All the Tablets are every year one of the gifts most demanded and taking into account that they are not exactly a cheap gift, it is worth thinking carefully about which is the best option, which is not always too easy to find out. One more year, we are going to try to help you choose wisely, depending on what the applications that are going to be given and the characteristics which, therefore, we can consider more important. These are our recommendations.
Regardless of expenses: iPad Air 2
Let's start high, for those who can afford a authentic luxury gift and whose only concern is to make sure that it is well received. This is probably the simplest choice of all since if we do not have budget problems and we want to be sure, the clearest option is usually the tablets of Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC),, which are still Most popular and that are usually devices with a good balance between design and user experience. In addition, they respond well to both a more professional use and a more casual use.
The tablet that has left us this year Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC),, iPad Air 2It is one of the most attractive models in the history of the range, perhaps not with as many innovations as the first iPad Air, but with a few very well selected. The one that will most attract our attention, surely, is the spectacular thickness reduction that has taken place compared to its predecessor and that makes it one of the thinnest tablets on the market. If we add this to their fantastic premium finishesIn terms of appearance, the iPad Air 2 it is faultless. The display, on the other hand, is still the same resolution of 2048 x 1536, but a new laminate it has increased its contrasts substantially, and now it seems that the glass has practically disappeared. It has also made the leap to 2 GB of RAM and mounts an even more powerful processor than the iPhone 6, the A8X, and its performance has improved substantially, especially in the section on graphic processing, something that the most gamers will undoubtedly appreciate.
Price: EUR 489
A little gem: Galaxy Tab S 8.4
For those who are determined to give a gift of level and, for whatever reason (because it is more comfortable to handle or because the price is somewhat lower) are considering a tablet of high end, but of smaller size, we advise in this case to completely forget about the latest generation of the iPad mini, which most experts consider a disappointment due to its lack of innovation, and to bet on the 8.4 inch model new Galaxy Tab S range de Samsung.
It is true that perhaps we lose something in terms of finishes, if we are lovers of aluminum cases, but in practically any other section in which we compare the tablet of Samsung with that of Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), the victory is clear for this one, thanks mainly to a much superior hardware. But even if we consider her physical appearance there are a few points where the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is placed above the latest iPad mini as it is quite lighter and thinner. Its greatest virtue, however, is probably its screen, with a exceptional image quality, and not only for its Quad HD resolution, but also for colors, contrasts, brightness and efficiency in consumption. In the opinion of the experts, the screen of the Galaxy Tab S it's probably the best we can find on a tablet right now. In the case of the 8.4-inch model, we also have the added advantage that it is a fairly large screen for the size of the device, thanks to very small frames and a very good optimization of its design, in general.
Price: EUR 399
For Android lovers: Nexus 9
El iPad Air 2 It is a fantastic tablet but not everyone is equally amused by the products of Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), and for many it can even be a bit of a hassle to have to deal with the discomforts that sometimes comes from having a device with iOS as operating system and another with Android, not to mention the fans of the mobile operating system of Google, which are not few. The Galaxy Tab S 8.4 (or the 10.5-inch model if we want something bigger) will be a good alternative, but for true Android fans it may be that Nexus 9 be an even better alternative.
As in the previous case, the only point at which the Nexus 9 can be seen in inferiority with respect to iPad Air 2 is that of the finishes, since the metallic profile that has given it HTC it is far from serving you to compete in this section. It must be borne in mind, yes, that the price difference Between the two they are around 100 euros, so it is not as if the tablet of Google had nothing going for it. In everything else, in any case, the Nexus 9 can look at the tablet Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), without any complexes: the screen is somewhat smaller but has the same resolution and, in fact, it is accompanied by a few speakers better located and of higher quality, something that always weighs in the multimedia experience, and its fluency it's extraordinary, thanks so much to Android Lollipop 5.0 as to your processor Tegra K1 (also with 64-bit support) does not have much to envy the A8X in terms of graphic processing. An important extra point is its software: first, because it allows us to enjoy the pure android version; second, because we are guaranteed thate will always update quickly.
Price: EUR 389
To work: Surface Pro 3
Although there are many tablets that we can use to work (like the iPad Air 2 or the Nexus 9, but also other more affordable ones) and that they will fulfill their role perfectly, if we are clear that this is going to be their main use and that, therefore, it is worth making a significant investment, the Surface Pro 3 it is probably the best option. In fact, its price is considerably higher than that of the iPad Air 2, but keep in mind that with it we are actually buying a PC.
