Advice needed on which tablet to buy

[sorcerer]

Mods - sorry if you consider this to be in the wrong place, it's just that at this moment in time there's 69 people viewing in here with only 4 in 'Hardware' and 5 in 'General Chit-Chat'.

My cousin sent me this email yesterday but I know nothing about tablets (other than being the owner of a 2013 Nexus 7) so I'm hoping someone on here can offer some wordfs of wisdom and guide his choice:

I'm wanting recommendations for a 10" tablet (definitely NOT any Apple variety - Android is my thing) of up to about 350 quid (that's about 550USD/630CAD/365AUD/446EURO for Technibblers in other places).

I'll be working in Germany/Czech Republic for about three months and as much as I like my beer, I won't want to be out every night, so one use is possibly watching english TV either via the hotel wifi and a VPN back to the UK or pre-downloaded films/programmes on SD card so an SD card slot is a must.

Another use is that I'll have to Skype the wife on a regular basis too, so a tablet that's good for watching TV/Films and good at Skyping is needed.

3G or 4G access to the cellular data network when back here in the UK would also be a very nice bonus.

I've heard that Samsung are decent but something called Kies makes them rubbish (and also that there's a lot of Samsung proprietary rubbish as well) - is that true? And finally, I have about 350 quid to spend but if all my requirements will cost more for a brand new tablet, then I don't mind buying a decent one secondhand.

EDIT: By pure coincidence, whilst looking for something else, I came across this deal at Currys/PC World. Anyone got (or use) one of these tablets? Good, bad or indifferent? I know it's not got cellular access but at about £210 for the tablet and an extra £40 for one of these would see the whole thing for £250. Again, good, bad or indifferent?

Cheers.

 

[Moltuae]

What about a Windows tablet?

I'm yet to see one of these in the flesh, but the Asus transformer gets good reviews.

Part tablet, part laptop. Tabtop? .... or should that be Laplet?

Under 300 quid, and might be more suitable for his Skyping/movie needs, since it can be propped upright like a laptop when required.

I'm not sure if it's available with 3G/4G, but personally I find the mobile Wi-Fi hotspot solution better, since it allows you to connect more than one device at a time and, in weak mobile reception areas, you can move it to a window sill or wherever the best reception is.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Transformer-10-1-inch-Convertible-Processor-Touchscreen/dp/B00G4E60UA

http://www.trustedreviews.com/asus-transformer-book-t100-review

 

[sorcerer]

Thanks for taking the time to reply my friend, but he thinks Windows is for desktops/laptops, hates anything newer than Windows 7, and believes phones/tablets are Android devices

Cheers anyway

 

[johnrobert]

Couldn't agree more

 

[doubleohalex]

Thanks for taking the time to reply my friend, but he thinks Windows is for desktops/laptops, hates anything newer than Windows 7, and believes phones/tablets are Android devices

Cheers anyway

The low end Windows tablets are hit or miss anyways, usually a miss. There's a reason why they are so cheap. Most use eMMC for storage (Internal SD card, really slow performance) and the Asus for example uses the only USB port on the tablet for charging. The only Windows tablet I'll even look at are the Surface Pros or the higher end Lenovo's or HP's which would be out of the price range anyways.

That being said, I have a 2012 Samsung Note 10.1. I use it for when I travel across the US for business and it has yet to give me any issues. Its been through many trips and is still going strong. It would handle his needs easily.

 

[sorcerer]

Thanks guys - he decided to go for the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 that's on offer at £209 at Currys/PC World and the separate MiFi thingy, so he's got all the functionality he requires for £100 less than his budget, which can't be bad.

Thanks again folks.