I need help in deciding what brand of a tablet/iPad to buy, please.
- Thread starter PamfromTx
- Start date
asp3
Senior Member
- Location
- Silicon Valley, CA
I personally wouldn't get a tablet or iPad to replace a computer because I like using a real keyboard. There are keyboards for iPads but they're tiny and good for travel but not for using most of the time at home.
I don't know what your budget is but I have bought all of my computers for between $350 and $600. They've all been laptops, but I just hook them up to a monitor and use a USB keyboard and a USB mouse (or a wireless keyboard and mouse) and it works just like a desktop for me. I just watch the sale prices at Office Depot and Staples and get what I need there most of the time. We have an electronics store here, Fry's that I've bought from occasionally and I've also bought some at places that went out of business (Egghead Software.)
Sometimes you can find a great used computer if that works for you. Unfortunately there might be a lot of used computers on the market due to businesses failing, but that might work out for you.
I don't know what your budget is but I have bought all of my computers for between $350 and $600. They've all been laptops, but I just hook them up to a monitor and use a USB keyboard and a USB mouse (or a wireless keyboard and mouse) and it works just like a desktop for me. I just watch the sale prices at Office Depot and Staples and get what I need there most of the time. We have an electronics store here, Fry's that I've bought from occasionally and I've also bought some at places that went out of business (Egghead Software.)
Sometimes you can find a great used computer if that works for you. Unfortunately there might be a lot of used computers on the market due to businesses failing, but that might work out for you.
Mac books are terribly expensive from what I'm looking at. Almost $1000 new. Cheapest I saw was $239.
Pappy
Living the Dream
- Location
- Florida (transplanted New Yorker.)
Apple iPad Pro, 12 inch screen. I love mine and it’s so easy to navigate once you get use to it. Use a rubber tip stylus for easier typing.
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
I still have my big Toshiba laptop running on windows that I've had now for over 10 years..and it works superbly well, still. Most people don't believe me when I tell them, but it's true, and so I won't get rid of it while it still works as well as it does, because I need it on the occasions I use windows and my husband keeps it truly well updated for me .. I have a brand new Mac-desktop, also ...which a 27inch monitor..I have an Ipad and an Iphone..as does my husband.. however, returning to the point..my husband works for the biggest corporate company in this country , and has to have a really good Laptop , so recently he didn't get an Apple product..instead he got an HP Elitebook 1TB HD with Internal Bang Olufsen Speakers and i5 processor... it's not cheap but it's lovely thing 
StarSong
Awkward is my Superpower
- Location
- Los Angeles Suburbs
I have a desktop for most computer and online activity, a laptop for travel, and a tablet for reading ebooks and surfing online from the couch.
Tablet is a Samsung Galaxy 10". They happen to be on sale at Costco ($80 off) right now. $219.
Tablet is a Samsung Galaxy 10". They happen to be on sale at Costco ($80 off) right now. $219.
Jules
SF VIP
Would the Apple iOS system be new to you? If so, you might not want the learning curve.
My first tablet was an iPad. Now I’m at a 10.5 Pro with the Apple keyboard. The keyboard is essential, IMO, and worth every penny.
Looking at the very latest iPad Pros, there are a lot of bells & whistles that I‘d never need. Are you looking for a somewhat older model?
My first tablet was an iPad. Now I’m at a 10.5 Pro with the Apple keyboard. The keyboard is essential, IMO, and worth every penny.
Looking at the very latest iPad Pros, there are a lot of bells & whistles that I‘d never need. Are you looking for a somewhat older model?
No, Apple iOS system would not be new to me. I posted somewhere above what I was getting, @Jules
Lizzie00
😎
- Location
- Down South
I’ve got the 9.7-inch ipad pro & could not be more pleased with it - it’s very lightweight for reading in bed. My next one will be the 12.9-inch tho for non-bed ipad stuff.
Last edited:
JB in SC
Member
Good choice, the huge screen is unreal. The processors in these are faster than a lot of laptops.
For those folks that don’t need or want the 12.9”, the 11” is big improvement with a lot more screen real estate than the older 9.7”
I have an older 10.5” Pro that I use for web surfing and lighter tasks. The iPad now has some bi-directional file transfer capability as well, you can plug in a USB-C thumb drive.
