Tablet here and tablet there, the whole world’s gone tablet PC crazy. The 2 main tablet sizes are 7 inch and 10 inch. Scroll below for an in-depth comparison of the various 10 inch tablets available today.
Do you like lounging around and reading, but fed up of holding a laptop on your lap? Get a tablet PC. It’s light and compact enough to slip into a bag, can be started and used quickly in different situations and is the latest “IT” device to have. The 2 main size categories for tablets are 7-8 inch and the very comfortable 10 inch.
The following are the key factors and features that should be looked for in a 10 inch tablet:
Weight: A tablet is supposed to be portable and compact and its weight or mass is a point in its portability factor. If the tablet weighs as much as a laptop, then it’s not really a tablet, more like a heavy, flat laptop. Bear in mind, that you will be holding the tablet in one hand and using it, so again a heavy tablet can reduce your productivity.
Display: 10 inches is a comfortable, yet small screen size. The resolution and imaging quality should be vibrant and engaging. Plus, it should be clear enough to avoid squinting. Recent tablet models are equipped with high-definition screens, to maximize the tablet experience.
Hardware: With OSs, the 2 major giants are the Apple iOS and Android. Both are streamlined and designed specifically for the tablet PC interface, so let’s avoid comparisons, each has its respective pros and cons. Processor speed defines the working and speed of tasks on your tablet. The better the processor, the more your tablet can do and at a faster rate. Whether it’s web browsing, media viewing, working on office documents etc., your tablet’s brain power should be able to keep up with your activities. And don’t forget multi-tasking as well. RAM and memory round up hardware. The average storage size for most tablet PCs is between 16 GB to 32 GB. Look for SD slots, if you feel, you need more hard disk space.
Miscellaneous: Battery life is a major deal-breaker in a tablet’s favor or failure. The device is meant to be portable, if it keeps running out of battery life, the whole tablet PC advantage is lost. USB ports are standard. It will be very cumbersome to transfer data to and from your computer to the tablet, without a USB port. HDMI ports are perks, Bluetooth seems to be a standard in most tablets. Connecting to the Internet wirelessly, is through the Ethernet 802.11 standard. All recent tablet models are Wireless N compatible. Advanced networking abilities include 3G and 4G support. Wireless streaming to external devices is a perk to look for.
Tablet Name | |||||
Weight (lbs) | Operating System & Processor | Resolution (pixel) & Display Tech | Camera & Battery | RAM & Disk | Price |
Acer Iconia TAB A500 2 USB ports, Supports 802.11 b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 and GPS ability, Expandable memory with SD card slot up to 32 GB, HDMI port |
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1.6 lbs | Android 3.0, NVIDIA Tegra 250 Dual-Core 1GHz |
1280 x 800, LCD touch screen with backlight |
5MP in rear, 2MP in front, 10 hours |
1 GB RAM DDR2; 16 GB | $445 |
Archos 101 G9 Choose between flash storage or 250GB hard disk, Supports Flash and Bluetooth 2.1, Picsel Smart Office software preinstalled, HD video playback of 1080p supported, Connects to Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n networks |
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1.43 lbs | Android 3.2, 1.2 GHz turbo Dual Core ARM A9 CPU |
1280 x 800, TFT LCD touch screen |
Front camera with 720p video recording, 7 hours |
512 MB RAM; 8/16 GB HDD | $380 |
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Uses 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), Supports Bluetooth 2.1 and 3G |
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1.25 lbs | Android 3.1, Nvidia Tegra 250 Dual Core |
1280 x 800, WXGA-TFT LCD touch screen |
Front 2MP, Rear 3MP, 10 hours |
1GB RAM; 16 GB | $500 |
Apple iPad 2 Uses 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless, No USB port, has 30 pin connector, Supports 3G connectivity, Bluetooth 2.1, Airprint, GPS (3G version), Airplay- play media wirelessly from tablet on TV or speakers, Can charge through USB port of computer, VoiceOver screen reader, HDMI AV output port, Does not support Adobe Flash |
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3 lbs | Apple iOS 4, Apple A5 1 GHz Dual-Core |
