I’m looking for a tablet to last me at least 4-5 years doing -
- Reading via Linkding, Audiobookshelf and Kavita
- Note taking via Notesnook
- Light media streaming via Jellyfin
I’ve been looking forward to the Google Pixel Tablet 2 to put “The OS that must not be named” on it and have a highly privacy respecting device. The current Pixel tablet just has a lot of drawbacks - support timeline is limited, speakers aren’t good, display is mehh etc. But of course Google didn’t announce the new tablet, most likely putting it off until next year.
I’ve considered a few options -
- iPad Air - don’t have an Apple account, and frankly don’t want to get into their ecosystem in general.
- Surface Go - Unavailable in the UK and the kernel required has some missing features as well.
- Generic Android tablets from Samsung, Lenovo etc - Don’t want a device where I can’t fully control what the OS is doing, and I’ve used LineageOS, and didn’t really like it.
- Generic Windows tablets from Dell, Lenovo etc - Is Linux really ready for a tablet use case? I’m not really sure about this. Will I have proper driver and hardware support here?
- Linux tablets such as Pinetab, Starlite etc - These seem to be woefully underpowered and underspec.
So is my only real option to wait until May of 2025 for a Google Pixel Tablet 2? I’d love some input for this dilemma. Thanks!
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I wouldn’t wait that long in the hope that Google release another Pixel tablet and that it then fixes the issues you have with the current one. IMO there’s too much risk that either they don’t release it, or they don’t release it at the time you’re expecting, or it doesn’t change things you care about, or they change the price/features.
I’d say buy the best (/least worst) thing you can actually get now.
Surface pro 3 with nobara works really well for a tablet. Touchscreen driver works after surface kernel is installed. There is also a ublue support for the surface i beleave. Only downside is battery life 3 hours if your lucky because of the cpu.
What did you dislike about LineageOS?
No StarLite? Librem 11
Yeah, I did consider it - you can see the last point in the original post - basically I feel these are extremely underpowered and I’m not sure about Linux’s support for hardware and whether its truly tablet ready. I’d love to hear any opinions on the contrary if you’ve used these devices though
What screen size are you looking for? How do you feel about foldy phones? I’d wait for the Pixel Fold 2 that’s supposed to be dropping in the Fall and all but confirmed to be hitting 8 inchs unfolded if you don’t mind that size of tablet
For me the biggest problem with tablets is it’s never around when I want to do tablet things, having the Pixel Fold 1 that’s been entirely solved
And then it should fill your other requirements as Pixel phones are good about allowing bootloader unlocks (If you’re buying from a carrier and your carrier is Verizon, don’t bother they’re assholes about BL unlocks)
I’m pretty happy with my Pixel 6 for now, and carrying around that bulky phone doesn’t make sense for me personally.
Fair enough, the PF1 is a hefty SOB with the case I have on it. The PF2 is supposed to be “thinner and lighter” but I doubt it’s going to be close to the Pixel 6
I was skeptical myself about it, but once I got it going in my daily life I don’t think I can ever go back lmao
How is your mobile coverage, mine is pretty shitty.
I’m in the UK - pretty good. Haven’t had any major issues, using Lebara and EE
I have as Pixel Tablet currently. I use it to read, and watch Jellyfin. I don’t find the speakers or screen bad at all. GrapheneOS should work (I have not tried that yet). Support goes for about 4 more years (less than the 5 you are going for, but close). It’s not a bad choice I don’t think.
Do you have the dock too? Is that at all helpful?
I do (came with the tablet, I didn’t select it). I use it to charge, otherwise not much. If you have a good place for it, the speakers in it are nice (for their size anyways). It’s a bit of a gimmick I think
Cool. I guess I’ll have to reconsider the current Pixel tablet again then - without the dock though, don’t think that’s worth it. Thanks!
If the dock had an adjustable angle, I’d use it more. Its fixed angle kills some utility. I’d skip if possible