It's the holiday season! You are hunting for the perfect gifts for everyone near and dear to your heart. Giving the gift of a tablet works for just about anyone because the options are limitless. With so many options, there are also prices all over the place. You can walk into your local pharmacy and find an Android tablet for $50. Heading over to an online retailer and finding a tablet over $300 is just as easy. Choosing an appropriate tablet that meets price with quality is actually quite difficult because of the crowded field.
Before making a purchase, consumers should do their research. The holidays are a hectic time so there is a good chance that you have not been able to do any research. Fortunately, we took the time to select the very best tablets for this holiday season at three different price brackets.
Anything below $100 for a tablet should be seen as an extremely risky investment. There are plenty of quality tablets with excellent prices. The bargain bin tablets lack not only hardware quality, but the software is wonky too. They rarely ship with Google services and that means the Play Store is missing. Do not, I repeat do not purchase a tablet manufactured by an unfamiliar or low-end brand. Basically, those tablets are just glorified web browsers. A tablet is much more than a glorified web browser, people!
That stocking is about to be stuffed ($100-$199)
The Fire HD 6 arrived on the scene in September as Amazon's cheapest tablet to date. Amazon built a very affordable tablet at $99 while not sacrificing the core advantages of a tablet. The device has a 6-inch display, hence the name, and sports a body that is 10.7mm thick. It is not the slimmest tablet around, but the Fire HD 6 does weigh just 290g. The processor inside is quad-core and devices similarly priced cannot come close to saying that. For $99, dual-core processors are often the standard. The Fire HD 6 even has a mono speak from Dolby; sound quality is better than expected.
Amazon is able to sell its hardware at such a low price because the money is made on its services. The Fire HD 6 and all of the tablets in the series are stripped of the Android known to many. Instead, it has Fire OS and content is served from the Appstore, Instant Video, Prime Music, and more. Already invested in Amazon? Great. Not yet invested in any ecosystem? Still great. But people that are invested in another ecosystem should stick with what they have already. The interface of Fire OS is simpler than anything else out there, so the Fire HD 6 has a small learning curve.
The Amazon Fire HD 6 is available in black, white, magenta, citron, and cobalt.
Buy it now: Amazon, Best Buy, Toys “R” Us, Staples
Samsung has the market flooded with devices in various sizes and prices. Quite honestly, there is a Samsung tablet that would work with any budget. The company's cheapest offering is the Galaxy Tab 4 7.0, a tablet suitable for anyone. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat and sports a quad-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM. It is no slouch and Samsung made it that way so the Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 could use the company's popular Multi Window feature. Plenty of apps now support Multi Window, meaning users can watch a video and scan Twitter simultaneously.
The Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 is an excellent device for media consumption. Unlike restricted Amazon tablets, this device from Samsung has full access to Google Play. And when the 8GB of internal storage is nearing its limit, there is a microSD card slot that allows for an additional 32GB. What is even better is that Samsung was able to secure 50GB of free Dropbox storage. That means once a person has completely loaded their Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 with content, they can move on to cloud storage.
For readers, the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook 7.0 is ideal. We had a chance to play with the device in August and found it to be very much worth the investment for readers of books, newspapers, magazines, and other forms of content. The Nook edition of the Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 is available for just $159.
The Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 is available in black and white. The price around the web seems to loom around $179, but keep an eye on weekly deals because plenty of retailers have had the tablet for a bit less.
Buy it now: Samsung, Target, Amazon, Barnes & Noble (Nook edition)
The Nexus 7 (2013) is still the golden child for sub-$200 tablets. What is there not to love about it? The tablet released seventeen months ago by Google is not very outdated with its hardware and runs a stock version of Android 5.0 Lollipop. Yes, that is the very latest version of the operating system. The Snapdragon 600 processor should still be snappy, though a few owners have debated that assumption. The display's resolution is 1080p (1920 x 1080) and pairing that with the 16:9 aspect ratio makes for a crisp, optimal viewing experience.
