Need a Tablet, please would you give me some advice?

[martienne]

Hi! I'm actually quite new to tablets, I've never really wanted one until now. .
Now I want one though! Unfortunately I'm quite picky. I totally trust the members of this forum - I had so much good advice here - so I want to ask your advice

My preferences

• Large! In the region of 13 inches.
• Both wireless and sim card options needed.
• Should be possible to use lightweight keyboard with it, included or added.
• Not Apple - it's just too unfamiliar and I don't want to learn it.
• Good performance but it doesn't need to be a killer. I'm unsure how much RAM and processing power is actually needed to get a tablet to perform reasonably with let's say 5 standard office type applications open, and maybe a film or some music.... I'm not going to do things like video editing or Photoshop on it...
• Android (because I prefer Open Source on principle) or Windows (because I know it inside out).
• Definitely not locked down, i.e. moddable.
• Paying over 2000 Euro/USD/GBP, just sounds too extravagant.... I don't want to be totally gutted if I lose it, or it breaks. So it's ok if it's expensive, but there IS an upper limit.

Really grateful for some recommendations to check out.

[maddz]

A quick scan of PC World (https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/compu...ers-889-c.html) would indicate that your size requirement will mean a Windows tablet - Android tablets seem to be all in the 8"-10" range. So you'd be looking at Surfaces or similar (https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/windo...-criteria.html). Unfortunately, we're a Mac shop and we both run iPads so I can't give you any advice on Windows machines.

Price-wise, you're looking at £199 for a LINX 12X64 12.5" Tablet & Keyboard - 64 GB to £2419 for a MICROSOFT Surface Pro - 1 TB.

[Apache]

I have a Surface 4 Pro and love it. Granted it is expensive, but it is worth it to me. One plus for me is I have Calibre installed and I keep my Calibre Library on a flash drive. This allows me to access all of my books where ever I am. Software wise it runs the same programs that I have on my desktop including proprietary jewelry appraising software that runs only on Microsoft Windows. I have my Surface insured through Square Trade.
Apache

[mobama]

Originally Posted by martienne

My preferences

• Large! In the region of 13 inches.

That's not a tablet. It's a touchscreen computer.

Microsoft Surface or some ultra-slick Lenovo Yoga https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/laptop.../p/88YG9000859

[martienne]

Originally Posted by maddz

Price-wise, you're looking at £199 for a LINX 12X64 12.5" Tablet & Keyboard - 64 GB to £2419 for a MICROSOFT Surface Pro - 1 TB.

Haha wow! I'd need to do some kind of hardware comparison, but otherwise it seems like a nobrainer to get the LINX and see how I get on...
If it doesn't meet my expectation, then I can consider whether to really spend £2000+ for the Surface Pro.. (I've seen them in the shop and they are brilliant, it's just that they're ridiculously expensive. With my luck I'd probably buy one and promptly damage it or lose it or something else...)

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by martienne

Haha wow! I'd need to do some kind of hardware comparison, but otherwise it seems like a nobrainer to get the LINX and see how I get on...
If it doesn't meet my expectation, then I can consider whether to really spend £2000+ for the Surface Pro.. (I've seen them in the shop and they are brilliant, it's just that they're ridiculously expensive. With my luck I'd probably buy one and promptly damage it or lose it or something else...)

Unless you need a large screen because your eyesight is poor, I think a 10 inch Android tablet will work fine, for simple office needs. I've added a bluetooth keyboard and mouse to my tablet and I can write with no problem. My 68 year old eyes see everything just fine. I use Microsoft OneDrive and have the office suite available to me however, there is Office Online and the Google Docs available as well.

Considering you can buy a fairly decent mid range Android tablet for around $200 US and a BT keyboard for around $25 US (mice about the same -though not essential for tablets if you get a decent keyboard), you might want to give a 10 inch android tablet some consideration.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Unless you need a large screen because your eyesight is poor, I think a 10 inch Android tablet will work fine, for simple office needs. I've added a bluetooth keyboard and mouse to my tablet and I can write with no problem. My 68 year old eyes see everything just fine. I use Microsoft OneDrive and have the office suite available to me however, there is Office Online and the Google Docs available as well.

Considering you can buy a fairly decent mid range Android tablet for around $200 US and a BT keyboard for around $25 US (mice about the same -though not essential for tablets if you get a decent keyboard), you might want to give a 10 inch android tablet some consideration.

I agree. The 13" screen is either going to cause you to purchase something very expensive, or a no-name Chinese tablet. Even the Surface has a 12.3" screen, I believe.

One that I have my eye on is the HP Chromebook X2 Tablet. Ugly name aside, it has a 12.3" screen, a detachable keyboard and ChromeOS now runs Android apps. It won't be released until June, but MSRP is $600. Not sure if it will be offered with sim card or if it will be Wi-Fi only.

[rem736]

Originally Posted by martienne

Hi! I'm actually quite new to tablets, I've never really wanted one until now. .
Now I want one though! Unfortunately I'm quite picky. I totally trust the members of this forum - I had so much good advice here - so I want to ask your advice

My preferences

• Large! In the region of 13 inches.
• Both wireless and sim card options needed.
• Should be possible to use lightweight keyboard with it, included or added.
• Not Apple - it's just too unfamiliar and I don't want to learn it.
• Good performance but it doesn't need to be a killer. I'm unsure how much RAM and processing power is actually needed to get a tablet to perform reasonably with let's say 5 standard office type applications open, and maybe a film or some music.... I'm not going to do things like video editing or Photoshop on it...
• Android (because I prefer Open Source on principle) or Windows (because I know it inside out).
• Definitely not locked down, i.e. moddable.
• Paying over 2000 Euro/USD/GBP, just sounds too extravagant.... I don't want to be totally gutted if I lose it, or it breaks. So it's ok if it's expensive, but there IS an upper limit.

