Acer Iconia W3: Have keyboard

The Iconia W3 on display.

(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET) TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Acer is attempting to differentiate itself in the highly competitive tablet market with its new Iconia W3. The company says the tablet, which debuted at the 2013 Computex show, delivers desktop PC capabilities and is the first 8.1-inch tablet running Windows 8. In a nutshell, the W3 is compatible with all current Windows software, including productivity tools like the bundled Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 suite.
Powered by the latest Intel Atom Z2760 CPU, the W3 has a long 8-hour battery life that you'll be able to extend using a "Connected Standby" mode. This allows you to switch off the screen to conserve power, while the device remains active to process apps in the background. Furthermore, Acer has developed a Bluetooth keyboard with a nifty docking function to go with the W3. It seems, however, that this docking feature (see the last picture below) is probably why it sports a rather unorthodox layout for its controls and ports.

The power button, Micro-USB port, and Micro-HDMI output are on the tablet's left side.

(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET)

Even without the keyboard, the W3 seems to be designed for use horizontally based on the unusual positioning of the company name. As such, I'll describe the different parts of this tablet in its landscape orientation for the rest of this analysis.
The front is pretty bare just like most current tablets in the market, except for a 2-megapixel camera and a Windows button. On the rear is another camera with a similar resolution.

Up top is microSD card slot and volume controls.

(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET)

On the left, you'll find a power button, a Micro-USB port, and a Micro-HDMI output. I noticed that the sockets are on top when I held the W3 vertically (in portrait mode). This could potentially be awkward if you have cables connected to the tablet while playing a game on a TV.
You should be able to swap microSD cards fairly easily through the top-mounted card slot. The two buttons next to the card reader are used for adjusting volume. At 11.35mm (0.45 inch) thick, the W3 is not as slim as the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, although its screen is marginally wider.

On the right side are the stereo speakers, earphone jack, and AC input.

(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET)

The right side of the W3 tablet houses the stereo speakers, earphone jack, and AC input. Based on this layout design, it is possible to partially block the speakers when the tablet is held horizontally. The earphone plug also seems to get in the way and prevents a proper grip of the device.
What's really cool is the keyboard, which is modeled after Acer's 13.3-inch laptops for better comfort. Besides holding the tablet upright for reading/typing, you also can dock it securely with the tablet for easy transportation.

You can dock the Iconia W3 with its keyboard when on the go.

(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET)

A nifty keyboard and the ability to run Windows software are the main selling points for the Acer Iconia W3, but its design could have been better. In some ways, it appears that the company has sacrificed design ergonomics by reshuffling all the ports and controls just to accommodate the keyboard. Also, take note that this tablet does not support 3G or other mobile broadband connectivity.
Acer says it will launch the 8.1-inch tablet very soon with a retail price from $300 to $500. Exact pricing will depend on location as well as the onboard storage capacity (32GB or 64GB). Since I had limited hands-on time with the device, I hope to take a closer look at the W3 when the commercial unit is available to verify some of the issues I've discovered.