I've been playing with an 8" Windows tablet for about a month and thought I would share my first impressions.
There are several 8" Windows tablets on the market right now from Dell, HP, ASUS, Lenovo, Toshiba and others. All based on the latest line of Intel Atom CPUs. Very reasonably priced: many are under $300. (Microsoft might be announcing its 8-inch Surface next week too, though I don't know much about what it will be).
The one I've got is ASUS VivoTab Note 8 M80T, the 64 GB version. Currently priced at $339. The tablet is small and light, very portable, almost pocket-size, like Kindle. Not as thin and light as iPad Mini, but close enough. This tablet is touch-sensitive like all other tablets out there, but it also comes with an active digitizer stylus, which is conveniently stored inside the tablet itself, so it's always there when you need it. The stylus comes very handy for taking handwritten notes during meetings and seminars or for drawing sketches. It is also very useful for clicking on tiny buttons in some Windows programs not designed for Touch.
Of course, the main advantage of this tablet is that it runs the full version of Windows 8.1, not just some limited Windows RT. This means I can install pretty much any Windows software on it. That's very important for me: I no longer have to carry a laptop whenever I travel. As good as iPad apps are, they still don't fully eliminate the need for a laptop, particularly for business applications.
I Like the Windows 8.1 "Metro-style" user interface. Fits the tablet very well. But I am still getting used to having two separate environments on the tablet: Windows desktop programs and Windows "Metro-style" apps. It's like running two operating systems on the same tablet in parallel. I even have some programs (like Microsoft OneNote) installed in two different versions: desktop and Metro. But it's good to have a choice and to be able to run both types of apps if needed.
And I must say this latest Atom CPU (Z3740) does a good job! My impression is that it's way more powerful than the older Atoms used in Netbooks, while consuming much less power (no cooling fans in these tablets!)
The screen is very bright. It is readable even outdoors in bright light. The screen resolution is 1280x800. There are some 8-inch Windows tablets with higher resolutions, but to me, this is sufficient, particularly when using some older Windows desktop programs that don't scale too well at HiDPI. Touch sensitivity is pretty good. One thing I don't like about this screen though is that it's a real fingerprint magnet! I normally don't use screen protectors, but think I'll have to get one for this tablet.
This Vivo Tab Note 8 is rather minimalist when it comes to the I/O ports: just one USB 2.0 (OTG-capable) port and one micro SD card slot. I wish it had USB 3.0 and micro-HDMI. Some other 8-inch tablets do have those extra ports, but then they lack other important features like the active stylus.
So, am I ready to give up my beloved iPad? Not yet! As far as I am concerned, iPad still rules: more mobile apps, better battery life, better screen, more polished UI: way more practical as an all-purpose tablet. But this new wave of Windows tablets shows a very good promise. Very competitively priced with full Windows support in a very portable form-factor and with additional features like active stylus and microSD card slot, they fill a niche, replacing a laptop on short trips and eliminating the need for book readers like Kindle. Definitely a good choice for a business tablet.
There are several 8" Windows tablets on the market right now from Dell, HP, ASUS, Lenovo, Toshiba and others. All based on the latest line of Intel Atom CPUs. Very reasonably priced: many are under $300. (Microsoft might be announcing its 8-inch Surface next week too, though I don't know much about what it will be).
The one I've got is ASUS VivoTab Note 8 M80T, the 64 GB version. Currently priced at $339. The tablet is small and light, very portable, almost pocket-size, like Kindle. Not as thin and light as iPad Mini, but close enough. This tablet is touch-sensitive like all other tablets out there, but it also comes with an active digitizer stylus, which is conveniently stored inside the tablet itself, so it's always there when you need it. The stylus comes very handy for taking handwritten notes during meetings and seminars or for drawing sketches. It is also very useful for clicking on tiny buttons in some Windows programs not designed for Touch.
Of course, the main advantage of this tablet is that it runs the full version of Windows 8.1, not just some limited Windows RT. This means I can install pretty much any Windows software on it. That's very important for me: I no longer have to carry a laptop whenever I travel. As good as iPad apps are, they still don't fully eliminate the need for a laptop, particularly for business applications.
I Like the Windows 8.1 "Metro-style" user interface. Fits the tablet very well. But I am still getting used to having two separate environments on the tablet: Windows desktop programs and Windows "Metro-style" apps. It's like running two operating systems on the same tablet in parallel. I even have some programs (like Microsoft OneNote) installed in two different versions: desktop and Metro. But it's good to have a choice and to be able to run both types of apps if needed.
And I must say this latest Atom CPU (Z3740) does a good job! My impression is that it's way more powerful than the older Atoms used in Netbooks, while consuming much less power (no cooling fans in these tablets!)
The screen is very bright. It is readable even outdoors in bright light. The screen resolution is 1280x800. There are some 8-inch Windows tablets with higher resolutions, but to me, this is sufficient, particularly when using some older Windows desktop programs that don't scale too well at HiDPI. Touch sensitivity is pretty good. One thing I don't like about this screen though is that it's a real fingerprint magnet! I normally don't use screen protectors, but think I'll have to get one for this tablet.
This Vivo Tab Note 8 is rather minimalist when it comes to the I/O ports: just one USB 2.0 (OTG-capable) port and one micro SD card slot. I wish it had USB 3.0 and micro-HDMI. Some other 8-inch tablets do have those extra ports, but then they lack other important features like the active stylus.
So, am I ready to give up my beloved iPad? Not yet! As far as I am concerned, iPad still rules: more mobile apps, better battery life, better screen, more polished UI: way more practical as an all-purpose tablet. But this new wave of Windows tablets shows a very good promise. Very competitively priced with full Windows support in a very portable form-factor and with additional features like active stylus and microSD card slot, they fill a niche, replacing a laptop on short trips and eliminating the need for book readers like Kindle. Definitely a good choice for a business tablet.
