What is a Tablet PC. How to choose a tablet computer Tablet pc

The idea of a compact computer with a touch screen, which could be controlled without a mouse and keyboard, has excited people's minds for a long time.The first attempts to create such a product were made at the end of the dashing 90s, but none of the projects was able to gain any significant popularity. The reason for this was technical imperfection and absolutely exorbitant prices of tablets of that time.

And suddenly such a boom! Why all of a sudden now and why so abruptly? In order to understand the phenomenon of the frenzied popularity of tablets, let's first take a closer look ourselves Tablet PC- what is it and why.

Text: Andrey SAMKOV.

Tablet computers: what are they?

Let's start with the fact that often under the same term "tablet computer" or simply "tablet" are understood several different devices... Often, when they say "tablet," they mean:

Unfortunately, what they did was not very suitable for practical use: it was not very convenient to use such tablets "on the run", since in terms of size and weight they differed little from laptops of that time (suffice it to say that the weight of the tablet is 90- x was about 3 kg).

This is understandable, because the developers were trying to create just the same laptop, but with a different control system. An additional problem was the small computing power of the then computers, and the control system on the touch screen requires much more computation than a trivial keyboard.

That is why control with the help of such a "dull" touch screen was, to put it mildly, inconvenient. In general, this class of technology quickly disappointed both consumers and developers.

The developers quickly realized that if a complex and expensive tablet still turns out to be a laptop, then why not do the opposite? Equip a "regular" laptop with a touch screen and a pivot hinge.

So, without unnecessary hassle, you can get a hybrid that combines the features of both classes of technology: the user's choice of control using a touch screen and a classic keyboard. Such devices took their market share, but, of course, they did not become a sensation.

With the appearance on the market of a special compact version of notebooks, called the "netbook", the developers have repeated their trick with a swivel screen.

The convertible netbook appeared, but made even less impression on users than the convertible laptop. The fact is that Internet tablets are looming on the horizon. But about them a little later.

Another class of mobile computers that paved the way for the emergence of internet tablets are ultra mobile computers (UMPCs).

They are rooted in the Origami PC project, organized by such well-known companies as Intel, Microsoft, Sony, Samsung and several others.

The goal of the project was to develop a computer specification that would match the characteristics of a netbook and yet be small enough to be carried in a pocket.

The project was a partial success in the sense that the specifications were created, and mass models were even developed on their basis (in Russia, the Samsung Q1 is probably the most famous), but they did not gain wide popularity, remaining a "toy" for enthusiasts.

One-touch access to the Internet!

And finally, Internet tablets. It is these devices that have become the most massive type of tablet computers that have rapidly conquered the minds of people around the world. It is the Internet tablet that is most often meant by simply saying “tablet”.

So what's the internet tablet phenomenon? Most likely, the demand for such products has matured naturally, it is not for nothing that netbooks were so popular just before the massive appearance of Internet tablets. But these are essentially computers of the same class, differing in the control system.

Naturally, the increase in the popularity of tablets was facilitated by the growth of their consumer qualities: the possibilities computing technology have increased significantly, allowing the construction of more compact and convenient laptop computers.

On the other hand, marketing should not be recklessly swept aside: Apple is famous for creating entire market segments on its own.

So on the Internet tablet market, everything was quite quiet and calm, for several years there were products of other companies, for example, the Nokia tablets of the n700 and n800 series were relatively popular.

The appearance of tablets with a screen larger than 10 inches is in principle possible, but unlikely: such a tablet will become too bulky, it will become difficult to call it a mobile device, and this is, after all, one of the advantages of Internet tablets.

Operating system

Another thing that the tablet user has to constantly contact is the operating system. It is she who provides the human interface and the internal functionality of the tablet.

In addition, the operating system determines the set of software with which it will work. this tablet... Most tablets come with different versions of the mobile operating systems originally designed for smartphones:

Since the most popular tablet in the world is the iPad, it is accordingly one of the most widespread software platforms is an iOS developed by Apple originally for iPhone smartphones and iPods.

Operating system is rapidly gaining weight in the tablet market Google android, namely its version for Android tablets 3 (and its modification 3.1).

Google's operating system is free (when using it, tablet manufacturers are not required to pay Google royalties) and is easily portable from one hardware platform to another, it is not surprising that many manufacturers of tablets and smartphones use it.

Since tablets are made on the basis of this operating system by many manufacturers (the most significant of them are Samsung, Sony Ericsson, until recently Motorola), it is only natural that today Android is the most popular OS in this market in the world.

Built on android Samsung Galaxy Tab, Sony Tablet S, Motorola XOOM, Archos 7 and 9 and many more.

Tablets based on the MS Windows 7 operating system stand somewhat apart. And, as a rule, it is desktop Windows, and not Windows Phone.

