Tablet for The Wife

**northernladuk** · 25 August 2022, 14:53

Got one of the MS Surfaces for my lad. The one that has the floppy keyboard it docks to. I forget the exact names of them but you know what I mean, not the laptop ones. I used these at my last client as well. Have to say they are very impressive. Full keyboard for full laptop functionality but then can use without as a tablet using the pen to crop images in and write and the like. He's using it for his Uni and it's a god send for writing down notes and equations then pasting a cut from a webpage in in seconds.

IMO well worth the money if you don't want just an android tablet but don't want a full laptop. I'd say get the one you need with only tip the hat at the budget though. A good one will last longer and pay for itself over time.

I always go for big screens so nervous about recommended smaller screens but if you are absolutely sure then something like the Surface Go 3

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/microsoft-10.5-surface-go-3-intel-pentium-128-gb-platinum-10230516.html

Check if the keyboard comes with it. It's only got one USB so you'll need to buy one of them extender things if you want to hard network and use other USB things though

**courtg9000** · 25 August 2022, 15:30

I have a Microsoft Surface Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. Both over your budget but Samsung do a cheaper tablet. Office for Android is okay but be warned with using Excel Spreadsheets with VBA orMacro's as some stuff can crap out.
Both are excellent pieces of kit
I would avoid the Surface Go models from Microsoft as they run Pentium processors and from what I have have seen of them are not as well screwed together as the surface pro's.

**northernladuk** · 25 August 2022, 16:52

Originally posted by courtg9000 View Post

I would avoid the Surface Go models from Microsoft as they run Pentium processors and from what I have have seen of them are not as well screwed together as the surface pro's.

I thought this when my then client opted for them as the default kit instead of a laptop but I had mine nearly a year without a problem. I did see some very grubby keyboards with them only being material so hope they had a good pot aside for replacing those but no issues with the main part of them to be fair.

But I'd personally try and push the budget to the higher spec kit.

**Lance** · 1 September 2022, 10:37

£400 isn't much of a budget. Whatever you get won't last long.

The new iPad pro, with a keyboard and mouse is very good. As long as you don't need Visio, Project or Powershell. And will last a good 6 years (my 1st gen iPad pro is still running fine). over budget though.
Surface Pros similarly are good with a decent lifetime, but again well over budget.

I've heard good things about the Surface Go, but more as a low cost, almost disposable, temporary device. My mate takes one skiing so he can work from a mountain restaurant without having to lug a full size laptop around.

**d000hg** · 2 September 2022, 08:52

Originally posted by Lance View Post

£400 isn't much of a budget. Whatever you get won't last long.

It would buy a standard iPad which is still the best tablet IMO but doesn't sound a great fit although these days, how many of WTFH 's checklist are missed?

That said I was just looking on Currys and amazed how many £200-ish notebooks there are now, many seem to be 2-in-1 laptop/tablet things. From my experience they are pretty clunky as tablets - if MSOffice is the top requirement is a tablet really the best fit over a notebook?

I did see this sort of thing as well: https://www.techbuyer.com/uk/surface...-MICROSOFT-REF

**WTFH** · 2 September 2022, 09:15

Thanks for the suggestions so far, just to clarify, it’s not MyCo that is setting the budget or buying it, but the company she works for.

Tablet for The Wife