Unfortunately, the Nexus 7 is seemingly no longer in production. It is highly unlikely that the device can be found in-stores anywhere, but select retailers may have some units online. The only retailer at this time to have the Nexus 7 in stock is Amazon. Of course, third-party options are out there. Just remember that the price of the Nexus 7 at launch was $229 and now it should sit around $189 or so. Do not be fooled into paying anything more than $199 for the Nexus 7 because there is definitely a cheaper unit roaming around somewhere.
Buy it now: Amazon
Make room underneath the tree, we're moving up ($200-$299)
A lesser known participant in the tablet game is LG. The company focuses heavily on its phones; however, the G Pad series is an underrated part of LG. The G Pad 10.1 is priced around $249 and promises a large display, massive battery, and unique software features that cannot be found anywhere else. As the name suggests, the display measures 10.1 inches and its resolution is 1200 x 800. That resolution may seem low, but LG manufacturers exceptional displays. Also, the display here is IPS and that means viewing angles are excellent. The 8000 mAh battery inside should be enough to last throughout the day for many users. And the speed of the G Pad 10.1 is expected to be fast because of the quad-core processor produced by Qualcomm.
Since so many tablets have matching specifications on the inside, LG focused on software with the G Pad 10.1 to create value. The unique software features start before unlocking the tablet. Knock Code secures the G Pad 10.1 by requiring a series of taps on the display to unlock. There are more than 86,000 combinations to unlock the tablet using Knock Code. Multitasking users will love the G Pad 10.1 because Dual Window shares the display with two apps. The Q Pair 2.0 technology found in the G Pad 10.1 is incredible because it pairs the tablet with a phone to sync calls and texts.
As a bonus, the tablet has an IR blaster for controlling your home theater.
The availability of the G Pad 10.1 has been fluctuating for months. Some days it is in stock and others it is not. Right now, there are three retailers with units available in black and red.
Buy it now: Best Buy, Amazon, B&H Photo Video
Without question, the SHIELD Tablet is one of the best devices on the market today. The specifications are equal and if not better than its competition. NVIDIA created a tablet running on its Tegra K1 processor that can handle absolutely everything thrown at it. By “everything,” we really mean everything. The company is known for its gaming equipment and the Tegra K1 is capable of running console-level games without a hitch. It also has front-facing stereo speakers along with an 8-inch Full HD display for an immersive experience.
Why play Angry Birds or Asphalt when you can play Portal, Batman: Arkham City, and more for free. NVIDIA's game streaming service GRID is available to all SHIELD Tablet owners at no extra cost through June of next year. It is essentially the Netflix of games. You can even pair the optional gaming controller for that console experience. Speaking of console experiences, games can be streamed to a television because the SHIELD Tablet has an HDMI port.
Lovers of stock Android can give the SHIELD Tablet a look because it is a completely untouched version of Android 5.0 Lollipop. It is the first and only non-Nexus tablet to have the latest version of Android. The DirectStylus 2 embedded into the hardware takes advantage of the NVIDIA Dabbler app that allows for a user's artistic side to roam free.
The fact that the SHIELD Tablet costs $299 is crazy, making it both a powerhouse and a great value.
Buy it now: NVIDIA, Gamestop, Best Buy, Newegg
Someone was on Santa's Nice List ($300+)
The Galaxy Tab S is unlike any other Samsung tablet before it (and there have been quite a few of them). We reviewed the Galaxy Tab S and confidently labeled its display as “stunning.” Almost six months removed from that review and the Galaxy Tab S is still sitting comfortably as the tablet with the best display around. It is the first Samsung tablet in two years to have a Super AMOLED display and it sure does show here. Colors are deep, bright, and vibrant in all the right places. The Quad HD (2560 x 1440) resolution means that images are sharp with very little doubt that the human eye can identify individual pixels. The 8.4-inch model has 359 pixels per inch and that number for the 10.5-inch model is 288 pixels per inch. The Galaxy Tab S has a gorgeous display and no other device has come close to challenging that.
