Archos has released a portable console for Android

Archos has announced the start of sales in Europe of a new 7-inch tablet based on Android 4.1 with the eloquent name GamePad.

A distinctive feature of the gadget is the presence of hardware game controls (two analog sticks, 14 physical buttons). According to the developers, gamers will be able to independently assign to the controls the functions they need in each particular game.

As for the technical characteristics, the GamePad is equipped with a 1.6 GHz dual-core processor, the quad-core Mali 400 is responsible for the graphics. Nothing is known about the new product’s RAM. The gadget is equipped with 8 GB of internal memory, a microSD slot (up to 64 GB) and a mini-HDMI port. The resolution of the 7-inch screen is a modest 1024 x 600.

By the way, according to the parameters presented above, the novelty is very similar to the unannounced super-budget Nexus from Asus. The same graphics system, screen size and resolution, amount of memory, but a completely different price. Not the mythical $99, but the biting €149.99 (almost $195) in Europe. Sales of the device in the United States will begin only in early 2013.