I am wondering about buying one for xmas lol. I'm seeing very mixed opinions on here many problems. Is it even worth it to buy?
It's understandable to be hesitant with mixed reviews. If you're really interested, consider weighing the pros and cons based on features that matter most to you.
If I recall correctly, the only thing not working out of the box, or with an update/restart, is the onboard bluetooth. I could be wrong though, as I haven't done the best at staying updated on its updates. You can check out the #pinetab chat room to find information on any updates, though.
Out of the box, I had to do some terminal work to get WiFi and BT setup and working; I also just enable them as needed. I don’t know the state of the current OS as shipped, as mine was a preorder & I’ve customized it quite a bit.
Once setup, I’ve found it to be a nice little device. The back-lit keyboard is fine to type on and it’s touchpad is accurate. The small form-factor/weight make it a perfect choice when I don’t need something more powerful.
I mainly use it for terminal, ebooks, office, music and light web work. LibreOffice, VLC, Calibre & Okular work fine. I’ve also got my BT JBL & Maxell devices functional.
Battery life is decent for what I’m using it for and on long days, I just add a powerbank. The build quality is fine; it’s held up well since I got it in 2023 and I’ve been using it most weekdays.
I never dealt with the camera or microphone and the speakers are okay for what they are.
Overall, I’m still satisfied with it.
Just keep in mind it’s limitations and if you want one soon, I’d order before the Chinese New Year holiday shutdown.
PinePhone, Pinebook Pro & PineTab2 owner.
