Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated
If you’re going to spend a lot of time drawing, the iPad is the best option. My Surface Book performs decently for creation, but the pen doesn’t compare to the Apple Pencil, which is a dream to use. An iPad with a keyboard case could be all you need.
Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated
The SQ2 processor is weak compared to the iPad Pro, and using ARM Windows is still not a pleasant experience. I had a Surface Pro SQ1, and it was worse than A12X iPad Pro from 2018 in almost every aspect. I suggest you check out the M1 iPad Pro.
Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated
Learn to use a keyboard properly, and you won’t want to use a pencil for taking notes.
Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated
Learn to use a keyboard properly, and you won’t want to use a pencil for taking notes.
I don’t know… it seems like I remember information better when I write notes than when I type them.
Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated
Learn to use a keyboard properly, and you won’t want to use a pencil for taking notes.
I prefer using a pencil for courses like circuits and for drawing data structures and logic in class. Even math students enjoy using paper and pens.
Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated
Learn to use a keyboard properly, and you won’t want to use a pencil for taking notes.
I prefer using a pencil for classes like circuits and for drawing data structures and logic in class. Free body diagrams too. So many reasons to use paper more than a keyboard.
Davin said:
I’m considering getting a tablet to use as my everyday device mainly for taking notes with a pen, drawing, and sometimes as a second screen for my Windows laptop (Dell Precision 3560, 11th gen i7 with 16GB RAM).
Right now, I am looking at second-hand iPad Pros and a Surface Pro X SQ2 because of their screen sizes, but these could be overkill.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated
Definitely get the iPad The Surface is mostly a laptop with some tablet functions. Since you already have a laptop, go for a full tablet option.
I have both, and here’s how I use them:
Surface Pro 8 with Slim Pen 2:
Browsing
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, emails
Reading and marking up PDFs
Software exclusive to Windows
iPad Pro with Pencil (2018):
Drawing
Taking notes
Handwriting recognition
A second screen or drawing tablet for my PC
I found good stylus apps that work on both iOS and Windows:
If you’re doing the same tasks on both, they should feel similar, right? But I mostly use the iPad for writing and drawing because it’s so pleasant to work with. The stylus input is smooth, the touch features work well, and the apps are user-friendly. It’s just a joy to use, making it easy to find reasons to pick it up.
My Surface has issues like drawing wobbly lines and messing up my handwriting because I added a tempered glass screen protector. The ink can lag, and if Windows gets distracted, curved lines turn into polygons. Many programs don’t support stylus input correctly. I mainly use my Surface for Office tasks, which is far better on Windows than on Android. Both can handle voice typing; however, actual typing is easier on Windows due to all the extra shortcuts.