Things To Keep In Mind When Buying Your First Tablet

Going out there and buying a tablet for yourself isn’t as simple as it sounds.

Going out there and buying a tablet for yourself isn’t as simple as it sounds. If you’re on the lookout for a good, sturdy tablet and don’t know where to start, this article would be a good starting point in your decisioning journey!

If you want a stylish tablet backed by a boundless ecosystem. accompanied by an equally gorgeous build, Apple’s iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4 might be what you’re looking for, varying primarily in their size.
If you desire more customizability than what you get on iOS devices and a simple user experience, Google’s Nexus 9 might catch your eye.

Amazon’s Fire HDX series is another set of tablets to look out for if you’re looking for a tablet for the ‘family’ experience. They have responsive processors and a robust catalog of movies and TV shows.

I’ll now be concentrating on a few pointers that you need to keep in mind before you splash out all that cash on a tablet for yourself:

1. What Are You Planning To Use It For?

• Do you want a device to be used as a near-substitute for your laptop?
• Or do you just want a device for watching movies and listening to music while you’re traveling?
• Do you require Internet access when you’re on the go?
• Or does a WiFi only tablet satisfy your needs?

Ask yourself these simple questions and you’ll see your choices narrowing themselves down.

2. What Manufacturer Should You Opt For?

Tablets, like laptops and computers, have the tendency to go haywire at times. It’s times like these when your manufacturer becomes the all important factor. If you’re buying a tablet today, you’d want to make sure that you choose a partner that:

• First and foremost, has local presence where you will be using the device!
• Additionally, the manufacturer should be reputed with the will to look into your complaints with frequent and effective solutions.
• For obvious reasons, you’d rather choose a manufacturer whose tablets are known to be sturdy and not requiring much technical assistance, in the first place.
• Another consideration should be the cost of spares (replacement parts like the screen or battery, should you ever need to have them changed).

3. What Size Is Optimum For You?

Tablets come in a variety of sizes:

• 6 to 8.3 inches (small)
• 8.9 to 10.1 inches (medium)
• Over 10.1 inches (large)

Small tablets are perfect for those of you who love to read in bed. They are perfect e-reader alternatives, as compared to the medium/large tablets.
These can easily fit into most pockets and bags and you don’t need to worry about the weight factor while carrying them on a business trip. They don’t weigh much, and usually have fairly good battery life.

Most tablets prevalent in the market as of today fall into the Medium category.
Medium sized tablets sport fast processors, larger screens and higher resolutions as compared to their 7 inch counterparts. Due to their larger screens, they are perfect for watching movies and playing games on. But do remember they aren’t the easiest to hold and use for extended periods of time.
Typing on them too, is a little more tenuous than Small tablets, since most people type with both thumbs, and that’s not really possible with some thing that’s 7 inches (or more) wide!

Large tablets are not many in number, but those that exist are used for specific purposes, and not usually for regular consumer-level use. Usually, these are Hybrid machines, meaning devices that are capable as being used as both a tablet and a laptop (in a way).

4. Operating system

iOS

Since it’s inception, iOS spoils it’s users with an App Store that has an app for every imaginable purpose. Apple’s devices have a simplistic user interface, that offer a fresh user-experience and makes them extremely simple to use.
iOS boasts an extensive ecosystem that allows for sharing across devices. The OS is updated at least twice a year, and such updates are applicable across almost every Apple tablet.

Android

Android is new and different. It allows its users design their devices the way they want — all Android devices offer the user a significant degree of customisability and personalisation.
The Google Play Store has also revamped itself in the past few years and tried to reach the high levels set by Apple’s App Store.
Google’s Android OS sees an annual release, but the cascade to devices depends on each manufacturer (brand) making that update available to its own independent set of devices. Consequently, updates don’t always reach every make or model.

Windows 10

If you’re willing to give some time to your Windows tablet, it might just surprise you with what it has to offer!
A good collection of movies and TV Shows and it’s built-in music streaming are some features that set this brand apart.
Since it’s launch, the Windows Store has evolved in terms of the sheer number of apps, but it is still far from reaching the standards set by iOS and Android.
That said, Windows 10 devices are probably the closest to being true Hybrids at this time, and the OS is built in such a way that you may soon forget if you’re working on a true-laptop, or a Surface Pro tablet!

Amazon’s Fire OS

Available only on Kindle’s Fire tablets, the carousel-based interface is good to look at, and offers the widest collection of books that you can imagine.
Amazon Prime members have some serious advantages such as access to its lending library of books and free streaming of it’s entire video catalog.
The major downside though, the App Store is even barer than Windows! And it doesn’t seem to be growing too much, either.

5. Storage options

Tablets these days are available with internal storage starting 8 GB, and that keeps on doubling with an ever-increasing price tag.
If you are an avid photographer or like keeping music discographies of your favourite bands with you at all times, a fixed memory storage might not satisfy your requirements. What you need is a tablet with an option of expandable storage (microSD card slot).

Also, be aware that the tablet’s OS can sometimes take up to 20% of it’s inbuilt storage capacity. What I’m trying to say is 8 GB of storage is not really 8 GB of storage, and the Usable Memory is a spec you should check on prior to purchase.

That said, we highly (can’t stress this enough) recommend that you buy the machine with the maximum storage possible, even if it’s a bit above budget. You’ll thank us for it later.

6. Connectivity

Almost all tablets come with Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Certain tablets also have a Cellular+WiFi variant. This means that you can insert a SIM Card and use the Internet service offered by your cellular service provider when you’re not in a WiFi zone.

Ideally, get yourself a Cellular+WiFi variant, if the cost is not too much more than the non-Wi-Fi variant. It’ll keep you connected wherever you are, and allow you to use the tablet even out on the road!

Tip: If you have a budget constraint, you can go for the WiFi variant of your favourite tablet and whenever you’re on the go, you can create a portable hotspot on your smartphone and connect your tablet to the WiFi network.

I hope these little pointers I’ve put together help you in making a wise and informed decision about which tablet you want to opt for. There are some more factors, but these should keep you pointed in the right direction.

If you need further help, Chip-Monks would be happy to help you with a personalised recommendation. We’ve helped hundreds of people with their decision, and they’ve been extremely happy with the device they bought. Fill up a quick form and we’ll spin up a shortlist for you basis our assessment of your stated and implicit needs.