What is a tablet? Many people are asking this question now. A tablet computer is new look modern mobile devices. Its main feature is the touch screen, which takes up most of the tablet's free space. It is the only input device.
modern tablets
You have become familiar with what a tablet is, now you should consider its “stuffing” in detail. Let's start with the fact that, like any other PC, it has its own operating system. On at the moment there are three namely: Android, Windows 8 and Apple iOS.
Windows 8 is an operating system that appeared relatively recently. Its main advantage is its compatibility with any software developed for Windows. The most popular tablets running on this OS are the following: Asus VivoTab, and Samsung ATIV Smart PC.
Apple iOS is the operating system that runs devices manufactured by Apple: with Retina Display.
Android - This is the second most popular system, a direct competitor to Apple. Most tablets are released on Android based OS.
What is a tablet for?
A tablet is, first of all, a device not for work, but for viewing information. This means that on it you can read e-books, surf the Internet, play video games, watch movies and listen to music. But writing a book, creating music or an application on this device is quite difficult. Laptops and netbooks are better suited for these purposes.
Surveys have shown that users most often use a Tablet PC:
- 85% - for games;
- 79% - for search necessary information online;
- 75% - for correspondence via E-mail and Skype;
- 62% - for reading news feeds and magazines;
- 57% - for visiting forums and social networks;
- 52% - for listening to music and watching movies;
- 43% - for a variety of purchases in online stores.
How to choose a tablet
First of all, choose one of the operating systems described above. This choice determines how convenient it will be for you to work with your Tablet PC. It is also advisable for you to clearly understand why you need a tablet. To watch movies and listen to music on the go, take inexpensive equipment from capacious battery, for video games - a “top” configuration based on Android or Apple iOS, and for creating an image - the latest Apple model iPad.
How much does a tablet cost?
The question “What is a tablet?” is not as important as “How much does it cost?” The price for this type of equipment fluctuates quite a bit. For example, Prestigio MultiPad (Android 4.0) behaves perfectly when watching movies, listening to music, reading books and surfing the Internet, and costs relatively little, while the cost latest iPad with Retina Display is quite high. But this, as they say, is a matter of taste. For those who have a lot of money and a desire to buy the perfect equipment with the best branded hardware, you won’t find a better gadget.
It is also worth mentioning the existence of hybrids - devices that combine several devices at the same time. This is, for example, the Asus PadFone 2, which combines a tablet PC and a smartphone, or the Asus Transformer Pad, a tablet with a keyboard and the ability to connect a mouse and any other USB device.
In conclusion, I would like to note that the main thing is to clearly understand what a tablet is and what you will do with it when you buy it. And then you won’t be the least bit disappointed in your choice.
The idea of a compact computer with a touch screen, which could be controlled without a mouse and keyboard, has been exciting people's minds for a long time.The first attempts to create such a product were made back in the late 90s, but none of the projects could gain any significant popularity. The reason for this was technical imperfection and the completely exorbitant prices of tablets of that time.
And suddenly such a boom! Why suddenly now and why so suddenly? In order to understand the phenomenon of the wild popularity of tablets, let's first take a closer look at the tablet computer itself - what it is and why.
Text: Andrey SAMKOV.
Tablet computers: what are they?
Let's start with the fact that often the same term “tablet computer” or simply “tablet” refers to several different devices. Often, when saying “tablet”, they mean:
Unfortunately, what they came up with was of little use for practical application: using such tablets “on the run” was not particularly convenient, since in size and weight they differed little from laptops of that time (suffice it to say that the weight of a tablet in the 90s was about 3 kg).
This is understandable, because the developers tried to create just the same laptop, but with a different control system. An additional problem was the small computing power of the computers of that time, and the touch screen control system required much more calculations than a banal keyboard.
Therefore, control using such a “dumb” touch screen was, to put it mildly, inconvenient. In general, this class of technology quickly disappointed both consumers and developers.
The developers quickly realized that if a complex and expensive tablet still turns into a laptop, then why not do the opposite? Give a “regular” laptop a touch screen and a rotating hinge.
So, without any extra hassle, you can get a hybrid that combines the features of both classes of technology: the user can choose control using a touch screen and a classic keyboard. Such devices took their share of the market, but, naturally, they did not become a sensation.
With the advent of a special compact variety of laptops on the market, called “netbooks,” the developers repeated their trick with a rotating screen.
The convertible netbook appeared, but made even less impression on users than the convertible laptop. The fact is that Internet tablets are looming on the horizon. But more about them a little later.
Another class of mobile computers that paved the way for the emergence of Internet tablets are ultra-mobile computers (UMPCs).
Their roots go back to the Origami PC project, organized by such well-known companies as Intel, Microsoft, Sony, Samsung and some others.
The goal of the project was to develop a computer specification with the characteristics of a netbook and at the same time small enough to be carried in a pocket.
