Verdict: 43 Internet Tablet
The case of Archos 43 is of very good invoice. Austere colors, but of the rigid plastics and a back metal. The completion is correct, in spite of some not very neat joints. One will particularly appreciate the presence of a foot which is spread to maintain the reader in favorable position when a video is looked at.
The resistive touchscreen, central defect of the apparatus
Principal interface, the touchscreen must be particularly worked. Unfortunately, Archos chose a resistive technology, nonmultipoint! Less expensive than the capacitive one, this techno suffers from an exasperating lack of precision. The virtual keyboard of Android is hardly usable with the fingers. It is damage, because the reactivity of the system is however with go!
The swing between the various banner pages from Android is fluid, in spite of the presence of imposing widgets. The general ergonomics of the interface is correct, in particular that of the audio and video readers. Archos provides other programs, as a killer of process to close the applications which can encumber the random access memory or take too many resources processor.
In addition, AppLib catches up with correctly the absence of Android Market, with a good choice of applications and video games. Being the plays, the management of the 3D functions well, but all these qualities are systematically sullied by the same major defect with the apparatus: a vague resistive touchscreen. This last however posts a correct luminosity, 338 cd/m ² to the maximum, and an acceptable rate of contrast, 965:1.
A good TV mode, but not of cable minis-HDMI
Archos 43 is equipped with an exit minis-HDMI - to connect it with a television in 720p. However, Archos provides neither cable nor adapter minis-HDMI, always to reduce the costs. A very awkward lack, because this type of connector little running will be paid with the full price.
This detail put aside, the quality of image at exit TV is very satisfactory. The films do not lose in fluidity. One will be able to also benefit from all the interface of Android on his television, by using the touchscreen of Archos 43 as a tactile paving stone. But all controls were not envisaged, in particular the run of the lists to the bottom… Let us hope for how these deficiencies will be filled in the next updates of the operating system!
Not radio operator FM!
Archos 43 proposes obviously a traditional audio reader. Besides it offers the advantage of being compatible with a very great number of formats, of which Flac and the OGG. It is very appreciable. But several defects really frustrated us. First of all, the auricles, delivered with the apparatus, are out of bottom-of-the-range plastic, to say very bad quality as much, with a catastrophic band-width: from 231 Hz with 9 707 Hz only, strong irregularities and powerful maximum excessive of 128 dB. Not what to satisfy large world in terms of sound quality.
The apparatus could at least ensure a good audio exit, it does not even propose an equalizer to be manually regulated in detail. Only some audio profiles are available and a manual adjustment of three parameters (low, acute and 3D), which hardly offer choice. Last frustration: the absence of tuner FM. Incomprehensible for this type of apparatus, when almost all the smartphones Android are equipped with it.
A good video compatibility, but to improve
The video player of Archos 43 is compatible with the very large majority of the formats: DivX, Xvid, H.264 and even MKV (but without management of multitrack the audio). The majority of the standard sizes of subtitles is also dealt with. This walkman is also supposed lira vidéos HD in 720p, not without difficulties.
XviD in 720p is perfectly fluid, but the H.264 files in 720p can pose problem when they do not have an adapted encoding (a mode of encoding of the Base type Profiles for mobile peripherals is strongly advised). Autonomy in video was measured at 6 a.m. and 30 minutes.
Android 2.2 awaited like the Messiah
Archos 43 misses surely breath in terms of pure performances, certainly because of its system Android (version 2.1) which misses optimizations. Archos announces an update of the apparatus in version 2.2, which should largely improve the performances.
For the moment, the Linpack tests and Quadrant give respectively 8,5 Mflops and 890 points. Already correct scores, which will be certainly quite higher with Android 2.2. Unfortunately, this update, scheduled for October in the beginning, shows delay! One hopes to see it before the end of the year…
