Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD Review and Full Specifications: Everything You Should Know

This Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD review looks back at a Wi-Fi tablet from 2014, a year when an 8-inch Full HD screen at a mid-range price was still a genuine selling point. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD specs sheet reads like a snapshot of that era: a quad-core Intel chip, 2GB of RAM, Android 4.4.2 KitKat, and a sharp 1920 by 1200 display in a slim 360 gram body. This Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD full specifications and review covers the design, the screen, the speed, the cameras, the battery, and the honest limits of a tablet that has long since been discontinued. With an Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD release date September 2014, the tablet arrived in shops in the third quarter of that year, a few months after Acer first showed it in June 2014.

Acer introduced the tablet alongside several phones of the same season, and readers who followed that launch may also enjoy Is the Acer Liquid Z200 Worth It? Review, Specs and Verdict, which covers one of the handsets from the same announcement. The tablet itself was aimed at readers, students, and families who wanted a portable screen for video, books, and the web without paying flagship money. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD price in 2014 euros was about 200, which placed it well below the premium tablets of the day while still offering a Full HD panel. As an Acer tablet 2014 buyers could pick up for about 200 euros, it made sense as a second screen for the home rather than a laptop replacement.

Design and Build Quality

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD design is slim and plain, with a plastic back, a dark front bezel, and a shape that fits easily in one hand. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD dimensions are 215 x 130 x 8.5 mm, so the slate is thin enough to slip into a bag sleeve or a jacket pocket, and the narrow sides keep the grip comfortable during long reading sessions. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD 360 gram weight 8.5 mm thickness combination was light for its class in 2014, and at 360 grams the tablet does not tire the wrist the way heavier 10-inch slates did. The build is not luxurious, and the plastic shell can creak a little when squeezed, but for a tablet priced near 200 euros the finish was fair and the rounded edges helped it feel smaller than its measurements suggest.

Size, Weight and Materials

The front is dominated by the 8-inch screen with a modest bezel, while the back carries the Acer logo and the 5MP camera in one corner. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD weight is 360 grams, and the balance is even, so it sits well in the hand in portrait mode for reading and in landscape mode for video. The power button and volume rocker sit on the side within easy reach, and the micro USB port, microSD slot, and 3.5 mm headphone jack are placed where they do not get in the way of the grip. Acer unveiled the tablet in the same June 2014 event as the Liquid E700, and The Acer Liquid E700, Reviewed in Detail: Specs, Charging Speed and More gives a sense of the phones Acer was pairing with this tablet at launch. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD manual explains the button layout and the card slot in simple diagrams, which helped first-time tablet owners who had never used a microSD card before.

Ports, Buttons and Speakers

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD speakers sit on the front, a sensible choice that keeps sound facing the user instead of firing into a table or a lap. The sound is clear enough for video and spoken-word audio at normal volume, though bass is thin and the speakers distort a little at full volume, which was normal for tablets of this price in 2014. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD accessories such as cases, screen protectors, and stands were widely sold when the tablet was new, and a simple folio case made the light slate much easier to carry and to prop up on a desk. There is no HDMI port and no SIM slot, so the tablet relies on Wi-Fi for connectivity and on its microSD slot for extra space. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD WiFi is dual-band, and the tablet also carries GPS with GLONASS for maps and location apps when a connection is available.

Display: An 8-Inch Full HD Panel

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD display uses an IPS LCD panel, and it was the strongest reason to buy this tablet in 2014. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD 8 inch Full HD display shows 1920 by 1200 pixels across 8.0 inches, which gives a density of about 283 pixels per inch. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD screen measures 8.0 inches diagonally with a 16:10 aspect ratio, so video fills the panel with only small black bars and pages of text look crisp. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD 1920 by 1200 pixel resolution was a clear step up from the 1280 by 800 panels common on cheaper 8-inch tablets of the time, and the difference is easy to see in small text, fine lines in comics, and detail in photos.

Sharpness and Colour

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD 283 ppi pixel density sharp text was a real strength of the tablet, and books, web pages, and magazines look clean with no visible pixel grid at normal reading distance. Colours are bright and reasonably accurate for an IPS panel of this era, with wide viewing angles that let two people watch a video together without the image washing out. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD Zero Air Gap display technology reduced the gap between the glass and the panel, which cut down reflections a little and made the image feel closer to the surface. The panel is not as bright as a modern tablet screen, and it can be hard to read in direct sunlight, but indoors and in shade it holds up well for its age.

Reading and Video on the 8-Inch Screen

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD for reading books and browsing still works as a basic use case, because the sharp panel and the light body suit long sessions with an e-book or a news site. The 16:10 shape is a good fit for video, and the front speakers keep dialogue audible without headphones. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD video playback lasts for hours on a charge, and the screen size hits a middle ground: bigger than a phone for comfortable viewing, yet small enough to hold with one hand on a train or a sofa.

