Ipad vs. Laptop vs. Microsoft Surface???

[josejones]

Ipad vs. Laptop vs. Microsoft Surface???

I need to be able to do power-point lectures with excellent image & video quality. Lectures not only within the USA but other countries as well - so I'll need to make sure I've got any necessary ports or connections for projectors etc. I'll want WiFi and an SSD. Great battery life would be a bonus.

I've never had an ipad or a laptop before so, I'd like to hear the pros and cons.

The new Microsoft Surface RT comes out October 26th (tomorrow) $500 for the 32g and $700 for the 64g and the Surface Pro is said to come out around the end of January - I'm assuming around $1,000. It'll have an Intel i5 CPU.

http/www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-US

http/www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-US/surface-with-windows-rt/home

http/www.cnn.com/2012/10/16/tech/gaming-gadgets/surface-tablet-mashable/

Windows RT microsoft surface
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=47XrHijlPr4

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervY6As5OcI

I'm guessing that a decent laptop with an SSD will serve me just fine since I just got a new i7 desktop in August so, this device will not be our main device and won't get used much except when traveling and for lectures. Especially since the laptop would not have any software issues like an ipad would. And the Microsoft Surface is probably over-priced and I'd probably rather have the $1,000 Pro anyway. I was hoping to keep the price as low as possible since we won't be using it all that much - I didn't want to spend over $500.

 

[nbelote]

Laptop so you can have VGA and HDMI out for presentation purposes, otherwise you're going to dump a ton into accessories for a Surface RT.

 

[josejones]

^ That's an excellent point as I certainly don't want to get sucked into buying loads of expensive accessories for a Surface RT. I'm trying to get what I need while getting out as cheap as possible.

I'll need the VGA and HDMI as well as 1080p res and an SSD would be sweet & I'm willing to pay a bit more for that SSD.

So, what laptops would one recommend? Do I need an Intel i5 (or an i3 for better battery life?) or the new AMD CPU/GPU thingy? What models would one suggest?

 

[nbelote]

What is your absolute maximum price cap?

 

[josejones]

^ I'm trying to get by as cheap as possible - I was hoping I could get by for $500. Perhaps a smaller screen size 14.4 will help?

I may have to reduce a few things like 1080p resolution to 720 and USB 2. I suppose I don't absolutely have to have an SSD but I hate to give that up - perhaps a smaller one? I certainly have to have VGA and HDMI though.

If money wasn't an issue I'd get 1080 res (not sure how relevant that is on a laptop? Perhaps 720 is fine? Remember, I've never had one before), SSD, USB 3 and probably the next size or two up between 15 or 17. One main reason I want to keep the price as low as possible is due to the fact that we won't use this laptop all that much, but when we do we need it to be completely reliable - no hang-ups no locking up just because we need to play a short HD video clip or high res images.

 

[mesab66]

I'd be leaning towards the very tried and tested format - laptop - for obvious gfx+cpu power/hardware/expansion/software compatibility reasons. Unless you've checked things out, you don't want to risk compatibility issues. I'm guessing your presentations will be primarily powered - so battery life perhaps won't be critical.

If this is all you need to use the laptop for then pretty much any modern laptop will fit the bill (VGA and HDMI outputs would need to be checked for). If you're looking for a bit of entertainment (few films/games) then you might want to consider the HDD size + gfx card, though light entertainment will be handled very adequately by any modern laptop.
SSD's are very attractively priced at the moment, and do guarantee a very fast and smooth desktop experience.

 

[josejones]

^ I was actually hoping to be able to play DVD's, games and music with headphones on the flights and at the airports etc. Perhaps I can a used laptop and upgrade it but, I was hoping for USB 3 for transfers with my USB stick, which is only USB 2 for now until I get a new one with USB 3.

So, besides the main priority of doing lectures, secondary = playing DVD's, games and music with headphones that pretty much covers what I need it for. Now, there are so many laptops out there I wouldn't know where to begin as far as choosing one. I was thinking of going with a Toshiba, but what model and Intel or AMD - geeeeeez?

 

[josejones]

So what laptop brand and model would you suggest that would serve my purposes while keeping the price low and Intel or AMD?

 

[prodigydoo]

Dont get an iPad... I'v had one in school for the past two years. grade10/11..
My applied information technology class conducted a survey of all the kids who have ipads (the rest of the school has laptops).. The results were overwhelmingly negative.. something like 80% of people thought they were useless and would rather have funded more to get a laptop.. The iPads just dont work in an effective productive manner well enough..

I would say a laptop. but in a few months or something, the microsoft surface pro is coming out, based on x86 architecture NOT arm... This means EVERY SINGLE SOFTWARE package or application that worked on basically win 7 up will work.. ON A TABLET!! the surface also has a usb port and is the only tablet os where you actually get root access..

Yes, i am a fanboy of the surface pro, only because its going where no tablet has ever gone before.. If i were you, i would wait for the surface pro..

 

[tuxborg]

Dont get an iPad...

I second this message. My company gave me an ipad as part of a quirky employee reward program (would have done much better with the cash they spent on it) and it's been ages since I got any use out of the thing.

 

[Brett928S2]

Best answer selected by Brett928S2.