Rugged tablets might not be new, but Archos’ 101 Saphir shows you do not have to break the bank to get a durable model — so long as you are okay with modest hardware.
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The 101 Saphir’s biggest selling point is how rugged it is, which is thanks mainly to the rubber case that protects the tablet from drops as high as a little over three feet. The 101 Saphir also features an IP54 rating, so while it is mostly protected from dust, the tablet can only handle splashes of water.
Elsewhere, the 101 Saphir features a 10.1-inch, 1,280 x 800 resolution IPS display, with a 2-megapixel selfie camera above it and a 5MP sensor around back. The display is large enough to put the included keyboard with a built-in trackpad to good use, though the size of your hands will likely determine if it is suitable for you.
Under the hood, MediaTek’s 1.3GHz quad-core MT8163 chipset and 1GB RAM power the tablet, with the 16GB of native storage augmented through the MicroSD card slot. Given the modest internals, the 6,000mAh battery should deliver in spades, though the mention of a meager five hours of battery life for video playback through the video player has us a bit concerned.
The 101 Saphir does feature some niceties not typically found on low-end tablet hardware, such as USB Type-C, two stereo speakers, and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. Overall, however, the 101 Saphir will appeal more to those who are rough with their devices and do not want to break the bank to replace it.
Speaking of which, Archos did not say how much the tablet will go for when it becomes available in June, though it will be shown off during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.
