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Replacing Surface Pro - Asus T100TAM or Acer Switch 10?

Replacing Surface Pro - Asus T100TAM or Acer Switch 10?

Old Jan 28, 2015, 1:20 pm
  #1  
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Replacing Surface Pro - Asus T100TAM or Acer Switch 10?

I've stuck with it for ~10 months, but I'v decided to part ways with my original Surface Pro. I bought it as a refurb when the price dipped to $379 direct from Microsoft and was quite happy with it at first... the power in such a small package, the 1080p screen, and the extremely solid build quality were (mostly) great, but the thickness and weight prevented me from ever really using it as a consumption tablet and thus relegated it to use as a travel laptop. Battery life was never great, but I ended up just swapping in a Power Cover for long trips and sticking with the Touch Cover for short trips. Even in that role, kickstand layout made it difficult to use on even Domestic F tray tables, much less in Y.

Prior to the Surface Pro I had the original Asus T100TA Transformer Book for ~6 months and really liked it. It never lacked for power in the mostly mundane outlook/word/excel/power point tasks I threw at it along with also having no problem with media and general news/web consumption. My only REAL complaint was how cheap it felt, specifically the glossy plastic back which made it feel extremely low-end.

The longer I spent with my Surface Pro, the more I wished for the form factor of the T100TA but the build-quality of the Surface Pro. It seems now I can get that with the Asus T100TAM or the Acer Switch 10. The T100TAM is identical to the T100TA except for slightly faster processor/graphics, slightly better IPS panel and, the biggie, aluminum construction. The Acer Switch 10 is very similar with internals that are on-par (somewhere between the old T100TA and newer T100TAM), a very slick docking mechanism, but apparently only ~75% of the battery life of the T100TAM (~6 hours vs ~8 hours).

Right now I'm leaning towards the T100TAM. It fixes my only real complaint about the old T100TA and I know it can handle pretty much all of the tasks it would see in both my daily consumption and travel work use. Can anyone who has the newer T100TAM comment on the build quality (especially compared to the old plastic T100TA)? Can anyone who has compared both the T100TA/T100TAM and Switch 10 comment on which you decided on and why?

Also, can anyone with the 500GB HDD Dock version of the T100TA/TAM comment on the added thickness/weight/noise of the HDD dock compared to the regular dock and if it's a worthwhile addition? I'd probably be choosing between the 32GB+500GB HDD or the 64GB versions... the 64GB+500GB HDD version is $50-$100 more than I want to spend. For comparisson, I'd likely get the 32GB version of the Switch 10 (only $230 from the Microsoft Store) and add a 32GB or 64GB MicroSD.

On a somewhat related note, the proceeds from selling my Surface Pro and my old Galaxy S4 will be financing the new Hybrid and also a refurb iPad 4 for my wife... I feel kidna dirty buying an iOS device with mixed windows/android money, but she's an Apple die-hard these days.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 5:41 am
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My wife has a company issued Surface Pro and I played with a friend's Surface Pro 3 for an hour in November. It isa fine notebook, bu I feel like it is no such a good tablet. I know that Microsoft actively discouarges hybrid Android tablet/Windows OS, but they seem the more compelling options if you want one unit right now.

ASUS seems to be working around Microsoft's restriction with this device:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/...r-book-v-news/

it puts Android on the phone but can turn the PC into an Android tablet on the fly.

I have no constitutional objection to the Windows mobile OS system, but the apps seem second rate. For example, the Kindle app doesn't support collections and has many less reading options when compared to the Android or iOS device.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 6:42 am
  #3  
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I gave up on the Surface Pro as a tablet fairly quickly... the Surface Pro 3 is much thinner (my main complaint) but the added screen size makes it tough to use as a tablet as well. From a PC functionality standpoint the Surface Pro series is fine, but the logistics of using it on an airplane has started to grate on me... it seems I'm constantly sliding the kickstand of the back of the tray-table and then the whole think falls flat. If you could defy the laws of physics and have a solid position-able hinge with a keyboard as thin as the Touch/Type covers, it would be a great travel device.

It's funny you should mention hybrid Android/Windows... seeing some articles about the Onda V919 3G Air was what really sparked me to consider replacing the Surface Pro. Unfortunately, as I was about to pull the trigger on one from AliExpress I got a little uneasy about sourcing a tablet from China with little/no warranty support and then relying on it to do work when traveling... this uneasiness pushed me back tot he more traditional Windows-only hybrids.

