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  • Overview
  • Operating System
  • Processors
  • Cores
  • Ram
  • Screen Size
  • Battery
  • Connectivity

Buying Guide: Tablets

The Evolution of smartphones have led to the rise of a new generation of smart devices called tablets. Bigger than smartphones in size, tablets have a typical screen size of 7 inches or more. They are suitable for people who have a craving for larger screens and higher screen resolution.

Tablets have become increasingly common these days, owing to the advancement in technology and peaking interest for portable handheld devices. This comprehensive buying guide focuses on helping you pick the ideal tablet that fulfills all your needs.

Tablet Buying Guide

How to Choose the Perfect Tablet?

The hunt for an ideal tablet starts with ticking off a few requirement boxes. Some basic, yet very important requirements will give shape to the device that will best suit you.Depending on the usage of your tablet, you can classify the tablets into three broad categories.

Business/Work

A tablet that is used mainly for productive purposes like in a business or work, needs to be a high-end device. You might want to go for a tablet that has a larger screen (8.9 inches and larger), better processor and good features. These tablets are priced high and can be effectively used to multitask.

Entertainment

A tablet used for entertainment purposes like listening music and watching movies has to be portable. A screen size of 7 to 9 inches will be ideal with a fairly speedy processor and good features. Most tablets in the market fall into this category.

Gaming

Gaming tablets have a small screen size (7 to 8 inches), are highly portable and come with good processor speed. Though Apple iPad is the most sought-after gaming tablet, one might want to check out Nvidia Shield Tablet before going for a buy.

OS (Operating System)

An OS is more of an individual preference. However, it defines the way you work on your laptop. Choose an OS that will suit your needs perfectly.

Android OS

The most customizable among all Operating Systems, Android OS has a lot of widget options and applications that can transform the device completely. As new versions of Android OS are released continuously, new features are added and minor bugs are fixed all the time.

1 Easily Customizable when compared to other OS

2 More choice on devices

3 A more open eco-system

4 Apps cheaper when compared to ios

Google Play is the go-to place to get all the latest in Music, Movies, TV Shows, Games and Apps. With over 1 million apps, there are a plethora of options to choose from for entertainment.

ios

The mobile operating system from Apple powers its line of tablets like iPad Mini, iPad Mini 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Air and iPad Air 2. The simple yet attractive interface is the highlight of iOS. Notifications are easier to access and the interface on the whole is extremely user-friendly.

1 Simple and easy-to-use interface

2 Best Quality Apps

3 More Secure

4 Longer OS support

Similar to Google Play, iOS has a dedicated application store called iTunes which is your one-stop destination for music and movies.

Windows OS

Microsoft has a Live Tile interface that will attract customers to use Windows OS powered tablets. The dynamic and customizable OS is easy to use. You get to enjoy a lot of features like multitasking and enhanced search capability.

1 Easy Sharing Features

2 Snap view for better user experience

3 Constant Updates

The app store has more than 300,000 apps that will surely captivate all. However, the lack of more options is a hindrance in a Windows tablet.

Processors

A processor makes a huge difference to the overall functionality of a tablet. Depending on the operating system you choose to work with, there are different processors you need to look up.If you are supposedly going with the iOS, then an A8X chip is the best that you can buy. The extremely fast processing speed of the chip will leave you stunned. If you are buying a tablet for business purposes, it is good to go for the A8X chip. However, a 64-bit A7 chip is still fast and packs a punch.On the Android front, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor is the best bet. The lightning fast processing speeds ensure tasks are done quickly without any hassle. However, Snapdragon chips are also fast and can power tablets for all functionalities.Windows tablets are powered by Intel’s Bay Trail chips which give the best performance. The lower-end Clover Trail processors also deliver optimum performance (ideal for tablets used to take care of simple to moderate tasks).

Importance Of Cores

The advantage of having more than one core is that the processing becomes easy and more manageable. The operating system will allocate tasks to a single core, if there is only one core. This will overburden the single core.However, if there is more than one core present, then the operating system can allocate different tasks to different cores and get the job done easily. This will never overburden the processor. Hence, the more the number of cores, the better is the efficiency.An Octa-core processor is more efficient than a quad-core processor, which in turn is more efficient when compared to a dual or single core processor.

