HP makes tablet comeback with the Slate 7

HP touts the Slate 7 as the first tablet to have Beats Audio.
(Credit: HP)

HP has announced the Slate 7, an Android Jelly Bean 4.1 tablet that's priced at an affordable US$169. 

In contrast to the company's last consumer tablet, the webOS-based Touchpad, the HP Slate 7 is targeted at the budget segment. It's priced lower than the US$199 Google Nexus 7, and only slightly more expensive than entry-level models from the likes of Acer and Asus. 

The 7-inch tablet has a "stainless-steel frame" with soft-touch paint (in gray or red) at the back. At 370g, it's not the most handy of 7-inch slates, though we doubt that consumers would be able to tell the difference. 

It's powered by a dual-core Cortex-A9 processor with 1GB of RAM, and has just 8GB of internal storage. Like many similar 7-inch Android tablets, the limited storage capacity on the HP Slate 7 can be expanded via the microSD slot. 

Unlike the 1,280 x 800-pixel IPS panel found on the Nexus 7, the HP Slate 7 uses an HFFS (High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching) display with a 1,024  x 600-pixel resolution. According to HP, this screen "offers wide viewing angles", even in "outdoor lighting conditions". The Slate 7 also has a pair of cameras--a 3-megapixel rear shooter and a VGA camera at the front. 

HP touts that the stereo speakers on the Slate 7 will support Beats Audio, which is found on many of its consumer laptops. 

The company has also integrated its ePrint app on the tablet, allowing users to print directly from most apps over Wi-Fi. Besides that, consumers can expect a mostly stock Android 4.1 experience, with HP promising full support for Google apps, including Google Now and Google Play.

The HP Slate 7 will be available in selected countries in the Asia-Pacific region from April starting at US$169. You can check out CNET's coverage of the Slate 7 for a short hands-on video and more pictures.