In principle, this can be understood: desktop Windows is installed on tablets so that the user can get on mobile computer a familiar work environment, this is perhaps the main (and almost the only) argument in favor of Windows 7 on a tablet.

Due to the fact that Windows Phone is not widely used and continues to lose popularity, according to analyst company Comscore, WP7's share has declined by 38% since the launch of the system in last fall. If at that time it owned about 8% of the US market, now it owns only 5.8%.

Most manufacturers do not want to associate their devices with an outsider, and even quite expensive, with a free alternative in the form of the rapidly ascending Android.

One of the representatives of the class of tablets on Windows based 7 is already described in the magazine Consumer.Video & Audio ODEON TPC-10, as well as new model ODEON, which should enter the Russian market in early 2012.

If we continue to compare operating systems in the context of Internet tablets, we find another big plus in favor of mobile operating systems: Apple and Google have created huge distribution centers especially for mobile users.

IPad (as well as iPhone) users have access to the store App Store(as of October 2011, more than 500,000 programs are available for download, the total number of downloads exceeded 18 billion).

For owners of tablets and smartphones based on Android, there is an Android Market (as of July 2011, more than 250,000 programs are available, the total number of downloads exceeded 4.5 billion).

For Windows Phone users, too Windows store Marketplace, unfortunately, there are no exact statistics on it, but it is clearly several times smaller than the App Store and Android Market.

However, desktop users Windows versions 7 are deprived of even this and are forced to search for the programs they need on their own.

CPU

Finally, let's not forget that a tablet is still a computer, which means that its functionality directly depends on the processing power provided by its processor, as well as on its architectural features:

Of all the manufacturers of processors for Internet tablets, only Intel makes chips compatible with the familiar on the IBM PC platform (x86-compatible).

Since Windows 7 can only run on this platform, accordingly, all Windows tablets are based on Intel Atom... To date, the most advanced member of the Atom family is the Z670 processor. All other microprocessors for tablets are based on the ARM architecture.

The iPad tablets use the A5 processor (iPad2) and A4 processor (iPad) designed specifically for Apple.

The development is based on the dual core ARM Cortex-A9 (A5) or the core ARM Cortex-A8 (A4). The A5 contains two main cores with modified ARM Cortex A9 architecture running at 1 GHz, and the powerful PowerVR SGX 543MP2 graphics coprocessor, which is 9 times more powerful than the PowerVR SGX 535 (from A4) graphics core used in the previous Apple A4 processor.

Since the details of the A4 / A5 architecture were not disclosed by Apple, these processors are used nowhere except for the company's products, and only iOS is installed there, it is difficult to objectively compare these processors with competitors. We only know that, according to Apple, the new processor is twice as powerful as the A4.

Nvidia Tegra 2 rises as a new star in the market of hardware platforms for mobile devices. Based on independent comparisons (in particular, at Computex 2011) when comparing two tablets based on Nvidia Tegra2 (Motorola XOOM) and Z670 (Inte Marco Polo 2), when running OS Android 3.1, the former showed significantly better performance.

This is understandable: the ARM architecture was originally created for mobile applications, while the Intel x86 architecture in the course of a long evolution on desktop computers has acquired a large number of various additional instruction sets and other "improvements".

So now even the procedure for decoding instructions before executing them becomes a non-trivial matter, especially in conditions of limited power supply (a powerful processor requires capacious and heavy batteries, as well as a productive and equally heavy cooling system).

As you can see, the variety of modern tablets is quite impressive. Undoubtedly, everyone who wants to buy an Internet tablet will find a device that suits them. We hope that our article will help you make the right choice.

The evolution of manufacturing processes, processors and other devices has led to the creation of a range of personal computer models at very competitive prices :, and so on. And in this series, it does not take the last place tablet pc... The key word for these processes is specialization, that is, a computer for a specific need.

Naturally, manufacturers want at least three or four of these devices in every home. For example, AIO, laptop, tablet PC, HTPC, etc.
As the name suggests, a tablet PC is a tablet-sized device. That is, from 7 to 14 or 15 inches. A tablet PC differs from a laptop in the ability to fold the keyboard and the presence of its own touch screen, which makes it possible to make notes with a pencil or just by hand.
Tablet PC makers are hard at work on the ability of the touchscreen to recognize text input in regular handwriting. However, in any case, and screen keyboard will never cease to be one of the main input devices.

The main advantage of a tablet PC or PDA is the ability to work with the Windows operating system. That allows you to run all your favorite applications, tools and games on them.

Tablet PC is most useful for data collection, at home or anywhere else, used as a remote control, to work with by e-mail and simple and web queries.

