Google appear to have stopped selling the Nexus 7, in the UK at least, over a month ago. The play store only shows the 5, 6 & 9 so unless you find a retailer with stop you are out of luck.
It is a great tablet (which I own) and I heartily recommend it - if you can get one.
Yeah that's why I put it on. Even if it's "replaced" by the Nexus 9, it's still really worth considering if some retailer has it available near you. I was disappointed to see that it was discontinued.
Yup. The Nexus 9 is fine for a larger tablet, but it is just not one-handable like the 7, nor can it reasonably go into jacket pockets. They really should have kept the Nexus 7 around, like they kept the Nexus 5 around (although it seems to be in and out of stock), to have a two-tier Nexus line. I suppose Google isn't primarly interested in selling to consumers though and so isn't worried about filling every option. At least we know that the 2013 Nexus 7 will be buyable, even if in refurb form, for a good long time if we judge by the continued availability of refurb 2012 Nexus 7's.
The best part about it being removed from the Google Play store is that so many people talked about the Nexus 6 and 9 as though they were additional options to the cheaper Nexus 5 and Nexus 7, respectively.
Except they're not ADDITIONAL options. They're full-on replacements that cost a LOT more than the devices they're replacing for extra performance and various improvements that may not be necessary to a great many users.
When you go from $229 and $269 (and often much lower on sale) to $399 and $479, you're damn close to doubling your MSRP for a tablet. I don't know that the 2" diagonal is going to be worth it to a lot of users. Especially given the quality of the Nexus 7 build versus the Nexus 9 build.
I'd also recommend the LG G-Pad 8 as a Nexus 7 replacement. The only slight issue is that the speakers are a bit tinny compared to the Nexus 7, but other than that it beats it hands down.
You can get it for about £200 new on Amazon or around £150 for a refurb on eBay.
It's actually an interesting question as to what the departure of the N7 will do to the state of Android tablets? It seems to be the only Android tablet that has ever been widely accepted, and one of the few that I actually ever see out in the wild. It has long been an easy recommendation for someone who doesn't want an iPad for any reason. What now?
Tab le t M a x x -- offers some Great Holiday Deals on new Tablets with a half of dozen new models released this month, all with the latest specs and premium features -- plus TabletMaxx includes a free $20 - 16GB MicroSD memory card with all tablets.
One model that stands out is the new mid-size 9" tablet, the Ramos i9s ($239) - powered by one of Intel's first 64-bit mobile processors and offers a premium build quality that compares to the Nexus 9 at nearly half the price... there's also the new 8-inch Pipo P8 ($229) model which also matches most features of the Nexus 9, but with a more compact size.
For Windows tablets, there's the new X90 HD - Windows 8.1 model ($269) - the only Mid-size, 8.9" Windows tablet available with an AMOLED 2560X1600 display - the same screen found in several premium Samsung devices; plus the X90 HD comes bundled with a case and Bluetooth keyboard.
Other Holiday deals through Tablet Maxx include the 7-inch Venus Android tablet ($69) with a quad core processor and HD screen; plus an Ultra-size 12-inch model, the Ramos i12 ($259) - which also offers an optional case with keyboard to make a great tablet - laptop combination.
Another deal-buster is a premium iPad case with Bluetooth keyboard for only $20 (regularly $59)
You can use legacy software on a convertible but on a tablet? you really can't use that old software with a touch interface, it is worst than terrible... so WinRT was actually fine for a tablet. Of course with the avaiability of Bay Trail WinRT got pointless...
Well thats not true at all. You can use a lot of legacy software on x86 Windows tablets. Utilities that don't have the need for an interface, media players that are pretty touch friendly other than small close/maximize buttons, things like 7-zip which have large buttons. You can also install touchpointer and just have a normal pointer if you don't like touchy stuff.
I use Qiqqa on my dell and it is a monster of an application for reference management, and I could do with 4 GB more ram, but even the pen works for highlighting and annotating. Don't underestimate the flexibility of windows.
This argument is irrelevant there are no Windows RT devices in this article. The Stream runs full 32 bit Windows. Also I would like to point out that for many tablet users who just browse the net and Facebook it would work just fine. The problem is that none of them were priced competitively enough for this use. Lack of x86 app support isn't the end all for many people. I use a Surface Pro 2 to write code sometimes and nothing compiles on it because MS jacked something up so given your argument regular Win 8.1 lacks backwards compatability as well (before someone says it yes the same code compiles with no error on my Win7 and Linux boxes). Also using caps to emphasize your points is obnoxious and unnecessary. Make an intelegent argument and you won't need caps.
The Stream is a truly unbeatable tablet for $99. It's hard to recommend anything else at that price point, Android or otherwise, simply based on software compatibility. It isn't like Google "apps" (Gmail, Talk, etc) don't run on Windows.
Played with it yesterday in MS Store - it is worthless useless device. MS partners actually cut the RAM to 1GB on current tablets, and they are unusable today. I don't want to deep into arguments , but I pretty much followed my daily routine usage - the tablet always froze within couple minutes...
I was considering buying a Stream 7, but the 1GB was my main concern. Instead I opted to pay $50 more and get a Asus VivoTab 8 with 2GB of RAM. In my eyes, the Asus VivoTab 8 is a great deal at $149 on the Microsoft Store. I think it deserved a mention in this article, though I'm not sure it was out when it was written.
A program that needs little to no users inputs by definiton doesn't have much problems on how you interface with it... The example of media players works to a point: try the standard VLC and then an app... and not just to start/stop but also select subtitles, audio tracks and so on... this it's what i meant. Of course you can tecnically use legacy software, and some might be usable... but well, on a tablet you should use something appropriate.
I won't deny that vlc on android is far superior to the desktop version, however on my surface pro 3 with its OTT resolution, desktop vlc is still perfectly usable with touch input, i don't have any issue with it and use it as my go to media software.
Media players in the store are terrible and Windows Runtime is not a good platform for it. Try VLC for Windows 8 and you'll see it's not worth the effort developing it for WinRT.
It's simply Windows software btw, the alternative runtime isn't really a replacement or a good alternative outside phones. Windows Runtime can't run without Win32 and Win32 isn't going anywhere and isn't being deprecated. Stuff like VLC is two years in and the restrictions of Windows Runtime doesn't make much sense.
The idea that WinRT is tied to Win32 isn't actually true. the idea is to abstract the underlying interface so they can change the underpinnings later. Microsoft has already done this with Windows Phone so I wouldn't count on WinRT relying on Win32 forever. That is assuming WinRT ever catches on and that's not exactly a given right now.
Nah, it abstracts Win32 so it does require Win32 and to remove stuff there you'd also have to remove them in Windows Runtime. It needs to hook into it even if it doesn't run directly on it. You will need both "Windows" and "Win32" code to run it. WP wouldn't work without it's Win32-parts either, neither did Windows Phone 7.X run Windows Runtime or even Windows Phone Runtime.
Stuff like VLC can't be built with MSVC so it's not that easy to use in WinRT.
There are a lot of great media player options for Windows. I feel VLC has fallen behind even Media Player Classic. The only thing it does better is subtitles (which often require an annoying filter\wrapper on MPC.)
I personally run XBMC on my convertible laptop (HP Revolve G2) because it has the nicest touch interface.
You know most people use these simple Atom-based slates with keyboard and mouse in some capacity. The real problem is lack of memory (RAM) and storage. The browser is a Win32-application btw. So is most of the startscreen, it's just the store apps that's not. Office will never have a hybrid touch solution run inside the startscreen, it will be the Win32 version and Store versions that's dumbed down and essentially built on the Office Mobile solution, not geared at professional use.
People even use 60% mechanical keyboards with these things. See the 7-10-inch Atom slates as a kind of new netbook. Atom is plenty fast for browsing, and for all the older and most new apps that doesn't lean too heavily on graphics. Most Atom slates are 32-bit though, and RAM will be the biggest limit apart from slow (small) storage.
WinRT is the API set replacing Win32 for application development. WinRT is the framework for developing all the modern apps on Windows 8. "Windows RT" is Windows 8 compiled for ARM processors and probably what you are talking about.
"you really can't use that old software with a touch interface, it is worst than terrible... so WinRT was actually fine for a tablet."
