Skip to content

HP Slate 6 VoiceTab Hands On, Video Review and First Impressions

With 6 inch Smartphones or Phablets being a common site, it’s hard to demarcate smartphones and tablet from each other and HP Slate 6 lies somewhere midway of that blurry line. HP calls it a VoiceTab but the phone is essentially a Phablet with tablet like imaging hardware. The Slate 6 and Slate 7 were launched today in India and we got to spend some quality time with HPs Dual SIM Voice Tab, designed especially for emerging markets like India.

IMG-20140213-WA0002

HP Slate 6 Quick Specs

  • Display Size: 6 inch IPS LCD, 1280 x 720, 244 PPI
  • Processor: 1.2 GHz Quad Core Marvell PXA1088 processor
  • Software Version: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
  • Camera: 5 MP AF camera, with LED flash
  • Secondary Camera: 2 MP Front Facing camera
  • Internal Storage: 16 GB
  • External Storage: yes, 64 GB using MicroSD support
  • Battery: 3000 mAh battery Lithium Ion
  • Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 , GPS
  • Others: Dual SIM – yes (Micro SIM + Normal SIM), LED Indicator – No
  • Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity

HP Slate 6 Hands On Video

Design and Built Quality

HP Slate 6 flaunts a plastic body with sleek body design. The Slate 6 features matte finish back panel with textured design (which looks good) and apart from the HP insignia, the back is neat and clean. This brings us to the front facing speakers. The device comes with dual frontal speaker grills with metallic finish similar to HTC One, but we can’t confirm right now if the top grill houses a speaker or only ear piece. We particularly like the frontal speaker design for the volume is not muffled while the tab is resting on a hard surface. The metallic finished rim with golden tint also adds to discrete looks.

The 6 inch IPS LCD display has wide viewing angles but the color reproduction could have been better. The maximum brightness is also nothing to boast about we would rate it as a usable display. The display resolution is 720p HD which is similar to what most other 6 inch phablets are offering at this price range.

Camera and Internal Storage

Manufacturers often have a callous attitude towards imaging hardware on a tablet, because most people don’t use their tablets as primary photography device, owing to the huge form factor. A 6 inch tablet should be an exception to this approach, but unfortunately Slate 6 doesn’t treat it as one. The 5 inch camera module at the back is average performer and so is the front 2 MP shooter.

The internal storage is 16 GB and is further extendable to 64 GB using MicroSD support. The storage option leaves nothing to complain about and will suffice for most users.

Battery, Chipset and OS

Slate 6 houses a 3000 mAh li polymer battery and the good news is that it is removable. Going by the raw mAh rating it is an average capacity lying mid way of Intex Aqua Octa and Nokia Lumia 1320. We can comment on the backup only after our full review.

The operating system is stock android 4.2.2 jelly bean with minimum customization. The UI transitions powered by 1.2 GHz Quad Core Marvell PXA1088 processor with 1 GB DDR2 RAM, were mostly smooth in our time with the device. We are not quite optimistic about the chipset and will update you with complete benchmark scores and performance rating in our full review.

HP Slate 6 Photo Gallery

IMG-20140213-WA0004 IMG-20140213-WA0005 IMG-20140213-WA0006 IMG-20140213-WA0007 IMG-20140213-WA0008 IMG-20140213-WA0009 IMG-20140213-WA0001  IMG-20140213-WA0003

Conclusion

HP Slate 6 marks HPs re entry in Indian market, and it will offer you with HP brand value, good build quality and great internal storage. Other internal guts are average at best. The main competitors include Intex Aqua Octa, upcoming Huawei Ascend Mate 2 and Nokia Lumia 1320. If you are looking for a tablet, Google Nexus 7 WiFi in the same price range will be a better option. It’s a good start from HP and considering its approach towards Indian markets we can expect better products in future.

nv-author-image

Deepak Singh

The Author spent a significant chunk of his formative years resisting technology. He now keeps an eye on where the world is heading to, and drives a passive pleasure from this indulgence. His passion to write, learn and improve drives him each day. When his day ends, he enjoys the pleasant languor and detoxifies with family. You can connect with him on and Twitter

Tags: