The GSMArena tablet shopping guide: March 2014

3G/4G midsize tablets

If you want to take your tablet on the go, then being able to rely on a 3G and/or LTE connection is almost a must. This section is for those of us that don't want to have to constantly bounce from Wi-Fi network to Wi-Fi network when we're out and about with our tablets.

First up, comes the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8. While its 1280 x 800 pixel display and quad-core MediaTek 1.2GHz processor may not be the best around, the Yoga 8 is one of the most affordable 8-inch tablets to offer 3G connectivity. Plus, its built-in 3-stage kickstand, 6,000 mAh battery and Dolby Digital Plus sound enhancement make it a great media player.

The screen may have a low resolution but it's an IPS LCD and has great side viewing angles.

The Yoga Tablet 8 does have fairly limited 3G network connectivity (it supports only two HSDPA bands - 900/2100Mhz), so be sure it has the right coverage for your area if you decide to get one.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 makes our list here thanks in large part to its extensive LTE support. The 8-inch tablet otherwise has low screen resolution of 800 x 1280px, and gets beat out by the LG G Pad 8.3 in terms of performance as well, but the LG offering has an LTE version only in the US and only for Sprint so the comparison is irrelevant here.

The Note 8.0 also has a wide array of connectivity extras, including an IR-port and an USB Host support.

Plus, Samsung's excellent pressure-sensitive S-Pen is perfect for jotting things down or doodling away and there's hardly a tablet out there that can match it.

The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9's LTE-enabled variant comes next. When it comes to pure processing power, very few other tablets can match or beat its quad-core 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor and Adreno 330 GPU alongside 2GB of RAM. The 2560 x 1600px display resolution also provides unparalleled until recently sharpness. It also features an 8MP primary camera with a front-facer capable of 720p video recording.

Keep in mind, though, that all Kindle Fires run on a highly customized Android version without support for Google Play, so you'll have to rely on the less-robust Amazon App Store for your app needs. It also doesn't have microSD card support, so we recommend at least the 32GB version if you decide to go for a Kindle.

The Apple iPad mini 2 again brings up the rear for buyers for whom cost is not an issue. Apple's latest mini has a 7.9" Retina display at 1536 x 2048px and a 4:3 aspect ratio. Apple's App store is second-to-none when it gets to tablets.

The LTE-enabled version offers an immensely wide LTE band support. It also has the benefit of a built-in GPS chip, something with the Wi-Fi only version lacks.

The iPad mini 2 does not come with a microSD card slot, so we recommend you get at least the 32GB version despite its exorbitant markup.

Usually, it was the Apple iPad range, which we recommended to buyers for whom cost was not an issue. But Samsung has recently released their premium mid-size tablet, which is even more expensive than Apple's latest iPad mini.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 also happens to have both a 3G and an LTE version. They cover more network bands that you can shake a stick at so choosing either will have you covered in most parts of the world.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 key selling feature is a 2560 x 1600px screen, a Snapdragon 800 processor, an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording and a microSD card slot.

It not only comes with the latest Android OS v4.4 (KitKat) but Samsung has also baked a spanking new tablet interface of their own, which truly elevates the tablet user experience to a whole new level (the split-screen multi-tasking view is well overdue on high-res screen tablets).