Do not forget that a tablet PC is the same laptop, only more compact and simpler. Therefore, it can be connected with a cable to a regular monitor and used as a desktop PC. Although, of course, it will not work for basic tasks due to lack of power.

Tablet PC or traditional tablet.

Perhaps you are thinking what to attribute the iPad to. In fact, completely different things are compared. A tablet computer is a computer designed to run powerful applications and, therefore, its energy requirements are quite high, which requires a lot of energy. IPad or others are used for simple tasks and are therefore less demanding on batteries.

Whether you want compatibility with all apps and documents, or prefer a simpler, longer battery life, it's up to you.

Tablet PC or laptop.

Difference between laptop and tablet pc only that the tablet can use the touch screen to enter information. Otherwise, they are so similar that perhaps in a few years, tablet PCs will completely replace laptops.

Moreover, Windows 8 has made this border even thinner, since it allows applications to run even outside of Intel and AMD.

Future

It is not difficult to understand the development trends. Ahead of us are waiting for lighter and more powerful devices, with a long-lasting battery. The progress is especially noticeable in new processors, which will make this possible in the short to medium term. So what awaits us soon powerful tablet pc with a long term of work.

Why you need it: seven reasons to buy a tablet

Before talking about the advantages of tablets, it is worth deciding what exactly this term implies. Traditionally, a tablet is called a type of laptop that provides input of handwritten information using a touch screen. In other words, you can imagine that a tablet is either a hugely grown smartphone with a touchscreen, or a netbook without traditional keyboard... That is why the tablet is so often compared with the first, then with the second, but this is not entirely true. Tablets usually run special operating systems like Android, iOS, webOS, and so on.

What are the reasons that lead us to buy a tablet?

Reason one: it makes work easier

Tablet computers make it much easier to perform simple everyday tasks: checking mail, surfing the Internet, viewing and easily editing documents, viewing charts and drawings, and reading e-books. The diagonal of most tablets usually ranges from 7 to 10 inches, which is quite comparable to netbooks. A screen of this size allows you to fully load web pages and view office documents with almost no scrolling. Tablets are quite handy for demos, for example, your own portfolio, charts, diagrams, and so on. The presence of the touchscreen significantly reduces the time for such small movements as scrolling through files or zooming in, and the finger-oriented interface is much more convenient than a mouse or touchpad on laptops.

Thanks to the abundance of programs for tablets, it can become a real professional tool. Office Applications let you create and edit documents and spreadsheets on the go. Photoshop Express, available for iOS and Android devices, is a great tool for mobile image retouching. The acclaimed Garage Band iPad app is a true mini studio for music lovers.

In short, almost any task can be solved with tablet app stores. Nevertheless, former Apple CEO Steve Jobs described the essence of tablets quite accurately at iPad presentations 2: "Tablet and stationary computer is like a car and a truck. The car copes with many tasks, but for the harder work you need a truck. " So the tablet should be taken as a convenient tool for simple work and do not expect more serious functionality from it.

Reason two: it is suitable for home

You can find a lot of applications for a tablet at home. When tablets first appeared, many considered them just a prestigious photo frame, but this is far from the case. Reading the latest news, checking emails or taking photos from your next trip is much more comfortable sitting on the couch than at your desk. In addition, many tablets today have the function of connecting to a TV via HDMI, that is, it is possible to play videos or photos on a TV screen through a tablet. For example, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets, Apple iPad 2, Acer Iconia Tab 501 and others are equipped with similar outputs, however, special adapters and cables are required for connection. Again, thanks to the application market, the tablet can become a convenient planner of current affairs and purchases, an alarm clock, an advisor and a faithful friend.

Reason three: it's easy to travel with it

Perhaps the main advantage of the tablet is its mobility, the ability to always have it at hand without unnecessary problems. Average tablet weights range from 600 to 900 grams, which is significantly lighter than most netbooks. The tablet will easily fit into a briefcase or a handbag and will be a great companion on the road. The memory capacity of most tablets today is at least 16 GB, which is quite enough for a collection of your favorite tunes, a good hundred e-books and a couple of videos to while away the time on the road.

Using your tablet, you can immediately create photo galleries (for example, Acer Iconia The Tab A500 has a microSD card reader and a USB flash drive slot). The battery life of tablets is from 6 to 10 hours (for example, the well-known iPad from Apple works for at least 10 hours), which means that you do not need to constantly carry and Charger... In this regard, the tablet is much more like a mobile phone, which today simply cannot be done without.

Many tablets are equipped with a GPS navigator and contain maps, which can be useful when walking or traveling in unfamiliar places. Of course, with a large screen size, the tablet will not be as convenient to use as a traditional GPS-navigator, but in difficult times it will tell you the way.

