GSMArena tablet shopping guide: December 2013

2 December 2013
Not that a disclaimer is needed but the timing of this article is purely coincidental. Helping you decide what gadget to buy is what we’ve been doing for over a decade, and not just around the Christmas holidays. So, there we go, simply following up on...

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  • D
  • AnonD-198855
  • Pxd
  • 03 Dec 2013

I also cant understand why GSMArena is against MS. When you say limited apps, you have to understand that nearly all the apps which are important is available for MS Tablets and Phones. Regarding touch optimization, i haven't seen a phone or a tablet which is much more smoother and faster and not leggy other than MS Tablets and Phones. Even other products are good too. Thank you.

    • D
    • AnonD-212036
    • frj
    • 03 Dec 2013

    All too small. Bring out the 21" Panasonic tablet :D

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • isK
      • 03 Dec 2013

      AnonD-149447, 03 Dec 2013Agreed... All of this anti-RT nonsense is simply deplorable... moreJust to inform you, most people are whining about how Windows Phone apps are not compatible, and not .exe apps. And what's the point of a fluid and nice UI if there aren't any apps to go along? I don't think you'll spend hours everyday just swiping between screens will you? It's the apps that count, and as of now Windows RT is failing miserably.

        • D
        • AnonD-209094
        • vaN
        • 03 Dec 2013

        iPad is the BEST, 03 Dec 2013I have a 5.5" phablet and after using it for about 4 m... moreI agree that 5.5 can be too big for a phone but most people dont think so. I would not mind having a smaller phone myself and then a phablet for use at home, but I found 5 inch phones to be of acceptable size for all-in-one devices, of course excluding the Xperia Z1 which is way too big.

        As for using a tablet instead of my 5 inch FHD phone, no way, unless it was a very small high res tablet.

          • i
          • iPad is the BEST
          • IiE
          • 03 Dec 2013

          I have a 5.5" phablet and after using it for about 4 months now, I find to both too big for daily use as a phone, and too small to use regularly for anything but a phone.

          I do use an iPad, much more so than the comparable size Samsung I have at the office.

          The iPad is just a better experience, both in terms of overall UI of the OS and the apps, and in terms of the screen ratio.

          16x9 screens are not well-suited to web browsing (all you see is the top of the page in landscape), nor for reading anything like PDFs or other documents.

          When given the choice, in the long run nobody I know reaches for the Samsungs, if an iPad is available.

            • D
            • AnonD-101525
            • KIP
            • 03 Dec 2013

            I am very satisfied to read whole article, because I am using Samsung galaxy tab 7.7 from last two years. Its Super Amoled screen and video watching experience is amazing. Its also amazing no current tab is beating premium quality of Samsung tab 7.7.Still after two years I can watch 05 full length movies with auto brightness in a single charge. Amazing Battery, Amazing screen, Amazing build quality.

              • D
              • AnonD-209094
              • vaN
              • 03 Dec 2013

              AnonD-209094, 03 Dec 2013Warning to first time tablet buyers, you may never really u... moreBy the way, if you already have a tablet you are not using and thinking it's because you bought the wrong one then the alarm bells should chime loudly, don't fall for the braindead argument "you should get an iPad instead because it has a better user experience and optimized apps".

              Changing one failure with another is even more stupid than buying a tablet in the first place, yet I see lots of people doing this, buying iPad or Surface/Surface 2 to replace the android tablet they never used. Realize that there isn't anything wrong with android tablets, it's the whole big tablet thing that is wrong in this era of big FHD smartphones. Small tablets can sometimes be justified though.

                • D
                • AnonD-209094
                • vaN
                • 03 Dec 2013

                Warning to first time tablet buyers, you may never really use your tablet, especially if you get a big one.

                The best "tablet" for most people is a Full HD 5 to 6 inch smartphone. If you have an iPhone then go ahead and buy an iPad Mini since your phone is unsuited for serious web browsing both because of display size and resolution.

                This is proven by the Black Friday shipping traffic, very few iOS users placed orders from their phones compared to from iPads, while on Android it was the opposite - far the most orders were placed from phones.

