recommendations for buying a new tablet, as an replacement to an ipad Air.

[paddypower]

The only 2 alternative OS's I see are Windows and Android. Budget 25,000 baht. MY criteria - a really good screen/refresh rate/ a sd card slot, browsing, and easy to use Facebook access and Whats App. (It's my wife's iPad - and it seems to have trouble with both these apps). Samsung has a promotion until Nov 30. But most of  the professional review sites have me unwhelmed with their reviews of limited performance and/or limiting my expectations to be able to load up intensive applications at the same time. to be honest, they're talking above my head. I know Windows fornt and backwards. Neitehr of us likes iOS and I do not know the Android OS. any advice? I am thinking of the Surface Go 2 or the Samsung S7 or S8 . Thanks.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, paddypower said:

The only 2 alternative OS's I see are Windows and Android. Budget 25,000 baht. MY criteria - a really good screen/refresh rate/ a sd card slot, browsing, and easy to use Facebook access and Whats App. (It's my wife's iPad - and it seems to have trouble with both these apps).

If the iPad Air is the original then it was sold from October 2013 And Discontinued March 2016

so it’s not surprising that she is having problems with Facebook access and Whats App.
 

If it’s a much later version then it is quite possible that there is not enough free memory (over 20Gb will give the best results). FWIW my sister-in-law complained that her iPad 3 was extremely slow so she was going to replace it, I deleted unnecessary programs and photos until there was 50% free space, it is now as good as it ever was and perfectly usable. 
 

So lack of free space could be the problem anyway.

 

So while you don’t want another iPad the 10th gen Wi-Fi 256Gb is 24,000 and for your wife’s use it would be perfect. The only thing is no sd card slot

 

i can’t comment on android tablets but if you really want one then your budget is probably good for a reasonable one, though it’s lifespan will be shorter than an iPad.

[sqwakvfr]

Consider the Samsung Tab S7 FE.  I will have to replace my 2017 IPad Pro sooner than later.  The actual tablet works fine and I replaced the battery but the keyboard is fading and Apple stopped making it.  Next tablet will be a Samsung.  

[3NUMBAS]

ipad any day

samsung pads are unstable i have 2

 

win11 is a horror it blocks any apps that arent MS so you cant load firefox or chrome other browsers ,i will have to boot it off a usb with win7 to make it usable

or put in an ssd with win 7

[paddypower]

21 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

If the iPad Air is the original then it was sold from October 2013 And Discontinued March 2016

so it’s not surprising that she is having problems with Facebook access and Whats App.
 

If it’s a much later version then it is quite possible that there is not enough free memory (over 20Gb will give the best results). FWIW my sister-in-law complained that her iPad 3 was extremely slow so she was going to replace it, I deleted unnecessary programs and photos until there was 50% free space, it is now as good as it ever was and perfectly usable. 
 

So lack of free space could be the problem anyway.

 

So while you don’t want another iPad the 10th gen Wi-Fi 256Gb is 24,000 and for your wife’s use it would be perfect. The only thing is no sd card slot

 

i can’t comment on android tablets but if you really want one then your budget is probably good for a reasonable one, though it’s lifespan will be shorter than an iPad.

6th generation.  but i agree, didn't really think about memory when buying. Yours is a very good solution - to free up memory. but was dropped on a sandwash deck, screen is cracked.I have had cracked screens replaced previously. The 6th gen. screens are more complicated (and expensive) to replace. and.....no, I didnt subscribe to  iCare back then. (2020?). I'd sure like to hear from someone using an Android tablet. can you explain why such a tablet will have a shorter life span, please? also looking at the Surface Go 2,, which, I imagine MS will continue to support (altho' there are issues with its capability to utilize Win 11 .

 

[paddypower]

20 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

ipad any day

samsung pads are unstable i have 2

 

win11 is a horror it blocks any apps that arent MS so you cant load firefox or chrome other browsers ,i will have to boot it off a usb with win7 to make it usable

or put in an ssd with win 7

really? I used Chrome to set up and for accessing my crypto wallet.

[KannikaP]

20 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

win11 is a horror it blocks any apps that arent MS so you cant load firefox or chrome other browsers ,i will have to boot it off a usb with win7 to make it usable

or put in an ssd with win 7

What pad are you talking about please?

[sometimewoodworker]

54 minutes ago, paddypower said:

can you explain why such a tablet will have a shorter life span, please?

