|
I went against my better judgement and I'm setting myself up to be Samsunged. Not the Tab S3 though. The outgoing 2016 Tab S2 is dropping to compelling prices. Compelling enough to make me try one for a N7 replacement. You can get one with folio cover for $289 at Costco right now. The 2016 refresh got the Snapdragon 652 which is actually fairly potent. It should be a pretty big jump in performance over the K1 let alone the 400 series Snapdragon in the N7 2013. Nougat has been spotted in testing, so it should have a leg up on the N7 there. The AMOLED screen is really nice and the main reason why I'm taking the leap. Oh well, it's Costco so I have 90 days to decide if it's a mistake or Google to announce something better.
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2017 21:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 07:11 |
|
|
I own a N7 2013 and it uses a Snapdragon S4 Pro, not a 400 series. It still serves really well but I know that some day it'll poo poo the bed (I hope it never does damnit) and I'll probably head the amazon route or even a cheap Asus tablet if I can't find a K1.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2017 21:48
|
|
|
I misspoke but there's not a ton of difference. A good chunk of the 400 series use Krait 300 cores just like the S4 Pro. GPU is just down a bit compared to the S4 Pro (305 instead of 320.) It has had amazing staying power, but I'm starting to find my N7 a bit of a slog to use compared to my other devices now. It still ultimately made sense to keep it in the rotation as long as it was getting updates, but that time has passed. I really would have loved to have a Google successor, but it really doesn't look like it's happening. I got till the 2nd half of June to return though, so if something interesting turns up at IO or right afterwards, then I can reevaluate. I'm likely going to trade my Pixel C and HP Chromebook 13 in for the Samsung Chromebook Pro when it comes out. That way I'll be dropping a full device but keeping all the form factors.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2017 22:10
|
|
|
bull3964 posted:setting myself up to be Samsunged. I'm not so sure that's really a thing anymore. I've had incredibly good experiences with the S3 and S6. I'm generally an Android purist as a dev but both devices have worked amazingly well. I even ran my S3 though part of a load of laundry and it still worked afterward (just the camera would fail to launch). Granted I use Nova launcher and customize it to have everything on one home screen but I'd do that on any/ever Android device. I wish someone would make another top spec phone with the form factor of the Moto X 2013 as that was the best phone form I've ever held by a long shot. Given as phones that literally fit average the human hand are on the way out I'm looking forward to the S8 announcement. HTC and Moto used to do research on the best phones for holding but no one wanted their tiny phones.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 15:32
|
|
|
Stick100 posted:I'm not so sure that's really a thing anymore. Oh, it most certainly is. I still would never buy a Galaxy phone, but I'm willing to make concessions for a tablet (for example, having the app drawer button on the right might make sense for a tablet since it's in easier reach.) The biggest WTF in regards to the S2 is Samsung's silent upgrading last year. I originally wrote it off when it came out due to the use of an old Exynos processor. The bump to the SD652 is pretty drat significant. It makes it the 3rd most powerful Android tablet behind the Pixel C (X1 SoC) and the new Tab S3. The only real con is that the SD652 is still a 28nm process chip. Though, in a tablet, that's less of a concern since you can get better heat dissipation and most of the battery is going to get consumed by the display anyways. The Adreno 510 should make it a nice little gaming machine too, only the top of the line flagship SoCs will be faster. The physical design is also spot on (aside from the aspect ratio.) Metal sides with soft touch plastic on the back, the best combo of an all metal design and the N7. gently caress glass backs on devices. It also appears it is very easy to replace the battery or otherwise service parts in it which is a rarity in a device so thin. I reserve my opinion until I actually get it and play around with it. The software may drive me bonkers. If it's fine though, I think this is the sleeper choice right now in small form factor tablets. You should be able to get it for less than $100 price premium over the K1 and you get much upgraded internals, OLED higher resolution screen, and fingerprint sensor. Nougat remains an advantage of the K1 for now, but the S2 has been spotted with 7.0 so the update should happen.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 16:29
|
|
|
Stick100 posted:I'm not so sure that's really a thing anymore. I've had incredibly good experiences with the S3 and S6. I'm generally an Android purist as a dev but both devices have worked amazingly well. I even ran my S3 though part of a load of laundry and it still worked afterward (just the camera would fail to launch). Getting Samsunged isn't a thing anymore? Can you explain that to the Note 7 users who all had to return their phones in a fireproof loving box?
