Nexus 9/iPad Air 2

[sunking101]

I'm in a bit of a quandry here. I've owned a 6+ for a few weeks now and am happy with it in the main, other than the RAM issue.
Now I am/was in the market for a new tablet, but I'm not sure now that I've got a bigger phone. Should I upgrade the laptop instead, or get an iPad Air 2/Nexus 9? Part of me really wants a new tablet to replace my old Samsung Tab 3, but I hardly use that as it is and since I got the 6+ I'm fairly content tapping away on this. Does anyone else see the need for a tablet if they own a phablet, or should I just satisfy my itch with a new notebook?

Perhaps a super-fast and specced up tablet would grab my attention more than the Tab 3 does, but then again would my 6+ then become kinda redundant and I'd be better suited with a smaller phone? Carrying this brute around without any real need to do so would be a tad frustrating...

 

[tbayrgs]

While I found the 6+ sufficient enough to eliminate the iPad Mini from my repertoire, I still grab for my iPad Air more often at home. The added screen real estate on the 6+ make it a vastly improvement experience over the previous 4" screen devices but, IMO, it still doesn't compare for most task vs. using a large tablet. Web browsing, reading email, reading (books and magazines), gaming, and just using most apps in general is more pleasant on the larger iPad.

I haven't used a Nexus 9 but I think is falls into a sort of 'tweener' category--a bit too big to make is easily portable (i.e. Nexus 7 or iPad Mini) and just a touch too small to offer larger screen benefits (i.e. I periodically use a bluetooth keyboard with my Air and if it was any smaller, it would drive me nuts). Also, since you're using an iPhone, pairing it with an Air offers all of the continuity benefits that you won't have in a mixed ecosystem. Finally, I do still have an LG G Pad 8.2 GPE that gets some light use and the app experience on Android tablets still trails significantly behind what's offered on iPads. It's slowly creeping closer but the gap is still pretty significant. If you were using an Android phone, pairing with an Android tablet would likely make it a more worthwhile experience. Short of that though, I'd recommend an iPad.

Lastly, you mention using the funds to upgrade your laptop--what are you currently using and if considering an upgrade, what did you have your eye on? If you're already living pretty comfortably without a tablet and suffering while using your existing laptop, upgrading it may very well be the best use of your funds.

 

[bearboy]

I've only had the opportunity to use the N9 in stores so I can't really comment on the day to day usage. But from the reviews I've read on other sites the N9 is just a good, not great tablet in terms of build quality and bang for your buck.

While I still prefer Android phones (using a Note 4 ), the iPad is still king as far as the amount of apps available, ease of use and build quality. Android still lacks quality tablet specific apps (although it is getting better).

I guess it really depend on what your needs are. I think a good quality laptop still trumps a tablet in day to day use whether it's work/school related stuff to playing games to watching movies etc.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

I say ditch the tablets, and go for the notebook. Much more usage out of that. Or better yet, a tablet hybrid PC like the Yoga 2

 

[sunking101]

Yeah, I'm thinking a new notebook now.
It's true that whatever your favourite flavour of smartphone, that iPads are the way forward when it comes to tablets.

Thanks for the replies folks.#

 

[mi7chy]

Tablets are limited consumption toys. Just picked up a new post-xmas sealed $1299 Surface Pro 3 i5/8GB/256GB for $900 on Craigslist which is not only a superior consumption device since you get the full desktop Chrome browser experience with Flash and Adblocker Plus but also superior for productivity with access to largest selection of professional software and creativity with precision pen. Beauty is it has a bigger 12.2" display but same thickness and weight as my iPad2.