Brightness and Viewing Angles

Viewing angles are wide thanks to the IPS panel, so the image stays stable when the tablet is tilted or shared with someone sitting beside you. Brightness is adequate for indoor use and for a shaded room, though the screen washes out under strong sunlight and the glossy glass picks up fingerprints quickly. A matte screen protector helped some owners, but it also softened the sharpness a little, so most people were better off wiping the glass and keeping the brightness up. For a 2014 tablet the display remains the part that has aged best.

Performance and the Intel Atom Z3745

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD chipset is the Intel Atom Z3745, a quad-core Bay Trail chip running at up to 1.86 GHz with Intel Gen 7 graphics. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD Intel Atom Z3745 performance was respectable for everyday tasks in 2014, handling web browsing, email, video, and light games without constant stutter. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD performance in daily use felt smooth when only a few apps were open, though heavy web pages with many images could slow it down, and switching between several apps took a moment because of the 2GB of RAM. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD RAM is 2GB, which was double the memory of its predecessor, and that extra memory made a real difference to multitasking for its time.

Everyday Speed with 2GB of RAM

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD 2GB RAM 16GB storage was the base model, with a 32GB version also sold, and both versions accept a microSD card for extra space. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD storage comes in 16GB or 32GB sizes, and the microSD slot matters because the system and preinstalled apps already take a share of the internal space. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD microSD card expandable storage helps owners keep music, books, and video offline without filling the internal memory. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD software stayed close to stock Android, which kept the interface light and avoided the heavy skins that slowed some rival tablets. Common Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD problems include sluggish browsing on modern heavy websites and apps that no longer support Android 4.4, both of which are expected for a tablet of this age rather than signs of a faulty unit.

Gaming and Graphics

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD Intel Gen 7 graphics GPU handled casual games well in its day, including puzzle games, card games, and simple 3D titles at modest settings. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD gaming is limited to light titles by modern standards, and newer 3D games either refuse to install on Android 4.4 or run poorly, so the tablet is best treated as a casual gaming device for older titles. The 8-inch screen is a good size for games that use touch controls, and the light body makes it easy to hold during play. The chip stays cool during short sessions, though long gaming sessions can warm the back a little and drain the battery faster than video or reading.

Software: Android 4.4 KitKat in 2014

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD Android version was 4.4.2 KitKat at launch, with only light Acer customisations on top of stock Android. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD Android 4.4 KitKat software stayed close to stock Android, which kept menus simple and the home screen clean, and that was a genuine advantage over tablets with heavy skins. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD software stayed close to stock, so owners got the standard KitKat look, the Google apps of the time, and a straightforward settings menu. Acer never delivered an official update to Android 5.0 Lollipop for this model, and that missing update is the single biggest weakness of the tablet in the long run. An Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD comparison with newer tablets shows how far software has moved since KitKat, and modern apps that need newer Android versions simply will not install.

What KitKat Could and Could Not Do

KitKat handled the basics well: browsing, email, maps, music, video, and reading all worked smoothly when the tablet was new. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD best apps for Android KitKat are the light ones, such as simple e-book readers, offline music players, and older versions of video apps that still support the old system. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD use as music player offline is one of its best second lives, because a music app, a microSD card full of songs, and a Bluetooth speaker turn the old tablet into a handy kitchen or bedroom player. Readers who liked Acer phones of the same era can also read Acer Liquid E600 Review: Audio, Durability and Everyday Use, which covers a handset from the same 2014 launch wave. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD discontinued status means no security patches have arrived for years, so the tablet should not be used for banking or sensitive accounts, and it is best kept offline or on a trusted home network.

Cameras: 5MP Rear and 2MP Front

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD camera setup is simple: a 5MP camera on the back and a 2MP camera on the front, with no flash on either side. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD camera 5MP rear camera takes usable photos in good daylight, with decent detail for quick snaps of documents, whiteboards, and outdoor scenes, but it struggles in low light and the fixed focus limits close-up shots. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD photos from the 5MP camera are fine for sharing in a message or keeping as a record, though they cannot match even a basic phone camera from later years. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD front camera 2MP video calls were basic even in 2014, producing soft images that were acceptable for a video chat but not for anything more demanding. Video recording tops out at modest quality, and the tablet is better used as a viewer for photos and video than as a camera.

Battery Life and Charging

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD battery is a 4600mAh unit sealed inside the body, so it cannot be swapped by the owner. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD battery life 4600 mAh cell was rated by Acer for about 7.5 hours of video playback, and the Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD seven and half hours video playback claim held up reasonably well when the tablet was new, with lighter reading use stretching further. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD video playback lasts for hours on a charge, and mixed use of browsing, video, and reading typically gave a full day of casual use in 2014. Age has reduced the capacity of surviving units, and owners of second-hand tablets should expect shorter life than the original rating. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD charging port problems and fixes usually start with a different cable and a gentle clean of the micro USB port, since loose cables and worn ports are the most common charging complaints on old tablets. Charging is slow by modern standards, taking a few hours from empty to full, so overnight charging was the practical routine.