Reason four: it is interesting for children too

The good thing about the tablet is that there can be many scenarios for its use. However, as practice shows, tablets are much more accessible to children than computers or laptops due to their simple design.

According to numerous user reviews, two-year-old kids can easily learn to work with a tablet on mobile system iOS, which runs the popular iPad 2. More and more companies today are developing new educational and developmental applications for children - interactive alphabets, bright books, funny games. In this regard, tablets provide more freedom for creativity, more interactivity in games and applications due to capacitive touch screens and support for multiple touches (multitouch). Thus, the tablet can become one of the most original ways of teaching and developing children, especially since nowadays there is no escape from mobile technologies.

Reason five: it's easy to modify

Bluetooth keyboard case and keyboard with docking station

The good thing about tablets is that most of them can be easily modified depending on the user's needs. The ability to connect tablets to a TV for watching movies has already been mentioned above. For those who type a lot, tablets with a detachable keyboard (for example, the Asus EEE Pad Transformer) are suitable. A Bluetooth keyboard is also suitable for many models of tablets, in which case it is worth buying a docking station in order to fix the tablet in a certain position. For the iPad 2, for example, there is a keyboard dock that also recharges the tablet computer. Accessory manufacturers have even gone so far as to create special cases with a keyboard already built into them, which quite elegantly solves the problem of typing on the road or during private transfers.

Pouch with note block

By the way, the assortment of covers for tablets is incredibly diverse, and you can choose the most convenient options just for your needs. There are even somewhat redundant hybrids: for example, the tablet case contains an extra box for traditional handwritten notes. In short, with the help of additional accessories from the tablet, you can make a truly functional and convenient device for you.

Reason six: tablets are different

HTC Flyer, Asus EEE Pad Transformer and Sony Tablet P

Despite the fact that the tablet market is currently only gaining momentum, many manufacturers are already delighting users with a variety of options that are completely different from each other.

We have already mentioned the Asus EEE Pad Transformer tablet with a detachable keyboard, which, when connected to the tablet, makes it incredibly similar to a regular laptop.

The Flyer tablet from HTC is an interesting combination of portability and functionality - a 7-inch screen, light weight and a dedicated stylus for taking notes in almost any application. Such a tablet, due to its size, is suitable for those who are on the move and want to be constantly in touch. It is convenient to hold the tablet in your hand and work with it on the move.

A compromise between seven and ten inches is offered by Samsung - the 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab 8.9 tablet. Recently, an elegant solution for ladies has appeared on the market: the Sony Tablet P is a clamshell tablet with two screens based on the Android operating system.

All this diversity indicates that manufacturers continue to look for new forms and variations of tablets for various categories of users, which means that it will not be difficult to choose something suitable.

Reason seven: it looks spectacular

Say what you like, but a tablet is a fashion device, effective in almost any environment. Undoubtedly, your friends and colleagues will appreciate and envy the convenience and portability of your tablet, as well as feel the benefits of this device when demonstrating its capabilities.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the tablet is not a complete replacement for either a laptop or cell phone, so it can hardly be called one of the most essential devices. However positive sides the tablet is quite obvious, so it can be a pretty useful companion in your mobile family.

Consumer electronics stores are littered with a variety of tablets. At first it seems that they all differ only in size and price tag. Even outwardly, the devices are very similar! How do you choose the right model for yourself? The answer is simple - read this article. We promise that after reading the material, you can easily choose the most suitable tablet for yourself.

Sometimes, when choosing a tablet, a consumer is guided by secondary parameters. We wish you to avoid these errors. In this article, some characteristics are not mentioned precisely for the reason that you should not pay attention to them. In short, we'd love to hear this guide help you!

Choosing an operating system

An operating system is a collection of utility programs available on any sufficiently complex electronic device. It is its presence that allows "ordinary" applications to use the hardware capabilities of the gadget, provides interaction with the user, etc. Modern tablets are equipped with one of three popular operating systems: iOS, Android or Windows. And also on the shelves of stores there are "tablets" on which a couple of operating systems are installed at once. But this is more an exception to the rule and concerns the Android / Windows combination.

iOS

The most stable operating system is iOS. It is optimized as much as possible, due to which it does not need a large amount of RAM. Choosing an iOS tablet, you get a user interface that is thought out in detail and a huge number of diverse applications. But be prepared for the fact that many of them will be paid. This OS is the property of Apple, therefore it is installed only on its iPad tablets, the cost of which is higher than devices with Android or Windows on board. But the products of the Cupertines have the longest technical support, and the performance of even outdated generations of "apple" gadgets is not inferior to competing proposals built on modern hardware platforms. A huge advantage of the entire family of iOS devices is the presence of the most convenient ecosystem. Of course, to take full advantage of it, you need to be the owner of more than one device with an apple on the lid. The downside of the closed nature of iOS is the complexity of the direct exchange of user files and the limited customization of the interface. Well, the impossibility of expanding the available memory capacity scares off many potential buyers.

