Need Recommendations on a new Tablet...
 

I am in need of a new tablet for the occasional field work I do for my employer. I say new because I have had a bad string of luck with refurbished desktops/notebooks in the past.

This doesn’t need to be the Ferrari of tablets....I basically just need to be able run OneNote and use a stylus on it...anything else is just extra. I also would like something smaller than a sheet a paper (less than an 8.5x11 screen).

So for all you tech heads out there...what are some economical options.

**** the Patriots.

Xoxo,
Tomahawk

Nothing made by Amazon.

Is that who makes the Kindle? Because yeah, they suck. My wife has gone through like 4 of the ****ing things.

I really like my surface pro, but if all you're doing is One Note, that is outside of what you'd want to spend I guess. It's essentially a sheet of paper.

Yep. Have to use a workaround to even get the Google Play Store since it's basically an Android tablet installed with enormous amounts of bloatware.

Are you gay?

Lenovo Tab 4.

Anyone familiar with those? I’ve never heard of them but they have good reviews and come loaded with Microsoft Office apparently.

We get issued surface pros at work they seem rock solid but I think they are pricey. Also what are the condition in the field? If its just walking from car to conference or meeting an IPad would work. We use in environmental conditions Panasonic ruggedized toughbooks that can handle snow cold dust and rain. They are built to US military specs and handle drops with ease. I believe I read Apple is going to offer a ruggedized Ipad soon.

Dell XPS 13.

I bought a UAG case for mine, and odds are I'm in worse conditions than he is.

Complaints from a google search are it runs an old version of android, poor camera quality, and no dual band wifi.

You might want to check out the Surface Go from Microsoft. Lot cheaper than a surface pro. The "Go" is a brand new to the lineup. I've been using a Surface Pro for 2 years and love it.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/su...%3aoverviewtab

I’m in the architectural field. So I can be anywhere from a black tie conference room to outside in the elements getting covered with fly ash.

Just looking for something that I can take notes on or sketch on that immediately goes to the cloud and loaded to our local server for others at my office to view. Hence the the OneNote and Stylus.

Sounds like the Lenovo Tab 4 should do the job for you, then. Comes with what you need and is cost efficient.

I currently have a Lenovo laptop and it's a POS. Wasn't cheap either. I'll never buy anything with that brand name on it again.

Anybody have a a Samsung Galaxy...? That is one I’m running across frequently in my search results as well.

This is what I have narrowed down to. Might look into the Surface Go as well. I as well am just looking for something that I can write on with a good active stylus.

Considering a 2-1 as well.

It’d also be nice if the stylus was built into the unit...

Yes, I just got a galaxy book 2 with the Snapdragon 850 processor. It’s badass. Not a full laptop replacement, but great for what it is. I wanted something that I could use on trips and airplanes without worrying about battery power, hotspots and VPN for email.

The battery lasts for days even with some solid use and is instant-on, no boot up or sleep unless you specifically put it to sleep. I upgraded from Windows 10 S to 10 Pro so it’s a full featured computer that is slightly larger than an iPad. There is a cellular modem for constant connection.

The only downside for me right now is my IT Dept is having trouble installing Cisco VPN software properly. Something is awry because their software is not native for the Snapdragon architecture. That is a big deal right now, but I’m hopeful it gets fixed eventually.

In 5 years most laptops will be like this one.

I was looking at surface go too but the reviews made the processor sound almost unusable for anything beyond email and web browsing a few tabs open. I also wanted the keyboard to be somewhat useable and found the surface go to be just a bit too small.

I’m normally a Samsung fanboy but their tablets have failed me miserably.

I, too, am looking for something to surf with only. I have the house pc for anything I might need made.

Surface Pro - love mine

Dude, get a Surface. They are all good. Get the Surface GO if you're just browsing the Internet. Get the Pro if you're doing more than that.

How does google drive effectively work on the go, if at all? Our district uses it so I really would need that to work smoothly.

The Surfaces are $$$$$ and honestly more than I need.

The Samsung Tab A has my interest at the moment and has a built in stylus.

This isn’t meant to be my main machine...it’s just meant to allow me more flexibility and coordination in the field.

Do any of the iPads have a built in stylus? I know those are $$$$ tho

Your an architect your supposed to have a pencil pocket pouch for gods sake:D

Might be able to go to Best Buy Geek Squad ask for associate Tyler Bray.:Poke:

I would think that as long as you have a connection to the internet through wifi or LTE, access to google drive shouldn't be an issue. I use google drive on my surface every day and it works flawlessly.

The ONLY downsides I've seen with my surface are:
1. app availability in the Microsoft store. If you're into apps/gaming on your tablet an android or ios based tablet might be better for you.
2. Netflix and Amazon prime block downloading movies to a microsoft based system whether its a surface or any other brand microsoft based tablet or laptop. I find this very weird.

