I need a new laptop, and am considering a tablet. I can't seem to get
a straight answer to this question. I would love the features of a
tablet, but not if there is any sacrifice to the stability and speed
of the computer. I know that it just runs XP (or vista) with the
tablet features, but I am worried about those features and other
drivers causing me problems. I always find that all of the power
management, soft button, and pointer software that manufacturers load
up on computers tend to screw things up, and I am wondering if this
may be a problem with a tablet.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

mtbcpa <mtbcpa******.com> wrote:

> I need a new laptop, and am considering a tablet. I can't seem to get
> a straight answer to this question. I would love the features of a
> tablet, but not if there is any sacrifice to the stability and speed
> of the computer. I know that it just runs XP (or vista) with the
> tablet features, but I am worried about those features and other
> drivers causing me problems.

A tablet is the same as a laptop with a screen that has a touchpanel
built in, so it is from an operating system point of view, exactly the
same.

So yes, it is as stable and fast as any other laptop with the same
specs.

--
Woody

www.alienrat.com

I've been using a Tablet since 2002 and have no special issues with it
compared to a standard notebook.

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is a true superset of Windows XP Pro, and with
Windows Vista, Tablet functionality is included on most versions used at
home or in business, with the exception of Basic.
--
Terri Stratton
Microsoft Featured Community
http://thetabletpc.net
Forums - http://forums.mobilepcworld.net
Microsoft Windows MVP- Tablet PC


"mtbcpa" <mtbcpa******.com> wrote in message
news:1191734352.691961.86010@r29g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
>I need a new laptop, and am considering a tablet. I can't seem to get
> a straight answer to this question. I would love the features of a
> tablet, but not if there is any sacrifice to the stability and speed
> of the computer. I know that it just runs XP (or vista) with the
> tablet features, but I am worried about those features and other
> drivers causing me problems. I always find that all of the power
> management, soft button, and pointer software that manufacturers load
> up on computers tend to screw things up, and I am wondering if this
> may be a problem with a tablet.
>
> Any thoughts? Thanks!
>

This is a horrible stigma that has stuck around on tablets since the first
generation. The first generation of Tablet PC's were underpowered and
overpriced, for sure. But by the 2nd and 3rd generation, they are right on
par with other laptops of comparable size. But many people still try to
compare a 3.5 lbs 12" tablet to a 6lbs 14" laptop which isn't fair.

To put things in perspective, the HP that I have now is a 12", 3.75lbs
convertible with 1.2 Ghz Core 2 Duo and 2 GB of RAM. It's not the fastest
machine in the world by any stretch, but it's one of the smallest and
lightest you can get. On the other hand, Gateway makes a 14" 7lbs
convertible that you can go all the way to 2.4 Ghz Core 2 Duo with 7200 RPM
hard drives. Now that will be a fast machine.

Not surprisingly, the faster and heavier one is also cheaper, like most
laptops. But as long as you compare apples to apples, you will find that
Tablet PC's are "all that and more".

--
Josh Einstein (Tablet PC MVP)
Einstein Technologies
Tablet Enhancements for Outlook - Try it free: www.tabletoutlook.com


"mtbcpa" <mtbcpa******.com> wrote in message
news:1191734352.691961.86010@r29g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
>I need a new laptop, and am considering a tablet. I can't seem to get
> a straight answer to this question. I would love the features of a
> tablet, but not if there is any sacrifice to the stability and speed
> of the computer. I know that it just runs XP (or vista) with the
> tablet features, but I am worried about those features and other
> drivers causing me problems. I always find that all of the power
> management, soft button, and pointer software that manufacturers load
> up on computers tend to screw things up, and I am wondering if this
> may be a problem with a tablet.
>
> Any thoughts? Thanks!
>

You've heard from the MVPs, now here's an opinion from a "normal" user. :-)

I have an HP TC4400 Tablet PC with Intel Core 2 T7200 CPU at 2GHz and 2GB
RAM running Windows XP Tablet Edition 2005. It does everything our
comparably configured laptops do and just as well. I've had no issues
peculiar to the tablet nor have I seen any performance problems. I can't
think of any reason I'd go back to a standard laptop.

The only change I think I'd make is upgrading the OS to Vista for the better
handwriting recognition tools.

Tom

I've managed getting very good Vista performance even on a 2003 Motion M1300
with bare minimum 1Gz specs. Having 2GB RAM and 7200 rpm drive significantly
improved results, along with careful deselecting backround processes and
trimming poorly resource gobbling design software.

Tablets absolutely DO use more processor power pulling the CPU with added
tax of stylus interaction. With commonly 60 -80 processes loaded and huge
instantaneous draw on system when stylus control starts to include more than
text such as with brush strokes creating lag ruining the real-time
experience. Lags can become runaway loads bringing most tablets ground into
non-responsiveness.

Avoiding lags for complex stylus tasks can be an elusive challange getting
control over and even harder keeping responsiveness for extended periods or
on-demand as needed.

It's a complex dance of fine-tuning away certain sluggishness backround
processes will cause. Every new application install needs scouring away the
auto-updaters, etc lurking hidden launching exactly at worst time to pull
precious CPU cycles from tablet that gives poor experience without headroom
to spike 100% consumption far more frequently than keyboards very rarely ever
will. Stylus wide paint brush rendering without feel-ruining random lags can
become probably one of, if not the very hardest, achievement in portable
computing until the most recent hardware horsepower increases made easier.

Maxed out RAM regardless of specs and fast hard drives are essential next
running any major applications smoothly on tablets.