Acer Iconia B1-720 Review: Connectivity, Software and Usability

The Acer Iconia B1-720 reached shops in January 2014 as Acer’s cheapest 7-inch tablet of that season, a small slate built for reading, video and light browsing rather than heavy work. The headline facts say it all: Acer Iconia B1-720 released January 2014 price 129 euros, with a 7-inch display, 1 GB of RAM and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean under the hood. The Acer Iconia B1-720 price of about 110 US dollars at launch put it up against the cheapest no-name slates of its year, yet it carried a known brand, a proper warranty network and a tidy plastic body. This Acer Iconia B1-720 review looks at the Acer Iconia B1-720 full specifications and price in 2014 alongside the three things that matter most on a tablet of this age: connectivity, software and day-to-day usability.

This is a look back at a classic tablet, not a new release, and it should be judged by the standards of its own era. As a budget tablet it was never meant to replace a laptop, and as an Android tablet from the Jelly Bean years it cannot run the newest apps or services. What it can still show, more than a decade later, is how much Acer squeezed into a small, light and very cheap slate: a readable screen, honest Wi-Fi, a microSD slot and a battery that lasted a school day of light use. The Acer Iconia B1-720 tablet still turns up in second-hand listings, usually with a charger and a case. Its closest sibling is covered in Acer Iconia B1-721 Specifications, Review and Verdict: Is It Worth It?, and the two models are often confused by sellers of used units, so a direct Acer Iconia B1-720 vs Acer Iconia B1-721 differences check is worth doing before buying a second-hand example.

Design and Build: A Compact 7-Inch Tablet

The Acer Iconia B1-720 dimensions make it a jacket-pocket slate, and the Acer Iconia B1-720 weight of 315 grams keeps it comfortable to hold for a long chapter or a full episode of a show. The body measures 198.1 x 121.9 x 10.2 mm, with a smooth plastic back, a plain front bezel and a single front camera lens above the screen. The Acer Iconia B1-720 white colour version weight and dimensions match the black version exactly, so the choice of colour changes nothing about how the tablet feels in the hand. At that size, the Acer Iconia B1-720 315 gram weight one handed use case is realistic for reading on a bus or in bed, and the tablet is light enough for one hand during a long reading session without tiring the wrist.

A simple Acer Iconia B1-720 case and a screen protector are the only accessories most owners ever needed, because the plastic shell resists small knocks and the screen sits slightly recessed behind the bezel. The power button and volume rocker sit on the side where a thumb finds them, the microUSB port sits on the edge for charging, and the 3.5 mm headphone jack takes a normal pair of wired earphones. Nothing about the build feels fancy, yet nothing about it feels broken either: this was a tablet designed to be cheap, light and easy to carry, and on those three points it delivers.

Ports, Buttons and the microSD Slot

The Acer Iconia B1-720 microSD card slot expandable storage setup takes cards up to 32 GB, which mattered a great deal when the base model shipped with only 8 GB of built-in space. The Acer Iconia B1-720 microUSB OTG support and limitations deserve a clear note: the port charges the tablet and moves files to and from a computer, but accessory support is limited and a keyboard or flash drive may or may not work depending on the accessory. The slot for the card sits under a small cover, and the card is the sensible home for books, music and offline video, leaving the built-in space for the system and a small set of apps.

What the Build Gets Right for a Budget Tablet

The rounded edges and even weight make the slate easy to grip, the plastic back does not show fingerprints the way glossy glass does, and the whole device survives the kind of handling that a family tablet gets from children. It is not water resistant and it was never sold as a rugged device, so a case is still a good idea, but the basic construction is honest and free of creaks.

Handling and Screen Rotation

The Acer Iconia B1-720 accelerometer sensor and screen rotation work as expected for reading in portrait and watching video in landscape, turning the picture promptly when the tablet is tilted. The sensor is a simple one, so games that rely on fine tilt control feel rough, but for reading and video it does the job without fuss.

