Tablets Best/most promising full-size tablet

[maxwelltech]

iPad. A tablet is a consumption device and is not supposed to be paired up with a keyboard, because that would reduce the device's portability factor which is the main reason people buy an iPad in addition to their laptops. Android still lack high-quality tablet apps and the Microsoft RT concept is just flawed.

As for the Surface Pro 2, the 128GB version, at $999, costs the same as a 128GB MacBook Air which is certainly a more productive device than any tablet.

 

[joshwithachance]

The problem with it is the awful 1366x768 screen resolution (my rMBP spoiled me). I would prefer the Dell Venue 11 Pro, which costs US$ 499 with similar specs, but it has a 1920x1080 IPS display.

Yeah, the screen is a bit washed out and ugly. *sigh*
DAMN YOU IPAD AIR for upping my screen standards.

 

[laserfox]

In my opinion, the most promising large tablet is the one that can be the only computer in my home. That can connect to all my peripherals, displays, phones printers out the box. That can easily be as productive as it can be entertaining with little limitations.

The most promising tablet is easily The Surface Pro. To meet its goals it only has to get thinner, lighter, and get more apps in the store. This is almost guaranteed as they continue to improve on it.

The Surface 2 comes a close second. (lack of digitizer pen really dampens it for me) and well x86 apps means it cant replace my main computer BUT my original surface easily trumped my iPad in so many use cases on the road - transfer files to a friend via usb when we had no internet etc.

 

[hafr]

I love the iPad Mini, I think it's a great device that fits perfectly between my MBP and my phone. The regular iPad is too big for me to be "only" a tablet. For years, I've been saying that if I could have true multi tasking and a proper way of handling files on the iPad - I'd get an external keyboard and replace my MBP with the iPad. Because I feel the iPad and the MBA kind of fill half of my portable needs each, if I make any sense at all...

To me, the Surface Pro shows where the future is at. Tablets running a full OS that can be turned into a laptop in the blink of an eye.

I understand that Apple doesn't want their iPads to cannibalise their laptop market more than they already are, but as a consumer I must say I would like to see a portable product lineup like this: iPhone, iPad Mini, "iPad/MBA hybrid", MBP.

If I were to purchase a new laptop today, I would purchase a Microsoft Surface Pro 2, and it would replace both my MBP and my iPad.

I think keeping iPad and MBA as separate products is a mistake on Apple's part, but I'm only thinking about my own needs and wants.

 

[Jinzen]

I love the iPad Mini, I think it's a great device that fits perfectly between my MBP and my phone. The regular iPad is too big for me to be "only" a tablet. For years, I've been saying that if I could have true multi tasking and a proper way of handling files on the iPad - I'd get an external keyboard and replace my MBP with the iPad. Because I feel the iPad and the MBA kind of fill half of my portable needs each, if I make any sense at all...

To me, the Surface Pro shows where the future is at. Tablets running a full OS that can be turned into a laptop in the blink of an eye.

I understand that Apple doesn't want their iPads to cannibalise their laptop market more than they already are, but as a consumer I must say I would like to see a portable product lineup like this: iPhone, iPad Mini, "iPad/MBA hybrid", MBP.

If I were to purchase a new laptop today, I would purchase a Microsoft Surface Pro 2, and it would replace both my MBP and my iPad.

I think keeping iPad and MBA as separate products is a mistake on Apple's part, but I'm only thinking about my own needs and wants.

The Surface Pro 2 would certainly replace an iPad if it was actually capable of being a tablet. In use, it really isn't. It's huge but has far less screen area and real estate. Heavy and thick. I would never want to use one as a tablet.

As an Ultrabook - the screen is too small. 10.6 vs 11.6 or 13.3 is a big difference.

In reality, you'd never want to use it. You'd carry the iPad Mini with you or use your MBP for your computer needs.

 

[skaertus]

Yeah, the screen is a bit washed out and ugly. *sigh*
DAMN YOU IPAD AIR for upping my screen standards.

My screen standards were already upped before. The 3rd gen iPad just met then. And now I think 1920x1080 on a 13" screen looks blurry. I'm even trying to find individual pixels on the screen of my 15" rMBP, as to justify a higher screen resolution...

But seriously and off-topic now, is there any real difference? How do the screens in the 13" rMBP, the Asus Zenbook Infinity and the Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus and the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro compare? The Samsung and the Lenovo both at 3200x1800, have a much higher pixel density than the rMBP (2560x1600) and the Zenbook (2560x1440). How do they compare? Is there any difference? If I'm too picky, can I see any difference?

 

[Phil A.]

As for the Surface Pro 2, the 128GB version, at $999, costs the same as a 128GB MacBook Air which is certainly a more productive device than any tablet.

