I can't decide (Tablet for school and my I.T work)

[Brendon801]

Hello, I am having troubles deciding a tablet.

General Questions.

1. What is your budget?

1000$ or under

2. Would you consider purchasing used/refurbished?

No sorry .

3. Do you prefer a Slate, Convertible or Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC)?
I don't have any preferences for this slot.

4. What size Tablet PC would you prefer?
Inbetweem 8.9 and 12.1 inch (More flexible if needs be)
Small and light ~ 5" to 8.9"
Compact ~ 10"
Mainstream ~ 12.1"
Large ~ 13.3"


5. Which country do you intent to purchase from?

US or AUS ( I live in Australia)

6. Do you have any preferences to brand loyalty or dislikes?

Nope

7. How many hours battery life do you require?

7+ hours as it is for school.

8. What will be the primary usage scenario of this tablet? (Email/Web Surfing/Drawing/Word Processing/Entertainment/Notetaking etc)

As it is for school, note taking and word processing, also I do programming so It needs to be compatible with a lot of windows software (Idc about w7 tablets you always can install w8 later). I would like it with a bit of power still.

9. Do you have an OS preference?

Probably w7-changed to 8
for my I.T work

10. What software and tasks do you intend to run? (Microsoft Office or other Word Processing Suite/Photoshop/3D Studio Max/Autocad etc)

Office, photoshop, Messengers (Steam and xfire) and few others mostly windows based.

10. Do you intend on playing Games? If so please list.

I would like to but most of the tablets in my price range don't handle.



Screen Specifics

1. What resolution do you prefer?

Resolution doesn't bother me.

2. Do you require the screen to be readable in sunlight?

Yes and no, yes if possible, no if it's not.

3. Do you prefer your display to be glossy or matte?

Glossy seems to be too shiny probably Matte would be better.

4. Do you require Touch? (without pressure sensitivity) (Which one: resistive or capacitive)

Capactivite if that's like multi touch and sensitive.

5. Do you require a Pen? (with pressure sensitivity) (Which one: Wacom or N-Trig)
I don't need one, but if it comes with one or w/e.

Component Specifics

1. What size Hard Drive and Memory do you require?

I like a 32 + GB solid state drive size, as a HDD may damage easier (Previous experiences)
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2. Do you require an Optical (CD/DVD) Drive to be built in?

I don't need one, I have a laptop I can use for that.
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3. Do you require ability to add a second Battery or Hard Drive (Modular Bay technology)?

Nope
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Misc
1. Other non specific items ~ please add other items you require not covered above?

A USB SLOT
HDMI or Mini HDMI
3.5 jack

2. Additional requests ~ anything other you wish to take into consideration?

None come to my mind at the moment.


Thank you very much,


Regards Brendon.

[pmatulew]

We're missing what it is exactly that you intend to accomplish with this device.

Handwriting notes?
Word processing (typing on a keyboard)?
Editing/Artistic (marking up documents or photos)?
Reading?
Mobility requirements?

[Brendon801]

For notes I would most likely use an onboard keyboard, but with wordprocessing I'd use a external keyboard, e.g the USB slot.

I do a fair bit of work in photoshop and a bit of video editing.

Reading, um I guess I would need to read since I will be doing script. so it will be a bit of reading.

Mobility, good battery 7+ hours and thickness and bulk doesn't matter atm.

[ZaZ]

Nothing about that says tablet to me.

[Brendon801]

Needs to be portable?
Needs a big battery?
Needs a touch screen?

Isn't that a tablets strong points and I have included that into my specs.

[Steve B]

If the value of a touch is important enough to you that you would like to combine it with a machine that also has a keyboard, then there are options. You might want to look at the Asus Transformer, an Android tablet. It combines a keyboard with a detachable slate-screen that is touch capable. It also gets very good battery life.

I think the confusion in this thread is because most tablets are all about using the pen for input (art or taking notes) or they're all about being lightweight and using capacitive touch (and therefore they don't have a keyboard). You seem to want a keyboard and don't want to use a pen particularly. As such, its hard to see why a laptop wouldn't fit your needs. Many laptops are very lightweight and have good battery life.

The Transformer is supposed to be very good. But it only runs Android. If you are looking for something more powerful though, that runs Windows 7, has a keyboard, is touch capable, and gets good battery life, you won't be able to get it new in your price range. Things like the Lenovo x220t runs $1200 - $1500 new. There are lots of options though if you got them used on eBay- the Lenovo x200t and x201t if labeled Multi-touch, and the HP 2740 come to mind.

[Brendon801]

Ohh let's ease it up then,

A Windows 7 tablet with a USB port and is the right price what types are there.

I have researched like 200 tablets, I know a lot about the android ones, i'm just wondering what you guys recon a good w7 one is for under 1k

[Steve B]

Are you now ok with it being used? Do you want it to have pen input? Or do you still want it to be touch enabled? You still want the keyboard though? Just trying to figure out what you're looking for. Your post was a bit vague.

For under 1000$, if you shop on ebay, you can get an x200t, x201t, hp2740p, and even refurbished t900's or an occassional t901 or 2760p.

When you say tablet, do you mean a convertible tablet pc? I ask, because you mentioned the desire for a keyboard. Do you want the keyboard attached to the screen? Or do you simply want a keyboard, like a bluetooth one, if it came with a slate?

[pmatulew]

Can you tell that we're confused?

In your original post the physical attributes you're requesting are those of an 10" Ipad type slate device, but the usage scenario you're suggesting is all Windows based laptop. So what advantage are you hoping to gain from a "tablet"?

In another post elsewhere you stated that "w7 is a pain to use on a tablet". So I'm assuming you've had some hands on experience. But you're ambivalent about using a stylus and want to be able to use your fingers. I would be very suprised to find that Win8 will make a significant difference to that experience and MS Office will most certainly be the same underneath the new skin. So, without a stylus or a keyboard you haven't gained anything.

There are a couple smallish windows slates available, (HP Slate500, Fujitsu Q550), but they have netbook internals and will struggle with your software requirements. A Motion CL900 might do, maybe.

(A web page I came across with a nice search function)--> Best Tablet Computers. Compare Tablet Computer reviews & ratings.

If you're willing to add another paycheck to your budget we'll talk you into a no compromises convertible that will run rings around all of them and keep you in good stead for several years to come.

[Brendon801]

Okay,

I need something with a capacitive touch screen, resolutions don't matter to me, it needs windows 7, I don't mind about if it has a keyboard or not, or if it can use a pen or not.

I would rather use a keyboard via bluetooth or usb, also a pen would be handy.

I would like a decent battery life and I need something that isn't too heavy so it's still portable.

I need it to run all my windows basic software programs, nothing too intense.
For 1000$ or under, because if I wanted to pay more i'd go Alienware.
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