How to choose a tablet: instruction for those who do not want to make a mistake

Think about why you need a tablet

The plates are well suited for the following applications: online communication, mobile games and content consumption (reading books, browsing, movies, TV shows and movies). Some devices are also very useful for office work.

Best tablet - the one that best suits your needs. From them, and to take seriously, not to miscalculate. Think what you want to do on your tablet. This will help to choose the characteristics of your future gadget.

Select your operating system

Android

Among Android-devices is easiest to find low-cost, but at the same time productive and high-quality tablet. In addition, the user has access to a huge number of services, games and programs for a variety of tasks. And enthusiasts have plenty of opportunities to customize the system for themselves.

However, most of the gadgets on this platform does not receive timely updates. As a result of the latest features and bug fixes appear on devices with delayed or do not reach at all.

iOS

All new to iOS devices are in the upper price segment. But it is always a premium vehicles with the relevant specifications and set the fashion design. Owners of iOS-tablets, to put it mildly, are not deprived of programs, games and services. Devices with this system get regular updates for a few years after the appearance on the market.

Windows 10

Windows has not caught on smartphones, but tablets it fared much better. The tenth version of this system turns the tablet into a full-fledged laptop replacement. Especially when connected thereto a keyboard and mouse.

Owning a tablet on Windows 10 available less apps than users of other platforms. But they can establish full-fledged desktop games and applications, including Microsoft Office package. And this is a huge plus for those who need a tablet for work.

If you use Windows-based computers, You will understand quickly the tablet on the same OS.

Windows 10 + Android

There are those tablets that are running two operating systems at once. Having bought one of them, You can switch between Windows and Android 10 at any convenient time.

Determine the size of the display

Based on the length of the diagonal of the screen can be divided into three categories plates: compact (7-8 inches), medium (9-10 inches) and large (11-12 inches).

1. compact plates perfectly suited for communication, most of the games, read books and surf the Web outside the home. For these tasks, they are more comfortable than a smartphone when you are on the go. But all the same diagonal screen length of 7-8 inches is not always enough to view PDF-documents or to enjoy TV shows and movies.
2. The plates are of medium size - optimal combination between mobility and available opportunities. Such devices are not put in a pocket, but they are often more powerful than their smaller counterparts, and it is more convenient to view multimedia content and games. They also really work when the laptop is not at hand.
3. large tablets yet not so much. They are the most productive and best adapted to business needs due to the screen size and accessories. But it is difficult to call them portable. In addition, such devices are the most expensive.

Pick the form factor

Classic tablets are monolithic device without moving parts. To many of them can be connected to accessories such as keyboards and mice. Case in point - iPad Pro on iOS, which sell Case keyboard with stand. By purchasing such a device, you can use it for most business tasks.

In addition, there are hybrids of tablets and laptops. They are called transformers. As an example, Lenovo Yoga Book on Windows 10 or Android. The device looks like an ultrabook. But it is necessary to withdraw the panel with buttons to the back of the screen - and the gadget will be a tablet.

The owners of hybrids can easily switch between work and entertainment features, but the classic plates usually cost less.

Understand the characteristics of

Resolution and screen matrix

Screen resolution is measured the number of pixels of which it is composed. The higher the setting, the sharper the image. Therefore it is very important for the tablet.

Similarly, it is not necessary to take the device with a resolution of less than 1920 × 1080 (or Full HD) points. And if you are interested in tablets with a screen diagonal of 9 inches or more, it is very desirable to select a still higher resolution. But remember that on this indicator strongly depends on the cost of the gadget.

Called matrix technology, which is based screen. It affects the overall quality of the image, so this parameter can not be ignored. Look closely at the tablet with a matrix IPS (PLS) or OLED (AMOLED, Super AMOLED). They provide a better picture. Other variants inexpensive but greatly inferior in quality.

Pixels are working the OLED-display able to be switched off completely. Thus they transmit the image with true black. In this regard, the matrix OLED has no equal, and in addition, it consumes less energy than IPS. On the other hand, OLED displays are more expensive.

The best way to choose between the IPS and OLED - put next two tablet and look at them the same image. If you notice a difference, choose the type of matrix, which, in your opinion, it is better to cope with the task.

Performance

The speed of the tablet depends on the architecture and processor speed, and the amount of RAM. But if you do not intend to use the gadget for 3D-games or professional graphics work, do not get hung up on these components.

Even by modern standards, the average hardware filling is enough for the majority of user tasks. In addition, if the manufacturer poorly optimized software, the tablet may even slow down with the top-end processor and a large amount of RAM on board. This is especially true of devices on Android.

To determine whether the device power is enough for your needs, it is best to take it in hand before you buy and test: touch interface, open multiple sites, run a video or game.

In an extreme case, you can see how the tablet responds to these actions in the video review.

Support of wireless technologies

The more wireless technology supports the gadget, the greater its capacity to transmit and receive data.

If you plan to use the device primarily at the office and at home, it is likely you will have enough Wi-Fi module, which is present in all the plates. If you intend to use the network functions on the road, buy a device with support for LTE networks (4G).

Perhaps you will be connected to the tablet headphones, keyboards, mouse and other wireless devices. In this case, select the device with Bluetooth wireless standard 4.0 or later. This will ensure the rapid exchange of data with accessories with minimal load on the battery.

storage size

The volume of storage determines the amount of data that the tablet can accommodate. If you buy a device to surf the Web, communication and streaming multimedia contentThen you have enough and 16 GB of internal memory.

But to keep on the gadget music and movies, and games to install many programs, you'll need a lot more space. The required size depends on your appetite.

storage size significantly affects the cost of the tablet. To save money, you can select the device with a small amount of internal memory, but with a slot for SD-cards capacious. It is convenient to store music and video files, as well as data from some programs. But keep in mind that in gadgets running iOS does not support memory cards.

Battery capacity

On the capacity of the battery depends on the battery life of the tablet. But the value of this parameter is difficult to judge how often you have to charge the device.

However, on the manufacturers' websites can often be read how many hours the unit stands in a particular operation. Take the figure for the benchmark. For example, Apple has traditionally indicates in its iPad characteristics that they are designed for 10 hours of web surfing, watching videos or listening to music. A very good indicator for the tablet.

Do not forget to check with the manufacturer's statements test resultsWhich are often present in the gadget reviews from independent publications.

camera settings

Manufacturers and retailers have focused on the number of megapixels the camera, though this figure is completely determined by the quality of the video and pictures. It is not, so do not get fooled by big numbers.

In addition, the camera in the plates is not so important as in smartphones. Due to the size of the tablet is simply inconvenient to use as a camcorder or camera.

What should pay attention to, because it is the presence of the front camera. Without it, you will not be able to communicate via video. And to even estimate the quality of the camera on the selected tablet, look for samples taken by her photos and video on the web. If popular devices to find this information will not be difficult.

See also:

• How to choose a smartphone →
• How to choose a laptop →
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