I have an iPad mini and a Note 8: No contest

[jimbo1mcm]

The Note 8 smokes the Ipad mini. And I am an Apple Fanboi !! The Note 8 is a seriously good product. I bought it, even though it had an S Pen. To my surprise, I am using the S Pen a whole lot. It is like having a mouse. The screen is very good, better than the Ipad mini. It dovetails with my Galaxy S4 ( which replaced an Iphone 5 ) perfectly. Apple needs to wake up. Loyalty only goes so far.

Update: Said goodbye to the Ipad mini; 1/2 GB Ram vs 2, lower screen resolution, slower processor. It was good when it came out, but Apple is so slow to make improvements. Samsung is willing to innovate.

 

[BobR1908]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

The Note 8 smokes the Ipad mini. And I am an Apple Fanboi !! The Note 8 is a seriously good product. I bought it, even though it had an S Pen. To my surprise, I am using the S Pen a whole lot. It is like having a mouse. The screen is very good, better than the Ipad mini. It dovetails with my Galaxy S4 ( which replaced an Iphone 5 ) perfectly. Apple needs to wake up. Loyalty only goes so far.

How is the build quality in comparison? Did Samsung use all plastics with it? I was in looking at some Samsung tablets and that was my only complaint - didn't feel as premium as I would have liked.

Thoughts?

 

[chrisdiaz73]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

I regrettably agree with you...I myself am an apple fanboy..I have an iphone 5 an ipad mini and also an ipad 3. I just recently got a galaxy S4 Active and love it....it made me want to try a tab out....I took advantage of the buy an s4 get a note 8 for $200, and must say I am super impressed. I love the pen, it certainly is like a mouse and is a pure joy for things like spreadsheets. Now I still have all my apple stuff, but I may not be so inclined to upgrade when the new ones come out, I might be looking forward to new Notes!

 

[jrsharp70]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

The s pen, for people who use their tablet for school, is hands down the best.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Sweet Pikake]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

The s pen, for people who use their tablet for school, is hands down the best.

Posted via Android Central App

I was very impressed with the Note 8.0 GSM version. Only problem is AT&T would not sell it to me at retail price. I already have an S4 32gb version. I wanted it for backup. I am on 60$ gophone. any suggestion on how I can purchase the Note 8.0 GSM without signing a month to month or 2 year contract?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[jimbo1mcm]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

Build quality is excellent. It doesn't bend or flex. It looks good and the display is very nice. You can't go wrong.

 

[jventola]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

How is the build quality in comparison? Did Samsung use all plastics with it? I was in looking at some Samsung tablets and that was my only complaint - didn't feel as premium as I would have liked.

Thoughts?

It does not twist if that is what you mean. Plastic is light and strong. I do not have an apple mini--I am arriving from a playbook, which is a solid device indeed. But the Note 8 is sleek and strong and I do not spent too much time looking at it as an object, but rather trying to learn android and get things done. PS, the Playbook OS is a really much nicer, unless it is just that I am used to it. It seems simpler--no buttons, etc.

 

[jrsharp70]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

I was very impressed with the Note 8.0 GSM version. Only problem is AT&T would not sell it to me at retail price. I already have an S4 32gb version. I wanted it for backup. I am on 60$ gophone. any suggestion on how I can purchase the Note 8.0 GSM without signing a month to month or 2 year contract?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using AC Forums mobile app

I don't know. They really screw people with these data options.
AT&T is not my provider, but they may have a data only plan, but it'll likely be expensive.

You can buy a gsm device on ebay and activate it I'm sure.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Sweet Pikake]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

I don't know. They really screw people with these data options.
AT&T is not my provider, but they may have a data only plan, but it'll likely be expensive.

You can buy a gsm device on ebay and activate it I'm sure.

Posted via Android Central App

actually, on eBay or Amazon, GT-N5100 is available for $500.00 and change but it does not have AT&T LTE bands, also on eBay I've seen the AT&T SGH-I467 Galaxy Note 8.0 for a little more dough but I have an stinking feeling that these sellers bought it under 2 years of contract and after its bought, the seller either do not pay the monthly premium, report it lost/insurance claim or cancel out and don't pay the ETF. The device then become blacklisted and buyer ends up with a very expensive MP3 Player or wifi only device. It's just me, I just as buy it from AT&T but like you said, they make it very difficult.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[jrsharp70]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

Once the device is activated on your account, it can't be turned off because of the seller's delinquency. The original buyer signed the contract. He is responsible.

