A good tablet for university

8BaLL

8BaLL

8BaLL

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So I start uni in September in web design technologies I have a asus transformer prime TF201 at home I was thinking that it can be a strictly study tablet for reading books and most of the learning is online and maybe even some apps ie: student planners notes and mind maps html resources but I am thinking to get myself a iPad mini to replace my TF201 as it is more convenient than lumping around a big 10 inch tablet and other books and folders all day, what is your insight what would you do and why ? Thanks.
 
Except apple don't use flash, I have problems on the cisco netacad with my ipad as it doesn't run flash!

Windows tab is a good idea me thinks but they can be expensive for what you get
 
RoBoT said:
Except apple don't use flash, I have problems on the cisco netacad with my ipad as it doesn't run flash!

Windows tab is a good idea me thinks but they can be expensive for what you get
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x86 tablets are expensive, if Android is OK for your needs the Shield Tablet is pretty much unbeatable for the price. :)
 
You could look at an 8" Windows tablet, Dell 8" or Toshiba 8" (Windows 8.1) Can be had for under £200 and should come with office.
 
if its for university then it has to be the dell venue 8 pro, you can pick them up refurbished on dell website for under £180 or even import it from US from the bay for about £130 for the £32GB one. Its a great little tablet, and highly advisable to get a pen at least and the keyboard is good but I dont understand why dell did not include a trackpad or at least a trackstick and it makes having to carry a mouse around and it beomes bothersome. You get full windows environment and flexibility it allows, also you can buy adapters that allow to mirror cast it onto your monitor if it has USB port. You could get through a computer science degree with this, although not ideal

But very good for taking note and make sure you buy at leat the A02 revision pen.

If you want ONLY and I mean only for PDF reading then I find the ipad form factor slightly better.
 
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Si105 said:
This. Great little tool for Uni, having the full Windows even allows me to work in Visual Studio on breaks. Not heavy at all to carry the surface + keyboard attachment.
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OP whats a small portable tablet and not 10", the venue 8 pro is much more portable and lighter than surface pro, but I agree that if you choose to go 10"+ then surface pro is very good and can be found very cheap if you search about.
 
Get another transformer. I have a t100 and absolutely love it. Running the full Windows 8.1 but still only 10" and 10 hours battery life.
 
AMDPower said:
OP whats a small portable tablet and not 10", the venue 8 pro is much more portable and lighter than surface pro, but I agree that if you choose to go 10"+ then surface pro is very good and can be found very cheap if you search about.
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Granted yeah, but in my experience in the same situation, it wasn't too heavy to carry my Surface Pro compared to the few times I borrowed my friends iPad mini to take to uni and I think he would enjoy the extra screen space, comes in handy if you cant get a PC in the library, fancy doing some work on a break etc :)

I do admit the Dell Venue 8's are very nice machines though and if you don't want to put the extra £200+ down on the Surface, that's what I'd get.
 
Lenovo Miix 2 8. 8" IPS Screen, Quad core Atom with 2Gb memory 32Gb Storage (With MicroSD that can take MicroSDHC I have a fast 64Gb Card in mine) and FULL Windows 8.1 32Bit With Office 2013 and you can get them for £200 now with £50 cash back at Very http://www.very.co.uk/lenovo-miix-8...blet--silver/1345182073.prd?_requestid=587378

I have one (Paid £269 for it) and although the support isn't great the product is. The screen is crisp and clear, its nice and nippy (Except when doing updates) and is great to have a pretty much fully functioning pc with you all the time.

There are some great Windows 8.1 learning apps as well as other stuff available from the store. I highly recommend getting Hyper for Youtube and Chrome as I hate IE12 on tablets.
 
I am still uncertain whether to keep my transformer prime it is one of the very few that never had any issues and it has the KB dock which gives me like 15 hours battery in total and Android does have some good web developer apps.
 
The Toshiba Encore 8 (and the similar 8" proper Windows tablets) isn't too bad though some caveats:

-Go for the 64GB one as the 32 just doesn't have enough space and the SD card slot is too slow for anything beyond light document use and music.

-Find out how to do a hard reboot (pretty much a problem with all Windows 8 tablets) as periodically it will hard lock usually during charging - with the toshiba its 20 seconds holding down windows button + power button.

-Uninstall Norton or McAfee right away as it will slow the tablet to a crawl.

Can be found for around about £200 and most of them come with a full version of Office 2013 which is pretty useful.

I'd also say don't discount the Dell Venue tablets even the 10" ones.


I can't see myself going for an Android tablet again tbh - having full windows is far too useful - its a little sickening in a way as I have a fully specced Xperia Z tablet and hardly use it now since being given an 8" Windows tablet for something I was working on.

EDIT: These things basically are comparable to a 2007 mid-range PC so get a USB OTG cable, USB hub to hook up keyboard and mouse and a micro HDMI to HDMI cable and you basically have a full desktop environment that can even handle all but the more demanding 3D games.
 
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ZXSpectrum said:
Lenovo Miix 2 8. 8" IPS Screen, Quad core Atom with 2Gb memory 32Gb Storage (With MicroSD that can take MicroSDHC I have a fast 64Gb Card in mine) and FULL Windows 8.1 32Bit With Office 2013 and you can get them for £200 now with £50 cash back at Very http://www.very.co.uk/lenovo-miix-8...blet--silver/1345182073.prd?_requestid=587378

I have one (Paid £269 for it) and although the support isn't great the product is. The screen is crisp and clear, its nice and nippy (Except when doing updates) and is great to have a pretty much fully functioning pc with you all the time.

There are some great Windows 8.1 learning apps as well as other stuff available from the store. I highly recommend getting Hyper for Youtube and Chrome as I hate IE12 on tablets.
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Offer is valid from the 24th June 2014 until 31st July 2014, for full terms and conditions visit
 
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