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IPad vs Asus EP121

O

OSMac

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Had a chance to use a Asus EP121 tablet.

It runs windows 7, has a beautiful 12.1 screen something that is rare for win7 devices. Even comes with a nice leather folio case.

Asus wisely choose NOT to use a net book CPU, but instead it runs a low voltage dual core Intel i5 and just zips alongs. The common config has 4GB ram and a 64GB SSD for $1099.

With that amount of ram web pages load and switch quick without the checkerboards and reloads seen at times on the iPad.

Touch or pen input, using a pen is nice after being used to finger painting on the iPad 🙂 Also had hdmi out, SD and USB slots.

Downsides are much lower battery life and windows / ie8 does not provide the smooth polished touch experience that iOS does but it's more than useable.

Overall if it's by far the best ipad alternative I've seen, for those wanting a full OS experience.
 
For a "full OS experience" I pull out the laptop or get on the desktop. More power, much cheaper.

I just bought the wife's daughter this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...cm_mmc=BFUS-_-32-_-N82E16834115860&nm_mc=BFUS

To replace the iMac desktop I had gotten her. (I took the desktop in exchange). I had bought it in Dec, so I only paid $599. Much more powerful, larger hard drive, faster graphics, and lower cost. Why do you think the Windows tablets or convertibles that have been made for the last ten years have been failures or had low sales numbers ?

Let's not forget that sucker also weighs 2.56 lb. I can see the complaining now on windowstabletrumors.com.

iOS and Android are not "full OS's" ? Or do you mean the OS that you have been using on your desk top ?
 
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3 hour battery life!?


nooooooo thanks

(not to mention i have no desire to use windows on a tablet)
 
bocomo said:
3 hour battery life!?


nooooooo thanks

(not to mention i have no desire to use windows on a tablet)
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Come on bocomo, it will play FLASH!!!! So give it a rest. 😛 (Please note, meant to be sarcastic)


Hey, since it's a "full Wndows" OS, it should also do Active X. 🙄
 
zap2 said:
Not really a bad technology....netflix uses its well. I mean, very MS based, but my (limited understanding) is that it isn't actually that bad.
Click to expand...

i've never had a bad silverlight experience

(mostly just using it for netflix, as far as i know)
 
OSMac said:
Had a chance to use a Asus EP121 tablet.

It runs windows 7 Problem, and feature. I would love to do some Photoshop or After Effects editing downstairs, not being stuck to my desktop., has a beautiful 12.1 screen something that is rare for win7 devices. Even comes with a nice leather folio case.

Asus wisely choose NOT to use a net book CPU, but instead it runs a low voltage dual core Intel i5 I like that and just zips alongs. The common config has 4GB ram Now that is amazing and a 64GB SSD for $1099 - Problem number 2.. Graphics Card? Probably Intels, which is OK, in comparison to the iPad's.

With that amount of ram web pages load and switch quick without the checkerboards and reloads seen at times on the iPad. True

Touch or pen input, using a pen is nice after being used to finger painting on the iPad 🙂 Also had hdmi out, SD and USB slots. Most tablets (android, Win7) has these, why doesn't the iPad have them?

Downsides are much lower battery life and windows / ie8 does not provide the smooth polished touch experience that iOS does but it's more than useable.Battery is a big part of the experience, 10 hours to 3 hours, really? But, flash support is a big, green tick for me.

Overall if it's by far the best ipad alternative I've seen, for those wanting a full OS experience.
Click to expand...
...
 
Nishi100 said:
...
Click to expand...

So basically it's an overpriced laptop, kinda like the TC 4400 ? (yea I have mentioned the 4400 several times, but I have actually had experience with it. I am grateful that I wasn't the one that had to pay for it.)

You also forgot 2.56 lb tablet.
 
If the iPad suits your needs, you can not beat it,
long battery life, very smooth finger touch UI.

Still, many have been waiting for a quality Windows 7 tablet.
HP's slate is decent but the netbook Atom cpu
and smaller screen leave something to be desired.

Asus took it to the next level
with the EP121's larger 12" quality screen,
Wacom pen input, and a dual core i5 low voltage CPU,
HDMI out, USB ports and a SD slot.

I would not sell my iPad for and just use the 121,
just love the iPad's silence, long battery life and smooth touch browser.

But the EP121 certainly offers much more
and if needed plugging it in is an option 99% of the time
in my uses.

Just wanted to let iPad owners know my experiences with it.
 
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MrWillie said:
So basically it's an overpriced laptop,
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The same complaint is usually made for MacBook Pros. 😉

The fact that it runs a full OS and uses an i5 chipset is great news, of course battery life is poor and its a bit on the heavy side.
 
maflynn said:
The same complaint is usually made for MacBook Pros. 😉

The fact that it runs a full OS and uses an i5 chipset is great news, of course battery life is poor and its a bit on the heavy side.
Click to expand...

Yes, but with a MacBook pro when it gets to be five to six years old and isn't quite working right, it can be brought to an Apple store, if the individual is of the proper gender and build, they can get it fixed and upgraded for free. Buy a cheap Dell or HP laptop and when you call you get India. (No offense to our Indian friends, but I am in the US and speak English). Buy a cheap WalMart laptop and what do you get?

