Which tablet to buy

[mrangry]

I have a B&G Vulcan chart plotter at the helm of my yacht running Navionics charts, and rather than buy another plotter for the nav station I am thinking of buying a tablet to mirror the plotter via wifi. My initial thoughts were just something cheap as boats can be damp environments and it may get damaged. However, after browsing all the different ones on offer my daughter showed me her iPad pro which to be honest was big, which is a bonus now my eyesight isn't what it was. I realise that the iPad is expensive but thinking as I also have an iPhone it may be the best bet.

Does anyone use this type of set up that can offer any words of wisdom before I make a decision?

 

[PaulRainbow]

I have a B&G Vulcan chart plotter at the helm of my yacht running Navionics charts, and rather than buy another plotter for the nav station I am thinking of buying a tablet to mirror the plotter via wifi. My initial thoughts were just something cheap as boats can be damp environments and it may get damaged. However, after browsing all the different ones on offer my daughter showed me her iPad pro which to be honest was big, which is a bonus now my eyesight isn't what it was. I realise that the iPad is expensive but thinking as I also have an iPhone it may be the best bet.

Does anyone use this type of set up that can offer any words of wisdom before I make a decision?

Yes, don't waste your money on an expensive iPad for the boat. Buy a much more sensibly priced Android tablet. An 11" iPad Pro is nearly £900, a 10.4" Android is £150 or less. How about rugged one : DOOGEE R10 10.4" Dual 4G Rugged Tablet 15GB+128GB Android 13 Tablets 10800mAh | eBay

 

[jamie N]

Pawn shops or 2nd hand electronics shops are an option also. I've a good Samsung tablet from a decade or so ago which runs my Navionics OK. It cost about £100.

 

[Refueler]

I can only agree - iPad's have been successfully marketed - but in reality - what are you getting ? A tablet that has more restrictions than any other ....

There are many much better and cheaper Android tablets out there .. many with twin SIM ... WiFi / SD card ... the works - unlike daft iPads !!

 

[mrangry]

I have looked at the reviews and specs of the one Paul posted and it looks ideal for the purpose

 

[PaulRainbow]

I can only agree - iPad's have been successfully marketed - but in reality - what are you getting ? A tablet that has more restrictions than any other ....

There are many much better and cheaper Android tablets out there .. many with twin SIM ... WiFi / SD card ... the works - unlike daft iPads !!

After a previous thread about budget tablets i decided we needed a better tablet to replace an old, slow one that we just used about the boat. Couldn't find a decent deal on a Samsung (already have two SM-T500s at the lower helm), so looked at the Doogee tablets, found a T20S on Amazon for £127. A little faster/more memory etc than my Samsungs, so replaced one of the helm ones with it a relegated the Samsung to "odd jobs".

Just looked on Amazon and they are on special offer, £119.99 inc delivery. Ordered another to replace the other Samsung at the helm (matching pair.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0C628J564/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[requiem]

A few thoughts...

• Your nav station shouldn't really be a damp environment; perhaps there's a way to address that!
• If only at the nav station, consider a laptop (less easily weatherproof, but decent screen size and has a keyboard!)
• Running the B&G screen mirroring app is nice; but I've preferred to use my own nav software.
  • If you have radar the mirroring app becomes more useful.
  • I forget if it's B&G or Raymarine (or both?) that doesn't let you control autopilot via their app, in case that was a consideration.
• If you want to run OpenCPN, you'll need an Android tablet (or a laptop).
• Large tablets can easily become unwieldy unless mounted. I have a 12.9" iPad Pro and it's not something you want to hand-hold the way you might a phone.
• I like my iPad, but unless you have an affordable source for UK S-63 charts the Android option will be far more cost-effective.

I've been idly considering buying a smaller Android tablet just to play with, but until a few moments ago hadn't yet found a proper excuse. (There's a small sailing club here and some of the boats lack plotters. I've always just used my iPhone, but...)

 

[Refueler]

Paul has found good tab's ... Doogee etc on 'Amazon' ....

I usually look through Banggood ... as they have a huge range of tab's running from phone size up to large ... most with recent or latest Android. Prices that would make any iPad dealer weep !!

I picked the 8" Headwolf as my Navionics App machine ... 8" may sound small - but in fact its easily held, slips into pocket ... big enough screen to show what's needed .. and processor is good .. with recent Android version. I did consider the larger 10 and 11" - but liked the idea of slipping into the pocket .. it also charges up fast ...

 

[bluerm166]

Happy with my Samsung tablets T580 and T510.
But experience shows that 16 gb internal memory as in the former is very tight (about 11 gb net on top of OS) if for instance you need your chartset(s) to be directly off the internal rather than the SD card.
Unless you are simply using the tablet for nav or repeat display and not much else.
So the 510 is much better at 32gb internal memory with 24gb net.I do carry more than one nav app on each tablet but very little in the way of apps and data for stuff other than nav.
Many of the amazon tablet ads look to have very limited internal storage so worth checking this.

