And the iPad doesn't have a serious files system. We can go back and forth all day.

I do agree that if you are an iPhone person it makes sense to have an iPad. If you are an Android person, stick with that.

I've got a Samsung Tab A 7" (for in-the-coat-pocket portability). My wife and son both have Tab A 10". Very useful and reasonably priced at Costco or Best Buy.

Typing is my main turn-off on these. I do have a laptop on my desk for "serious" work. My son has abandoned all other devices and pulls out a $20 blue-tooth keyboard when he has a lot of typing to do.

I think your best option for value and price and quality is a Samsung Tab A 10.1

Amazon has them new for under $300 and Refurbished for under $200.

I really like the feature of if I start typing something on my iPad or iPhone, I can hand off to my Mac Laptop and it will put me in the same place in the same app ready to get busy typing.

Rotate the Surface 90 degrees, it goes into tablet mode.

I agree with the fragmentation, it's an issue.

The only Android device I've ever been happy with was the Nexus 7.

Best bang for the buck 7 in tablet out there and consistent 1st day upgrades.

So wouldn't a Nexus 10 be a decent choice? $135 used on Amazon....

In theory, yes.

Based on my experience with the 7, I would not hesitate to buy the 10.

Was a rock solid device.

I just picked up a Samsung Tab S2 9.7 for T-Mobile on Amazon for a bit over $300. It is about a year old but in nearly perfect condition (one almost unnoticeable scratch). It is replacing a Tab A 8.0. A few comments:

Wow is it fast!
Colors are as good as my Tab S 8.4
Battery seems to be quite good.
It definitely does a better job as a remote interface for my Desktop Office PC than the Tab A
The 4G LTE connection works well.
It synced up fine to my keyboard and mouse.
It is "obviously" bigger and heavier than the TAB A. But the resolution is superb!
I think the 8" is better for a "reading" tablet for kindle, just for the form factor.

I'm sure the Samsung Tab S3 is better, but there is no GSM/LTE version that works fully with T-Mobile.

Woot has the ASUS Transformer 3 refurb, i7, 512 SSD and 16 GB ram for just shy of $800.00

That's a monster deal and around 40% off new retail, that's if you can even find that configuration in the US which you can't.

I looked for one a few months back and they were unobtanium.

If I were not out of my return window on the Surface i'd ship it back and buy two of the ASUS.

Which generation i7?

6500, not latest but the entire package for $800 is a steal.

Slightly larger screen than the surface pro. +

520 gpu vs Iris on the Surface -

True Wacom digitizer. +

USB C, HDMI, USB 3 and 2 ports compared to Surface USB 3 and display port only +++++

At the price point it's a hard box to resist.

At $275 that looks pretty good...

For a 6th gen, that is a great price

My wife has a newer inexpensive fire which seems 100% fine for watching netflix, amazon movies, and youtube

This is all she uses it for, FB as well I suppose.

How much are the fire's, these days?

My sister gave one to my mother. It seemed very thick and heavy for a 7" tablet. I prefer a straight android, but I can see some people wanting an even simpler interface.

Try a Lenovo Yoga. In your price range, 10" display, lightweight, separate keyboard and drawing surface (if needed), and offers the option of running Windows 10 or Android.

I dont think it is the slickest device, but I think it was like 85$ for the top of the line model on prime day......delivered of course.

He said his sole use is watching videos and interwebbery. It seems perfectly fine at that though I have admittedly never owned an I bad or any fancy tablet, so I may not know what I am missing.

https://www.woot.com/offers/microsoft-surface-3-10-8-64gb-tablet-2?ref=eml&utm_source=Daily+Digest&utm_content=B&ut m_campaign=Daily+Digest+22+09+17&utm_medium=email& ref=eml_w_dly_tl&ref_=pe_3185080_255031580

Decent deal?

I have several tablets including the new Fire HD, 32 gb.....It will work just fine for what he stated his uses are.....Works fine for me, but Amazon apps have a long way to come to match Android and Apple Apps.....Quick examples are weather and map apps....Can't beat the price.......Luv my Nexus 7 also.......Just bought my wife an Ipad 4 (10 inch) for $179.........No experience with the surface.

Many/most tablets these days either come with a keyboard or have one as an option. I have a logitech keyboard for my iPad that is my "screen protector" when not in use. I think it was $100.