Tablets are just consumer toys, right? Well, that argument has been a tad dubious since it was first used against the original iPad, but the new breed of tablets running the full Windows 8 OS truly challenge the assertion. A new Windows 8 tablet offering from Dell promises to deliver a full PC experience in a tablet that starts at only $ 499.

The Dell Latitude 10 essentials configuration is not an entirely new tablet—just a new, more economical configuration of the Dell Latitude 10. It has the same 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor, and 2GB of RAM with a 10.1-inch IPS Corning Gorilla Glass display.

It is lacking some of the features of its more robust sibling. It does not have a swappable battery, and the rear camera is missing the LED flash. It has a full USB port, but lacks the mini-USB and mini-HDMI ports. And, it can use a passive stylus, but it doesn’t support the Wacom Active Stylus.

The tablet pricing goes head to head with the 16GB base model of Apple’s iPad, and Microsoft’s Surface RT—which also offers a 32GB model for $ 499. The difference is that the iPad runs iOS, and the Surface RT runs the Windows RT OS, while the Dell Latitude 10 comes with the full 32-bit Windows 8 Pro.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here