Is this a good tablet deal?

MyRealNameToo

Grumpy_chap said:

MyRealNameToo said:

Apple doesn't force you to use Apple however for some things Apple products are more deeply integrated than others. 

One very specific thing I have found annoying is the Apple HEIC photos which cannot be viewed on a non-Apple device. 

I am not that fussed about the accessories in general, headphones and the like, as I don't expect to use those.  With regard to the pencil, the squishy nib type seems to be a backward step.

I think it is £209 (plus broken iron) for the Samsung (including the pen) versus £380 for the iPAD plus pencil.  That extra £80 for the Apple Pencil seems to kill the iPAD option really.

The windows store has a Microsoft provided codec for HEIF for images, Android supports them natively and its also the default mode for the latest version of Android.

HEIC images are about 50% the size of JPG to achieve the same image quality so it's really a question why others are sticking to the more inefficient options. You can go into Settings > Camera > Formats and change it from High Efficiency to Most Compatible to get it to save as JPG by default.


The Logitech Crayon is a bit cheaper, much cheaper if bought secondhand. 

If you are buying on price the choice will never be Apple. 

poseidon1

OP returning to your  S10 Lite/ FE deliberations.

I own an old Samsung Tab S7 , no security support, legacy version of android and a failing battery.  It has been an excellent piece of kit for me ( especially the supplied stylus for signing pdf documents), resulting in putting my windows 10 laptop into semi retirement, so returning to Samsung for an upgrade was a no brainer for me.

Decision fortunately coincided with Black Friday promotions and after watching You tube reviews on the merits of S10 lite v S10 FE, I jumped on a John Lewis deal for the 256gb/12 gb ram 10 inch S10 FE priced at  £349 with JL's 2 year gurantee.  Used click and collect for delivery, and also used PayPal 4 month interest credit option, so pretty much a win win all round.

In passing Curry's had offered the same tablet at that time at the  same sale price, but sold out UK wide, so a very popular deal.

Currently using the tablet ( with a cheap £13.99 Amazon cover) for this post, and appreciate the upgrade in speed, and Android 16 functionality not to mention Samsungs 7 year security support commitment.

Sadly you have missed the John Lewis offer , and this higher specced tablet has jumped back to £599 on their site.

I see the lower spec 128gb is available with  Laptops direct at £349 - see link below, but I would be inclined to wait for the xmas/new year sales to see if a decent deal on the 256gb variant re-emerges

https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/samsung-galaxy-tab-s10-fe-10.9-grey-128-wi-fi-tablet-sm-x520nzareub/version.asp?refsource=ldadwords&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id=22079410293&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=22079410293&cq_con=&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22089331351&gbraid=0AAAAAD-PMBojnXkKoeT9niLAkyz11kgJ0&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9OnJBhD-ARIsAPV51xPloxz_DZ67xm-Q6knnlWuR5WDWfPTvAfXazXWvwQMAimb3s2hVfk0aApOJEALw_wcB

Hope this helps.

Grumpy_chap

Thanks,

I see that Laptops Direct have the Galaxy Tab S10 FE 256GB / 12GB at £400, as do Curry's (if they have my old iron) or, as you linked, the 128 GB / 8GB at £350.

I kind of think, if I was going up to that price point, I probably would take the plunge and go for the iPAD that I linked up thread at £300 and then add the pencil (either the genuine item at £80 or try a "compatible") but given the Samsung comes complete with the genuine item, the fair price comparison would be £350 (or £400) against £380.  That, actually, starts to make the Apple product look fair value.  I began this process with a belief that the Apple products were all outrageously over-priced.

Out of the Android tablet options, I think the Samsung range is the market leader.  Maybe I am out of date.

Exodi said:

Potentially thinking of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite released in 2020, instead of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite released in 2025 - the former being a phone.

The naming team needs firing.

Indeed, I can't make any sense of the product naming and I think you are probably correct that the references to the Galaxy S10 that I saw suggesting it was an end-of-life product were the phone rather than the Galaxy Tab S10 which is a tablet.

Within the Samsung tablets, I think:

• S is better than A
• "+" means bigger screen
• Suffix "Lite" is the entry model
• Suffix "FE" (Fan Edition) is the mid-range but lower than "default"
• Just S with no suffix is the default model
• Suffix "ultra" is the top-end

I think that is correct.  What I can't make any understanding of is the actual model number S9, S10, S11.  It would make sense if the number referred to the incarnation / order of launch but the pricing does not seem to support that.  Nor does the pricing support 11 better than 10 better than 9.

twopenny

Grumpy, you know a public library will loan you an iPad for a month free of charge.
It's a good way to explore.