Pros: easy to use, easy to learn, has a developed and convenient ecosystem.

Minuses: closed platform, memory cards are not supported, problems with the exchange of third-party files, the impossibility of customization (installing themes and other utilities that change the interface).

Android

The Android operating system is open source and free, which is why most tablet manufacturers choose it. The software is developed by Google. The system is regularly updated, but owners of budget devices may not feel it. Some manufacturers are simply too lazy to modify the firmware for those tablet computers that have been replaced by new models. The openness of Android means that users can easily replace "standard" applications: player, browser, keyboard, dialers, etc. Another thing is that changing really fundamental things presupposes the presence of "straight" hands and often entails a loss of guarantee. The most unpleasant feature of this operating system is the increased appetite for system resources and the tendency to become overgrown with digital "garbage". If a couple of generations of Android ago, sufficient RAM was considered whole gigabyte, then in 2018 they are already talking about 2 Gb Total... As for the "garbage" - the built-in OS tools have not yet learned how to deal with it successfully. In especially neglected cases, the device can be returned to a comfortable operating speed only full reset with the loss of ALL user data. Fortunately, such a drastic method is rarely required.

Pros: rich functionality, the ability to change the interface at your discretion, a large number of free applications.

Minuses: rare system updates on budget tablets, increased resource requirements for stable operation.

Windows

Tablet computers with Windows on board have been around for a long time. But it wasn't until a few years ago that they started to get rid of fans and processors that drain battery power. And with the release of the tenth version of this operating system, the interface of such devices has become much more user-friendly. On the one hand, Microsoft programmers creatively adapted many necessary things, for example, quickly showing active applications, implemented a Back button and a notification center. On the other hand, Windows 10 has learned to automatically switch to a more convenient mode when working with the keyboard, and the corresponding algorithm is configured. Compared to Android, this system is better optimized for low-power hardware platforms. But this same feature has become an indirect reason that the current Windows-tablets are either high-performance solutions, or frankly weak, but with a keyboard. Well, the main advantage of the Microsoft operating system is the ability to use almost any "adult" application. Some of them even without a keyboard, if only the power of the filling allows.

Pros: the most convenient environment for full-fledged work with a variety of content, support for third-party peripherals.

Minuses: extremely limited number of offers with an average performance level.

We figure out which tablet size to choose

Photo: planshetclub.ru

7-8 inches

Portable tablets are well suited for use both at home and at work or in educational institution... This is facilitated by their minimal dimensions and weight. It is with the help of such "tablets" that people read books, listen to music, watch movies or play on the way. Compact tablets are convenient as car navigators and mobile surfing tools. Finally, this optimal size for children's hands.

Pros: compact size, minimum weight, low cost.

Minuses: the resolution often turns out to be low, and the filling is not powerful enough.

10 inch

The best tablet choice for home use. At the same time, modern tablet models have become so thin and light that there are no difficulties in transporting them. Large dimensions allow you to place a better speaker system and a higher battery in the case of such a device. At the same time, many manufacturers believe that such a large tablet does not need a GSM talk module, even if the circuit design provides support for 3G technology.

Pros: the size of the display is suitable for a wide range of applications. In both mobile and stationary use cases.

Minuses: In budget models, graininess is noticeable due to insufficient screen resolution, many tablets lack a telephone module, Windows devices do not differ in efficient filling.

More than 10 inches

There are now also larger tablet computers. They are endowed with a screen with a diagonal of 11 to 13 inches. Usually these are "tablets" with installed iOS or Windows, similarly large devices with Android are produced much less frequently. It is clear that such devices are not very mobile with regard to mobility and, as a rule, they are focused on professional use.

Pros: best size for comfortable work with both keyboard and stylus. Good for watching movies.

Minuses: too large dimensions and solid weight.

Choosing the best processor for your tablet

Photo: paulov.ru

Strictly speaking, the "motor" of most tablets consists of several specialized units, technologically combined on a single substrate, and it is called a single-chip system (System-on-a-Chip or SoC). The only exceptions are high-performance solutions of a professional level, built on Intel processors Core M or ULV, but we will not consider the features of the latter.

