Pioneer SDA-835TAB is a detachable tablet-based car infotainment system.
A lot of cars are now coming fitted with touchscreen infotainment systems. And even if they are not, most people want to get one fitted. A touchscreen infotainment system brings a wide range of features that allow you to do more than just tuning in to your favourite radio channel. One can always connect their phone via Bluetooth and even get directions to a hotel on the screen.
These touchscreen infotainment systems not only bring a host of features but also offer a certain level of convenience. If this has been tempting you to upgrade your existing infotainment system, one of the options you might come across is the Pioneer SDA-835TAB. It is more than just a regular touchscreen infotainment system.
The Pioneer SDA-835TAB is an infotainment system with a detachable tablet. At a price of Rs. 33,890, it offers a host of features including navigation support, Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi, Parking assist and more. But is it worth the asking price? Let’s find out in this review.
Who is the Pioneer SDA-835TAB for?
Anyone looking to upgrade their car infotainment system and willing to spend Rs. 30,000 would definitely be interested in something like the Pioneer SDA-835TAB. It is something that stands out and offers a lot more than the competition.
You can install apps from the Google Play Store.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, I could not take my car for a spin that often. So most of the time my infotainment system would have been just sleeping inside the car. However, as this was a detachable tablet, I took out the Android tablet and used it to stream Netflix and Prime Video at home. While the tablet charges automatically when connected to its base in the car, I used to charge it via a normal micro USB charger when I was using it at home.
There were times when I even forgot the tablet at home while going out. At these times, the base unit without the touchscreen, can connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth. Though I was not able to change songs via the unit, I was allowed to control the volume using the physical buttons on it.
It can even function when the tablet is detached.
With this kind of usage, I can say that the Pioneer SDA-835TAB manages to kill two birds with one stone. If your pocket allows getting this, you will not only be getting a good touchscreen infotainment system for your car but also a decent tablet for basic needs.
Another use case that I can think of is that you can use this tablet as an entertainment device for your children. When on a long drive, you can pass on the tablet to children sitting on the backseat and they can probably enjoy watching Shinchan. The tablet can easily connect to a mobile hotspot via Wi-Fi and watching shows on the go should not be a problem. To avoid network issues, you can even install a microSD card on the tablet to store some downloaded movies or TV shows.
It is just like any other budget-oriented Android tablet, but with a rugged design to hold extreme hot weather conditions outside.
At the time of COVID, most of us have been working from home. If you had this system installed in your car, you could have used it for your children’s online classes in the day and use it as an infotainment system for your evening drives to the grocery store.
Basically, a system like this opens a wide range of use cases. This makes the Pioneer SDA-835TAB a great touchscreen infotainment system for most people.
How does the Pioneer SDA-835TAB perform?
Pioneer being a pioneer (pun intended) in the audio business offers great sound quality. The sound output, when connected via a good amplifier, comes out to be really impressive. I enjoyed listening to music on this. While the sound quality of your speakers does matter, the audio output coming from the infotainment system itself plays a major role in sound quality.
The Pioneer SDA-835TAB also comes with 13-band EQ adjustment that allows you to fine-tune sound quality as per your requirements.
In terms of features, the Pioneer SDA-835TAB supports FM/AM Radio, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS navigation and more. While you can enjoy music on YouTube by sharing a hotspot connection, you can also connect your phone via Bluetooth to play music as well as answer phone calls. One can even use Google Maps to get directions while travelling.
Should you buy the Pioneer SDA-835TAB?
In case you are looking to upgrade your infotainment system, you will come across plenty of good options. But the amount of features the Pioneer SDA-835TAB will be able to offer at Rs. 33,890 are unbeatable. The fact that it has a detachable Android tablet alone sets it apart from a lot of the other touchscreen infotainment systems.
In a nutshell, while looking for a new infotainment system, you should definitely have a look at this one before locking in your purchase.