Single Core Processor

Consists of only one core. Tablets that have a single core processor are generally used for entertainment purposes - listening music and watching movies.

Dual-core Processor

A dual-core processor has two cores which can help in multitasking. The tasks are assigned to separate cores and they work on different tasks to give results. The efficiency is higher when compared to a single core processor. Dual-core processors are used for entertainment purposes and for gaming.

Quad-core Processor

A quad-core processor has four cores and is more efficient in managing and carrying out tasks. They are used for business purposes and in workplaces. It is good to go for a quad-core processor if you are looking to buy a tablet you want to work on.

Octa-core Processor

An Octa-core processor has eight cores and is the most efficient. They can handle a lot of data and carry out tasks without any glitches whatsoever. They are ideal for business or work.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

RAM or Random Access Memory is the type of memory that is not permanent and that helps a tablet function seamlessly without many flaws. The minimum RAM size on a tablet should be 1GB. However, we would recommend at least 2GB of RAM for smooth functioning of your tablet.

The internal storage is important if you want your tablet to hold more data and information. However, if you have an expandable memory slot then internal memory holds little importance. We would recommend an internal memory of at least 4GB on any tablet you may want to buy. The expandable storage through microSD card should be at least 16GB and 32GB of expandable storage is highly recommended.

Screen Size

Screen size defines the experience that you will have using a tablet. There are different screen sizes - from 7 inches to 13 inches. Ideally, 8 inches suits a lot of people and is more portable as well.

7 to 8 inches

These tablets are extremely portable. They are best suited for someone who is looking for a device that serves the entertainment purpose. They cost less and are the easiest to afford if you are planning to buy a tablet.

Pros

• Suitable for reading books and watching videos
• Very portable and comfortable to hold
• Cheapest version of tablets

Cons

• Tricky when used for Internet browsing
• Cannot be used for multitasking

8 to 10 inches

This is the ideal tablet size. The tablets that fall in this range are used for a mix of purposes. They aid in multitasking and can also be used for entertainment purposes.

Pros

• Can be used for both multitasking and entertainment purposes
• Portable and can be carried with cases
• Ideal for Internet browsing

Cons

• A bit expensive
• Uncomfortable to hold for a long time

10 inches and more

These tablets are heavier and are used for some hardcore tasks. They are very versatile and you can enjoy entertainment combined with productivity on these tablets.

Pros

• Ideal for watching TV, videos and movies
• Best for reading newspapers and magazines
• Turns into a laptop with a keyboard attachment

Cons

• More Expensive than other tablets
• Heavier and therefore less portable

BATTERY

A good battery life is needed for a tablet to use it without any hassle. Look ideally for 10 hours of battery backup on a device to have a wonderful experience of using it. Anything above 10 hours of backup is an added advantage. Put your tablet on charge after receiving it and check for its battery backup which is extremely important.

The battery capacity of a tablet determines the backup time of the device. Higher the battery capacity, longer is the battery backup. Ideally, a good tablet would have a backup of 8 to 10 hours. Go for a tablet that has a battery capacity of 4200 to 5500mAh as these device last up to 8 hours. Anything above 6000mAh can last more than 8 hours and anything below 4000mAh will last less than 5 hours.

CONNECTIVITY

There must be a plethora of connectivity options available for your tablet. The most important among all connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity, USB or microUSB for data transfers and GPS for last mile connectivity.

Bluetooth

You can share files, photos and videos through Bluetooth. They are compatible with smartphones, laptops and tablets. The current version is Bluetooth 4.0 which is compatible with many devices.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi in a Tablet comes as a built-in wireless adapter. This allows the Tablet to get connected to a high-speed internet connection to stream movies and music. Users can also get access to a variety of applications including Facebook and Skype.

NFC

NFC (Near Field Connectivity) enables you to connect a mobile device with your NFC-enabled Tablet. Transferring and sharing content becomes easy using this form of connectivity.

Top Brands
  • Apple Tablets
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  • Lenovo Tablets
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