In what way is an MBA "certainly more productive" than a Surface Pro 2? The surface pro 2 is a full on Core i5 Windows 8.1 pro computer with up to 8GB RAM and up to 512GB SSD. Sure, you may prefer OS X to windows but the Surface Pro 2 is a damned fine windows machine and can run any Windows application you want to

I've got a Surface Pro and it has replaced my laptop computer and full sized tablet completely - it sits on my desk plugged into a large monitor and full sized keyboard / mouse. When I want to use it at a tablet, I just pick it up, and when I want to use it as a laptop I just clip on the keyboard

One of the selling points for me with the Surface Pro is the ability to remove the keyboard - Its far neater to have just the screen sat on my desk than a screen with a keyboard that gets in the way of my desktop keyboard

 

[hafr]

The Surface Pro 2 would certainly replace an iPad if it was actually capable of being a tablet. In use, it really isn't. It's huge but has far less screen area and real estate. Heavy and thick. I would never want to use one as a tablet.

As an Ultrabook - the screen is too small. 10.6 vs 11.6 or 13.3 is a big difference.

In reality, you'd never want to use it. You'd carry the iPad Mini with you or use your MBP for your computer needs.

My post was based on having used all products mentioned.

I'm not saying the Surface Pro 2 is the perfect machine, what I am saying is that I don't want to carry a laptop and a tablet - I want to carry a tablet that is an actual alternative to a laptop. Proper window management, file handling, connectivity... Today, I feel the Surface Pro 2 is the best alternative when it comes to tablet/laptop hybrids. If they'd mix the MBA with the iPad (SD card slot, USB ports, OS X and so on), I'd be all over that. I'd be throwing my money at my local Apple reseller.

Imagine an iPad with the same kind of cover-keyboard that the Surface has, running OS X. Wouldn't you just love something like that?

And I used an 8,9" Win XP (later Win 7) netbook for my on the go productivity needs for about two-three years without ever feeling limited by the screen...

 

[zhenya]

In what way is an MBA "certainly more productive" than a Surface Pro 2? The surface pro 2 is a full on Core i5 Windows 8.1 pro computer with up to 8GB RAM and up to 512GB SSD. Sure, you may prefer OS X to windows but the Surface Pro 2 is a damned fine windows machine and can run any Windows application you want to

I've got a Surface Pro and it has replaced my laptop computer and full sized tablet completely - it sits on my desk plugged into a large monitor and full sized keyboard / mouse. When I want to use it at a tablet, I just pick it up, and when I want to use it as a laptop I just clip on the keyboard

One of the selling points for me with the Surface Pro is the ability to remove the keyboard - Its far neater to have just the screen sat on my desk than a screen with a keyboard that gets in the way of my desktop keyboard

Because it's a terrible laptop?

I've had one since release day last year. It's passable when docked, but the 1st gen could only run 1 monitor natively. To run my preferred two monitors when docked, one had to run over USB3 which is not ideal.

As a laptop the keyboards and even more so, the touchpads, are just terrible. The screen is too small for extended work sessions and since Windows doesn't scale properly to high resolutions I either get everything sharp and tiny (my preferred method) or some things scale fine, some things scale and get fuzzy, and other things don't scale at all. It's a mess.

The alternative of having a great laptop and a great tablet provides so much better an experience that I have a hard time imagining the Surface Pro ever expanding beyond a niche product.

 

[Phil A.]

Because it's a terrible laptop?

I've had one since release day last year. It's passable when docked, but the 1st gen could only run 1 monitor natively. To run my preferred two monitors when docked, one had to run over USB3 which is not ideal.

As a laptop the keyboards and even more so, the touchpads, are just terrible. The screen is too small for extended work sessions and since Windows doesn't scale properly to high resolutions I either get everything sharp and tiny (my preferred method) or some things scale fine, some things scale and get fuzzy, and other things don't scale at all. It's a mess.

The alternative of having a great laptop and a great tablet provides so much better an experience that I have a hard time imagining the Surface Pro ever expanding beyond a niche product.

I guess it's a matter of opinion - I've had my Surface Pro 1 for a while and absolutely love it - I don't have a problem with the small screen and think the type keyboard is great (although the touchpad could do to be a bit bigger) and it's more than powerful enough to handle everything I throw at it (including running SQL Server and BizTalk server).

 

[skaertus]

I guess it's a matter of opinion - I've had my Surface Pro 1 for a while and absolutely love it - I don't have a problem with the small screen and think the type keyboard is great (although the touchpad could do to be a bit bigger) and it's more than powerful enough to handle everything I throw at it (including running SQL Server and BizTalk server).

I have no doubt about the power of the Surface Pro. My issues are about the weight (seems too heavy to be used as a tablet for long periods of time), the battery life (which seems to have improved in the second version) and the keyboard and the touchpad (which seems sub-par in relation to keyboards/touchpads found in most laptops).