If you get it on Craigslist, meet at AT&T and activate it there before giving the money. If you buy it on eBay, you have buyer protection.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[beh]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

The question about "plastics" shows a lack of understanding. The "plastics" used today for things like phones and tablets are really "engineered materials". They provide better thermal and mechanical shock protection than metals and glass. Each portion of a device can have a plastic composition which is designed specifically for the part and how it will be used. For example, the peel off back of a S3 or S4 phone. These materials can also have specific types of surfaces such as "tackiness" which glass and metal don't have. These engineered materials can also be made into very complex shapes and contours which are for all practical purposes impossible for metals and glass. Overall, I would suggest that "plastics" are far superior to the metals used for mobile devices. But they are also more expensive in many cases which is why some manufacturers don't use them. Just my 2 cents.

 

[tqmcguire]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

I also have both an iPad mini and Note 8. I find myself "wanting" to pick up the Note 8 more. I have more games on the iPad so I'm forced to pick it up a lot (yes, I'm still addicted to those time sucking management games, though weaning off lol). Now that I've gone through the workaround to get Falcon Pro working, my last real gripe of not having a beautiful Twitter app is crossed off. Nearly everything about the Note 8 is great. I wouldn't say one is better than the other. They're both great products. Yes, there are more tablet-specific apps on the App Store but I haven't found too many apps on the Note 8 to be so unpleasant to look at. I had always wanted to use my iPad to take notes in meetings at work but no matter which stylus I used nothing worked well. The S Pen is perfect. I took 7 pages of notes and then emailed them to myself in a PDF. That's productivity.

If I have one complaint, I don't like how seemingly HUGE Samsung's menus (Settings, for example) are but you don't spend too much time in there so it's not a big deal. As for build quality and materials; while I prefer the iPad mini's aluminum back to the plastic Note 8, there's nothing that cries out "cheap" to me. I have used every type of device out there but I am a self-confessed Apple fanboy. That said, right now I'm using an HTC One running TrickDroid 1.0 GE (probably my favorite phone I've ever owned) and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. Android is fantastic and so is the Note 8.0. Buy one, you won't be disappointed.

 

[burwil]

Funny how I read all those reviews comparing the two and the 'low res' Note 8 gets more attention from reviewers as a 'con' while its just mentioned in passing in the even lower res Mini. They pay it no mind. And regarding the plastics how many use the Note 8 naked? And now many play to be using the Note 8 years from now when useful years are what 2 or 3. The bias is palpable.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Andrawer]

Well I sold my iPad mini that I had for 6 months and replaced it with the Note 8.0 brown.
I really enjoy the Note 8 much better...for me it is so much easier to transfer / manage pdf's / images between devices (s4, mac). And the spen has been quite useful for recording notes (i.e. vacation/trip logs) into the Evernote App.

I just got back from vacation and was able to use my Note 8.0 to...
- easily save .pdf's with maps, etc of the national parks before departure.
- use the microsd card to load up movies I created from dvd's I owned,
- use spen to record daily logs,
- use note app to scribble "things to do",
-kindle books/zinio mags on 4+ hour flight,
- etc.

Most of the above can be done on the ipad mini just a bit more difficult.

I did prefer the width/height dimensions of the ipad mini better but got used to the Note quickly.
On the mini I used a logitech keyboard in landscape mode which was very high quality BUT I found I really don't need the external keyboard case for the Note 8.0 since I can use SPen to enter text vs a keyboard.

I'm glad I made the switch to the Note 8 which was prompted by a lowering of the price and I was able to sell my mini on ebay for what I paid for it (minus ebay's commission of course).

 

[TechNut13]

I actually just returned my Note 8. I really like the device overall however, I found the lack of tablet optimized apps frustrated me. I could not even get my banks mobile app as it was incompatible with the version of android. I am currently using an iPad 3 with Retina and I will probably go with the new iPad mini when it comes out. For me it comes down to content, and while Android is seeing improvements in this area they are still far behind. Maybe I will re-consider in a few months when the new iPad mini comes out.

The Note 8 hardware wise was excellent. No complaints at all, I really liked it, and the S Pen was very cool, although I didn't use it a whole lot. The build quality in my opinion was very good, I did not mind the materials at all. I had the white version and it looked very sharp. For me it came down to app content, and the apps that I needed and used were just not available yet.

 

[iphone5s]

The Note 8 smokes the Ipad mini. And I am an Apple Fanboi !! The Note 8 is a seriously good product. I bought it, even though it had an S Pen. To my surprise, I am using the S Pen a whole lot.

+1 Someone asked here how the build quality is and I say very good. Put the tablet in a book case from Samsung and it's very, very good. Samsung uses a type of polycarbonate with a very high degree of flexibility, giving it strength.