 

[mrex]

Tablets are limited consumption toys. Just picked up a new post-xmas sealed $1299 Surface Pro 3 i5/8GB/256GB for $900 on Craigslist which is not only a superior consumption device since you get the full desktop Chrome browser experience with Flash and Adblocker Plus but also superior for productivity with access to largest selection of professional software and creativity with precision pen. Beauty is it has a bigger 12.2" display but same thickness and weight as my iPad2.

yes tablets that have been made for toys... just dont forget there are also great, productivity tools like Note -serie... when im thinking productivity and my work, my air2 cannot beat my two years old Note 10.1. this is for the consumption toy while my Note isnt only a toy but the productivity tool too.

sp3 is nice for sure, but i think it costs too much. if i needed a new laptop, i would get sp3... i propably buy the next model if it ever comes... if i wanted to get a cheap tablet, i would get nexus9.

 

[AustinIllini]

I say ditch the tablets, and go for the notebook. Much more usage out of that. Or better yet, a tablet hybrid PC like the Yoga 2

Disagree. Go notebook if you want, OP, but the hybrid thing is just garbage with that terrible Windows OS.

 

[mi7chy]

Disagree. Go notebook if you want, OP, but the hybrid thing is just garbage with that terrible Windows OS.

I use all three ecosystems and find iOS worst since it doesn't even do simple things like mouse support and Mac OS X is lacking in the professional realm such as OrCad, CATiA, Pro/Engineer, Inventor, Solidworks, etc. to name a few. iOS and Mac OS X are fine for general stuff like Facebook.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

Disagree. Go notebook if you want, OP, but the hybrid thing is just garbage with that terrible Windows OS.

wait, you disagree because it's a hybrid or because it's Windows???? The reason I suggest a hybrid is that you get the best of both worlds and can use that laptop as a tablet in some situations, and you get a laptop when you do need to have the traditional experience.

 

[Michael Goff]

Disagree. Go notebook if you want, OP, but the hybrid thing is just garbage with that terrible Windows OS.

What is terrible about Windows?

 

[AustinIllini]

wait, you disagree because it's a hybrid or because it's Windows???? The reason I suggest a hybrid is that you get the best of both worlds and can use that laptop as a tablet in some situations, and you get a laptop when you do need to have the traditional experience.

Except you can get a cheaper tablet that is better than your hybrid in tablet mode and you can get a laptop that is cheaper than your hybrid laptop that is better as well. Hybrids are just bad.

What is terrible about Windows?

The interface, the apps, the viruses, the implementation, the multiple versions of apps. There are so many things wrong with Windows 8 that it has actually increased the interest in Windows 10. There's a reason Windows 10 is basically a giant apology to the end user. The enterprise is running to the hills from Windows 8.1 as they should.

 

[Ubuntu]

I'm in a bit of a quandry here. I've owned a 6+ for a few weeks now and am happy with it in the main, other than the RAM issue.
Now I am/was in the market for a new tablet, but I'm not sure now that I've got a bigger phone. Should I upgrade the laptop instead, or get an iPad Air 2/Nexus 9? Part of me really wants a new tablet to replace my old Samsung Tab 3, but I hardly use that as it is and since I got the 6+ I'm fairly content tapping away on this. Does anyone else see the need for a tablet if they own a phablet, or should I just satisfy my itch with a new notebook?

Perhaps a super-fast and specced up tablet would grab my attention more than the Tab 3 does, but then again would my 6+ then become kinda redundant and I'd be better suited with a smaller phone? Carrying this brute around without any real need to do so would be a tad frustrating...

I suppose it depends on why you don't use your current tablet that much. If it's slow, the software sucks etc then you might still want to consider a Nexus/iPad Air but if you don't have much use for a tablet I'd consider upgrading the laptop instead.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

Except you can get a cheaper tablet that is better than your hybrid in tablet mode and you can get a laptop that is cheaper than your hybrid laptop that is better as well. Hybrids are just bad.



The interface, the apps, the viruses, the implementation, the multiple versions of apps. There are so many things wrong with Windows 8 that it has actually increased the interest in Windows 10. There's a reason Windows 10 is basically a giant apology to the end user. The enterprise is running to the hills from Windows 8.1 as they should.

Well I guess it all depends on the OP's budget --- doesn't it. If it were $1500, sure go get a Macbook Air and an iPad. But if it's anything less than $700, then you'd have to consider other options.