Asking Too Much For A Small Tablet?

Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

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I've been looking recently for a new tablet, currently got an iPad Mini but it doesn't fit the bill any more. I hate the lack of true multitasking and flash.

I'm quite fussy when it comes to technology but I can't find anything that fits the bill for what I want, so maybe you guys could suggest some alternatives and where I'd be compromising?

Ideally I'd like:
8" Screen
Windows 8 / 8.1 Pro (Not RT)
1080p Screen
32GB+ Storage
Preferably i3 Processor rather than Atom (Not essential)

Too much to ask? Budget isn't a massive issue but I'd like to keep to around the £400 mark.
 
I think you will be looking at a surface for that spec but I don't know if you will get it in your budget. I am not even sure that they do a 8" with i3 CPUs the smallest I have seen is 11" notebooks. I have a Lenovo Miix 2 8 Tablet and Quad core Atom, 32Gb+ at least another 64Gb via Micro SDHC. it comes with full windows 8.1 and you can pick them up for about £150 with cashback.

I think you are going to have to bump your budget and lower your expectations. For instance the MS Surface Pro 2 meets all your requirements apart from its 10.1" An i5 and its a fair bit more than £400.

Hope that helps. .:)
 
AFAIK your only choices there really are the Toshiba Encore 8 pro, doesn't have the screen res though but 1280x800 is fairly useable (does have 1 issue in that it will sometime hard lock during charging requiring long press of windows button + power button to restart) or otherwise one of the Dell Venue models though you'd have to go to 10" really. (If you can live with the larger size then there are a few Dell models that would fit the bill).

The Atom CPU is pretty powerful for what it is - for 1-2 threaded stuff its similar speed to the old E6400 desktop CPU and for stuff that uses all 4 threads its a little over half the performance of a Q6600, the GPU is more of a let down as its similar to that of the xbox360/PS3 performance wise (somewhere around mid-range 2007 PC stuff) though a little bit slower but does have DX11 support. (Handles HD video no problem).

Have to say there is no way I'd go back to an android tablet personally now - having the ability to do proper desktop stuff is just too useful.
 
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Picked up a Refurbished Dell 11 pro quad 5130, works great 1080p screen. All for just over £200. Have added a 64gb mSD card and recently picked up the battery keyboard.

Plenty of speed for surfing the web and watching full HD films.
 
They will do much more than that - they are basically as capable as a mid-range 2007 PC but with the ability to handle DX11, etc.
 
I was looking at the surfaces I don't mind spending a little more on those as I know they are bigger, but I wasn't sure how well they'd work as portable. Are they not quite big and bulky? Maybe I underestimated the Atoms, only thing I don't really want to compromise on is the screen resolution, I wouldn't mind going upto 10" if I can get the rest of it.
 
surface pro 1 or 2 and also try dell venue 11 pro i3 version, you can get them refurbished VERY CHEAP on a special auction site.

If you look on the dell uk website on their outlet section, dell venue pro 11 i3 version pop up regurarly for about the £300 mark with 1 year warranty, normally these are customer returns and in good condition.

Well within your budget if you buy refurbished and if you are willing to import there is large supply of these in america.
 
2Thumbs said:
Lenovo Thinkpad 8.

Poor battery life, but it fits all your criteria. :)
Click to expand...

Shame about the battery life which seems going on a few sites to be half of that of the Toshiba Encore 8 I'm using - would be a deal breaker for me despite the pretty decent specs on it.

Can't wait for the next generation of Windows tablets - I hadn't even planned to get one and was using a high end android tablet and was given this one for a project and got to keep it afterwards and I've not even touched my android tablet since :S
 
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