Number of cores

So, a typical SoC contains a number of computing units (cores) with an ARM architecture. Again, the exception is the Intel Atom family of SoCs that run on x86 / x64 instructions. The nuclei can be combined in the so-called. clusters and this is done in order to optimize energy consumption. Let's say half of them operate at a high frequency and turn on when necessary to serve requests for more computing power. The second one "works" all the rest of the time, and since the nuclei in it are relatively low-frequency, the energy is consumed much less. It is impossible to give unequivocal advice - what is the optimal number of cores in this or that case. For example, the 6-core A11 Bionic chip (from Apple) will tear the latest 8-core Helio P40 (from Mediatek), as they say, to shreds. The maximum that we can recommend here - pay attention to the "freshness" of the kernels. When choosing a processor for a tablet, it is best to focus on the Cortex A55 / A75 generation, at least on the A53 / A73 bundle (energy efficient / high-speed, respectively), as well as their custom versions.

Video subsystem

The second component of a mobile processor is an accelerator - a kind of integrated graphics card. If the tablet is not going to be used for games or work with complex graphics, you can not pay much attention to the performance of this node. Otherwise, you have to take into account the speed with which the video accelerator is capable of performing floating point operations (Flops). In addition, the screen resolution matters here. Everyone has their own idea of a comfortable refresh rate, as well as the requirements for graphics quality settings. Nevertheless, we would venture to assert that tablets with SoCs of about 100 GFlops have sufficient gaming performance.

SoCs and their manufacturers

The ARM architecture itself was developed by the company of the same name, which licensed its solutions to everyone. The rights to this intellectual property are currently acquired by the Japanese corporation SoftBank. There are about one and a half thousand licensees in total, but we are interested in the following products:

APPLE Ax

Based on licensed, Cupertinos are developing their own version of the kernels. PowerVR accelerators from Imagination Technologies are used as a graphics subsystem. The single-chip A11 Bionic system already has its own GPU, but tablets on this SoC are not yet produced. Very powerful chips in every sense, even the outdated A9. There are fewer cores, the frequencies are lower, and all competitors are dying.

Pros: Apple tablets have a really high playability and overall performance and also support all the most advanced features.

Minuses: overpriced.

Samsung also prefers to tweak the stock cores. Its SoCs of the 7870, 7880, 7885 series and all eight-thousandth are relevant now. To process graphics, they use older Mali accelerators (T830, T880, G71). What can I say - the power of such a system is enough for all the needs of the tablet and its owner. If necessary, South Koreans put third-party SoCs in their devices.

Pros: Samsung tablets are characterized by excellent performance and all the modern bells and whistles.

Minuses: price, sometimes unoptimized firmware.

INTEL ATOM

The feature of this single-chip system is extremely low power consumption. The company managed to "squeeze" its thermal package to a couple of watts, and Intel now does not want to change this position. Accordingly, we are not even talking about any performance records. Unfortunately, low-budget Windows tablets are based on the Atom platform.

Pros: tablets on Intel Atom chips are affordable and have decent battery life.

Minuses: the power of a single-chip system is sufficient only for simple tasks.

This SoC family is produced by a subsidiary of Huawei for a portion of the parent brand's mobile devices. The Chinese do not bother modernizing the stock ARM cores, so their single-chip systems usually work a little slower than their “classmates”. Just like in Exynos, Kirin chips are equipped with Mali GPUs. The trouble is, HiSilicon's engineers (or management) like to save money. Where Samsung's SoCs use a 12-core Mali version, Huawei mobile processors are often bypassed with 4-cores. With all the ensuing consequences.

Pros: a brand with very decent flagship-level chips.

Minuses: mid-budget SoCs have good overall performance and mediocre gaming performance.

MEDIATEK

The brand of the same name is more complete than all its competitors in the segment of inexpensive solutions. The company uses off-the-shelf cores and graphics (PowerVR and Mali). It is not engaged in optimization, it does not have its own production, and financial opportunities do not allow it to invest partners. As a result, MediaTek's single-chip systems are lagging behind alternative offerings, as they are manufactured according to outdated technological standards. On paper, such SoCs can be beautiful, but in real life not really. But the company's chips just work perfectly with GPS.

Pros: a huge range of entry-level and mid-range single-chip systems.

Minuses: noticeably inferior to the leaders of the industry in terms of technology.

SNAPDRAGON

The most popular and most widespread single-chip systems. They are developed by Qualcomm based on deeply processed licensed cores and its own Adreno accelerators. Such SoCs are characterized by excellent indicators of general and gaming performance, good energy efficiency, as well as other "goodies". The main disadvantage is the increased cost.

Pros: Snapdragon chips make excellent tablets of different levels.

Minuses: are relatively expensive, the most affordable solutions are inferior to their direct competitors on other platforms.

RockChip, Spreadtrum and others like them

They specialize in ultra-budget solutions. Stock cores and accelerators, the most "rough" technological standards possible at the time of production - no miracles can be expected from such single-chip systems.

Pros: matching tablets have tempting price tags.