Despite those issues, at $399, (or $600 once you add a keyboard and stylus) I may go look at the surface GO as a personal tablet for myself.

I've not used one but when I was shopping for a new phone, I tried it several times and was seriously impressed.

Screen quality, size and speed was excellent.

It's just an app you load. Works great.

Also, tell your district to not be so lax with security.

Wife's district uses it too. What's the exposure?

The Surface Pro is a little quirky at first, but overall I like it. I really like its portability, although I'm not sure how tough it is. I dropped one on its corner and it totally shattered.

You might be surprised how much you actually use it once you have it. Maybe you want to get into an older model of Surface and see how it goes. If you indeed don't use anything but One note, it should work fine. If you like the increased functionality, roll it until you need to upgrade.

A 3 is less than 500 on amazon. Link

I had a Galaxy note 8 and wasn't thrilled with the stylus, but that was 5 years ago.

I pad pros come with a stylus but that is big dollars.

This is the case I bought for mine. Mines a 4 not a 3, but it's essentially the same case. Link

Yeah the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A doe NOT come with an integrated stylus. That was discontinued a couple years ago...

Kind of back to square one. Shooting for under $200. My wife has a surface for what its worth so I am familiar with it...but frankly, I would not utilize the "other" aspects of it to justify the cost. They are very nice...but I am essentially looking for an electronic sheet of paper to replace my stack of notebooks on my desk that are job specific.

This thread has been great tho...keep rolling.

If you're looking for under $200, only option I know of with a stylus is the one I bought 5 years ago.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Link

I have no idea how it would work with apps today. My charge port quit this spring and the wife was using it for netflix, but I'd GUESS it would run One Note.

Yeah....THAT is pretty much what I am looking for and that is what the Samsung Tab A [<2016] was. I just wish someone made a 2019 version of something similar for the application reasons you stated...

I can't vouch for how they work, but THIS is an option. You could buy a newer one and this thing. In my mind it should work, it is just applying conductivity.

I think Samsung was getting blasted because their styluses were a pain in the dick to use so they quit them. I could be wrong on all that. It's been awhile since I've paid attention to any of that.

I guess for a little less money, you could buy a replacement stylus for those old tablets and see if they'd work on a newer one. Again, I think it is just applying conductivity, but I don't know that for sure. Link

iPad with stylus. Don’t look back.

Cheaper than most people think too. New is less than $275 right now I believe. They run all Office apps.

But if you are against Apple, I'd recommend Windows or Samsung.

What's the threat? Is it gmail or drive itself?

I personally find it really convenient to work with and share stuff with kids and co-workers. Sheets is not as a good at docs for sure but I really don't need it to be for school. I really like google forms.

For which Ipad?

My unique issue with Ipad is wanting to mirror my entire display onto my smartboard. With the 4:3 ratio it just isn't big enough to be seen by the entire class so I kind of need a tablet with 16:9 or 16:10 ratio.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...n3450_4gb.html

Check out this Chromebook

What, no love for this tablet?

https://www.shop.americantrademarkpu...%20scan(2).jpg

Still haven’t found anything (less than $200)...

Anyone with an iPad mini 4?

This really isn’t under my $200 budget....but I just may have to carry a stylus around too.

Just make sure to get a version that is updatable. I bought a cheapy reman ipad mini for my daughter and it was old enough it wouldn't update IOS and several apps wouldn't load because IOS was not up to date.

What is the difference between the Microsoft Surface Pro and Microsoft Surface Go?

Cuneiform tablets are the most collectible.

Kinda narrowed down to a mini 4 or surface go....

Colleague just got the new iPad Pro. He is going to show me it tomorrow. That’ll probably send me over the edge...

Go is smaller and cheaper. Basically laptop vs chromebook.

I have a Surface Pro 4 and an iPad Pro. As a tablet, I much prefer the iPad.

I'd like the Surface Pro a lot more if it didn't run Windows but if you want that kind of thing, the Surface Pro runs full blown Windows 10, it's a laptop in a tablet's body.

So the conclusion....for now.


One of our project managers “retired” a month or so ago. All our project managers use surface pros for the most part. Well I was talking to our IT person about my interest in having a tablet of sorts for the field. He paused and then went over to a pile of electronic parts sitting on a table and pulled out the retired PM’s surface and said “just use this, it’s just collecting dust.”

I purchased a stylus...but expensed it.

It’s shows some wear from the previous user, but free is free!

Hoping this does the trick.

Oh and my colleagues IPad Pro is damn nice too!

They make gorilla glass screen protectors. Probably be a good investment.

And get a case. I linked one earlier in the thread.

This is what I have.

With one of those big fat pencils.

Excellent conclusion to the dilemma.
Definitely get a case for it, because if the glass cracks on that bad boy, you are screwed.