Powerful touchscreen computers that easily fit in the palm of our hands, tablets are a constant reminder that the future is upon us. Thinner and lighter than a book, it’s not uncommon to see kids and adults alike working, playing, and relaxing with the help of a tablet.

Now that tablet computers have been around for a long time, some of us have begun to realize that not all of us need to carry the most advanced models to suit our needs. Today we’ll look at what factors to consider when you want to score a tablet that meets all of your requirements and don’t want to pay too much for it.

How to Find the Right Cheap Tablet

If you watch lots of films, enjoying reading eBooks, surf while in bed, and want something light to carry while away on a trip, then a tablet is your best bet. They’re compact, lightweight, and have batteries that last longer. We discuss the various factors to consider when on the market shopping for a tablet.

Choosing a Tablet That Suits Your Needs

What are you planning to be doing on this tablet? If you’re a college student, then you’ll be using the tablet for your everyday applications like sending/checking emails, browsing, social media, and reading documents. In that case, a full-sized tablet with long battery life and perhaps an external keyboard should suffice.

For casual use at home, a low and midrange tablet should do. But if you want a tablet you can frequently use for watching movies, gaming, and more, get a large-sized tablet with high-processing power. If you have small kids, you might need a tablet with parental controls to restrict some content.

Are you looking for a business tablet? Then you want one that’s powerful with sufficient RAM to withstand multitasking and run programs without a hitch. A large screen is useful if you’ll be viewing things like business reports on your tablet.

Are you a bookworm, a TV junkie, or a hardcore gamer? You want a tablet capable of running media files smoothly for optimum immersion. A large screen, high resolution, more RAM, and audio quality are very integral in this case.

Screen Size and Resolution

When choosing the screen size, it boils down to how you’ll be using the tablet. If portability trumps all else, then a smaller screen would be perfect. If usability is key, then choose a tablet with a larger screen size that allows you to view content and operate on the onscreen keyboard with little hassle.

Tablet screen sizes range from 7 – 13 inches. Go for a small tablet like the Fire 7 Tablet if you want something that can easily fit in your palm or pocket.

For TV shows and movie watching, tablets with screens larger than ten inches like the Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet will provide the best immersion. Such a tablet can also be great for business purposes, like viewing business reports and spreadsheets at full size.

Then there’s the resolution. The screen resolution and panel will strongly influence the sharpness, viewing angles, vibrancy, and color accuracy. Some tablets have display resolutions as high as 2560×1600. And tablets with high-resolution IPS panel displays deliver stunningly sharp images.

Storage Capacity

This is the internal storage that your tablet has to hold your files, such as images, music, videos, and documents. Often, Windows and Android tablets offer expandable storage capacities.

The amount of internal storage will determine the number of apps you can install. So, where possible, go for at least 16 GB of internal storage.

If an expandable external memory matters, then you need a device capable of supporting a microSD card. Some tablets come with dual USB ports that you can use to hook in an external disk for additional storage space.

Operating System

Although almost all the four major operating systems used in tablets have significantly improved in quality, the OS is still an important feature to look at.

If you’re looking for a Windows laptop’s processing power, then a Windows OS tablet is an excellent option. iPads use Apple iOS, and are best for those who own an iPhone.

Google Android is inarguably the most popular and is continually evolving. Android tablets support a multitude of android apps. Compared to iOS, Android is more customizable and is the same OS used by most smartphones.

Fire OS is another operating system based on Android developed by Amazon for its Fire Phone and Kindle Fire tablets.

Processor & RAM

For a tablet to power and run functions, the processor has to chip in. RAM is the memory of the tablet and will determine how well it will run the various programs installed.

For the basic tasks, a tablet with a single-core processor is okay. Tablets built with duo core processors deliver faster and smooth performance. If you want to run sophisticated tasks and programs like advanced gaming and video editing, then the tablet has to build with a quad-core processor.

Battery Life

Tablets are meant to be carried around, and that’s also what motivates us to purchase them. Browsing and video use drain lots of power.

If you multitask heavily, say watching videos and playing games, the battery life will be shorter than advertised. If this is the case, you’ll want to prioritize battery life above all else by choosing something like the Lenovo Tab 4.

Cameras

We love to take occasional photos or record videos now and then, and you’d be doing an immense disservice to yourself if you forget to check the camera. A tablet should have a quality front-facing camera and a rear camera.

Design and Form Factor

Would you like a convertible or a standalone tablet? For lack of better description, the standalone tablets assume the design of oversized phones. They’re touchscreen, very compact, and lightweight.

On the other hand, tablets popularly known as 2-in-1s have a touchscreen and feature a detachable keyboard. While they’ll work perfectly as a standalone tablet, 2-in-1s like the RCA Viking Pro 10″ 2-In-1 Android Tablet are a perfect option for anyone who knows they’re going to spend a lot of time typing.

Apps & Content

Each one of us buys a tablet to serve a certain purpose. Perhaps there are certain apps you want to run on the device or connect it to a laptop. Can it support them? And how’s the experience viewing particular content on the OS. You want a tablet that’s more skewed towards the things you’ll be doing every other day.

Does Portability Matter?

Want something portable for use on your commute or holiday? Some tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8-Inch, are remarkably light, thin, and have a battery life as long as 14 hours, making them perfect for carrying around with you.

Wrapping Up

Laptops have come a long way to enhance portability, but they can never beat tablets. Tablets are lighter and are becoming sophisticated by the day, and they can even support some apps and functions initially meant for the laptops. Some tablets even mimic laptops to include detachable keyboards, while others work with external keyboards. They’re also remarkably compact, will fit in your palm, and accompany you anywhere. No matter what you’re looking for, we hope you’ll find a great tablet that serves your purpose.