falc
junior member
Reged: 02/12/13
Posts: 4
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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Hi Everyone,
I am excited to have recently become a member on this forum. Hopefully you can help me solve my tablet problem.
I am currently looking to purchase a tablet. I have been eagerly waiting the release of the windows 8 tablets and now have been waiting for them to appear on the market. The tablet will be used to replace my laptop. I still have a main pc that will do most of my main processing.
The tablet will be required to:
- Web Browse
- Perform basic word processing
- Have decent battery life
- Able to connect to a TV and display movies
- Be relatively durable and light (It will come backpacking around the globe with me)
- ~$1000
I have been watching reviews for the last couple of months and I am still not sure which tablet should I get. Below are some of the tablets I thought could do the job. I am not against Android just not sure if it will get the job done.
Windows 8
1. Dell Latitude 10 (current leader)
2. Microsoft Surface Pro
3. Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet 2
Any others I should consider?
Android
1. Nexus 10
2. Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700
Any others I should consider?
If you could provide some feedback that would be much appreciated. Any pros and cons would be great.
Cheers,
FALC
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ruddias
junior member
Reged: 03/04/13
Posts: 2
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I would pick the Nexus 10 over the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700. I played around with the Transformer pad and wasn't that impressed. My preference is to stock android.
You say this will replace your laptop. In that case I would choose the Microsoft Surface Pro. Don't go with a Windows 8 Tablet running Windows 8 RT. You won't be able to run as many programs. Even though you have a main PC, I would go for a tablet running full Windows 8 just in case.
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LisaG
Head Honcho
Reged: 07/11/02
Posts: 7884
Loc: Texas
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f you don't need serious processing power, the Dell Latitude 10 and ThinkPad Tablet 2 will get the job done and they're crazy light and portable. They also offer twice the battery runtimes of Intel Core i5 tablets like the Surface Pro. It's also worth looking at the HP Envy x2 if you might sometimes need a good keyboard since it comes with an excellent keyboard dock that turns it into a laptop form factor.
Android tablets can certainly play movies, handle word processing, web browsing and have good battery life that's similar to the Intel Atom Windows 8 tablets mentioned here.
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Lisa Gade
Editor in Chief, MobileTechReview
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falc
junior member
Reged: 02/12/13
Posts: 4
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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Thanks for the reply's.
After doing more research I have decided to definitely go down the windows 8 tablet path.
At the moment I am looking at the following tablets/hybrids.
Tablet (Less $$)
1. Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2
2. Dell Latitude 10
3. Asus VivoTab Smart
Hybrid (More $$)
1. Asus VivoTab
2. HP Envy X2
At the moment I am leaning more towards the straight tablets (feel free to change my mind). LisaG is it possible for you to provide some of the major differences in the devices from a user standpoint.
The major differences from my understanding are:
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2
+ Wacom digitizor
+ Stylus storage
+ Accessories
- Expensive
Dell Latitude 10
+ Battery life
+ 10 finger touch
+ Wacom digitizor
+ Accessories
- Expensive
Asus VivoTab Smart
+ Cheap
+ Ultra lightweight
+ USB charging
- micro ports
- minimal accessories (also expensive)
- No digitizor or pen.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.
Edited by falc (03/07/13 06:08 AM)
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LisaG
Head Honcho
Reged: 07/11/02
Posts: 7884
Loc: Texas
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You've summed it up very well. The ThinkPad Tablet 2 has perhaps the best battery life of all among the pure slate Atom tablets.
Be warned that the base model ThinkPad 2 and Dell Latitude 10 don't have a Wacom digitizer and pen. If you want that feature, make sure it's on the model you choose. In the US, Lenovo mostly lists the one with the pen, but some stores sell a version without that feature.
Staples has the HP Envy x2 on sale for a crazy $599 right now! You get the keyboard dock with secondary battery for that price. I'd jump on that if you don't need the pen feature. It works well as a standalone tablet too, and it's only a few ounces heavier than the lighter Win 8 Atom tablets.
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Lisa Gade
Editor in Chief, MobileTechReview
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falc
junior member
Reged: 02/12/13
Posts: 4
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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I would definitely get on that deal if I lived in the US. Unfortunately I live in Australia where the HP Envy X2 costs around $949. Do you have any experience with the Asus tablets? The Asus Vivotab Smart looks like it might do the job.
Once again that so much for the feedback. Your reviews are fantastic.
Cheers,
FALC
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LisaG
Head Honcho
Reged: 07/11/02
Posts: 7884
Loc: Texas
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Prices in AU are so baffling and high, my condolences  The VivoTab Smart is very similar to the base model ThinkPad Tablet 2 and base Dell Latitude 10. Here in the US, the Dell and Asus are both priced at $499 for the base model. Honestly, these three (in base config for Lenovo and Dell so no pen feature included) are so similar, it largely comes down to brand preference. The Asus has a little more flex in the plastic back but is otherwise a solid tablet for the price.
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Lisa Gade
Editor in Chief, MobileTechReview
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falc
junior member
Reged: 02/12/13
Posts: 4
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
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LisaG I understand that choosing a tablet has a certain amount of personal preference and past experience (brand preference) involved. However,if you don't mind me asking what tablet would you choose and why?
Cheers,
FALC
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LisaG
Head Honcho
Reged: 07/11/02
Posts: 7884
Loc: Texas
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For my needs right now, I have the:
HP Envy x2: forever battery life, great build and keyboard so I can write forever on a charge... and watch a few videos too, esp. Amazon Prime thanks to Windows' full Flash support.
Nexus 10: much more fulfilling for entertainment stuff. Much wider selection of 3D games, apps for everything (some of which I've grown extremely fond of over the years) so I don't have to use the web browser and hunt and pick my content.
* But I also like using a pen for drawing and note-taking. I've owned the Galaxy Note 10.1 and loved it for that and the MS Surface Pro is excellent if you need the digital pen. Likewise the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 with pen option is really tempting because it's so portable. I like the VivoTab TF810C that we just reviewed, but here in the US the price is just absurd.
I love the Surface Pro, but the battery life doesn't suit my needs and I don't need that much processing power since I have a capable laptop. But for others reading this, if the tablet were going to be my main computer, Surface Pro would be on the short list.
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Lisa Gade
Editor in Chief, MobileTechReview
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