MacBook Air 11 or Samsung Series 7 Slate PC?

[Sensamic]

Hey everyone.

Ive been recently debating whether to buy the new Macbook Air 11 to replace my iPad, which I love, but is short on some tasks. I would like something more complete, that would allow me to have better multitasking (several youtube videos loading while I do something else, for example). I was thinking of the 11 Macbook Air, which I have always desired to have, but today I saw this new gadget on engadget:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/31/samsungs-series-7-slate-pc-hands-on/

It looks really cool. Of course, I prefer Mac OS X a 1,000 times more than Windows 7, but it has two advantages from my point of view: its a tablet and it has 3G.

Since I have an iPad which I adore using, I feel more comfortable working with a touch display. I like to take the iPad to bed to read before sleep. This I could not do with the Macbook Air, cause its more difficult and less comfortable.

On the other hand, having 3G on the samsung tablet with Win 7 would be awesome, really really cool. Maybe I could use my iPhone 4 as a WIFI Hotspot with the Macbook Air, but doing some tests have proven to be a poor solution. its not as fast as having your own 3G inside.

Im still looking for other options. I want a gadget mainly to use on the living room on the couch while watching TV. It needs proper multitasking, ability to download torrents, videos, etc. 3G would be nice, but not essential. It also needs much more RAM than the 256MB of the iPad, of course. Also I want it to be able to transfer files to other gadgets via USB or whatever.

Im looking also other netbooks, but prefer one of these two options. Do you guys see the samsung tablet to be a good buy? It even has the same specs as the Macbook Air! 4GB RAM, Core i5 1.6 (same as Air I think), 11.6 inch display (also the same), 3G, Win 7, etc. Again, its very important that it has a touch panel, although the Macbook Air keyboard could come handy on some occasions.

EDIT: I have just seeing that the Samsung tablet also has ethernet. Big plus since I have a NAS at home with all my media. It would be great downloading torrent videos on the tablet and then connecting it to my gigabit switch to transfer these files over to the NAS. Sounds cool, doesn't it?

With the Macbook Air I would need the Thunderbolt to ethernet adapter, which I hope would be available soon.



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Thanks!

 

[KPOM]

Windows 7 isn't well designed for a touch interface. There's a difference between being compatible with touch and being designed for it. My answer might change after Windows 8, but for now I'd say you are better off with an iPad for content viewing, and a MacBook Air for content creating.

 

[Sensamic]

Yeah, you're right. It could be uncomfortable to use with the fingers. I just watch a youtube video of this tablet and saw it has the Samsung Launcher, wich is an interface design to use with touch. Its another option to use.

Also, this article at slashgear says it will be upgradeable to windows 8:

http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-series-7-slate-to-be-upgradeable-to-windows-8-31175726/

Its looking better and better. Still, I would prefer a similar gadget with Mac OS X.

 

[nebulos]

looks pretty cool. the Wacom digitizer is key for me.

i wish they made a laptop-like dock for it, so it could still work like a laptop. having to constantly hold up a tablet can be annoying.

anyways, thanks for posting. i'm looking at MBA alternatives myself. i've been looking at the Lenovo Thinkpad X220 tablet, but a lightweight slate would be nice to take to school.

 

[Fernandez21]

Get the air, windows 7 is uncomfortable on touch screens. as the other poster said, windows 8 may be able to give you the best of both worlds some day, but that day isn't today. And you'll be surprised how mobile the 11" air is, I have an iPad 2 and I actually prefer to use the air in bed and on the couch, because of the keyboard I can prop it up and the screen sits higher at a more comfortable viewing angle. Also the gestures in lion really give a "touchscreen" feel when navigating the os.

 

[Oppressed]

On the other hand, having 3G on the samsung tablet with Win 7 would be awesome, really really cool. Maybe I could use my iPhone 4 as a WIFI Hotspot with the Macbook Air, but doing some tests have proven to be a poor solution. its not as fast as having your own 3G inside.

What do you mean? I use my iPhone as a hotspot for my MBA ever since I've had it and its great. Depending on where I am of course I can get upwards to 500kb/s which is enough to even play online games though.

