10 tips for choosing a good tablet

Which manufacturer makes the best tablets?
Vote!

3Q

Apple

Asus

Digma

Honor

Huawei

Irbis

Lenovo

Microsoft

Prestigio

Samsung

Wexler

Total voted: 8

Vote results

The operating system is a service software environment through which it is possible to use the available functions of the tablet. The most popular operating systems these days are Android, Windows and iOS. The choice between these three systems depends on the purpose of buying a tablet, because each has its pros and cons:

Android devices are presented by inexpensive devices with good performance and high-quality materials. Users have access to thousands of applications and games from the Android store. You can buy such a tablet for home and work, as well as customize the features for yourself. However, Android devices are rarely updated, as a result, modern features arrive late, and many remain unavailable at all.

Windows It is considered the easiest OS to use, even a child can figure out its settings. Many tablets based on it are inexpensive, all scanners, printers and other equipment support this OS, which is useful for work. However, there is a well-known problem - a vulnerability to viruses, so you will have to buy antivirus software, although this does not guarantee complete data security.

iOS Considered a premium system, it has unique features, design and applications. The manufacturer regularly releases updates and improvements, such a tablet will remain relevant even 2-3 years after purchase. However, the device is overpriced. In addition, the iOS code is closed, it will not work to change the functions of the tablet, plus the system is limited in its ability to exchange data with other users.

Manufacturers divide tablets into categories, focusing on several characteristics depending on the needs of the buyer:

For home and internet. The convenience of finding information on a tablet directly depends on its display. The larger the diagonal, the easier it will be to read small print. Such a device is also suitable for work, for example, for reading mail and editing text documents. Performance is not very important, the main thing is support for Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G. The operating system does not play a role, an inexpensive model is quite suitable.

For drawing and creativity. This is where the operating system plays a big role. Windows has many applications for creative people (creating pictures, banners, logos, etc.). However, the tablet must be powerful enough to run Photoshop and other programs. iOS has its own applications for digital creativity, but not all extensions (png, jpeg, etc.) are supported. Android OS is more powerful than Windows, but not as well optimized for graphic design and drawing.

For games and entertainment. The main thing here is a powerful processor and a large amount of RAM. Many games make high demands on graphics, and to see its beauty, the display must display colors well and have a high resolution of at least FullHD. An additional bonus will be a large battery capacity, which will allow you to play longer than 4-5 hours.

For kids. Many inexpensive tablets have a child mode that will prevent your child from accessing adult websites and downloading inappropriate apps. Such devices have a colorful interface and large buttons. Many models are able to "grow" with children. By adding accessories and giving access to new sites, it's easy to keep your child interested in modern technology and online learning.

Most tablet buyers have probably heard of manufacturers such as Asus, Google, Apple and Samsung, which have popular models with great functionality and better features. However, almost all devices of these companies are in the middle or high price range.

In the budget segment, there are dozens of tablet manufacturers, mainly from Asia. They often release new models at a very attractive price. The complexity of the choice is that it is not easy to understand such firms, and the quality of products is unstable. It happens that for one buyer the device is buggy in a week, while for another it works for years.

The only thing that can protect the user is a good warranty. For at least a year, repair of factory breakdowns should be free, including delivery to the service center and back. Customer reviews can be one of the selection criteria, but it is not recommended to rely on them completely.

It has long been no secret that expensive and cheap tablets are made at the same Chinese factories, plus components are also supplied by well-known companies.It will no longer be possible to assemble a device on your knee in the basement, so you can count on good software, high-quality images and fast program response in almost any model. Among low-cost manufacturers, Prestigio, Digma, 3Q, Wexler and Irbis stand out. They have been producing tablets for several years now and give a good guarantee. If you choose more reliable companies from China, then the priority is for Lenovo and Huawei.

Even those users who do not understand the characteristics of the tablet notice the difference in display sizes. There are 3 standard aspect ratios in inches, which determine not only the image quality, but also the cost:

7-8 inches. Small and inexpensive tablets are suitable for work or study, they are easy to toss into a briefcase or bag. They are great for reading books, watching movies and listening to music. Despite the low cost, 7-8 inch tablets are made of quality materials and are able to run undemanding applications. They are suitable for children, weigh a little and hold a battery charge well. However, 7-8 inches is not enough for games, drawing and any kind of creativity.

10 inches. Such screens are considered the best for the home. Despite the large diagonal, the tablet remains light and thin, it is convenient to hold it in your hands and leave it on the stand. A powerful battery and a good speaker system are placed inside the device. At the same time, tablets with great functionality and a high-quality display are much more expensive, which is why some buyers note the graininess of the image in inexpensive models, especially based on Windows.

From 10 inches. Such devices are called tablet computers, the screen diagonal reaches 13 inches.iOS and Windows have big gadgets, they appear less often on Android. They are designed for the work of creative people and games, are able to download any application and produce a bright picture. The price of the tablets is appropriate, it is inconvenient to take them with you.

Modern technologies will not save a tablet that produces a low-quality image. The end result directly depends on the type of matrix chosen by the manufacturer:

TN. This matrix appeared a long time ago and is still present in inexpensive tablets. The technology is considered obsolete, as the viewing angle and color reproduction are inferior to modern options. The only advantage is the price, many Chinese manufacturers offer powerful processors for a small price due to the average picture.

IPS. This matrix can be found in modern tablets of any price category. It offers rich hues, excellent color reproduction and a viewing angle of almost 180 degrees. There is an easy way to choose a high-quality display with this matrix: check the image contrast, the picture should be matte, without gray and purple reflections.

