A tablet can be a significant addition to your tech gadgets. It allows you to browse the internet, send or read emails, stream videos, play games, and perform many other tasks that you would do with a laptop.
However, the price of tablets ranges from less than $100 to more than $1,000, making it hard for you to decide the right amount to invest in this device. Pay too much, and you may end up purchasing a tablet with advanced features you don’t even need. Pay too little, and you may get a tablet with low storage and poor quality camera as well as display. In this guide, we have explained vital factors and features you should take into account to get your hands on the best tablet.
What Factors Should You Consider Before Purchasing a Tablet?
Size and Weight
Tablets are designed to bridge the gap between your smartphone and laptop in terms of functionality and size. Thus, they are bigger than mobiles and smaller than laptops. The larger the size, the more the weight, making it difficult for you to hold a device for a long time. Though a lighter tablet is more handy and preferable, you must ensure the display doesn’t break in case you drop your device.
Versatility
If you are fond of consuming online content like e-books or streaming videos, you can invest in a basic tablet that costs around $50. Though they don’t have the highest-resolutions screens, you can still read books and magazines hassle-free. However, you may consider a high-quality tablet with at least 12 hours of battery life to watch movies, use productivity apps, and create docs with a separate keyword.
Budget
Setting a budget for your tablet and deciding how long you want to keep it can help you narrow your search and make a better decision. Depending upon the brand, model, features, different tablets have different prices. For instance, a tablet with a 7-8 inches display starts under $200, while devices with 10 inches display will cost around $300. There are even models available in the market that don’t cost more than $100.
What Features Should a Good Tablet Have?
Operating System (OS)
The tablets feature more operating systems than smartphones and laptops. Besides iOS and Android, they also have Microsoft Windows and Amazon Fire OS. Since each OS come with their pros and cons, determining which one suits your requirements can be challenging.
If you want an experience like a traditional PC, Windows can be the best choice. However, iOS is an excellent option for streaming videos and playing games, though an iPad can hurt your pocket. If you want a budget-friendly tablet that facilitates multitasking, then you should look for Android OS. Apart from the operating system, you should also consider the number of apps available for each platform.
Display
The display plays a vital role in your buying decision because it is the main interface of the tablet. Size, brightness, resolution, coating, and viewing angle are some of the factors that decide the quality of a display. While the display size directly correlates to the size of a tablet, the resolution determines how easy it is to read text on your gadget. A high-resolution display is also important if you like to watch Full HD (1080p) movies.
Viewing angles of a display come in handy when the tablet is viewed at odd angles or more than one person. Moreover, brightness is essential to have a clear view when you use your tablet outdoors. The display should also have durable coatings to prevent scratches from appearing.
Connectivity and Networking
Like your smartphone, your tablet should also have internet connectivity. Tablets generally have two types of connectivity: Wi-Fi and Cellular.
If we talk about Wi-Fi, make sure the tablet you choose supports at least 802.11n wireless networking standards. The best tablets are compatible with 2.4 GHz as well as 5 GHz radio bands.
On the other hand, cellular connectivity is quite complicated as you have to consider whether the device supports 3G, 4G, or 5G networks along with its coverage, carriers, and contract rates. Bluetooth is another wireless connectivity option that allows local P2P connections between a tablet and other devices like a keyboard, smartphone, etc.
Storage Space
Most tablets have 8 GB to 64 GB storage, which is way lower than a laptop. Storage space doesn’t matter if all you want to do is read books, browse the web, and stream videos using a tablet. However, if you download HD movies and games, consider a tablet with a higher storage capacity. Thus, you won’t have to delete data or transfer it from one device to another when your tab goes out of memory. You can also extend the storage via cloud storage, but this is possible only when the device is connected to the internet.
Battery Life
Battery life is crucial when you use a tablet throughout the day. This specification is hard to determine as different applications have different battery usage.
Basically, you can measure the battery life in two ways. The first is through watching videos that draw more battery power, and the other is based on consistent web browsing that offers at least 8 hours of battery running time. However, if you play games and multitask heavily, the battery life of your tablet would be shorter than advertised.
Final Words
Since tablets nowadays demand a lot of investment, no one would want to waste their hard-earned money on the wrong device. Armed with this great deal of information, you can easily find the best tablet that meets your requirements.
Tablet FAQ
Q: What is the key function of a tablet?
A: A tablet can be used to browse the web, read books, watch videos, play games, check emails, and much more. They are basically designed to bridge the gap between mobiles and laptops.
Q: How much RAM is good for a tablet?
A: If you want to use a tablet at home, then 16 GB of RAM is enough to store a dozen apps, a little music, images, and a few videos. Mostly, users prefer at least 32 GB of RAM for a seamless experience.
Q: Do tablets charge faster when switched off?
A: Yes, tablets charge fasters when they are switched off or placed in airplane mode. However, you have to wait for your device to boot up when you switch it on again.