Looking for large 13-15 inch SIM card equipped Android tablet

[Hybris5112]

My father is looking to replace the failing LG tablet he got from a promotion T-Mobile had some years ago. He being a trucker almost uses it exclusively for movies and would like a larger screen to this end and sometimes as a emergency backup for in case his phone is missing or is dead however T-Mobile doesn't have anything larger than 12 inches and the largest Samsung tablets are Wifi only.

 

The only alternative it would seem are iPads but those would be a non starter for both technical and moral grounds as far as myself and he is concerned.

 

I am fairly clueless when it comes to cell enabled hardware so I am open to any suggestions that said I fear we maybe looking at a dedicated hotspot which is just another device to manage on the rig.

[Senzelian]

In that size you'll only be able to find Microsoft Surface tablets, which of course run Windows and the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra.

[Commodus]

3 hours ago, Hybris5112 said:

My father is looking to replace the failing LG tablet he got from a promotion T-Mobile had some years ago. He being a trucker almost uses it exclusively for movies and would like a larger screen to this end and sometimes as a emergency backup for in case his phone is missing or is dead however T-Mobile doesn't have anything larger than 12 inches and the largest Samsung tablets are Wifi only.

 

The only alternative it would seem are iPads but those would be a non starter for both technical and moral grounds as far as myself and he is concerned.

 

I am fairly clueless when it comes to cell enabled hardware so I am open to any suggestions that said I fear we maybe looking at a dedicated hotspot which is just another device to manage on the rig.

You don't have great choices... Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G is about as good as it gets with that criteria.

 

It's also a bit odd to cite moral grounds for refusing to get Apple products, but to lean toward Samsung. I'm not averse to the company because I know it's (slowly) changing and isn't defined solely by its leadership, but Samsung's history makes Apple look saintly. At last check, Apple wasn't the one that bribed the South Korean government to keep its chairman out of prison and on the Olympics Committee (there's a reason the 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang).

[Kazooduck]

I’m personally an android fan myself, but if all he uses is movies and doesn’t customize too much, iPads should be a big problem.

if you want android, try a foldable! The Galaxy Z fold 3 and oppo find N should both be fairly large. Only concern would be longevity and dust protection, I can look into that for you if you want. Let me know!

[Hybris5112]

15 hours ago, Senzelian said:

In that size you'll only be able to find Microsoft Surface tablets, which of course run Windows and the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra.

I hadn't even considered the Surface series which could help replace his aging laptop for doing his load paperwork. I will look into this more deeply.

 

11 hours ago, Commodus said:

but Samsung's history makes Apple look saintly. At last check, Apple wasn't the one that bribed the South Korean government to keep its chairman out of prison and on the Olympics Committee (there's a reason the 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang).

Considering you have decades of anti-consumer engineering and marketing under the Apple banner a simple government bribe doesn't even show up on the radar.

 

8 hours ago, kamonanban said:

I’m personally an android fan myself, but if all he uses is movies and doesn’t customize too much, iPads should be a big problem.

if you want android, try a foldable! The Galaxy Z fold 3 and oppo find N should both be fairly large. Only concern would be longevity and dust protection, I can look into that for you if you want. Let me know!

The Galaxy Z wouldn't be larger than the random LG tablet he has now and it would introduce a potential durability issue which on the road would unacceptable. Not to mention I would think that the square format when opened wouldn't be the best movie experience anyway.

[Kazooduck]

2 hours ago, Hybris5112 said:

The Galaxy Z wouldn't be larger than the random LG tablet he has now and it would introduce a potential durability issue which on the road would unacceptable. Not to mention I would think that the square format when opened wouldn't be the best movie experience anyway.

totally agree, and on the topic of surfaces, the pro 5 is a few years old by now, and has cellular(4g), you should be able to snag a deal (dont forget a keyboard please)

[Commodus]

11 hours ago, Hybris5112 said:

Considering you have decades of anti-consumer engineering and marketing under the Apple banner a simple government bribe doesn't even show up on the radar.

Not to take this too far off-topic, but that's just the tip of the iceberg at Samsung. There's a good reason why Lee Kun-hee and his son both went to prison... and it's a bit odd to treat a lack of easily serviceable products as more heinous than extensive corruption. One is just a pain when you want to replace a battery; the other is genuinely damaging to political integrity and the public good.

 

At any rate, the point is that any decision in this case should be made on what will do the best job, not brand perception. I'm not suggesting you ought to get an iPad or that you should avoid Samsung; there can be good reasons for sticking with Android. But we're supposed to be past the days when we let stereotypes dictate the tech we buy, just as we don't let them affect our car choices (imagine telling someone 20 years ago that a Hyundai would be better than a Toyota, for example).

 

Besides, as discussed Samsung doesn't seem to have a tablet that fits your criteria. You'll have to look to other brands unless you're willing to compromise on size.

[Kazooduck]

Just to add my take to the whole business practices thing, buy the phone, dont buy the brand. I am paying close attention to the pixel and Xiaomi lines for my next phone, it doesnt have to be a samsung again (their updates are atrocious) 

[Commodus]

Not sure where you're getting this. Google has been making Pixel devices since 2016, and has shown no indications it's giving up. Not only that, but Google is returning to tablets with the Pixel Tablet next year. Xiaomi has been making phones since 2011, it's still the largest Chinese mobile brand in terms of market share, and there's nothing to suggest it's in imminent danger.

[Kazooduck]

In the week since i posted this, Xiaomi has made numerous mistakes, and I dont care for them anymore.(as phones). If i want a phone, i dont want to worry that I can’t unlock my boot loader. Pixels are looking good still, just need some time to settle in. I didnt say Samsungs are out, just that I am looking at other options.(a cheap Xperia would be great)