Best Tablet Option for Laptop Replacement?

[SteveJUAE]

A philosophy without a successful implementation is nothing more than a pipe dream... it is only validated when there is a successful implementation.

Agreed, but they are well on their way and can only get better where Apple will just come up with another device to tempt you in to having 3 or 4 or 5 pieces of their hardware.

Of course those with greater needs may never be satisfied with one device or simply the convenience of having a little consumption device is always tempting. Considering most have a smartphone and a laptop/desktop what goes in between or compliments in Apple world is a series of stepped/restricted compromises to boost sales of hardware

There is nothing wrong with an Ipad and if it fits your needs then you probably do not need any laptop and the same would be true for any non full OS tablet. You simply pick the interface you like and Apple do this very well.

The difference with a full OS tablet is it is far more capable of growing with your needs and skills where the Apple tablets keep you in a nannie state till your forced in to buying a Mac, then you can't do what you expected after coming from a touch interface, there is no natural progression just different hardware platforms for different tasks/requirements.

MS aims and goals are the reverse of what Apple offer in this respect, of course they have some way to go but there will not be the same jump or restrictions going from a desktop - laptop - tablet - phone that exist in Apple.
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I do all of the on my iPad and have published three books in the last year.

If you want a Windows PC in a tablet form, buy a Surface Pro. If you want a tablet that will do what you say you want to do, the iPad is brilliant.

It seems you have the right tool for your needs and that's what counts, congrats on your 3 books

 

[Michael Goff]

This isn't necessarily universally true, or even true at all. The surface tablets make for an EXCELLENT tablet experience, and I've heard very few arguments which would convince me otherwise. Microsoft advertises the way they do because they mean the surface lineup to be laptop replacements, they just have the nice advantage of also being excellent tablets. The entire blown up debate about Modern UI apps is just that. A gross exaggeration of how necessary "apps" are on a tablet coupled with having blinders on to the many improvements Microsoft has made on the touch frontier, including things like continuum, display and UI scaling, optimizing their software as well as providing tools and incentive for other developers to optimize their desktop software for a touch environment. It's interesting to me that the ipad in particular is FAST becoming a less viable tablet by the day.

For tablet use I would NEVER EVER give up my surface, not in a million years. As a tablet I'd feel as I would be losing so much functionality.
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I'd say the opposite, the ipad is the worst non-full computer tablet. Even Android allows mouse use and can be hobbled into a more computer like interface if needed. Certainly a windows tablet runs rings around something as functionally limited as the ipad.

I'd also continue to disagree, the surface line up is both a good tablet and a good laptop replacement if we compare apples to apples, such as comparing the surface tablet to a similar sized ultrabook and/or similar sized tablet.

Android is a scaled up phone OS, though. Want to do side by side apps? Too bad. Better get the Samsung one I guess? Want apps that take advantage of the screen real estate? Too bad.

Want good hardware? iPad Pro beats any Android tablet hardware out there.

I guess this is to say I disagree. Mouse support doesn't fix the problems Marshmallow have with tablets. Maybe N will fix it, but given Google not being able to code for the iPad Pro I am doubting it. They don't do tablet apps well.

 

[spinedoc77]

Android is a scaled up phone OS, though. Want to do side by side apps? Too bad. Better get the Samsung one I guess? Want apps that take advantage of the screen real estate? Too bad.

Want good hardware? iPad Pro beats any Android tablet hardware out there.

I guess this is to say I disagree. Mouse support doesn't fix the problems Marshmallow have with tablets. Maybe N will fix it, but given Google not being able to code for the iPad Pro I am doubting it. They don't do tablet apps well.

Oh no argument from me. I wasn't making it out to be that Android was much superior. They both suck equally IMO, but each has different pluses and minuses.

I was playing with an ipad pro in the Apple store today and it is a beautiful item. I can't say I would blame anyone for buying it if they needed that size screen. Even though it's severely functionally challenged as a laptop it's still amazing to look at and if iOS is your thing is probably a great tablet. I've always thought the surface book screen portion was a MUCH nicer looking tablet than the surface pro 4, but of course no kickstand or battery life. In that sense the ipad pro is a nicer tablet than my SP4 ignoring functionality. So yeah, if you don't need that functionality then I don't blame you one bit.

 

[Michael Goff]

Oh no argument from me. I wasn't making it out to be that Android was much superior. They both suck equally IMO, but each has different pluses and minuses.

I was playing with an ipad pro in the Apple store today and it is a beautiful item. I can't say I would blame anyone for buying it if they needed that size screen. Even though it's severely functionally challenged as a laptop it's still amazing to look at and if iOS is your thing is probably a great tablet. I've always thought the surface book screen portion was a MUCH nicer looking tablet than the surface pro 4, but of course no kickstand or battery life. In that sense the ipad pro is a nicer tablet than my SP4 ignoring functionality. So yeah, if you don't need that functionality then I don't blame you one bit.

I guess I'm likely just a bit frustrated that the promise of Android hasn't hit tablets like I know it can. I agree about a SP4, though, if you need a full PC all the time with some questionable tablet performance.

 

[capathy21]

Hey All,

My 2010 white Macbook is on its way out. I can't complain, it's served me well in the time I've had it. My plan was to replace it with the new retina MB. Unfortunately I don't know that my laptop will make it long enough for me to comfortably budget a new one.

