Help picking out a new tablet...

[jmai87]

... or laptop?

So here's the situation. I have been using a Surface 2 for almost half a year. I am starting to get annoyed by the awful Windows RT, and Windows on mobile devices, period.

I'm looking for something new, and I only need it to do 2 things:

- Watch Youtube, and up to 1080p movies off a USB flash drive
- Light internet surfing

With only 3 restrictions:
- It cannot be Windows RT
- It cannot be Samsung (I absolutely hate TouchWiz)
- It must be larger than 10"

This device will be used mainly for home relaxation and occasionally vacation duty. I'm big into Google's ecosystem, as well as Apple's ecosystem (I have an iMac and a iPhone 6, but I mainly use Google services). I'm not opposed to Android though, I've owned almost all of the flagship Android phones over the past couple years. I started looking at tablets and laptops and chromebooks and convertibles, and the selection nowaday is just overwhelming, lol. I entertained the idea of a Macbook Air, but I hesitate over the price and permanent keyboard.

Ideas?

Thanks!

 

[richierich1212]

Budget?

 

[jmai87]

Pretty flexible in the price department, up to $900 I suppose. It really depends on what it is; if it's a 11" laptop I end up getting then I'm alright paying more, since it can do more, but if it's a tablet then of course I wouldn't want to pay more than a few hundred.

I'm really warming up to the idea of a 11" MBA though...


EDIT - Oh but I should say I'm not entirely against Windows either. I suppose I'm just really fed up with WinRT. I grew up on regular ol' Windows and can use 8 just fine.

 

[thilanliyan]

Surface Pro 3?

 

[RossMAN]

Dell Venue 11 Pro for $440 after $299 off coupon code 84HPZZQFR14L43 from Dell Outlet, yes they're refurb but incredible bang for your buck.

Link scroll to bottom right, buy soon as coupon code may expire without warning.

Processor: Intel Core 4th Generation i5-4300Y processor (3MB Cache, 1.6 GHz Dual Core)
Windows 8.1 Pro
128 GB eMMC Solid State Storage
4 GB DDR3 1600MHz Memory
10.8 inch IPS Display with FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution with 10-pt capacitive touch
Intel GT2 Graphics

FYI - Windows RT is more or less dead on newer hardware, yes we all hate it.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Dell Venue 11 Pro for $440 after $299 off coupon code 84HPZZQFR14L43 from Dell Outlet, yes they're refurb but incredible bang for your buck.

Link scroll to bottom right, buy soon as coupon code may expire without warning.



FYI - Windows RT is more or less dead on newer hardware, yes we all hate it.

im thinking this as well. forget android/arm when you can get real windoes on intel

 

[OBLAMA2009]

man wouldnt a chromeos tab be cool? that would be an awesome internet tablet wifout anya da windoze bloat

 

[vi edit]

i3 based Surface Pro 3? You can get them for under $700 depending on the deal.

I have one and even the base processor is fine with most basic productivity tasks. You can grab a type keyboard for the previous generations for cheap and use on it when you need one.

 

[Artdeco]

Great price on this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1011305-REG/apple_mf563ll_a_128gb_ipad_air_t_mobile.html

 

[jmai87]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

RossMan - That definitely looks like a fantastic deal, thanks. I didn't even know Dell had Windows tablets! I'll have to think that over today, and do some reading on it. I love the specs but the design looks a bit chunky/vanilla to me.

And yes a ChromeOS tablet would be AWESOME. There's a niche that could be filled...

Surface Pro 3 would be great as well but since I watch videos 75% of the time on my tablet, I would really prefer a 16:9 display. Too bad it looks like that aspect ratio is going out in favor of 4:3 though.

 

[Kaido]

Interested in trying a fun gadget out from China?

http://www.onda-tablet.com/onda-v116w-dual-os-64gb.html

* $269 shipped
* Runs 32-bit Windows 8.1 with Bing (not R/T - this version is the same as 8.1 "core" or "standard")
* ALSO runs Android 4.4 (dual-boot!)
* 64gb storage (granted, the two operating systems suck up about 30 gigs together...)
* 11.6" 1080p IPS multi-touch screen
* Supports up to 128gb MicroSD card
* 3G + 802.11n + Bluetooth 4.0
* Mini-HDMI port
* USB OTG port
* 7800mAh battery

Per your requirements:

* Can play 1080p videos
* Can handle light Internet surfing
* Is not running Windows R/T (full Windows 8.1)
* Is not Samsung
* Is larger than 10"
* Well under your $900 cap ($631 savings! haha)

Catches:

* They state "Windows OS just with Chinese Language. If you want to upgrade English language on Windows OS, the Windows os will not be activated." So that's an addition cost barrier, you'd probably need to buy an English Windows license.
* Random Chinese hardware. Sure, it's half the price of an entry-level iPad & uses a standard Intel SoC, but it's shipped straight from China. The build quality is rarely the same as brand-name equipment is.
* There's a picture of a keyboard case on Geek Buying (search for part number 341593 for the tablet, then go from there), although I don't know what the model number is. It apparently does not include the case or keyboard.

Here's an unboxing video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDE3-Sb3TiI

I have a 7" version coming from another brand (Cube iWork7, also dual-boot, just smaller & cheaper - $120 shipped), should be here in about a week - excited to play with it! Having both a desktop OS AND a tablet OS in one portable, compact device is a really cool concept.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

man get wunna these:

http://www.cnet.com/products/acer-chromebook-15/

huge screen (?) for $340

 

[JimKiler]

You are dead set on the larger than 10" and no touchwiz? google tells me iPads are 9.7". I just got my wife the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and she is happy with it. There are things I dislike about touchwiz and other smalls things it is good at but we all prefer stock android. It sounds like Samsung is finally getting the bloat off their new Galaxy 6 but it still has touchwiz.

 

[richierich1212]

iPad Airs are on sale, starting at $299 4 hour sale: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/global-promotions/regularcatpcmcat367600050012/pcmcat367600050012.c?acampID=0&id=pcmcat367600050012&ref=8575135&loc=0&CampaignID=691222&SubscriberID=34010&eut=12780168

 

[sonitravel09]

why not look at the Galaxy Note Pro? It's a 12.2" tablet, with active digitizer. It's less than $1000 from Samsung itself. No need to get used to other apps, as you can keep on using the ones you had on the Tab.