The idea of the Transformer Book V is one I could probably get behind, but I have to use a company-issued phone and there's no BYOD option. I'm also guessing it will be outside of my ~$300 price range (the sale of the Surface Pro and my old Galaxy S4 will pay for my replacement hybrid and a refurb iPad 4 for my wife).

I agree that, especially on the consumption side, Android apps are in general better developed and more reliable. I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8" that I share with one of my daughters (my boys have Tab 3 7s and my other daugher has an original iPad) and I use it for most of my casual bedside news reading, forums, etc. If I ever felt I wasn't getting the app experience I desire on the Windows hybrid, I'd probably just supplement with a similar 8" tablet.

That said, on the Surface Pro and previously on the T100TA, I function 80% or more in Chrome as I have a suite of extensions I rely on and I also rely on Pulse (who pulled their Windows Store app but maintains a functional web-app). My Windows App use is really confined to Netflix, Hulu, etc. This mix of Chrome and a handful of Windows Store apps should work even better with Windows 10... I will likely install the new Preview on whatever I get.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 8:13 am
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I wouldn't touch another Acer product with a bargepole. I had a smartphone and the customer service is absolutely appalling and they are not deserving of a second chance.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 8:30 am
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I had good enough luck with my Acer Iconia A200 and A210 tablets... the battery life is the main thing turning me off on the Switch 10 (~75% of the T100TAM), even though the magnetic docking mechanism looks to be both slick and solid. Slightly faster processor is another bonus for the T100TAM, but the T100 line being a somewhat known quantity may be its biggest boon.

Last edited by IsleOfMan; Jan 29, 2015 at 8:42 am
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 8:43 am
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Originally Posted by Silver Fox
I wouldn't touch another Acer product with a bargepole. I had a smartphone and the customer service is absolutely appalling and they are not deserving of a second chance.
I have the same experience with HP on customer service. I recently bought an Acer nitro laptop and love it. But I didn't have to contact customer support for anything yet, so I don't know how it would work out.

The best customer support I got from any tablet manufactures are Amazon and Apple. I have both iPad Mini and Amazon Fire tablet. Even though I would never buy another Amazon Fire tablet, I have to say that Amazon's support is amazing.

I don't really know much about Asus except I have an Asus laptop. I never had to call support for anything.

If I was to choose between Asus T100TAM and Acer Switch 10, I would pick Asus. Asus T100 was like a legend. Everyone who looks into getting a Windows tablet knows about it. I almost got one myself. I have never heard of the Acer Switch 10 until this thread. I think buying something more popular will get better support and more accessories to choose from.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 9:07 am
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Well, I just ordered the Asus T100TAM 64GB from Amazon with Prime 1-Day shipping, so it should be here tomorrow. I also ordered an HP x4000b Bluetooth Mouse (to replace the Arc I'm selling with the Surface Pro) and micro HDMI cable (to replace the mini-DP adapter I'm selling with the Surface Pro), and a 3pk of matte screen protectors, but those all came from eBay and should come next week.

I may be at a mall with a Microsoft Store over the weekend, so I'll try to check out the Acer Switch 10 in person, but I was a bit swayed when I saw a picture of the Switch 10 next to a Macbook Pro 13" (both closed flat) and the Switch 10 was ~25% thicker. The T100TAM really isn't any thinner, but the radiused edges on both the top of the tablet and bottom of the keyboard sure do make it seem A LOT thinner. The 32gb Acer for $229 from MS really is a great deal, but I just can't get over how thick it looked next to a MBP13.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 9:19 am
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Originally Posted by IsleOfMan
Well, I just ordered the Asus T100TAM 64GB from Amazon with Prime 1-Day shipping, so it should be here tomorrow. I also ordered an HP x4000b Bluetooth Mouse (to replace the Arc I'm selling with the Surface Pro) and micro HDMI cable (to replace the mini-DP adapter I'm selling with the Surface Pro), and a 3pk of matte screen protectors, but those all came from eBay and should come next week.

