This year was a huge year for tablets – with Windows 8 beginning it’s rise to fame and the need for bigger, better tablets. So if you’re thinking about buying a tablet for yourself or someone else, you’re probably thinking which one to get. We’re hear to help! We’ve constructed this gift guide to help you choose a tablet. Here’s what we think will please this summer.
For more Holiday Gifts, Guides and Reviews, just like this one, visit our Holiday Gift Guide hub or search for the hashtag #tgHGG.
Best Value
Nexus 7 (2013)
If you’re looking for a small, cheap tablet that will do pretty much everything you’d want it to do then it’s hard to go past the new Nexus 7 tablet from Google. With stock Android 4.4 and LTE 4G available if needed, the Nexus 7 (2013) is a great gift. Featuring a quad core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB RAM, 16/32GB storage and a 7″ IPS HD display, it’s a hard tablet to ignore. Available for $299 and $339 for the 16GB and 32GB WiFi versions respectively, it’s pretty damn cheap. You can get the tablet directly from Google Play or JB Hi-Fi also sell them for a little cheaper.
Surface 2
If you’re a fan of Windows (like me) you’d probably want a Windows 8 tablet. The Surface 2 is a huge improvement over the original Surface and it really shows. With Windows 8.1 preinstalled and a 10 hour battery life, the Surface 2 is perfect for work or play. As an added bonus, Microsoft are including 200GB of SkyDrive storage and Unlimited Skype Minutes with every purchase as well. Of course, Surface 2 includes full Microsoft office and a USB 3.0 port. The Surface 2 has a NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 10.6″ 1080p HD display. You’ll be able to pick one up for $529 and $639 for the 32GB and 64GB versions respectively from the Microsoft Store or JB Hi-Fi.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7″
For those on a budget, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is a great option. With it’s small form factor and cheap price, the Galaxy Tab 3 7″ would be a perfect gift for a child or teenager. Featuring Android 4.2, it’s powered by a Dual-Core Processor, 1GB of RAM and 16/32GB storage options. The Galaxy Tab 3 7″ also has a IPS display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 – not an amazing figure but it definitely does the job. The Galaxy Tab 3 7″ is available from most technology retailers as Samsung don’t sell it directly. You can pick it up from JB HiFi for $228.
Multimode
Lenovo Yoga Tablet
This is definitely an interesting tablet to note. It’s the Lenovo Yoga Tablet and it’s the first Multimode tablet that Lenovo has produced. The Yoga has three functions: The Hold Mode allows the tablet to be easily held in the hand while browsing the web, The Stand Mode allows the tablet to stand the tablet up on a desk or table and the Tilt Mode to type directly on the tablet at an angle (pictured above). The tablet comes in two versions, an 8-inch and 10-inch which have an impressive 16 hours and 18 hours battery life respectively. The Yoga Tablet features Android 4.2, a Quad Core processor, 1GB of RAM and the option of 16GB and 32GB storage options. The Yoga Tablet is available directly from Lenovo at $349 and $399, for the 8-in and 10-in versions.
Performance / Business Use
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2
The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 is one of Lenovo’s latest offerings into the Windows 8 market. Targeted for those power or business users, the Tablet 2 is a light, powerful and mobile device. The Tablet 2 is powered by an Intel Atom Processor, 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The 10.1″ IPS HD display is impressive and has stylus compatibility should you choose it. We did a review on the Tablet 2 and gave it a 7.0/10; you can check it out here. The Tablet 2 is available directly from Lenovo starting at $759 going up to $959 with NFC and 3G included.
Surface Pro 2
The Surface Pro 2 is the latest device from Microsoft. An update from the Surface Pro which was originally announced last year, the Surface Pro 2 aims to be an all-rounder device. The Surface Pro 2 has an Intel Core i5 Haswell processor, 4GB/8GB of RAM and 64-512GB of memory. Unlike the Surface 2, this Surface can run all of your old (or new) applications – which is perfect for those business users that rely on special software. As an added bonus, Microsoft are including 200GB of SkyDrive storage and Unlimited Skype Minutes with every purchase as well. We did a review on the Surface Pro 2 and it was given a 8.5/10 – you can read it here. As great as it sounds, the Surface Pro 2 is quite pricey. Starting at $1,019 for the 4GB RAM/64GB Storage option. You’ll be spending a hefty $2,039 for the 8GB RAM/512GB Storage option. Available directly from Microsoft.
All prices are in Australian Dollars unless otherwise noted.