I have decided I definitely want a Windows 8 tablet, but I'm having trouble flip-flopping back and forth on which model is right for me.
I'm still trying to decide how important x86 functionality is to me; with a simple consumer tablet, I could probably get by with just Windows Store Apps... probably. But I do have a couple desktop apps that I would miss (Visual Studio and Live Writer, anyone??).
I like the look and feel of the Surface RT; it feels right. I like the kick-stand, the metal chassis, the industrial edges and the snap-in keyboard.
But I just found out about the VivoTab Smart today, and it seems like the best of both worlds. It's got the battery life of the Surface RT (very important) and the cost (also important), but it has the ability to run legacy x86 apps like the Surface Pro. I played with it at Best Buy for a couple minutes today, and it was nice and thin and light, but the plastic wasn't quite as nice as the brushed-metal Surface.
Obviously the Surface Pro would be the most powerful option, but the battery life, thickness and cost make it a non-starter for me.
I think the deciding factor will be performance; how does the responsiveness and reliability of the VivoTab Smart compare to the Surface RT? All the online reviews seem to be comparing the Atom processor against other Atom-based tablets, but I really want to compare it against the Surface RT, since that seems like direct competition.
I will likely purchase one of the tablets this weekend, with the currently-running Staples trade-in offer. Has anyone used both devices (Surface RT and VT-Smart) in-depth? Could you provide a couple helpful comparisons (and maybe even a recommendation)?
(Ugh - Why couldn't they just put an Atom processor in the Surface RT... that would make this decision so much easier.)
I'm still trying to decide how important x86 functionality is to me; with a simple consumer tablet, I could probably get by with just Windows Store Apps... probably. But I do have a couple desktop apps that I would miss (Visual Studio and Live Writer, anyone??).
I like the look and feel of the Surface RT; it feels right. I like the kick-stand, the metal chassis, the industrial edges and the snap-in keyboard.
But I just found out about the VivoTab Smart today, and it seems like the best of both worlds. It's got the battery life of the Surface RT (very important) and the cost (also important), but it has the ability to run legacy x86 apps like the Surface Pro. I played with it at Best Buy for a couple minutes today, and it was nice and thin and light, but the plastic wasn't quite as nice as the brushed-metal Surface.
Obviously the Surface Pro would be the most powerful option, but the battery life, thickness and cost make it a non-starter for me.
I think the deciding factor will be performance; how does the responsiveness and reliability of the VivoTab Smart compare to the Surface RT? All the online reviews seem to be comparing the Atom processor against other Atom-based tablets, but I really want to compare it against the Surface RT, since that seems like direct competition.
I will likely purchase one of the tablets this weekend, with the currently-running Staples trade-in offer. Has anyone used both devices (Surface RT and VT-Smart) in-depth? Could you provide a couple helpful comparisons (and maybe even a recommendation)?
(Ugh - Why couldn't they just put an Atom processor in the Surface RT... that would make this decision so much easier.)