The home button on the Galaxy Tab S doubles as a fingerprint scanner to unlock the device. It is a nice touch for those that want protection but cannot remember passwords, patterns, or PINs. Simply swipe a finger downward over the home button and Samsung's software is ready for some poking around. Aside from all of the software features that Samsung packs into its products, the Galaxy Tab S comes with Galaxy Gifts containing nearly thirty items discounted as freebies or trials. In all, the Galaxy Gifts included would cost hundreds of dollars.
Samsung designed the Galaxy Tab S to directly rival the iPad Air and iPad Mini from Apple. It succeeds in doing so because no other Android tablet has brought together a slim design with an excellent display quite like Samsung has. For the people that like the iPad but are looped into Android, the Galaxy Tab S is the way to go. The price for the 8.4-inch model is $399 and the 10.5-incher is $499. Do not pay that much for the Galaxy Tab S because you will definitely find it for at least $25-$50 less.
Buy it now (8.4-inch model): Samsung, Best Buy, Amazon
Buy it now (10.5-inch model): Samsung, Best Buy, Amazon
The most unique tablet in this guide is the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro. Just look at it! The cylinder on the side is not there just because it contains the battery. It also houses a built-in projector that can project images up 50 inches. Lenovo really pushed hard to make the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro a device that can turn any location into a theater. On the front side of the device are two large-chamber speakers from JBL with a subwoofer. The audio processing is done by Wolfson Master HiFi with Dolby surround sound. For viewing content directly on the tablet's display, everything sits on a 13.3-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) IPS display. Whether it is projecting on a wall or illuminating the display, the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro looks great.
On the rear of the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro, attached to the multi-purpose cylinder, is a kickstand that allows for four unique positions: hold, tilt, stand, and hang. Each position is self-explanatory while hang is the newest. That position is possible because the kickstand has an opening in it for the purpose of hooking it onto something. When closed, the kickstand's opening surrounds the 8MP camera.
Purchasing the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro is only possible, for now, through Lenovo's online store. It is priced at $469 which is not too steep considering it has features that no other device can offer.
Buy it now: Lenovo
This guide would not be complete without the inclusion of the poster child for Android tablets. The Nexus 9 was released in early November with Android 5.0 Lollipop running right out of the box. It shifts from the usual 16:9 and 16:10 aspect ratios to 4:3. The Nexus 9, built by HTC, is shaped just like an iPad. The rear of the Nexus 9 is smooth and not slick. The camera and LED flash are located on the top left. Because HTC brought over its expertise with brushed metal, the entire frame of this year's Nexus tablet is sturdy. And the front panel of the Nexus 9 is flat black with HTC BoomSound speakers and a 1.6MP front-facing camera. HTC is known for producing well-designed hardware and that commendation appears once again with the Nexus 9.
Android 5.0 Lollipop is the most appealing version of the Android operating system because of its Material Design. The user interface is clean and colorful and animations are fluid. The entire experience of Lollipop is intuitive. Things just make sense. The Nexus 9 was made specifically for the new version of Android; therefore, nothing is crammed because of how the 4:3 aspect ratio and the software takes advantage of the unused space. The Nexus 9 and Lollipop bring together simplicity. Everything about the Nexus 9 is approachable.
Pricing for the Nexus 9 starts at $399 for the 16GB model in Indigo Black or Lunar White. Another color on the way is Sand but there is no indication as to when we should expect that. The 32GB model costs $479. Shop around and chances are you will find the Nexus 9 for about $349/$429. The LTE variant is not available and it looks like it will miss the holiday season target.
Buy it now: Google Play, Office Depot, Amazon, Best Buy
Have any questions, comments, or concerns with the picks? Leave a comment below.