I may be at a mall with a Microsoft Store over the weekend, so I'll try to check out the Acer Switch 10 in person, but I was a bit swayed when I saw a picture of the Switch 10 next to a Macbook Pro 13" (both closed flat) and the Switch 10 was ~25% thicker. The T100TAM really isn't any thinner, but the radiused edges on both the top of the tablet and bottom of the keyboard sure do make it seem A LOT thinner. The 32gb Acer for $229 from MS really is a great deal, but I just can't get over how thick it looked next to a MBP13.
I know you are looking for a 10" tablet, but since you mentioned the size of Macbook Pro 13", have you looked at the new Dell XPS 13? It is smaller and thinner than a Macbook Air 11" but with a 13" touch screen... and run Windows haha.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 9:44 am
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I have a Dell Latitude E7240 (12.5" Ultrabook) that, while not as svelte as the new XPS 13, does the job when I need a more powerful laptop... which is exceedingly rare seeing as it's been docked on the desk in my home office for the last 10-months and is really only used the first Monday of the month when I need to use VPN to run month-end reports. Also, with the original T100TA and Surface Pro, I very rarely use the touchscreen when the keyboard was attached (pretty much only for the charms menus) and only really used it when using as a tablet.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 7:19 pm
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I use a Surface Pro 2 with the i5 processor and 256GB. It's not bad, but I wouldn't go down the same path again. It's not as convenient as my iPad as a tablet, and isn't capable enough to replace a normal laptop. The screen is too small for the software I need to run, plus the unique screen size sometimes causes issues with certain software.

My other gripe is that you never really know if it's off, multiple times I've shut it down, only to pull it out later with it feeling very hot and now with a mostly dead battery. I've had a few times where the keyboard becomes irrop despite multiple restarts, and heavy video usage via a Ethernet connection on the usb will upset it as well. It's probably fine for casual use, but it struggles with heavy video use.

Last edited by COSPILOT; Jan 29, 2015 at 7:25 pm
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 7:27 pm
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Originally Posted by COSPILOT
It's not bad, but I wouldn't go down the same path again.
This is the sentiment I get from a lot of folks that have Surface Pros, especially the 1 and 2. For me it's plenty capable from a power perspective, but the form factor just isn't quite what it's cracked up to be. For me a less powerful but thinner/lighter BayTrail tablet is more usable for consumption and the keyboard dock lets me do most or all of my work and is also a much more stable base for use on airplane tray tables.
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 7:35 pm
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Originally Posted by IsleOfMan
This is the sentiment I get from a lot of folks that have Surface Pros, especially the 1 and 2. For me it's plenty capable from a power perspective, but the form factor just isn't quite what it's cracked up to be. For me a less powerful but thinner/lighter BayTrail tablet is more usable for consumption and the keyboard dock lets me do most or all of my work and is also a much more stable base for use on airplane tray tables.
A few in my company are now running with Surface Pro 3's, but after playing with theirs the only improvement is the screen size. Same issues when trying to place it on a tray table, my lap, etc. I've grown to use it so little that I avoid and delay anything I can until I return to my home office and then use my desktop. I even use my iPad now for expense reports when traveling...
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Old Jan 29, 2015, 7:41 pm
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Originally Posted by COSPILOT
A few in my company are now running with Surface Pro 3's, but after playing with theirs the only improvement is the screen size. Same issues when trying to place it on a tray table, my lap, etc. I've grown to use it so little that I avoid and delay anything I can until I return to my home office and then use my desktop. I even use my iPad now for expense reports when traveling...
I can see the Surface 3 as being a better laptop, but I'm looking for a better tablet that's still a somewhat usable laptop. My ideal "Surface" product would have been something the form-factor of a Surface RT but 4:3 and running BayTrail (thin/light/fan-less/long-battery)... still wouldn't have fixed the tray-table issue, but would be infinitely more usable as a tablet while still being able to get some work done when necessary too. Call it the "Surface Home" or "Surface Lite" maybe? I guess the margin just isn't there to support the price point necessary to maintain the Surface build-quality but also compete with a growing crop of $300 hybrids.
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Old Jan 30, 2015, 7:06 pm
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I received the T100TAM today. It's a tiny bit laggier than I remember the T100TA being, but it may be at least partially due to running Windows 10 Technical Preview... that said, the new Start Menu is such a great hybrid of Win7 and Win8.1 that I don't think I could go back... I don't even feel the need for "Tablet Mode", which is good because the auto-switching isn't working with the T100TAM yet (possibly only working on the Surface line so far). The keyboard experience is far superior, even with the smaller island keys, thanks to the longer key throw. When detached, use as a tablet is infinitely more enjoyable than the Surface pro thanks to the reduced thickness, weight, and rolled edges.

My only other complaint is charge speed, so I may end up getting the 3.5A PWR+ Charger depending on if it's an issue when traveling (going to give my old 3.4A dual-usb charger a try first).
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Old Jan 31, 2015, 2:55 pm
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Onada Air

There is a lot to like about the Onada. I was wondering whether cases/keyboards for the iPad Air 2 would work ok with it.
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