Full Specifications

The table below gathers the Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD specs in one place, using the launch figures from 2014. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD release followed its June 2014 announcement by about three months, and the tablet reached shops in September 2014 as a Wi-Fi only model with no mobile data option.

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD dual band WiFi GPS GLONASS support covers home wireless networks and location apps, while Bluetooth handles headphones and speakers. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD WiFi only tablet no SIM design means the tablet needs a wireless network for browsing, mail, and app installs, and it cannot make calls or use mobile data on its own. The tablet has no fingerprint reader, no NFC, and no stylus, which was normal for its price in 2014.

Pros and Cons

This Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD pros and cons list sums up the tablet in plain terms, weighing the sharp screen and light body against the old software and the missing mobile data.

Pros

• Sharp 8-inch Full HD IPS display with 283 ppi and wide viewing angles.
• Light 360 gram body that is easy to hold for reading and video.
• Quad-core Intel Atom Z3745 with 2GB of RAM handled everyday tasks well for its time.
• MicroSD card slot for expandable storage on both 16GB and 32GB models.
• Front-facing stereo speakers and a clean, near-stock Android 4.4 KitKat interface.
• Fair launch price of about 200 euros for a Full HD tablet in 2014.

Cons

• No official update beyond Android 4.4.2 KitKat, so many modern apps will not install.
• Wi-Fi only with no SIM slot and no mobile data option.
• Basic 5MP rear and 2MP front cameras with no flash and weak low-light results.
• Plastic body that feels less solid than metal rivals, and the battery cannot be replaced by the owner.
• Slow charging through micro USB, and ageing batteries on surviving units hold less charge.

Who Should Still Consider It in 2026

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD second hand price in 2026 is low, and the tablet only makes sense as a cheap second screen for simple jobs. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD is it still worth buying question has no single answer, but the honest answer is that it suits offline reading, music, and video on a home network, and little else. As an Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD discontinued tablet no updates have arrived for years, so it should not be the main device for anyone who needs current apps, security patches, or mobile data. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD screen replacement parts availability is now poor, so buyers should check the display for dead pixels, touch faults, and cracks before paying anything. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD how to reset factory settings path runs through Settings, then Backup and reset, then Factory data reset, which is worth doing on any second-hand unit before signing in to anything.

The Verdict

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD verdict is simple: it was a good value tablet in 2014, and it remains a usable offline reader and media player in 2026, but it is not a modern tablet. An Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD comparison with the smaller Tab 7 shows the trade-off clearly, and readers can see the smaller model in Acer Iconia Tab 7 A1-713 Review: Everyday Performance, Display and Everyday Use. The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD vs Acer Iconia Tab 7 choice comes down to screen sharpness against size and price, with the Tab 8 winning on display quality. The Full HD version of the smaller slate is covered in Acer Iconia Tab 7 A1-713HD Hands-On Review and Complete Specs: Performance and Durability, which is worth reading before choosing between the two 2014 tablets. Buy the Tab 8 only if the price is very low, the screen and battery are healthy, and the planned use is reading, music, or video on Wi-Fi.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD released?

The tablet was announced in June 2014 and released in September 2014, with a launch price of about 200 euros. It was sold as a Wi-Fi only tablet and has since been discontinued, so new units are no longer available from Acer.

Does the Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD have a SIM slot?

No, the tablet has no SIM slot and no mobile data option. It connects through dual-band Wi-Fi, and it also has GPS with GLONASS for location, Bluetooth for headphones and speakers, and a micro USB port for charging and data.

Can the Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD still run modern apps?

Only a limited set of apps will still run, because the tablet stopped at Android 4.4.2 KitKat and many developers have dropped support for that version. Light offline apps such as e-book readers and music players work best, while current banking apps, social apps, and newer games generally need a newer Android version and will not install.

How long does the Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD battery last?

The 4600mAh battery was rated for about 7.5 hours of video playback when the tablet was new, and lighter reading use could last longer. Surviving units are now more than a decade old, so real battery life depends on the health of the individual battery, and a worn battery may need charging much sooner.

The Acer Iconia Tab 8 A1-840FHD tablet was a fair deal in 2014 because it paired a sharp Full HD screen with a light body and a reasonable price, and that screen is still the best thing about it. The old software, the basic cameras, and the lack of mobile data set clear limits, yet for offline reading, music, and video on a home network the tablet still has a modest second life. Anyone buying one in 2026 should pay very little, test the screen, the touch response, and the battery first, and treat it as a simple media slate rather than a daily driver.