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Equally suited to those lazy afternoons or evenings on the couch, or for business meetings, tablets are a lightweight, affordable and easy to use way to access the internet.
Likewise, ereaders offer a convenient way to store and read hundreds of books.
If you’ve got your heart set on a tablet, then you’ve got a number of choices to make. Below, we’ve set out our top tips to help you take home the perfect tablet.
The biggest decision you’ll have to make is what operating system you want. Your answer to this will largely determine what make and model of tablet you end up with.
These days, there are three main operating systems used on tablets:
For example, if you really want an Apple iPad, then you’ll be tied to the iPadOS operating system. If, on the other hand, you’re not as concerned about the operating system, you can choose from a huge range of different tablets within the Android ecosystem.
Given that the screen is what you’ll be both watching and physically interacting with on a tablet, you’ll want to make sure you select one of the appropriate size.
Tablet screens are measured diagonally from corner to corner and can vary from seven-inches (or smaller), up to 11-inches or more.
Which size is best for you? Let’s take a look at some of the more common options:
Closely related to screen size is screen resolution. For tasks such as reading (especially for long periods of time), you want your tablet’s resolution to be as high as possible.
The resolution on tablets is often measured in pixels per inch (PPI). As a rule, you’ll want your chosen tablet to have a PPI of at least 200. Premium tablets such as the Apple iPad have a PPI of 260 or higher.
Just like other types of computers, tablets use RAM (also known as memory) to store files that are required by programs at short notice.
This means that if you’ll be using multiple apps at once, or a single particularly ‘intensive’ app (such as editing visual content), you’ll need a tablet with more memory.
More budget oriented tablets tend to have in the region of 3 to 4 GB of RAM, whilst premium tablets such as the Apple iPad feature 8 GB of RAM.
Do you intend to save files on your tablet (e.g. photos, ebooks, PDFs, music)? Then it’s important to give some thought to the amount of storage you’ll need.
Luckily, modern tablets tend to have quite considerable storage capacities - ranging from 64 GB up to 512 GB (and beyond). To provide you with some context, if you were to select a tablet with 512 GB of storage it would be able to store approximately 100,000 high-definition photos, 100,000 songs, or about 50 hours of 4K video.
Having said that, the rise of cloud storage means having enough storage space on your tablet is less of a concern these days. For example, if you purchase an Apple iPad, you can purchase iCloud storage - where your files are saved in ‘the cloud’ rather than on your device directly.
Some tablets are just that - a tablet. However, recent years have seen some tablets that feature connectable keyboards and small flaps that allow the tablet to be stood upright.
If you think you’re going to be using your tablet for work, then it’s certainly worth investigating some of these newer options and form factors.
The more battery, the better! If you intend to read books or watch videos on your tablet, then you don’t want to have to be constantly recharging it.
So, check the tablet's battery life before you commit to purchasing it.
Battery life will vary depending on usage, but ‘out of the box’ the typical tablet will have a battery life of about seven hours. However, some more premium tablets such as the Apple iPad can have a battery life of 10 hours or more.
Choosing an ereader is remarkably similar to picking a tablet, with one key difference - the type of display.
Ereaders (also known as ebook readers) use ‘e-ink’ displays which replicate the experience of reading a real book. However, like tablets, higher end ereaders tend to have higher resolution displays that have a higher level of fidelity.
Another key point to note is that many ereaders have access to different online book stores. For example, Kindle provides access to the Amazon store.
If you want to experience the joys of browsing the web, watching videos and reading books on a tablet, then now’s your chance to pick up a tablet at an impressive price.
At Comet, we’re always working hard to bring you the best tablets at the best prices. What’s more, you have the option to spread the cost of your new tablet over three interest-free payments with either Klarna Pay in 3 or PayPal Credit.
And, with our express delivery service, you will be using your new tablet in no time!
Likewise, ereaders offer a convenient way to store and read hundreds of books.
Tablets
If you’ve got your heart set on a tablet, then you’ve got a number of choices to make. Below, we’ve set out our top tips to help you take home the perfect tablet.
Operating system
The biggest decision you’ll have to make is what operating system you want. Your answer to this will largely determine what make and model of tablet you end up with.
