What Is The Best Tablet for Me?
Okay, so the mobile phone industry is on the rise and we use the phone in all types of situations, but for some people, the mobile has a few drawbacks. They are not really appropriate for reading, for watching movies, or even for typing a letter. “Is there something in between the mobile and the laptop?” you wonder. Sure, the versatile tablet is the solution for when you want a bigger screen than what you get on your mobile phone.
People seem to have lost interesting in the tablet recently, but it really can be the most appropriate device for some situations, and there are still plenty of good reasons to consider buying a tablet. But you do want to think about the what type of tablet is best for your needs. As such, we have put together this simple guide to help you make a better tablet buying decision.
Do You Want A Stand-Alone or Convertible Tablet?
What is the difference?
The stand-alone tablet looks like a smartphone but bigger. It has a larger touch screen and if you look on the side, you’ll also find a couple of buttons for volume and power. Some models also have a USB slot and even an HDMI slot so you want to think about whether you will connect other devices to your table, and whether you want to connect it to a TV or projector at some point.
Another feature some tablets have is a slot for a secure digital (SD) card which can give it additional storage space if needed.
The stand-alone models usually weigh between one and two pounds and are about a quarter of an inch thick which makes them very compact and portable. Most of the higher priced models also have a slot which allows you to attach a compact keyboard for the times you wish to type without doing it on the screen.
The more convertible tablets offer more of the flexibility of a PC because they come with a full but detachable keyboard. This is a type of 2-in-1 device where the heavier laptop keyboard is detachable and when attached it functions much like a laptop with a touchscreen.
What Size Should You Use?
Tablets are sized according to their screen size and these range from 6-inches to 18.4 inches, however, most people choose something in the range of 10-inches. Tablets that are this size might be something like the iPad offer a good balance between portability and productivity. They are light and compact but not too small.
What Operating System Should You Use?
The Apple iPad
Thinking of buying an Apple iPad? You can get the latest mobile operating system which is the iOS 11 which powers all of the new iPad tablets currently on the market and gives your iPad flexibility with split-screen multitasking, drag and drop for images and text (moving information from one app to another), powerful scanning features, inline drawing and a quick type keyboard. The primary benefit of the Mac iOS system though is that you have lots of storage space and many apps to choose from in the App store.
The drawback of the iPad is that additional hardware options are limited and any additional peripheral or accessory you want needs to be made by Apple.
Android
Some people prefer Android tablets over Apple because there are more hardware and software options for this kind of tablet. Plus there are many different tablet brands available.
Android is basically the Google operating system and the company releases an update to the OS system every year. Even so, most tablet manufacturers customize the Android system to fit the device’s needs. You also have a deluge of hardware options to choose from.
Windows 10
Windows 10 is the newest version of Windows and it is based on the Microsoft Windows operating system. This is often preferred by people who are accustomed to using Windows. This new Windows 10 is easier to use than prior Windows 8 and 8.1 and works seamlessly. Here you will find large controls and buttons that make using a tablet more comfortable.
Think of Your Usage?
Home Use
If you plan on buying a tablet for home use to browse the web, read email, listen to music and things like that, then most tablets on the market will fit your needs. You probably don’t need a very high-end tablet but you do not want a cheap one that is too limiting in memory and storage. Look for something that costs somewhere between $200 to $300.
For Work
If you need a tablet for business or as an additional tool to your laptop, you might consider getting a device with a larger screen. A larger Samsung Galaxy or an iPad Pro might be the best choice
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 ($899 and up) and Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 ($649 and up) are very good options. Each of these comes with handy multitasking features, optional keyboard attachments and pen-input support.Although the Microsoft Surface Pro might also be a great option.
For Gaming
If you are a gamer, you know that nothing beats the iOS system and an iPad is the best option. However, this is not the cheapest option. When it comes to Android you might want to think of the Nvidia Shield which has a quad-core mobile processor to make gaming flow smoothly.
For The Kids
When you are looking for a tablet for the kids you want to consider price, size and durability. In this case, a 7-inch tablet might work best for little hands. Choose something with a lower price tag something that might run under $200.
For Movies and Media
Most tablets work for watching movies or TV shows or even listening to movies but if you want a sharp display, you might want to think of the Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 inch. This offers a sharp 2560 x 1600 pixel display and nice Dolby Atmos speakers.
What Specs Do I Need to Think About?
This can be a bit tricky because not all tablet manufacturers disclose what is inside the device. But in general, this is what you want to look for.
Apple Processor
Apple uses a custom A-series chip inside the iPads. Current models use A9X or A10X processors. On older machines you can determine the processor by the number, the higher the number the better the performance.
Android Processors
Android tablets use processors from different manufacturers. The most common is the Qualcomm Snapdragon and the Exynos chips. Look for Snapdragon 800 series or the Exynos 9 series processors for better performance. If you choose a Nvidia tablet you will see a Nvidia Tegra processor on board.
In the Microsoft Windows tablets, you may find the Core M3, i5 or i7 processor. Tablets that have Intel Core processors tend to cost more and be of higher performance.
RAM (Memory)
RAM is not as important on a tablet as on a PC or a computer because of the way the operating system handles memory. However, the more RAM you get, the more functionality you will see.
Storage
Tablets usually have between 8 to 16 GB of storage space on the low end and above 100GB on the high end. Convertible Windows tablets, however, have more storage as they are more like a full laptop and can have storage of more than 250GB. Again the type of storage to look for will depend on your usage. If you don’t use it much then a tablet with 8 to 16 GB may be enough. If you use it a great deal, you will need more capacity.
Battery Life
Most modern tablets get all-day battery life statistics, but average run hours is about 8 hours. Look for tablets that have longer run times.
How Much Can You Expect to Pay?
If you don’t set a budget for yourself you could end up paying a substantial price for a new tablet as some can go as high as $1,000. By contrast, tablets can also cost as little as $50 on the low end, but then you cannot expect much from these low-end devices either.
It is best to stick to a mid-range tablet price of between $100 to $200. Most tablets in this range are about 7-inch to 8 inches and run Android. Storage is limited and you might find it to be somewhere in the 16GB range. Even so, this type of tablet works well with media, books and basic Internet use.
If you have more than $400 to spend then you get a wide range of options and a tablet in this range can often be a laptop alternative. Here you will see faster processors, bigger screens and more features.
In The End…
Whether or not to buy a tablet is a decision only you can answer. It may be an ideal option for people who love computers and high tech but are often taken away from their Richmond home for work reasons. A tablet offers an excellent lightweight alternative to the laptop and can be an ideal second computer device for gamers, movie buffs, musicians, people who love music and more. It’s just a matter of thinking about the way you use your computer, and then when you are ready call our Richmond computer repair shop to get one of our experienced technicians to help you find the best tablet computer option in Richmond.