Display: 7-Inch TFT Screen for Reading and Video

The Acer Iconia B1-720 display is a 7.0-inch TFT panel with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, which works out to about 170 pixels per inch. The Acer Iconia B1-720 screen measures 7.0 inches diagonally, and the 16:10 shape suits video and web pages better than it suits a full page of text. The Acer Iconia B1-720 1024 x 600 resolution 170 ppi display is modest even by 2014 standards, yet text stays readable at normal reading distance and video looks clean enough for a small screen. Judging the Acer Iconia B1-720 screen resolution and display quality on its own terms, the panel is bright enough indoors, colours look natural rather than oversaturated, and the touch layer answers taps without delay.

Reading, Video and Everyday Viewing

As an Acer Iconia B1-720 7 inch tablet for reading ebooks, it works: the page is large enough for comfortable type, the weight is low enough for one-handed reading, and the screen is wide enough for two-column layouts in landscape. The Acer Iconia B1-720 TFT display viewing angles in sunlight are narrow, so the picture washes out outdoors and the screen is happiest indoors or in shade. Video playback is smooth for standard-definition files, and the single speaker is loud enough for a quiet room, though headphones are the better choice for films and music.

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS on the Acer Iconia B1-720

The Acer Iconia B1-720 connectivity package is Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, with no mobile data and no SIM slot. The B1-720 is a Wi-Fi-only tablet: there is no mobile data, no SIM slot and no voice calling, so every online task depends on a wireless network or on files kept on the tablet itself. That limit shapes the whole device. At home, in a library or at a cafe with wireless access, it behaves like any small tablet of its year. Away from a network, it becomes an offline reader and media player, which is still a useful thing to be.

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n in Daily Use

The Acer Iconia B1-720 Wi-Fi radio supports 802.11 b/g/n on the 2.4 GHz band, which was the standard home setup of its era and still covers most home routers today. Searches for Acer Iconia B1-720 Wi-Fi connection problems and fixes usually point at the same culprits: a weak signal, a crowded 2.4 GHz channel, or an old router setting that the tablet does not like. New owners often ask how to connect Acer Iconia B1-720 to Wi-Fi, and the steps are simple: open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, pick a network from the list, enter the password and wait for the connection icon to appear. The radio holds a signal well across a normal room, and browsing, email and standard-definition video all work when the signal is steady.

Bluetooth 4.0 Pairing

The Acer Iconia B1-720 Bluetooth radio is version 4.0, and the Acer Iconia B1-720 Bluetooth pairing with wireless headphones works for music and spoken audio, though the sound quality depends on the headphones rather than the tablet. Pairing follows the usual path: turn Bluetooth on in Settings, make the accessory discoverable, tap its name in the list and confirm the pairing. File transfers over Bluetooth are slow, as they were on every device of this age, so the microUSB cable or the microSD card is the faster way to move large files.

GPS Without Mobile Data

The Acer Iconia B1-720 GPS receiver works without mobile data, which surprises people who assume that a tablet with no SIM card cannot navigate. The Acer Iconia B1-720 GPS navigation accuracy without mobile data depends on offline maps kept on the card, since there is no mobile data to fetch map tiles on the move. With an offline map app and a clear view of the sky, the tablet can show position and follow a route, though the first fix after a long break can take a minute or two.

When Wi-Fi Drops on an Old Tablet

If the connection drops, the useful checks are short: move closer to the router, forget the network and join it again, restart the router, and confirm the router is using the 2.4 GHz band, because this tablet does not see 5 GHz networks. A very old saved network with the wrong password is the most common cause of a failed connection on a second-hand unit.

Software: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and Everyday Apps

The Acer Iconia B1-720 software is Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and the Acer Iconia B1-720 Android version is 4.2 Jelly Bean with only light changes from Acer on top. The Acer Iconia B1-720 Android 4.2 Jelly Bean software features include lock-screen widgets, expandable notifications, Google Now and the familiar Jelly Bean settings layout, all of which were current when the tablet launched. As a Jelly Bean tablet, it runs the apps of its era well, but it received no major version upgrade, so the software is frozen in 2014 and that fact defines everything else about using it today.