The project was a partial success in the sense that the specifications were created, mass models were even developed on their basis (in Russia, the Samsung Q1 is probably the most famous), but they did not really gain wide popularity, remaining a “toy” for enthusiasts.
Go to the Internet - in one touch!
And finally, Internet tablets. It is these devices that have become the most widespread variety tablet computers, rapidly conquering the minds of people all over the world. It is the Internet tablet that is most often meant when simply saying “tablet”.
So what is the internet tablet phenomenon? Most likely, the demand for such products has matured naturally; it is not for nothing that netbooks were so popular immediately before the mass appearance of Internet tablets. But these are essentially computers of the same class, differing in the control system.
Naturally, the increase in popularity of tablets was facilitated by the growth of their consumer qualities: capabilities computer technology have increased significantly, allowing the construction of more compact and convenient portable computers.
On the other hand, marketing should not be dismissed out of hand: Apple is famous for independently creating entire market segments.
So on the Internet tablet market, everything was quite quiet and calm; for several years there were products from other companies, for example, Nokia tablets of the n700 and n800 series were relatively popular.
The appearance of tablets with a screen larger than 10 inches is, in principle, possible, but unlikely: such a tablet will become too bulky, calling it a mobile device will become difficult, and this, after all, is one of the advantages of Internet tablets.
operating system
Another thing that a tablet user constantly has to come into contact with is the operating system. It is this that provides the human interface and the internal functionality of the tablet.
In addition, the operating system defines a set software, with which this tablet will work. Most tablets have different versions mobile operating systems originally developed for smartphones:
Since the most popular tablet in the world is the iPad, accordingly, one of the most common software platforms is iOS, originally developed by Apple for iPhone smartphones and iPod players.
The Google Android operating system, namely its version for tablets Android 3 (and its modification 3.1), is rapidly gaining weight in the tablet market.
Google's operating system is free (when used, tablet manufacturers do not have to pay royalties to Google) and is easily portable from one hardware platform to another, so it is not surprising that many tablet and smartphone manufacturers use it.
Since many manufacturers make tablets based on this operating system (the most significant of them are Samsung, Sony Ericsson, until recently Motorola), it is quite natural that today Android is the most popular OS in this market in the world.
Built on Android Samsung Galaxy Tab, Sony Tablet S, Motorola XOOM, Archos 7 and 9 and many others.
Tablets based on the MS Windows 7 operating system stand somewhat apart. Moreover, as a rule, these are desktop Windows, and not Windows Phone.
In principle, this can be understood: desktop Windows is installed on tablets so that the user receives mobile computer habitual work environment, this is perhaps the main (and almost the only) argument in favor of Windows 7 on a tablet.
Due to the fact that Windows Phone is not widespread and continues to lose popularity, according to the analytical company Comscore, the share of WP7 has decreased by 38% since the launch of this system last fall. If at that time it owned about 8% of the US market, now it owns only 5.8%.
Most manufacturers do not want to connect their devices to an outsider, and even quite an expensive one, when there is a free alternative in the form of the rapidly ascending Android.
One of the representatives of the class of tablets based on Windows 7 is the ODEON TPC-10, already described in the magazine Consumer.Video&Audio, as well as the new ODEON model, which should be released Russian market at the beginning of 2012.
If we continue to compare operating systems in the context of Internet tablets, we discover another big plus in favor of mobile operating systems: Apple and Google have created huge software distribution centers specifically for mobile users.
iPad (as well as iPhone) users have access to the store App Store(as of October 2011, more than 500,000 programs are available for download, the total number of downloads exceeded 18 billion).
For owners of tablets and smartphones based on Android, there is Android Market(as of July 2011, more than 250,000 programs are available, the total number of downloads exceeded 4.5 billion).
For Windows users Phone is also there windows store Marketplace, unfortunately, there are no exact statistics on it, but it is clearly several times smaller than the App Store and Android Market.
However, users of the desktop version of Windows 7 are deprived of even this and are forced to search for the programs they need on their own.
CPU
Finally, let's not forget that a tablet is still a computer, which means its functionality directly depends on the computing power provided by its processor, as well as on its architectural features:
Of all the manufacturers of processors for Internet tablets, only Intel makes chips compatible with the usual IBM PC platform (x86-compatible).
Since Windows 7 can only run on this platform, therefore, all Windows tablets are based on Intel Atom. Currently, the most advanced representative of the Atom family is the Z670 processor. All other tablet microprocessors are based on ARM architecture.
iPad tablets use the A5 processor (in iPad2) and A4 (iPad) designed specifically for Apple.
The development is based on a dual ARM Cortex-A9 (A5) core or an ARM Cortex-A8 (A4) core. The A5 contains two core cores with a modified ARM Cortex A9 architecture, running at 1 GHz, and a powerful PowerVR SGX 543MP2 graphics coprocessor, which is 9 times more powerful than the PowerVR SGX 535 graphics core (of the A4) used in the previous Apple A4 processor.