I have a Surface Pro 3 and regularly use it with "legacy" apps that don't support the new windows touch system. Not a single issue (outside of those that use opengl or dx for interaction and were made with XP in mind) as long as the UI was designed with limited menus (the bane of any touch device's existence) and large or adjustable buttons/sliders (a surprisingly large percent of good programs). With the Surface Pro 3 though, you also have the option of the pen, which mimics a mouse input for old software (in fact, it'll be indistinguishable from a mouse to anything that doesn't have win 8 specific input filters, including Photoshop CS6, unless you install the wintab driver) and can be used identically to a mouse in 100% of click scenarios (though only GDI type programs will support right click hold, opengl/dx buffered screens will ignore the right click hold)
"as long as the UI was designed with limited menus (the bane of any touch device's existence) and large or adjustable buttons/sliders (a surprisingly large percent of good programs)." I don't feel it's a large percentage that get those criteria. The pen is the sobstitute of the mouse, and it was indeed the standard for the "original tablet pc" but it's not so common now, nowdays for the "modern tablets" I'd say you expect to be able to use just fingers... pen is a niche, mostly for professional users.
"you really can't use that old software with a touch interface, it is worst than terrible... so WinRT was actually fine for a tablet."
I have a Surface Pro 3 and regularly use it with "legacy" apps that don't support the new windows touch system. Not a single issue (outside of those that use opengl or dx for interaction and were made with XP in mind) as long as the UI was designed with limited menus (the bane of any touch device's existence) and large or adjustable buttons/sliders (a surprisingly large percent of good programs). With the Surface Pro 3 though, you also have the option of the pen, which mimics a mouse input for old software (in fact, it'll be indistinguishable from a mouse to anything that doesn't have win 8 specific input filters, including Photoshop CS6, unless you install the wintab driver) and can be used identically to a mouse in 100% of click scenarios (though only GDI type programs will support right click hold, opengl/dx buffered screens will ignore the right click hold)
Thats interesting — two of three best android tablets are based on Tegra K1. Btw, where is Nexus 9 review? It's been over two weeks since "Preliminary Findings".
The Asus vivotab note 8 is a better option than the DVP8. I have the DVP8 and the pen is a disaster, I'd really rather get the Asus. Ofcourse if they come out with some processor/screen/ram update that would be a really nice tablet, but MS is pushing low end for everything but Surface now.
I am a really big fan of Anand Tech but I really wonder if these articles are required on Anand Tech because obviously Anand Tech is not for the average Joe or so I believe. Most guys over here are really tech savvy to know which tablet or laptop fits them the best and at which price. Plus I really thought people over here claiming that AT was biased to Apple was false but after comparing the reviews of Iphone 6 and One Plus One. I really think you guys give a lot more attention to Apple and just do away with smartphones from Chinese companies. Tom's hardware review of One Plus One was actually much more detailed and I kind of found it better. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/oneplus-one-sm...
Perhaps not for gaming but for comic reading and text-based apps, the high res display is fantastic. Also, with a uSD slot, you can easily take along 64GB of videos.
I purchased mine earlier this year for a lot more and use it every day instead of the Nexus 7. Of course, YMMV if you are into gaming.
Adreno 330 and S800's memory bandwidth is completely and utterly insufficient to drive WQXGA at high frame rates. Also, the "S4 Pro" APQ8064–1AA in the Nexus 7 is a Krait 300 part.
Ignorant hogwash. The Tab Pro 8.4 uses RGB stripes. Not that there is anything wrong with RGBW used on Tab Pro 10.1. But your mind is made up anyway. Do not let the facts get in your way.
The Nexus 7 has literally zero advantage except for getting quicker Android updates. That's per YOUR OWN review. And what is wrong with RGBW panel, as long as it displays correct images and gives awesome crispness thanks to its high PPI? Would you say CYMK in your printer (and just about every printer) is also a problem?
From what I can tell you are one of those typical AT reviewers, hell bent on "Apple is the standard" and judging everything from that angle. I admit not every AT reviewers are like that - especially those in Europe seem to be more even-headed. I am looking forward to the day when you "leave" to work as Joni Eve's personal driver.
My mistake, I had forgotten how it's strangely the larger tablet with the worse display. Calling me ignorant for a mistake is interesting since you incorrectly identified the SoC in the Nexus 7 two times in a row, despite the exact model being put in the article. I never called you ignorant for your mistake.
RGBW is actually a real issue, you get huge reductions in chroma resolution. Again, the display isn't so much the issue as the hardware driving it. I have used it myself and there's obvious jank, S800 was not designed to drive such a high resolution. That's all I have to say about that.
I don't know why you brought up Apple, it seems like you've just fallen into throwing out ad hominems because of what appears to be buyer's justification because you own the TabPro. If you disagree with me that's fine, but accusing others of bias and making personal attacks is not at all a valid way to argue a point.
Wrong again. I had the Nexus 7 (2013 model, which I sold because of performance degradation due to its cheap components), not the Tab Pro. I would have not spent $400 on the Tab Pro anyway.
I know exactly what the Nexus 7's SoC is. I just wasn't sure how to call it. That was not a mistake. Your "mistake," on the other hand, is a different kind. "It's RGBW, so it's out of running" Just like Brian Klug's "It's AMOLED, so it's worthless." type of mistake.
I can't wait for the day when Apple adopt AMOLED and you declare "AMOLED DONE RIGHT."
"Android alternatives include the Nexus 7, which delivers slightly less performance in most cases than the Pro 8.4 and it “only” has a WUXGA display, but it has one big selling point: it costs $170 less than the Pro 8.4, and you could even pick up two for the price of a single Pro 10.1 – or you could grab the 32GB model and still only pay $269. The Pro 8.4 looks and feels nicer in my opinion, but it’s really difficult to argue with that sort of price competition. If you want two more options, the Kindle Fire HDX 7” ($200) and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9” ($379) pack similar performance with their Snapdragon 800 SoCs and have a lot to offer, but the lack of Google Play Services is a pretty massive drawback in my book. I really can’t find any other direct competition in the Android market for the Samsung Pro 8.4 right now, so it's an easy recommendation."
Another ridiculousness is how he thinks the value of $100 when we talk about $200-ish tablets. He says,
[Q]Also it's an RGBW panel, and it's normally $300 so I still don't see the appeal at all.[/Q]
Either he is totally brainwashed, or really bad at math. I mean, if the Nexus 7 was $120 ($220 - $100), would he say the same? Or, would he say the same about the iPad Air 2 if it's on sale for $100 less? No appeal at all?
I somehow doubt it. Says a lot about his bias, arrogance, and his total disregards of actual consumers.
I wish this guy had a humility to look himself in the mirror, but I frankly do not expect it from the attitude he has shown here so far.
It's not math. It is the unconscious decision to ignore everything else regardless of what was said or in some cases the facts. Religion is great at doing this btw. As you stated previously what does it matter if it's RGBW or anything as long as the image is clear and clean. And at these screen sizes who is really going to see the difference?
Brandon, he threw out Apple reference because Anand's reviews share the same common reasoning, using Apple as the standard. Remember the screen size, the display? No different that what you're really doing here, albeit not as excessive as the full fledged Apple-loved reviews by Anand. I pray you don't ask us to cite them because that would be embarrassing to Anandtech.
I have noticed so many people bag on this site for being pro apple. It seems like if anyone says anything good about an apple product, than obviously it is wrong. I didn't read a review made by an apple fanboy, but I have read mean comments made by obvious android fanboys.
This is a neutral site, but even a pure android site (android police) recommended the ipad air 2 over all the android tablets. Maybe its just better. I started on android tablets. I bought hisense sero 7 pro tablets for my kids since their school required them and this tablet was recommended by the IT guy at their school. It was a good performing tablet, but so far 2 of the tablets I bought died within 6 months. The other 2 tablets have had problems that I have fixed and I am still limping them by. I replaced the 2 dead tablets with ipad minis reluctantly because they have a great track record for reliability and they were on sale for $170. These old tech original ipad mini tablets were better performers on games. They never stuttered on games that the hisense stuttered slightly on. My sister also bought some hisense tablets on my initial recommendation. Her tablets died within a few months and hisense will drag on a warranty for years it is looking like. We're yet to receive anything and it has been over 6 months since we returned the units with RMA's. She bought 2 ipad minis and 1 Samsung tab 4, 8" tablet. We almost bought this same Samsung, but it was quite a bit more money than the ipad mini. I have gotten the chance to play with both tablets and the Samsung tablet is not as good a perfomer as the hisense tablet. It stutters badly in games compared to the ipad mini. In subway surfer the samsung always has this little stutter that can really mess you up. The ipad mini is just smooth. I was guilty of not giving apple a fair chance before this experience, and it was misguided. They seem to have the best tablet at the best prices if you wait for big sales
Yeah I'm pretty sure you're wrong about that. I have a tab pro and it runs games great. It may not have the absolute newest chip but the s800 is still plenty powerful enough and definitely way more powerful than the s4 pro in the nexus 7. I would even pick it over the shield as nvidia has overpromised and under delivered on all of its chips in the past. The k1 looks like the most overrated chip in recent memory. It overheats, isn't battery efficient, and doesn't actually perform any better than competitors.