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 20:19
|
|
|
bull3964 posted:I went against my better judgement and I'm setting myself up to be Samsunged. The pixel-C on Swappa is around 300$ right now as well, and is faster than the S3 and is a google device. Just saying. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 20:28
|
|
|
I already own one. It's too big and I don't like the screen. To be clear, I've owned (and in some cases still have.) Moto Xoom N7 2012 N7 2013 N10 N9 Pixel C I also have a surface pro 3. My takeaway is I dislike larger tablets, especially ones that have their primary orientation in landscape. I find them too cumbersome to use. Actually, if the pixel C ran ChromeOS with Android app support, I would like it a lot better. bull3964 fucked around with this message at 20:39 on Mar 23, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 20:32
|
|
|
ratbert90 posted:The pixel-C on Swappa is around 300$ right now as well, and is faster than the S3 and is a google device. Just saying. Looks like it's starting at $430 for me on Swappa...
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 20:42
|
|
|
RVProfootballer posted:Looks like it's starting at $430 for me on Swappa... yeah never mind, for some reason I melted down and read the price wrong.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 20:44
|
|
|
ratbert90 posted:yeah never mind, for some reason I melted down and read the price wrong. No worries, I just wish it was around $300  I finally gave up on my Nexus 10 like 3-4 months ago, went to an iPad Mini 2 we had in the house that no one really used, but would like to go back to a bigger tablet for reading. If the Pixel C was competitive in price with a new iPad or iPad Air 2, I'd probably go for it, but doesn't look like that's the case.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2017 22:36
|
|
|
I hate to say this because I have been generally very happy with my Tab S 8.2 but given that Google has basically given up on tablets as have developers I think a 32GB 9.7 Retina tablet with an A9 means Android tablets are dead. I mean how to Android tablet manufacturers compete on price much less ecosystem at this point when Google clearly doesn't give a poo poo anymore and appears fully committed at this point to some Chrome OS/Android hybrid that is barely started yet.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 16:43
|
|
|
Three Olives posted:I hate to say this because I have been generally very happy with my Tab S 8.2 but given that Google has basically given up on tablets as have developers I think a 32GB 9.7 Retina tablet with an A9 means Android tablets are dead. Does anyone care if "Android" tablets die if there is an alternative with Chrome OS that can use Android apps? Anyway, looks like tablets are dying back a bit in general, if even iPad sales are falling a ton year over year. Even if Google were putting more effort into Android on tablets, manufacturers wouldn't necessarily be any better off. Probably better for their bottom line to not try to compete, instead of losing money in a shrinking market that is dominated by Apple.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 17:03
|
|
|
RVProfootballer posted:Does anyone care if "Android" tablets die if there is an alternative with Chrome OS that can use Android apps? Anyway, looks like tablets are dying back a bit in general, if even iPad sales are falling a ton year over year. Even if Google were putting more effort into Android on tablets, manufacturers wouldn't necessarily be any better off. Probably better for their bottom line to not try to compete, instead of losing money in a shrinking market that is dominated by Apple. I dunno, maybe? Competition is good and it's not like tablets have lost favor, if anything they are a victim of their own success, everyone already has one and likes it, it's just the replacement cycle isn't what anyone thought it would be. I might agree if Chrome OS + Android was a thing yet but it is not, it's a typical half-baked Google beta project that has no real portable tablet form factor right now.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 17:09
|
|
|
I might have actually considered an iPad this round, but the choices are dire there too. Size is still an issue, so I wouldn't have wanted the 9.7". However the Mini is still behind in processing power. Even if I wanted the larger size, Apple pushed the display down-market on the new iPads. They are no longer laminated nor do they have the anti-reflective coating. This isn't 2005 anymore and I have no desire to own a device with an air-gap under the digitizer.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 18:10
|
|
|
My phone is a better tablet than my tablet. That's why tablets are dead. I really like mine cuz it's a neat piece of tech but it literally has no reason to exist "A screen into the internet that doesn't fit into my pocket (like a phone) or act as a non gimped workstation (like a laptop)? Sure let's make a new model every year, people will undoubtedly buy em!" As soon as phablets became commonplace, the writing was on the wall. The cheap rear end options make for solid game boys for children, that seems to be their one still legitimate use KingSlime fucked around with this message at 20:23 on Mar 24, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 20:21
|
|
|
I still find the sweet spot to be 7-8" which is too large for a phone. Also, if you aren't designing for pocketability, then you can make other design decisions (like slightly thicker for more battery.) I get WHY the market isn't there, they just don't align with my wants. I want my phones 5" or less and something more decent sized when I don't have to stuff it in my pocket.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 20:30
|
|
|
bull3964 posted:However the Mini is still behind in processing power. Does that matter?