Since details of the A4/A5 architecture are not disclosed by Apple, these processors are used anywhere other than the company's products, and only iOS is installed there, an objective comparison of these processors with competitors is difficult. What is known is that, according to Apple, new processor twice as powerful as A4.
Nvidia Tegra 2 is rising as a new star in the market of hardware platforms for mobile devices. According to the results of independent comparisons (in particular, at Computex 2011) when comparing two tablets built on the basis of Nvidia Tegra2 (Motorola XOOM) and Z670 (Inte Marco Polo 2), when running OS Android 3.1, the first one showed significantly better performance.
This is understandable: the ARM architecture was originally created for mobile applications, while Intel architecture x86 in the process of long evolution on desktop computers has acquired a large number of different additional sets of commands and other “improvements”.
So now even the procedure of decoding commands before executing them becomes a non-trivial matter, especially in conditions of limited power supply (a powerful processor requires capacious and heavy batteries, as well as a powerful and equally heavy cooling system).
As you can see, the variety of modern tablets is quite impressive. Undoubtedly, everyone who wants to purchase an Internet tablet will find a device “for themselves.” We hope that our article will help you make the right choice.
A tablet PC is a portable computer with touch control, when you can work with a stylus or fingers, both with and without the use of a keyboard and mouse.
Touch control is carried out by pressing your finger on the screen or using an electronic pen (stylus).
Instead of the usual keyboard, you can use a stylus, which is more convenient for pressing small buttons on the screen than with your finger. The stylus looks like a regular pen with a thin lead.
Tablet personal computer(Tablet PC) is a touch-controlled computer that appeared in November 2002 after Microsoft presented its new development, Tablet PC. Its main difference is that the standard keyboard and mouse are replaced by a touch screen.
Hardware compatibility with conventional PCs – main feature, which distinguishes tablet PCs from other mobile devices. Mobility is an equally important component.
There are tablet computers that look like laptops. In this case, you can divide such a “laptop” into two parts: “pull out” the upper part and use it as a full-fledged tablet, and leave the lower part (keyboard) until needed.
Tablet computers support the following operating systems:
- Android (4.2.2);
- Windows XP (outdated build);
- (updated to Windows 8);
- Windows 8;
- MacOS X;
- Linux (rare).
Ergonomics, compactness, powerful battery– advantages of tablet PCs. Regarding the battery, we can add that you can work with a Tablet PC in much the same way as with a mobile phone. When the tablet is discharged, you need to charge it, after which you can again work with the tablet without a charger.
However, just like with a laptop, you do not need to turn off the tablet, but leave it together with the charger, which is plugged into a socket (220V). This is the option when you can “ruin” the tablet’s battery in the shortest possible time.
Disadvantages - on tablet computers it is inconvenient to work with programs for editing audio, video files, graphics, spreadsheets etc. In other words, a Tablet PC is not suitable for working with content.
If you choose which is better - a tablet computer or a laptop, we can say that in general better laptop, it is more functional. But if possible, it is better to use a laptop for work, and for trips, for meetings, and on the road it is more convenient to take a tablet computer with you.
The tablet may (or may not) have a stylus. With its help, you can write on the screen of your tablet PC the same way you wrote in a notebook at school. When I tried handwriting on a tablet PC, at first I thought it would just be a picture, which, in general, is also not bad.
And when I saw what was happening automatic recognition my scribbles as if I were typing them on the keyboard, and this wonderful transformation can be immediately inserted into the specified place in the letter, in any other text on the tablet screen, I was amazed.
I know that many users have recently become much more accustomed to typing text on a computer keyboard than writing something “by hand” on paper. Handwriting text on a tablet computer using a stylus is convenient at meetings, while traveling, etc. Apparently, it’s not for nothing that we were taught to write with pens in notebooks at school, now you can write with a stylus on tablet computers :)
The presence of a stylus is a plus, but the minus is that the accuracy of pressing your fingers on the screen can be quite low.
Let's briefly consider the configuration of tablet computers:
- , on which the speed and stability of any computer, not just a tablet, depends;
- (RAM, 256 MB to 2 GB), the standard rule for all PCs is the more RAM, the better;
- Video card;
- (most tablets have a connection function external card memory);
- USB – this port is used to connect a mouse, keyboard, printer, external hard drive, flash drive, phone, etc. True, sometimes instead regular USB maybe mini-USB.
The components that are installed in tablet PCs are, in some cases, “more powerful” than those on desktop computers.
Modern tablet PCs (regardless of price category) may have the following wireless access modules:
- Wi-Fi (high-speed access to wireless network);
- 3G and (access to a wireless network, which is carried out using a SIM card - not available on all models). This is convenient if there is no Wi-Fi;
- Bluetooth (allows you to connect various wireless devices, for example, wireless headsets).
