ThinkPad Tablet 2 vs Surface RT

[snaqvi91]

I'm thinkin of getting a new laptop for school. I find the Intel Core i powered laptops to be more powerful than I need and to have bad battery life, not to mention they tend to be heavy. So I'm interested in getting an Atom powered laptop since that's about enough power and the battery life is terrific.

I've narrowed it down to the ThinkPad Tablet 2 and Surface RT. I need it for school and would like a good comfortable keyboard to be able to type more than just occasionally. The differences I can make out are that the Surface RT is cheaper ($630 with type cover) while the ThinkPad has full Windows, double storage and a little better battery life but at a more expensive price ($870 with Bluetooth keyboard dock). Which one do you think has the better keyboard and is more comfortable to use?

 

[12Danny123]

well to be honest. I think the Surface RT is best because it has Office 2013 for free in it. but if you want functionality and more x86 apps then the Thinkpad.

 

[NickA]

Take a look at the HP Envy x2 as well. I get 11+ hours of battery life out of mine when it's docked. It's lightweight and you can undock it and use it as a tablet when needed. But like 12Danny123 said, if you need to run any traditional Windows app, skip the RT.

 

[prlundberg]

I think a lot of people who think they need Windows 8 need to evaluate what they need in a mobile device. A TP2 or Surface Pro cannot replace a real PC for most people. However an RT device combined with Remote Desktop can, probably more often than not, replace their laptop for mobile use. The TP2 and Pro can do that too of course, but at a much higher price.

For school use, I'd go with an RT with type keyboard that has Office. But I don't know the specific things you'll be doing on it, and the fact that I like the form factor of the RT better is simply personal preference.

 

[ag1986]

I'd recommend sticking with an x64 Ultrabook. You never know what sort of software you may need to run at school and it's best to keep your options open. Also, no matter what kind of keyboard attachments are available, nothing can beat a proper laptop for typing out long papers et al.

 

[Narr]

I was looking at the Tablet 2 but for the stylus more than anything, Windows RT all I need on the go (I do have a wish list obviously ) but I was looking at the Tablet 2 without the keyboard as I have another Bluetooth keyboard already. For most notes the stylus would be more than enough but on the other hand the Surface keyboard is the only one I can carry around without it feeling like another device because it connects and is integral.
So for me the plus for Lenovo is the stylus most other things are equal with the devices.

 

[prlundberg]

For about the same price of a decent ultrabook, he can buy an RT plus a desktop. But again, it depends on needs and wants.

 

[Ridlah]

I don't know how updates are managed for RT devices but I've had it with HP, we have this HP Touchsmart computer that supports windows 7 64 bit and multitouch but they havent provided graphics drivers to support windows 8. Its a touch screen desktop and the only way to boot into windows 8 is to disable the graphics driver that leaves everything to be choppy. The graphics card is an nvidia capable of running high def games but not some tiles and a non aero theme? Anyways long story said short I don't know whats in stock for current rt tablets in the future but i'm sure Microsoft will deliver every update.

 

[Rellik66]

... nothing can beat a proper laptop for typing out long papers et al.

If I wanted to do any serious typing on a laptop or Surface, I would plug a regular keyboard into the USB port.

 

[xboxonthego3]

I'm thinkin of getting a new laptop for school. I find the Intel Core i powered laptops to be more powerful than I need and to have bad battery life, not to mention they tend to be heavy. So I'm interested in getting an Atom powered laptop since that's about enough power and the battery life is terrific.

I've narrowed it down to the ThinkPad Tablet 2 and Surface RT. I need it for school and would like a good comfortable keyboard to be able to type more than just occasionally. The differences I can make out are that the Surface RT is cheaper ($630 with type cover) while the ThinkPad has full Windows, double storage and a little better battery life but at a more expensive price ($870 with Bluetooth keyboard dock). Which one do you think has the better keyboard and is more comfortable to use?

It says you're interested in atom processors. Just making sure you know the surface RT is a tegra 3 an arm processor. Not really considered a full pc. Not sure if you knew that. Also I have both a surface RT and a Samsung ativ smart PC 500t. I must say I love my surface RT. But what I need is my ativ smart PC. I find my ativ a lot more useful. It has the Intel atom processor and it works great for me. Also it is quite a bit faster and snappier than my surface RT.

 

[jmerrey]

Having owned both, I would say the T2 is a much better device. The Surface RT has two things going for it though: build quality, and the build in kickstand/keyboard. When handling both at the same time, the RT screams quality. The T2 is decent, but it's all plastic. As for the ergonomics, I find it incredibly useful to have the kickstand/keyboard combo built right in, which is why I ended up with a Surface Pro after all was said and done.

However, you obviously have battery life as a priority, so the Pro would probably be out. The T2, or any atom-based tablet, is much faster than the RT. If snappy performance is important, get the T2. Plus, the pen is really nice, especially the way it docks so nicely.

What I would like to know is, what are you specific use cases? Give us some examples. That will really help determine the best machine. For example, if you plan on using a keyboard a lot, especially in class, the T2 solution might be a bit unstable, not to mention cumbersome and clumsy.