Tablet for college

Aeternum

I'm looking for a tablet to use for college work, mainly note taking and light browsing, nothing too demanding!

I have a laptop already but its too large to cart around with me all the time so I've been looking at getting something like the Microsoft Surface RT or HP Pavilion X2.

My price range is €500 or less including a keyboard! I have had two tablets before but they were only cheap ones that cost €150ish so am definitely looking for higher end spec.

Does anyone have any recommendations? Also of the Surface or HP which would be better?

Thanks in advance

The One Who Knocks

Have you considered a chromebook instead?

It sounds like just what you need, at half the price,

check out this review ->http://pageia.org/why-you-only-need-a-chromebook-for-college-and-why-you-dont-have-one/

Aeternum

Jamez735 wrote: »

Have you considered a chromebook instead?

It sounds like just what you need, at half the price,

check out this review ->http://pageia.org/why-you-only-need-a-chromebook-for-college-and-why-you-dont-have-one/

I was considering a Chromebook but I saw posts on here which didn't recommend them due to their over reliance on wifi? Several users regarded them as useless when not connected. I may be wrong though it was just what I found when previously researching them.

The One Who Knocks

Aeternum wrote: »

I was considering a Chromebook but I saw posts on here which didn't recommend them due to their over reliance on wifi? Several users regarded them as useless when not connected. I may be wrong though it was just what I found when previously researching them.

That's more of a misconception tbh, you can access google docs offline, as well as check your emails & reply to them - then when u connect to wifi everything will sync and emails will send. Obviously now you wont have internet, but it's the same with any laptop without wifi.

For note taking and light browsing it's perfect, have a read of that review though, it's aimed at college students.

Aeternum

Jamez735 wrote: »

That's more of a misconception tbh, you can access google docs offline, as well as check your emails & reply to them - then when u connect to wifi everything will sync and emails will send. Obviously now you wont have internet, but it's the same with any laptop without wifi.

For note taking and light browsing it's perfect, have a read of that review though, it's aimed at college students.

I had a read of it there and I'll definitely keep them in mind, is there any specific ones you could recommend?

The One Who Knocks

Aeternum wrote: »

I had a read of it there and I'll definitely keep them in mind, is there any specific ones you could recommend?

Samsung without a doubt, it's around 50 euro more expensive than the acer but it's worth it in my opinion. Anything else is not worth the money.

It's easy to list loads of things it can't do, but for portability, note taking, web browsing, netflix etc. it's perfect + you'll have an extra €250 in your pocket.

I don't have one myself, but was seriously considering it for a while. The other option is fork out a grand for an ultrabook - portability & performance all in one....but I wouldn't recommend it for your needs.

Aeternum

Jamez735 wrote: »

Samsung without a doubt, it's around 50 euro more expensive than the acer but it's worth it in my opinion. Anything else is not worth the money.

It's easy to list loads of things it can't do, but for portability, note taking, web browsing, netflix etc. it's perfect + you'll have an extra €250 in your pocket.

I don't have one myself, but was seriously considering it for a while. The other option is fork out a grand for an ultrabook - portability & performance all in one....but I wouldn't recommend it for your needs.

Thanks I was also looking at a mini 11 inch laptop like the HP DM1 or Asus S200, would there be much difference between those and the chromebooks in terms or durability? I'd rather not have to replace it every year

shruikan2553

I know nothing of chromebooks so cant help there but for tablets I got the Asus TF300 with keyboard for college and its great, the only downside is the hand writing on it so a samsung galaxy would probably be better if you want to write instead of type.

The One Who Knocks

Aeternum wrote: »

Thanks I was also looking at a mini 11 inch laptop like the HP DM1 or Asus S200, would there be much difference between those and the chromebooks in terms or durability? I'd rather not have to replace it every year

To be honest, I really wouldn't recommend anything other than a chromebook for that price. Chromebooks are what notebooks should have been... Run windows on one of those and it won't last that long.

With Chrome OS, everything's cloud based, and an update is released every 8 weeks with new features and improvements, it just keeps getting better!
It also has an ssd so it will boot in seconds, ...basically chromebooks were built to last. There's really no need to bring out new ones every year, because the old ones will always be capable of doing everything Chrome OS has to offer.

From the reviews I've read, it also seems to be very sturdy and well built, so it would probably survive the odd drop as well.

Aeternum

shruikan2553 wrote: »

I know nothing of chromebooks so cant help there but for tablets I got the Asus TF300 with keyboard for college and its great, the only downside is the hand writing on it so a samsung galaxy would probably be better if you want to write instead of type.

