Computer Shopper - UK (2021-01)

ISSUE395|COMPUTER SHOPPER|JANUARY2021 51

01

Alltabletsrelyonanoperatingsystem

(OS)torunapps.Youhavethreemain

choices:Apple’siOS,whichrunsontheiPad;

Android,whichGooglelicensestovarious

manufacturers;andWindows10,whichhas

become common in hybrid tablets and

convertibles. If you own an Apple or Google

smartphone,you can download your apps,

music and so on to atablet that runs the

same OS, so it makes sense to stick with a

compatible device.

02

It’s important to pick atablet that has

agood-quality,high-resolution screen.

Many budget tablets have 1,280x800-

resolution displays, but better tablets have

Full HD 1,920x1,080 panels, and we’re

Choosinga... Tablet

starting to see tablets that have even higher

screen resolutions. Some are as high as

2,560x1,600 or even 4K. Entry-level tablets

typically use TN panels, which don’t have

particularly good viewing angles. The viewing

angles of IPSpanelsare much better.

03

If you want to listen to music, watch

films and playgames, make sure your

tablet has plenty of storage.Many tablets

come with 8GB or 16GB of internal storage,

although some budget models have less.

You’ll typically paymore forahigher storage

capacity.Many tablets also have microSD

slots that let you add extra storage,although

you won’t find one on an iPad. This is acheap

wayofboosting storage capacity.

04

Tablets rarely include aSIM card

slot. This means you’ll have to rely

on Wi-Fi to get online,although some

tablets let you access the internet through

your smartphone.Ifyou want mobile access

to the internet, look for3G- and 4G-ready

devices. These almost always cost more

than Wi-Fi-only models, but they’re great

if you use your tablet while commuting

or travelling.

05

Your choice of tablet determines the

apps you can use on it. Youmay find

that some of the apps you want are available

on iOS but not Android, and vice versa.

Windows 10, meanwhile,runstraditional

desktop applications.

TABLETS

AMAZONFireHD8( 20 20)

★★★★★

£230•www.amzn.to/3c4ztfy

APPLE iPad1 0 .2in

★★★★★

£343•www.amzn.to/32v58Ep

SAMSUNGGalaxyTabS6Lite

★★★★★

£349•www.johnlewis.com

MICROSOFT SurfaceGo2

★★★★★

£509•www.microsoft.com

SAMSUNGGalaxyTabS6

★★★★★

£601•www.johnlewis.com

APPLE iPadPro12.9in(2020)

★★★★★

£1,619•www.apple.com/uk

Amazon has crafted what might

just be the best budget tablet

around. It’s outwardly similar to

the previous Fire HD 8, but its faster processor,

doubled RAM and new,faster-charging USB Type-C port make sizable

improvements to what was already agreat-value slate.

After theprevious iPad pivoted to

an education focus, thelatest

model changes course again,

aiming to become amoreaffordable 2-in-1 than the iPad Pro range.It

works, too: theenlarged screen, Smart Connector forkeyboards and

high performance make forarelatively affordable laptop alternative.

This is afairly stark downgrade

from the standard TabS6, at least

in performance terms, but it’s

nonetheless avery accomplished mid-range

Android tablet. Youget an SPen stylus included

in the box, too, foreven more value.

Yes, the Surface Go 2isonly

half the device it can be

without its sold-separately

keyboard, but put together theymake for

amagnificently portable 2-in-1 that captures almost everything good

about the Surface family as awhole.

The TabS6isnosimpleslate.

Samsung’s DeX interface turns it into

aviable2-in-1 laptop alternative,

something that’s further enabled by itspowerful

processor and glorious, high-resolution touchscreen.

Another powerful iPad Pro,now

with aslick 120Hzdisplayand

iPadOS tweaks that make it even

better as alaptop alternative.The keyboard attachment’s trackpad is

awelcome addition as well, though you’ll need to buy this separately.

PROCESSORQuad-core2GHzMediaTekMT8 (^168) • SCREENSIZE 8 in•SCREENRESOLUTION
1, 28 0x (^800) • REARCAMERA 2 megapixels•STORAGE 8 GB•WIRELESSDATANo•DIMENSIONS
20 2x 137 x9.7mm•WEIGHT 3 55g•OPERATINGSYSTEMFireOS•WARRANTYOneyearRTB•
DETAILSwww.amazon.co.uk•PARTCODEFire HD8( 2020 )•FULLREVIEWNov2 020
PROCESSORQuad-coreAppleA 10 Fusion•SCREENSIZE10.2in•SCREENRESOLUTION
2, 16 0x1,6 (^20) • REARCAMERA8megapixels•STORAGE 3 2GB•WIRELESSDATA 4 G(cellularmodel)

• DIMENSIONS^215 x1^74 x7.5mm•WEIGHT^4 83g•OPERATINGSYSTEMiPadOS•WARRANTYOne
  yearRTB•DETAILSwww.apple.com/uk•PARTCODEiPad( 2019 )•FULLREVIEWFeb2 020

PROCESSOROcta-core2.3GHzSamsung Exynos 9611•SCREENSIZE10.4in•SCREEN

RESOLUTION2,000x1,200•REARCAMERA8megapixels•STORAGE64GB•WIRELESSDATA

4G (cellularmodel only)•DIMENSIONS245x154x7mm•WEIGHT465g•OPERATINGSYSTEM

Android 9.0•WARRANTYOneyear RTB•DETAILSwww.samsung.com•PARTCODE

SM-P610NZAABTU•FULLREVIEWSep 2020

PROCESSORDual-core1.1GHzIntel Core m3-8100Y•SCREENSIZE10.5in•SCREENRESOLUTION

1,920x1,280•REARCAMERA8megapixels•STORAGE128GB•WIRELESSDATANo•

DIMENSIONS245x175x8.3mm•WEIGHT745g (withkeyboard)•OPERATINGSYSTEMWindows

10 Home•WARRANTYOneyear RTB•DETAILSwww.microsoft.com•PARTCODESUA-00002•

FULLREVIEWSep 2020

PROCESSORQuad-core2.84GHzQualcommSnapdragon 855•SCREENSIZE10.5in•SCREEN

RESOLUTION2,560x1,440•REARCAMERAS15 megapixels,3megapixels•STORAGE128GB•

WIRELESSDATANo•DIMENSIONS245x160x5.7mm•WEIGHT420g•OPERATINGSYSTEM

Android 9.0•WARRANTYOneyear RTB•DETAILSwww.samsung.com/uk•PARTCODE

SM-T860NZAABTU•FULLREVIEWApr2020

PROCESSOROcta-core2.4GHz AppleA12XBionic•SCREENSIZE12.9in•SCREENRESOLUTION

2,732x2,048•REARCAMERAS12 megapixels, 10 megapixels•STORAGE1TB•WIRELESSDATA

Wi-Fi•DIMENSIONS281x215x5.9mm•WEIGHT643g•OPERATINGSYSTEMiPadOS•

WARRANTYOneyear RTB•DETAILSwww.apple.com/uk•PARTCODEiPad Pro12.9in(2020)•

FULLREVIEWOct2020

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