- Jun 12, 2008
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My choices for a Tablet/sketchpad/note taking/light consumption device came down to the Surface Pro 2 or the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. (32GB model +64GB SD). Ultimately for me, the Pro 12.2 won out. It fits my needs perfectly, but it's definitely a niche product that won't have a very large audience.
Samsung gives a $25 Play Store credit with the NP12 also.
The screen is just incredible. It's the closest thing I've seen so far to just taking the retina display off a rMBP and using it as a tablet Photos can't begin to do it justice. It's just a sheer pleasure to look at. Ultimately, the screen and the size were what tipped the scales vs. the Surface.
Size comp with my Note 3.
For the non-pro level drawing I plan to do, the NP12 is great. I actually could do pro-quality work on this, but ultimately the Surface 2 would have been far better if that had been my main goal. Still, there are enough decent apps (SketchBook Pro/Ink, ArtFlow, ScribMaster, etc.) to fit basic drawing tasks. The S-Pen feels even more responsive than my Note 3, which itself isn't bad. But not nearly as responsive as the Surface Pro 2. (I may end up with a Surface yet, as a dedicated drawing tool).
For taking notes, I've been surprised to find Notes Mobile *almost* as useful as One Note, though of course it's nowhere near the same thing.
One of my main uses is displaying storyboards for video editing. The sheer size means page size close hard copy- everything clearly readable with no zooming around. For someone who's job requires referring to a lot of printed material that also is distributed in PDF form, I'd highly recommend the NP12.
I'm waiting for a keyboard dock that will transform this into a 12" laptop.
The screen is nearly exactly the size of a comic book page, so comics viewing is perfect. 2 page spreads are easily readable without zooming in landscape mode.
I put an actual comic book over the screen to show that the screen is actually slightly taller than a comic.
Reading in portrait reveals the weight problem of this tablet. To hold it near the bottom puts the full weight on your hands. In portrait, you have to rest the base on something for a comfortable experience. In landscape, I don't really feel it's that much of a burden to hold- it's definitely meant for that orientation. Luckily it's big enough to read comic pages side-by size in landscape mode and still not need to zoom.
1080p bluray rips look as awesome as expected on this screen.
Lastly, the thing I thought would be a gimmick turns out to be one of the things I find most useful about this tablet. The 4 way multi-window view. I now use it all the time to have a movie file of a show I'm working on open (upper left), the script pdf (lower left) and a note pad to write my notes on. (right). I could also add a 4th (supported) app and split the right side as well. Best of all, these partitions can be resized as needed.
On (relatively) smaller devices like my Note 3 I've found multi-window of limited use- on the NP12, even split by 4, each partition is actually bigger than the entire screen of many devices. Just my note taking space above is the size of a 7" tablet. This is the kind of task I used to do with multiple devices that I can now do with just one, and the experience is more satisfying by far. Best of all, I can save my ideal layouts for future use, and the tablet multi-tasks so well it's no problem switching back and forth between multi-windowed app setup and other full screen apps I need.
I've found Switchr Pro and Button Savior (non-root) to be invaluable on this thing because of another issue the sheer size reveals- it becomes a PITA to have to reach for the back, home and task buttons across the ridiculous size of this device. Holding the device then trying to push a physical button while balancing the tablet with one hand= clumsy.
Switchr and Button Savior add these as pop-out functions killing the reliance on the hardware buttons. Frankly, I could almost do without hardware buttons on this. The less you reach for them, the better.
Battery life has been insanely good. I haven't tested the full range yet, but after 5 hours of use the other day, I was still at 40%.
Inevitable prank thus far: excusing myself to pretend-make a phone call on the 12.2 holding it (carefully!) up to my ear, in front of a local chapter of die-hard "itty-bitty-smartphone-committee" members already unable to process the size of a Note 3. "Samsung phones just keep getting... bigger!!" Priceless.
Samsung gives a $25 Play Store credit with the NP12 also.
The screen is just incredible. It's the closest thing I've seen so far to just taking the retina display off a rMBP and using it as a tablet Photos can't begin to do it justice. It's just a sheer pleasure to look at. Ultimately, the screen and the size were what tipped the scales vs. the Surface.
Size comp with my Note 3.
For the non-pro level drawing I plan to do, the NP12 is great. I actually could do pro-quality work on this, but ultimately the Surface 2 would have been far better if that had been my main goal. Still, there are enough decent apps (SketchBook Pro/Ink, ArtFlow, ScribMaster, etc.) to fit basic drawing tasks. The S-Pen feels even more responsive than my Note 3, which itself isn't bad. But not nearly as responsive as the Surface Pro 2. (I may end up with a Surface yet, as a dedicated drawing tool).
For taking notes, I've been surprised to find Notes Mobile *almost* as useful as One Note, though of course it's nowhere near the same thing.
One of my main uses is displaying storyboards for video editing. The sheer size means page size close hard copy- everything clearly readable with no zooming around. For someone who's job requires referring to a lot of printed material that also is distributed in PDF form, I'd highly recommend the NP12.
I'm waiting for a keyboard dock that will transform this into a 12" laptop.
The screen is nearly exactly the size of a comic book page, so comics viewing is perfect. 2 page spreads are easily readable without zooming in landscape mode.
I put an actual comic book over the screen to show that the screen is actually slightly taller than a comic.
Reading in portrait reveals the weight problem of this tablet. To hold it near the bottom puts the full weight on your hands. In portrait, you have to rest the base on something for a comfortable experience. In landscape, I don't really feel it's that much of a burden to hold- it's definitely meant for that orientation. Luckily it's big enough to read comic pages side-by size in landscape mode and still not need to zoom.
1080p bluray rips look as awesome as expected on this screen.
Lastly, the thing I thought would be a gimmick turns out to be one of the things I find most useful about this tablet. The 4 way multi-window view. I now use it all the time to have a movie file of a show I'm working on open (upper left), the script pdf (lower left) and a note pad to write my notes on. (right). I could also add a 4th (supported) app and split the right side as well. Best of all, these partitions can be resized as needed.
On (relatively) smaller devices like my Note 3 I've found multi-window of limited use- on the NP12, even split by 4, each partition is actually bigger than the entire screen of many devices. Just my note taking space above is the size of a 7" tablet. This is the kind of task I used to do with multiple devices that I can now do with just one, and the experience is more satisfying by far. Best of all, I can save my ideal layouts for future use, and the tablet multi-tasks so well it's no problem switching back and forth between multi-windowed app setup and other full screen apps I need.
I've found Switchr Pro and Button Savior (non-root) to be invaluable on this thing because of another issue the sheer size reveals- it becomes a PITA to have to reach for the back, home and task buttons across the ridiculous size of this device. Holding the device then trying to push a physical button while balancing the tablet with one hand= clumsy.
Switchr and Button Savior add these as pop-out functions killing the reliance on the hardware buttons. Frankly, I could almost do without hardware buttons on this. The less you reach for them, the better.
Battery life has been insanely good. I haven't tested the full range yet, but after 5 hours of use the other day, I was still at 40%.
Inevitable prank thus far: excusing myself to pretend-make a phone call on the 12.2 holding it (carefully!) up to my ear, in front of a local chapter of die-hard "itty-bitty-smartphone-committee" members already unable to process the size of a Note 3. "Samsung phones just keep getting... bigger!!" Priceless.
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