It is not just that, like all its predecessors, the Surface Pro 3 run with Windows 8, with the same version that any PC uses and that, therefore, you can use all your applications, which also means that, of course, you have the necessary hardware to work correctly (the difference in technical specifications between the Surface Pro and the conventional tablets is overwhelming), but with this latest model, we have had some major improvements to make it even more comfortable to work with, starting with a larger screen and going through all kinds of details, such as improvements in the stylus or keyboard. It has also substantially improved its autonomy, one of the weakest points of previous generations. To all this we must add some good finishes and a very high quality as a multimedia device, with a fantastic screen and an equally fantastic audio system. Few drawbacks can be put to this tablet.
Price: EUR 800
To play: Nvidia Shield Tablet
At the other extreme, for those of us who know that the main use of the tablet is to play games, we also have a clear bet, since there are few on the market that can be compared to the Nvidia Shield Tablet in this aspect. Not surprisingly, it is a device completely geared towards games and thought in its smallest details to improve the experience in that sense, with the advantage, in addition, of having been able to learn from the weak points of the Project Shield.
Obviously, one of the main virtues of Nvidia Shield Tablet to enjoy games is the power of your processor, the Tegra K1, in section graphics performance, something crucial to move the most demanding games with ease. This is not, however, its only strong point, and it is not the only tablet that can boast of it (although it does take the best advantage, judging by the benchmark results that we showed you precisely this weekend). What distinguishes the tablet from Nvidia for the Xiaomi MiPad or the Nexus 9 are other details almost as important, such as its design (format, location of the speakers ...) or, for example, having among the official accessories a wireless gamepad. Even more, with the Nvidia Shield Tablet we have the possibility of running PC games in streaming, thanks to Grid Games. Nvidia has shown lately, in addition, to be taking very good care of its users, with the introduction of several new features and with the fastest update to Android Lollipop 5.0 we've seen among tablets outside of the Nexus range.
Price: EUR 299
To take it with you everywhere: Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact LTE
If we are clear that the lucky beneficiary of our tablet what you are mainly looking for is a device that can be carried everywhere and that will be rolling around all day, it is clear that we need one light, resistant, with good autonomy and, if possible, with LTE connection. Without a doubt, no tablet currently meets all these conditions better than the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact LTE, the latest addition to the range of tablets from Sony.
Regarding its design, and apart from aesthetic evaluations (although this is undoubtedly also very attractive), the tablet Sony It has a few fundamental virtues: the first of them is that it is extraordinarily thin and light (6,4 mm of thickness y 270 grams of weight), more than most of its rivals; the second, which is Waterproof, and in this it is not better than most of its rivals, but almost all of them. It is true that its resolution is somewhat lower than that of other high-end tablets, but a Full HD screen continues to offer great image quality and has a very important benefit, which is lower consumption: despite its reduced thickness and that, therefore, you cannot mount too large a battery, the Z3 Xperia Tablet Compact is right now the best-performing tablet in the autonomy test. Finally, and to round off the pack, if we buy the model with LTE connection, we have the perfect tablet for those who are always on the go.
Price: EUR 479
For casual users: Amazon Fire HD 6
The offer of affordable tablets, as you know, has improved a lot in recent times and we have at our disposal a very wide repertoire of the most solvent tablets for under 200 euros. If you want a tablet for someone who you know is not going to use very intensively and you do not want to spend too much on it, we can only recommend that you take a look at the tablets of the Asus MeMO Pad range or Acer Iconia range, as well as the catalog of the Spanish manufacturer of low-cost tablets bq. Our chosen one this year, however, is one that we have recently tried, which is really cheap and has left us very good feelings: the Amazon Fire HD 6.
The first thing to say in its favor is that its price is difficult to match: you can buy from $99. It is not, however, the most important thing, since if one searches, it is not difficult to find tablets with prices that are close to it. The most important thing is what we get for that price and that it is not only the peace of mind of buying a device with the guarantee seal of Amazon, but above all, buying a device that despite having more limited hardware gives us a user experience pretty good: the software Amazon It can be limited at times, but its simplicity becomes a great virtue in a device like this, since it is very light and allows us to enjoy a fluency which we rarely find among tablets in this price range. It also does not hurt that the interface is so simple if the person who is going to use the tablet is a casual or unfamiliar user with these types of devices. It is also more than welcome that it is such a tablet solid academic approach How is it. The only downside that some may put some is its size, which is only 6 inches. If you are among them, we advise you to take a look at the Fire HD 7, very similar but with a 7 inches, which costs only MÃ ¡s 40 euros.
Price: EUR 99