Topic: Tablets

How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?

Summary: You can pick up an iPad starting at $499, a Kindle Fire for $199, and there are even Android tablets that come in at around $99 - So how much would you be willing to pay for a Windows 8 tablet?

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for Hardware 2.0 | December 11, 2011 -- 05:44 GMT (21:44 PST)

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There's been a lot of talk about Windows 8 and in particular Windows 8 on tablet devices lately. While there's no doubt that Windows 8 tablets are on the way, because these devices will be based on ARM architecture rather than the traditional x86, the Windows experience offered by these devices won't be the Windows experience that people expect.

So, given that you can pick up an iPad starting at $499 (undoubtedly the king of tablet), a Kindle Fire for $199, and there are even Android tablets that come in at around $99, how much would you be willing to pay for a Windows 8 tablet?

[poll id="721"]

Here's my take. If OEMs can't make Windows 8 tablets come in at a price point that starts at $499 or below then they're going to be a touch sell for everyone concerned. We've already seen what happens to extravagantly priced tablets. If Windows 8 tablets can't compete with the iPad on price, then they too could very well be toast.

Topics: Tablets, Hardware, Laptops, Microsoft, Mobility, Operating Systems, Software, Windows

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58 comments

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Cheaper than a Netbook

Windows is worthless to me, so I'd say $0. Seriously though they have to price it under $300 or they risk cannibilizing netbook sales. Why pay $300 for a limited use tablet when I can get a full computer (netbook) for the same price?

itguy10
11 December, 2011 05:55

Reply Vote
- RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
 
 @itguy10 I agree. Just went through this with my Father in law. He was debating getting a Tablet, but after we went through all the decision process, it was clear that a $317 Acer Aspire 722 series Netbook was way more for the money than a tablet and did everything he needed plus much more. He really wanted a tablet, but in the end it came down to functionality, price, capability and Capacity. He already has a Verizon 4G MiFi hotspot so he is connected everywhere too. If a labptop can be had for $450 - $650, a netbook for $250 - $400 then a tablet needs to be $150 - $250. The Nook and Fire are as close as you can come to a decent tablet for that price point. Heck, I just bought a 15.6" Acer Core I5 laptop with 500gb hard drive and USB 3.0 etc for $559, why are tablets so expensive?!?
 
 tgschmidt
 11 December, 2011 06:14
 
 Reply Vote
 - I'd expect MS to pay me to use it
 
 And it would have to sizeable sum for me to even consider it.
 
 MS Tablet = MS Tax = MS Fail
 
 Uralbas
 11 December, 2011 08:12
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
 
 @tgschmidt By your logic there should be no market for the 20+ millions of iPads sold. But then we are discussing a Windows based product.
 
 dheady@...
 11 December, 2011 08:49
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
 
 @dheady The Mac laptops are around $999, so there is still a market for the iPad. There's no such thing as a Mac netbook.
 
 jgm@...
 11 December, 2011 13:05
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
 
 I'd rather buy Windows 8 Tablet with FreeDOS pre-installed.
 
 suamisoleh
 12 December, 2011 06:04
 
 Reply Vote
- Snail grail
 
 You guys are nuts. I have both: an iPad and a netbook. Your claim is that the netbook "does more." Yeah? At what speed? Everything it does, it does so slowly that it goes from frustrating, to angry-making, to "screw it, where's the iPad?"
 
 Robert Hahn
 11 December, 2011 09:00
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
 
 @Robert Hahn How old's your netbook? An ARM chip can't outperform a dual core AMD E-450.
 
 jgm@...
 11 December, 2011 13:06
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
 
 @Robert Hahn
 
 I have a netbook with dual core, higher resolution, a real OS and is a convertible tablet with a keyboard and it still cost less than an iPad - which I used and tested for a week and still couldn't find a use for.
 
 I suggest you actually use a netbook Robert and you may realise how slow your iPad is - but then it doesn't really run real applications anyway does it?
 
 tonymcs@...
 11 December, 2011 14:50
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
 
 @jgm@... Have you seen the Tegra 3? Penta-core 1.4GHz chip with onboard video processor. The 5th core runs at 500MHz and engages in low-power situations while the other cores shut down. Extremely powerful and power-efficient. And its an ARM chip. ;)
 
 Walkop
 13 December, 2011 11:46
 
 Reply Vote
 - I agree, but for many additional reasons.
 
 @Robert Hahn
 I own a Windows netbook, two Windows laptops, and an iPad 2. The only one I use now is the iPad 2. In fact, I haven't touched the netbook or the laptops since I got the iPad 2 when it first came out. The 17 inch laptop is literally being used as a riser platform for one of my desktop displays. The 15 inch and the netbook are high on top of a cabinet gathering dust.
 
 You cannot easily operate a laptop or netbook while standing. It's a bizarre circus balancing act to use them if you are sitting in a chair without a table. The iPad 2 can be used in either of those situations, easily. It's superior in every way that counts in a portable device. It weighs less. It's much less bulky with a larger display. It runs longer on a battery charge.
 
 Plus, it has better performance. Is the CPU more powerful than a netbook? No. Is the user experience still faster? Yes. What matters is how fast the device accomplishes real tasks and how fast it responds to user interaction. The netbook, in particular, was a sluggish beast next to the performance of my iPad 2. Plus, my iPad 2 does a LOT more than my laptops and netbook ever did. Yes, I said, "a LOT more."
 
 The biggest point all the netbook/laptop fanatics are overlooking is the vast software variety on the iPad 2. A computer doesn't do anything without software. More available software equals more you can do. I'm doing many things on my iPad 2 that I never considered doing on a laptop or netbook. There was simply no easy way to do them. I'm even doing things I never thought of doing until I saw applications for them in the App Store.
 
