Two weeks ago I started using the Nuvision W610L 8 inch Windows 10 tablet that I picked up during Microsoft's 12 Days of Deals.
Normally, this device would be priced at $149 but it was being offered at $90 off and so I was able to get it for just $59 plus tax. After two weeks of use I can say it was an excellent deal at that discounted price but I am not sure I would have spent $150 for it without the discount.
However, with that said it is turning into a great consumption device just as I stated in my unboxing and initial hands on article earlier this month. It is in no way a power house device but is perfectly suited for consumption and some light creative activities if it is paired with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse for additional productivity.
The screen is terrific for the colors but there is a little bit of white light bleeding through on a couple of small spots on the right edge but it is only real visible when the device is starting up. There were no stuck pixels on the 8" screen either.
It has also been great using this device in Windows 10 Tablet Mode and learning how to interact with apps in that manner. I was initially tempted to just switch back to regular Desktop Mode but have decided to stick with Tablet Mode so that I can better understand that usage scenario. I am very glad that I decided to do that.
My Start Screen layout on the Nuvision W610L
For me, its primary use is to be a second screen when I am sitting in the living room and watching TV. In that scenario it does very well for me using my primary RSS/Feedly app NextGen Reader to review and save articles to either OneNote or Pocket. In addition, browsing the web using Microsoft Edge and keeping an eye on social media using the official Twitter app are other ways I am using this tablet.
I did attempt to stream from my Xbox One to the tablet but it was not a very pleasant experience even at the low quality streaming setting. The device simply does not have the memory or graphics power to handle it for high end games. It is possible that less graphically intense games would work ok but ultimately, in my opinion, that is not what this tablet is truly intended for. I was able to get a wired Xbox 360 controller working with the tablet though for Windows 10 based casual games by using a Micro-USB to USB dongle.
Streaming to the Nuvision W610L is a less than optimal experience
After initially setting up the device and getting my key apps installed and configured, I went ahead and tested the battery at default power settings to see how long it would last in Sleep/Connected Standby. After 24 hours the battery had been depleted to just 4% and had shut down to prevent it running completely out of juice.
So I tweaked two settings to adjust battery use during Sleep/Connected Standby:
The first option I turned on was Save me power when my device knows I'm away (1) so the device would not consume unnecessary juice when it was not in use. I then turned off the On battery power, stay connected to network while asleep (2) otherwise known as Connected Standby.
In the first 24 hours after making those changes and leaving the device on battery with a full charge only about 8% of the battery was consumed.
Neither option caused any serious performance issues after that fact such as picking up the tablet and wanting to use it - there might have been a very slight delay as the device got connected back to the network but it did not impact my use of the device.
With that kind of battery life this device can now sit on a side table in the living room for a couple of days under normal use, a couple of hours in the morning and a couple more in the evening, before it needs to be charged up.
Apparently the tablet was very popular at this price point during the 12 Days of Deal event and it now appears to be back in stock at the original price of $149. While I love the performance/cost ratio at $59 and I might see that value even at around $99 but all the way up at $149, for me at least, it is just not there.
Did any of you get this tablet on special? What has your experience been like so far?
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