By now it seems quite accepted that Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), is determined to abandon the format of 8 inches. What are the best options for the many users who have grown their smallest and cheapest tablet and who are thinking that maybe it is time to renew it? We review the best alternatives to iPad mini what we have.
For iOS fans: the new iPad 9.7
If your motivation to get an iPad mini was more to enjoy a tablet from Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), more affordable and not the size itself, the clearest option you have is undoubtedly to bet on the new iPad 9.7, which is actually cheaper than the latest version of the compact tablet that is still being sold. Of course, compared to the iPad Pro we are going to miss quite a few things, but it must be said that in the ranking of the most powerful tablets We saw it stay ahead of many high-end Android tablets and, especially if ours is one of the older 8-inch models, we are going to notice the performance jump quite a bit. Nor does it lack the classic virtues of the apple tablet: retina display, good autonomy, great finishes… The only downside that we always put on it is that the screen is not laminated, but it is just a detail that would help round out the device.
Almost an iPad mini with Android: the Mi Pad 3
The reality is that the user experience will be very different simply by changing the operating system, but if what we want is something as similar as possible to an iPad mini, surely the best bet is the Mi Pad 3 and of course it is one of the best options that we are going to find in terms of quality / price ratioas you can get it for around $250 (even around 200 euros, depending on the import conditions that we are willing to accept). And we must recognize that, regardless of the importance that the issue has for us, seeing your tablet (from its first generation) it is difficult to deny the "influence" of Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), in your design. In fact, it must be said that it seems even bad, and that is that we will not have a micro-SD card slot, although it is compensated with 64 GB of internal memory.
One of the best 8-inch Android tablets: MediaPad M3
If what you liked about iPad mini it was really its size and being able to enjoy 8-inch technical specifications of the highest level, and especially if you don't want to resort to importing to get hold of the Mi Pad 3, the tablet that you have to take into consideration then is the MediaPad M3, somewhat more expensive than Xiaomi's (it is for less than 350 euros without too much difficulty), but with even better technical specifications, including a screen with resolution 2560 x 1600, a processor Kirin 950 (from last year, but high-end), fingerprint reader y Harman Kardon speakers. The only downside that can be put to the Huawei tablet is that, being a slightly older model, it does not come with Android Nougat but with Android Marshmallow.
An Android tablet that would deserve the adjective "Air": Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
The launch of the Galaxy Tab S3 has not made its predecessor disappear from stores, which is quite logical since the new tablet of Samsung actually, for price, it can be considered more of an alternative than a replacement, and neither has the 8-inch model, all the more so because it has not even had a successor. And the truth is that maybe he didn't need it too much either because it is still an excellent compact tablet, with one of the best screens we can find, thanks to its panels Super AMOLED, and much more deserving of the adjective "Air" than any tablet that has launched Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC),, with a thickness of only 5,6 mm and a weight of 265 gramsSimply spectacular figures in relation to its size. It must be said in its favor, in addition, that despite being the oldest tablet on the list, it is one of the few that still enjoys Android Nougat, although in its case, logically, through an update.
Several options to consider for the most gamers
El iPad It has always been one of the favorite options of the most gamers, in part because of the exclusives it gets Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), but also for being very fluid devices. If that is your case and none of the larger models fits into your budget, don't forget that there are a few 8-inch tablets specifically designed for Gamers, going beyond even the Nintendo Switch, as is the case with the Acer Predator 8. Although it is somewhat older, however, we would recommend that you take into account the Shield Tablet K1, with which we will be able to enjoy all the extras that an Nvidia device gives us and that despite the time elapsed, for $200 it still has a great quality / price ratio. It is also one of the most careful tablets in terms of updates and it did not lack the one corresponding to Android Nougat.