I would think Samsung deserves some mention. They might not have the fastest processors but an argument can be made they have the best screens. They've also got some very interesting entries with the 12.2 size machines. Better 2in1 machines than the Windows 2in1 machines in many ways, not least due to sheer increase in size. Lenovo also should get a nod for their unique design work. Not for everyone but the yoga 2 line of tablets do have their merits. And the 13.3" is something quite apart from anything else on the market.
The Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140 with Intel's Core M-5Y10 is on the market and might be worth considering. Hopefully Anandtech can get a look at it in the next couple of weeks.
Picked up a HP Stream 7 at Amazon and have been loving it: +IPS display +Nice size and build quality +128GB MicroSDXC support +USB OTG support +Free MS Office +Free 25GB of Dropbox space +Runs Chrome and uTorrent quite well +Respectable battery life +Very nice hardware for a great price* *Amazon currently has it for $99 with free shipping! http://amzn.to/1v2Pbhi
Cons: -Doesn't have mini-HDMI output -More internal storage would be nice (but MicroSDXC makes it okay for me) -No RDP server for this version of Windows 8.1
Overall, this is a pretty sweet tablet deal IMHO!
PS skip the Nextbook 8 that WalMart is selling for Black Friday at $99, it has a TERRIBLE sparkly screen with very poor viewing angles. It does have HDMI out which I like, but the screen is just terrible.
I ordered a signature Edition tablet from the Microsoft Store and I'm looking forward to getting it sometime this week. Should be fun to play with, at the very least.
Yes folks, it's time for the annual snub of Amazon tablets - so much for an accurate representation of what the market has to offer. Thanks for your objectivity.
This comparison contains way too few tablets to be useful - where are the high-end android tablets, of which there are lots nowadays? Sony's flagship is thinner and lighter than the air 2 (and watertight), and samsung has several with interesting features like a stylus or a 12 inch form factor (a boon for reading letter/A4 sized media).
Isn't the point of an article like this to help people realize what they want and give advice while you're at it? This reads more like "some tablets I happen to have heard of".
I just ordered a Dell Venue Pro signature edition 64 from the MS Store which was only 229 (it had a 120 discount for black friday but it also sold out) should be here shortly. $100 more for 1" of screen and 1GB of RAM is alot but I wanted to ensure I could get a working OTG+Charge cable, Dell sells one, and early tests indicate the Stream 7 doesn't work with with the cheap OTG Y cables. OTG works but it does charge. Maybe something like a Vener8 or +port will work but for what I want to use it for I need charge and USB port access at the same time and these things only have the one port. Otherwise at $99, the Stream 7 is like a Raspberry PI only with a screen (and a version of windows). They are PCs, you can install Linux on these things but with much better hardware than the Pi. Install XBMC and you are better than the XBMC version of Android and you still get a touch interface for fairly cheap.
This will be my first Windows tablet, but Ive used windows 8 and 8.1 since its release and everything Ive read says these tablets should get a free update to Win 10 in April or whenever its released.
I used to be an Apple fan boy, going from iPod touch to 3GS to iPhone5 and bought the iPad3 for my first tablet. I dabbled with jailbreaking with the ipod and 3GS but by the time ios4 came out it had most of the features I wanted stock so haven't jailbroken since.
Then in Nov. of last year I bought a N7 over the iPad Mini for the screen quality and to try something different as iOS7 killed my performance on the iPad3. It wasn't bad on the 5. 7.1 went a long way to fixing this, but there was nothing really new and I found the ios experience to be getting stale. Having dropped my 5 and cracking the screen in May of this year I ordered a Nexus 5 and sold the iphone 5, and have been android ever since, save my iPad and old 3GS I use as remotes and music streamers. I was disappointed with the N9 so don't know what I'll buy next. I want to stick to stock Android but I was intrigued by the OLED screens in the Tab S tablets, but dislike the Samsung UI touchwiz stiff. I do find the Android app ecosystem offers more open apps but also trails iOS in app availability and app features where they exist on both. Its getting better but its not there yet, mostly the games, iOS is usually the first platform where something gets released (see Touchstone for example). Otherwise I love the fact I can run a file explorer on Android and tinker with a bunch of things I couldn't on iOS but with 4.4 and 5 more and more things require root to tinker with and the OS is becoming more closed.
I've been using the Asus TF700 as my "take everywhere" office device for the past 2 years, and I'm totally sold on the idea of an Android convertible. I can just shove it in a folio and take it everywhere - access corporate email & calendar, take notes using the keyboard, and because Android has pointer support with a bluetooth mouse I can remote into my Windows desktop and it's actually usable (even using the tiny trackpad on the keyboard dock). The TF700 is getting a bit long in the tooth, though, and the newest flagship TF303 isn't yet available in the US (assuming it ever will be). I recently picked up the TF103 for $150 for home use and although the screen is crap I really can't complain about the features for the price. Other folks at work have been getting iPads, and but my Asus is far more useful. I'm surprised Android convertibles haven't gotten more traction for this use case.
Microsoft Surface Pro series of tablets bridged the gap between Laptop and Tablet very well. Also, iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 are one of the best Tablets around right now and are also launched in India now. Know more about the price in India and other details - http://www.techuntold.com/ipad-air-2-and-ipad-mini...
I bought a Nexus 10 on the day it launched. While I don't use it for gaming, the performance is adequate for my use. But, the battery is losing capacity, as it shuts down at 50%. I've read other people saying their Nexus 10 shuts down at 70% available. There are no legitimate options for battery replacement other than returning the tablet to Samsung, and not clear that they have any actual new batteries, or only old batteries with few cycles.
Tablets without an aftermarket replacement battery source are doomed to a 2-3 year lifetime. If there was a decent tablet with assurances of 6 years of after-sale service available, they would be most likely to get my replacement business. But, they would have to be profitable on after-market services, not just new tablet sales. I hate creating all this electronic waste.
As a long time AT reader I'm very disappointed by this tablet guide/review. It's fine for an audience that doesn't know (or want to know) the details, but rather just high level guidance on what to buy at the store. For a site like AT where the readers are tech savy, it's pretty lousy. I expect more from AT.
I also don't understand how the G tab pro 8.4 isn't recommended over the N7. I can't see any reasons why the N7 is superior, and it actually costs more. Am I missing something?
I agree. The problem with a Nexus 7 or 9 is storage. Unless you have an unlimited plan 32GB isn't enough in this day and age and not including SD expandability makes the problem worse. I get that Nexus has never done that but limiting the capacity to 32GB really limits what I can do with it. I want to get a tablet for a trip I'm taking in January but the cost of a tablet with a decent amount of storage is rather crazy.
The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is cheaper than an N7? What world do you live in?
The MSRP for the N7 is/was $200. As Anandtech mentioned, Samsung's exynos chips are slow and disappointing even compared to the now outdated Snapdragon 400. That wouldn't be too bad except it's trying to power the slow and disappointing skin known as TouchWiz which makes it feel even slower. Not to mention that the N7 has Android 5.0 already so is light years ahead in software while remaining a good $100 cheaper.
The Tab Pro 8.4 is available now for $200 (from Best Buy and a few other sites). The MSRP of the N7 was $229 but since Google isn't selling the N7 anymore, there's no direct comparison. New 16GB N7's are going for $200 on eBay.
Also, the Tab Pro 8.4 does not use an Exynos. It's a Snapdragon 800 @ 2.3Ghz with Adreno 330 GPU.
"The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is cheaper than an N7? What world do you live in?"
Last I checked, the tab pro 8.4 can be purchased for $199 right now, while the N7's are harder to come by and cost more.
"Samsung's exynos chips are slow and disappointing even compared to the now outdated Snapdragon 400"
I believe the Gtab pro uses the snapdragon 800, not slow by any means.
The only legit reason I could see to support the N7 is getting android updates quickly and without fuss. There's some value in that, but not nearly enough to make the N7 more attractive than several other competitors.
"Not to mention that the N7 has Android 5.0 already so is light years ahead in software while remaining a good $100 cheaper."
Not sure where you're getting the $100 cheaper part, right now the g tab pro is actually cheaper. Agree with you on getting android updates quicker, but not "light years ahead" by any stretch.
By the way, I don't own a galaxy tab pro, just commenting on the recommendation.
I'm kind of surprised you posted the T100 when you consider that Walmart is selling their "Nextbook 10.1" for $179.00 -full price-. I picked one up for a friend as a babyshower present and it's amazing for the price and far better than the T100.