Where did you get that and how much may I ask?

The One Who Knocks

shruikan2553 wrote: »

I know nothing of chromebooks so cant help there but for tablets I got the Asus TF300 with keyboard for college and its great, the only downside is the hand writing on it so a samsung galaxy would probably be better if you want to write instead of type.

I found the handwriting recognition on the galaxy note tab to be a bit "gimmicky" so I wouldn't base your decision solely on that - maybe that's just my awful hand writing though

A tablets fine too, I mean evernote & an external keyboard and you're sorted. It's just that you'd save money on a chromebook, plus you wouldn't have to carry around a keyboard.

turbot

I recommend you get an iPad 4 and a logitech ultra slim keyboard. It's ever so slightly over your budget - but a combination I love using.

shruikan2553

Aeternum wrote: »

Where did you get that and how much may I ask?

I think it was something around 420 in HMV. Currys had them for a bit more but no idea if they still do.

Jamez735 wrote: »

I found the handwriting recognition on the galaxy note tab to be a bit "gimmicky" so I wouldn't base your decision solely on that - maybe that's just my awful hand writing though

Fair enough, I only tried it for a minute in a shop and was used to mine so it could of been just the improvement in comparison and I would hate it after long term use. My app crashes often causing me to lose the entire page so that doesnt help my opinion.

madmax92

I hope that OP won't mind if I ask in his topic instead of creating new one with same question :P
I'm looking for 7-8 inch tablet (I can live with 10). I'm student so I have a lot of lectures and other crap in PDFs. It would be great if I could use stylus for writing lecture notes (My friend have done great notes with her iPad 2/3). I use public transport and planes quite a lot so that's why I thought about 7-8 inch tablet. Beside school it would be great if it play HD movies and music. If it comes to games, hope it could run GTA (Android devices). It must have 3G/LTE and GPS.
There are some good Windows and Android tablets, and also Apple has good products.
So I don't know which "ecosystem" I'd like to use:
Android
Pros:
A lot of devices, Google Play has a lot of apps, great support over XDA Dev, I have already some apps bought on the store
Cons:
Android is perfect only on Nexus devices (had Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 - no more non Google devices), updates are the best only with Nexus devices

iOS:
Pros:
Apple's hardware is great, best store, Apple support (updates)
Cons:
Price, iOS is closed system so no no to mods, I never bought anything in AppStore

Windows 8 (non RT)
Pros:
You can run all PC stuff on it (even older games), you can plug everything to USB and it will work, Windows is productivity in tablet world
Cons:
Worst store, not much devices (especially with LTE/3G modems), quite pricey, needs good HW.

My budget is ~400€.
Thanks in advance!

molly09

Hi madmax

I am just wondering what did u go with in the end?



M

madmax92 wrote: »

I hope that OP won't mind if I ask in his topic instead of creating new one with same question :P
I'm looking for 7-8 inch tablet (I can live with 10). I'm student so I have a lot of lectures and other crap in PDFs. It would be great if I could use stylus for writing lecture notes (My friend have done great notes with her iPad 2/3). I use public transport and planes quite a lot so that's why I thought about 7-8 inch tablet. Beside school it would be great if it play HD movies and music. If it comes to games, hope it could run GTA (Android devices). It must have 3G/LTE and GPS.
There are some good Windows and Android tablets, and also Apple has good products.
So I don't know which "ecosystem" I'd like to use:
Android
Pros:
A lot of devices, Google Play has a lot of apps, great support over XDA Dev, I have already some apps bought on the store
Cons:
Android is perfect only on Nexus devices (had Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 - no more non Google devices), updates are the best only with Nexus devices

iOS:
Pros:
Apple's hardware is great, best store, Apple support (updates)
Cons:
Price, iOS is closed system so no no to mods, I never bought anything in AppStore

Windows 8 (non RT)
Pros:
You can run all PC stuff on it (even older games), you can plug everything to USB and it will work, Windows is productivity in tablet world
Cons:
Worst store, not much devices (especially with LTE/3G modems), quite pricey, needs good HW.

My budget is ~400€.
Thanks in advance!

madmax92

molly09 wrote: »

Hi madmax

I am just wondering what did u go with in the end?



M

Hi Molly,
I ended up with nothing. Tablets with new 8.1 are showing up. New Intel Bay Trail is looking good so I'm waiting. Also new iPad Air will be out soon. Not to mention Galaxy Note 10.1 2014