The Ultimate Guide To Buying a Tablet: 8 Factors To Consider

You need a tablet. The best tablet for watching movies, and netflix. The tablet that’s helping you improve your productivity. The tablet you may want to hand over to you kids, when you’re working on a laptop. Right?

We’ve got you covered.

Featuring the flexibility of a phone and productivity of a laptop, a tablet comes with everything that you need in a device.

With the right tablet, you can stay in touch with the world no matter where you are.  

As a reliable piece of device it gives you the chance to do your work, play games and even read a book wherever you are.

Here are the top factors considered when shopping for the best tablet.

Size

Since tablets come with different types of screens, make sure you select the right one for your needs. 

While some tables are large enough to be propped up, others are designed in such a way that they feel comfortable in the hand.

The screen sizes range from 6 inches to up 18 inches. If you are looking for something small and light then a small tablet such as iPad mini will suffice. 

There is also the 10 inch tablet which is a good balance between portability and productivity.

Design

You can either choose a standalone or convertible tablet. As opposed to the convertible one, a standalone tablet takes the form of a large phone with buttons, large touch screen, and charging port. 

While you can operate it using the touchscreen, you can also connect it to the Bluetooth keyboard. The convertible ones have the flexibility of a PC and the convenience of a tablet.

Operating System

The Operating System of a tablet is meant to help you navigate around the programs and apps. You can also use it to customize the menus, background and icons.

The main operating system includes Windows, Android, and iOS from the application and support to the general interface each OS will give you with  a totally different experience.

The best thing to do is to choose one that has the same operating system as your phone.

• iOS. Developed by Apple,iOSoperating system not only comes with several features but is also quite easy to use.  It also features hugely known apps such as App Store and iTunes and comes with some of the best controls.
• Android. This is a versatile system that you can use on different tablet brands. It will also provide you with the best customization since you can choose how to select themes, layout your home screen and add widgets to the menu.
• Windows. Windows’s operating system comes with the same features as PC operating system. This means you’ll get a similar layout. You can also access your favorite programs such as excel and word.

What You Are Buying the Tablet For

When shopping for a tablet you need to decide whether you are buying it for general home use, work, gaming, for the kids, or for media consumption

• For Home use. For home use such as email, web browsing or listening to music, you can choose the most basic tablet out there. This means you should not go the most expensive or sophisticated tablet
• For work. If you are planning to use your tablet for work, get one that’s at least 9 inches and above. Some of the best options include iPad Air, Samsung Galaxy Models, among others.
• For gaming.  Make sure you buy one that comes with all the gaming features. If you are not sure you can ask around for the right ones for you.
• For kids. When shopping for the right tablets for the kids it’s important to consider the price, size, durability and other control features.
• For Media consumption. While most tablets are good for media consumption, if you really love the movies, you must go for the right one.

Storage

Did you know that you can save your files, photos and videos on a tablet? While the internal storage capacity is the memory that comes with the tablet, external memory can be added.

This will help you if you are looking for more storage. Unless you don’t intend to use your tablet a lot you may find the internal storage too little for your needs. 

So you may want to pay a bit more to get external storage.

The Apps

All the three operating systems come with digital storefronts where you can download and purchase apps, music, movies and all manner of content.

For instance, the iOS App store is the only way to look for apps for your phone. Since Apple is careful about the kind of apps you can buy, there is a less risk of downloading something malicious.

You can also purchase music, movies, Books and other stuff from iTunes. More so, based on the kind of tablet that you choose you can also get all your apps from Google Play store.

Battery Life

If you want to take your tablet with you out all day long, it’s important to consider one with a good battery life. Generally tablets have a better battery life then the high-end best gaming laptops out there in the market.

Even if you are planning to play games, shop online or watch movies a good battery life will generally come in handy.

Make sure your tablet can run for 7 hours on a single charge. This is not only enough for you to get the work done but also enough time to get a chance to charge it again.

The Cost

While there are expensive tablets out there you don’t have to spend a lot.  

Since the cost of tablets ranges from $50 on the low end to over $1000 on the high end you have several options regardless of the amount of money that you have to spend.

Wrapping Up

With several tablet options in the market, choosing the right one can be a bit tricky. For instance, an adult looking for a tablet for work is totally different from a child looking for one for games and movies.

Author Bio

Jeff Finder is a Digital Nomad who travels around the world and blogs about technology, gadgets and specifically laptops at Laptopcut.com. He’s also an international speaker and loves to persuade youth to find their voice online and make it count