You uh...do realize the Nextbook 10.1 has 1GB of RAM compared to 2GB in the T100, a lower resolution display (720p instead of 768p), a slower processor (z3745g, which is the single channel memory version of the z3740 that was in the original T100, let alone the z3775 that is in the revamped T100), a lower resolution front camera (though I guess bonus points for a rear camera), less storage (well, okay the T100 has a 32GB model, but the Nextbook 10.1 does not have a 64GB option at any price) and lastly it does not have a USB3 port (or any ports) on the keyboad dock...unlike the T100.
So...yes. A much inferior tablet at a bit over half the price.
To add, in my experience, the 2GB of RAM in the T100 is an occasional limitation for some of the stuff I want to do, but looking at it, 1GB is going to limit you to nothing more than email, web browsing, book reading, movie watching and the most basic of touch games. Loading up Banner Saga and my RAM utilization is over 1GB. Loading up Kerbal Space Program (which runs on the T100 fine with the settings turned down BTW) and I've got only 100MB of RAM free. Star Craft 2 will load up and run okay, with well over 1GB of RAM used. And so on.
I have to beg to differ about the Asus T100. If the author had bothered to check, the T100 got a redesign a couple of months ago. It now ships with the beefier z3775 process, which is 1.46GHz with a 2.39GHz burst clock, as well as faster GPU. The casing has also been changed from plastic to metal (sadly tacking on a couple of ounces in the process).
I happen to have the original z3740 based T100 and it is fairly nice. So lets so an article update please. Now fingers crossed for Airmont/Cherry Trail coming out soon and Asus releasing a new 2-in-1 with that in it.
I managed to get a great deal on an iPad Air 32 GB from Best Buy...I originally bought it for $449, but then it went on sale for $409 at Staples (still on sale BTW...and the 16 GB Air is even cheaper at $369), so I went back and had them price match it.
Apparently, Best Buy's policy is that they will price match within the return period; since it's the holidays, they have extended returns until 1/15/15, so if I see the price go below $409 anywhere else, I can go back and have them price match it AGAIN.
Funny, Brandon's idea of affordable is a bit higher than most people might consider. $229 for a Nexus 7? $399 for a Nexus 9?? While the screens might offer a nice resolution, that's not the end all for some people. Heck, if all you're worried about is the resolution, take a look at the Fire HDX tablets put out by Amazon. At least then, you'll be stuck with another tablet that offers you extended storage only on the "cloud".
Earlier this year, I bought an Asus MeMO Pad FHD 10 (ME302C-A1), for ~$200, and couldn't be happier with it. Unlike the Nexus and Fire tablets, it has a micro-SDHC slot, capable of adding another 64GB of storage to the tablet. If that wasn't enough, the micro-USB slot (normally used for recharging the tablet) can be utilized, with a $5 (on Amazon and elsewhere) micro-USB male to USB female adapter, to plug a flash drive into it (or use one of the newer dual-plug USB/micro-USB flash drives). Heck, I've even taken a 128GB SSD, put it into an external drive case, and gotten the tablet to read from it, without any problem. Since the power draw on an SSD is so minimal, it shouldn't take as large a power draw off the tablet battery, like an portable hard drive would. While you're stuck in the cloud, I'm enjoying a tablet with a virtual storage drive of over 128GB (easily expanded by putting a larger SSD into the case).
Also, be aware that Barnes and Noble put their new Nook tablets, a rebadged Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 tablet (http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab/SM-T23... on sale (thru tomorrow) for $130. While it only offers 8GB of onboard storage, it also offers a micro-SDHC slot, for added storage capacity. If you're looking for a nice little 7" tablet, you're going to have a tough time finding better specs at that price point!
Personally I got myself a white Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 for $400 on the post-black friday Amazon sale, and I am still glad that I did even after reading that similarly priced Nexus 9 is supposedly better. I use the tablet to watch movie and various shows as I work out in the gym. So my number one requirement was to have a big screen (9-10 inches) that looks as good as possible as well as the storage for the media. I don't care that the Samsung CPU/GPU may not be the fastest possible. As long as the 32-bit Samsung CPU can play a 1080p movie without skipping, I am glad. No having a microsd car storage was a real killer for the Nexus 9 when I realized that I probably need at least 20-30 gig just for my media files. My Tab S 10.5 works like a champ so far. I am pretty happy with the Samsungified Android 4.4 OS. Does everything I need.
Well thats not true at all. You can use a lot of legacy software on x86 Windows tablets. Utilities that don't have the need for an interface, media players that are pretty touch friendly other than small close/maximize buttons, things like 7-zip which have large buttons. You can also install touchpointer and just have a normal pointer if you don't like touchy stuff. http://howtorootandroid.net/kingroot/
Yup. The Nexus 9 is fine for a larger tablet, but it is just not one-handable like the 7, nor can it reasonably go into jacket pockets. They really should have kept the Nexus 7 around, like they kept the Nexus 5 around (although it seems to be in and out of stock), to have a two-tier Nexus line. I suppose Google isn't primarly interested in selling to consumers though and so isn't worried about filling every option. At least we know that the 2013 Nexus 7 will be buyable, even if in refurb form, for a good long time if we judge by the continued availability of refurb 2012 Nexus 7's. https://www.pokemonuraniumdownload.com
Yes folks, it's time for the annual snub of Amazon tablets - so much for an accurate representation of what the market has to offer. Thanks for your objectivity. https://www.getintopces.com
Yes folks, it's time for the annual snub of Amazon tablets - so much for an accurate representation of what the market has to offer. Thanks for your objectivity. https://www.getintopces.com
Best tablet 2019: the top slates tested and ranked iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) ... Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. ... iPad mini 4. ... iPad Pro 10.5. ... Microsoft Surface Pro. ... Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. A top Android tablet, now with a lower price. ... Asus ZenPad 3S 10. A cheaper Android tablet that's worth looking at. ... iPad (2017) Another great iPad if you're after the basics.
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MrBeardyMan - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Google appear to have stopped selling the Nexus 7, in the UK at least, over a month ago. The play store only shows the 5, 6 & 9 so unless you find a retailer with stop you are out of luck.It is a great tablet (which I own) and I heartily recommend it - if you can get one.
Brandon Chester - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Yeah that's why I put it on. Even if it's "replaced" by the Nexus 9, it's still really worth considering if some retailer has it available near you. I was disappointed to see that it was discontinued.MadMan007 - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Yup. The Nexus 9 is fine for a larger tablet, but it is just not one-handable like the 7, nor can it reasonably go into jacket pockets. They really should have kept the Nexus 7 around, like they kept the Nexus 5 around (although it seems to be in and out of stock), to have a two-tier Nexus line. I suppose Google isn't primarly interested in selling to consumers though and so isn't worried about filling every option. At least we know that the 2013 Nexus 7 will be buyable, even if in refurb form, for a good long time if we judge by the continued availability of refurb 2012 Nexus 7's.EnzoFX - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
I found the N9s display lacking compared to the N7 even. I wouldn't recommend it over an iPad for this reason alone.HisDivineOrder - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
The best part about it being removed from the Google Play store is that so many people talked about the Nexus 6 and 9 as though they were additional options to the cheaper Nexus 5 and Nexus 7, respectively.Except they're not ADDITIONAL options. They're full-on replacements that cost a LOT more than the devices they're replacing for extra performance and various improvements that may not be necessary to a great many users.
When you go from $229 and $269 (and often much lower on sale) to $399 and $479, you're damn close to doubling your MSRP for a tablet. I don't know that the 2" diagonal is going to be worth it to a lot of users. Especially given the quality of the Nexus 7 build versus the Nexus 9 build.
thesloth - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
I'd also recommend the LG G-Pad 8 as a Nexus 7 replacement. The only slight issue is that the speakers are a bit tinny compared to the Nexus 7, but other than that it beats it hands down.You can get it for about £200 new on Amazon or around £150 for a refurb on eBay.
gailthesnail - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
False. Its max brightness is so dim it doesn't even reach 50% brightness on the nexus 7, making it nearly unusable outdoors.zhenya00 - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
It's actually an interesting question as to what the departure of the N7 will do to the state of Android tablets? It seems to be the only Android tablet that has ever been widely accepted, and one of the few that I actually ever see out in the wild. It has long been an easy recommendation for someone who doesn't want an iPad for any reason. What now?jessmurray10 - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
NEW TABLETS IN DECEMBERTab le t M a x x -- offers some Great Holiday Deals on new Tablets with a half of dozen new models released this month, all with the latest specs and premium features -- plus TabletMaxx includes a free $20 - 16GB MicroSD memory card with all tablets.
