Tablet computers
Is it worth buying one? Or do you still need a laptop?
We've tested 33 tablet computers.
Find a tablet computerTablet or laptop?
The answer is: consider a tablet. If all you’re doing is surfing and emailing, then a tablet is ideal. Tablets are lightweight and super easy to use on the couch or in bed – they don’t have the size or bulky battery-charging requirements of a laptop.
If you do a bit of typing (longer than emails) or you’re looking for a lightweight work option, then you might want to invest in a detachable or bluetooth keyboard or even go for the Surface Pro range. In general, tablets can be great replacements for much of what you do on a laptop.
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Learn more Join Consumer Log inIP ratings
If you plan on taking your devices out and about with you, it’s important they can withstand the elements. Ingress Protection (IP) ratings indicate how resistant a device is to water and solids (dust/dirt).
IP ratings have two numbers. The first relates to solids, such as dust, and has a maximum rating of 6. The second relates to water and goes as high as 8. An X rating means it hasn’t been assessed for that type of protection.
Examples:
- IP55 and IP65 – Protected from most dust and low-pressure sprayed water
- IP67 – Dustproof and resistant to water up to a metre in depth
- IPX7 – Hasn’t been tested on dust particles, but is resistant to water up to a metre in depth.
See here for more on IP ratings and the different levels of protection.
Top Brand
The Top Brand award recognises brands that perform consistently well across product testing, reliability and customer satisfaction.
We’ve awarded Apple the Top Brand for tablets. It has good test performance and is way ahead of other brands when it comes to reliability and satisfaction.
Reliability
Apple was the only brand to record above-average reliability.
- Above-average: Apple
- Average: Lenovo, Samsung, Asus, Acer
- Below-average: Microsoft, HP, Nextbook
Total number surveyed: 2883
Microsoft, HP and Nextbook were below the 93% category average. If problems arose, HP tablets were most likely to go wrong in the first 6 months (90% of HP tablets that needed repair).
For more on tablet reliability, see our survey.
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