 

[bembol]

Not a fanboy (never understood why would you want to be) but a Mac user.

To be fair, IMO the iPad mini was a failure to begin with. It's a test run for early adopters.

As much as I love android and my new Samsung Galaxy Note 8 LTE, I will sell it once Apple releases the iPad mini the way it should've been in the first place...

Retina Display, Quad, 2GB RAM and amazing Battery Life.

Like I said I'm a Mac user and I want to have access to my iTunes (protected) Library.

 

[TC93]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

I agree. Too many people like to yell out plastic when the truth is that it most likely isnt even true plastic.
I have seen drop test videos where the metal did nothing to stop the screen from cracking.

I also have both an iPad mini and Note 8. I find myself "wanting" to pick up the Note 8 more. I have more games on the iPad so I'm forced to pick it up a lot (yes, I'm still addicted to those time sucking management games, though weaning off lol). Now that I've gone through the workaround to get Falcon Pro working, my last real gripe of not having a beautiful Twitter app is crossed off. Nearly everything about the Note 8 is great. I wouldn't say one is better than the other. They're both great products. Yes, there are more tablet-specific apps on the App Store but I haven't found too many apps on the Note 8 to be so unpleasant to look at. I had always wanted to use my iPad to take notes in meetings at work but no matter which stylus I used nothing worked well. The S Pen is perfect. I took 7 pages of notes and then emailed them to myself in a PDF. That's productivity.

If I have one complaint, I don't like how seemingly HUGE Samsung's menus (Settings, for example) are but you don't spend too much time in there so it's not a big deal. As for build quality and materials; while I prefer the iPad mini's aluminum back to the plastic Note 8, there's nothing that cries out "cheap" to me. I have used every type of device out there but I am a self-confessed Apple fanboy. That said, right now I'm using an HTC One running TrickDroid 1.0 GE (probably my favorite phone I've ever owned) and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. Android is fantastic and so is the Note 8.0. Buy one, you won't be disappointed.

 

[labrat1028]

Re: I have an Ipad mini and a Note 8: No contest

First Samsung tab. Previously had multiple iPhones, the iPad 2, and most recently a Kindle Fire (that sucked). Jumped from the iPhone to the Nexus4 last December and have been pleasantly surprised (I especially like saving 40 buck a month on my cell phone plan). Love the stock Android image, so the uninstallable bloatware and lack of control without rooting on the Note 8 is one con for me in comparison to the Nexus, but not necessarily in comparison to the iPad/Phone. In all fairness Apple does the same thing, but their forced apps always seemed to work pretty well...oops forgot about maps! The Sammy crapware doesn't work half the time (e.g. WatchOn, Peel, etc).

The other main problem for me, and this is true of both my Android devices is the app quality and particularly the Google Play App Store environment. Not as many tablet apps, and the quality and design of the apps just don't seem as polished as they are in the Apple environment. And as far as the Play Store itself, don't get me started on their latest so called 'interface improvement'. I can't figure out how to manage apps on two devices. Although I can install to either device there doesn't seem to be a way to individually view apps by device. And when you go to purchased apps under your account, anything you have ever purchased shows up in one long list with no distinction as to what device it was purchased for or may be installed individually on. This is a major problem and one that may lead me back to the iPhone unfortuately. I need to be able to manage apps by device, especially purchased apps.

As for hardware, the Note 8 is great. I had always heard the build quality is poor (cheap plastic, etc), but I see no issues there. The materials look and feel cheap, no doubt about that, but it has a solid feel overall in spite of that. Photo and video is good. The display is excellent, sharp and fast, with good video quality. Super impressed with the brightness-no issues seeing the display outdoors in sunlight (even with the brightness below max). I can barely see my Nexus screen outside. Great for reading so far. Not as impressed as I thought I would be with the S-pen and ability to have multiple windows open though. Not many s-pen compatible apps, and most apps are not compatible with the split screen. So it's mostly a novelty for now.

So even though it is a great device, I don't think that I would pay $399 for it, especially considering the crapware (and associated storage and inconvenience) that Sammy pushes on you. That's just me though. Got mine on Craigslist a few weeks ago with a case and All Share Cast HDMI dongle (which I also like) for a lot less than that. The mini is $70 cheaper, and much more in line with where I am comfortable on pricing for an 8 inch tab. S-pen and IR blaster is not a $70 upgrade alone. But who am i to judge...I mean Samsung is making a billion a month in profit I guess, right?

 

[Mary Hazlett]

Just an app note: you mention national park maps. Check out Chimani apps-national parks. Also, Audubon apps for birds, trees, flowers, etc. Some on Amazon apps but most in play store. Excellent!