One model that stands out is the new mid-size 9" tablet, the Ramos i9s ($239) - powered by one of Intel's first 64-bit mobile processors and offers a premium build quality that compares to the Nexus 9 at nearly half the price... there's also the new 8-inch Pipo P8 ($229) model which also matches most features of the Nexus 9, but with a more compact size.
For Windows tablets, there's the new X90 HD - Windows 8.1 model ($269) - the only Mid-size, 8.9" Windows tablet available with an AMOLED 2560X1600 display - the same screen found in several premium Samsung devices; plus the X90 HD comes bundled with a case and Bluetooth keyboard.
Other Holiday deals through Tablet Maxx include the 7-inch Venus Android tablet ($69) with a quad core processor and HD screen; plus an Ultra-size 12-inch model, the Ramos i12 ($259) - which also offers an optional case with keyboard to make a great tablet - laptop combination.
Another deal-buster is a premium iPad case with Bluetooth keyboard for only $20 (regularly $59)
RJ Phillips - Monday, December 15, 2014 - link
yep, fortunately, there is still iPad Air 2 (happy) http://bit.ly/1GonYJn it definitely deserves to be called the best tech of 2014Gich - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
You can use legacy software on a convertible but on a tablet? you really can't use that old software with a touch interface, it is worst than terrible... so WinRT was actually fine for a tablet.Of course with the avaiability of Bay Trail WinRT got pointless...
redviper - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Well thats not true at all. You can use a lot of legacy software on x86 Windows tablets. Utilities that don't have the need for an interface, media players that are pretty touch friendly other than small close/maximize buttons, things like 7-zip which have large buttons. You can also install touchpointer and just have a normal pointer if you don't like touchy stuff.I use Qiqqa on my dell and it is a monster of an application for reference management, and I could do with 4 GB more ram, but even the pen works for highlighting and annotating. Don't underestimate the flexibility of windows.
przemo_li - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
"Can use" and "Will use" are 2 different things.MS HAD TABLETS FOR MORE THEN 15 YEARS.
Yes those where "Classic" mode, bulky factor, but best of all they worked with "legacy" apps.
If such support was selling point we would see success long time ago.
"legacy" apps are bonus, not THE main selling point.
However for WinRT is was main WONT SELL point. As at that time MS marketed all tablets without "legacy" apps... as toys.
So WinRT is single OS harmed by lack of "legacy" apps.
Well done MS! ;)
hpglow - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
This argument is irrelevant there are no Windows RT devices in this article. The Stream runs full 32 bit Windows. Also I would like to point out that for many tablet users who just browse the net and Facebook it would work just fine. The problem is that none of them were priced competitively enough for this use. Lack of x86 app support isn't the end all for many people. I use a Surface Pro 2 to write code sometimes and nothing compiles on it because MS jacked something up so given your argument regular Win 8.1 lacks backwards compatability as well (before someone says it yes the same code compiles with no error on my Win7 and Linux boxes). Also using caps to emphasize your points is obnoxious and unnecessary. Make an intelegent argument and you won't need caps.Samus - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
The Stream is a truly unbeatable tablet for $99. It's hard to recommend anything else at that price point, Android or otherwise, simply based on software compatibility. It isn't like Google "apps" (Gmail, Talk, etc) don't run on Windows.Ananke - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
Played with it yesterday in MS Store - it is worthless useless device. MS partners actually cut the RAM to 1GB on current tablets, and they are unusable today. I don't want to deep into arguments , but I pretty much followed my daily routine usage - the tablet always froze within couple minutes...24Gordon - Friday, December 5, 2014 - link
I was considering buying a Stream 7, but the 1GB was my main concern. Instead I opted to pay $50 more and get a Asus VivoTab 8 with 2GB of RAM. In my eyes, the Asus VivoTab 8 is a great deal at $149 on the Microsoft Store. I think it deserved a mention in this article, though I'm not sure it was out when it was written.Gich - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
A program that needs little to no users inputs by definiton doesn't have much problems on how you interface with it...The example of media players works to a point: try the standard VLC and then an app... and not just to start/stop but also select subtitles, audio tracks and so on... this it's what i meant.
Of course you can tecnically use legacy software, and some might be usable... but well, on a tablet you should use something appropriate.
hughlle - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
I won't deny that vlc on android is far superior to the desktop version, however on my surface pro 3 with its OTT resolution, desktop vlc is still perfectly usable with touch input, i don't have any issue with it and use it as my go to media software.Penti - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Media players in the store are terrible and Windows Runtime is not a good platform for it. Try VLC for Windows 8 and you'll see it's not worth the effort developing it for WinRT.It's simply Windows software btw, the alternative runtime isn't really a replacement or a good alternative outside phones. Windows Runtime can't run without Win32 and Win32 isn't going anywhere and isn't being deprecated. Stuff like VLC is two years in and the restrictions of Windows Runtime doesn't make much sense.
Flunk - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
The idea that WinRT is tied to Win32 isn't actually true. the idea is to abstract the underlying interface so they can change the underpinnings later. Microsoft has already done this with Windows Phone so I wouldn't count on WinRT relying on Win32 forever. That is assuming WinRT ever catches on and that's not exactly a given right now.Penti - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
Nah, it abstracts Win32 so it does require Win32 and to remove stuff there you'd also have to remove them in Windows Runtime. It needs to hook into it even if it doesn't run directly on it. You will need both "Windows" and "Win32" code to run it. WP wouldn't work without it's Win32-parts either, neither did Windows Phone 7.X run Windows Runtime or even Windows Phone Runtime.Stuff like VLC can't be built with MSVC so it's not that easy to use in WinRT.
Samus - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
There are a lot of great media player options for Windows. I feel VLC has fallen behind even Media Player Classic. The only thing it does better is subtitles (which often require an annoying filter\wrapper on MPC.)I personally run XBMC on my convertible laptop (HP Revolve G2) because it has the nicest touch interface.
Penti - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
You know most people use these simple Atom-based slates with keyboard and mouse in some capacity. The real problem is lack of memory (RAM) and storage. The browser is a Win32-application btw. So is most of the startscreen, it's just the store apps that's not. Office will never have a hybrid touch solution run inside the startscreen, it will be the Win32 version and Store versions that's dumbed down and essentially built on the Office Mobile solution, not geared at professional use.People even use 60% mechanical keyboards with these things. See the 7-10-inch Atom slates as a kind of new netbook. Atom is plenty fast for browsing, and for all the older and most new apps that doesn't lean too heavily on graphics. Most Atom slates are 32-bit though, and RAM will be the biggest limit apart from slow (small) storage.
mabellon - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
WinRT is the API set replacing Win32 for application development. WinRT is the framework for developing all the modern apps on Windows 8. "Windows RT" is Windows 8 compiled for ARM processors and probably what you are talking about.basroil - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
"you really can't use that old software with a touch interface, it is worst than terrible... so WinRT was actually fine for a tablet."I have a Surface Pro 3 and regularly use it with "legacy" apps that don't support the new windows touch system. Not a single issue (outside of those that use opengl or dx for interaction and were made with XP in mind) as long as the UI was designed with limited menus (the bane of any touch device's existence) and large or adjustable buttons/sliders (a surprisingly large percent of good programs). With the Surface Pro 3 though, you also have the option of the pen, which mimics a mouse input for old software (in fact, it'll be indistinguishable from a mouse to anything that doesn't have win 8 specific input filters, including Photoshop CS6, unless you install the wintab driver) and can be used identically to a mouse in 100% of click scenarios (though only GDI type programs will support right click hold, opengl/dx buffered screens will ignore the right click hold)
Gich - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
"as long as the UI was designed with limited menus (the bane of any touch device's existence) and large or adjustable buttons/sliders (a surprisingly large percent of good programs)." I don't feel it's a large percentage that get those criteria.The pen is the sobstitute of the mouse, and it was indeed the standard for the "original tablet pc" but it's not so common now, nowdays for the "modern tablets" I'd say you expect to be able to use just fingers... pen is a niche, mostly for professional users.
