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DESPITE THE GROWING popularity of larger-screened smartphones, there’s still a place for the tablet. It’s still a handy device to have when you’re at home and you want to watch a movie and videos, or for completing quick tasks when you’re at home.
If you’re in the market for one, here are the best tablets out there this year.
iPad Air 2
Cost: €509 (16GB), €609 (64GB), €709 (64GB)
No matter what way you approach the subject of tablets, Apple will always be mentioned. While there are many competitors out there (and some come pretty close), the Air 2 manages to improve on last year’s model and set the standard for tablets. Lighter than ever, a better camera (yes, people do use it to take snaps), great hardware and Touch ID means the iPad range is still the one to beat.
Nexus 9
Cost: €399 (16GB), €489 (32GB)
Following up the popular Nexus 7 range, Google teamed up with HTC to bring about its successor and it’s also a powerhouse. Light as a feather, running the latest version of Android, and speedy performance means it’s one of the better high-end Android tablets out there.
Surface Pro 3
Cost: €819 (64GB), €919 (128GB), €1,229 (256GB), €1,889 (512GB)
While it doesn’t get as much love as other tablets/laptops, it’s worth looking at Microsoft’s tablet/laptop hybrid. Incredibly light, the kickstand rests on your lap nicely whatever way you use it, and the keyboard cover, while not included with the original purchase, is incredibly handy to use.
As a productivity tablet, it’s one of the best although the high price tag may put some off.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S
Cost: €389 (8.4-inch), €489 (10.5-inch)
If you want power, then Samsung’s tablet will more than suit your needs. Coming in two sizes, 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch, it has a sharp display which is perfect for media, slim build and more than decent battery life places the Tab S as a viable alternative to Apple’s iPad range.
The only potential drawback is the amount of third-party software that’s already included in the software, which can be somewhat annoying when you’re starting out.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
Cost: €469
If there’s one thing that Sony manages to do well, it’s multimedia. Great screen, dual front-facing speakers that deliver great sound, and packing a significant amount of power in a thin body means it’s more than able to handle anything you throw at it.
Also, it’s water and dust resistant so you won’t have to worry if you accidentally spill your drink on it.
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You can buy a good tablet for under €400.Hardly bargains being touted here.
Anything for e150.
Solpadheine!!!!
@irishbrain been looking for a decent cheap tablet and if your going north of the border or use Tesco direct via Parcel Motel try Tesco’s own brand Hudl 2, it’s got an Intel Quad core processor 2Gb onboard Ram 16gb storage, a micro SD slot to expand memory up to 32Gb a mini hdmi connector to connect to TV and running Andriod Kit Kat. And has an 8″ screen, only weak link is battery which lasts around 8 hours. It works out around €160.
Galaxy S3 7″ €129
Go tab Harvey Norman 7″ 99 eur
The surface pro is more laptop than tablet. Amazing piece of machine . Pity they are so expensive.
They’re fantastic. Specs of a decent desktop and very high res on external monitors if you’re working. Would highly recommend.
I got the Surface Pro 3 from work, absolutely fantastic bit of kit. I travel a lot so it’s bloody fantastic as long as there’s a mains outlet available as it eats the battery compared to my ipad.
Best tablets over the Christmas period are Solpadine. They’ve saved me many a morning after the night before. Up ya’ boya ….
You forgot to include the Xanax.
I honestly don’t understand what anyone would want with a tablet.
It’s not a phone, it’s not a laptop, it costs as much if not more than both but does less than either.
Me no likey.
A tablet beats browsing on a phone or laptop every time. Feels more comfortable in the hands and easier to navigate on. The difference between using a laptop vs a tablet in bed for example are worlds apart.
I can make calls (and send messages) from my tablet – a Nexus 7; the version that takes a sim. When travelling, they have a lot of advantages – including size and ease of reading; they’re the size of a novel.
Agreed Shane
You can’t use a laptop in bed or on your lap unless you want it to overheat.
Tablets are convenient and quick. little boot up time and you can keep them on all day by flipping over the cover to save battery. I find them much more convenient on the go than laptops.
I don’t like navigation on tablets, drag and paste or trying to write word documents. I would also chose Galaxy Note over any IPad. The fact that there is no SD slot and that you have to pay an extra €200 for a 128gb upgrade says everything about Apple.
No cover on my tablet – it just dozes off automatically when not used, and wakes up on first tap.
Like phones, tablets are best when android – a system (invented by Google) that has sprinted past competitors.
And is still running fast with new options coming along all the time. Like Lollipop, the latest OS.
I never liked the larger iPads because of the weight of them, but I’ve recently swapped my iPad mini for the iPad Air 2 and there’s no weight at all in it! Screen is much better too. Once you have an iPhone it’s so handy to be able to sync with the iPad.