Steve is probably rolling in his grave
Last edited:
Furryanimal
Y gath o Gymru
- Location
- Wales
The iPad is good.Got three of themCome in a variety of sizes and prices.And you can connect them to the
TV for streaming things with a handy adaptor.
TV for streaming things with a handy adaptor.
Nathan
Well-known Member
- Location
- High Desert- Calif.
I just bought a Lenovo ThinkBook 13s-IWL 20R9005TUS 13.3" laptop. I am very happy with it, and I am hard-to-please when it comes to electronics. I had considered a Macbook Pro, has similar hardware features, but is twice the price of the Lenovo.
iPad Pro is awesome. This is what I have. The only problem I have with it is doing updates. I’m using a hotspot since we don’t actually have wi-fi here and it can’t do updates. Hopefully we get interest this fall.
Pappy
Living the Dream
- Location
- Florida (transplanted New Yorker.)
That’s what I have. I got mine from Gazelle, used. No problems. Got our iPhones there too.
Camper6
Well-known Member
- Location
- Northwestern Ontario Canada
When it comes to picking a computer, it's really a very personal thing.
It depends on what you use it for. It seems to me members here have more than one option they picked.
For instance, I have an old ACER computer still running Windows XP. I use it for surfing the internet because nice monitor and keyboard, but slower than molasses in January and incompatible with Windows 10.
I also have an Apple I pad mini which was given to me. I use it to communicate with my family using Messenger which is free if you have Wi Fi . But cannot download newer applications because software can't be upgraded. Need a new I pad. Typical of Apple.
I also have a cell phone which is nice but a small screen.
Now other than the cell phone those items are awfully slow now and I can't upgrade them.
So what I am going to do is buy an RCA tablet for the cheap price of around $65 on sale at Walmart and supposed to be coming in today.
I'll find out how it works and go from there. I am considering looking at a refurbished desktop and keeping my ACER because it has so many neat applications on it and it's so simple to copy pictures from my cell phone and edit them and post them using Microsoft Picture.
So if you do your own taxes, the best option is something running Windows 10 for a program like Turbo Tax. Turbo Tax doesn't support older versions of Windows.
My understanding is that if you have Chromebook you can't download Windows based programs. So for me that would not be an option.
This is the kind of stuff you have to consider before you buy a computer.
Ask questions like "can I (do this) on my new computer before buying it" because there is a huge learning curve.
It depends on what you use it for. It seems to me members here have more than one option they picked.
For instance, I have an old ACER computer still running Windows XP. I use it for surfing the internet because nice monitor and keyboard, but slower than molasses in January and incompatible with Windows 10.
I also have an Apple I pad mini which was given to me. I use it to communicate with my family using Messenger which is free if you have Wi Fi . But cannot download newer applications because software can't be upgraded. Need a new I pad. Typical of Apple.
I also have a cell phone which is nice but a small screen.
Now other than the cell phone those items are awfully slow now and I can't upgrade them.
So what I am going to do is buy an RCA tablet for the cheap price of around $65 on sale at Walmart and supposed to be coming in today.
I'll find out how it works and go from there. I am considering looking at a refurbished desktop and keeping my ACER because it has so many neat applications on it and it's so simple to copy pictures from my cell phone and edit them and post them using Microsoft Picture.
So if you do your own taxes, the best option is something running Windows 10 for a program like Turbo Tax. Turbo Tax doesn't support older versions of Windows.
My understanding is that if you have Chromebook you can't download Windows based programs. So for me that would not be an option.
This is the kind of stuff you have to consider before you buy a computer.
Ask questions like "can I (do this) on my new computer before buying it" because there is a huge learning curve.
Camper6
Well-known Member
- Location
- Northwestern Ontario Canada
My suggestion? Get another desktop computerwith the same operating type as what you have. That's what you are used to and the learning curve will be a lot less easier to learn and it's likely that your monitor and keyboard will be compatible.
@Camper6 The next few months look bleak and it appears that I will be spending lots of time either in a hospital and/or in bed. A desktop is not feasible to me.
I’m really sorry to read this Pamela and I wish you well.