Really grateful for some recommendations to check out.

no disrespect, but i think your requirements are unreasonable given what is currently in the market. you want large screen with cellular access. and you don't want apple. but the apple ipad pro 13" is the only viable option. there may be 13" android tablets out there (samsung used to market a 13" tablet). but there was no cellular option.

there are a few other android tablets out there with cellular access. but they don't meet your screen size requirement. most of these are 7" to 8".

there may be some unknown chinese branded android tablets that meet your requirement. but generally, they are hard to find and they use older android and they don't last or they are really under powered.

maybe you can just get a large android tablet from a well known brand (samsung, asus, etc.) and purchase a wifi hotspot with a data plan to compensate?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by rem736

no disrespect, but i think your requirements are unreasonable given what is currently in the market. you want large screen with cellular access. and you don't want apple. but the apple ipad pro 13" is the only viable option. there may be 13" android tablets out there (samsung used to market a 13" tablet). but there was no cellular option.

there are a few other android tablets out there with cellular access. but they don't meet your screen size requirement. most of these are 7" to 8".

there may be some unknown chinese branded android tablets that meet your requirement. but generally, they are hard to find and they use older android and they don't last or they are really under powered.

maybe you can just get a large android tablet from a well known brand (samsung, asus, etc.) and purchase a wifi hotspot with a data plan to compensate?

I think the iPad Pro is 12.9". The Surface and the upcoming Chromebook tablet I mentioned are 12.3". Samsung used to sell a tablet that was 12.2" (I wanted one of those pretty badly). I don't know of any 'mainstream' tablet with a 13" screen.

[martienne]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I think the iPad Pro is 12.9". The Surface and the upcoming Chromebook tablet I mentioned are 12.3". Samsung used to sell a tablet that was 12.2" (I wanted one of those pretty badly). I don't know of any 'mainstream' tablet with a 13" screen.

That Chromebook seems like it really fits the bill for me.
But Chrome... Is that Google? Does it mean I'm totally joined at the hip with Google and it dials home with all my personal data, once a second...?
I'm a bit of privacy geek.....

[martienne]

Originally Posted by rem736

no disrespect, but i think your requirements are unreasonable given what is currently in the market. you want large screen with cellular access. and you don't want apple. but the apple ipad pro 13" is the only viable option. there may be 13" android tablets out there (samsung used to market a 13" tablet). but there was no cellular option.

there are a few other android tablets out there with cellular access. but they don't meet your screen size requirement. most of these are 7" to 8".

there may be some unknown chinese branded android tablets that meet your requirement. but generally, they are hard to find and they use older android and they don't last or they are really under powered.

maybe you can just get a large android tablet from a well known brand (samsung, asus, etc.) and purchase a wifi hotspot with a data plan to compensate?

Lots of food for thought there! Thanks for getting me down on earth. It sounds like I'd be wise to compromise on the Sim card option....

[martienne]

Originally Posted by Apache

I have a Surface 4 Pro and love it. Granted it is expensive, but it is worth it to me.

Great! I can afford it, but I am trying to be sensible and don't go over the top for something I'll use 1-2 times a week, maybe.....
Great to hear that you appreciate it so much though.

[martienne]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Unless you need a large screen because your eyesight is poor, I think a 10 inch Android tablet will work fine, for simple office needs. I've added a bluetooth keyboard and mouse to my tablet and I can write with no problem. My 68 year old eyes see everything just fine. I use Microsoft OneDrive and have the office suite available to me however, there is Office Online and the Google Docs available as well.

Considering you can buy a fairly decent mid range Android tablet for around $200 US and a BT keyboard for around $25 US (mice about the same -though not essential for tablets if you get a decent keyboard), you might want to give a 10 inch android tablet some consideration.

Lots of good ideas there! I think I'll get to some outlet store and look around to see what I can find.... I'll update in the weekendd...

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by martienne

That Chromebook seems like it really fits the bill for me.
But Chrome... Is that Google? Does it mean I'm totally joined at the hip with Google and it dials home with all my personal data, once a second...?

You do know that Android is Google, right? So I guess you could say that Chrome OS is as Google as Android is, which is why Chrome OS now has the Google Play store and can install and run Android apps.

Google is rumored to be merging/replacing Android and Chrome OS with one called Fuchsia

I'm a bit of privacy geek.....

Though I like Microsoft and Android, if you're a privacy geek that wants a tablet, you might want to get an Apple device. I'm not an Apple fan, but they seem to take their customer's privacy more seriously than Google does, or Microsoft since the release of Windows 10.

[rem736]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I think the iPad Pro is 12.9". The Surface and the upcoming Chromebook tablet I mentioned are 12.3". Samsung used to sell a tablet that was 12.2" (I wanted one of those pretty badly). I don't know of any 'mainstream' tablet with a 13" screen.

you are correct on both counts. but for me, there is no practical difference between 12.9" and 13".
and i forgot that the large samsung tablet was 12.2". be glad you did not get it. i did and it was so bad, i returned it the next day.
it could have been a defective unit. but since then, i have never really considered samsung again.
here's the original post i made about it: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=255