What Android 4.2 Still Does Well

Think of this as an Acer Iconia B1-720 user manual and setup guide for beginners: charge it, connect Wi-Fi, sign in to a Google account, and keep expectations modest. The home screens, app drawer and settings are simple to learn, the built-in browser opens ordinary web pages, and the included apps cover email, calendar, clock, calculator and a gallery. The same era produced the Intel-based sibling discussed in What the Acer Iconia A1-830 Gets Right: Review and Detailed Specifications, and the two tablets share the same Jelly Bean feel even though their chips are different.

App Compatibility in 2026

The Acer Iconia B1-720 Android Jelly Bean app compatibility in 2026 is the hard limit on this tablet: most current apps require a newer Android version and will not install, and many web services have moved beyond the old built-in browser. Knowing how to reset Acer Iconia B1-720 to factory settings helps when a second-hand unit arrives full of old accounts: open Settings, choose Backup and reset, tap Factory data reset and confirm. What still works is the offline side of the device: an ebook reader, a music player, a video player for files kept on the card, and simple games from its own era.

What Still Works in 2026

Reading, offline video, music, photos and light browsing still work, and the tablet makes a decent bedside clock, kitchen recipe reader or children’s offline media player. Anything that needs a current account, a secure modern browser or a new app should be done on a newer device instead.

Performance and Usability in Daily Use

The Acer Iconia B1-720 chipset is the MediaTek MT8111, a dual-core chip running at 1.3 GHz with PowerVR SGX531 graphics, and the Acer Iconia B1-720 processor is a dual-core 1.3 GHz unit paired with 1 GB of RAM. The Acer Iconia B1-720 usability in daily use comes down to one habit: doing one thing at a time. The Acer Iconia B1-720 storage starts at 8 GB on the base model, with a 16 GB version also sold, and the card slot is the practical answer to the small built-in space. Acer’s phone line from the same period is covered in Is the Acer Liquid Z4 Worth It? Review, Specs and Verdict, which shows how Acer tuned the same Android 4.2 software for smaller screens.

Acer Iconia B1-720 MediaTek MT8111 Dual Core Processor Performance

The Acer Iconia B1-720 MediaTek MT8111 dual core processor performance is adequate for the tasks this tablet was built for: opening books, playing standard-definition video, browsing simple pages and running light apps. The Acer Iconia B1-720 PowerVR SGX531 graphics performance for games covers simple 2D titles and older 3D games at low settings, while demanding 3D games stutter or refuse to run smoothly. The Acer Iconia B1-720 1GB RAM multitasking limits explained in one line: one or two light apps at a time, because switching between a browser, a video and a game forces the tablet to reload. The Acer Iconia B1-720 RAM is 1 GB, and that single number explains more about the daily feel of the tablet than the processor speed does.

Everyday Speed: Browsing, Reading and Video

The Acer Iconia B1-720 8GB internal storage space management tips start with the microSD card: keep books, music and video on the card, keep only a few apps on the built-in space, and clear app caches when the tablet warns that space is low. Browsing is usable on plain pages and slow on heavy modern pages, reading is smooth, and video playback is the strongest part of the package, since the chip was designed to decode video without strain.

Battery Life: What the 2955 mAh Cell Delivers

The Acer Iconia B1-720 battery is a sealed 2955 mAh lithium-polymer unit, and the Acer Iconia B1-720 charger is a standard 5V microUSB unit, so a spare cable is easy to find. Acer rated the tablet for five hours on a single charge of mixed use, and that figure matches what owners reported for reading and video. Anyone asking Acer Iconia B1-720 battery life how many hours should expect around five hours of mixed use, less with the screen at full brightness and more with Wi-Fi off during reading. The Acer Iconia B1-720 charging port microUSB cable replacement is simple: any standard microUSB cable and a 5V charger will do, and the tablet charges fully in a few hours.

