Tablets are sleek, ultra-portable mobile devices that come with long battery lives and user-friendly interfaces — it’s no wonder they have become tremendously popular nowadays. Tablets these days come in various sizes, and with different operating systems, processors, screen size and weight, it can be quite overwhelming to sift through the countless number products out there.
If you are wondering which tablet is the best for you, this guide will help you pick the ideal tablet for your needs.
For Working Professionals
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 ($1108 onwards)
It is difficult not to bring up the Surface Pro 3 whenever tablets or laptops are being discussed. This powerful and compact tablet is perfect for professionals looking to get some serious work done, without lugging along a heavy laptop with them.
This lightweight fighter weighs in at only 799g, and has a thickness (or rather thinness) of 9.1mm. With a screen size of 12” and a HD resolution of 2160 x 1440, it will provide workaholics with crystal clear resolution.
Despite its weight, this tablet packs an Intel Haswell processor and up to an i7 processor. Lags will probably go unheard of. Since it already runs on Windows 8.1 and 10, it is perfectly compatible with most software you will need, such as Office. The tablet doesn’t just have power but endurance as well, lasting around 9 hours even whilst surfing the web, meaning it’s safe to leave home without the charger. Last but not least, it has a pen (stylus) to add a finishing touch to your work.
Alternative Contender: iPad Air 2
For Students
ASUS Transformer T100 Chi ($599)
Students on a budget can turn to the T100 to get a bigger bang for your buck. This 10.1”, 7.2mm thick tablet weighs only 570g, has a removable keyboard dock and a full HD display of 1920 x 1200. Running on full Windows 8 means students can install regular software just like you can on a Windows PC or laptop.
The Intel Atom quad-core processor Z3775 packs some serious horsepower for a tablet — more than sufficient to perform everyday tasks. In addition, its remarkable 11-hour battery life will survive your furious note taking (or Facebook-ing under the table). The Bluetooth keyboard it comes with also packs light and has decent connectivity and range considering its small size.
Alternative Contender: Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
Best Gaming Tablet
Nvidia Shield Tablet ($439 onwards)
No discussion about video games would be complete without the Nvidia. Expanding its reach into the tablet market, Nvidia has released its latest 8-inch gaming machine. Weighing only 390g, this tablet flaunts a full HD display of 1920 x 1200, which is essential for all hardcore gamers. Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, this device can also stream epic games such as Titanfall and Hawken directly from your PC.
Nothing gets on the nerves of gamers more than lag, and Nvidia has armed the Shield Tablet with a NVIDIA® Tegra® K1 192 core Kepler GPU. With 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, compass and a removable gaming controller, get ready to shoot em’ up.
Alternative Contender: Google Nexus 9
Best Tablet for Readers
Amazon Kindle Voyage ($376 onwards)
This tablet is most definitely a device electronic book readers can’t live without. It’s the big brother of all Kindles; a smaller footprint and higher resolution screens are just some of the features it boasts. This 6” reader weighing 188g can last 6 weeks on a single charge, and with free cloud storage and 4GB internal data, it can hold practically thousands of books.
The portable library also has an awesome E Ink Carta display technology which adjusts automatically for optimised reading. With a resolution of 1430 x 1080, readers have nothing to complain about. The only downside to this reader is that it’s the priciest.
Best Tablet for Media
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro ($899 onwards)
This is without doubt one of the most beautiful slates that Lenovo has produced. The 13.3” beauty has a built-in projector that is able to display a 50-inch wide display on the wall and onboard JBL speakers for the ultimate cinematic experience.
However, this device is a little heavy, weighing 948g. Its weight is nevertheless made up for by its 1.33-GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3745 processor, which is capable of running first person shooter games smoothly on its Android OS. With 32GB of storage, don’t fret about running out of space for your latest TV series.
Alternative Contender: Sony Xperia Z4
Best Budget Tablet
Amazon Fire HD 6 ($238 onwards)
Fire HD 6 sure is stepping the game up for budget tablets. This compact fighter runs on Fire OS 4 and has a decent 1GB RAM, which is sufficient for general use. It is also energy efficient, having a sturdy battery life of around 11 hours, so it’s safe to bring it out of the house without packing a portable charger.
With Kindle’s cloud storage, 8GB worth of storage is something most can live with. Considering its price, it has a fairly sharp screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800. It is however, a pretty heavy device weighing 290g, given that it is only a 6” tablet. Nevertheless, it is one of the best budget tablets on the market.
Alternative Contender: ASUS Memo Pad 7
Conclusion
Although tablets are all the rage nowadays, don’t rush into buying just any product out there on the market. Do your due diligence and research before choosing one that’s best for you. It will go a long way in improving your productivity and making your everyday life that much more convenient and enjoyable.