lewmur Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Those of you that subscribe to the Newegg Shell Shocker email might have noticed that one of their offerings today is an HP Slate 1800 for $39.99 after $30 MIR. (It's there all the time for just $5 more.) That's a 1.6ghz Atom processor, with 1gb RAM and 8gb storage. That's about what I paid for my Model B Rasberry Pi!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Not bad considering it normally cost around $100. Do keep in mind that it only has a single core processor, very low resolution (1024x600), battery life is very low (only 5 hours), an older version of Android and only 8gb of memory (although expandable to 32gb). Now you can get a quad core with 2gb ram, 12 hour battery and a high resolution (1920x1200) for under $200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewmur Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) Not bad considering it normally cost around $100. Do keep in mind that it only has a single core processor, very low resolution (1024x600), battery life is very low (only 5 hours), an older version of Android and only 8gb of memory (although expandable to 32gb). Now you can get a quad core with 2gb ram, 12 hour battery and a high resolution (1920x1200) for under $200. I'm not saying I'd recommend this tablet for serious users but for $40 you could use them as "stocking stuffers". I have a 10" Galaxy Note but I also have a 7" no name with a single core CPU that I bought for $60. I'd rather have the HP than the no name. edit: I already own four battery packs, (hurricane prepared), so the 5hr battery life is of no concern. You can buy a 10000 mah battery pack for under $20. re-edit: Also, I think 1920 x 1200 on a 7" tablet is quite excessive. Just takes more CPU bandwidth to handle and 1024x600 is about all my old eyes can handle. Even with my reading glasses. Edited June 6, 2014 by lewmur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Sounds like a good plan for hurricane preparedness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amenditman Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Sounds like a good plan for hurricane preparedness. Hurricanes are a conspiracy of the government to fool us, just like the moon landings.Hurricanes are not real, hurricanes are not real.... If I say it often enough, Eric and I won't get any this year. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 If you say so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amenditman Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Back to cheap computer hardware. A few weeks ago AMD announced they would be reusing the Athlon and Sempron brand names. Athlons will be a quad core APU's running at 1.6 and 2.05 GHz with R3 graphics. APU and motherboard combo is expected to be less than $100. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 These Kabini based APUs look like a nice way to put together a simple desktop for grandma, or maybe buy a cheap all-in-one as a second system. Pretty slow quad core, but the graphics should be just fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amenditman Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 (edited) Those numbers may look small, but the everyday user will never use anywhere near the full potential of those chips. They are monsters compared to anything available 5 years ago. Edited June 10, 2014 by amenditman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Yes I have a Dell Inspiron laptop from 2011 that has one of the Phenom II mobile processors in it. It runs at 1.6 GHz and is a quad core. I have never overtaxed it in anything I've done with the laptop. I think any "sluggishness" I see is due to a fairly slow HDD. Someday I might rebuild an older AMD system I have here and I would certainly consider one of these Kabini setups. Of course I'd need new memory and probably storage because the old mobo has PATA connections and DDR2. That can wait as the Athlon X2 I have now in that box is still a viable processor for what I need to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Those numbers may look small, but the everyday user will never use anywhere near the full potential of those chips. They are monsters compared to anything available 5 years ago. Have you tried using an older, lower spec tablet? Trust me, you can tell the difference. Open a browser and watch the lag as you try to browse websites, swipe between screens and watch the lag/stutter, etc. I have 3 single core tablets that were gave to me and even navigating the "desktop" can become a major hassle. I hate to say it but Android does lag on lesser spec'd tablets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amenditman Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) We are NOT talking about low spec tablet hardware. We are talking about, current generation, low spec PC hardware. These chips are head and shoulders above any of the older Athlon X2 chips and those are still usable hardware with basic Ram and OS adjustments. Here's a review with some specs listed (scroll to the bottom of the first page). Take a look at the spec chart, 5 - 7 years ago these would have been decent hardware. These things will run Windows 7 or any Linux OS with no trouble. Don't expect any high end gaming/graphics, not the use case for these budget chips. Edited June 12, 2014 by amenditman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Oh I thought this whole post was about tablets (first post).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Yup looks like a real winner for a Linux based general computer or for home theater. Simple to build, won't need a video card, can go in a small enclosure, not too many fans needed, no big power supply requirements. Also you'll be able to use the excellent open source AMD video driver. Put in a cheap SSD and you'd really have a nice system. Edited June 13, 2014 by raymac46 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewmur Posted July 4, 2014 Author Share Posted July 4, 2014 Here's another fifty dollar tablet from Newegg. This one has the new A23 dual core CPU that has an Antutu benchmark of 9960. That's as good as an Acer A500 Iconia tablet. The processor is also supposed to consume 50% less power than its predecessor. I'm still cycling mine so I don't have a final on how long a charge last but it is at least five hours. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewmur Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 Found another great buy. Hannspree 13.3" tablet for $130 including shipping. Has a quad core A9 running at 1.6ghz. Antutu benchmarks better than my Samsung Note 10.1. 22143 Decent res of 1280x800. Plenty good enough for my tired old eyes. Two micro USB ports, Micro SD and mini HDMI. Android 4.2.2. Google Play Store. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 When they get to be free, I might try one. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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