Windows 8 tablets vs the iPad?

[fatclue_98]

Let the assumption games begin! First, nobody has any idea what the ARM-spec tablets will bring on the software side, what kind of compatibility with x86 apps there will be and what will be bundled with the tablets. We know Office will come with the ARM tablets, but what iteration will it be? Too many questions for my tastes. The x86 tablets won't be much of a surprise since Consumer Preview has been out for a while. Personally, I don't see any hard-core improvements to jump ship from W7. In fact, the CP lasted all of two weeks on my exoPC before I went back to W7. Metro? I gave it as much thought as a splash page. The minute it loaded I went to regular desktop and proceeded as usual. Metro is good for a quick peek at any notifications but that's about it.

I think that too many readers are confusing Windows 8 (a desktop OS) with Windows Phone 8 (a mobile OS). Either way, I doubt Apple aficionados will give more than a passing glance and Android fans might be a little more curious. Microsoft fans, or at least those of us who depend on it, will be the ones who put W8 through its paces. I predict sales success for the x86 variants, not so much for ARM.

 

[Mitlov]

There are going to be three categories price-wise.

The Windows RT tablets will be under $500, but app availability at the outset will be a concern.

The Windows 8 (x86) tablets with Ivy Bridge processors will be able to run any Windows software and will be fast and awesome, but battery life, weight, and price will all be significantly above the iPad. Think of them as MacBook Air killers as much as iPad killers. Expect prices to start at around $1000.

The Windows 8 (x86) tablets with Atom processors are the compromise solution, costing probably $600-$800 depending on specs. They aren't limited to RT apps. They can run any software, but not as fast as something with an Ivy Bridge or ARM processor. They should deliver 10 hours of battery life and should be just as thin, light, and silent (fanless) as an ARM-equipped tablet. I'm going with an Atom-equipped tablet because I don't care if my apps take longer to load...I want x86 compatibility but lighter weight and lower price than an Ivy Bridge machine can deliver.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

I think Windows 8 is remarkably easy to use, and especially on the Pro side, it will give Microsoft a distinct advantage for users looking for consumer goodness AND professional productivity.

I think the iPad has an advantage because of popularity and hype, but history has dictated several times that every time consumers are given a choice between Apple's locked down ecosystem and a competitor's (Microsoft or Google) openness and choice, they always begin to favor choice as the ecosystems mature.

I think that Microsoft has a great potential here to regain "top dog" status with consumers.

 

[kylej1050]

I don't think I'd go so far as to say the Atom equipped x86 will be slower than ARM. At least, not in any way a user would notice. The preview videos of a couple of the Atom equipped tabs are pretty impressive. Very zippy.

The question in my head is gaming performance between the ARM and Atom variants. Will just have to see what the demo videos show I suppose. But the ARM platform getting the gaming engines that it is leads me to believe that it's got a good chance.

 

[fatclue_98]

I don't think I'd go so far as to say the Atom equipped x86 will be slower than ARM. At least, not in any way a user would notice. The preview videos of a couple of the Atom equipped tabs are pretty impressive. Very zippy.

The question in my head is gaming performance between the ARM and Atom variants. Will just have to see what the demo videos show I suppose. But the ARM platform getting the gaming engines that it is leads me to believe that it's got a good chance.

Gotta agree with you on that one. I have an exoPC running W7 with an Atom processor and it's quite zippy compared to my Core Duo convertible. The boot times with the SSD put my convertible to shame (even with 3 GB of RAM). I was hesitant to get the exoPC because of poor reviews of the Atom but I'm glad I did. Goes to show you that benchmark results can sometimes be misleading. I mean really, can anybody accurately judge microseconds or count number of executions within one second? That's like download speeds, can anybody really tell the difference between 1.5 mbps and 1.6?

 

[jimski]

Don't know. My perception of a tablet is a device that will "not" require a physical keyboard 75% (or more) of the time. If a keyboard is required more often than that, why not something like an Ultrabook with touch screen.

My needs for a tablet: reading forums, reading email, reading news, occasionally replying like I am doing now, using Smart Glass with my XBox, reading Office attachments, with very, very light editing, playing games, reading social stuff, viewing videos, photo collections and watching movies. All that leads me to an ARM-RT tablet. Lightweight, long battery life, low system management. In other words, simple to use with a gorgeous interface. Sounds like an iPad / Tab killer to me.

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