I've got an old Archos Titanium tablet (running Android 4.1.1), and tired of it being slow and unresponsive in everything I try to do on it. Based on B. Diddy's recommendation I'm seeking recommendations and advice here in the General section.
People may be pitching in to cover some of the cost as a birthday/Christmas present, so there is not a set budget. Its flexible, but I don't necessarily want to throw a bunch of money into the cost simply because I don't have a set limit.
I currently have the following devices:
Sager NP9150 notebook running Windows 10 (the best computer I've owned and used to date. Its never crashed/blue screened or had any component failures).
HTC One M8 phone running Android 5.0.1 (the best phone I've owned to date. Its been fast, responsive, I haven't had any significant app crashes (ex: browser shutting down for no known reason), and it doesn't spontaneously turn off/restart on me (like my previous model phone used to do).
Asus ZenWatch 2 running Android Wear 1.3.0.2176821, Google Play 8.2.98, and Android OS 5.1.1 (I just got it, but I'm liking it so far).
Archos Titanium 80 tablet running Android 4.1.1 (This is the device I'm looking to replace). Most of the time it seems to take a long time for apps to launch. Many of those times the apps become unresponsive. Its wifi connection speed is much slower (and takes longer to connect) than the wifi with all of my other devices. (Granted I don't have a way to speed test the ZenWatch's wifi).
I want a tablet that is at least as big as the one I currently have (the Archos 80 titanium) which has a 8 inch (20.32 cm) IPS screen. The Titanium 80 has a 1024x768 pixel resolution, but I'm looking for my new tablet to have a higher resolution (I'm thinking 1920x1280 at least). 2048x1536 has been in a lot of the units I've been considering. My current feeling is the higher the PPI the better. With the Titanium 80 the first thing I noticed about it when I opened and started using it was the honeycomb hexagonal pattern on the screen. Over time I got used to it (somewhat), but I think the less pixelization and jaggedness I notice the better.
I use the current tablet for web surfing, reading manga/doujin, watching videos (many that I have saved as files and copied to SD card or the tablet itself). I do occasionally watch online/stream video as well, but rarely do that because of the slow wifi connection on the tablet. I currently go to my notebook (which is connected to my TV via HDMI) when I want to watch videos, but I'd like to be able to do it without any issues on the new tablet as well. The video I watch range any where from 1080p videos down to 360i videos (most are 1080, 720p and 480)
I don't have any specific software I need or plan to run on the tablet. I don't plan to do any word processing (I can use my notebook for that), I've done a bit of Photoshop (and Paint) in the past, and still use Paint to a small degree on the notebook, but I don't think it would be very easy or friendly to try to do with fingers on a touch screen. I also used to do a little 3d animation, but I don't plan to be doing any of that from the tablet.
I don't play games much any longer, and I'd probably use the notebook for that if I did desire to play them in the future. That being said I don't see any harm in the system being capable of play games to some extent. Usually the more capable a system is of playing games the better it will be at playing back video as well (since they rely on the same components in many cases).
I don't have any particular hard drive or memory requirements. I have removable SD cards in both my phone and current tablet, and use external USB drives with my notebook. My phone has 32gb phone storage (22.40gb currently used), a 30gb (micro) SD card (8.86gb currently used). My current tablet as 6.36gb internal storage (4.16gb used), and a 30gb (micro) sd card (27.06gb used). My notebook has a 237gb SSD drive, internal 700gb hard drive (650gb used), and I have two 1tb external usb 2.0/3.0 as well as a 500gb external usb 2.0/3.0 drives.
I don't necessarily require any specific inputs, but in my experience the more inputs/input options a device has the better it seems to be in the long term. Since my notebook transmits videos to my tv via HDMI I don't see a need for my tablet to be able to have one, but I wouldn't be against it as it could be useful if I had video on my tablet and I ever end up taking it somewhere where I'd be able, or want to project said video to a tv screen. If the internal storage space is large enough, and copying files is easy enough (and deleting files every so often to rewrite over the space with other files) isn't a hassle or create long term issues I suppose I could do without the SD slot.
Two devices I've been looking at/considering are the Asus Z580CA (not to be confused with the Z580C) and the Google Pixel C, but I'm open to other suggestions.
