Tab Top: Value for money

M8 Pro 3G tablet is loaded with bold features

It is often observed that tablets bring out the best of laptops, which are deemed inconvenient, in terms of mobility and performance. Milagrow, a non-branded digital manufacturer, focuses on the tablet segment and seeks to enhance the experience. With the latest Tab Top M8 Pro 3G, Milagrow has gone a notch higher and brought out its first Android tablet, merging the experience of a smartphone and a laptop loaded with new features.

Display, design & packaging

The first impression of the tablet is made through its packaging. The 9.4-inch tablet is packed separately in a neat and slim box that is foam-lined and made of hard board. The idea is to use this package permanently for placing your tablet in a protective, secured manner when not in use. The charger, headphone and USB cables are packed in a separate box. The screen size of about 24 cm is optimum and doesn't look too bulky. It features a wide-angled IPS screen with a WXGA (1,280x800 pixels) resolution, protected by a Gorilla Glass coating. The display features are similar to a high-end monitor. The capacitive touchscreen works a tad slower than the Notes but it serves the purpose. The power button is on the right.

The top is packed with all the USB ports, volume rocker, SIM card slot and HDMI, HOST & microSD ports. It comes with a two-edged button for going to the Menu and an Escape feature. It is not too bulky to hold. In fact, it is slim and looks professional. However, at times, the grip gets slippery while playing games for long or reading. The full wide-angle view of the screen is a redeeming feature that improves the tablet experience. It allows sunlight outdoor viewing. It is shatterproof and also features a scratch-resistant panel.

Processor

The M8 Pro 3G tablet is powered by a 1.6GHz Rockchip 3188 quad-core Cortex A9 processor paired with a Mali 400 GPU and 2GB of DDR3 RAM. The speed it offers is decent as long as it is connected to a power source. Operation is not too smooth otherwise and applications like Camera or Music Player often crash. Though this is Milagrow's first Android device, it only comes with the Jellybean 4.2.2 and not the latest 4.4 Kitkat.

Performance & connectivity

The M8 Pro is powered by a 6,500mAh battery that lasts eight hours, with five hours of video. The tab boasts of multitude of connectivity features. As the name suggests, the M8 Pro 3G comes with 3G connectivity. It features Wi-Fi 802.11ac, HDMI Miracast, USB, Bluetooth and GPS. It comes with 16GB of inbuilt storage and can be expanded up to 64GB via a microSD card. However, the tablet does not provide voice calling, a drawback that might stump many who want to get rid of a phone and use the tablet for all purposes. It allows full HD videAo playback and runs almost all video and audio formats. It allows dual-screen HDMI and HDMI Miracast as well as full HDMI Mirroring. It has a multi-window feature that allows multi-tasking.

Camera

The tablet doesn't boast a good camera. The photos are as good as they can be when clicked by a 5MP rear camera. It comes with LED flash that gives the photos a sense of colour and vibrancy. The 2MP front camera is sufficient for selfie fans and making video calls.

Verdict

It is a tab that offers more than what meets the eye. Milagrow has excelled itself in terms of bringing a tablet that blurs the boundaries between personal and professional experiences on a digital platform. For Rs 19,999, it is value for money for those who need to sit in a board meeting and make a presentation through Miracast, and then on the way home, watch the a Youtube video. There is much to be desired but then for a non-branded, fledgling company that is bringing out a powerful tab for entertainment and instruction, it definitely exceeds expectations.