Android 4.2 or a Windows 8 tablets

[grove12345]

Ok im looking for a tablet that offers me not only media and entertainment but also I am able to do some work on. keeping it casual in both departments. Kind of torn between the Android OS and Win OS tablets.

HDMI is a must and so is good battery 9+hours. And at a bargain price.

My choices are Acer Iconia A510 (android) other is Iconia W510 (Win 8)

Me having a Android phone i love google services and the cloud. And have seen that 4.2 is a very customizable experience and gorgeous, and the Android Acer runs games better than the Win8 Acer version. Google has tons of Apps just about for anything really. But to get some of the simple features of a computer requires multiple apps. Like split screen mode require a specific split screen only browser. Cant use your primary browser. File managing can be a pain too. But between the tons of android apps and better GPU hardware and cheaper price. Android devices are a better bang for yourbuck.

Windows 8 is fully customizable. I love the desktop feature and the App interface seems can be customized 100% due to the ability to use the desktop. And most features can be done without the need for App hunting. Split screen means i can do work easier too. But it is a tablet and i do want apps for simplicity. But MS app store SUCKKSSS. And it pushes on me the MS/XBox store. Which is annoying and a rip off and seems to propitiatory for my taste. I have no plans for a Win phone, so my phone and win tablet wont be that synced. The Win Acer version has no chance of playing any modern 3d games...but i rather play Emulators anyways. Still the idea that Win 8 offers endless possibilities and the ability to say "I can do all that" without rooting or hacking is impressive.

Sorry long worded.

 

[argedion]

Asking this in an android forums tells me that you are looking for justification in your choice. Personally I would recommend the android but I hate M$ and don't use their bug ware. I have linux on my computer and android on my other devices. In the end you need to pic which one will give you what you want and how you want it. The best advice I can give is to check which one gets more support and better support. (More does not necessarily mean better) Also What are the ratings of both who gets the better and why? Keep us posted

 

[SulkyAndroid17]

Windows 8 is fully customizable. I love the desktop feature and the App interface seems can be customized 100% due to the ability to use the desktop... Still the idea that Win 8 offers endless possibilities and the ability to say "I can do all that" without rooting or hacking is impressive.

Some interesting jokes you have there. :laugh:

Asking this in an android forums tells me that you are looking for justification in your choice. Personally I would recommend the android but I hate M$ and don't use their bug ware. I have linux on my computer and android on my other devices. In the end you need to pic which one will give you what you want and how you want it. The best advice I can give is to check which one gets more support and better support. (More does not necessarily mean better) Also What are the ratings of both who gets the better and why? Keep us posted

I agree with argedion. You need to look over as many reviews for each tablet as you can. Windows' tablets are underwhelming. The Iconia W510 is Intel atom powered. Not exactly something I'd want for Windows 8. As for the W700... well at least it's Ivy-bridge. Intel's HD 4000 graphics is what's holding you back there. Besides writing, I don't think there's much work to be done on a tablet.

 

[chanchan05]

It all depends on what you want to do with your tablet. There really isn't endless possibilities with the W510 because its Atom powered, unlike if you get an ASUS 808 Windows tablet which can run better because it has an i5. Although its true that there are a lot of programs that can run on the W510 that the Android counterpart can only dream of running as well, you'd also have to consider that battery life isn't as great on the W510 as the ARM powered Android device.

 

[BremenCole]

List what you use (or will use) a tablet for. Then pick the one that will do the things that you need. It may be Android, iOS, or Windows. Do not limit with platform you use, be open to all, but get the one that does what you need.

If all you are going to do is email, internet and a few movies.... then all of them will work, but Android or iOS would be easier to use and less overall bloat. If you are heavy into "business" use, then Windows may be the best choice. If you are into music or art creation, then iOS would be better.... there is no "best", there is only different.

 

[grove12345]

List what you use (or will use) a tablet for. Then pick the one that will do the things that you need. It may be Android, iOS, or Windows. Do not limit with platform you use, be open to all, but get the one that does what you need.

If all you are going to do is email, internet and a few movies.... then all of them will work, but Android or iOS would be easier to use and less overall bloat. If you are heavy into "business" use, then Windows may be the best choice. If you are into music or art creation, then iOS would be better.... there is no "best", there is only different.

ya ive been trying to do that but i never actually owned a tablet. So god only knows how i would really use it. As of now i want a tablet i can carry around for versatility, instead of my laptop. Heck maybe 10 inch tablet regardless of OS is too big for me and not practical. Too bad most 7inch dont have HDMI.

Im no MS fan but Im going to go with the Win8. The w510 is going for $400 and its smooth and 12 hours of batter life, despite Atom criticism on this site. But it will lack gaming power of the android tablet. Still multitasking is just so much easier on the Windows platform and im plagued with less restrictions.

 

[SulkyAndroid17]

ya ive been trying to do that but i never actually owned a tablet. So god only knows how i would really use it. As of now i want a tablet i can carry around for versatility, instead of my laptop. Heck maybe 10 inch tablet regardless of OS is too big for me and not practical. Too bad most 7inch dont have HDMI.

Im no MS fan but Im going to go with the Win8. The w510 is going for $400 and its smooth and 12 hours of batter life, despite Atom criticism on this site. But it will lack gaming power of the android tablet. Still multitasking is just so much easier on the Windows platform and im plagued with less restrictions.

