I've been using my new Dell Venue Pro 8 (Windows 8.1) on the holiday break and although I've found technology boring for the past two years, I found myself quite enjoying this new little tablet.
Now, if only Windows 8.2 or 9 focused some needed attention on large form-factor ("desktop"), I'd be very happy.
I've been using Windows 8 on the desktop for over a year. It's better than Windows 7 - switching between start screen and desktop is just a left thumb keypress...and the start screen (or some Windows 8 app) only shows up on one of my monitors, and I can toss that screen back and forth between monitors depending on which part of the desktop I want to see.
I have a Nexus 7 and iPad, but for a replacement to an older netbook, purchased an Asus Transformer t100. It's a <$400 10" convertible tablet (it includes a keyboard dock, and can function well in either tablet or laptop configuration.)
It's quickly become my favorite device, and I love the "full-desktop" power of Windows 8.1 combined with the dock for traditional apps. The only gripe I have is the dearth of Metro apps on the Windows App store. 1st party apps from Microsoft tend to be very usable, but the few 3rd party apps I've tried have clearly been a halfhearted port, and tend to be very buggy.
To echo an above poster, Modern IE is surprisingly great, with the exception of sometimes jaggedy text rendering at smaller sizes (anyone else experience this?) All in all, I've gotten far more value than I expected both from the price and Windows 8.1 itself.
I picked up the asus t100, and am finding myself using that instead of my ipad. It's nice that you can run everything, and view anything, while still having a couch-friendly tablet interface for browsing and reading. It frustrates me now to use my regular laptop and not have a touch screen.
Windows 8 makes a lot more sense when you use it on a device it was designed for. Even one of the staunch anti-8 coworkers at my office had to admit the t100 was nice to use. It's also amazing how fast the bay trail atom is, yesterday i was playing mirror's edge on it :)
I couldn't decide whether or not to get the DVP8 or the Nexus 7, so I got both. Finding myself grabbing the DVP8 most of the time for for IE metro...yea...It has flash support and a much better mobile browsing. Better than any browser on Android anyway.
I've enjoyed my Surface Pro 2. Windows 8 is quite nice on proper hardware. It's nice to have a full blown computer in something that is heavier and bigger than an ipad, but not terribly so much heavier.
It's great, although I only ever use the kickstand on a desk. The most frustrating things with the Pro 2? The continuous oscillation between needing the keyboard attached and needing to take it off again, which is difficult with one hand. Also while the type keyboard is excellent in use, my two-year old managed to pry a key loose in seconds. Said key is lost in the meantime.
Other than that it's the best non-desktop device I've ever owned.
I can't help but think that if there was a Venue Pro 8 with a decent dock so that you could use it as a desktop and take it to a meeting as a tablet would be just a no-brainer for corporate IT shops. I can't count the number of times I have seem someone running between meeting rooms balancing their laptop like a waitress running through a restaurant with a huge tray above her head. So, maybe a thunderbolt port for docking?
The short-term advancement I am looking forward is having my ipad mini and macbook air be a single core that can be docked a la Atrix and also become a full blown desktop on a dock a la surface 2 with gaming capabilities. Having it on a phone-size would be the next step but the 7 inch screen is so much better for reading.
There is the thinkpad Tablet 2 it has a docking station but I honestly find the build quality and functionality to be questionable at best. It also had issues connecting to my workplace wifi, I attributed it to Windows 8 but my colleagues surface pro did not have the same problems.
Now, if only Windows 8.2 or 9 focused some needed attention on large form-factor ("desktop"), I'd be very happy.