Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
First of all, I'm aware there is a sister site for tablets but when I was spit-balling a while back, there was no help forthcoming.
So I figured I would ask on here instead as I know you guys tend to be more helpful.
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Anyway, what I'm after is a 12-13" Windows tablet with LTE support and some sort of stylus.
It'll be replacing both my aging Samsung ultrabook and my Android tablet, so I would prefer either a separate tablet or a detachable form factor instead of a convertible, as I won't need the keyboard all the time and don't particularly want to have to carry it when I don't need it.
I would want an i5 or better CPU, a decent amount of RAM and a comfortable amount of storage (256GB minimum but 512GB+ would be nicer).
Screen-wise, has to be higher than 1080p, so QHD or better.
In terms of the stylus, I've had a number of Samsung Note Android devices in the past (phones and tablets) and really miss the S-Pen, so something with similar performance would be ideal. That said, I'm aware there don't seem to be many Windows tablets out there with Wacom pens, N-Trig being more common. My initial reaction is that N-Trig isn't on a par with Wacom but, having tried the Surface Pro in a few shops, that seemed to be ok.
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Obviously, elephant in the room, there are a number of rumours about an impending Surface LTE announcement, so any decision won't be made once that's confirmed. But, in the mean time, I'd like to see what other options there are.
Not to mention, some of the Surface LTE rumours seem to suggest limited spec options will be available.
Having had a look around already, I'm aware that Dell have the Latitude 7285, configurable all the way up to i7/16GB/1TB which comes with an LTE modem as well as an optional stylus/pen. It's a bit pricey but depending what happens with the Surface LTE, it could be the best option to get LTE and a better all-round spec.
My concern though is battery life, I haven't been able to find any info on real-world performance. However, on the flip side, Dell apparently use Wacom for their pens so that's a big plus.
There's also the HP Elite x2, which appears to come in at i7/16GB/512GB with the option of a pen. More reasonably priced than the Dell but it's a little unclear if it's an LTE model.
The battery life seems ok, not as great as reviews of the Surface but not as bad as some tablets I've seen either. I don't know what type of pen system HP use though.
Beyond that though, I struggled to find many options that ticked all the boxes (at least from the major OEMs), so that's why I'm coming to you guys for help
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So, yeah, that's where I'm at just now and would greatly appreciate any advice or recommendations.
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Yeah, I've tried that but the combination of the impact on battery life on my phone and the relative inexpense of getting a data SIM are such that I'd rather have a device with integrated LTE.
As I said, I'm not going to rush a decision before the Surface announcement, which may make the decision for me.
But I feel like there's something out there that will do what I need, I just need to find it.
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@KLF - thank you for the links - it never occurred to me to check the likes of PC World, I'd just been looking at the manufacturers own sites *facepalm*
The HP is definitely an option, one to keep in the mix.
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It's a shame because the HP is the one that 'grabs me' the least. Isn't that always the way...
As I said to KLF though, it's definitely a contender.
As for the Dell, I hadn't clocked it was a Y CPU.
It's not ideal but having done a bit of looking and coming across a review of the XPS 13 2-in-1 with the same CPU it's performance isn't as bad as I first assumed - matching a number of i5-6X00u machines across a number of benchmarks and even giving some higher-spec machines a run for their money in some situations. It also seems to benefit battery life too.
So, yeah, that's definitely something I need to give more consideration.
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The form factor alone makes it a no for me.
I'll use a keyboard sometimes but not enough to want to carry one round all the time. Plus, with that style of laptop, I can't help but think that it can't do the keyboard any good when it's being use as a tablet etc, leaves it open to wear and abuse.
I appreciate the suggestion though, thank you.
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I hadn't realised that Wacom had two different types pens, thanks.
As I said before, the N-Trig on the Surface Pro seemed fine when I tried it and after a bit of light reading, it seems Wacom's AES pens are designed to match that. Also, what I'd seen suggested that N-Trig/AES has benefits in terms of the size and weight of the tablet and battery life, as well as better accuracy in certain situations.
The key thing I'm after is not to have too much lag. I'd see one device in a store a wee while back (think it might've been an Asus but i cant remember 100%) and it felt like the cursor was about half a second behind the pen. That would be an immediate deal breaker.
So if Wacom AES or N-Trig ticks that box, then I'm happy to consider it - even if it means not being able to slot the pen inside the tablet
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So, I did a bit more reading around and found this review of the Dell and one of the HP 1012 from the same site.
On the whole, despite the low-power CPU in the Dell, a lot of the performance seem pretty similar - including, disappointingly, the battery life. I would've hoped that the Dell would've performed better in that respect.
On the whole, I find myself leaning to the Dell slightly more than the HP but there's not much in it. I think, rightly or wrongly, that the Dell will have better build quality but I also sorta suspect that's just prejudice instead of fact.
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It does feel like the Surface Pro is a step up from either of them but my worry is the rumoured specs of the LTE model supposedly top out at 256GB of storage.
The same rumours state that the LTE model will be i5-only, as the LTE modem and antennae use the space that the fan assembly in the i7 Surface Pros, which I can understand and don't mind. But even if they're only offering i5 LTE models, it seems unfair (not to mention kinda stupid) to limit it to 256GB of storage like the non-LTE i5 models.
It's a shame, if the new Surface Book came with LTE connectivity, that'd be my decision made for me - I'd just need to work out which kidney to sell instead
LTE Windows tablet with stylus
Discussion in 'Smartphones and Tablets' started by Step666, Oct 13, 2017.