Some tablet PCs have the following disadvantages.
Why you need it: seven reasons to buy a tablet
Before talking about the advantages of tablets, it is worth deciding what exactly this term means. Traditionally, a tablet is a type of laptop that allows you to enter handwritten information using a touch screen. In other words, you can imagine that a tablet is either a much larger smartphone with a touch screen, or a netbook without a traditional keyboard. This is why the tablet is so often compared with the first or the second, but this is not entirely true. Tablets usually run on dedicated operating systems, such as Android, iOS, webOS, and so on.
What reasons prompt us to buy a tablet?
Reason one: it makes the job easier
Tablet computers make simple everyday tasks much easier: checking email, surfing the Internet, viewing and simply editing documents, viewing graphs and drawings, reading e-books. The diagonal of most tablets usually ranges from 7 to 10 inches, which is quite comparable to netbooks. A screen of this size allows you to fully load web pages and view office documents with almost no scrolling. Tablets are quite convenient for displaying, for example, your own portfolio, graphs, diagrams and so on. The presence of a touch screen significantly reduces the time for such small movements as scrolling through files or changing the scale, and the finger-oriented interface is much more convenient than a mouse or touchpad on laptops.
Thanks to the abundance of programs for tablets, it can become a real professional tool. Office applications allow you to create and edit documents and spreadsheets on the go. Available for iOS and Android devices, Photoshop Express is a great tool for mobile image retouching. The well-known Garage Band application for the iPad tablet is a real mini-studio for music lovers.
In a word, thanks to application markets for tablets, you can solve almost any problem. Nevertheless, former Apple CEO Steve Jobs very accurately described the essence of tablets at iPad presentations 2: “A tablet and a desktop computer are like a car and a truck. A passenger car copes with many tasks, but for more difficult work you need a truck.” So the tablet should be perceived as a convenient tool for simple work and not expect more serious functionality from it.
Reason two: it is suitable for home
You can find a lot of uses for a tablet at home. When tablets first appeared, many considered them just a prestigious photo frame, but this is far from the case. It’s much more convenient to read the latest news, check your email or select photos from your next trip while sitting on the couch rather than at your desk. In addition, many tablets today have the function of connecting to a TV via HDMI, that is, it is possible to play videos or photos on the TV screen through the tablet. For example, tablets Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Apple iPad 2, Acer Iconia Tab 501 and others are equipped with similar outputs, but connection will require special adapters and cables. Again, thanks to the application market, the tablet can become a convenient planner of current affairs and purchases, an alarm clock, an adviser and a true friend.
Reason three: it's easy to travel with
Perhaps the main advantage of a tablet is its mobility, the ability to always have it at hand without unnecessary problems. The average weight of tablets ranges from 600 to 900 grams, which is significantly less than most netbooks. The tablet will easily fit into a briefcase or a handbag and will become an excellent companion on the road. The memory capacity of most tablets today is at least 16 GB, which is enough for a collection of your favorite tunes, a good hundred e-books and a couple of videos to pass the time on the road.
Using your tablet, you can immediately create photo galleries (for example, Acer Iconia Tab A500 has a reading connector microSD cards and a USB connector for flash drives). Time battery life tablets lasts from 6 to 10 hours (for example, the famous iPad tablet from Apple works for at least 10 hours), which means you do not need to constantly carry and charger. In this regard, the tablet is much more like mobile phone, which today you simply cannot do without.
Many tablets are equipped with a GPS navigator and contain maps, which can be convenient when walking or driving in unfamiliar places. Of course, with a large screen size, the tablet will not be as convenient to use as a traditional GPS navigator, but in difficult times it will tell you the way.
Reason four: it is also interesting for children
The good thing about a tablet is that there can be many scenarios for its use. However, as practice shows, tablets are much more accessible to children than computers or laptops due to their simple design.
According to numerous user reviews, two-year-old children can easily learn to work with a tablet on mobile system iOS, on which the popular tablet iPad 2 runs. More and more companies today are developing new educational and developmental applications for children for it - interactive alphabet books, bright books, fun games. In this regard, tablets provide more freedom for creativity, more interactivity in games and applications due to touch capacitive screens and support for multiple touches (multi-touch). Thus, the tablet can become one of the most original ways education and development of children, especially since currently from mobile technologies there's no escape.
Reason five: it is easy to modify
Bluetooth Keyboard Case and Keyboard Dock
The good thing about tablets is that most of them can be easily modified depending on the needs of the user. The ability to connect tablets to a TV to watch movies has already been mentioned above. For those who type a lot, tablets with a detachable keyboard (for example, Asus EEE Pad Transformer) are suitable. Many tablet models also come with a Bluetooth keyboard; in this case, it’s worth purchasing a docking station to fix the tablet in a certain position. For the iPad 2, for example, there is a keyboard with a docking station that also recharges the tablet computer. Accessory manufacturers have even gone so far as to create special cases with a keyboard already built into them, which quite elegantly solves the problem of typing on the road or when moving privately.