1024 x 768, TFT LED backlight multi-touch |
1720p HD Rear, 1 front (VGA), 10 hours |
Unknown; 16/32/64 GB | $500/ $600/ $700 |
Toshiba Thrive HD video recording of 720p, Uses 802.11 b/g/n wireless, HDMI port, USB and mini-USB port, Bluetooth 3.0 and full sized SD slot, Replaceable battery, Dual SRS speakers |
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1.6 lbs | Android 3.1, 1 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core |
1280 x 800, TFT active matrix screen with LED backlight |
Front (2.0 MP) and rear camera (5MP), 8 hours |
1GB RAM; 8/16/32 GB HDD | $430/ $480/ $580 |
HP Slate 500 Uses 802.11 b/g/n wireless, Supports Bluetooth 3.0, 1 USB port, Use Digital Pen to write directly on screen |
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1.72 lbs | Windows 7 Professional, Intel Atom Processor Z540 1.86 GHz |
1024 x 600, TFT LCD |
Front (VGA), Rear (3MP), 5 hours |
2GB DDR2; 64 GB | $800 |
HP TouchPad Supports 802.11 b/g/n wireless and 3G, 1 USB port, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, Supports A2DP Bluetooth profile, HP Synergy syncs data from multiple sources |
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1.6 lbs | HP webOS 3.0, Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core CPU APQ8060 1.2 GHz |
1024 x 768, LCD backlit |
Front 1.3MP, 8 hours |
1GB RAM; 16/32 GB | $500/ $600 |
Motorola Xoom Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n standard, Bluetooth 2.1 and GPS, 1 micro USB port, 1 HDMI port, Adobe Flash 10 supported |
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1.61 lbs | Android 3.1, 1GHz Dual Core |
1280 x 800, TFT LCD HD 720p |
Front 2MP, Rear 5MP, 10 hours |
1GB RAM, 32 GB HD | $600 |
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime Comes with mobile dock that acts as keyboard, touchpad and charger, Very speedy performance with 1080p HD video playback, SuperNote app allows quick note making through voice and text, Connect wirelessly to tablet from PC using MyDesktop, Amazing multimedia access through MyCloud and Amazon Kindle, MyNet feature allows wireless connection between tablet and DLNA-certified devices |
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1.30 lbs | Android 3.2, NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core |
1280 x 800, Backlit LED screen with IPS+ and Corning Gorilla Glass |
8 MP (rear), 1.2 MP front, 12 hours |
1 GB RAM, 32/64 GB HDD | $499/ $599 |
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet Video playback and capture of 720 p, Has mini-HDMI, micro-USB and USB 2.0 ports and SD card slot, McAfee Mobile Security app provides encryption and virus protection, Can connect to Wi-Fi and 3G networks, Bundled with business apps like Cisco AnyConnect™ and Documents to Go® |
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1.65 lbs | Android 3.1, NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual-Core 1GHz processor |
1280 x 800, LCD screen with Corning Gorilla Glass |
Rear camera 5MP, front 2 MP, 8 hours |
NA, 16/32/64 GB | $499/ $569/ $669 |
Sony Tablet S Can be used as universal remote through infrared, Connects wirelessly to DLNA-TV, PC or stereo, Sync music automatically between phone, tablet and computer with Music Unlimited, Certain PS games can be enjoyed on tablet, Connects to Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n networks, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR |
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1.31 lbs | Android 3.1, 1 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual-Core |
1280 x 800, LED-lit TruBlack™ screen with anti-reflection |
5 MP rear camera, VGA camera in front, 8 hours |
1 GB RAM, 16/32 GB HDD | $449/ $549 |
So, ultimately who’s the winner in this comparison? The Apple iPad2 is the most experienced (in the tablet arena), upgraded and most stylish out of the lot, but it does not have a built-in USB port and no Flash support, which count as 2 major deductions in its favor. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime is the Android favorite from this lot. It packs impressive features for a reasonable price. The Thrive is Toshiba’s first entry in the tablet arena and it is very promising but when compared to its more powerful tablet opponents, falls short. For corporate technology on-the-go, look no further than the smart and sleek Lenovo ThinkPad. In summation, keep your options open, check for budget and upcoming releases and put your needs first, do not be fooled by advertising razzle-dazzle.