Transformer Prime as replacement for netbook/daily-use machine?

[Dman8777]

I'm looking for thoughts and advice on a potential transition from a 1st-gen netbook (eee 900 with xp pro) to a transformer prime with dock and android as a daily machine. I haven't had a smartphone in a long time and have no experience with android/honeycomb though.

I used to use my netbook 90% of the time plugged into a monitor and keyboard/mouse but since my daughter was born, I can't spend so much time at my desk and have been using my netbook more and more on the couch.

My usage scenario is roughly 80% internet surfing, 10% office-type apps (I currently use open office) and 10% coding, matlab, diablo 2, skype, paintshop pro, etc. I can live without diablo 2 and now that my c++ course isover I won't be programming anything at home anymore either. I may need matlab but I will always have my current netbook (or my wife's netbook) for that.

What I'm wondering is if the android os is suitable for my usage scenario and whether or not the experience will be a significant improvement over what I currently have. I have used an ipad sporadically and it seems like a perfect device for consumption-heavy internet surfing which is what I primarily do. The dock would really only come into play 20 - 30% of the time for typing emails and random documents.

 

[Beavermatic]

No. Absolutely not.

I just recently sold my tranformer prime. It was a cool novelty for like the first couple of weeks. After that, it just became frustrating trying to use as laptop replacement, even with the keyboard dock attachment. I found myself turning on my Lenovo and just sticking that prime in the closet.

About 2 months of no use, I remembered it was in the closet, and I'm like "yeah, really no need for this thing anymore". I have a ICS 4.0.3 Galaxy Nexus smartphone, and it was "literally" that with just a bigger screen. When I didn't use my laptop, i used my smartphone. The prime was some weird 3rd wheel that sat there and collected dust.

And trying to use it as a replacement for a laptop is more aggravating than it sounds. You "think" youll just use for the net, but once you sit down, want to run x86 compatible software or programs that you would use daily on a PC laptop or MBP, you realize you cant. And the browser on the tablet (as is on my phone) is mediocre at best compard to full-blown desktop firefox or IE or safari.

It's a quick-fix solution that a android smartphone already does. Take the cash and invest in a better laptop or better smartphone with a big fat screen. You'll thank me later.

And if at the end of the day you do some soul searching and you still feel the need to buy a tablet... I would recommend saving up for a x86 Surface tablet since it will run full-blown Win8 and you can likely run anything reasonable on it that you can run on a netbook or laptop as far as apps and games go. It'll even have a keyboard dock attachment just like the prime, and will be the closest thing to a PC laptop you can buy as far as a tablet goes.

 

[Dman8777]

Yeah, that's the sort of advice I was looking for. After searching around a bit more for what kinds of apps are available for android, I came to realize that x86 compatability is something I don't really want to give up.

 

[N4n45h1]

I had pretty much the same experience as Beavermatic with the Transformer Prime Infinity. There's no doubt that it's a nice tablet, but android is no replacement for Windows or OSX.

Initially I thought it would be a great replacement, since I didn't really think I would do anything other than surf the web, but ultimately it can't run any of the things an x86 computer can and it's multitasking is pretty mediocre in comparison. Even the chrome browser isn't really comparable to the x86 version in functionality.

I agree that you should wait for the Surface tablets before making any big purchases.

 

[Binky]

...have been using my netbook more and more on the couch.

My usage scenario is roughly 80% internet surfing, 10% office-type apps

It will do those things in a minimilistic way, but it's not a true replacement for everything you list. I bring it to meetings where I need 8+ hours of battery life and I just need to occasionally view Word and Excel files, but I would never try to create much on it. Of course, I wouldn't do that on a netbook either.

 

[addoraa]

Might be advantageous to wait for the Surface pro, since it will be considered a computer, running windows 8. Even though I have a prime and really like it, it is no substitute for a computer.

 

[GoStumpy]

Just sayin, I *love* my netbook. 1.66ghz single core w/hyperthreading seems to be enough for me!