 The second biggest point netbook zealots overlook is hardware support. Third party hardware support is vast for the iPad 2. I have direct memory card readers, a USB port, HDMI output, and a couple of keyboards for my iPad 2. There are also docks, stands, stereo systems, A/V connectors, clock radios, interfaces for musical instruments, mixer boards, turntable interfaces, and much more. Best of all, I don't have to carry any of them unless I plan to use them, which drastically reduces carry weight for the 99.9% of the time I don't use any of it.
 
 Only the very narrow-minded who are severely in a rut would believe a netbook does more. I used a netbook for two years before I got my iPad 2. It was frustrating. I'd like to see netbook users record and edit a video while sitting in a seat on a bus. I'd love to see them create and edit a music track to go with the video while standing in line at the DMV. They seem to be one-trick ponies who always want to sit at a table and use only Microsoft Word. Funny thing is, the iPad 2 can do that, too. Remote desktop access works great.
 
 In a nutshell, people who simply can't embrace new ways of doing things should stay shackled to a fat, sluggish, netbook. For the rest of us, the iPad 2 is an easier, faster, less-bulky, far more versatile choice. If Windows 8 tablets can match all of that functionality at a similar price, they should do really well.
 
 BillDem
 18 December, 2011 10:47
 
 Reply Vote
- They won't canibalise...
 
 @itguy10 Because the netbooks are useless for typical tablet tasks. How do I know? Because we've had a string of "netbook tablets" for testing, but the performance is so dire, that it isn't even funny.
 
 With an Atom based Win7 tablet, switching from portrait to landscape and back causes the display to blank for a couple of seconds, before it reappears in the other orientation.
 
 The same goes for scrolling, pinch to zoom etc. the whole experience is diabolical.
 
 We looked at iPads and Android tablets, but they were discounted from the short list, because of their lack of a full Java stack. That left the only choices as Linux or Windows based tablets. There aren't any Linux tablets from any of the name brands and Windows seems to be stuck on Atom based hardware.
 
 We found a couple of Core i3 based tablets, but they had been discontinued, before they were officially launched!
 
 Thankfully, the customer has pushed their project back to next year, so we may still be able to get a useful tablet by then.
 
 For me, personally, I'd not spend a penny on a tablet, because I still haven't found a need for one. I have smartphones, a decent notebook (Core i7, 8GB RAM, Full HD 15,4" display) and a dual-24" desktop. That covers all my current needs.
 
 wright_is
 12 December, 2011 00:33
 
 Reply Vote
RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?

Completely different, tablets are add ons once you have a computer and smartphone. Windows 8 needs to come in at $350 or less. More functionality than a Fire, but if the difference in price is within $100 of the iPad, even most non Apple fans will go with the leader.

kingcobra23
11 December, 2011 06:40

Reply Vote
- RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
  
  @kingcobra23
  Your keywords "add ons" describe tablets. Pity, that Microsoft hasn't gotten the message with its Windows 8. Abandoning millions of notebook and desktop users--forcing them to remain with Windows 7 and, possibly, waiting for Windows 9 is very risky.
  
  TsarNikky
  11 December, 2011 07:35
  
  Reply Vote
  - What Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is telling you is ...
    
    @TsarNikky,
    
    ... is rubbish! There will be Windows 8 Intel / AMD tablets, and Windows 8 ARM tablets. All Windows 8 Intel / AMD tablets will be full PCs. They will therefore be able to be priced similar to laptops. Pricing on Windows 8 ARM tablets seem a bit more uncertain. If MS stipulates that Windows 8 ARM tablets have the horsepower to run apps like the full MS Office suite well, then they could be priced similar to Intel based PCs, or be a little bit cheaper. If MS lowers the standard, and say that they can perform like an iPad or greater, then I would expect Windows 8 ARM tablets will be priced similar to the iPad.
    
    P. Douglas
    11 December, 2011 15:06
    
    Reply Vote
  - What Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is telling you is ...
    
    @P. Douglas
    
    Cost is important.
    
    what Microsoft is telling you is ...
    their new operating system will be the only one you need for all your devices, phone - game console - desktop - laptop - tablet - etc.
    
    whether you believe it or not is up to you.
    if you want to live in an MS-only world is up to you.
    if you want to live in an Apple-only world is up to you.
    if you want to live in a Linux-only world is up to you.
    if you want the OS to control you instead of you controlling the OS, it's up to you.
    if you want to pay every time you use your hardware is up to you.
    is cost important?
    is freedom important?
    is accessibility important?
    is extendability important?
    tell us, we'll listen.
    MS, Apple, Google? (probably not)
    
    :)
    .
    
    wessonjoe
    13 December, 2011 07:37
    
    Reply Vote
RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?

This is Just not true! There are going to be Arm based and even i5 based tablets. The big news is that the windows 8 Tablets will have usb ports and they will run the windows 7 desktop. So you could hook your iphone or windows phone to the Tablet. Lets see your ipad or or Android Tablet do that.

imsimsj
11 December, 2011 06:55

Reply Vote
- Truth?
  
  That's something I think you're a wee bit unfamiliar with. That and why would you want to plug a phone into things that can have (or already do have) 3G or whatever already built in.
  
  ego.sum.stig
  11 December, 2011 07:11
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
    
    @ego.sum.stig@... Why would you plug your phone into a laptop?
    
    imsimsj
    11 December, 2011 07:30
    
    Reply Vote
- RE: How much would you pay for a Windows 8 tablet?
  
  @imsimsj My iPad and iPhone are already connected thru iCloud. I don't need no stinking ports.
  
  dheady@...
  11 December, 2011 08:51
  
  Reply Vote