Tablets

Your loyal scribe remembers that first tablet purchase. It was an iPad, and while the functionality was over-the-moon and the speed otherworldly, the thought that it would ever come close to replacing a desk or laptop computer was crazy. Yet, we’re getting there, ladies and gentlemen. Tablets have exploded in popularity, and with wireless keyboards and unlimited computing power in the cloud, it begs the question – are traditional computers still necessary?

The short answer is yes. While there are plenty of things a tablet does well, there are also limitations. But let’s dive a bit deeper into how we got here. Most assume we owe all this to Apple. The iPad is by far the most well-known, recognized tablet on the market. Steve Jobs launched the iPad in 2010, but tablets had been around, in a more rudimentary form, since 1987. The Linus Write-Top might very well be the first tablet ever. It used a stylus-writing instrument, and the thing was the size of a laptop. Revolutionary for 1987, but not all that practical.

A couple years later the GridPad from Palm Computing hit the market. Much smaller, and also outfitted with a stylus, this was referred to as the first “tablet computer” because it ran MS-DOS. By 1997 the PalmPilot was causing a stir, and in 2002 the Windows XP tablet was introduced. All of these devices paved the way for Jobs and the iPad, which frankly blew these previous iterations away.

Today we have a ton of tablet options. Yet, there are only a handful of companies that are doing them really well. Apple is still up there, but so is Samsung. We’re going to present some customer favorites and let you decide.

Apple iPad Pro

At a generous 11 inches, this tablet ranks as one of the best in the world. It has undergone a re-design and the home button is now replaced with Face ID. The physical edges have also been trimmed down, and if 11-inches isn’t big enough, you can even upgrade to a 12.9-inch display. The 11-inch model packs 2388 x 1668 pixels and integrates Apple’s ProMotion technology. The speed is tough to match and storage is available from 64GB up to 1TB.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6

This model from Samsung deserves a mention, because if you’re an Android type of guy or gal, then the S6 is the closest you’ll get to the power and performance of the iPad Pro. In terms of the display, many feel the S6 bests the Pro. Their 2560 x 1600-pixel display is incredible from a viewer’s perspective, and even watching non-HDR content is still pleasurable on the S6. The same processor that powers the Galaxy S10 smartphone (Qualcomm Snapdragon 855) is in play with the S6, and this tablet packs in 4 speakers that can somehow handle the entertainment of any small get-together without a problem.

iPad Mini

For some, 11-inch or 12.5-inch screens are just too big. At this point, a small laptop might be the better purchase. The iPad Mini brings the screen size down to 8-inches, and carrying this tablet is absolutely effortless. For some time, Apple delayed updating its smaller tablets. But now 8-inch tablets like the Mini come with a powerful A12 Bionic processor, which makes watching movies or even gaming a real treat. Battery life is good (10 hours on a single charge), and there’s also a super functional 8-megapixel.

We don’t have the space to keep this review alive, but if you have kids, do check out the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. It gets rave reviews from parents and also won’t set you back an arm and a leg.