Budget 30-40k Tablet for note-taking [College]

OneTapHero

OneTapHero

Disciple
1. Budget?
A: INR 20k - 40k

2. Preferred display size, type and resolution?
A: 11 inches, Fine with LCD but AMOLED would be better, FHD and above

3. Preferred operating system? (Android (with version), iOS, etc).
A: Android due to sideloading support and easy file management system. Slightly concerned about the update cycle and longevity

4. Preferred connectivity options? (4G, 3G, 2G etc).
A: WiFi is fine without cellular

5. Do you have any brand preference or dislike? Please name them.
A: Inclined towards Samsung due to the SPen, Samsung Notes and update cycle.

6. What is your intended use for this phone (internet, camera, multimedia, mails etc.)?
A: Note-taking with little media consumption

7. Single SIM/ Dual SIM?
A: WiFi is fine

8. New or Used? Online or Offline?
A: New. Don’t mind buying online

9. Any other requirements?
A: Great writing experience, longevity, not too expensive when it comes to repair, good update support

10. If you have already considered a phone, then please mention the model
A: Samsung Tab S8, iPad Air 4/5, iPad 9th Gen
 
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Haven't had any experience with Samsung tabs along with s pen,
But I would suggest basic wifi ipad, been using since 2.6 years and it does the job..
I write quite a few pages daily and I am satisfied with it.
If you can subscribe to notability or good notes then you ll have a plethora of options to take notes and share them...

Alternatively any higher variant of ipad as in pro or air will be more sophisticated and polished as they use apple pencil 2.... Whereas ipad the normal one uses apple pencil 1.
 
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JMak said:
Haven't had any experience with Samsung tabs along with s pen,
But I would suggest basic wifi ipad, been using since 2.6 years and it does the job..
I write quite a few pages daily and I am satisfied with it.
If you can subscribe to notability or good notes then you ll have a plethora of options to take notes and share them...

Alternatively any higher variant of ipad as in pro or air will be more sophisticated and polished as they use apple pencil 2.... Whereas ipad the normal one uses apple pencil 1.
Click to expand...
I have heard that SPen gives a more natural feel while taking notes when compared to Apple Pencil. I primarily use an Android, so I'm very used to its file management system, sideloading, and the open-source apps available. Galaxy Tabs also come with SPen in the box.

Apple Pencil Gen 1 has a weird charging style (SPen doesn't need to be charged for writing, only for button actions iirc). The only reason I am considering iPads are the app support and longevity (updates, smoothness). But I think I would have no use for it after 4 years of college (Samsung provides 4 years of Android updates). There is also the non-laminated display on base iPad and outdated design, 60hz, no expandable storage

Hence, mostly leaning towards the Tab S8 (39k during sale)
 
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In the same boat. Was considering an Air 5 and S8 for more or less similar purposes, (mostly college purposes) and a ton of reading. Not sure which one to go for. Have a MacBook and a Samsung phone, so sort of best of both worlds. I prefer Android to iPadOS cause sideloading and the S8 has better display but the aspect ratio of it, compared to iPad is a turn off and coupled with the fact that an iPad (maybe M1, something around there) would last for at least 5-6 years in terms of Software Updates. What do I go for?
 
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FXGalvatron said:
In the same boat. Was considering an Air 5 and S8 for more or less similar purposes, (mostly college purposes) and a ton of reading. Not sure which one to go for. Have a MacBook and a Samsung phone, so sort of best of both worlds. I prefer Android to iPadOS cause sideloading and the S8 has better display but the aspect ratio of it, compared to iPad is a turn off and coupled with the fact that an iPad (maybe M1, something around there) would last for at least 5-6 years in terms of Software Updates. What do I go for?
Click to expand...
Honestly, bite the bullet and go for what your heart says. I am most probably going to purchase an S8 on sale.
Updates wouldn't matter too much as I will be using it primarily for note-taking
 
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You could try a Samsung S7 FE Tab , it has a huge screen , with s pen , frequently goes on sales , and fits into your budget and needs.

Else , if you are a college student - you could download unidays and go for a samsung student's discount on their official website

I've heard from a few friends of mine that the Mi pad 5 or something is also pretty good.

Although , you might not be able to find it - a Samsung Tab S8 WiFi will be the best bet out of all these. I personally use this one and love the heck out of it....... buttery smooth 120hz display , with minimal response time - and a s-pen that works like magic. It is about 12K about your higher end of the budget but it is the best option if you are looking for a future proof Android Tablet.
 
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OneTapHero said:
I will be using it primarily for note-taking
Click to expand...

A notebook with pen and pencil and some highlighters.
  • No need to charge.
  • Always on display.
  • No need to worry about stylus, if lost, get another pen or pencil.
  • No input latency.
  • Unmatched refresh rate, exceeds what our eyes can process.
  • Costs less than your average McDonald burger.
  • Indexing, searching & organizing can be improved with sticky tabs around corners.
Just another perspective.
 
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Heisen said:
A notebook with pen and pencil and some highlighters.
  • No need to charge.
  • Always on display.
  • No need to worry about stylus, if lost, get another pen or pencil.
  • No input latency.
  • Unmatched refresh rate, exceeds what our eyes can process.
  • Costs less than your average McDonald burger.
  • Indexing, searching & organizing can be improved with sticky tabs around corners.
Just another perspective.
Click to expand...
I considered sticking with physical notebooks, but a tablet would be more convenient for managing notes and books. I wouldn't have to lug around heavy textbooks, and I could easily access my notes and books from anywhere. Digital archiving is also an advantage.
 
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Recently got myself a Mi Pad 6, Been using it for little over a week now. I think it's a pretty good value for money hardware, the screen is vivid and content watching is a pleasant experience. Speaker is one of the most noteworthy features for this tablet, it offers a great soundstage, has depth giving character to whatever you are listening.

When it comes to notetaking on Android, there aren't really a whole lot of apps that are well engineered for notetaking on Android as compared iPads. As a previous Samsung Tab S6 user, I found Samsung Notes to be sufficient, but it doesn't match up to iOS exclusive apps like GoodNotes or Notability. Currently, I am experimenting with couple of the notetaking apps that are available on the play store and I have rounded down to using Nebo and OneNote (honestly, all comes down to personal preference).

However, With Google releasing the Pixel Tab, there would be more attention on the note-taking scene and Android tablets overall and from what the leaks suggests there might even be an app straight from Google for note-taking which you can certainly expect to be polished so fingers crossed for that.
 
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using an S7 Plus (upgraded from the S6 lite-worth it screen was a let down), am an architect use it for sketching and annotations an amazing device, I only downside I feel is a very large device and feels tiresome to hold for longer durations, S7/S8 would be a good size and I would absolutely recommend them, though I feel an Ipad mini size Samsung tab with S pen would be the best tab ever, sadly and incredibly Samsung doesn't make it.
 
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