basroil - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
"you really can't use that old software with a touch interface, it is worst than terrible... so WinRT was actually fine for a tablet."I have a Surface Pro 3 and regularly use it with "legacy" apps that don't support the new windows touch system. Not a single issue (outside of those that use opengl or dx for interaction and were made with XP in mind) as long as the UI was designed with limited menus (the bane of any touch device's existence) and large or adjustable buttons/sliders (a surprisingly large percent of good programs). With the Surface Pro 3 though, you also have the option of the pen, which mimics a mouse input for old software (in fact, it'll be indistinguishable from a mouse to anything that doesn't have win 8 specific input filters, including Photoshop CS6, unless you install the wintab driver) and can be used identically to a mouse in 100% of click scenarios (though only GDI type programs will support right click hold, opengl/dx buffered screens will ignore the right click hold)
kron123456789 - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Thats interesting — two of three best android tablets are based on Tegra K1. Btw, where is Nexus 9 review? It's been over two weeks since "Preliminary Findings".redviper - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
The Asus vivotab note 8 is a better option than the DVP8. I have the DVP8 and the pen is a disaster, I'd really rather get the Asus. Ofcourse if they come out with some processor/screen/ram update that would be a really nice tablet, but MS is pushing low end for everything but Surface now.gailthesnail - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
I have a vivotab note 8 that I've been looking to get rid of actually.TT master - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
I am a really big fan of Anand Tech but I really wonder if these articles are required on Anand Tech because obviously Anand Tech is not for the average Joe or so I believe. Most guys over here are really tech savvy to know which tablet or laptop fits them the best and at which price. Plus I really thought people over here claiming that AT was biased to Apple was false but after comparing the reviews of Iphone 6 and One Plus One. I really think you guys give a lot more attention to Apple and just do away with smartphones from Chinese companies. Tom's hardware review of One Plus One was actually much more detailed and I kind of found it better.http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/oneplus-one-sm...
stlc8tr - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
The Samsung Tab Pro 8.4 for $200 is easily the best deal available today for Android tablets, IMO.2560x1600 8.4" screen with a microSD card slot.
Brandon Chester - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
The SoC isn't there, and that coupled with the high res display is just not a good experience.stlc8tr - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
Perhaps not for gaming but for comic reading and text-based apps, the high res display is fantastic. Also, with a uSD slot, you can easily take along 64GB of videos.I purchased mine earlier this year for a lot more and use it every day instead of the Nexus 7. Of course, YMMV if you are into gaming.
PC Perv - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Hello? It runs on S800. The Nexus 7 runs on S400. Tap Pro is cheaper than the Nexus 7.You'd have to be an idiot to pick the Nexus 7 for $230 over the Tab Pro 8.4 for $200.
PC Perv - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Correction: Nexus 7 runs on S4 Pro (Quad Krait 200)Brandon Chester - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Adreno 330 and S800's memory bandwidth is completely and utterly insufficient to drive WQXGA at high frame rates. Also, the "S4 Pro" APQ8064–1AA in the Nexus 7 is a Krait 300 part.Brandon Chester - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Also it's an RGBW panel, and it's normally $300 so I still don't see the appeal at all.PC Perv - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Ignorant hogwash. The Tab Pro 8.4 uses RGB stripes. Not that there is anything wrong with RGBW used on Tab Pro 10.1. But your mind is made up anyway. Do not let the facts get in your way.PC Perv - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Your bias is blinding you. How about checking out your own review?http://www.anandtech.com/show/7886/samsung-galaxy-...
The Nexus 7 has literally zero advantage except for getting quicker Android updates. That's per YOUR OWN review. And what is wrong with RGBW panel, as long as it displays correct images and gives awesome crispness thanks to its high PPI? Would you say CYMK in your printer (and just about every printer) is also a problem?
From what I can tell you are one of those typical AT reviewers, hell bent on "Apple is the standard" and judging everything from that angle. I admit not every AT reviewers are like that - especially those in Europe seem to be more even-headed. I am looking forward to the day when you "leave" to work as Joni Eve's personal driver.
PC Perv - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
lol, Joni Eve. Sorry I meant "Johnny Ive" XDBrandon Chester - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
My mistake, I had forgotten how it's strangely the larger tablet with the worse display. Calling me ignorant for a mistake is interesting since you incorrectly identified the SoC in the Nexus 7 two times in a row, despite the exact model being put in the article. I never called you ignorant for your mistake.RGBW is actually a real issue, you get huge reductions in chroma resolution. Again, the display isn't so much the issue as the hardware driving it. I have used it myself and there's obvious jank, S800 was not designed to drive such a high resolution. That's all I have to say about that.
I don't know why you brought up Apple, it seems like you've just fallen into throwing out ad hominems because of what appears to be buyer's justification because you own the TabPro. If you disagree with me that's fine, but accusing others of bias and making personal attacks is not at all a valid way to argue a point.
PC Perv - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Wrong again. I had the Nexus 7 (2013 model, which I sold because of performance degradation due to its cheap components), not the Tab Pro. I would have not spent $400 on the Tab Pro anyway.I know exactly what the Nexus 7's SoC is. I just wasn't sure how to call it. That was not a mistake. Your "mistake," on the other hand, is a different kind. "It's RGBW, so it's out of running" Just like Brian Klug's "It's AMOLED, so it's worthless." type of mistake.
I can't wait for the day when Apple adopt AMOLED and you declare "AMOLED DONE RIGHT."
stlc8tr - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Just to be clear, AFAIK, the Tab Pro 8.4 isn't RGBW. It's a full RGB stripe display. Only the 10.1 and 12.2 tablets are RGBW.Also, given the the Tab Pro 8.4 was recommended at $400, I don't understand why it isn't being recommend at $200, which is *CHEAPER* than the N7.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7886/samsung-galaxy-...
"Android alternatives include the Nexus 7, which delivers slightly less performance in most cases than the Pro 8.4 and it “only” has a WUXGA display, but it has one big selling point: it costs $170 less than the Pro 8.4, and you could even pick up two for the price of a single Pro 10.1 – or you could grab the 32GB model and still only pay $269. The Pro 8.4 looks and feels nicer in my opinion, but it’s really difficult to argue with that sort of price competition. If you want two more options, the Kindle Fire HDX 7” ($200) and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9” ($379) pack similar performance with their Snapdragon 800 SoCs and have a lot to offer, but the lack of Google Play Services is a pretty massive drawback in my book. I really can’t find any other direct competition in the Android market for the Samsung Pro 8.4 right now, so it's an easy recommendation."
PC Perv - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
Another ridiculousness is how he thinks the value of $100 when we talk about $200-ish tablets. He says,[Q]Also it's an RGBW panel, and it's normally $300 so I still don't see the appeal at all.[/Q]
Either he is totally brainwashed, or really bad at math. I mean, if the Nexus 7 was $120 ($220 - $100), would he say the same? Or, would he say the same about the iPad Air 2 if it's on sale for $100 less? No appeal at all?
I somehow doubt it. Says a lot about his bias, arrogance, and his total disregards of actual consumers.
I wish this guy had a humility to look himself in the mirror, but I frankly do not expect it from the attitude he has shown here so far.
The0ne - Monday, December 15, 2014 - link
It's not math. It is the unconscious decision to ignore everything else regardless of what was said or in some cases the facts. Religion is great at doing this btw. As you stated previously what does it matter if it's RGBW or anything as long as the image is clear and clean. And at these screen sizes who is really going to see the difference?Brandon, he threw out Apple reference because Anand's reviews share the same common reasoning, using Apple as the standard. Remember the screen size, the display? No different that what you're really doing here, albeit not as excessive as the full fledged Apple-loved reviews by Anand. I pray you don't ask us to cite them because that would be embarrassing to Anandtech.
steve1616 - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link
I have noticed so many people bag on this site for being pro apple. It seems like if anyone says anything good about an apple product, than obviously it is wrong. I didn't read a review made by an apple fanboy, but I have read mean comments made by obvious android fanboys.This is a neutral site, but even a pure android site (android police) recommended the ipad air 2 over all the android tablets. Maybe its just better. I started on android tablets. I bought hisense sero 7 pro tablets for my kids since their school required them and this tablet was recommended by the IT guy at their school. It was a good performing tablet, but so far 2 of the tablets I bought died within 6 months. The other 2 tablets have had problems that I have fixed and I am still limping them by. I replaced the 2 dead tablets with ipad minis reluctantly because they have a great track record for reliability and they were on sale for $170. These old tech original ipad mini tablets were better performers on games. They never stuttered on games that the hisense stuttered slightly on. My sister also bought some hisense tablets on my initial recommendation. Her tablets died within a few months and hisense will drag on a warranty for years it is looking like. We're yet to receive anything and it has been over 6 months since we returned the units with RMA's. She bought 2 ipad minis and 1 Samsung tab 4, 8" tablet. We almost bought this same Samsung, but it was quite a bit more money than the ipad mini. I have gotten the chance to play with both tablets and the Samsung tablet is not as good a perfomer as the hisense tablet. It stutters badly in games compared to the ipad mini. In subway surfer the samsung always has this little stutter that can really mess you up. The ipad mini is just smooth. I was guilty of not giving apple a fair chance before this experience, and it was misguided. They seem to have the best tablet at the best prices if you wait for big sales
tuxRoller - Sunday, December 14, 2014 - link
It's actually a krait 300 (15%ipc compared to krait 200).It's basically an underclocked s600.
gailthesnail - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Yeah I'm pretty sure you're wrong about that. I have a tab pro and it runs games great. It may not have the absolute newest chip but the s800 is still plenty powerful enough and definitely way more powerful than the s4 pro in the nexus 7. I would even pick it over the shield as nvidia has overpromised and under delivered on all of its chips in the past. The k1 looks like the most overrated chip in recent memory. It overheats, isn't battery efficient, and doesn't actually perform any better than competitors.savagemike - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
I would think Samsung deserves some mention. They might not have the fastest processors but an argument can be made they have the best screens. They've also got some very interesting entries with the 12.2 size machines. Better 2in1 machines than the Windows 2in1 machines in many ways, not least due to sheer increase in size.Lenovo also should get a nod for their unique design work. Not for everyone but the yoga 2 line of tablets do have their merits. And the 13.3" is something quite apart from anything else on the market.
