
Our review unit is the base 8GB model which retails for $199, but there's also a 32GB model for $249. Both variants include a microSD card slot to expand the memory.
Unpacking the HP Slate 7. It's a very bland affair inside the box, rather PC-like.
Our review unit came with a USB to micro-USB cable and an Australian AC adapter.
As you can see, the HP Slate 7 has a rather wide bezel surrounding the display.
The back of the tablet is finished with a soft-touch grey surface that almost feels rubber like. This design makes is very easy to grip and prevents the tablet from sliding out of your hands.
The above image gives you an idea of how thick the Slate 7 is. It measures 10.7mm, so it's not as thin as a device like the iPad mini.
The sides of the Slate 7 have a very industrial look, highlighted by the visible screw heads. On the top right is a power/lock screen button.
Also on top is a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a microphone and the microSD card slot. As you can see, the latter is an open slit with no cover or flap concealing it. It ties in nicely with the overall look and feel.
On the right side you'll find a volume rocker. If you look closely, you can see the + and - symbols printed above and below the buttons. It's a nice touch on a budget device.
On the bottom are dual speakers that sit either side of a standard micro-USB port.
On the back is a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera for photos and videos. It's a nice inclusion at this price, but the quality is poor. There's also a front-facing camera.
A glossy, chrome HP logo adorns the back of the Slate 7.
The Slate 7 has the Beats Audio profile built-in and there's branding printed on the back of the tablet.
Turning on the Slate 7. One thing you might want to note is the weight. At 372g, the Slate 7 does feel a little heavy for its size.
The Slate 7 comes with a 7in screen with a resolution of 1024×600, which is a lower resolution than both the Apple iPad mini and the Nexus 7. The screen has no ambient light sensor, which is disappointing.
There's a page in the settings menu for the Beats Audio profile, which can be turned on and off. The interface is otherwise identical to Google's stock Android.
The HP Slate 7 is available now through retailers Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys and Radio Rentals. We'll have a full review of the tablet in the coming week.

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