I was thinking about scrapping my current MB for parts and picking up a used tablet to use until I can afford the computer I want. I considered a Chromebook but the budget range seems to have a lot of low res screens and I feel like propriatery chargers add to their bulk when traveling.

I'm at a loss though on what to get. I like the idea of an iPad with superb build quality and more tablet optimized apps plus multitasking. But it lacks a torrent client and PC like features and ultimately is a blown up iPhone.

I would be using said tablet to write, lightly torrent, web browse and consume media like movies and music. I'd be shopping on swappa or eBay for used products and my tippy-top budget would be about $400. I would also be looking for a Bluetooth keyboard to accompany said tablet.

Any input or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

You should definitely consider a Microsoft Surface 3. I recently picked one up on sale at Best Buy and I absolutely love it! I sold my iPad about a week later once I confirmed what I had always thought about the ipad and that was how limited it truly is.

I currently have a 27 inch monitor connected to the mini display port of my Surface 3 and a multi usb hub plugged into the usb port which gives me a mouse and keyboard. It is a full blown computer. It also has a 128gb micro sd card installed which essentially doubles my storage.

I take it to work with me daily where it serves as a great tool for handwriting notes in one note as well as functioning well as a handheld tablet. For those that say Windows 10 is not good on a tablet, they are wrong. I can run it in tablet mode or standard Windows mode where I have full pc functionality from copying files to editing spreadsheets in Excel and not some watered down app version, the actual Excel program. So far it's handled everything I have thrown at it with ease. I have not touched my Macbook Air since I've purchased the Surface 3 and chances are I will be selling it soon.

Long story short, for less than the cost of a 16gb iPad, I have a full pc and tablet that accomplishes real work, not just watching Netflix and scrolling Facebook. An iPad is fine for what it is, but to act like it's a real productivity tool that is comparable to the Surface line is laughable.

 

[Badrottie]

Hey All,

My 2010 white Macbook is on its way out. I can't complain, it's served me well in the time I've had it. My plan was to replace it with the new retina MB. Unfortunately I don't know that my laptop will make it long enough for me to comfortably budget a new one.

I was thinking about scrapping my current MB for parts and picking up a used tablet to use until I can afford the computer I want. I considered a Chromebook but the budget range seems to have a lot of low res screens and I feel like propriatery chargers add to their bulk when traveling.

I'm at a loss though on what to get. I like the idea of an iPad with superb build quality and more tablet optimized apps plus multitasking. But it lacks a torrent client and PC like features and ultimately is a blown up iPhone.

I would be using said tablet to write, lightly torrent, web browse and consume media like movies and music. I'd be shopping on swappa or eBay for used products and my tippy-top budget would be about $400. I would also be looking for a Bluetooth keyboard to accompany said tablet.

Any input or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

NO NO NO!! iPad or any tablets are NOT laptop replacement! It never will! You see I can't run Final Cut Pro X app on iPad Air 2!!

 

[spinedoc77]

NO NO NO!! iPad or any tablets are NOT laptop replacement! It never will! You see I can't run Final Cut Pro X app on iPad Air 2!!

Why can't you run it on a surface 3 or surface pro 4?

 

[alex2792]

Surface Pro would be your best bet, it's a pretty great device except for horrible battery life. I had an SP3 for a while and I could never get more than 3-3.5hrs with just normal browsing, Reddit reading and video watching.

 

[Michael Goff]

NO NO NO!! iPad or any tablets are NOT laptop replacement! It never will! You see I can't run Final Cut Pro X app on iPad Air 2!!

Most people don't run Final Cut X.

 

[Badrottie]

Why can't you run it on a surface 3 or surface pro 4?

I do not want to deal with virus problems. I don't like paying premium anti virus app like Norton 360.
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Most people don't run Final Cut X.

Are you serious??

 

[spinedoc77]

I do not want to deal with virus problems. I don't like paying premium anti virus app like Norton 360.
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Are you serious??

Stop it with the exaggerating. Windows Defender is quite robust, you're not going to have virus issues and you won't have to pay a penny for the protection. Well unless you frequent pr0n sites and torrent a lot, then I don't think any OS will really protect you.

 

[Michael Goff]

I do not want to deal with virus problems. I don't like paying premium anti virus app like Norton 360.
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Are you serious??

Yeah. 100% serious.

 

[ozaz]

I do not want to deal with virus problems. I don't like paying premium anti virus app like Norton 360.

Is it 2006 again ????

 

[Badrottie]

Is it 2006 again ????

Is virus dead already??
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Stop it with the exaggerating. Windows Defender is quite robust, you're not going to have virus issues and you won't have to pay a penny for the protection. Well unless you frequent pr0n sites and torrent a lot, then I don't think any OS will really protect you.

Last time I heard the reviewer said the Windows Defender is not perfect so I gave up. Maybe it get better over time.
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Yeah. 100% serious.

Then Apple should retire Final Cut Pro X by now!!

 

[Michael Goff]

Is virus dead already??
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Last time I heard the reviewer said the Windows Defender is not perfect so I gave up. Maybe it get better over time.
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Then Apple should retire Final Cut Pro X by now!!

You're hilarious.