AnandTechUser99 - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
The Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140 with Intel's Core M-5Y10 is on the market and might be worth considering. Hopefully Anandtech can get a look at it in the next couple of weeks.coolhardware - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Picked up a HP Stream 7 at Amazon and have been loving it:+IPS display
+Nice size and build quality
+128GB MicroSDXC support
+USB OTG support
+Free MS Office
+Free 25GB of Dropbox space
+Runs Chrome and uTorrent quite well
+Respectable battery life
+Very nice hardware for a great price*
*Amazon currently has it for $99 with free shipping!
http://amzn.to/1v2Pbhi
Cons:
-Doesn't have mini-HDMI output
-More internal storage would be nice (but MicroSDXC makes it okay for me)
-No RDP server for this version of Windows 8.1
Overall, this is a pretty sweet tablet deal IMHO!
PS skip the Nextbook 8 that WalMart is selling for Black Friday at $99, it has a TERRIBLE sparkly screen with very poor viewing angles. It does have HDMI out which I like, but the screen is just terrible.
TheGame21x - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
I ordered a signature Edition tablet from the Microsoft Store and I'm looking forward to getting it sometime this week. Should be fun to play with, at the very least.nedjinski - Friday, November 28, 2014 - link
Yes folks, it's time for the annual snub of Amazon tablets - so much for an accurate representation of what the market has to offer. Thanks for your objectivity.DanNeely - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
Amazon tablets remain crippled by the lack of out of the box Google Apps.emn13 - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
This comparison contains way too few tablets to be useful - where are the high-end android tablets, of which there are lots nowadays? Sony's flagship is thinner and lighter than the air 2 (and watertight), and samsung has several with interesting features like a stylus or a 12 inch form factor (a boon for reading letter/A4 sized media).Isn't the point of an article like this to help people realize what they want and give advice while you're at it? This reads more like "some tablets I happen to have heard of".
tuxRoller - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
Are you going to review the n9 at some point?JoshHo - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Yes. We apologize for the delays in the review.tuxRoller - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Great news!Thanks so much for the response.
BuddyRich - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
I just ordered a Dell Venue Pro signature edition 64 from the MS Store which was only 229 (it had a 120 discount for black friday but it also sold out) should be here shortly. $100 more for 1" of screen and 1GB of RAM is alot but I wanted to ensure I could get a working OTG+Charge cable, Dell sells one, and early tests indicate the Stream 7 doesn't work with with the cheap OTG Y cables. OTG works but it does charge. Maybe something like a Vener8 or +port will work but for what I want to use it for I need charge and USB port access at the same time and these things only have the one port. Otherwise at $99, the Stream 7 is like a Raspberry PI only with a screen (and a version of windows). They are PCs, you can install Linux on these things but with much better hardware than the Pi. Install XBMC and you are better than the XBMC version of Android and you still get a touch interface for fairly cheap.This will be my first Windows tablet, but Ive used windows 8 and 8.1 since its release and everything Ive read says these tablets should get a free update to Win 10 in April or whenever its released.
I used to be an Apple fan boy, going from iPod touch to 3GS to iPhone5 and bought the iPad3 for my first tablet. I dabbled with jailbreaking with the ipod and 3GS but by the time ios4 came out it had most of the features I wanted stock so haven't jailbroken since.
Then in Nov. of last year I bought a N7 over the iPad Mini for the screen quality and to try something different as iOS7 killed my performance on the iPad3. It wasn't bad on the 5. 7.1 went a long way to fixing this, but there was nothing really new and I found the ios experience to be getting stale. Having dropped my 5 and cracking the screen in May of this year I ordered a Nexus 5 and sold the iphone 5, and have been android ever since, save my iPad and old 3GS I use as remotes and music streamers. I was disappointed with the N9 so don't know what I'll buy next. I want to stick to stock Android but I was intrigued by the OLED screens in the Tab S tablets, but dislike the Samsung UI touchwiz stiff. I do find the Android app ecosystem offers more open apps but also trails iOS in app availability and app features where they exist on both. Its getting better but its not there yet, mostly the games, iOS is usually the first platform where something gets released (see Touchstone for example). Otherwise I love the fact I can run a file explorer on Android and tinker with a bunch of things I couldn't on iOS but with 4.4 and 5 more and more things require root to tinker with and the OS is becoming more closed.
mhaubr2 - Saturday, November 29, 2014 - link
I've been using the Asus TF700 as my "take everywhere" office device for the past 2 years, and I'm totally sold on the idea of an Android convertible. I can just shove it in a folio and take it everywhere - access corporate email & calendar, take notes using the keyboard, and because Android has pointer support with a bluetooth mouse I can remote into my Windows desktop and it's actually usable (even using the tiny trackpad on the keyboard dock). The TF700 is getting a bit long in the tooth, though, and the newest flagship TF303 isn't yet available in the US (assuming it ever will be). I recently picked up the TF103 for $150 for home use and although the screen is crap I really can't complain about the features for the price. Other folks at work have been getting iPads, and but my Asus is far more useful. I'm surprised Android convertibles haven't gotten more traction for this use case.Hemant0010 - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Microsoft Surface Pro series of tablets bridged the gap between Laptop and Tablet very well. Also, iPad Air 2 and Mini 3 are one of the best Tablets around right now and are also launched in India now. Know more about the price in India and other details - http://www.techuntold.com/ipad-air-2-and-ipad-mini...ruthan - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Sorry boys but some graphics, headers.. would be nice, this is wall of text.jhh - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
I bought a Nexus 10 on the day it launched. While I don't use it for gaming, the performance is adequate for my use. But, the battery is losing capacity, as it shuts down at 50%. I've read other people saying their Nexus 10 shuts down at 70% available. There are no legitimate options for battery replacement other than returning the tablet to Samsung, and not clear that they have any actual new batteries, or only old batteries with few cycles.Tablets without an aftermarket replacement battery source are doomed to a 2-3 year lifetime. If there was a decent tablet with assurances of 6 years of after-sale service available, they would be most likely to get my replacement business. But, they would have to be profitable on after-market services, not just new tablet sales. I hate creating all this electronic waste.
PC Perv - Sunday, November 30, 2014 - link
Read GSMArena's Tablet guide. Much more thorough and unbiased unlike Brandon Chester's propaganda-ridden crap.http://www.gsmarena.com/tablet_buyers_guide-review...
PokerGuy - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
As a long time AT reader I'm very disappointed by this tablet guide/review. It's fine for an audience that doesn't know (or want to know) the details, but rather just high level guidance on what to buy at the store. For a site like AT where the readers are tech savy, it's pretty lousy. I expect more from AT.I also don't understand how the G tab pro 8.4 isn't recommended over the N7. I can't see any reasons why the N7 is superior, and it actually costs more. Am I missing something?
Poik - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
I agree. The problem with a Nexus 7 or 9 is storage. Unless you have an unlimited plan 32GB isn't enough in this day and age and not including SD expandability makes the problem worse. I get that Nexus has never done that but limiting the capacity to 32GB really limits what I can do with it. I want to get a tablet for a trip I'm taking in January but the cost of a tablet with a decent amount of storage is rather crazy.blzd - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is cheaper than an N7? What world do you live in?The MSRP for the N7 is/was $200. As Anandtech mentioned, Samsung's exynos chips are slow and disappointing even compared to the now outdated Snapdragon 400. That wouldn't be too bad except it's trying to power the slow and disappointing skin known as TouchWiz which makes it feel even slower. Not to mention that the N7 has Android 5.0 already so is light years ahead in software while remaining a good $100 cheaper.
stlc8tr - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
The Tab Pro 8.4 is available now for $200 (from Best Buy and a few other sites). The MSRP of the N7 was $229 but since Google isn't selling the N7 anymore, there's no direct comparison. New 16GB N7's are going for $200 on eBay.Also, the Tab Pro 8.4 does not use an Exynos. It's a Snapdragon 800 @ 2.3Ghz with Adreno 330 GPU.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7886/samsung-galaxy-...
