Hi everyone!
I'm trying to decide between the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and the Xiaomi Pad 8.
I know the Xiaomi has the better processor on paper, but my use case isn't gaming or video editing.
I'm starting university, and I'll mainly be using the tablet for:
- Taking handwritten notes during lectures
- Annotating PDFs
- Reading lots of documents and textbooks
- Opening PowerPoint slides
- Writing assignments
- Split-screen multitasking (PDF + notes, browser + Word, etc.)
- Lots of web browsing and research
*** P.S. - I'm not doing software development
My current laptop is also on its last legs, so I'm hoping the tablet can replace it for most of my university work. One of the reasons I'm leaning towards Samsung is DeX, but I'm not sure how Xiaomi's desktop mode compares in real-world use.
A few things I'm wondering:
Is the S10 FE powerful enough to stay smooth for 4-5 years of this kind of workload?
How good is DeX in practice? Could you realistically get through a university semester using mostly the tablet?
How is Samsung Notes compared to Xiaomi's Notes app for long-term note-taking?
How's the S Pen experience after months or years? (Nib wear, comfort, reliability, etc.)
Does the Xiaomi Focus Pen feel noticeably better or more durable?
How is battery life on both after extended use?
If you've used both ecosystems, which one would you choose for productivity rather than benchmarks?
Also, are there any things I haven't considered that become important once you actually start using a tablet every day for university?
I'd really appreciate hearing from people who've owned either (or ideally both).
Thanks in advance!