Tablet Suggestion

Mr_Grinch

Debated posting this in the Android thread but I'm not entirely sure it's an Android tablet I need. Any help appreciated, I'm totally out of date in the world of tablets. I've not wanted or really needed a tablet in a while, but now I'd like to use one primarily for:

• Steam Link: to use as a screen in my living room to play Steam games when my daughter is hogging the TV. Bonus points if I can stream PS4 or Xbox One games too.
• Reading comics. After watching Preacher I've got a hankering to delve back in to the world of comics, I've a fair digital archive now. I used to use a Nook, but it won't charge now
• Some TV and Film watching when I'm away with work, along with minor web browsing.

What I think I need:

• a 10" screen or greater (no zooming in for comics)
• a reasonable price. £200 would be ideal.
• a DECENT screen. I get annoyed using my laptop at the moment for Steam Link because I go from a gorgeous OLED to a pretty shitty LCD screen. I'm not expecting OLED HDR levels of gorgeous for the price I've got in mind, but something not crap would be nice.
• it doesn't need to have any grunt more than the capability to do what I've listed above, I won't be playing any major native Android games on it.
• Probably an Android tablet. Open to being talked around if anything better exists (Windows 10?)

What would be nice:

• I wouldn't mind a keyboard/trackpad as an optional accessory. I love my work Surface Pro with it's detachable keyboard, but I can't use that for anything but work. Again, not expecting anything surface Pro level but on occasion I do need to do a little typing and Office style work, or sending of emails.

Help me, you're my only hope! (Well, ok, you guys and google)

wunderbar

you, my friend, are looking for what we like to call a unicorn.

The big thing is price. 200 UK bucks probably won't get you a great 10" tablet. Hell, there aren't even a ton of 10" tablets out there that aren't awful. Samsung makes a couple but the model that you can find for around 200 is over 2 and a half years old, and the newest model is 290.

Amazon sells the fire HD10 in the UK for 180, but the screen on that is not going to meet your standards. (I have the 8, the screen is garbage).

The big thing you're going to have to compromise on to meet that pricepoint is going to be screen. There are a number of 10" tablets you'll be able to find around that price, but generally they'll all have not great 1280x800 displays. also throw out the idea of an integrated keyboard accessory. If you need a keyboard, bluetooth is going to be your best option near that pricepoint.

Basically, in my opinion the only company that makes android tablets that are any good is Samsung, especially at the size you want. The only one they currently make that is anywhere close to what you want is the newest Tab A 10.1, which requires you stepping up to 290.

Here's a samsung uk link to the product I'm thinking of: https://www.samsung.com/uk/tablets/galaxy-taba-t590/SM-T590NZKABTU/

and as for Windows, Windows tablets aren't really a thing anymore. There's the surface go, but that'll be significantly more than 200, especially if you want the keyboard cover for it.

a5ehren

Yeah.

Your best option is installing whatever reader app you need for the comics on your Surface Pro, by a fairly wide margin.

Barring that, I would say a refurb'd 2017/2018 iPad, but Apple UK seems to not have any refurbs.

Synthesis

I was going to suggest a Surface Go, but the starting prices at well past your budget sadly (£380 for the basic model, without accessories). You might be able to find the original small form-factor Surface 3 at 10.8" x 6" at that price point, but it is an old tablet at this point (they're Intel Atom machines, though they do run Windows 10 nowadays).

Also, I think tablet/monitor displays with HDR are still damn rare too (and universally expensive). Compared to 4K televisions, HDR for PCs isn't behind the starting line, it's still in the womb.

wunderbar

Do not buy a Surface 3. It was slow 3 years ago. that device is not a good experience.

Synthesis

wunderbar wrote: »

Do not buy a Surface 3. It was slow 3 years ago. that device is not a good experience.

My mother owns one, and as an Office tablet (with Windows 10) it's actually pretty snappy. Browsing is fine.

Anything else though? Probably a gamble with Atom processors.

There are absolutely other Windows 10 tablets, but at that budget point they're going to share a lot of the same issues.

Mr_Grinch

Anyone used a linx 12x64?

Failing that I think as has been suggested, Samsung may be the way to go. Happy to push the budget up a bit if needed.

wunderbar

I had never heard of that thing before, but just judging on the specs.... If it was my money, I personally would not buy any kind of Windows machine with 2GB of Ram and 32GB of eMMC. that won't age well.

McFodder

I bought a Teclast Master T10 as a mostly-comic-viewing tablet and I've been really happy with it. I don't ask a lot of it, but the screen is really pretty, battery is good (though the last 30% drops pretty quick when it gets there).

It's not Widevine L1 certified (which I'd never heard of before buying this tablet) so Netflix won't play any higher than 720p which is a shame, but on a 10" screen it's not that bad.

It cost me about $270AUD with a case and a screen protector so should be well within the budget.

https://www.gearbest.com/tablet-pcs/pp_690462.html