Is it right for me?

[leeshor]

Trying to compare a Galaxy Tab S with the Surface is worse than trying to compare apples with oranges. I have a Windows tablet, a Windows laptop and several Windows desktops along with a Galaxy Tab S. The Tab S 10.5 has its place but can't replace Windows for what it does any more than Windows can replace the Tab S for what it does.

 

[Clintro]

Welcome to the forum jenn

User experience and opinion is very subjective. If i were you i would go to best buy or somewhere and buy the cheaper surface 3 to start with (get 4gb ram model) and see how you find it. If it doesn't cut the mustard, then just take it back for a refund and pick up the pro 3 and see how that suits your needs.

I am just about to possibly buy the S3, but as a secondary device. I will not be selling my SP3 because i like having those horses available should i need them. as they say, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it

100% this!!!

I run many tabs (8 or so) in Chrome and have not had an issue with it slowing down. However like everyone else has said your usage will vary. Buy and try is the best method.

 

[ajharper]

Trying to compare a Galaxy Tab S with the Surface is worse than trying to compare apples with oranges. I have a Windows tablet, a Windows laptop and several Windows desktops along with a Galaxy Tab S. The Tab S 10.5 has its place but can't replace Windows for what it does any more than Windows can replace the Tab S for what it does.

I disagree. MS is marketing this as being both a laptop and tablet whenever you need each respective device. They are saying it can do both functions well. And I feel out of the current crop of available Windows tablets MS is the best. The design, the construction, etc. It just looks and feels great. I'm using my Samsung as an example but I believe it applies to any tablet whether it's an iPad, Nexus, etc.

S3 functions very well as a low end laptop. S3 doesn't function very well as a tablet. I think of some of the functions that my end users user their tablets for. eReading, web browsing, casual gaming (i.e., Candy Crush, Angry Birds, etc.), Email, Alarm Clock (similar to having a phone on your nightstand), etc. Windows 8.1 Metro mode is just not very good for these activities.

The Metro app for Kindle is garbage and the other eReaders in the Windows store aren't very good. The various ones I've tried all have formatting issues, can't read certain formats (azw3 for instance), or lack features. Web browsing in tablet mode is only done fairly well with IE. Firefox doesn't even have a metro app and Chrome is clunky when switching between desktop/metro mode. Casual gaming? More options on other tablets. Email? There still isn't an official Gmail app which is the #2 Email client behind Apple Mail. More and more companies and public institutions are moving to Gmail based email too.

For my pop culture websites like Buzzfeed, theChive, People, etc. there are dedicated apps for other tablets where I can launch it, it opens up, and is specifically formatted for tablets. It flows very smoothly. On Windows 8.1 tablets you have to bookmark it in IE and pin that to the Start screen. Guess what? If IE isn't your default browser that won't work. Even if you do have IE as your default browser it's still slower to launch than a dedicated app.

All I'm saying is I was hoping that the S3 would allow me to ditch my dedicated tablet and use the S3 as both a laptop and a tablet (like MS said it can do). It just isn't there yet. Maybe Windows 1o will close the gap as far as functionality. However, even after 2+ years the Windows store is severely lacking in dedicated Metro apps. MS either needs to ditch the Store or figure out a way for people to easily port/develop similar apps that are available on iOS or Android.

 

[DLCPhoto]

ajharper:

Have you tried AMIDuOs on your S3? It's an Android emulator that many feel works pretty well. Could give you the best of both worlds.

 

[leeshor]

I disagree. MS is marketing this as being both a laptop and tablet whenever you need each respective device. They are saying it can do both functions well. And I feel out of the current crop of available Windows tablets MS is the best. The design, the construction, etc. It just looks and feels great. I'm using my Samsung as an example but I believe it applies to any tablet whether it's an iPad, Nexus, etc.

S3 functions very well as a low end laptop. S3 doesn't function very well as a tablet. I think of some of the functions that my end users user their tablets for. eReading, web browsing, casual gaming (i.e., Candy Crush, Angry Birds, etc.), Email, Alarm Clock (similar to having a phone on your nightstand), etc. Windows 8.1 Metro mode is just not very good for these activities.

The Metro app for Kindle is garbage and the other eReaders in the Windows store aren't very good. The various ones I've tried all have formatting issues, can't read certain formats (azw3 for instance), or lack features. Web browsing in tablet mode is only done fairly well with IE. Firefox doesn't even have a metro app and Chrome is clunky when switching between desktop/metro mode. Casual gaming? More options on other tablets. Email? There still isn't an official Gmail app which is the #2 Email client behind Apple Mail. More and more companies and public institutions are moving to Gmail based email too.

For my pop culture websites like Buzzfeed, theChive, People, etc. there are dedicated apps for other tablets where I can launch it, it opens up, and is specifically formatted for tablets. It flows very smoothly. On Windows 8.1 tablets you have to bookmark it in IE and pin that to the Start screen. Guess what? If IE isn't your default browser that won't work. Even if you do have IE as your default browser it's still slower to launch than a dedicated app.

All I'm saying is I was hoping that the S3 would allow me to ditch my dedicated tablet and use the S3 as both a laptop and a tablet (like MS said it can do). It just isn't there yet. Maybe Windows 1o will close the gap as far as functionality. However, even after 2+ years the Windows store is severely lacking in dedicated Metro apps. MS either needs to ditch the Store or figure out a way for people to easily port/develop similar apps that are available on iOS or Android.

Feel free to disagree. I can't do on Android what I can on Windows nor will I be able to do on Windows what I can do on Android, (without an emulator). I use both and both have their spot in my life.

 

[Johnny365]

I also have an android tablet that I use for when I don't want to haul my Surface on my lap to watch something.

 

[colvill]

AMIduos works fine on my SP3 but the only apps I use it for are Kindle and Zinio. The Windows versions of both these applications are appalling. It does make the SP3 run very hot so I have not bothered installing it on the S3 but others have reported that it works.

All that said, I too have a Samsung Tab S 10.5 that lives on my bedside table for reading and browsing. It much lighter and easier to handle.

 

[Clintro]

I used the windows version of the Kindle app and have no issues. the only thing I missed was the page flip.... sometimes I would go backwards instead of forward. But I do only have kindle books, no outside reading on mine.

 

[lookingforward]

Both Kindle and Zinio work great for me. All my books and magazines that I setup on my Nexus 5 are available. Navigation is fast and fluid. Can you point out what bothers you?