Case with notepad
By the way, the range of cases for tablets is incredibly diverse, and you can choose convenient options specifically for your needs. There are even somewhat redundant hybrids: for example, a tablet case contains an additional block for traditional handwritten notes. In a word, with the help of additional accessories you can turn your tablet into a truly functional and convenient device for you.
Reason six: tablets are different
HTC Flyer Asus EEE Pad Transformer and Sony Tablet P
Despite the fact that the tablet market is currently just gaining momentum, many manufacturers are already delighting users with a variety of options that are completely different from each other.
Already mentioned above Asus tablet The EEE Pad Transformer features a detachable keyboard that, when connected to the tablet, makes it feel incredibly similar to a regular laptop.
HTC's Flyer tablet is an interesting combination of mobility and functionality - a seven-inch screen, light weight and a special stylus for taking notes in almost any application. Due to its size, such a tablet is suitable for those who travel frequently and want to be constantly in touch. The tablet is comfortable to hold in your hand and work with it on the move.
A compromise option between seven and ten inches offers Samsung company- 8.9-inch Galaxy tablet Tab 8.9. Recently, an elegant solution for ladies has appeared on the market: Sony tablet Tablet P is a clamshell with two screens based on the Android operating system.
All this diversity indicates that manufacturers continue to look for new forms and variations of tablets for different categories of users, which means choosing something suitable will not be difficult.
Reason seven: he looks impressive
Whatever you say, a tablet is a fashion device, effective in almost any environment. Undoubtedly, your friends and colleagues will appreciate and envy the convenience and portability of your tablet, and will also feel the benefits of this device when demonstrating its capabilities.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the tablet is not a complete replacement for either a laptop or cell phone, so it can hardly be called one of the most necessary devices. However, the positive aspects of the tablet are quite obvious, so it can become a quite useful assistant in your mobile family.
Consumer electronics stores are filled with a variety of tablets. At first it seems that they all differ only in size and price tag. Even externally the devices are very similar! How to choose the right model for yourself? The answer is simple - read this article. We promise that after reading the material you will easily choose the most suitable tablet for yourself.
Sometimes, when choosing a tablet, a consumer focuses on secondary parameters. We wish you to avoid these mistakes. This article does not mention some characteristics precisely because they are not worth paying attention to. In a word, we will be glad if this guide helps you!
Choosing an operating system
An operating system is a collection of utility programs available on any sufficiently complex electronic device. It is its presence that allows “regular” applications to use the hardware capabilities of the gadget, ensures interaction with the user, etc. Modern tablets are equipped with one of three popular operating systems: iOS, Android or Windows. There are also “tablets” on store shelves that have a couple of operating systems installed at once. But this is more of an exception to the rule and concerns the Android/Windows combination.
iOS
The most stable operating system is iOS. It is maximally optimized, due to which it does not require a large amount of RAM. When choosing an iOS tablet, you get thoughtful attention to detail user interface And huge amount diverse applications. But be prepared for the fact that many of them will be paid. This OS is the property of Apple, so it is installed only on its iPad tablets, the cost of which is higher than devices with Android or Windows on board. But the products of Cupertino have the longest technical support, and the performance of even outdated generations of Apple gadgets is not inferior to competing offerings built on modern hardware platforms. A huge advantage of the entire family of iOS devices is the presence of a convenient ecosystem. Of course, to take full advantage of it, you need to be the owner of more than one device with an apple on the lid. The downside of closed iOS is the difficulty of direct exchange user files and limitations in customizing the interface. Well, the inability to expand the available memory capacity scares off many potential buyers.
Pros: easy to use, easy to learn, has a developed and convenient ecosystem.
Cons: closed platform, memory cards are not supported, problems with exchanging third-party files, impossibility of customization (installing themes and other utilities that change the interface).
Android
operating room Android system is open and free, which is why it is chosen by most tablet manufacturers. The software is developed by Google. The system is regularly updated, but owners of budget devices may not feel this. Some manufacturers are simply too lazy to update the firmware for those tablet computers that have been replaced by new models. The openness of Android means for users the ease of replacing “standard” applications: player, browser, keyboard, dialer, etc. Another thing is that changing really fundamental things requires the presence of “direct” hands and often entails a loss of warranty. The most unpleasant feature of this operating system is the growing appetite for system resources and the tendency to become overgrown with digital “garbage”. If a couple of generations of Android ago a sufficient amount of RAM was considered whole gigabytes, then in 2018 they are already talking about 2 Gb total. As for “garbage,” the built-in OS tools have not yet learned how to successfully deal with it. In particularly advanced cases, returning the device to a comfortable operating speed can only be done by full reset with the loss of ALL user data. Fortunately, such a radical method is required extremely rarely.