As for TouchWiz, it's an acquired taste. There are pluses and minuses. I don't mind it as much now that I've used in for awhile.
PokerGuy - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
"The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is cheaper than an N7? What world do you live in?"Last I checked, the tab pro 8.4 can be purchased for $199 right now, while the N7's are harder to come by and cost more.
"Samsung's exynos chips are slow and disappointing even compared to the now outdated Snapdragon 400"
I believe the Gtab pro uses the snapdragon 800, not slow by any means.
The only legit reason I could see to support the N7 is getting android updates quickly and without fuss. There's some value in that, but not nearly enough to make the N7 more attractive than several other competitors.
"Not to mention that the N7 has Android 5.0 already so is light years ahead in software while remaining a good $100 cheaper."
Not sure where you're getting the $100 cheaper part, right now the g tab pro is actually cheaper. Agree with you on getting android updates quicker, but not "light years ahead" by any stretch.
By the way, I don't own a galaxy tab pro, just commenting on the recommendation.
NXTwoThou - Monday, December 1, 2014 - link
I'm kind of surprised you posted the T100 when you consider that Walmart is selling their "Nextbook 10.1" for $179.00 -full price-. I picked one up for a friend as a babyshower present and it's amazing for the price and far better than the T100.azazel1024 - Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - link
You uh...do realize the Nextbook 10.1 has 1GB of RAM compared to 2GB in the T100, a lower resolution display (720p instead of 768p), a slower processor (z3745g, which is the single channel memory version of the z3740 that was in the original T100, let alone the z3775 that is in the revamped T100), a lower resolution front camera (though I guess bonus points for a rear camera), less storage (well, okay the T100 has a 32GB model, but the Nextbook 10.1 does not have a 64GB option at any price) and lastly it does not have a USB3 port (or any ports) on the keyboad dock...unlike the T100.So...yes. A much inferior tablet at a bit over half the price.
azazel1024 - Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - link
To add, in my experience, the 2GB of RAM in the T100 is an occasional limitation for some of the stuff I want to do, but looking at it, 1GB is going to limit you to nothing more than email, web browsing, book reading, movie watching and the most basic of touch games. Loading up Banner Saga and my RAM utilization is over 1GB. Loading up Kerbal Space Program (which runs on the T100 fine with the settings turned down BTW) and I've got only 100MB of RAM free. Star Craft 2 will load up and run okay, with well over 1GB of RAM used. And so on.Jamor - Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - link
"As you can see, there's a large price range for the Surface Pro 3"Actually I can't see it, as you forgot to add the first 3 prices.
azazel1024 - Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - link
I have to beg to differ about the Asus T100. If the author had bothered to check, the T100 got a redesign a couple of months ago. It now ships with the beefier z3775 process, which is 1.46GHz with a 2.39GHz burst clock, as well as faster GPU. The casing has also been changed from plastic to metal (sadly tacking on a couple of ounces in the process).I happen to have the original z3740 based T100 and it is fairly nice. So lets so an article update please. Now fingers crossed for Airmont/Cherry Trail coming out soon and Asus releasing a new 2-in-1 with that in it.
scaramoosh - Friday, December 5, 2014 - link
Why do people act like 16gb is usable? The base model is 32gb now, I do not take 16gb models seriously and they should not be sold any more.TSkyline5 - Saturday, December 13, 2014 - link
I managed to get a great deal on an iPad Air 32 GB from Best Buy...I originally bought it for $449, but then it went on sale for $409 at Staples (still on sale BTW...and the 16 GB Air is even cheaper at $369), so I went back and had them price match it.Apparently, Best Buy's policy is that they will price match within the return period; since it's the holidays, they have extended returns until 1/15/15, so if I see the price go below $409 anywhere else, I can go back and have them price match it AGAIN.
marvdmartian - Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - link
Funny, Brandon's idea of affordable is a bit higher than most people might consider. $229 for a Nexus 7? $399 for a Nexus 9?? While the screens might offer a nice resolution, that's not the end all for some people. Heck, if all you're worried about is the resolution, take a look at the Fire HDX tablets put out by Amazon. At least then, you'll be stuck with another tablet that offers you extended storage only on the "cloud".Earlier this year, I bought an Asus MeMO Pad FHD 10 (ME302C-A1), for ~$200, and couldn't be happier with it. Unlike the Nexus and Fire tablets, it has a micro-SDHC slot, capable of adding another 64GB of storage to the tablet. If that wasn't enough, the micro-USB slot (normally used for recharging the tablet) can be utilized, with a $5 (on Amazon and elsewhere) micro-USB male to USB female adapter, to plug a flash drive into it (or use one of the newer dual-plug USB/micro-USB flash drives). Heck, I've even taken a 128GB SSD, put it into an external drive case, and gotten the tablet to read from it, without any problem. Since the power draw on an SSD is so minimal, it shouldn't take as large a power draw off the tablet battery, like an portable hard drive would. While you're stuck in the cloud, I'm enjoying a tablet with a virtual storage drive of over 128GB (easily expanded by putting a larger SSD into the case).
Also, be aware that Barnes and Noble put their new Nook tablets, a rebadged Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 tablet (http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab/SM-T23... on sale (thru tomorrow) for $130. While it only offers 8GB of onboard storage, it also offers a micro-SDHC slot, for added storage capacity. If you're looking for a nice little 7" tablet, you're going to have a tough time finding better specs at that price point!
kenpogodan - Friday, December 19, 2014 - link
Wow...I must be in the stone age. Samsung tabs don't even get a nod??? I have the Galaxy tab 10.1 Pro and LOVE it.Desktop Administrator - Sunday, December 21, 2014 - link
What about the Asus Transformer BookT200?
UtilityMax - Sunday, January 18, 2015 - link
Personally I got myself a white Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 for $400 on the post-black friday Amazon sale, and I am still glad that I did even after reading that similarly priced Nexus 9 is supposedly better. I use the tablet to watch movie and various shows as I work out in the gym. So my number one requirement was to have a big screen (9-10 inches) that looks as good as possible as well as the storage for the media. I don't care that the Samsung CPU/GPU may not be the fastest possible. As long as the 32-bit Samsung CPU can play a 1080p movie without skipping, I am glad. No having a microsd car storage was a real killer for the Nexus 9 when I realized that I probably need at least 20-30 gig just for my media files. My Tab S 10.5 works like a champ so far. I am pretty happy with the Samsungified Android 4.4 OS. Does everything I need.vinay123012 - Thursday, January 28, 2016 - link
Well thats not true at all. You can use a lot of legacy software on x86 Windows tablets. Utilities that don't have the need for an interface, media players that are pretty touch friendly other than small close/maximize buttons, things like 7-zip which have large buttons. You can also install touchpointer and just have a normal pointer if you don't like touchy stuff. http://howtorootandroid.net/kingroot/lopa12 - Thursday, December 27, 2018 - link
Yup. The Nexus 9 is fine for a larger tablet, but it is just not one-handable like the 7, nor can it reasonably go into jacket pockets. They really should have kept the Nexus 7 around, like they kept the Nexus 5 around (although it seems to be in and out of stock), to have a two-tier Nexus line. I suppose Google isn't primarly interested in selling to consumers though and so isn't worried about filling every option. At least we know that the 2013 Nexus 7 will be buyable, even if in refurb form, for a good long time if we judge by the continued availability of refurb 2012 Nexus 7's.https://www.pokemonuraniumdownload.com
lopa12 - Thursday, December 27, 2018 - link
Yes folks, it's time for the annual snub of Amazon tablets - so much for an accurate representation of what the market has to offer. Thanks for your objectivity.https://www.getintopces.com
lopa12 - Thursday, December 27, 2018 - link
Yes folks, it's time for the annual snub of Amazon tablets - so much for an accurate representation of what the market has to offer. Thanks for your objectivity.https://www.getintopces.com
softae - Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - link
Best tablet 2019: the top slates tested and rankediPad Pro 12.9 (2017) ...
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. ...
iPad mini 4. ...
iPad Pro 10.5. ...
Microsoft Surface Pro. ...
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. A top Android tablet, now with a lower price. ...
Asus ZenPad 3S 10. A cheaper Android tablet that's worth looking at. ...
iPad (2017) Another great iPad if you're after the basics.
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