Minuses: suitable for the most undemanding users. As a rule, they have an outdated set of wireless interfaces and do not impress with their autonomy.

Technological process

We have already mentioned this term several times, it remains to clarify what the norms used in the creation of SoC affect. It's very simple, the finer the topology of the chip, the higher its operating frequencies (performance) and lower power consumption. The most technologically advanced mobile crystals are now manufactured at 10 nm standards. The technical process of 14-16 nm is also quite modern.

RAM

Photo: acunnstatic.cdn1.sadececdn.com

It is a storage device with quick access to content that needs constant "maintenance" of the stored information. When the power is turned off, the latter simply disappears. In the process of tablet operation, the operating system kernel, various services, running applications as well as most of the data they use. If there is not enough space for a priority task, some user programs running in the background can stop and move to the so-called cache. With a more rigid version, only important data remains there, and the applications themselves are completely "unloaded". The bad news is that a significant shortage of "operatives" leads not only to a slowdown in the operation of the device, but also to the active use of the built-in memory, ie. its accelerated wear. The more applications you are going to use at the same time (for example, the client social network, messenger, music player, game), the more impressive your tablet should be for this characteristic. For hardcore gamers, we recommend that you focus on the amount of memory with an "extra" gigabyte. At the same time, a clear excess of this resource entails increased battery consumption.

1 GB

A critical minimum, sufficient for the system and one or two simple user applications. In principle, low-power devices have such a volume, which are not suitable for anything else. It is best if the operating system of a tablet of this class will have a lightweight user interface. Ideally, a "bare" Android.

Pros: affordable price.

Minuses: serious restrictions on the number of programs running in the background.

2 GB

Adequate memory size for most applications with a moderate appetite for system resources. It will be enough for a few background applications, five or two open tabs in the browser and displaying the picture on the screen with a resolution not higher than Full HD. "Heavy" games will go, but practically all other tasks will have to be stopped. This applies to Android and Windows. The iOS operating system will not experience any problems with the 2 GB memory.

Pros: the lack of RAM is almost never felt.

Minuses: insufficient volume for particularly demanding games and resolutions higher than Full HD.

3 GB

Comfortable amount of RAM for the vast majority of situations and scenarios of using the tablet. Ensures stable system performance with a 2K screen. Perceptible delays can be observed only when two resource-intensive applications are running in parallel.

Pros: there will always be enough memory, except in specific cases.

Minuses: Hardly ever.

4 GB or more

More than three gigabytes of RAM are still relatively rare in tablets. This volume does not limit the user in any way, it will be enough for any number of applications and all three-dimensional games.

Pros: lack of any restrictions.

Minuses: high price.

Additional functionality

Photo: i-cdn.phonearena.com

Memory card slot

Any tablet computer has a certain amount of non-volatile memory. It is also called constant. It stores the operating system and user data (applications, music, videos, documents, and other files). The microSD card slot helps expand the available space. Unfortunately, it is absent in Apple products, so you will have to decide right away, iPad with how much internal memory to buy.

Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G

Before buying a tablet, be sure to familiarize yourself with which modules are used to connect to the Internet. Budget devices offer data transmission only via Wi-Fi. Slightly more expensive devices have a SIM card slot. In this case, you can connect to 3G networks. Modern models are capable of working with fourth generation mobile networks. It will not be superfluous for you to clarify which LTE bands the tablet supports. Domestic operators can exchange data on the B3, B7, B20, B38 and B40 bands. But there is no special variety in terms of high-speed Internet connection capabilities among 4G tablets yet. Returning to Wi-Fi, let us remind you that this wireless interface can operate at 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies. With frequent use of the tablet in an apartment building or a large business center, it is worth making a choice in favor of the dual-band model.

GPS navigation

Most tablets can successfully perform the functions of a navigator, but there are separate models built using a universal radio module. Those. the device supports cellular networks - there is a GPS. Examples include “just” Wi-Fi and Cellular versions of the iPad.

Cameras

When choosing a tablet, you should pay attention to the camera last. Now a rare manufacturer builds decent optics and a sensor into the "tablet". The resolution of the matrix of the main module is most often equal to five or eight megapixels. The quality of photos does not exceed that obtained when using a smartphone of an average price level. About budget tablets and there is nothing to say - they give out blurry or too noisy pictures.

Keyboard support

In general, there are no fundamental restrictions for using a Bluetooth keyboard in any tablet. And many models with the Windows operating system have full-size USB ports, which makes it possible to connect a pointing device or an input device over the air using an appropriate adapter. The peculiarity of the listed options is that such methods do not guarantee the stability of the pairing, and they are also accompanied by an increased power consumption. If you plan to use a tablet for active work with text, choose a tablet with a supplied or optional keyboard connected via a mechanical connector.