 

[Refueler]

At the price of Tabs - I decided to have my Headwolf only do two things :

Navionics App - Full Baltic Charting
+
F1 TV Pro streaming.

That way - I never get close to memory limits ...

 

[Parabordi]

I have a B&G Vulcan chart plotter at the helm of my yacht running Navionics charts, and rather than buy another plotter for the nav station I am thinking of buying a tablet to mirror the plotter via wifi. My initial thoughts were just something cheap as boats can be damp environments and it may get damaged. However, after browsing all the different ones on offer my daughter showed me her iPad pro which to be honest was big, which is a bonus now my eyesight isn't what it was. I realise that the iPad is expensive but thinking as I also have an iPhone it may be the best bet.

Does anyone use this type of set up that can offer any words of wisdom before I make a decision?

please remember that the battery life on Ipads when running NAV software is pants, even with a charger lead in it consumes more than its being charged. Androids for some reason are much better,

 

[mrangry]

A few thoughts...

• Your nav station shouldn't really be a damp environment; perhaps there's a way to address that!
• If only at the nav station, consider a laptop (less easily weatherproof, but decent screen size and has a keyboard!)
• Running the B&G screen mirroring app is nice; but I've preferred to use my own nav software.
  • If you have radar the mirroring app becomes more useful.
  • I forget if it's B&G or Raymarine (or both?) that doesn't let you control autopilot via their app, in case that was a consideration.
• If you want to run OpenCPN, you'll need an Android tablet (or a laptop).
• Large tablets can easily become unwieldy unless mounted. I have a 12.9" iPad Pro and it's not something you want to hand-hold the way you might a phone.
• I like my iPad, but unless you have an affordable source for UK S-63 charts the Android option will be far more cost-effective.

I've been idly considering buying a smaller Android tablet just to play with, but until a few moments ago hadn't yet found a proper excuse. (There's a small sailing club here and some of the boats lack plotters. I've always just used my iPhone, but...)

By damp I mean the nav station isn't any more damp than anywhere else aboard below deck, its just a damp environment in winter for electronic goods. I like the portability of a tablet and the touch screen.

 

[Supertramp]

Many tablets let you add a card to expand the storage - if you really only want screen mirror then it's not an issue. But if you want to download UKHO HD charts you need lots of storage. I use Navionics on a basic tablet to complement a plotter. Battery life 10-12 hours. Weatherproof at least for mist and salty air. Happy with 2 sets of data.

 

[Refueler]

please remember that the battery life on Ipads when running NAV software is pants, even with a charger lead in it consumes more than its being charged. Androids for some reason are much better,

My Android running Navionics .... the trip from Sweden with new boat was about 24+ hrs ...... I charged it once during that.

 

[Refueler]

By damp I mean the nav station isn't any more damp than anywhere else aboard below deck, its just a damp environment in winter for electronic goods. I like the portability of a tablet and the touch screen.

Also you can always have a BT keyboard / mouse / pointer as well .... or via USB cable ... for those wet hands moments.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Happy with my Samsung tablets T580 and T510.
But experience shows that 16 gb internal memory as in the former is very tight (about 11 gb net on top of OS) if for instance you need your chartset(s) to be directly off the internal rather than the SD card.
Unless you are simply using the tablet for nav or repeat display and not much else.
So the 510 is much better at 32gb internal memory with 24gb net.I do carry more than one nav app on each tablet but very little in the way of apps and data for stuff other than nav.
Many of the amazon tablet ads look to have very limited internal storage so worth checking this.

The T510 has 32gb storage and 2gb RAM, 10.1" screen and costs circa £300

The Doogee T20S i just ordered has 128gb storage (expandable to 1tb), 8gb RAM, 10.4" screen and is £119.99 on Amazon.

T20S,Tablet

 

[Gixer]

I love my iPad. I use it for everything navigation, movies and answering posts on forums
it links to my appleTV, phone and watch when I buy one. Yes, I am that bloke….

 

[bluerm166]

Actually Paul I was looking at the current Samsung tablets on Amazon.
I was surprised to see a T510 currently on offer as it is now well out of date and when I bought mine it was around £150.

 

[ChromeDome]

+1 for Samsung.

Have a Galaxy Tab 7 FE 5G with 12.4" screen bought second hand. Love the display size and use it for Navionics and a lot of other stuff.

 

[Alicatt]

I love my iPad. I use it for everything navigation, movies and answering posts on forums
it links to my appleTV, phone and watch when I buy one. Yes, I am that bloke….

You are my youngest son, I claim the €5

yeah, he is an apple head