The shorter lifespan is really quite simple.

iPads typically get 7~8 years of system updates 

Android get 2~4 years

The variations are usually due to the purchase dates

 

 

It is not that I am saying that the android/windows tablets have lower quality hardware (they may have, I don’t know) I know, from the performance of my oldest devices, that apple hardware is excellent.

The life span is a factor of the number of System updates that a device gets, because though with the updates it gets slower it can still run all the latest software.

From the date you mentioned you have an iPad Air 2 and it runs iPadOS 15.7. I have one of those and it’s only because I damaged the screen that I decided to replace it at the end of last year.

 

if you have a 6th generation, then it’s not an iPad Air and it was

Introduced March 2018 Discontinued September 2019 and it will run the current iOS. If it’s the 6th generation and you got a sensible amount of memory when you bought it, make sure you have 40% free and it will have no problems. Reinstall Farcebook and Whats App and it should be good.

 

you will hear little from Microsoft surface users, the hardware has multiple reports of problems, I haven’t heard good reviews of them.

You will hear from android users who are happy with high end tablets and from users of cheap slow ones who like them

[paddypower]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The shorter lifespan is really quite simple.

iPads typically get 7~8 years of system updates 

Android get 2~4 years

The variations are usually due to the purchase dates

 

 

It is not that I am saying that the android/windows tablets have lower quality hardware (they may have, I don’t know) I know, from the performance of my oldest devices, that apple hardware is excellent.

The life span is a factor of the number of System updates that a device gets, because though with the updates it gets slower it can still run all the latest software.

From the date you mentioned you have an iPad Air 2 and it runs iPadOS 15.7. I have one of those and it’s only because I damaged the screen that I decided to replace it at the end of last year.

 

if you have a 6th generation, then it’s not an iPad Air and it was

Introduced March 2018 Discontinued September 2019 and it will run the current iOS. If it’s the 6th generation and you got a sensible amount of memory when you bought it, make sure you have 40% free and it will have no problems. Reinstall Farcebook and Whats App and it should be good.

 

you will hear little from Microsoft surface users, the hardware has multiple reports of problems, I haven’t heard good reviews of them.

You will hear from android users who are happy with high end tablets and from users of cheap slow ones who like them

all very useful info. I recheck my wife's pad: its  an iPad, not an Air - my mistake. 7th generation, running iOS 15.6.1. it has 32 GB of capacity,, of which 20 GB is used up.  So, your point about a clean up being needed is good advice. but but but... would your advice be to send it in to a 3rd party repair shop and have the screen replaced. ?

[paddypower]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The shorter lifespan is really quite simple.

iPads typically get 7~8 years of system updates 

Android get 2~4 years

The variations are usually due to the purchase dates

 

 

It is not that I am saying that the android/windows tablets have lower quality hardware (they may have, I don’t know) I know, from the performance of my oldest devices, that apple hardware is excellent.

The life span is a factor of the number of System updates that a device gets, because though with the updates it gets slower it can still run all the latest software.

From the date you mentioned you have an iPad Air 2 and it runs iPadOS 15.7. I have one of those and it’s only because I damaged the screen that I decided to replace it at the end of last year.

 

if you have a 6th generation, then it’s not an iPad Air and it was

Introduced March 2018 Discontinued September 2019 and it will run the current iOS. If it’s the 6th generation and you got a sensible amount of memory when you bought it, make sure you have 40% free and it will have no problems. Reinstall Farcebook and Whats App and it should be good.

 

you will hear little from Microsoft surface users, the hardware has multiple reports of problems, I haven’t heard good reviews of them.

You will hear from android users who are happy with high end tablets and from users of cheap slow ones who like them

PS: I am a very happy windows user and love my surface pro 6 with the type cover.

[sometimewoodworker]

17 hours ago, paddypower said:

all very useful info. I recheck my wife's pad: its  an iPad, not an Air - my mistake. 7th generation, running iOS 15.6.1. it has 32 GB of capacity,, of which 20 GB is used up.  So, your point about a clean up being needed is good advice. but but but... would your advice be to send it in to a 3rd party repair shop and have the screen replaced. ?

The 7th generation Introduced September 2019, Discontinued September 2020 as an iPad is a capable machine, but as a 32 GB machine it’s very limited, you have free backup of 5GB and for a tiny monthly sum can increase it to 50GB, you can use this iCloud backup to exchange photos.

 

It’s difficult to recommend between replacement and repair, there are shops selling used iPads and I would never suggest that a 32Gb device is a suitable purchase. I suggest looking at an 8th generation with 125GB or 9th generation with 256GB and compare that with the repair cost. There are different quality screens available, so that is usually what makes the difference in repair costs. I vital point that a screen replacement (if not done by an Apple dealer) stands a chance of munging the Touch ID so you need a guarantee that it will still work after repairs.