I just don't see it. Unless, you need the Windows' environment then why?
None of the reviews I've seen really give off a "hey, you should get this!" attitude. More like "It's okay if you know what you're getting" kind of attitude. And at $400 something like the Nexus 10 should just destroy the w510.

 

[chanchan05]

I just don't see it. Unless, you need the Windows' environment then why?
None of the reviews I've seen really give off a "hey, you should get this!" attitude. More like "It's okay if you know what you're getting" kind of attitude. And at $400 something like the Nexus 10 should just destroy the w510.

Not really. Depends on what you want. The w510 may be indeed running Atom, but you get full desktop grade windows on it. You can view the full internet with no restrictions. Basically almost everything you can do on a laptop, you can do on a w510. The best paid Android pdf reader is basically having the same features as the standard free PDF readers for Windows.

The only Windows tablets that Android tablets can destroy are the ones running Windows RT, not the ones running desktop grade Windows. However as previously said, it all depends on what you want to do with the device, considering the w510 is a lower end Windows tablet. An Android tablet could be a better option depending on usage pattern.

 

[BremenCole]

I say if Windows tablet is what you want, than good choice

As a Mac user, the idea of a Mac (actual OSX) tablet would tempt me, even though I don't know why I would need it..... So I can see why a Windows user would be drawn to a Windows tablet....

 

[SulkyAndroid17]

To each their own I guess. But if there's anything Windows is not. It's "endless possibilities." I admit I like to give Windows a hard time but that's because I believe it deserves it. Windows has enough overhead as it is and putting a desktop OS with net book performance doesn't sound like a winner to me.

If you absolutely needed a certain Windows programs then maybe I could understand. The premise of installing any windows program sounds great, but what would those programs actually be and how well would they work? On an atom you couldn't comfortably do any video, picture, or software editing. So things like Photoshop and Eclipse are out of the picture. There's Word for writing but there are word processing apps for Android too. Intel's graphics suck for games so not much potential there either. And if you're buying a 10 inch tablet to read PDFs then perhaps you should reevaluate the situation.

The w510 has resolution of 1,366x768 pixels at 155ppi with 2GB of DDR2 Ram. Even some Android phones have passed that mark now. Other than the atom being a x86 processor, the rest of the specs make the tablet feel like it's playing catch up with Android and Apple. At least they do to me. If laptop performance is needed, then perhaps a touchscreen laptop is a better choice.

 

[grove12345]

To each their own I guess. But if there's anything Windows is not. It's "endless possibilities." I admit I like to give Windows a hard time but that's because I believe it deserves it. Windows has enough overhead as it is and putting a desktop OS with net book performance doesn't sound like a winner to me.

If you absolutely needed a certain Windows programs then maybe I could understand. The premise of installing any windows program sounds great, but what would those programs actually be and how well would they work? On an atom you couldn't comfortably do any video, picture, or software editing. So things like Photoshop and Eclipse are out of the picture. There's Word for writing but there are word processing apps for Android too. Intel's graphics suck for games so not much potential there either. And if you're buying a 10 inch tablet to read PDFs then perhaps you should reevaluate the situation.

The w510 has resolution of 1,366x768 pixels at 155ppi with 2GB of DDR2 Ram. Even some Android phones have passed that mark now. Other than the atom being a x86 processor, the rest of the specs make the tablet feel like it's playing catch up with Android and Apple. At least they do to me. If laptop performance is needed, then perhaps a touchscreen laptop is a better choice.

the deeper i get into the windows tablets, the more happier i am. The reason why most people here are fans of Androids over the "simplier" more limited Apple, is perhaps the same reason why im enjoying Win 8 tablets over an android tablet. And yes turns out the Atom was all the power i needed. I can play any game on gog.com and play any emulator. Basically i can enjoy real games instead of some of those horrible brain dead App games. Atoms cant do photo or video editing... but i never ever got into that. But having the added bonus of a desktop and being able to run real programs in addition to the Apps, is such a blessing.

While i do enjoy a android/iphone over a Windows phone, i see no purpose why someone would get a nexus 7 and a galaxy note 2. 2 inch screen difference, and both do the same thing, redundant. Waste of money IMO.

 

[nickdalzell]

That last sentence. A Nexus always gets the most recent upgrades to Android while Samsung has a bad habit of abandoning their devices quickly. Also a Nexus is pure Android while Samsung forces Touchwiz down your throat.

 

[grove12345]

That last sentence. A Nexus always gets the most recent upgrades to Android while Samsung has a bad habit of abandoning their devices quickly. Also a Nexus is pure Android while Samsung forces Touchwiz down your throat.

isnt nexus 10 by samsung?
nexus 7 would be an instant buy for me (asus seemed to have had a freak accident and developed an amazing product) but lack of video output is horrible to hear when dealing with a 7 inch screen.

again another reason to get win8 tablet. steam games work on the tablet! hurray!

 

[chanchan05]

isnt nexus 10 by samsung?
nexus 7 would be an instant buy for me (asus seemed to have had a freak accident and developed an amazing product) but lack of video output is horrible to hear when dealing with a 7 inch screen.

again another reason to get win8 tablet. steam games work on the tablet! hurray!

He means samsung skinned devices. Nexus devices get updates straight from Google no matter who the manufacturer is.