Pros: rich functionality, the ability to change the interface at your discretion, a large number of free applications.
Cons: rare system updates on budget tablets, increased resource requirements for stable operation.
Windows
Tablet computers with Windows on board have existed for a long time. But it wasn't until a few years ago that they started getting rid of fans and processors that drained battery power. And with the release of the tenth version of this operating system, the interface of such devices has become much more user-friendly. On the one hand, Microsoft programmers creatively adapted many necessary things, for example, quick display of active applications, implemented a back button and a notification center. On the other hand, Windows 10 has learned to automatically switch to a more convenient mode when working with the keyboard, and the corresponding algorithm is configured. Compared to Android, this system better optimized for low-power hardware platforms. But this same feature has become an indirect reason that current Windows tablets are either high-performance solutions or downright weak, but with a keyboard. Well, the main advantage of the Microsoft operating system is the ability to use almost any “adult” applications. Some of them don’t even have a keyboard, as long as the hardware capacity allows it.
Pros: the most convenient environment for full-fledged work with a variety of content, support for third-party peripherals.
Cons: extremely limited number of offerings with average performance levels.
Let's figure out what size tablet to choose
Photo: planshetclub.ru
7-8 inches
Portable tablets are well suited for use at home, work or school. This is facilitated by their minimal dimensions and weight. It is with the help of such “tablets” that people read books, listen to music, watch movies or play games on the go. Compact tablets convenient as car navigators, as well as tools for mobile surfing. Finally, it is the optimal size for children's hands.
Pros: compact dimensions, minimal weight, low cost.
Cons: The resolution most often turns out to be low, and the filling is not powerful enough.
10 inches
The best choice of tablet for home use. At the same time, modern tablet models have become so thin and light that no difficulties arise when transporting them. Large dimensions allow it to be placed in the body of such a device speaker system better and a battery with a higher capacity. At the same time, many manufacturers believe that such a large tablet does not need a conversational GSM module, even if the circuit design provides support for 3G technology.
Pros: The display size is suitable for solving a large number of tasks. Both in mobile and stationary use cases.
Cons: In budget models, due to insufficient screen resolution, graininess is noticeable; many tablets lack a telephone module; Windows devices do not have high-performance hardware.
More than 10 inches
Larger tablet computers are now available. They are equipped with a screen with a diagonal of 11 to 13 inches. Usually these are “tablets” with installed iOS or Windows, equally large devices with Android are produced much less frequently. It is clear that such devices are not very mobile and, as a rule, they are aimed at professional use.
Pros: the best size for comfortable work with both the keyboard and the stylus. Good for watching movies.
Cons: too large dimensions and considerable weight.
Choosing the best processor for a tablet
Photo: paulov.ru
Strictly speaking, the “motor” of most tablets consists of several specialized nodes, technologically combined on a single substrate, and it is called a single-chip system (System-on-a-Chip or SoC). The only exception here is high-performance professional-level solutions built on processors Intel Core M or ULV, but we will not consider the features of the latter.
Number of cores
So, a typical SoC contains a number of computing units (cores) that have an ARM architecture. Again, the exception is single-chip systems of the Intel Atom family that work with x86/x64 instructions. Cores can be combined into so-called clusters and this is done to optimize energy consumption. Let's say, half of them operate at high frequencies and are turned on when necessary to service requests for greater computing power. The second “works” the rest of the time, and since the nuclei in it are relatively low-frequency, significantly less energy is consumed. It is impossible to give unambiguous advice on what number of cores is optimal in a particular case. For example, the 6-core A11 Bionic chip (from Apple) will tear the latest 8-core Helio P40 (from Mediatek), as they say, to shreds. The most we can recommend here is to pay attention to the “freshness” of the kernels. When choosing a processor for a tablet, it is best to focus on the Cortex A55/A75 generation, or at least on the A53/A73 combination (energy efficient/fast, respectively), as well as their custom versions.
Video subsystem
The second component of the mobile processor is the accelerator - a kind of built-in video card. If the tablet is not intended to be used for gaming or working with complex graphics, you don’t need to pay much attention to the performance of this unit. Otherwise, you have to take into account the speed at which the video accelerator is capable of performing floating point operations (Flops). In addition, screen resolution also matters here. Everyone has their own idea of a comfortable refresh rate, as well as requirements for graphics quality settings. However, we would venture to say that tablets with SoCs delivering about 100 GFlops have sufficient gaming performance.
