What's Your Experience with the S1185

[terriblt]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of buying the S1185.  I've seen all the Youtube video's on it but haven't found any reviews from people that actively/personally use the S1185.

I'm torn between the S1185 and the Dell Venue 11 Pro.  I'm leaning towards the S1185 because I can upgrade parts myself..and it also has the SIM card slot.

Anyone out there who has purchased the S1185?  How do you like it?  What are the pro's and con's for you?

[davidbec]

Hi terriblt

I don't own an S1185, but I have looked at both tablets extensively and have lately been looking at the Dell a little closer since its release.

The S1185 was released several months ago although still not very popular. As a result it is using a 3rd generation Intel CPU. This means that the CPU in the Dell, which is the 4th generation (Haswell) Core it is both faster and cooler. The Dell should also run much longer on battery.

The S1185 is also bigger in every dimension and heavier.

What the S1185 has going for it is the stellar looks, one more USB port, mouse, the broadband potential and the VGA port. The Dell has none of these although the broadband option may be coming in later models.

So unless you really need that extra USB port, or the mouse. I'd say the Dell wins.

If money is a concern though and you can take the extra weight I would go for the S1185 as it is at least $100 cheaper (Based on Amazon price).

You can upgrade the S1185 easily for sure. However I'd wait a little while however, until people like ifixit have a look at the Dell and they will let you know how the Dell can be upgraded. I am also waiting to see if Gigabyte releases new tablets at CES or MWC next year with Haswell or Atom processors.

So best advice I can give right now is hold off until February at least, cause by then you'd know what Gigabyte and the other manufacturers are going to do next year and you'd perhaps learn a bit more about the upgradability of the Dell.

[terriblt]

Thanks for the input Davidbec 

Money isn't really a big factor and I like the fact that the Dell is lighter and therefore more portable.  I really wanted a device that could replace both my laptop and my phone.  I may just wait a few months to see what Dell does about adding a SIM slot.

Thanks again!

[davidbec]

It will probably be sometime next year. They have the SIM slot already and the antennae, but the broadband board to support them is not installed in any of the tablets.

As a full laptop replacement, there is nothing anywhere better than the S1082. It is probably a year old, but it has everything on it. 2 USB ports, VGA, HDMI, SDHC Card slot, Wifi, Bluetooth, 3G, even Ethernet and a 500GB hard disk (depending on model). The battery will not run longer than the Dell. But if you never want to never carry your laptop again. This would be the tablet to get. The screen size and resolution might be an issue though.

It comes with a keyboard and there is an optional docking station for it which includes a DVD drive!!!!

[Ray!]

Merry Christmas to all.

I just saw this post and have to agree, the S1082 is probably the pick of the bunch (though I'm still very happy with my S1080). One thing that you need to note with the S1185 is that it uses mSATA SSDs, not the regular SATA SSDs. This means that if you buy a low capacity mSATA initially and then want to upgrade, they are much more expensive than regular SATA SSDs and not easy to get hold of either, as suppliers generally only sell them to OEMs.

Also, high screen resolution isn't always going to give you the best, it's currently like the megapixel race with digital cameras, high MPs don't necessarily equate to better pictures. With these high resolution screens, when things like text is displayed, it is in very fine print and can be impossible to read, depending on your eyesight. I'm using a 1920x1080 23" screen right now and the text of this forum is tiny (compared to any other web site). I suspect that it would be impossible to read on an 11" screen at a similar or higher resolution.

Gigabyte seems to be the only manufacturer that provides a comprehensive set of peripheral ports on their tablets, everyone else gives you the bare minimum, if anything.

[terriblt]

Merry Christmas Ray,

I do have concerns about upgrading the mSATA SSD.  The only place I've found the Gigabyte recommended 256gb mSATA SSD is on eBay.  They are definitely hard to come by.

I was originally interested in the S1082 as the reviews for it are very favorable.  I will keep it under condersideration.

Although I'm really drawn more to the S1185, its biggest drawback for me is its short battery life.  I'm going to wait a few months to see what happens with Gigabyte (hopefully they release a new tablet with the same features but better battery life) and Dell.

Hope you all have a great New Year!

[terriblt]

Update...I went ahead and purchased the S1185.  I've had it a few weeks now and I absolutely love it.  Super fast, great resolution, very light (compared to my old laptop).  I carry it around with me in my purse!  The battery hasn't been an issue but I'm usually near an outlet.

I see Gigabyte has released a newer version, the S11M, but I have no regrets.  Very happy with my purchase!