ARCHOS (JXR) on Thursday announced a new line of “Platinum” tablets that feature high-end specs and a low price tag. The company debuted three different sized tablets — 8-inch, 9.7-inch and 11.6-inch — that are equipped with high-definition IPS displays, 1.2GHz quad-core processors, microSD ports, 2GB of RAM and Android 4.1. The 8-inch Platinum slate features a 1024 × 768 resolution screen and will be priced at $199, while the 9.7-inch Platinum HD tablet, which looks strikingly similar to Apple’s (AAPL) iPad, will be equipped with a 2048 × 1536 resolution display and will sell for $299. Both tablets will be released this month, while the largest Platinum slate will be available in April and offer a 1920 × 1080 resolution screen for $349. ARCHOS’ press release follows below.
ARCHOS Introduces the New Platinum Range
The Platinum tablets are amongst the first Android tablets to offer a super high resolution IPS screen combined with the performance of a Quad-Core CPU
Denver, CO – February 14, 2013 – ARCHOS, an award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, introduces the Platinum range, a new line of tablets that feature a sleek aluminum design combined with the best high definition IPS displays, quad-core processors and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. There will be three tablets in the range including an 8-inch, 9.7-inch and 11.6-inch all of which deliver true vivid colors, sharper text and amazingly fast performance.The entire Platinum range will all share the following features:
• High-Definition IPS display with capacitive multi-touch screen
• QUAD core CPU at 1.2 GHz with 8-core GPU, with 1080p video decoding
• 2 GB RAM
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• Full access to the 700,000 applications
• Archos Media Center applications
• Front and Back Cameras
• Mini-HDMI and Micro SD portsThe ARCHOS 80 Platinum, an 8” tablet, features a 1024×768 resolution IPS screen and when compared to the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 it is almost twice as fast, has double the RAM and has a back camera for a fraction of the cost. The 80 Platinum will be available in February for $199.
The ARCHOS 97 Platinum HD, a 9.7” tablet, features a stunning 2048×1536 resolution IPS screen, which is comparable to the Retina display found in the iPad, but is 40% less expensive.
The 97 Platinum HD will be available in February for $299.The ARCHOS 116 Platinum, an 11.6” tablet, features a 1920×1080 resolution IPS screen, unlike anything currently on the market. The 116 Platinum will be available in April for $349.