 

[Sensamic]

looks pretty cool. the Wacom digitizer is key for me.

i wish they made a laptop-like dock for it, so it could still work like a laptop. having to constantly hold up a tablet can be annoying.

anyways, thanks for posting. i'm looking at MBA alternatives myself. i've been looking at the Lenovo Thinkpad X220 tablet, but a lightweight slate would be nice to take to school.

It does have a dock that includes another USB 2.O port, HDMI and ethernet. Plus theres a wireless keyboard too. You can use both to use the tablet just like a netbook or laptop.

I really like Lion and its new features, which would make the Air an excellent experience. Also, I just realize that it can be connected to an external display if I needed it in the future, while the tablet can't, unless Im wrong.

Since having the iPad I love the idea of tablets more than laptops, but iOS is not enough, so thats why the Air or the tablet with Win 7 (and 8 in the future) are better choices for my next purchase.

Both devices cost pretty much the same.

 

[Dunbar]

I like to use my laptops on my, you now, lap so these docked tablets are out of the question. I own an iPad and I think the whole tablet as a laptop replacement thing is unrealistic until they get a lot better.

 

[3dflyboy1]

MacBook Air all the way. A tablet with windows 7 is just kinda clunky.

 

[nebulos]

I have an iPad 2 and I actually prefer to use the air in bed and on the couch, because of the keyboard I can prop it up and the screen sits higher at a more comfortable viewing angle.

I like to use my laptops on my, you now, lap so these docked tablets are out of the question.

exactly. that's my problem with these things, even when they're actual computers. laptops are great because you have a keyboard, and a stand for your display, and it goes everywhere, couch, bed, toilet, etc. (sorry, i really need to leave my apartment some day.)

It does have a dock that includes another USB 2.O port, HDMI and ethernet. Plus theres a wireless keyboard too. You can use both to use the tablet just like a netbook or laptop.

the dock only really works on a table, not on a couch, say.

Also, I just realize that it can be connected to an external display if I needed it in the future, while the tablet can't, unless Im wrong.

HDMI --> external display

I own an iPad and I think the whole tablet as a laptop replacement thing is unrealistic until they get a lot better.

this is not a 'tablet' like the ipad or galaxy tab. it's a slate style computer with a regular sandy bridge CPU running windows 7. if you mean touch input isn't enough, sure. but you do have a keyboard, and a REAL stylus. slate computers have been around for a long time, way before the ipad and the tablet wave that followed. i prefer a laptop too, but if this thing had a laptop style dock, that you could move around, it would be the best of both worlds. i don't understand how these companies don't realize this!

 

[bandofbrothers]

Simple solution !

Disposable income = buy both !

 

[coldmack]

Dear Samsung, you have the near perfect device but you need to do two big things first. 1) drop the Windows OS in favor of Android, Linux, or WebOS(since OSX and/or iOS isn't possible); 2) drop the needs to be shot x86 architecture in favor of a cpu design that has always been superior(non-intel based ARM like your own dual core cpu would be great) and I would be sold(keep the screen the pen, and everything else the same). Also, as others have said a dock like the Asus Transformer would make this a bit more convenient(specially if like the Transformer keyboard dock there is a battery in there also).


As to the OP this has a brighter, thought maybe not more color accurate or better viewing angles screen vs the MBA(400nits on the S7 vs 250nits is it on the Air). Now, if past is any indication this may also have better sound quality(via headphones) vs the MBA(this was based on their crummy mp3 player, which their only saving grace was the sound quality, and well price seeing as samsung did use their own parts on there).

 

[Sensamic]

I have tried the macbook air 11 and its great. I would need to try this slate on person but I don't know if/when it will come to Europe.

Im the kind of guy who prefers tablets rather than laptops, specially after having my iPad for over a year. Its much more easy to carry and more comfortable, but thats just me.

A tablet (or slate) with a full OS like Windows or Mac OS X is something I dream of, and its very very tempting, but I still don't know if it would be better than the macbook air.

The slate also looks like heavy or bulky, maybe its not that nice to have in your hands. The iPad 1 with its rough edges is not that nice anymore to hold in my hands.