Leader International Impression 10 Tablet–A Budget-Friendly Choice

impression10There is no doubt that tablets are hot right now. Unfortunately, they’re also pretty expensive. But if you’re willing to forego a brand name and be flexible about features, you can get a good deal on a tablet that will meet most, if not all of your needs. We’ve been checking out the Leader International Impression 10 Tablet and it’s a great example of a tablet that can be perfect for a family with a price tag that’s a little more friendly.

The first thing you’ll note about the Impression 10 is that it’s on the heftier side. At nearly a half an inch thick, it certainly fees solid in your hands. Wrapped in a custom (included) faux leather case, the Impression 10 has a 9.7 inch capacitive multi-touch display that looks just lovely. It runs Android 2.3 on a 1GHz processor. This isn’t going to be the speediest tablet out there, but it’s responsive. It includes 4GB of memory, but also boasts an SD/MMC slot that can support up to a 16GB card. Two USB ports, a mini-USB port and HDMI port give you a lot of flexibility in loading and sharing multi-media content. It can charge via USB or included adapter. The 2.0 mega pixel front camera is OK, but not great.

impression10-2In using the Impression 10 for basic tasks (web browsing, everyday apps, etc.) it holds its own. Things ran smoothly and the touch screen was responsive. I had some problems with the wireless radio signal, which wasn’t quite as strong as other tablets in the same location and performing the same tasks. It had a bad habit of dropping out suddenly. This wasn’t a big problem for me, but would obviously be frustrating for those trying to stream/download a lot of content. The tablet does support Flash, which is a nice perk to those who have heavy web usage.

The one big complaint I had with the Impression 10, and which the average user will find troubling, is that it is running the open source version of Android and is not approved for using the Android Market. Before you panic, there are ways around this, but it is still limiting. The easiest way is to follow the instructions (included) for downloaded the Amazon Android App Store. You’ll have access to a wide range of Android apps, including a free highlighted app each day, but not to all available Android apps. I also received errors in accessing the Netflix app, which I know is something of importance to at least some tablet users.

Pros:

  • Cost
  • Nice screen resolution (1024 X 768)
  • Plenty of input/output options, including HDMI

Cons:

  • Outdated version of Android
  • No access to Android App Market
  • Some wireless problems

Bottom Line:

The Impression 10 is a mixed bag, but it is a viable option for families who want access to apps, but don’t need the fastest, shiniest tablet out there. This will work best for those who want everyday apps, the ability to watch movies and listen to music, and perhaps have some portable productivity. The $299 price tag may still be a bit steep as newer tablets come to the market, but for now, the Impression 10 is a strong contender as a starter tablet.

The Impression 10 Tablet from Leader International is available from Sears and Kmart for $299.99. They also have a 7-inch tablet available for $129.

Disclosure: We received product for the purpose of this review. There was no promise of a positive review and the opinions contained in this post are my own. Images courtesy of Leader International.

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