Things I like(d) about the Asus Z580CA:
2048x1536 (exceeds minimum resolution desired) (324 ppi)
Supports pens (Z Stylus)
Asus Tru2Life+ (increases refresh rate to reduce blur and potentially create smooth detailed motion) (and apparently better looking contrast)
Two front speakers (better than a single or back speaker(s) when watching videos).
Micro SD slot (for external micro SD cards up to 128gb)
Asus software that can allow the tablet to control a PC (I could remotely start videos on my notebook and have them play on my tv without having to get up and use the PC), and visa versa control the tablet from the PC (I can't think of why I'd necessarily do that).
Drawbacks I see to the Z580CA:
short(er than average?) battery life (from what I read in a few reviews)
Asus bloatware (from what I read some can/can't be disabled)
May end up with legacy/obsolete software (OS) after some time if Asus doesn't keep the OS up-to-date (but that's true of anything Android that isn't a recent Nexus or Pixel system).
Things I like(d) about the Pixel C:
Google - they say they'll put out software (Android?) updates for it every six weeks. (Unlike my current tablet I will not be stuck with an old OS that has problems with updated apps).
2560x1800 (308 ppi)
Stereo speaker on both sides
Optional keyboard (magnetic Bluetooth keyboard that has long battery life)
long battery life
Drawbacks I see to Pixel C:
expensive $499/$599 for tablet plus additional $149 for keyboard
(totaling $648-$748 - roughly the price of some laptops/pc)
No SD slot (I'm not familiar with USB type-C, but would it plausibly work to connect and power the external hard drives I mentioned previously - assuming I had a wire that could connect to the drive on one end and the tablet type-c port on the other. Even if it could be done I'd have to wonder how quickly it would drain the battery, and how troublesome it would be to have a hot external drive likely dangling from the tablet)
Edit:
Predator 8 :
I also see for the same price as the Asus z580CA there is the soon to be released (November 6th?) Acer Predator 8 tablet. It has both a decent screen (1920x1200) with 100% NTSC color gamut, and a powerful processor (Intel Atom X7-Z8700). It also has 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi. Anyone think it is a good option to consider as well?
http://www.cnet.com/products/acer-predator-8/
Given all of the above what would you recommend to me?
(Thanks to everyone who takes the time and effort to answer/recommend).
People may be pitching in to cover some of the cost as a birthday/Christmas present, so there is not a set budget. Its flexible, but I don't necessarily want to throw a bunch of money into the cost simply because I don't have a set limit.
I currently have the following devices:
Sager NP9150 notebook running Windows 10 (the best computer I've owned and used to date. Its never crashed/blue screened or had any component failures).
HTC One M8 phone running Android 5.0.1 (the best phone I've owned to date. Its been fast, responsive, I haven't had any significant app crashes (ex: browser shutting down for no known reason), and it doesn't spontaneously turn off/restart on me (like my previous model phone used to do).
Asus ZenWatch 2 running Android Wear 1.3.0.2176821, Google Play 8.2.98, and Android OS 5.1.1 (I just got it, but I'm liking it so far).
Archos Titanium 80 tablet running Android 4.1.1 (This is the device I'm looking to replace). Most of the time it seems to take a long time for apps to launch. Many of those times the apps become unresponsive. Its wifi connection speed is much slower (and takes longer to connect) than the wifi with all of my other devices. (Granted I don't have a way to speed test the ZenWatch's wifi).
I want a tablet that is at least as big as the one I currently have (the Archos 80 titanium) which has a 8 inch (20.32 cm) IPS screen. The Titanium 80 has a 1024x768 pixel resolution, but I'm looking for my new tablet to have a higher resolution (I'm thinking 1920x1280 at least). 2048x1536 has been in a lot of the units I've been considering. My current feeling is the higher the PPI the better. With the Titanium 80 the first thing I noticed about it when I opened and started using it was the honeycomb hexagonal pattern on the screen. Over time I got used to it (somewhat), but I think the less pixelization and jaggedness I notice the better.