Amoled. Unlike IPS, where the entire display area is illuminated, here each pixel gives its own color independently, regardless of the neighboring ones. Due to this, some colors are displayed more colorfully, especially the difference can be seen in black. However, Amoled LEDs burn out faster, broken pixels appear. The display consumes more battery power to give a better picture.

The second factor that affects image quality is display resolution.The minimum optimum for any type of matrix is ​​the standard FullHD format, which is equally convenient for working with various software and for entertainment, including games. At the same time, with the growth of the display diagonal, it is reasonable to choose models with a higher resolution, which will provide better pixel density and improve picture quality. For example, for a 10.5-inch screen, a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels is perfect.

Processor power is one of the main characteristics of a quality tablet, since outdated hardware will not allow you to quickly download programs, switch between browser tabs and skip movies. In other words, ease of use depends on it.

The most popular among manufacturers are processors with ARM architecture under the Cortex license, but the leaders among companies producing hardware for tablets are Qualcomm and MediaTek. Understanding the speed of processors is not difficult, since the whole variety of models falls into 3 categories:

2-core. The weakest processors that can show movies, open a browser and run 2D games. Two cores are enough to play HD and FullHD, higher quality will fail. It is not recommended to take less powerful processors (even at a low price), as they are very outdated and work very slowly, almost all applications run for several minutes.

4-core. Faster processors that can simultaneously run a browser, movie or music player, and most 2D and 3D games. It is recommended to pay attention to tablets with such a processor if there is no need to run complex heavy programs.

6-, 8-core. The most powerful processors that are installed in expensive tablets. They are too strong for watching movies, photos and reading the Internet, most of the opportunities are revealed in 3D games and applications like Photoshop, which are demanding on performance.

Despite the number of cores, the final performance depends on the full equipment of the tablet. Even a powerful processor will not help if there is not enough RAM and you have a small dim display.

RAM is the most important component responsible for the speed of the tablet. With its help, the processor communicates with the software, and if there is not enough RAM, the gadget will noticeably slow down and freeze. The more applications and tabs the user is going to open, the more RAM should be. All tablets have approximately the same amount of memory and can be divided into the following categories:

2 GB. Now this value is the minimum below which you cannot fall. This is enough to run a couple of simple applications. The tablet is suitable for home as an e-book or player. The cost of the device is very low, most often they are released on Android.

3 GB. Standard RAM for many inexpensive tablets. They are able to run applications in the background, keep 5-6 open tabs in the browser, show movies and pictures in FullHD format.Complex programs will open if you stop all other processes and wait for a long download.

4 GB. Users call this amount of memory the most comfortable. 4 gigs is enough not to think about the number of open applications. There are delays, but rarely, mainly when launching demanding games.

6 GB. The standard minimum for good gaming devices. This amount of RAM will allow you to easily run any game projects and comfortably watch movies with a resolution higher than the classic FullHD.

8 GB or more. This amount of RAM is needed for professional tablets designed for graphic designers who simultaneously use several resource-demanding applications at once.

Inexpensive tablets usually have a 2000-2500 mAh battery inserted. It can work up to 4 hours with a light load (listening to music, watching movies or pictures). If WiFi is turned on or the brightness is set to maximum, the battery lasts for 60 minutes. This may be enough for a child, but is unlikely to be suitable for work or travel. In addition, the operating time is gradually reduced, as all batteries wear out.

Quality tablets usually have batteries with a capacity of 4000 mAh. This is enough for 7-10 hours of battery life.The more expensive models have a battery with a capacity of up to 8000 mAh, it is able to hold a charge for a day. For long trips, it is recommended to pay attention to powerful batteries. The operating time can be extended by turning off WiFi and lowering the display brightness.

If autonomy is important for the buyer, then it is worth considering the architecture of the processor. Even an inexpensive tablet can have modern hardware that quickly opens applications, but at the same time saves battery. Chips with the smallest technical process do their job best.

For most users, it is important that they can access the Internet from their tablet at any time. To do this, the following modules are installed in the device, which are currently available in almost all gadgets: 3G, 4G, WiFi and Bluetooth.

Only the cheapest tablets work only with WiFi, but the number of such devices is gradually decreasing and soon they will completely leave the market. When buying a tablet, it is important to check the LTE bands with which the device interacts, as there are Chinese models that do not support the bands common in Russia.

The last thing you should pay attention to when accessing the Internet is at what frequency the interface operates. There are only two popular ones: 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz. The second option is better if the tablet is used at home or in large shopping centers / offices. 5 GHz came first and is now very congested and more likely to experience interference.

The cost of the tablet directly depends on the additional features. We looked at 4 main parameters that most affect the price:

microSD support. Any tablet has internal memory for storing information, it is called permanent. The operating system, music, applications, documents and any user files are loaded into it. The memory can be expanded using microSD cards. However, some manufacturers (for example, Apple) do not make tablets with such slots; it will not be possible to increase the amount of stored information. Android and Windows devices are almost all friends with memory cards.

GPS navigation. Most modern tablets have a GPS function, but some still have a built-in radio module. This means that navigation will only occur when there is access to the network.

Camera. There aren't many tablets on the market with a decent camera, even the expensive options can't match the quality of smartphones. The most popular solution is optical modules with a resolution of 8 pixels, in cheaper models it is 5-6 pixels. Budget gadgets are generally not able to take high-quality photos, there is a lot of noise and little sharpness in the images.

Ability to connect a keyboard. This function depends on the Bluetooth module and the presence of a USB port. The first does not require a wire, which is convenient when using the gadget outside the home. However, Bluetooth consumes more power and cannot guarantee stable pairing. In other words, sometimes the keyboard will detach. For typing, it is recommended to take the traditional version with a wire or any other mechanical connector.