RCA Galileo Pro is a budget device and is designed to function as both a tablet and a laptop. However, it is not powerful enough to replace a laptop. As to why, of all the possible names, it was named Galileo, is a mystery to us.
For a tablet with a detachable keyboard [that you don’t have to buy separately], the price is really low. You might think the features are great for the price, which it might be. But we’ll let you be the judge of that once you are through with this RCA Galileo pro 11.5 review.
Device Specs
Let’s jump into the details. Here is an overview of what you are getting in this device:
Preview
RCA Galileo Pro
Dimensions
11.8 x 7.3 x 0.43 inches [299.97 x 184.91 x 10.92 mm]
Weight
1.65 pounds [748.43g] - without keyboard
Processor
1.3GHz [quad-core] MediaTek
Audio
Headphone jack, microphone jack
Connectivity
Built-in 802.11 WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0
RCA Galileo Pro
Preview
Dimensions
11.8 x 7.3 x 0.43 inches [299.97 x 184.91 x 10.92 mm]
Weight
1.65 pounds [748.43g] - without keyboard
Processor
1.3GHz [quad-core] MediaTek
Audio
Headphone jack, microphone jack
Connectivity
Built-in 802.11 WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0
Design
Along with the tablet in the box, you get an AC adapter and a detachable keyboard.
The RCA 11 Galileo Pro 2-in-1 tablet has an overall plastic body. It has a full capacitive touch screen. It comes in two colors – charcoal and blue. It does not look very stylish or premium like the tablets these days but has a solid build.
The material is sturdy and does not scratch easily. The body is somewhat bulky but quite light. Even the keyboard base is solid and very durable. And it includes a track pad.
There is a microUSB 2.0 port, one miniHDMI port, a USB 2.0 port, headphone jack and microphone jack with the power button on the sides. There is also a dedicated slot for microSD card.
Screen
The 11.5” [292 mm] HD display is a little large for a tab and pleasant for watching videos. But for that, you need to find the best viewing angle [the range is really low], which is a disturbance. Also, the resolution is not really great considering the screen size.
It is not an IPS display and you can tell at times when picture gets a little pixelated. The colors are nice and overall the screen does not look very bad. But with continuous use, you will start to see the flaws.
System and Battery
This is not a very powerful device. It has only 1GB of RAM and a quad-core Mediatek processor that is not the fastest combination. It has a 4000 mAh battery, which gives up to 6 hours of battery life with a single charge [or so RCA claims]. But our research has shown that with heavy usage, the actual battery life is much lower.
It was initially launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but a new version with Android 8.1 [Go edition] is also available. Only a limited number of those were released, so if you can find it, we recommend that you definitely get the latter version. Thanks to Google Play Store, you get access to unlimited apps and games.
This device is fine if you want to do some light work and gaming. For regular use, performance is satisfactory and you won’t have any complaints. However, neither the battery nor the system is ideal for heavy usage over long periods.
Media
The specs probably give you an idea of what this device is capable of. It has a 2MP rear camera and a 1MP front camera that can best be used as a webcam; you certainly won’t be taking selfies with it.
Audio is decent, although the speakers are at the back of the tablet, which is not the best position for loud sound.
You will, however, be able to store a lot of media in it. The system does not take up much of the 32GB internal memory and you can even expand it using a microSD.
Keyboard
The detachable keyboard is one of the good things about this device. The magnetic pin that attaches the tab to the keyboard is quite strong but easy to attach and remove. It also has a row of shortcut buttons at the top for volume, screen brightness, etc. that you don’t always find in tablet keyboards.
It’s a full sized keyboard with tactile buttons that feel just like a laptop. There is a track pad that is quite responsive. The keys make a nice ‘clicky’ sound, which is something I personally enjoy. But that is really just preference.
Not to mention, when using in portrait mode, there is also an on-screen keyboard you can use. Typing experience on this device is quite enjoyable either way.
Pros and Cons
For the low price, the features are okay, but RCA could have done some things better.
Pros
- The body is made of a sturdy material – makes it durable.
- Expandable memory.
- Keyboard is spacious with nice buttons.
- It is really inexpensive, and as long as you remember that, the mediocre features won’t seem so bad.
Cons
- Battery performance is average at best.
- Screen resolution is quite poor considering the 11.5” size.
- Bulky design, and gets even thicker with the keyboard attached.
Related Reading:
- RCA Viking Pro Review: Laptop Experience In The Form Of A Tab
If you are, in fact, interested, check out the product on Amazon:
In all honesty, this device does not live up to the name of the great Galileo. Considering that tablets come in such a wide variety of features and a wide price range these days, this one does not really impress. It is a great choice is you need a secondary device but don’t want to spend a lot.