[paddypower]

3 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The 7th generation Introduced September 2019, Discontinued September 2020 as an iPad is a capable machine, but as a 32 GB machine it’s very limited, you have free backup of 5GB and for a tiny monthly sum can increase it to 50GB, you can use this iCloud backup to exchange photos.

 

It’s difficult to recommend between replacement and repair, there are shops selling used iPads and I would never suggest that a 32Gb device is a suitable purchase. I suggest looking at an 8th generation with 125GB or 9th generation with 256GB and compare that with the repair cost. There are different quality screens available, so that is usually what makes the difference in repair costs. I vital point that a screen replacement (if not done by an Apple dealer) stands a chance of munging the Touch ID so you need a guarantee that it will still work after repairs.

 

[paddypower]

Just now, paddypower said:

 

again, thanks for the extra details. yeah, the iPad was a 'cheepy'', bought for my wife (81)  , who only browses on a very limited basis, eg dog rescue sites at messenger and a few youtube shows. prefers gardening ???? . the option to buy a more powerful Pad is not available, as we live in a small village in NST. Nearest to Surathani, where it is unlikely I'll find a reliable shop. I would never buy  online, too many scammers. unless you can recommend a very iPad forum /FBgroup ?

[paddypower]

It seems the touch screen is unaffected. - Just the glass is cracked. I have a quote from Khun Tikki at Dr Smartphone (with whom I have had satisfactory service previously) to replace the glass screen for 2500. baht Plus, of course i will instal a new Gorilla  screen protectors. This gives me the chance to spend my spare cash replacing my Surface Pro 6, for which the battery is not holding its charge.    Out of curiousity, & for for my future decisions, what model specs will you replace your iPad with?  Thanks/cheers. Don.

[sometimewoodworker]

36 minutes ago, paddypower said:

Out of curiousity, & for for my future decisions, what model specs will you replace your iPad with? 

I finally replaced the iPad Air 2 October 2014 with an iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) (Wi-Fi + Cellular) that has the XDR display with mini-LED and M1 cpu 

So I jumped a lot of generations, I expect this one will will last another 5+ years

 

1 hour ago, paddypower said:

again, thanks for the extra details. yeah, the iPad was a 'cheepy'', bought for my wife (81)  , who only browses on a very limited basis, eg dog rescue sites at messenger and a few youtube shows. prefers gardening ???? . the option to buy a more powerful Pad is not available, as we live in a small village in NST. Nearest to Surathani, where it is unlikely I'll find a reliable shop. I would never buy  online, too many scammers. unless you can recommend a very iPad forum /FBgroup ?

i think it’s quite likely that you would find a reasonable second hand shop in Surathani. I too wouldn’t buy in Thailand without actually being able to inspect and check a device. But at a repair cost of 2,500 Baht a repair is probably worthwhile and I would choose a repair. I hope you will be buying or have a case.

 

[paddypower]

20 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I finally replaced the iPad Air 2 October 2014 with an iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) (Wi-Fi + Cellular) that has the XDR display with mini-LED and M1 cpu 

So I jumped a lot of generations, I expect this one will will last another 5+ years

 

i think it’s quite likely that you would find a reasonable second hand shop in Surathani. I too wouldn’t buy in Thailand without actually being able to inspect and check a device. But at a repair cost of 2,500 Baht a repair is probably worthwhile and I would choose a repair. I hope you will be buying or have a case.

 

Congrats on your new buy. Ive seen them at Banana - beaut screen & a massively  powered machine.  Enjoy!  I did buy wife  a case, but she didnt use it. 555 accidentally  dropped it on our deck ( case got too hot) $hit happens. off topic - i've dropped 2 of those iPads over the years. My type cover has saved my Surface many times. did you buy a type cover?

 

[sometimewoodworker]

4 minutes ago, paddypower said:

Congrats on your new buy. Ive seen them at Banana - beaut screen & a massively  powered machine.  Enjoy!  I did buy wife  a case, but she didnt use it. 555 accidentally  dropped it on our deck ( case got too hot) $hit happens. off topic - i've dropped 2 of those iPads over the years. My type cover has saved my Surface many times. did you buy a type cover?

No the on screen keyboard is enough for me and ฿13,990 is a little expensive and I hate typing, my case was about ฿1,500 

Personally I would never use my iPads without a cover, they do get dropped or knocked over, so far with over 10 years of virtually several hours every day I have yet to crack a screen.