These days, there are three main operating systems used on tablets:
- iPadOS - as the name suggests, this is the operating system used (and only used) on Apple iPads.
- Android - this operating system is found on tablets from brands as varied as Samsung and Lenovo.
- Windows - some tablets use a version of Windows that has been specially adapted for touchscreen use.
For example, if you really want an Apple iPad, then you’ll be tied to the iPadOS operating system. If, on the other hand, you’re not as concerned about the operating system, you can choose from a huge range of different tablets within the Android ecosystem.
Screen size
Given that the screen is what you’ll be both watching and physically interacting with on a tablet, you’ll want to make sure you select one of the appropriate size.
Tablet screens are measured diagonally from corner to corner and can vary from seven-inches (or smaller), up to 11-inches or more.
Which size is best for you? Let’s take a look at some of the more common options:
- 7 to 9-inches - at this size a tablet will generally be palm sized, akin to a large smartphone. To provide some context, the iPad Mini has a screen size of 8.3-inches.M
- 9 to 11-inches - this is regarded as the ‘classic’ tablet screen size, being ideal for watching videos, browsing the web and reading documents/ebooks.
- 11-inches or bigger - tablets that are 11-inches or bigger tend to be more powerful and suited to working (e.g. using a stylus to draw images).
Resolution
Closely related to screen size is screen resolution. For tasks such as reading (especially for long periods of time), you want your tablet’s resolution to be as high as possible.
The resolution on tablets is often measured in pixels per inch (PPI). As a rule, you’ll want your chosen tablet to have a PPI of at least 200. Premium tablets such as the Apple iPad have a PPI of 260 or higher.
Memory
Just like other types of computers, tablets use RAM (also known as memory) to store files that are required by programs at short notice.
This means that if you’ll be using multiple apps at once, or a single particularly ‘intensive’ app (such as editing visual content), you’ll need a tablet with more memory.
More budget oriented tablets tend to have in the region of 3 to 4 GB of RAM, whilst premium tablets such as the Apple iPad feature 8 GB of RAM.
Storage
Do you intend to save files on your tablet (e.g. photos, ebooks, PDFs, music)? Then it’s important to give some thought to the amount of storage you’ll need.
Luckily, modern tablets tend to have quite considerable storage capacities - ranging from 64 GB up to 512 GB (and beyond). To provide you with some context, if you were to select a tablet with 512 GB of storage it would be able to store approximately 100,000 high-definition photos, 100,000 songs, or about 50 hours of 4K video.
Having said that, the rise of cloud storage means having enough storage space on your tablet is less of a concern these days. For example, if you purchase an Apple iPad, you can purchase iCloud storage - where your files are saved in ‘the cloud’ rather than on your device directly.
Form factor
Some tablets are just that - a tablet. However, recent years have seen some tablets that feature connectable keyboards and small flaps that allow the tablet to be stood upright.
If you think you’re going to be using your tablet for work, then it’s certainly worth investigating some of these newer options and form factors.
Battery life
The more battery, the better! If you intend to read books or watch videos on your tablet, then you don’t want to have to be constantly recharging it.
So, check the tablet's battery life before you commit to purchasing it.
Battery life will vary depending on usage, but ‘out of the box’ the typical tablet will have a battery life of about seven hours. However, some more premium tablets such as the Apple iPad can have a battery life of 10 hours or more.
Ereaders
Choosing an ereader is remarkably similar to picking a tablet, with one key difference - the type of display.
Ereaders (also known as ebook readers) use ‘e-ink’ displays which replicate the experience of reading a real book. However, like tablets, higher end ereaders tend to have higher resolution displays that have a higher level of fidelity.
Another key point to note is that many ereaders have access to different online book stores. For example, Kindle provides access to the Amazon store.
Is it time for a tablet?
If you want to experience the joys of browsing the web, watching videos and reading books on a tablet, then now’s your chance to pick up a tablet at an impressive price.
At Comet, we’re always working hard to bring you the best tablets at the best prices. What’s more, you have the option to spread the cost of your new tablet over three interest-free payments with either Klarna Pay in 3 or PayPal Credit.
And, with our express delivery service, you will be using your new tablet in no time!
