I am looking into getting a Tablet PC

My laptop is starting to fail. I am currently having to back up everything on it to an ExtHD because of some kind of HDD issues I'm having. Don't know how this is going to go in the end, but the error messages pretty much say that it needs to be replaced.
Luckily I have a pretty much functional desktop that I have recently finished building, so when it inevitably gives it all up, I will still have a means of doing computer related things. Just need to get an OS on there and I am golden. But this is all needless backstory.



I will miss the portability of my laptop when I move to using a desktop again, so I have decided that I will fill that void with a tablet. Any recommendations on what a good tablet is these days? I have never been in the market for one so I don't even know where to begin when it comes to getting a decent one.

Thanks, EoFF. :love:

What do you plan on using your tablet for that you cannot use your PC for? I just got a Kindle, but I kindof wish I had gone with a Samsung tablet now. They can both more or less do much of what I need to do, but Samsung offers much more customization and the like. Samsungs also cost as much as probably a mid-scale laptop would, so I'm not terribly fussed about it.

I ordered a keyboard for my kindle so it is pretty much an extension of a laptop now with things I can do on the go. The only thing that I am disappointed in s that there is no USB port so I can't hook up an external drive to it, but so far, it's a neat little device and I'm enjoying it a lot.

The same question as I always ask when people ask what to buy:

What do you want to actually use it for or do on it? Any tablet will be portable.

I like having my laptop because I can move around the house and still do things. I can lie in bed and watch TV shows and all that rubbish. With a desktop I cannot do that.

So basically the portability is what I want most. xD I could probably get a low end one which would be fine! I still am pretty clueless about tablets in general, so I wouldn't even know where to start looking. .__.'

What will you use it for specifically? Internet? Email? Gaming? Office work? Programming? Graphic design? Networking with other computers in your house? Do you have programs you need to run on it that only work in Windows? (Or iOS? Or Linux?)

If all you want is something to consume video/music content and use the internet, you can probably get almost anything. If your needs are greater, your options are more limited.

Internet, e-mail, probably will get some games on it and some kind of Word-type program so I can write stuff on the go - would probably be all I'd use it for.

I recognise I will probably be able to get just about any old tablet, but I'd still want to get a decent one. :3

I hear the MS Surface Pro 2 is really good, if you want a tablet that is also a *real* PC. You can run any application or game on that that a normal windows PC runs (it uses an Intel i5 processor). Assuming it doesn't require too much processing power, of course. Attach a keyboard and it is basically a really slim laptop. Detach it and it is a slightly chubby tablet.

The only downside is that it costs a lot more than non-PC tablets do.

If you don't care much about the actual tablet features as opposed to a laptop then go with a laptop. I got this HP for $350 at best buy HP - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Pavilion Sleekbook 15.6" Laptop - 4GB Memory - 500GB Hard Drive - Sparkling Black - GCRF-15-b142dx

Seems to work very well for what I use it for, TV, Music, the web and I can game on it if I wanted to. I know it runs Guild Wars 2 decently. The only drawback I've found is it does not have a disk drive. has a HDMI port so easy to hook into a TV or whatever and works very well with the little logitech laptop mice you can get for like $20 at bestbuy.

To clear my previous post up a bit:

Most tablets are ARM-based and technically just large smartphones without phone capability. They'll usually run most regular phone-apps that don't require cell network access to work, or that have some other quirky requirements, as well as apps that are designed to work optimally on actual tablets. The difference between a phone and these tablets is sort of like a desktop PC and a laptop PC.

If you get this type of tablet, you will not be able to use most applications that you have access to on an Intel-based PC or laptop. You will most likely find similar applications that have the same functions, although they'll look and feel different. Some PC applications might have been ported to work on them as well. Most games, even old ones, will not work unless you manage to find a DOS emulator. Those that do work will be ports of the PC version, which requires effort by developers so it's not done very often. But of course, there is quite a few games available natively for phones and tablets these days.

The Surface Pro is different because it is a real "PC laptop" in a tablet-sized box, with a touch screen, and therefore has all the same software compatibilities as regular PCs have. However, it also costs 2-3 times more than a decent ARM tablet. Beware though, MS also has a similarly named "Surface" which doesn't have the "pro" part in the name. This is their version of the ARM-based tablets. However, these are using neither iOS or Android, so you can't use the apps that are available for iOS and Android on them. You need to use the Windows-tablet versions of them, if such versions exist. You'll find quite a bit of apps for these tablets too, but they won't be the same that "most people" are using, because iOS and Android tablets are extremely much more widespread.

A Surface Pro 2 looks like this: http://cdn3.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/bl...am8_pos.01.png
The keyboard is detachable and also functions as a display protector when folded together and it has a thingie at the back that makes it stand upright on tables on its own and the color is so cool and omg i want one i wish i had more money and didn't have to take personal finances into the equation :(

Personally, I am seriously considering buying one (that's why i happen to know so much about them now!), but I'm still not sure if I want a regular laptop instead, seeing as that would be a lot cheaper for the same amount of performance.

For those of you that hate the Win8 UI, because Surface Pro 2 is running a real, full version windows 8, you can turn it off and get the regular desktop UI we're used to.

Just checked prices. In Norway, the Surface Pro 2 256GB costs almost exactly twice as much as an iPad Air 64GB. The iPad Air gets you a tablet. The Pro 2 gets you a laptop and a tablet.

Wheeoo the MS Surface is expensive. xD Definitely wouldn't be looking to spend that much. Just been having a look on Google for good low-price tablets, and there are a few that are quite highly rated for under £200. I will need to have further investigation, but tonight I play video games. x}

yeah it is the only thing holding me back too. You can get the 128GB edition for far less though. Just slightly more than the iPad i mentioned earlier. I'm just worried 128GB might be a bit too little, but then again, it does support microSD cards, which you can get in sizes up to 64 GB already, and affordable 128GB cards will probably be available long before that tablet is outdated, if you want more.

I'm not gonna check UK prices, but the 256GB version is 10700 NOK here, while I can get the 128GB version for like 7000.