Tablets

I'm sort of in the market for a tablet. Do you guys have one? Which would you recommend? I've used ipads in the past and I like them, but they are easily double the price of the competition (not willing to spend $400 on a tablet).

Really, I would need it mostly for reading. The cheapest I found is a $50 amazon fire tablet. Something like a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 or an Ipad mini could work, but I'm wondering if the 7in screen is too small

 

7 inch is deffinetly too small. Personally I have an 11 incher.

It's an ipad air (first version) have had it for almost 2 years now and it still performs really great. I would always chose for quality > price when it comes to technology, it's lightweight and a very nice screen/good specs to go with it aswell.

 

What would you be using it for? I had an iPad air for a while and ended up getting rid of it because I found I'd use my phone for "on the go use" and my PC or laptop while I was at home.

I think a great alternative that many people don't consider would be picking up a Chromebook. Can do all of your lite web-browsing and document editing work on them with the convenience, battery life and portability of an ultrabook for a sub $300 price-tag.

If you're JUST going to be reading on it I'd definitely recommend looking at a kindle paperwhite or voyage, but you're pretty much just locking yourself to using it as an e-Book reader at that point.

 

I got the newest Samsung galaxy tablet for Christmas, I've been quite happy with it so far, considering I had grown up using apple products. I think it comes down to what you want to use it for.

 

Galaxy tablets are great. I think I have the 7 inch one, and while some people say 7 inches is too small it works for me. It depends what you need it for OP, but I stand by that for tablets the androids are better, and for phones, but people can sway more with what they prefer on their smartphone.

I'm not sure if they still have the deal, but when I got my tablet in Summer '14, I was also able to get 50 gb of storage for two years from dropbox. Haven't used it much, but I definitely use more than the free amount.

 

I wouldn't go by quality > price. Most products are backed by a decent warranty and most credit cards extend the warranty a year free of cost for electronics. Not everyone can afford to pay for the top model. If they can that doesn't always reflect the quality of the product.

I would agree 7inch is too small.

 

My first tablet was a 7" and it was unbearably small. Just feels like a very awkward phone. I'd recommend spending the money on something a little bigger. iPads are probably the smallest you'd want to go, 9.7" on the diagonal.

 

I've grown with apple products, but I currently have a Samsung Tab 4. 7 inch display. Other than the display being awkwardly small, it's not a bad tablet at all.

 

Hmm I actually gave this some thought. Given that I don't understand chromebooks too much, it sounds like its sorta just a tablet with a keyboard? You have to rely on the internet and you cant use apps like word, so I'd probably be using my normal laptop for those functions, right?

Personally, I'd be using a tablet for watching movies/videos, reading, and some browsing.

 

Chromebook is mainly for those who want to stay hooked to the internet and use online applications and services. For reading purpose a 7-inch tablet should do the job Android or Windows 10, now there are several Budget Windows 10 tablets as well below $200 or you may go for budget 2-in-1 hybrid models with detachable keyboard.

 

I have the ipad air 2 since it came out and i really like it. it's the best for browsing the internet imo (and i only use it for this purpose, and maybe some games once in a while, they also work flawlessly).
Last time i tried to put a movie on it it wasnt that easy though - i had to convert it first, using some sort of program, if i remember correctly. I've never put movies on it after that because i rather watch them on my laptop or on the internet.

I would still definitely reccommend it though, it works great, battery life is good, its light and thin, elegant look (imo). I also have an ipad 3 and after like 4 years it still works great so I'm confident this one will stay as good as it is now.

 

Android tablets. Any of them, honestly. I still use my antiquated Galaxy Tab 2 for exactly what you mention and it works fine for that. I would never ever ever pay the price for an iPad unless I was planning on getting some serious power-user type usage out of it.

Personally if I ever get a tablet, it'll be a Windows tablet. I like the idea of having a tablet and a laptop in one.