Grumpy_chap

twopenny said:

Grumpy, you know a public library will loan you an iPad for a month free of charge.
It's a good way to explore.

I think our local library still allows us to access the internet via a BBC "B" on dial up

poseidon1

twopenny said:

Grumpy, you know a public library will loan you an iPad for a month free of charge.
It's a good way to explore.

Yes I took advantage of this back in 2019, but being a died in wool android user I found I  could not get on with it and returned it after a week. 

Nonetheless a good way to test the Apple ecosphere before committing your hard earned cash.

Grumpy_chap

Thanks for the comments everyone.

I also spoke with a friend this morning, who is an Apple-fan, and they felt the Samsung was the better deal, along with the Apple sucking you in to more and more devices.

It was odd that I was speaking with someone else at the weekend just gone and mentioned the idea of a tablet device.  They have the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and suggested the Lite would be sufficient (and that they'd got rather sucked in going for the Ultra).  Then I looked online and saw the current price for the Lite and my initial reaction was "too goo to be true".

There were some very good points made in the thread but, overall, it confirmed that the Samsung was a suitable deal for me at £209 including the S-Pen.  If I did not particularly desire the pen / pencil which added the extra £80 to the iPAD, then I might very well have gone to the Apple device at £300.

Anyhow, I have placed the order with Curry's for the SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S10 Lite 10.9" Tablet - 256 GB
It is a very odd pricing that some retailers are offering the 256 GB / 8GB version at the same price as the 128 GB / 6Gb version so I have definitely learned to always click the option buttons just to see what transpires.

ididgetwhereiamtoday

To be fair to Apple, the basic iPad is highly regarded as decent value in the tablet world and is all the tablet most people need. 

Grumpy_chap

ididgetwhereiamtoday said:

To be fair to Apple, the basic iPad is highly regarded as decent value in the tablet world and is all the tablet most people need. 

Indeed, at "list" prices, the iPAD 11 (128 GB / 6GB) is £330 plus £80 for the Apple Pencil, so a total of £410.

By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S-10 Lite (128 GB / 6GB) is £330 including the S-Pen. 

Not everyone will necessarily want the S-Pen / Apple Pencil.

At that price delta, I may well have gone for the iPAD.  I almost certainly would have gone for the iPAD if I was unfussed about the pen / pencil.  I do want the pen / pencil, though.

However, the "today" prices are:

iPAD 11 £300 plus £80 for the Apple Pencil, so a total £380.

Samsung discounted to £259, but some retailers offering the 256 GB / 8GB version for the same price as the 128 GB / 6GB version plus Curry's discount code for recycling "any electrical item working or non-working" meaning another £50 off, so a total £209.

£380 vs £209 is a big delta.

poseidon1

Grumpy_chap said:

ididgetwhereiamtoday said:

To be fair to Apple, the basic iPad is highly regarded as decent value in the tablet world and is all the tablet most people need. 

Indeed, at "list" prices, the iPAD 11 (128 GB / 6GB) is £330 plus £80 for the Apple Pencil, so a total of £410.

By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S-10 Lite (128 GB / 6GB) is £330 including the S-Pen. 

Not everyone will necessarily want the S-Pen / Apple Pencil.

At that price delta, I may well have gone for the iPAD.  I almost certainly would have gone for the iPAD if I was unfussed about the pen / pencil.  I do want the pen / pencil, though.

However, the "today" prices are:

iPAD 11 £300 plus £80 for the Apple Pencil, so a total £380.

Samsung discounted to £259, but some retailers offering the 256 GB / 8GB version for the same price as the 128 GB / 6GB version plus Curry's discount code for recycling "any electrical item working or non-working" meaning another £50 off, so a total £209.

£380 vs £209 is a big delta.

I would add my phone is Samsung also, so there is a degree of integration between phone and tablet that justified my continued choice of a Samsung tablet.

Most Apple phone users will be inevitably drawn (indiscriminately) to an ipad to remain in the comforting Apple ecosystem, regardless of cost disparity.

It is one of the factors that has allowed  Apple to join the rarified ranks of the 4 trillion dollar tech valuation club.