Again "full" OS ? Or do you mean desktop OS ? You do know that tablets and convertible laptops have been around for ten years or so right? Remember WinXP Tablet Edition ? What makes this one different than the others ?
 
OSMac said:
It runs windows 7, has a beautiful 12.1 screen something that is rare for win7 devices. Even comes with a nice leather folio case.
...
Overall if it's by far the best ipad alternative I've seen, for those wanting a full OS experience.
Click to expand...

Actually HP has been using the 12 inch screen size for years now for their tablets as well as decent processors. I use an HP Win7 12 inch tablet with an AMD Turion 2.2 processor and 4G RAM, and while it's OK, the touch experience is pretty bad IMHO. Win7 just isn't that good as a tablet OS.
 
Thanks OSMac, unfortunately we don't have Fry's in NY. I had one on preorder - on Newegg, but they canceled it for some reason.

Have you faced any issues so far? I read elsewhere about the BSODs and the touch panel freezes...
 
OSMac said:
Overall if it's by far the best ipad alternative I've seen, for those wanting a full OS experience.
Click to expand...

This Asus tablet looks really cool and I'm sure it's a great device (except for the battery life). There have been similar products on the market but they are all three times the price. BUT, I wouldn't call it an iPad alternative. They are meant to do different things. The iPad is basically a toy, for reading/watching content and running custom made apps. The Asus is a computer that runs windows programs.

Want to take out your tablet and page through some news on the bus? Get ready to wait a minute for it to start up, then another minute to open firefox. Yeah, it's only 2 minutes, but still a minute and fifty seconds longer than it would take with the iPad.

Obviously, the best solution is to get one of each.
 
filmbuff said:
This Asus tablet looks really cool and I'm sure it's a great device (except for the battery life). There have been similar products on the market but they are all three times the price. BUT, I wouldn't call it an iPad alternative. They are meant to do different things. The iPad is basically a toy, for reading/watching content and running custom made apps. The Asus is a computer that runs windows programs.

Want to take out your tablet and page through some news on the bus? Get ready to wait a minute for it to start up, then another minute to open firefox. Yeah, it's only 2 minutes, but still a minute and fifty seconds longer than it would take with the iPad.

Obviously, the best solution is to get one of each.
Click to expand...

Actually the best solution is iPad and a laptop...

I suggest learning how to use an iPad, before calling it a toy.
 
MrWillie said:
Actually the best solution is iPad and a laptop...

I suggest learning how to use an iPad, before calling it a toy.
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Well, actually the best solution would be an iPad that converts into a laptop or a laptop that converts into an iPad. 🙂

Some interbreeding between a MacBook Air and iPad. 😀
 
Piggie said:
Well, actually the best solution would be an iPad that converts into a laptop or a laptop that converts into an iPad. 🙂

Some interbreeding between a MacBook Air and iPad. 😀
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I would love a cross between the Air and iPad! A real computer. I would not even mind it being thicker!

Waiting on the Xoom and Playbook but will get the iPad2 in the mean time
 
MrWillie said:
Yes, but with a MacBook pro when it gets to be five to six years old and isn't quite working right, it can be brought to an Apple store, if the individual is of the proper gender and build, they can get it fixed and upgraded for free.
?
Click to expand...

I hope you are joking, and male. Otherwise.. 😱
 
Piggie said:
Well, actually the best solution would be an iPad that converts into a laptop or a laptop that converts into an iPad. 🙂

Some interbreeding between a MacBook Air and iPad. 😀
Click to expand...

Simplicity, cost, upgrades. (laptop/iPad combo). Didn't Toshiba demonstrate a Android/Winows machine?

One of the reviews I read on this machine (EP121) stated it was perfect for corporate users. Well with the Home edition of Windows, how do you log into a domain?

Yea, I am looking at it. For one specific task. It should run Wonderware, but I would need Pro edition of Windows.

On a completely off topic note, check this out. I would like to shake this guys hand. (you do live in the UK, don't you?) http://www.cnbc.com/id/41372870?__s...r=otbrn&__source=otbrn|outbrainext|&par=otbrn

Edit: Here is the original story. It covers it more in-depth.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...errorists-stop-flying-home.html#ixzz1CjWaQUMr
 
filmbuff said:
Want to take out your tablet and page through some news on the bus? Get ready to wait a minute for it to start up, then another minute to open firefox. Yeah, it's only 2 minutes, but still a minute and fifty seconds longer than it would take with the iPad.
Click to expand...

Where are you getting 2 minutes from? The EP121 boots to the desktop faster than the iPad does. I'm sure you are referring to starting up from sleep mode though - in which case both are instant on. Firefox also loads instantly; 1 minute would be glacial for a slow platter drive, let alone the SSD it comes with.

That being said, I have to agree that the iPad for me was very much a toy. Beyond being a very slick portfolio platform, it really didn't perform any productivity functions that my more portable iPhone wasn't already doing. My 2yr old daughter now has permanent custody of it now and manages to run the battery dry daily. It's turning out to be a great learning toy for her - easy to use - lots of books and games.
 
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