Photo: cdn.funkyspacemonkey.com

When choosing a tablet for drawing, first of all, we pay attention to:

stylus- it must be included in the kit.
display- resolution and diagonal should be as high as possible.

Take a look at the operating system additionally. A huge number of graphics editors have been created for Windows, but not every tablet will run Photoshop. Therefore, in some cases it is worth looking towards Android, which is much better optimized for use on portable device... The professional iOS models are ideal for digital creativity, but they also cost the right amount.

Tablet PC for the "Internet"

Photo: u3.s.progorod76.ru

If the tablet is bought primarily for surfing the Internet, when choosing, pay attention to:

display- its diagonal should be large enough to easily read the small print.
3G or 4G support- thanks to it you will be able to access the Internet through mobile networks.

It is advisable to familiarize yourself with the amount of RAM. The larger it is, the more stable the browser will work, the more tabs you can open. The operating system is of the least interest. Surfing the internet is the same for iOS, Android or Windows.

Tablet PC for games

Photo: img.inforico.com.ua

If you are choosing a tablet for games, then pay attention to:

CPU- you need to focus on a model with a powerful graphics subsystem.
RAM - many modern games are demanding on its volume, they need at least 3 GB.

Additionally, you should familiarize yourself with the capacity of the battery. Even a tablet with a solid enough battery won't let you play for longer than four hours in a row. What can we say about Chinese devices with a tiny battery ...

Tablet computer for a child

Photo: gursesintour.com

If you are going to give a tablet to a child, then pay attention to:

the presence of a children's regime- a child has absolutely no reason to go to "adult" sites, and the user interface of the device should be colorful and extremely simple.
accessories- the device will have to withstand increased loads, so a thick protective bumper will be very useful.

Pay attention to the possibility of the "growth" of the tablet along with the development of the child. Specialized models are great in terms of ease of access to children's content, but they don't have a lot of potential.

Tablet PC

Toshiba 3500 Tablet Laptop

Tablet personal computer (tablet pc, tablet pc) - class of laptops equipped with tablet device handwriting combined with the screen. The tablet computer allows you to work with a stylus or fingers, without using a keyboard and mouse.

The user can enter text using the built-in handwriting recognition program, an on-screen (virtual) keyboard, speech recognition, or a regular keyboard (if included in the device).

Most tablet PCs run the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system. Tablet PCs went on sale after the release of this edition, in the fall of the year. Prior to this, devices of this type were used in narrower markets - in manufacturing, medicine and government agencies. There are also tablets that run various GNU / Linux flavors.

By design, tablet PCs are divided into:

"Clean tablets"- devices without a full keyboard;
tablet laptops, also called "convertible" (eng. convertible) or transformers, because of their ability to transform: the device can look like a laptop, the screen can be rotated around the axis by 180 ° and put on the keyboard - the laptop will look like a tablet.
UMPC- a compact version of a tablet computer designed to replace a PDA. It has some design differences, as well as some differences in the interface, as it is designed specifically for finger control. May have a built-in keyboard, usually non-standard.

In addition, tablet computers are divided into two classes according to the principle of tablet operation:

Electromagnetic principle of the tablet. The most numerous class, allows you to work with the tablet only with a special stylus. The advantages of this approach are the high accuracy of text recognition, the accuracy of determining the pressure force, as well as the lack of reaction to accidental presses with the hand or fingers while writing. Typically Wacom technology is used.
Pressure sensitive tablet. A less numerous class, although it has become more popular over time. The plus is that such a tablet can be operated without using a stylus, which can be convenient in some situations. In addition, this approach allows you to create interfaces specially designed for finger control, including the recognition of multiple touches and gestures. This class includes UMPCs. The disadvantages are less accuracy, worse quality of letter recognition, negative impact of the tablet on the quality and brightness of the screen, as well as the possibility of accidental clicks when writing.

The most popular tablet notebooks are Acer and Fujitsu as well as

Tablet PCs vs.Laptops

Advantages

Tablet PC is much more "human" - you can stand or walk with it, holding it in one hand. With the other hand, you can enter text or click on links while surfing the web. It is convenient to read e-books from it using the vertical orientation of the screen.
Lying on the table, folded tablet PC allows you to work without interrupting the line of sight (for example, at a business meeting)

Flaws

A tablet laptop is about $ 300 more expensive than a regular laptop with the same specifications, although this difference is expected to narrow to $ 75 over time.
Mounting the screen of a tablet laptop is less secure, since the screen is held on one rotating hinge - unlike a conventional laptop, the screen of which is held on two hinges.
The tablet PC screen is currently limited to 14 inches. In addition, a special pressure-sensitive screen coating reduces viewing angles and brightness.