- Feb 6, 2011
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We have a Surface Pro 2 that we've been using as a kitchen computer for 4 years (10" display, Core i5, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB SSD). It's dying.
Things we liked about it:
1) Cheap (purchased as open-box refurbished unit at Microcenter for ~$300 including Type Cover)
2) Versatile (can easily edit Word documents with recipes, play Netflix, shoot off emails with an okay keyboard, cast sound from chrome browser to kitchen speakers)
3) Fast enough for the activities listed in #2
4) Feels like quality hardware (i.e. doesn't feel like a toy; has been rock solid until recently).
I'm looking for suggestions, ideally in the same $300-$400 price bracket. Why that cheap? Well, the chances of it dying an early death from water or other liquids involved in cooking is non-trivial. The newer Surface Go tablets are expensive once you add a keyboard cover and go above the insulting (for the year 2020) 4GB of RAM. I suppose an entry-level iPad is an option, but we both like the versatility (and familiarity to be honest) of Windows and we are Android users on the phone side. The Android tablet ecosystem seems largely abandoned, especially if you are looking for something that feels like a quality device and can do light productivity decently well. I suppose a Chrome OS based tablet/2-in-1 might be an option, too, though I have no experience with them.
Anyway, that's where we are coming from. Suggestions for a replacement "kitchen computer" are welcome!
Things we liked about it:
1) Cheap (purchased as open-box refurbished unit at Microcenter for ~$300 including Type Cover)
2) Versatile (can easily edit Word documents with recipes, play Netflix, shoot off emails with an okay keyboard, cast sound from chrome browser to kitchen speakers)
3) Fast enough for the activities listed in #2
4) Feels like quality hardware (i.e. doesn't feel like a toy; has been rock solid until recently).
I'm looking for suggestions, ideally in the same $300-$400 price bracket. Why that cheap? Well, the chances of it dying an early death from water or other liquids involved in cooking is non-trivial. The newer Surface Go tablets are expensive once you add a keyboard cover and go above the insulting (for the year 2020) 4GB of RAM. I suppose an entry-level iPad is an option, but we both like the versatility (and familiarity to be honest) of Windows and we are Android users on the phone side. The Android tablet ecosystem seems largely abandoned, especially if you are looking for something that feels like a quality device and can do light productivity decently well. I suppose a Chrome OS based tablet/2-in-1 might be an option, too, though I have no experience with them.
Anyway, that's where we are coming from. Suggestions for a replacement "kitchen computer" are welcome!
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