                Big tablets collecting dust has become commonplace after large display phones took over the smartphone market. My sister loved her iPad3 but after she upgraded from Galaxy S to S4 she hasn't used the iPad.

                Another problem is that tablets tend to not be personal devices, which is another reason why most people prefer their phones, I know a guy who used only his Galaxy S2 even if he have a quad-core high end Asus 10 incher.

                Ok first time buyers, you are warned, buying a tablet for xmas is a decision you are likely to regret, make sure you really want and need one. For me tablet was a waste of money, it's not even suitable as chopping board.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • tht
                  • 03 Dec 2013

                  you guys should include Lenovo A3000. i know it won't win any benchmarks, but it has decent price/performance.
                  and i love how it deals with the internal storage, it's a full 16GB without any kind of partitions.
                  so yes, you can virtually install all your apps in those 16GB without the need of external storage.

                    • D
                    • AnonD-51240
                    • vjs
                    • 03 Dec 2013

                    Only con for the Asus Transformer Pad TF701T is that it doesn't have FM radio? Wow, that makes it easily the best compared to the rest as I can definitely live without FM radio.

                      • D
                      • AnonD-149447
                      • 42b
                      • 03 Dec 2013

                      AnonD-211249, 02 Dec 2013Excellent guide but there are two things i must mention ... moreAgreed... All of this anti-RT nonsense is simply deplorable given that ALL apps designed for Windows 8.1 (FULL) Modern UI is 100% compatible with the Windows RT Modern UI, and to Willfully Misinform Readers Into Thinking Otherwise (as in RT devices might soon become obsolete) Is Woefully Misleading.

                      I have iPads, Windows (Full), Windows RT and Android tablets and have zero reservations in stating that Windows Modern UI is by far the most fluid, functional and touch-optimized of ANY current tablet operating system. All this inane whining about RT not being able to run Windows 'EXE' applications goes completely against the FACT that those Windows 'EXE" applications were/are not designed for Touch Interfaces and will become a thing of the past sooner than later as Microsoft focuses more and more on Windows Modern UI on Tablets, Touch Screen Convertibles, Laptops and Desktops.

                      ...and Seriously - Who in their right mind who want to try 'tapping' on/touch navigating through Windows 'EXE" applications UI elements on a 10 to 11 display anyway?

                      FACT: Windows Modern UI (as featured prominently in Windows RT) IS The Future of Windows and the App Selection Improves Daily - So Get Used To It.

                        • frh
                        • uuA
                        • 02 Dec 2013

                        I think its a pretty fair list.
                        Would have liked to see Dell Venue 8 Pro in the list but probably its not fully released yet.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • nEU
                          • 02 Dec 2013

                          AnonD-201116, 02 Dec 2013Just ordered the nexus 7, hopefully it'll be here this week... moreI think you made a good decision, as the Nexus is at a fantastic price for great specs. I'd recommend it over the Kindle Fire any day just for the Google Android experience.

                          I went for the iPad mini, which fits me well because I like the screen size for reading/browsing and I'm more invested in iOS than Android.

                            • D
                            • AnonD-201116
                            • kCb
                            • 02 Dec 2013

                            Just ordered the nexus 7, hopefully it'll be here this week. Was at micro center when and tried all these tablets I just decided to go with the nexus for android updates and amazing price because of black Friday deals

                              • D
                              • DaMan
                              • m}E
                              • 02 Dec 2013

                              Hos about adding some tablets running full Windows on Atom processors? Or event Core i5/7

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • nEU
                                • 02 Dec 2013

                                AnonD-211249, 02 Dec 2013Excellent guide but there are two things i must mention ... moreThe iPad 3 should have had a faster chipset to handle the Retina display.

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-85136
                                  • 6Qp
                                  • 02 Dec 2013

                                  xperia z tab i love it

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-211249
                                    • amj
                                    • 02 Dec 2013

                                    Excellent guide but there are two things i must mention

                                    not every one needs bigger memory or support for sd card slot.

                                    i dont understand why is every single site against microsoft.

                                    i have a surface rt tablet and ipad 3g and my friend has galaxy note. out of all these three the surface is more smoother and better touch optimised and doesnt fell laggy as compared to ipad 3 and glaxy note.

                                    thank you