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 21:33
|
|
|
RVProfootballer posted:Does that matter? Maybe not a ton in the real world, but for $400 it seems like it's time to move past the A8 and match the larger size with the A9. Storage performance in particular is where the tablet will show it's age since the A9 introduced the on chip NVMe controller. To be completely honest, the latest product realignment seems geared to clear out existing 128gb eMMC inventories before they move to PCIe NAND and the A9.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 22:14
|
|
|
lol you think specs matter
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 22:16
|
|
|
bull3964 posted:I get WHY the market isn't there, they just don't align with my wants. I want my phones 5" or less and something more decent sized when I don't have to stuff it in my pocket. I thought I did too but the hassle just isn't worth the few inches of extra screen real estate "I'm gonna read more comics, I'm gonna catch up on books, it'll be cool to play some games maybe, and definitely nice as a larger porn device," I assured myself as I ordered my tablet. It was such an optimistic and naive view from someone who already has a desktop, a laptop, and a smartphone. I guess they can be nice for travel but my phone is nicer. 5 inches is still a poo poo load of screen and it fits in my pocket fine (plus it charges quicker and has a removable battery, unlike tablets). I still like to occasionally grab mine from its drawer and admire it for a few minutes here and there before tossing it aside to do something else. They're pretty little slates.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 22:21
|
|
|
They do, they're just not the only thing that matters. That's why the iPad 1 and 3 sucked balls, they're released underpowered and fairly quickly became unsupported.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 22:23
|
|
|
KingSlime posted:I thought I did too but the hassle just isn't worth the few inches of extra screen real estate Yeah, you are me. I've got 2 tablets and I use them for maybe 15 minutes a month. I have too many other devices that do the job of tablets better for me.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 22:23
|
|
|
bull3964 posted:Maybe not a ton in the real world, but for $400 it seems like it's time to move past the A8 and match the larger size with the A9. Storage performance in particular is where the tablet will show it's age since the A9 introduced the on chip NVMe controller. Gotcha. I don't really know how the Mini 4 compares to newer iPads, mostly figured going with the latest will extend the life of it a bit, just in the sense of you putting up with it for longer before it feels unbearably slow, not in terms of actual functionality really. Just not sure how big the gap is between any two generations in those terms, whether progress has slowed down enough that a year newer doesn't necessarily mean a year longer of acceptable snappiness. Interesting about the storage though, makes sense and might be a good reason to want the newer.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2017 22:25
|
|
|
KingSlime posted:I thought I did too but the hassle just isn't worth the few inches of extra screen real estate I have a N7 that I still use very very frequently. I just want something with a bit more modern specs and the K1 isn't a large enough jump. I'm not talking a hypothetical here. It's not what I think I want, it's what I know I use. I use small tablets, I don't use large tablets, I've owned pretty much all of them so I know. My last generation phone was a 5.7" moto X, my current phone is a 5" Pixel. I even also have a 5.5" Moto Z and the Moto Z isn't a replacement for the N7 (as much I hoped it would be.) In other news Costco cancelled my order for the Tab S2 for no reason I can discern or get out of them so I'm likely going to try to get best buy to price match.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2017 00:07
|
|
|
I do like the "cute" smaller tablets as well, they're basically little colorful e-readers+all media consumption devices, and are definitely a joy to use vs a phone. But whenever I need a bigger screen I just use my laptop or my desktop, I suppose I don't see the huge benefit from going up two to three inches (unless you actually read comics, magazines, and stuff, the extra real estate is very very nice in that area). I should read more stuff on my tablet. Have you looked at chinese tablets btw? I haven't kept up in a while but unless I'm mistaken, the market is a little bigger over there right?
