RCA Maven Pro Review

Overview

When you think of a tablet, RCA is probably not the first brand that comes to mind. As surprising as it may sound, RCA has created a well rounded tablet with their Maven Pro. It's not cutting edge technology, but it performs as advertized, and brings some features that many may find useful, that aren't abundantly available in under $200 price range. 

Features and Design. 

RCA Maven Pro is made of good quality plastic that doesn't feel cheap at all. It's sturdy enough, and the detachable keyboard is quite well made. Aside from having a full sized keyboard available, you also get an HDMI out and standard USB 2.0 ports. This elevates Maven Pro to a more practical level compared to other tablets in this price range. Docking the Maven Pro with the keyboard is easy, and everything fits snug thanks to magnetic latches. Nothing wobbles, and the whole package feels sturdy. 

Another good feature of this tablet is its 11.6 inch screen. While it isn't the best and clearest display on the market, it sports a decent 1366 x 786 resolution and image clarity. Definitely sufficient for longer use and media consumption. Maximum brightness leaves much to be desired, and makes the Maven Pro hard to use outside on a sunny day. 

When it comes to hardware, this tablet fails to impress. It comes with a choice of either 1.3GHz or 1.4GHz quad-core CPUs whose performance isn't much different. Memory is limited to 1GB of RAM and 32GBs of storage which can be expanded using microSD cards. Combined with the Android 5.0 Lollipop OS, Maven Pro delivers smooth performance, but struggles with more demanding apps. For tasks such as browsing the web and reading ebooks, this tablet will work great. However, more demanding Android games will run with a rather low frame rate. 

RCA claims that the battery they deliver in this device can last for 8 hours of normal use, however in practice that number is closer to 5 hours. It's not too bad, but it's definitely behind the curve compared to some other tablets. Cameras are exactly what you would expect from an inexpensive device such as this one. You get a 2MP front camera, and a 2MP rear camera that produce decent pictures, but don't expect any great quality. 

Specifications: 

• CPU: 1.3GHz or 1.4 GHz quad-core
• Memory: 1GB RAM
• Internal Storage: 32GB
• Storage expansion options: microSD card slot
• Cameras: Front 2MP, Rear 2MP 
• Display: 11.6 Inch, 1366x786 pixels (IPS)
• Battery: 5 hours of normal use
• OS: Android 5 Lollipop

Conclusion

While it doesn't offer the most exquisite performance, RCA Maven Pro is a great portable productivity device that comes supports storage expansion, and comes with things such as HDMI and USB 2.0 ports. For need a practical device that is also affordable, RCA Maven Pro is definitely something worth considering.