Best Tablet computer & recommended specifications for simulators & older versions?

R

Red_Rattler

Since 09 May 2003
Best Tablet computer & recommended specifications for simulators & older versions?

(Edit: Oops, Just noticed that I may have put this in the wrong section. Can some admin/mod please move if that is the case.)

I've been asked what's the best tablet computer, but especially the minimum & recommended specifications for simulators, such as Trainz. And would older versions work? At the moment, they're looking at ASUS, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba & Ipad. (Not sure what this is, but something about Australia is not suited to 4G network or something that may be related)

And what would the recommended graphics card be?
 
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Most tablets are designed to run on their batteries so they typically have specialist lower speed cpus typically non Intel that don't need as much power to extend the battery life, a bit bit like a lap top but even more so, that's the reason for the low amount of memory as well. They wouldn't be my first choice to run a sim. I'm not even sure if most run Win 7 which is needed for Trainz.

Cheerio John
 
I should have meant they don't wouldn't use a simulator as one of the main programs, but then

if you say that their not your first choice, then how come this forum has a section about playing a version of this simulator on ipads, or is Trainz only playable on ipads?
 
Tablets don't have "graphics cards", and the integrated graphics are not upgradable.

I understand that Samsung's devices are outstanding, probably the best available. Asus is supposed to be good too. All the tablets you mention besides iPad run on Android, and I'd stick with one of those rather than iPad, not the least of the reasons being that you're not tied to Apple.

I advise against getting a cheap tablet though if you want to run Trainz. Archos, for example, even when using a modded firmware, apparently can't run Trainz, and has a slow CPU in any case. These are good entry-level tablets, but not as good as the big players.

Keep in mind that even the best tablets of any kind have only a fraction of the power of a laptop let alone a desktop, so don't expect too much.
 
RRSignal said:
Tablets don't have "graphics cards", and the integrated graphics are not upgradable.
Click to expand...
It seems their are tablets that now do have a "dedicated" graphics card.

One thing we have noticed with one of the brands mentioned above is that one of them seems to be less responsive, than the other.
 
I think that a tablet isn't good for gaming because they don't have other ways of controlling the games other than touching the screen.
 
For games you need a good motor... (CPU / Video card combo)
So get one with a nvidia motor.
Talking about brands as some have done, is not helpful as brands make good and bad
It's what's inside the product that counts not who assembled the parts!!!

PS they are of cause the most expensive
ya pay for what you get
 
Red_Rattler said:
(Edit: Oops, Just noticed that I may have put this in the wrong section. Can some admin/mod please move if that is the case.)

I've been asked what's the best tablet computer, but especially the minimum & recommended specifications for simulators, such as Trainz. And would older versions work? At the moment, they're looking at ASUS, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba & Ipad. (Not sure what this is, but something about Australia is not suited to 4G network or something that may be related)

And what would the recommended graphics card be?
Click to expand...


From what I noticed, if you want a computer with a graphics card, you may have to go older. I've yet to see ATI and nVidia chips make it into modern tablet PCs. The only 2 that spring to mind with a dedicated graphics card are produced by Toshiba and they are some what 6 to 7 years old.
One is a Toshiba Portege M200, the other is the Tecra M4 IIRC, I have hte M200 and despite the limited VRAM, it will run TS2010, as long as you don't use speedtree.

The other problem with these tablets is that if you loose the stylus, you have to use them in tablet mode.
 
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Epic fail
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Tegra is made by nvidia (quad core version is newest)[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]so find a device with that in[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]people stop talking about brands and start talking specifications[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Red I supply these[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]
[/FONT]

Wessex_Electric_Nutter said:
From what I noticed, if you want a computer with a graphics card, you may have to go older. I've yet to see ATI and nVidia chips make it into modern tablet PCs. The only 2 that spring to mind with a dedicated graphics card are produced by Toshiba and they are some what 6 to 7 years old.
One is a Toshiba Portege M200, the other is the Tecra M4 IIRC, I have hte M200 and despite the limited VRAM, it will run TS2010, as long as you don't use speedtree.

The other problem with these tablets is that if you loose the stylus, you have to use them in tablet mode.
Click to expand...
 
winjmoore said:
http://www.eyo.com.au/279942_lenovo-ttablet-10-1-16gb-flash-and3-1-wwan-18382gm.html

I was looking for something for someone and spotted this for you
It is just one of many
Click to expand...

This is a cool device, but not sure if the ARM processor and graphics can handle it.

Check out this laptop.

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This has an optional Multi-touch display.

John
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Hi Everybody.
From experience of using a tablet I would certainly not purchase any of them at the present time for the sole use of gaming. The simple fact is that they are not yet capable of running high-end simulation games such as trainz with any great graphics or frame rate speeds that you would get from any reasonable laptop or PC.

Where tablets are finding their main market at present is in the replacement of laptops but that is in the business market where carrying around a heavy laptop bag can be a real chore as anyone who has tried carting one through the London Underground in the rush hour will testify to.

In our small business we have three tablet computers used by the three of us who are "out on the road", two of these are 7 inch Samsung Galaxy tabs and the latest being an iPad which I think is 12 inch. However, the big advantage of the 7 inch tablets is (as we have found) they will easily fit into the average sized pocket or a woman's handbag which means that the need to carry anything else such as a computer bag is done away with. With the iPad you still need such a bag to transport it around so the OP may wish to consider that if he wishes to go gaming while he is on the move.

Another advantage of a tablet is that they are also capable of being a very good phone if purchased with 3G capability. The phone can either be used in speaker mode or through Bluetooth to a earpiece. They also have great sat nav capability with the android system coming with it built-in.

The above are all the advantages we have found in our use of tablets. However as stated when it comes to gaming they lack well behind any reasonable laptop or PC. In my opinion (for what it's worth) nothing outstrips the old tried and tested PC when it comes to all round capability. We have four in the office which are in constant use for almost everything while the three laptops seem to have taken up residence on top of the filing cabinets and now not used for anything much having been replaced by the tablets.

Bill
 
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wholbr said:
From experience of using a tablet I would certainly not purchase any of them at the present time for the sole use of gaming. The simple fact is that they are not yet capable of running high-end simulation games such as trainz with any great graphics or frame rate speeds that you would get from any reasonable laptop or PC.
Click to expand...

This is a little misleading. The frame rates on previous- and current-gen tablets (iPad 2, iPad 3, etc.) are perfectly acceptable. What you need to understand is that the tablets are not Desktop PCs and that you can't run Desktop games on them. You need to get a game which is designed for the tablet, and you will find that such games are designed with the capabilities of the target hardware in mind. (Similarly: a PS3 can't compete with a modern Desktop, but very few people would refer to them as having "poor frame rate".)

You can game quite happily on a tablet, but the games you will be playing are probably not the same ones as you might play on a Desktop PC. In the specific example of Trainz, we offer versions specifically designed for iPad and Android, which have similar features but much smaller routes than the Desktop editions.


an iPad which I think is 12 inch.
Click to expand...

They're considered 10", just FYI.


cheers,

chris
 
Chris, is there a manual for Trainz for Android? I bought the program a few months ago but I didn't know how to use the program using the touch screen.
 
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