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Topic: Tablets

Archos launches 97 Titanium HD Android Jelly Bean tablet with Retina Display-like resolution

Summary: An ultra-high-resolution screen doesn't have to come from a major brand anymore, though we don't know the price of this new tablet yet.

Sean Portnoy

By for Laptops & Desktops |

archos-97-titanium-hd-android-tablet-retina-display

Archos still isn't a major player in the tablet game, but it's working hard to carve out a tiny niche. The French device maker recently launched the GamePad Android gaming tablet, and it's back again with another slate that hopes to stand out.

To date, the Retina Display-like displays for Android tablets have come from big names like Google with its Nexus 10, but the Archos 97 Titanium HD aims to match it with a 9.7-inch IPS multitouch panel with an ultra-high resolution of 2,048x1,536 pixels. Its specs are otherwise similar to its GamePad, including a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor with a quad-core Mali GPU, 8GB of storage, and microSD and running Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean."

The 97 Titanium HD isn't the only second-tier tablet to be announced with the Retina-like screen, joining the Onda V972, which will have a $240 price tag for the same resolution as the Archos (though it comes with twice as much capacity and a quad-core processor). What this means is that the "premium" spec of a pixel-dense screen is starting to come downmarket, making it tougher for top-tier manufacturers to justify the extra cost for their tablets.

Over the next year or two, the Retina-like display will become a mainstream feature that will force manufacturers to develop new innovative features to justify higher prices. In the meantime, we'll need to wait to see how much Archos wants to charge for the 97 Titanium HD, and when it plans to start selling it.

[Via Engadget]

Topics: Tablets, Android

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16 comments
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  • This thing is going to be slow as hell, barely usabe; cheap SoC with ...

    ... no skills to work with such resolution. And 1 GB memory (Android requires twice memory comparing to iOS; it has to be 2 GB to be bearable) kills already dead tablet for second time.
    DDERSSS
    Reply 2 Votes

    • ...

      Please go and enjoy your iPad Mini, I'll enjoy my Nexus 7.
      EVHGameOvR
      Reply 4 Votes

    • Are you suffering from Hydrphobia ?

      That could the sign of something very serious, you should see a doctor.
      Alan Smithie
      Reply 4 Votes

    • Right

      There's no way a quad core Mali 400 MP4 could ever handle that resolution ever. I mean, the Mali 400 MP2 handled 720P with flying colors so this will choke!

      You're an idiot.
      slickjim
      Reply 2 Votes

      • Mali 400MP4 (Samsung Galaxy S 3) is increadibly slow

        It provides only 13 FPS at 720p for Egypt HD test, what is three-to-four times slower (and it is even worse in other tests).

        At "1536p", which has thrice more pixels, test result would return a whopping 13/3 = 4 (FOUR) frames per second.

        It is a punishment to use this thing.

        "You're an idiot", and an ignorant one, as everyone can see now.
        DDERSSS
        Reply 5 Votes

        • Umm

          So you're saying a 3D Benchmark means it will not power the desktop which has very few 3D features? And you call me the idiot?

          By the way, that Benchmark is very specialized as well.
          slickjim
          Reply 2 Votes

          • Other benchmarks show that Mali-400MP4 is even more lagging than in EgyptHD

            2D features depend on how wide "bus" is. For "A5X" and "A6X" SoCs Apple designes 128-bit-wide, 12.8 GBytes/s but. And the cheap SoC from this tablet could only do about typical 5 GB/s, which would make it skipping frames. Also, even besides how wide the bus is, speed of 2D graphics requires a very heavy-armed SoC. For example, while iPad 3 is good enough in this, with iPad 4 it is seen that the new SoC moves 2G graphics much smoother -- full 60 FPS at 2048x1536 * 3 bytes per pixel = 9 MBytes per frame. And the cheap SoC from this tablet is much slower than Apple's old SoC, so it is a pain, a punishment to use.
            DDERSSS
            Reply 1 Vote

          • Maybe

            Maybe you should go look at the benchmarks of the Note 10.1 as they show a very good performing Android Tablet in most areas. This setup is very close to the Note and will likely be just fine.
            slickjim
            Reply 2 Votes

          • Somebody is too much of a fanboy to have basic intelligence

            Sure ... the crappy specs on this crapware table is "a close setup" to a Galaxy Note 10.1

            Seriously, some people are so dumb, that they think other people are just as dumb as they are.
            wackoae
            Reply Vote

    • What a sad life it must be

      To patrol the Internet for any mention of Android and hate on it sight unseen. Hope it pays well.
      symbolset
      Reply 1 Vote

      • the same can be said for the trolls who bang

        patrol here and bang Microsoft for everything and every occasion, that must be highly paid job. ;-)
        Rama.NET
        Reply 4 Votes

      • Even sadder life it must be to patrol the Internet with no thought in mind

        ... whatsoever except for trying to troll the commentators, never making the point on essence of the topic discussed or theme of articles. Hope it pays well.
        DDERSSS
        Reply Vote

    • Let me take a guess here

      I'm thinking you want everyone to skip this, go straight to Apple for an iPad, right?

      Because our well being is paramount to you having a good night's sleep.
      William Farrel
      Reply 4 Votes

    • The clue is on the company name Archos

      Just name a single product from Archos that is not crapware by design.

      Archos always claims this and that ... then when idiots fall for it they learn that all they got is pure crapware.

      Archos is a crapware company. They don't make anything that last even a 6 months.
      wackoae
      Reply 1 Vote

  • The Android Term Is "XHDPI"

    Just in case Apple sends out legal threats to postpone the inevitable genericization of its trademark, we can use the Android name for 320dpi nominal pixel density.
    ldo17
    Reply Vote

  • Opinion

    In my opinion there are a lot of important thins in tablet pc, but display is the most important one! Because bad display make bad impression even of the best device. But, other thing are still important - if it looks good, but works slow - it is not OK.

    I like to watch videos stored on my PC, and I use ArkMC application for this purpose.
    Here is the link, where you can try: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arkudadigital.arkmc.gm
    John Bush
    Reply Vote
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