Just got the Sony z3 tablet and I already have the I pad mini but the Sony is a great piece of kit.The sd card can hold all my movie downloads, without taking up internal storage, it can hold all my home movies also and store photos, newspaper articles.The only space my z3 now takes up is the apps, everything else is on sd card.As long as Apple don’t do sd cards on their otherwise brilliant products I will stick to Android which for me is King
IPad mini €249 didn’t get a shout? Great value.
Any tablet that has PMA in it … Wait sorry what was the question again.
Tablets are great but a cautionary word of warning here lads. I took a visit earlier this week to the doc because I was getting a pain up the shoulder and into the neck. Had it for a few weeks but it was getting more uncomfortable.
Turns out I had been spending to much time on the tablet and hunching in the same position for to long. So she gave me pain killers, muscle relaxers, a stiff warning and a sticker for the tab to remind me to take a break now and then.
Interesting thing was she said that it is becoming a regular issue that doctors are seeing. Surprising how quickly time can pass on the tablet especially in these winter months when there’s not a lot else to do but, must get to the next level stuff.
Great yokes though.
Charlie is that a joke??
Can’t beat the mighty Z2. Pretty much everything Sony touches is gold. It’s bizarre that their smartphone and tablet division are performing so poorly given how beautifully made they are.
Love my iPad but hate some of the basic stuff it’s missing out on like continuous play etc and the latest ios8 with syncing books is annoying me big time. So I bought a Samsung Tab S which is a pretty nice piece of kit…except for the bloatware crap Samsung throw on it…put in a 64gb SD card and it tells me that I must store my ebooks on the main storage since Google no longer allow it since Kitkat and you can see Google are going the same way as Apple…looking at their nexus range..no SD cards. And reading ebooks on the samsung is horrendous so back to the iPad for me and the samsung for the young lads videos.
I got a refurbished IPad 3rd generation on Apple Ireland for €250 a few
Weeks ago.. Still has 12 month warranty great value delivered within 2 days
What about good budget tablets? Like the kindle fire range and for those that are buying tablets this Christmas for parents or people that maybe don’t need all the high end specs, perhaps look into older generation tablets like samsungs tab 3 or even 2. You can get those tablets really cheap on amazon.
Yeah was looking at the Kindle Fire HDX 7″, problem is it runs Amazons version of Android which means it’s restricted no Google Store etc, not even sure you can download theJournal app on them. And the 7″ screen is slightly small, on the positive side it’s around €129 in Argos they were giving €20 in vouchers with them but think that deal is up today.
Nexus 7 (2012) 32gb refurbished on Expansys for €69. Serious tablet for very little and running lollipop 5.0 too.
The 2012 Nexus 7 is to showing its age now, go into a pc world or currys and compare with the 2013 version and it’s very sluggish and slow compared to the 2013 version.
I have a Nexus 9 under the tree. I’m like a child waiting for xmas!
I’ve been using my Surface Pro 3 for 2 months now and I am really liking it. The only niggle I had was with Windows 8′s usability but I installed a classic shell to give the Windows 7 look and now it’s working a treat. Unlike the iPad, it’s not a peripheral device. It has a Micro SD slot for extra memory and a USB port for everything else. It runs the full MS Office suite without issue. It’s a true hybrid of laptop and tablet. The down side is the price and the fact that the keyboard does not come as standard (it is really an essential piece of kit). The MS App Store is also a good bit behind Apples, but it is improving. All in all it’s one of my favourite tech purchase in years. If you are just looking for something to let you stream video and play a few games its probably not worth the money. If you need something with laptop usability in a tablet format I would definitely recommend it.
The Nexus 7 (2014) 32gb is just shy of €300.
Nvidia Shield is worth a look. Cheaper than the Nexus 9 but a similar spec. The gaming side is a nice option too.
Xiaomi Mi pad on ibuygou!
Been an apple head always up to now but got the LG 8.3 inch G Pad for 299. Must say am loving it. Really glad I bought it.
Downside – no flash in camera. That’s it so far! Still getting used to it but as a first impression…Recommend
Forgot to mention it was a 16GB but got 32GB extra memory for 30 euro so it’s a 48GB device for 329 euro. Cover was pricey at 50 though but this is optional of course. All got in Harvey Norman. Saw two of these tablets for sale for 199 with Irish Liquidators recently also.
The tegra in the surface is a beast
Fils a good app for getting a good refurb iPad mini or iPad Air or other Apple products is called RefurbMe, think there’s a website as well. You can set up alerts and it will tell you when say a 32gb iPad mini comes available.
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