I use the current tablet for web surfing, reading manga/doujin, watching videos (many that I have saved as files and copied to SD card or the tablet itself). I do occasionally watch online/stream video as well, but rarely do that because of the slow wifi connection on the tablet. I currently go to my notebook (which is connected to my TV via HDMI) when I want to watch videos, but I'd like to be able to do it without any issues on the new tablet as well. The video I watch range any where from 1080p videos down to 360i videos (most are 1080, 720p and 480)
I don't have any specific software I need or plan to run on the tablet. I don't plan to do any word processing (I can use my notebook for that), I've done a bit of Photoshop (and Paint) in the past, and still use Paint to a small degree on the notebook, but I don't think it would be very easy or friendly to try to do with fingers on a touch screen. I also used to do a little 3d animation, but I don't plan to be doing any of that from the tablet.
I don't play games much any longer, and I'd probably use the notebook for that if I did desire to play them in the future. That being said I don't see any harm in the system being capable of play games to some extent. Usually the more capable a system is of playing games the better it will be at playing back video as well (since they rely on the same components in many cases).
I don't have any particular hard drive or memory requirements. I have removable SD cards in both my phone and current tablet, and use external USB drives with my notebook. My phone has 32gb phone storage (22.40gb currently used), a 30gb (micro) SD card (8.86gb currently used). My current tablet as 6.36gb internal storage (4.16gb used), and a 30gb (micro) sd card (27.06gb used). My notebook has a 237gb SSD drive, internal 700gb hard drive (650gb used), and I have two 1tb external usb 2.0/3.0 as well as a 500gb external usb 2.0/3.0 drives.
I don't necessarily require any specific inputs, but in my experience the more inputs/input options a device has the better it seems to be in the long term. Since my notebook transmits videos to my tv via HDMI I don't see a need for my tablet to be able to have one, but I wouldn't be against it as it could be useful if I had video on my tablet and I ever end up taking it somewhere where I'd be able, or want to project said video to a tv screen. If the internal storage space is large enough, and copying files is easy enough (and deleting files every so often to rewrite over the space with other files) isn't a hassle or create long term issues I suppose I could do without the SD slot.
Two devices I've been looking at/considering are the Asus Z580CA (not to be confused with the Z580C) and the Google Pixel C, but I'm open to other suggestions.
Things I like(d) about the Asus Z580CA:
2048x1536 (exceeds minimum resolution desired) (324 ppi)
Supports pens (Z Stylus)
Asus Tru2Life+ (increases refresh rate to reduce blur and potentially create smooth detailed motion) (and apparently better looking contrast)
Two front speakers (better than a single or back speaker(s) when watching videos).
Micro SD slot (for external micro SD cards up to 128gb)
Asus software that can allow the tablet to control a PC (I could remotely start videos on my notebook and have them play on my tv without having to get up and use the PC), and visa versa control the tablet from the PC (I can't think of why I'd necessarily do that).
Drawbacks I see to the Z580CA:
short(er than average?) battery life (from what I read in a few reviews)
Asus bloatware (from what I read some can/can't be disabled)
May end up with legacy/obsolete software (OS) after some time if Asus doesn't keep the OS up-to-date (but that's true of anything Android that isn't a recent Nexus or Pixel system).
Things I like(d) about the Pixel C:
Google - they say they'll put out software (Android?) updates for it every six weeks. (Unlike my current tablet I will not be stuck with an old OS that has problems with updated apps).
2560x1800 (308 ppi)
Stereo speaker on both sides
Optional keyboard (magnetic Bluetooth keyboard that has long battery life)
long battery life
Drawbacks I see to Pixel C:
expensive $499/$599 for tablet plus additional $149 for keyboard
(totaling $648-$748 - roughly the price of some laptops/pc)
No SD slot (I'm not familiar with USB type-C, but would it plausibly work to connect and power the external hard drives I mentioned previously - assuming I had a wire that could connect to the drive on one end and the tablet type-c port on the other. Even if it could be done I'd have to wonder how quickly it would drain the battery, and how troublesome it would be to have a hot external drive likely dangling from the tablet)
Edit:
Predator 8 :
I also see for the same price as the Asus z580CA there is the soon to be released (November 6th?) Acer Predator 8 tablet. It has both a decent screen (1920x1200) with 100% NTSC color gamut, and a powerful processor (Intel Atom X7-Z8700). It also has 2x2 MIMO Wi-Fi. Anyone think it is a good option to consider as well?
http://www.cnet.com/products/acer-predator-8/
Given all of the above what would you recommend to me?
(Thanks to everyone who takes the time and effort to answer/recommend).
Last edited:
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