tablet crisis!

[dandog2500]

Hello everyone. I thought I could figure this out for myself by I have been tormented for months now. I want to buy a tablet and I'm tryi g to narrow it down, then when I do research I just get So discouraged. I think I decided that a 7" is too small. Then I saw the kindle fire hd 8.9 however I want a more pure Android, but the price is nice. Then I figured 10". Between the Asus transformer/transformer prime (mid 300 to 400) and the infinity($400) , I didn't want to spend 400 really. The. Today I saw a galaxy note refurbished for $337. So now I'm looking at refurb tablets but dont trust them...I need some guidance! I'm losing it!

 

[valorian]

How about the Nexus 10?

 

[lunatic59]

If you want the Google experience, you can't go wrong with the Nexus 7 or the Nexus 10.

The size will really depend on how you use it. I've found for an e-reader, 10" is just too big. 7" is great. For a lot of browsing I like the extra screen real estate.

 

[Mostly Harmless]

Nexus 10 for sure. Pure Android with the best screen on any tablet.

Form factor (screen size) is really dependent on what you are using it for. For reading the Nexus 7 (any 7" in that case) is a good choice because it's light and can be held easy with one hand. The other day I was stuck on a packed train and I had no issue holding it for about 45 minutes. It's also really portable. Fits in a lot of my jacket pockets.

If you are surfing the web, responding to emails, watching videos then I would suggest the 10". There are times I miss the larger screen and that comes from when I am browser the web for an extended period of time.

 

[lunatic59]

Is there an echo in here?

 

[ouch1976]

You can always look at the 8.2" Xyboard. Not the greatest specs, but a good form factor and pretty stock Android.

 

[lunatic59]

Sorry, I wanted to address the issue of refurbs, too ...

You take your chances with them. For a tablet to be refurbished it usually means that one of the replaceable components failed or had problems. That would most likely be the screen, the memory or the battery. You simply don't know when you buy one. Most likely you'll only get a 30 ~ 90 warranty and many resellers of refurbished devices sell displays with dead or bright pixels. They can be a great bargain or a nightmare.

Personally I do buy refurbs for work because we use them as signature capture devices for our delivery staff, but there a dead pixel or scratched case isn't going to make a difference. Saving $100 per driver will.

 

[dandog2500]

Nexus 10 is $400 from The play store but 500 everywhere else. I was looking to stay closed to 300. I think I will be doing more Web browsing than anything else. Some gaming, some research for college. Should i trust the refurbs?

 

[valorian]

IMO, the only way I would buy a referb is if it still came with some type of warranty.

 

[Davdi]

I'd say very definitely not. I had a refurb phone a while back, it lasted a couple of months the the battery started getting really hot (too hot to touch). I received another battery and the same thing happened. I returned the phone and got 100% credit against a new phone. I'm sure a refurb tablet may give a similar experience.

 

[dandog2500]

Oh I have the worst luck with anything I buy. Hp laptop, flickering screen after 1 year, hp does that care. Samsung lcd tv, clicking issue and won't turn on after 2 years... Samsung didn't care. Myriad of other things too that's why I'm skeptical of the refurbs.

So everyone votes nexus over infinity and the other Asus tabs?

 

[valorian]

The galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is $329.

Samsung Galaxy Tab

 

[Mostly Harmless]

Is there an echo in here?

In my defense, your post wasn't there when I started to write

Nexus 10 is still my top choice, I think the extra $100 will go a long way.

 

[ouch1976]

I love my Prime. It gets a bad rap for the GPS issues, but for the money, I think it's the best tablet around. Sleek design, great display, fast updates. And you can get them used for under $250.

 

[dibblebill]

My fiance got a refurbed TF300T. It had bad backlighting and is in for RMA right now. Stay away.

I recommend Nexus 10, or any well-known 9-10" tab that has an AOKP or CM port- that way you can get your 'stock android'

 

[dandog2500]

I might be in violation here but what's everyone's opinion on the windows 8 tab?

 

[lunatic59]

I might be in violation here but what's everyone's opinion on the windows 8 tab?

If you like tiles ...

Really, I can't wrap my head around the interface. We have a few people in the office with Windows phones and configuring them is a real PITA.

 

[valorian]

If you like tiles ...

Really, I can't wrap my head around the interface. We have a few people in the office with Windows phones and configuring them is a real PITA.

I find these difficult as well. I was messing around with one a couple months ago when my wife was in getting a new phone. It was a big PITA to figure out how to customize all the tiles. This is why I will not be upgrading any of my PCs to Windows 8.

 

[A.Nonymous]

Sorry, I wanted to address the issue of refurbs, too ...

You take your chances with them. For a tablet to be refurbished it usually means that one of the replaceable components failed or had problems. That would most likely be the screen, the memory or the battery. You simply don't know when you buy one. Most likely you'll only get a 30 ~ 90 warranty and many resellers of refurbished devices sell displays with dead or bright pixels. They can be a great bargain or a nightmare.

Personally I do buy refurbs for work because we use them as signature capture devices for our delivery staff, but there a dead pixel or scratched case isn't going to make a difference. Saving $100 per driver will.

Not necessarily. If you buy a tablet, take it home, decide you don't want it and return it that tablet is now sold as a refurb. They are not allowed legally to sell it as a new tablet any more.

Not gonna lie I keep eyeballing that Note at Best buy as well. I am still rocking the OG Google I/O Tab and I know because it's a limited edition I could still get something out of it even though it's two years old. I'm happy with it though. It's 32 GB and the Note would require me to actually buy an SD card. I'm in a tablet crisis of my own. It's like Sophie's choice only harder.

Honestly, I find the Acer tablets to be extremely lacking. The colors are just washed out on the screen. The whites are yellowish and the reds are orangish. I had a Transformer Prime once upon a time and while I loved how it actually ran I couldn't stand looking at it. Went to the store to look at their display models and they were the same way.

 

[dandog2500]

I really hate this lol. I can get a new infinity 32gb for 400. Is that a deal or what?

 

[valorian]

I really hate this lol. I can get a new infinity 32gb for 400. Is that a deal or what?

IMO, if you are willing to spend $400 I would go with the Nexus 10.

 

[A.Nonymous]

IMO, if you are willing to spend $400 I would go with the Nexus 10.

Honest question - Why the Nexus 10 over one of the Galaxy 10" models?

 

[dandog2500]

IMO, if you are willing to spend $400 I would go with the Nexus 10.

Even if it's the 16gb nexus ? No expandable memory. Is everything going the way of the cloud where gb on the device wouldntt matter?

 

[valorian]

Honest question - Why the Nexus 10 over one of the Galaxy 10" models?

Personal preference. No Samsung TW overlay. Faster updates. More pure Android.

 

[A.Nonymous]

The OP needs to send me $250, I'll buy the Note 10 and send him my Tab and the crisis will be averted!! All without having to reboot the entire DC universe.