The best tablet to buy as a gift can be one of the most difficult tasks to accomplish. With the holidays right around the corner, a tablet seems like a pretty good idea of a gift in most people’s minds and I couldn’t agree more. It’s better than a phone, yet it is more portable than a laptop or notebook, making the tablet one of the most ideal media consumption devices for the masses. Although we can’t say which is the best tablet, because each of us is entitled to their own opinion, we can sure help you get a list of 5 of the best tablets on the market.
Since your holiday shopping will probably be rushed and stressful, considering the fact that stores will be packed and Black Friday has just ended, it’s a good idea to check out the best tablet you can find for a reasonable price beforehand. Here’s our top five best tablets on the market which are suitable as gifts and won’t leave your wallet completeley empty.
5. Nvidia Shield Tablet
This one can be called the best tablet for gaming and in our minds, it is most suitable for people under the age of 20, since tablets at that age are mostly used for gaming, media consumption and the occasional text writing or photo editing. The Nvidia Shield Tablet has a powerful Nvidia Tegra K1 CPU as well as a pretty capable battery, so breaks between courses or classes, as well as lunch breaks at a part time job might be made more interesting after the holidays are over. The Nvidia Shield Tablet isn’t the best tablet on this list because it has been outdone by what follows. Still, it can be called the best tablet when it comes to price and bang for buck, but the heft of the controller that comes with it may be cumbersome for some of the smaller individuals you might be buying a gift for. I mean kids.
4. Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD +
Now this one would be the best tablet on my list, for sure. Even though the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ might be outdated a bit, considering the fact that it was released more than a year ago, its battery life and portability makes up for that deficit. I managed to use this tablet for two full days without charging it, which in my book is the perfect characteristic of the best tablet on the market. If you value battery life and you intend to give the Lenovo Yoga Tablet away as a gift to someone over 20 who doesn’t need 200 games and another 20 video and photo editing programs, it’s perfect. In my mind, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 is large enough and powerful enough to fulfill every need of the media consumer, and the modes you can use it in are really handy. If you want even more, you can get its younger brother and successor, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 or the 2 Pro which has a projector build in (hefty price, though).
3. Nexus 9
This had to be on the list, right? Even though it’s not the cheapest slate out there, it can easily be called as the best tablet on the market right now and that’s more or less due to the fact that it comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. The Nexus 9 is a beefy tablet with pretty powerful innards and an ideal resolution and aspect ratio to the screen. The best part of it is that it will receive updates directly from Google, saving users the time carrier-made models or other tablets require to receive the latest updates. Another great feature of the Nexus 9 is that it comes with HTC’s BoomSound speakers, which never fail to impress users. That being said, even if it’s more expensive, the Nexus 9 might end up being the best tablet of the year after it receives the official Android 5.0.1 Lollipop update. Until then, I would recommend the Nexus 9 for those over 20 or power users who tend to abuse their tech and experiment a lot with it.
2. Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
I think you already know why I think this can be called the best tablet on the market right now. Yeah, I’m thinking about it being waterproof. While the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact isn’t by far the cheapest Android tablet you’ll be able to get your hands on, it certainly offers the most. Currently, waterproof tablets aren’t as common, but if you don’t think you’re or the one you are giving this tablet to is in need of the latest and greatest in terms of hardware, the Xperia Z2 Tablet is a great alternative you can score deals on in the Holiday season. The IP68 certification means that it can be used in extreme conditions so this slate would be best given to someone with an active and maybe even dangerous lifestyle. Battery life and performance are great on the slate, but expect to be a little disappointed by screen sharpness.
1. iPad Air 2
Even though I’m not an Apple, iOS, iPad or iPhone fan, I have to admit that the iPad Air 2 has to take the trophy for the best tablet released this year. This slate is the most expensive on our list, but it does offer a lot. I wouldn’t give it the best tablet prize, though, but most of you would, so let’s have that. Even though it’s not much different than the previous iPad Air, Apple’s new tablet offers TouchID and improved hardware, camera and specs to the user. If you have somebody in your life that loves Apple or is in love with high-end technology that works the way it should, the iPad Air 2 could be the perfect gift for them. This time, age or occupation don’t matter, because the iPad Air 2 is capable of being a power user’s favorite toy, a gamer’s favorite platform, a movie enthusiast’s favorite screen or a kid’s favorite plaything. I have to admit that I don’t like calling the iPad Air 2 the best tablet on the market, but it certainly deserves it. (I would choose the Z3.)