Archos is preparing to one-up rival Android Honeycomb tablets, like the Eee Pad Transformer by Taiwanese computer-maker ASUSTEK Computer Inc. (TPE:2357) and the Galaxy Tab v2 by Samsung Electronics Comp., Ltd. (SEO:005930).

The new G9 series [product page] tablets, the Archos 80 and Archos 101, will start at $300 USD and $400 USD, respectively for 8 GB models.  The base model contains an ARM Cortex A9 CPU clocked at 1.0 GHz.  Interestingly, Archos has switched from NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA) Tegra CPUs in its last generation models, to OMAP4 processor by Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN).

For just $30 USD more, Archos is offering a model with 16 GB of Flash memory and a dual-core processor bumped up to a blazing fast 1.5 GHz.  Archos brags that it's the "fastest tablet on Earth."

Finally, for an extra $40 USD ($370, $470 USD) you can get a model with the same CPU and a 250 GB ultra-slim hard drive from Samsung.  This is currently the highest capacity of any major tablet on the market.

The capacity does come at an apparent cost.  In the looks department the G9 Series appears a bit chunky with an extra-wide bezel.  Of course, the ugly-duckling look may be acceptable to some, given the dimensions promised.  Archos says the HDD tablet is only 3 mm thicker than its "flash counterparts" -- meaning it's likely about 1/3rd thicker than the iPad 2.  The real question is how much the HDD version weighs -- Archos has revealed that the Flash version weighs 450 G (25 percent lighter than the iPad 2), but it has not revealed what the HDD version with weigh in at.

Notably, Archos is improving on the last generation Arnova series, which could not access the Android Market without rooting the device.  Thanks to a fresh install of Android 3.1 Honeycomb, courtesy of Google Inc. (GOOG), the new series now has full Market permissions.

The displays are impressive resolutions -- 1024x768 and 1280x800 for the Archos 80 and Archos 101, respectively.  Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR connectivity are included, but disappointingly no Bluetooth 3.0.  The device also comes with a 720P front-facing camera for video-chatting pleasure and an HDMI out port to pipe high-definition video to your TV or other display.

The G9 series won't win any awards for best looking tablet of the year, in most peoples' books, but it delivers where it counts -- price and performance.  The biggest downside?  The tablets won't be available until September.