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2017 03:31
|
|
|
Costco finally came through today and I have my Tab S2. I have to say, it seems pretty sweet so far. Size is just about right (though I think I would still prefer a 16:9 or 16:10 tablet.) Screen is amazing too. I'm cautiously optimistic, even though this is Samsung. I got 90 days to find a fatal flaw (or for Google to announce something better.) For under $300, it's a pretty good buy. The original $400 price would have been really hard to swallow with the Exynos processor. But sub $300 for Snapdragon 652 in this package, pretty nice.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2017 02:26
|
|
|
Just a heads up: Woot has been getting more and more shipments of the Fire HDX models (the first-gen 2013 ones with the SD800) which are the discontinued ones with high-res displays and decent hardware (don't mistake them for the current "HD" tablets which are literally just 720p.) The 8.9" one is here but I also got a 7" one a while back. The 7" HDX is interesting in that it's taller and narrower than my N7 2013, but it's not that surprising when you realize that the N7 has extra-wide side bezels for some reason. Other than that, the HDXs are faster and I use them mainly to play Vainglory.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2017 07:30
|
|
|
chocolateTHUNDER posted:It's also worth noting that the shield tablet came out in, what, 2014? It got a little refresh in 2015 but the specs stayed the same. It's pretty drat old by phone/tablet standards. It's nice that it got 7.0 but I don't expect it to get anything past that. Holy crap, adopted storage was the cause of the majority of my slow downs. Jesus christ, why is it so poo poo.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 03:12
|
|
|
Because SD cards aren't necessarily as fast as internal storage.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 03:29
|
|
|
SlayVus posted:Holy crap, adopted storage was the cause of the majority of my slow downs. Jesus christ, why is it so poo poo. But guys SD cards are totally fine and not garbage!
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 04:25
|
|
|
LastInLine posted:But guys SD cards are totally fine and not garbage! I have a samsung 64gb that can do 90mb/s reads when connected to my PC.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 04:44
|
|
|
LastInLine posted:But guys SD cards are totally fine and not garbage! They are and have always been for audiobooks, music, movies, and books. SD cards are only an issue for apps. I'm glad we got them back in mainline phones along with decent storage. I personally like having a large podcast library and media since I've found all carriers to be unreliable in my day to day life.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 05:09
|
|
|
SlayVus posted:I have a samsung 64gb that can do 90mb/s reads when connected to my PC.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 05:15
|
|
|
LastInLine posted:But guys SD cards are totally fine and not garbage! They're fine for putting photos/music/videos on, not fine for running an OS like Android off of. Seems pretty simple to me.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 15:19
|
|
|
I'm starting to see rumors of an Android 8.0 Nexus 7 styled Google tablet. Anyone else?
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 15:42
|
|
|
Nothing credible. It's the same bullshit rumor websites recycling the same 'leaks' with nothing substantial behind them every other month. Until we see an FCC filling, I'm going to assume Google's final tablet was the Pixel C.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 16:07
|
|
|
I've ordered a Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus 10. Does this make me terrible or cool?
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 16:37
|
|
|
I dunno, but lol at that name.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 16:38
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 07:11 |
|
|
I've had my Tab S2 8.0 for over a week and I rather like it. It's quite a bit more snappy than the N7 2013. The OLED screen is amazing. It's also even lighter than the N7 2013. It's sure as hell not worth the $400 MSRP, but it's a good deal for under $300 that you can snag it at from time to time. I purchased from Costco, so I have until late June to return if Google wants to show up to the party.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 17:19
|
|