Another Android player comes to town. Archos just announced last week the latest addition to its Gen11 lineup: the 101 XS 2 Android tablet. The tablet is a refreshed version of the 101 XS released in 2012.

In terms of design, the tablet sports a considerably thin design. The Archos 101 XS 2 adopts the previous generation's principle offering a fancy enough design, which merited praise, and an overall sleekness.

Despite lacking the necessary top tier features, Archos promises a new and improved tablet. Running on a a quad-core processor clocked at 1.6 GHz with 2 GB RAM, the latest deal does not seem so bad.

Archos 101 XS 2 also comes with front-facing dual stereo speakers and Archos' Coverboard, which is a detachable keyboard that can also serve as a screen protector when users are not using the tablet.

Offering Speed

As mentioned, the device runs with a super-fast 1.6 GHz Quad-core processor with up to 2 GB of RAM. Users can expect fast apps and Web surfing. The Archos 101 XS 2 also offers dual-band Wi-Fi support ensuring fast connectivity. The dual-band Wi-Fi can use both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands to achieve a stable and less clogged connection. This means users can browse and download faster. Other features include GPS and Bluetooth support.

Offering Productivity

As mentioned, the Archos tablet comes with Gen11 101XS 2 Coverboard. The Coverboard is magnetic and offers great support for typing with a slate. It serves as a comfy chicklet keyboard allowing users to access functions on the Android tablet as fast as they can. The Triple function Coverboard goes beyond a regular keyboard. It is also a protective shell for the slate's screen. It comes with a Kickstand for users to watch videos better or charge their tablets when necessary.

The tablet packs on a pre-installed OfficeSuite Pro 6. The application is ideal when working with PowerPoint, Excel, Word and PDF files.

Offering Multimedia Experience

The Archos 101 XS 2 also packs on an excellent 10.1-inch IPS screen. This offers 1,280 x 800 pixel widescreen resolution ensuring sharp images and vivid videos. The device also features extra wide viewing angles that enhances user experience. Some sources say the Archos 101 XS 2 is as good as the Asus Transformer Book T100 gets.