Hi, I would love to get recommendations on best value laptops with detachable keyboards. I have a Macbook Air which I find great for performance, grunt, reliability etc but I still find it too heavy for travelling. My bag carries too much other stuff :) I will pass through duty free in London, Kuala Lumpur, Sri Lanka and Sydney in the next 3 weeks. I was wondering whether it would be worth buying at any of these. Many thanks for any and all suggestions.
Hybrid Laptop Advice
aretsa9 on 26/07/2015 - 06:19
Comments
I deal with a lot of Windows customers and have yet to find one that actually uses the tablet mode extensively except one.
Just yesterday I had a customer who bought the Asus TF200 (Not from us, on special somewhere else), and he purchased an SSD from us that we fitted into the keyboard part and he's over the moon with it. He DOES use the tablet apps.
If you don't need the power (this is Atom based) it's not a bad option. Certainly a lot cheaper than Ultrabook or MB.
Other than that AznMitch is correct, Android or IOS tablets do most of what people want anyway and are cheaper (in Android case) again.
When I travel I ONLY carry my Nexus 9 with me. I do have the (overpriced) keyboard cover though because I can't type fast on touch screens.
I find it almost unbelievable that you find a Macbook air is too heavy for travelling but anyway how about getting a iPad air 2 with a keyboard?
Buy it in Australia and then get the GST back.
I'm assuming you just want this to check emails, and browse the web when overseas?
I wouldn't but a tablet/laptop duty free from overseas…. that's just me. You save next to nothing and then the warranty issues with an overseas purchase comes into it.
Dear All
Thanks very much for taking the time to guide me through the tech maze.
Blottski – tks for the heads up on warranty issues not to mention the small but awkward issue of different plugs.
knick007 – you’re right in that I need it mainly for emails and browsing but I do use it occasionally for research and can’t bear slow response times. And yes, I do find that the Macbook Air does weigh down my handbag more than I thought it would (I’m female and pack quite a lot when I’m travelling ☺). I’ve looked at the Ipad but thought the screen too small. Also, I have a problem with touch screens as I have long fingernails ☹
AznMitch – I don’t use touch screens very well (long fingernail issue ☹). As for screen size, I think 11” would be the smallest I would be comfortable with.
Ramrunner – Based on the above, do you think the Asus TF200 would be suitable for me?
Thanks everyone, you will certainly be aware now that I’m a complete technophobe who needs a handholding service through the buying process.
I think what I need is laptop with keyboard which I can dismantle (one part in handbag and one part in checked baggage). Definitely with keyboard and fast.
Hope this is not too convoluted.Hmmm, what I think you should do is try them out at JB HiFi or Dick Smith.
Try using Windows tablet (and a program like internet explorer in desktop mode) and see whether you can cope with it.In terms of mouse/keyboard input, I am not too sure about iOS (never had the opportunity to use it with a keyboard and a mouse), but for Android, it's fairly clunky in my opinion. The OS is not designed with mouse and keyboard in mind and you could feel it (i.e. lack of keyboard shortcuts, lags in mouse pointer, etc etc). That's why I personally just use a bluetooth keyboard (which is an option that would make many tablets viable for you) and the touch interface.
Another option would be going into tablets with proper stylus support (i.e. palm rejection and pressure sensitivity), but those ones are relatively hard to come by.
In short, go to JB or Dick Smith, check out the tablet lines there. Try iPad (which would go well with your Macbook Air), Android tablets (which would make your options more open both in price and screen size department) and Windows tablet (Same as Android tablets + would allow you to run proper computer programs). Tell us what you think.
If I were to give out a recommendation:
iOS: iPad Air 2, I don't think it will become obslete anytime soon (i.e. 2GB RAM (last time they've increased RAM was iPad 3), A8X (designed for tablets))
Windows tablet: HP Pavillion X2, Surface Pro 3 (slight overkill, it's on par with Macbook Air, if not better), Surface 3 (pricey but decent), Chinese tablets (I need to look them up before recommending them)
Android: Galaxy Tab S 10.5, Note 10.1 2014, Xperia Z2 tablet, Nexus 9, Chinese tablets (Same as above)I needed to limit my recommendation to screen size. If you think you can cope with smaller Android tablets, it opens up a lot of options. Or you could grab another laptop that's lighter (that'd probably cost you more, obviously).
Maybe the new MacBook would fit the bill ? It isn't a tablet and it is pricey but it is very light. I'd go and try one of them out
I think you'll find going to windows from mac annoying so I'd still suggest the iPad Air 2 with a external keyboard.
I personally didn't like new MacBook. I personally found the keyboard to be almost comparable to those silicon keyboard overlay you put over the tablet onscreen keyboard (It's barely better than haptic responses from a touchscreen keyboard). The CPU used on it is barely better than those CPUs used on tablets (in fact, you can grab a tablet with Core M CPU). Having one port means you have to carry around an USB hub if you want to use it like a macbook air (i.e. connecting to a monitor while using a mouse, like a normal laptop). At least the trackpad was functional and screen was good I guess. Other than that, I found no reasons to choose Macbook over Macbook Air. Grab an iPad with bluetooth keyboard even, at least that will have better feedback than the keyboard on Macbook.
Never buy first gen stuff, you will always get burnt because the manufacturers usually don't have enough feedbacks on first gen products.
I liked the keyboard but I do agree about not buying first gen products.
I honestly think a iPad Air 2 and a Bluetooth keyboard case would be the best bet here
@knick007: While I do agree that iPad Air 2 is fairly decent choice, I don't believe in one size fits all.
If you want a sub-laptop like tablet, Windows tablets do it far better than any of the ARM tablets out there (on the simple fact that it runs Windows programs). I personally think Android tablets are better valued (on the hardware end and with mSD card support etc) and it opens up more options i.e. stylus support, budget tablets etc etc. I personally found the multi-tasking ability to be implemented better on Android, even with iOS 9 coming out (Pop Window is better than split screen in some occasion and that option is not available on iOS yet).
I think I may have sounded like I believe that going with iPads is a bad choice. iOS devices in general are better optimised imo. Also, spec wise, I don't think there are any reasonable contender to A8X, unless you bring Tegra X1, which is hard to get in Australia. Not to mention the integration of Mac OS and iOS, which is done very well imo.
That's why I think she should try each device, because every options have something that the others don't bring to the table.
@AznMitch: Fair point, but as she has a MacBook Air , a iPad to me is the obvious choice.
Agreed though. Go to JB and try out a bunch of them.
@knick007: ARM tablets feel like a toy/an enlarged smartphone for me. Maybe I am slightly biased in that regards because of that.
Just saw the part about research, what field of research?
Ooops, just saw the voting buttons. Thanks, everyone, for taking the time. Seems that the consensus of opinion is to buy in Oz. I'm travelling soon so will examine all options when I get back. Many thanks again.
Do you absolutely need a Windows tablet? I personally think their touch interface can use bit of work (actually it's more of the apps being limited therefore you end up using programs that are made for mouse and keyboard). If you want a Windows tablet, what screen size are you thinking about getting? I am asking this because if you already own a laptop, you'd likely end up not using the Windows tablet along with your laptop unless it offers something different.
If you don't need a Windows tablet (and I am assuming that you don't want to spend a lot on tablets), Android or iOS tablets probably can do what you want to do. I personally think because you end up using a keyboard or a mouse for the programs (and use desktop mode), something like 8 inch on Windows tablet can be strenuous to your eyes (though this is an impression from my brief play with my brother's Windows tablet).
You probably wouldn't get something cheap at London. I've heard about how the electronics in London is more expensive than many places in the world, though, I am happy to be corrected on this.