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What is the best tablet for £400?
gazzaboy
02-10-2011
ok then. Ipad2 or Sony tablet. Or what ? Looking to buy a tablet and i have read a lot of reviews and all seem to say ipad2 is the best but anyone on here have anything else to say?
Gormond
02-10-2011
I would second the iPad due to its solid build quality (Aluminium and Glass) and easy to use OS with loads of good apps and games.

I got mine on launch day and still use it every day while my laptop gathers dust.
dazpot
02-10-2011
I bought a samsung galaxy 10.1 2 weeks ago and it's totally amazing I can't put it down best £400 I've spent in a while love love it.

Daz
c4rv
02-10-2011
I haven't played with the galaxy yet but the transformer + keyboard is going to take some beating
gazzaboy
02-10-2011
mixed reviews there then. Think it all comes down to preference by the sound of it. I actualy fancy the Asus transformer. Its is the one to beat i think.
Matt D
02-10-2011
If you already have an iPhone or an Android phone, that may help sway you one way or the other due to already having apps for one or the other.

The best thing is to go to somewhere which has them on display and try them for yourself...
gazzaboy
02-10-2011
mixed reviews there then. Think it all comes down to preference by the sound of it. I actualy fancy the Asus transformer. Its is the one to beat i think.
gazzaboy
02-10-2011
Originally Posted by Matt D:
“If you already have an iPhone or an Android phone, that may help sway you one way or the other due to already having apps for one or the other.

The best thing is to go to somewhere which has them on display and try them for yourself...”

yeah only have a Nokia x6 at the moment so dosent help.
Matt D
03-10-2011
Go to a Currys or somewhere similar then and have a play
Gormond
03-10-2011
Originally Posted by c4rv:
“I haven't played with the galaxy yet but the transformer + keyboard is going to take some beating”

I dont see the point in it, may as well get a laptop imo.
Oldhippy
03-10-2011
It all depends on what and how you are going to use it. The Samsing is a fantastic looking device the screen is in fact sharper than tha Apple iPad but is too saturated if for instanct you are a keen photographer.

Nearly all of the other tablets are made from plastic where as the iPad is aluminium.
The Asus is handy as it is a tablet and a net book. If you are going to send lengthy emails etc then the keyboard is handy and it adds another 8 hours or so to use.

Personally I only plan to do short emails etc so I am more than happy with the iPad and for the first time today will be used with clients.

I really wanted the Samsung 10.1 until I compared the two devices. Apps are also in greater numbers for the Ipad, but make sure 16GB storage is going to be enough for you.

Adding storage is not really an option so spending and extra £75 may be a good idea for the 32GB version.
c4rv
03-10-2011
Originally Posted by Gormond:
“I dont see the point in it, may as well get a laptop imo.”

Keyboard (with android keys) is only part of the function.
- Extra battery life, up to 15 hours between charges
- Full size USB and SD card slots
- Acts as a stand allowing you to watch media on the tablet while its on a desk.
JulesandSand
03-10-2011
I have a Transformer, OH has on of the new Sony S tablets.

They're both great. I don't have the keyboard dock for the Transformer (they weren't available when I bought mine and at £100 I won't be buying one).

I got a £12.99 case from an eBay shop that doubles as a stand.

I used mine on a long-haul flight to watch movies - brilliant.
John Malkovich
03-10-2011
I bought a new iPad only 3 days ago from Currys. I took it out the box (which was factory sealed) and found a large black scratch on the back.

I took it back, swapped it for a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and I couldn't be happier.

The Galaxy has a few things the iPad doesn't:

Polaris Office installed (includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
A better camera
Flash
The option to buy an adapter to use SD cards
Double the amount of RAM
Widgets
Stereo sound
It's also much lighter.
Matt D
04-10-2011
Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“The Galaxy has a few things the iPad doesn't:

Polaris Office installed (includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint)”

True. You can buy Office type apps for the iPad (the iWork suite), but they (obviously) cost money (6 quid each I think), and don't come with it...

Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“A better camera”

True. Personally, I don't see the point in having a camera on a tablet, though.

Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“Flash”

True. Personally, I have no need of Flash though. I have apps for iPlayer, 4oD, ITV Player, and YouTube; I can stream live Freeview TV using an app (FilmON TV) or a website (TVCatchUp.com); I can watch news videos with the BBC, C4 and Sky News apps; etc. etc. I don't want to see Flash adverts, despise Flash websites, and don't play browser games. Still, different people, different uses, so fair enough.

Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“The option to buy an adapter to use SD cards”

True... although you can also buy an adaptor for the iPad, too...Which I seem to remember was often used as a negative point by some people here, e.g. "Why doesn't it have an SD slot built-in!" etc.

Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“Double the amount of RAM”

True.

The iPad 2 doesn't seem to suffer though from having 512MB instead of 1GB. Plus it does have a superior GPU (PowerVR SGX543 instead of a GeForce ULP) to the Tab 10.1 and other Tegra 2 based Android tablets, so perhaps it balances out...

Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“Widgets”

True. Definitely something iOS needs! iOS5 will at least add vastly improved notifications, but proper widgets would be great...

Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“Stereo sound”

True. The iPad's speaker isn't great, but I always use earphones anyway (which do give stereo sound).

Originally Posted by John Malkovich:
“It's also much lighter.”

True. Only 35-45g, though, so not a great deal in it. Not the same as e.g. a Tab or iPad versus something like a Dell Inspiron Duo (which someone once told me was "only a little heavier"... at 1.5kg rather than 600g lol).
alanwarwic
04-10-2011
£400 buys you both a HD fusion netbook + an Archos 80 G9.
The Archos no doubt has lots of things the others don't.

I'm not 100% sure which ones are revolutionary enough to have front facing stereo speakers.
Staunchy
04-10-2011
GrrrRRrrr there's too much choice now, I was looking at the Archos G9 80 but the Xoom has taken such a price drop for a 32GB device and of course there's the Transformer... I'm going to wait a few weeks and see what happens, hopefully there will be a price war before Christmas*.


* Sorry for mentioning the C word at the beginning of October.
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