TDT Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Hi guys. I need to buy a tablet, so I was looking around for some options that fit my needs/requests. So far, I have only one candidate, and I wanted to ask you guys for an opinion about it: LG G Pad 8.3. This one is the only one that is in my budget range, has a good screen quality and 2GB of RAM. My initial search criteria was something over 8'' (I would've loved a 10.1 one, but they cost way too much for me), with a resolution of at least 1280x800 and 2GB of RAM, because I'm really afraid that at 1GB the performance would be poor. Also, another thing that would be nice (and the LG tablet has it, thanks to XDA) is the availability of rooting and custom roms - this is not mandatory, but preferable. So, unless someone else can give me another option, with these options and a similar price, what are your thoughts on the G Pad? I know there are reviews out there, but I would rather get an honest opinion here. P.S. I know that some will ask "what do you plan to use it for?". Well, as many things as I can do with an Android tablet. Gaming (occasionally, and not something very demanding, I mainly play Top Eleven and that's not really a game :)) ), some movies (I plan to use it via Miracast), YouTube, email, Office work, TeamViewer support (very important for me) and whatever else is there that I can't think of right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blerk Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Dell Venue Pro 8 or the ThinkPad 8 maybe? Not exactly an android tablet but they both have rather good reviews and there is not too much in your list that they can't do (customs ROMs obviously :p). Depending on how critical your Office needs are they might be a better fit. Venue Pro 8 even has it's own pen - not too sure how it stacks up to the Gpad but apparently it is rather good now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDT Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Dell Venue Pro 8 or the ThinkPad 8 maybe? Not exactly an android tablet but they both have rather good reviews and there is not too much in your list that they can't do (customs ROMs obviously :p). Depending on how critical your Office needs are they might be a better fit. Venue Pro 8 even has it's own pen - not too sure how it stacks up to the Gpad but apparently it is rather good now. I'm not really fixed on Android, but I would like a tablet that's bigger than 8''. That would me a minimum, I would get a 8'' tablet if I can't find anything bigger and with my demands. Also, the resolution is poor, compared to the G Pad. And the price difference doesn't worth it (at least in my country). The ThinkPad is way too expensive for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandosis Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I would look at an iPad Mini for iOS and for an Android tablet I would highly recommend the Nexus 7 (2013). Its relatively cheap and one of the best tablets of its size and can handle everything you need. It also is very easy to root, unlock bootloader and put after market roms on. You can find it on the Google Play store for around $230. https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_16gb_2013&hl=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 That G pad looks pretty incredible. My only gripe would be the "small" screen; I have a 9" screen now, and I'd prefer to upgrade to something bigger, not smaller, because I use it to read comic books. Spec-wise it blows my aging Nook HD+ out of the water, though, other than the screen size. I guess it could stand for a bit more storage, though; 16GB is kind of feeble. The sdcard slot somewhat alleviates that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDT Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 I would look at an iPad Mini for iOS and for an Android tablet I would highly recommend the Nexus 7 (2013). Its relatively cheap and one of the best tablets of its size and can handle everything you need. It also is very easy to root, unlock bootloader and put after market roms on. You can find it on the Google Play store for around $230. https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_16gb_2013&hl=en Didn't you pay attention to the fact that I want a tablet bigger than 8''? :) That G pad looks pretty incredible. My only gripe would be the "small" screen; I have a 9" screen now, and I'd prefer to upgrade to something bigger, not smaller, because I use it to read comic books. Spec-wise it blows my aging Nook HD+ out of the water, though, other than the screen size. I guess it could stand for a bit more storage, though; 16GB is kind of feeble. The sdcard slot somewhat alleviates that. Yes, that's my issue too, the screen size. But I can't get those features in a tablet with a larger screen size AND at the same price... The storage is not an issue for me, it supports a 64GB card, more than enough for me. :) A friend of mine came up with another contender: Asus MeMO Pad ME302C. Now I'm really confused... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Not bad, but only a dual-core cpu. Screen size is nice, at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDT Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Not bad, but only a dual-core cpu. Screen size is nice, at least. Does the dual-core vs quad-core matter so much in the tablet world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Well, I have a dual-core 1.5 GHz tablet with 9" 1920x1200 display, 16 GB of storage and 768 MB of RAM. I put CM11 on it and it runs pretty fantastic (compared to how it runs with the stock OS). I have one game that crashes and I can't play, and I'm sure that has to do with not having enough RAM, but I keep it installed in hopes that they'll optimize it more and at some point I'll be able to run it. Other than that it plays every other game I've tried pretty well. It plays 1080p video just fine, too. But then, I have a friend with a Kindle Fire HDX, and its performance just blows my tablet away. So, while a quad-core CPU isn't strictly necessary and the dual-core will probably serve your needs, it may also be a little sluggish and make you yearn for something just a little bit faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDT Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Well, I have a dual-core 1.5 GHz tablet with 9" 1920x1200 display, 16 GB of storage and 768 MB of RAM. I put CM11 on it and it runs pretty fantastic (compared to how it runs with the stock OS). I have one game that crashes and I can't play, and I'm sure that has to do with not having enough RAM, but I keep it installed in hopes that they'll optimize it more and at some point I'll be able to run it. Other than that it plays every other game I've tried pretty well. It plays 1080p video just fine, too. But then, I have a friend with a Kindle Fire HDX, and its performance just blows my tablet away. So, while a quad-core CPU isn't strictly necessary and the dual-core will probably serve your needs, it may also be a little sluggish and make you yearn for something just a little bit faster. I've read somewhere that the CPU on this thing is x86 and that will give me issues on some games and stuff... What does this mean?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 It means that it's not using an ARM CPU, which I didn't take note of. Android is optimized for ARM, but yes, obviously it runs on x86. I have no experience with that; hypothetically if you install an Android app on the Android OS it should run, regardless of what CPU it's running. But in reality it probably doesn't work that way. I imagine it's similar to how Windows RT can't run Windows desktop apps, because they're not compiled to run on ARM. Except I have no idea how you could tell if an Android app is compiled to run on x86 or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDT Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Ok, so in the end, should I get the LG G Pad or the Asus MeMO Pad? I'm counting the votes :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Honestly, unless you are going to use it for comics like I do, I would go with the G Pad. I would also recommend the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9", which is just absolutely fantastic, except that it's tied to Amazon services only and the bootloader is locked, so no custom ROMs, no Google Play Store, etc., plus there is no sdcard slot, and that's a deal breaker for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Ok, so in the end, should I get the LG G Pad or the Asus MeMO Pad? I'm counting the votes :) I would get a surface 2 its one of the best tablets on the market right now you can't go wrong with a surface 2. I this got one myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDT Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 I would get a surface 2 its one of the best tablets on the market right now you can't go wrong with a surface 2. I this got one myself Agreed, but can you give me the difference in $? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoxphuse Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Dell Venue pro 8. Awesome fast and fluid and running full Windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Agreed, but can you give me the difference in $? :) the surface 2 is $449 but when you add the TAXS and ever thing it will run you about 484.92 if you having twolive out here in CA if you live in other state taxs may be a little higher or lower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I would get a surface 2 its one of the best tablets on the market right now you can't go wrong with a surface 2. I this got one myself LOL I would get a Surface 2, too, but I think he's looking in the $300 price range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 LOL I would get a Surface 2, too, but I think he's looking in the $300 price range. he can all so get a surface RT for about $379 at Walmart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 The 1st gen surface has a lousy resolution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 There all so the Asus T100A wish is other window 8.1 tablet you can all so find at Walmart for $379-399. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrian Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 The T100A doesn't look too bad, but it also only has a 1366x768 resolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 The 1st gen surface has a lousy resolution Good point there the 1st gen surface was a bust But the 2nd gen surface rocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HellboundIRL Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Go for the G Pad, looks like a great price for a decent tablet. I was going to suggest a Xperia Z tab, ?100 extra but it's a 10 inch and you may see it drop in price somewhere since the Z2 is out soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDT Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 Guys, I think you're really missing something here. And that is the fact that I live in Romania. Here, a phone that is 100$ in the US gets to 300$. So I'm sorry, but this Walmart thing doesn't matter to me :laugh: I narrowed it down to those 2 tablets, there's no other option that I want/afford. So I ask you again, if you can please stick to those two, what can you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts