Acer Iconia A1-830 tablet makes cheap chic

The 7.9-inch Acer Iconia A1-830 may resemble an Apple iPad Mini, however, it's in a category of its own. It's a budget tablet with simple specs, yet it's fashionable and functional -- a rare sight.

Housing humble specs, the Acer Iconia A1-830 packs a microphone pinhole, Micro-USB port, and headphone jack on its top edge.

The Acer tablet is ultra-slim and has an edge over the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX and Google Nexus 7, thanks to its expandable microSD card slot.

The A1-830 fits comfortably in one hand, even for folks with small hands (like me).

The 178-degree viewing angles are impressive for the $179 tablet, but its resolution isn't as high or sharp as today's top slates.

The thin bezels looks great on the sleek A1-830, however the 4:3 aspect ratio display results in more letterboxing than I prefer.

The tablet's loudest feature is its high-end design -- not the meek dual speakers. The solid, yet smooth, aluminum back  give the tablet a durable feel.

You can buy Acer's Crunch case for the A1-830 tablet to add a layer of protection -- and color -- without adding bulk.

The case for the A1-830 fits appropriately snug.

The cover works well for watching video or typing. It's sold separately, but it's an inexpensive way to protect your tablet without losing cool points.

The Acer tablet easily snaps onto the case and its smart design makes the ports on the top and right edge easily accessible.