SoCs and their manufacturers
The development of the ARM architecture itself was carried out by the company of the same name, which licensed its solutions to everyone. Currently, the rights to this intellectual property have been acquired by the Japanese corporation SoftBank. There are about one and a half thousand licensees in total, but we are interested in the following products:
APPLE Ax
Based on the licensed ones, the Cupertino team is developing its own version of the kernels. PowerVR accelerators from Imagination Technologies are used as the graphics subsystem. The A11 Bionic single-chip system already has its own GPU, but tablets based on this SoC are not yet available. Very powerful chips in every sense, even the outdated A9. There are fewer cores, lower frequencies, and they beat all competitors.
Pros: Apple tablets have truly high gaming and general performance, and also support all the most advanced features.
Cons: overpriced.
Samsung also prefers to modify stock cores. Its SoC series 7870, 7880, 7885 and all eight-thousand series are currently relevant. To process graphics, they use older versions of Mali accelerators (T830, T880, G71). What can I say - the power of such a system is enough for all the needs of the tablet and its owner. If necessary, South Koreans install third-party SoCs in their devices.
Pros: Samsung tablets characterized by excellent performance and the presence of all modern bells and whistles.
Cons: price, sometimes unoptimized firmware.
INTEL ATOM
The feature of this single-chip system is its extremely low power consumption. The company managed to “shrink” its thermal package to a couple of watts, and Intel now does not want to change this situation. Accordingly, we are not even talking about any performance records. Unfortunately, low-budget Windows tablets are based on the Atom platform.
Pros: tablets based on Intel Atom chips are different affordable price and decent autonomy.
Cons: The power of a single-chip system is only enough to perform simple tasks.
This SoC family is produced by a subsidiary of Huawei for some mobile devices of the parent brand. The Chinese do not bother with upgrading stock ARM cores, so their single-chip systems usually work a little slower than their classmates. Just like Exynos, Kirin chips have Mali graphics accelerators. The trouble is that HiSilicon engineers (or management) like to save money. Where Samsung's SoC uses a 12-core version of Mali, Huawei mobile processors often make do with 4-core ones. With all the ensuing consequences.
Pros: a brand with very decent flagship-level chips.
Cons: Mid-budget single-chip systems have good overall performance and mediocre gaming performance.
MEDIATEK
The brand of the same name is more fully represented than all its competitors in the segment of low-cost solutions. The company uses ready-made cores and graphics (PowerVR and Mali). It does not engage in optimization, does not have its own production, and its financial capabilities do not allow it to invest in partners. As a result, MediaTek single-chip systems lag behind alternative offerings because they are manufactured according to outdated technological standards. On paper, such SoCs may look great, but in real life, not so much. But the company’s chips simply work perfectly with GPS.
Pros: a huge range of entry-level and mid-level single-chip systems.
Cons: noticeably inferior to industry leaders in technological terms.
SNAPDRAGON
The most popular and most widespread single-chip systems. They are developed by Qualcomm based on deeply redesigned licensed cores and its own Adreno accelerators. Such SoCs are characterized by excellent general and gaming performance, good energy efficiency, and other goodies. Main disadvantage- increased cost.
Pros: Snapdragon chips make excellent tablets of various levels.
Cons: They are relatively expensive, and the most affordable solutions are inferior to their direct competitors on other platforms.
RockChip, Spreadtrum and the like
They specialize in ultra-budget solutions. Stock cores and accelerators, the most “rough” technological standards possible at the time of production—no miracles can be expected from such single-chip systems.
Pros: the corresponding tablets have tempting price tags.
Cons: suitable for the most undemanding users. As a rule, they have an outdated set of wireless interfaces and are not at all impressive in terms of autonomy.
Process
We have already mentioned this term several times, it remains to explain what the standards used to create the SoC influence. Everything is very simple, the smaller the chip topology, the higher its operating frequencies (performance) and the lower the power consumption. The most technologically advanced mobile crystals are now manufactured at 10 nm standards. The 14-16 nm process technology is also still quite modern.
RAM
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It is a storage device with quick access to content that requires constant “maintenance” of stored information. When the power is turned off, the latter simply disappears. While the tablet is operating, the RAM contains the operating system kernel, various services, running applications, as well as most of the data they use. If there is not enough space for a priority task, part user programs executing in background, can stop and move into the so-called cache. With a more rigid option, only important data remains there, and the applications themselves are completely “unloaded”. The bad thing is that a significant lack of RAM leads not only to slower operation of the device, but also to active use of the built-in memory, i.e. its accelerated wear. How more applications you are going to use simultaneously (for example, a client social network, messenger, music player, game), the more impressive your tablet should be according to this characteristic. For hardcore gamers, we generally recommend focusing on the amount of memory with an “extra” gigabyte. At the same time, a clear excess of this resource entails increased battery consumption.
1 GB
A critical minimum, sufficient for the system to operate and one or two simple user applications. In principle, such a volume is available in low-power devices that are not suitable for anything else. It is best if the operating system of a tablet of this class has a lightweight user shell. Ideally, “naked” Android.
Pros: affordable price.
Cons: serious restrictions on the number of programs running in the background.