Stretching a Charge

An Acer Iconia B1-720 2955 mAh battery replacement guide is only worth following if you are comfortable opening a sealed tablet, because the cell is not user-removable and the back cover is glued in place. For daily use, the easier wins are lowering screen brightness, turning Wi-Fi off while reading, and closing apps that are not in use. After more than a decade, a used unit may hold less charge than it did when new, so a second-hand buyer should test the battery before paying.

Camera: A Basic VGA Front Camera

The Acer Iconia B1-720 camera is a single front-facing VGA unit of 0.3 megapixels, and there is no rear camera on this tablet at all. The Acer Iconia B1-720 front camera quality for video calls is basic: faces are recognisable in good light, detail is soft, and the picture turns grainy as soon as the room gets dim. The Acer Iconia B1-720 VGA front camera video chat quality drops quickly in dim rooms, so a bright window or a lamp behind the screen helps more than any setting. Acer’s 2014 range put the screen first on several devices, as shown in Acer Liquid Z5 Review: Screen Quality in Everyday Use and the Full Specs, and the B1-720 follows the same idea: the display is the point, and the camera is only there for a quick call.

Full Specifications

The Acer Iconia B1-720 specs below follow the published hardware record for this model: announced and released in January 2014, a 7-inch TFT display, a MediaTek MT8111 dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Where two storage sizes were sold, both are listed.

Pros and Cons

After weighing the screen, the connectivity, the software and the battery against the limits of a 2014 budget slate, the balance is clear: the B1-720 is a pleasant offline reader and media tablet, and a poor choice for anyone who needs current apps.

Pros

• Very low launch price for a branded 7-inch tablet
• Light 315 g body that is easy to hold for long reading sessions
• microSD slot up to 32 GB for books, music and video
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS in one small package
• About five hours of battery life for reading and video

Cons

• Only 1 GB of RAM, so multitasking is limited
• Low-resolution 1024 x 600 TFT screen with narrow viewing angles
• No rear camera and only a basic VGA front camera
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with no upgrade path and weak app support in 2026
• Only 8 GB of built-in space on the base model

If you want a second opinion on another Acer device from this era, read Acer Liquid E3: Review, Full Specs and an Honest Verdict before deciding whether an old Acer is the right second-hand buy for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Acer Iconia B1-720 still usable in 2026?

Yes, for offline tasks. Reading ebooks, playing music and video from a microSD card, viewing photos and light browsing still work, but most current apps will not install and the old browser struggles with modern web pages, so it works best as a second device rather than a daily driver.

How do I connect the Acer Iconia B1-720 to Wi-Fi?

Open Settings, tap Wi-Fi, turn it on, choose a network from the list and enter the password. The tablet only sees 2.4 GHz networks, so if a network does not appear, check that the router has its 2.4 GHz band turned on.

How long does the Acer Iconia B1-720 battery last?

Around five hours of mixed reading and video on a healthy battery, which matches the figure Acer quoted at launch. Brightness and Wi-Fi use change the result, and a used unit that is more than a decade old may hold less charge than a new one did.

Does the Acer Iconia B1-720 have a microSD card slot?

Yes. The tablet takes microSD cards up to 32 GB, and the card is the best place to keep books, music and video, since the base model has only 8 GB of built-in space.

What chipset powers the Acer Iconia B1-720?

The MediaTek MT8111, a dual-core chip running at 1.3 GHz with PowerVR SGX531 graphics and 1 GB of RAM. Some early listings guessed at other MediaTek part numbers, but the published hardware record for this model names the MT8111.

Taken as a piece of 2014 hardware, the B1-720 did its job: it put a readable 7-inch screen, honest wireless connectivity and a simple version of Android into the hands of buyers who could not spend more. Its limits are the limits of its year, and anyone who buys one now should buy it for reading and offline media, not for modern apps.