I am a big fan of Consumer Reports Magazine.  I usually find that their ratings and reviews are very helpful when it comes to making a big purchase.  I also find that Consumer Reports will rate smartphones and tablets, rather often.  After all, it is technology and, we all know how fast technology advances.

In the February 2012 issue of Consumer Reports, they rated a big list of 25 tablets.  They included all the major players, including Apple, Motorola, and Samsung.  The top ten ratings can be found in the picture above.  The picture at the bottom, is a full list of 39 tablets and it comes from ConsumerReports.org.  A subscription is required to view the entire list from their website.

As I reviewed their tablet ratings from the February 2012 issue, something appeared odd to me.  They rated similar tablets by the same manufacturer, which only have 1 difference; their data radios.  In addition, their categories for scoring included:  Ease of Use, Display, Touch Response, Portability, and Weight (lbs).
Example:  They rated the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wifi-only model and its counterpart, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 3G/4g/Wifi model, separately.  Their scores (on a scale to 100) were 79 and 78 respectively.  Pretty close, right?

However, based on the five categories (listed above), you will notice that the difference was based on Portability. Supposedly, the 3G/4g is more portable than Wifi-only.  Therefore, 3G/4g scores higher.  But look again!  The Wifi-only model scored higher than the 3G/4g model.  What gives?  The Wifi model received an “Excellent” rating and the 3G/4g model received a “Very Good” rating.

Moreover, the Sony Tablet S slipped in between the two sister models with its Wifi-only tablet, scoring a 79, as well.  Sony Tablet S took spot five, while Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 wifi took spot 4 and its 3G/4G sibling took spot 6.

I’d like to add that Consumer Reports did the same thing with Apple iPad 2 sibling models and the Motorola’s Xoom siblings.  They were ranked separately and a competitor tablet took a spot in between them.

If the difference in the score isn’t based on the fact that you can use the 3G/4G model in more locations than the Wifi-only, what is the difference?

And that’s the question I pose to you?  I’m under the impression that the two models are exactly the same, except for the radio.  Am I way off-base to think that the only difference is the radio used to download its data?

I keep up with new tablets and smartphones, their specs, and their difference.  I feel very comfortable in saying that “I’m educated” on tablets in the marketplace.  This review from Consumer Reports makes me question their rating strategy in the categories I am not “educated” about, such as dishwashers, washing machines, or refrigerators.  Can their ratings and tests truly be trusted?

NOTE:  A Consumer Reports footnote states that their definition of “Portability,” is a scale of combined weight, size, and battery life.

Sources:  ConsumerReports.org, Consumer Reports Magazine, Feb 2012 issue.

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Just like the HTC Flyer and Samsung Galaxy Note, Kupa includes a stylus with the X11. The stylus is crucial to the user experience.  Moreso on Windows 7 than Android.  I found that the screen on the Kupa X11 was extremely accurate and easy to use.  To be honest, there were times I was actually able to click very small items using only my finger.  The X11 is sold in different configurations starting at $699. The model used in this review is the X11 Pro which retails for $799

I will break the review down into two parts.  Hardware and Software and follow up with the very important bottom line recommendation.  Happy Reading.

Software

Out of the box, the X11 is running Windows 7 with the latest Service pack.  The base image is bloatware free.  The only additional software is the bluetooth and fingerprint reader software.  It was a nice change from the typical big-box-brand tablet PCs out there.  One of the biggest features of Windows 7, was the touch input optimization.  Windows 7 is very finger and stylus friendly.  There is a virtual keyboard that slides out of the way when not in use and can be brought out at your convenience.  Taping on the qwerty keyboard was fairly easy.  Occasionally, I felt I was tapping too hard, but the X11 was built with a sturdy screen, so there is no need to worry.

As soon as I got the tablet booted up, I immediately wanted to see how good the video processing was. 1080p video on YouTube played decent.  There were some audio/video synchronization issues.  However, 720p Youtube, Netflix and Hulu video, played flawlessly.  Kupa held up to their claims for 1080p playback on regular files.  I tested this out using VLC and a 1080p .mkv (Bluray) file.  In the end, it did handle it better than its Android counterpart.  This could be partially due to the fact that Windows 7 can utilize the web version of those video services.  Overall, I was pleased with my Windows 7 experience.  When Microsoft finally releases Windows 8, the X11 will really shine.

Hardware

The Kupa X11 is a classy combination of glass and aluminum finishes.  The build quality is comparable to the other Windows 7 tablets out there.  I don’t have anything bad to say about the materials, however, the design is where I felt the X11 could use a little work.

The X11 is on the thick side, measuring at 14.8 mm.  The squared edges and flat back also made it hard to hold in some situations.  There is an exhaust fan across the top of the tablet near the power button and the intake fan is along the back.  I didn’t find any issues with heat, but if you plan to use this on your lap, you may want to have some extra space between the tablet and the surface.

Around the tablet, you will find an assortments of ports.  There are two USB ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, GSM Sim Card slot (Optional 3G Connectivity), and a proprietary AC adapter for charging.  There is also a nifty reset hold just in case you need to hard reset Windows.

Kupa equipped the X11 with a 10.1″ LED back lit screen with a resolution of 1366 by 768.  The viewing angles were decent.  I did find that the glossy screen made it hard for outdoor viewing or rooms with over head fluorescent.  Not a deal breaker, but it is something worth noting.  The screen was the perfect size for web browsing.  Text was easy to read and images were good.

Inside the X11, there is more than enough to do all of your mobile computing with ease.  There is a 1.5 Ghz Intel processor and 2GB of DDR Ram.  As you can see, the power is nothing to write home about, however the built-in SSD drive makes up for the speed with fast program load and boot times.  For more detailed information, check out the complete list of specs below.

Full Specifications

Bottom Line

• Responsive touch screen
• Fast boot times
• Overall good performance

• Awkward Design
• DDR3 Ram and a faster processor would be nice
• LED Backlight on screen has limited brightness

I am sure by now you are asking “Should I buy it or not?”  If you are looking for a Windows 7 tablet with good performance/price, then yes.  If you are just looking for a tablet to be productive on, check out the ASUS Transformer Prime.  While the X11 is a great tablet, I can’t say I would recommend it over other Android Tablets or even the iPad.  When you look at the X11 for what it is, it is the kinds of product that will find itself very useful in corporate environments where Windows is the resident operating system.  For that reason alone, the X11 is a good buy.

The Kupa X11 gets a 3.5/5 for the simple fact that it does what it was designed for very well. With some aggressive design tweaks and spec boost the X11 would be “the” Windows 7/8 tablet to buy.