2 GB
Normal amount of memory for most applications with a moderate appetite for system resources. It will be enough for several background applications, five or two open tabs in the browser and display the image on the screen with a resolution no higher than Full HD. “Heavy” games will work, but almost all other tasks will have to be stopped. This applies to Android and Windows. The iOS operating system will not experience any problems with 2 GB memory.
Pros: The lack of RAM is almost never felt.
Cons: insufficient volume for particularly demanding games and resolutions above Full HD.
3 GB
A comfortable amount of RAM for the vast majority of situations and scenarios for using the tablet. Guarantees stable system operation with a 2K resolution screen. Noticeable delays can only be observed when running two resource-intensive applications in parallel.
Pros: There will always be enough memory, with the exception of specific cases.
Cons: practically none.
4 GB or more
More than three gigabytes of RAM is still relatively rare in tablets. This volume does not limit the user in any way; it is enough for any number of applications and all three-dimensional games.
Pros: absence of any restrictions.
Cons: high cost.
Additional functionality
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Memory card slot
Any tablet computer has some amount of non-volatile memory. It is also called constant. It stores the operating system and user data (applications, music, videos, documents and other files). Card slot helps expand available space microSD memory. Unfortunately, it is not available in Apple products, so you will have to decide right away which iPad with how much built-in memory to buy.
Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G
Before buying a tablet, be sure to familiarize yourself with what modules are used to connect to the Internet. Budget devices offer data transfer only via Wi-Fi. A little more expensive devices There is a slot for a SIM card. In this case, you can connect to 3G networks. Modern models capable of working with mobile networks fourth generation. It would be a good idea for you to clarify which LTE bands the tablet supports. Domestic operators can exchange data on the bands B3, B7, B20, B38 and B40. But there is no particular variety in terms of high-speed Internet connection capabilities among 4G tablets yet. Returning to Wi-Fi, let us recall that this wireless interface can operate at frequencies of 2.4 and 5 GHz. If you frequently use your tablet in an apartment building or a large business center, you should opt for a dual-band model.
GPS navigation
Most tablets can successfully perform the functions of a navigator, but there are some models built using a universal radio module. Those. The device supports cellular networks - there is GPS. An example would be the “simply” Wi-Fi and Cellular versions of the iPad.
Cameras
The last thing you should pay attention to when choosing a tablet is the camera. Nowadays, it’s a rare manufacturer that integrates decent optics and a sensor into a tablet. The resolution of the main module matrix is most often five or eight megapixels. The photo quality does not exceed that obtained when using a mid-priced smartphone. About budget tablets and there is nothing to say - they produce blurry or too noisy pictures.
Keyboard support
In general, there are no fundamental restrictions for using a Bluetooth keyboard in any tablet. And many models with operating Windows system have full-size USB ports, making possible connection a manipulator or input device via a radio channel through an appropriate adapter. The peculiarity of the listed options is that such methods do not guarantee the stability of the pairing, and they are also accompanied by increased energy consumption. If you plan to use the tablet for active work with text, choose a tablet with a supplied or optional keyboard connected via a mechanical connector.
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When choosing a drawing tablet, first of all we pay attention to:
- stylus- it must be included in the kit.
- display— resolution and diagonal should be as high as possible.
Additionally, look at the operating system. A huge number have been created for Windows graphic editors, but not every tablet will run Photoshop. Therefore, in some cases it is worth looking towards Android, which is much better optimized for use on a portable device. Professional models on iOS are ideal for digital creativity, but they also have an appropriate price.
Tablet computer for the Internet
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If you buy a tablet primarily for surfing the Internet, when choosing, pay attention to:
- display— its diagonal should be large enough so that small print can be easily read.
- 3G or 4G support- thanks to it you can access the Internet via mobile networks.
It is advisable to familiarize yourself with the amount of RAM. The larger it is, the more stable the browser will work, the more tabs you can open. The operating system is of least interest. Surfing the Internet is the same for both iOS and Android or Windows.
Tablet computer for games
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If you are choosing a tablet for gaming, then pay attention to:
- CPU— you need to focus on a model with a powerful graphics subsystem.
- RAM - many modern games are demanding on its volume; they require at least 3 GB.
Additionally, you should familiarize yourself with the battery capacity. Even a tablet with a fairly solid battery will not allow you to play for more than four hours at a time. What can we say about Chinese devices with tiny batteries...
Tablet computer for a child
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If you are going to give a tablet to a child, then pay attention to:
- availability of children's mode— there is absolutely no need for a child to go to “adult” sites, and the user interface of the device should be colorful and extremely simple.
- accessories— the device will have to withstand increased loads, so a thick protective bumper will be very useful.
Pay attention to the possibility of the tablet “growing” along with the child’s development. Specialized models are good in terms of ease of access to children's content, but they do not have much potential.
