Pantech Element (AT&T) review: Pantech Element (AT&T)

You don't see many tablets outdoors. There are a few ways to explain this, but one of the easiest is the fact that these thin, expensive, glass-covered computers are fragile.

6.3

Pantech Element (AT&T)

The Good

The <b>Pantech Element</b> tablet offers a waterproof design, quick-running dual-core processor, HDMI output, and 4G LTE data from AT&T.

The Bad

The Element's screen resolution and aspect ratio are an odd match with Honeycomb, it's not operable underwater, and it's not particularly rugged beyond water resistance.

The Bottom Line

The Pantech Element is a fun, midsize tablet geared more toward the accident-prone than the outdoor adventurer.

Unlike smartphones, which spend most of their lives protected in your pocket, tablets need a sleeve or bag to shelter them from nature's fury. Without one, an unexpected rain shower or a spilled glass of water could quickly put an end to your forward-thinking, tablet-embracing lifestyle.

The Pantech Element is a tablet that dares to go outside. Not only is this $299 (on contract) Android 3.2 tablet able to survive full submersion in up to 1 meter of water, but it's also blessed with AT&T's 4G LTE mobile data network.

Does the Pantech Element's added durability mean we'd recommend it over similar tablets? Let's take a look.

Design and features
At first glance, the Pantech Element doesn't seem much different from any other Android tablet we've come across. It's a little on the small side, with an 8-inch screen as opposed to the 10.1-inch screens found on most of its Android 3.2 (aka Honeycomb) siblings.