HTC has been quiet lately on the mobility segment, but it’s not totally dead. After a Desire 22 Pro resolutely turned towards the metaverse, the Taiwanese firm presents an entry-level tablet that does not make you dream.
A week after the announcement of its brand new metaverse-oriented smartphone, HTC is continuing its product releases with the launch of a new tablet. And just like its latest flagship, the A101 (that’s its name) doesn’t really make anyone dream.
The device seems straight out of another time. Its design makes us take a big leap backwards with a very angular format and especially large borders on all sides. These surround a 10.1-inch LCD panel with Full HD definition. They also house a 5-megapixel front module, which allows you to unlock the tablet in addition to taking selfies. This module is placed in the right border, which means that the preferred use will be landscape mode. On the back, the tablet benefits from a fairly classic aluminum finish. The photo island houses two modules, the main 16 megapixel and the ultra wide-angle 2 megapixel (might as well not put any if it is to offer such definition).
To bring the A101 to life, HTC has decided to trust Unisoc and its T618, a 12 nm SoC that will be coupled with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Expandable capacity up to 256 GB using a microSD card. A 7000 mAh battery has been integrated, as well as a 10 W charge. A more than basic fast charge, which we did not hope to see again on Android. Suffice to say that to fully recharge the tablet, you will have to take your troubles patiently.
Finally, Bluetooth 5.0 will be there. No wifi 6, IP standard (rather rare on a tablet, however) or a recent version of Android. Indeed, the HTC A101 will run on Android 11 when it is released. Two major OS versions behind, which is quite disturbing. A five-point connector is also on one of the edges, which could indicate its compatibility with various accessories, in particular a keyboard. The device, announced for the time being in Russia and intended at least for South Africa, is invoiced there for around 340 €. It is unlikely that the tablet will ever be launched in France.