The holidays are here and Christmas is just around the corner, arriving before you know it. Shopping for the gadget enthusiast in your life can be a difficult process, particularly because of how many different gadgets are available. Companies from all over the place are launching new tablets and trying to tell you what to buy. That said, it can be a hectic process finding and buying the perfect gift.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide: to help you dig through the mire and show you what’s best on the market today, whether that be as little as $49 or as high as $599. One thing I can guarantee you is that there’s something on this list for everybody, and you won’t leave empty handed!
Stocking Stuffers ($49 – $199)
Amazon Fire
With a 7-inch (1024×600) IPS display, a fast processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of interal storage, and microSD support up to an additional 128GB of storage, Amazon’s Fire is the perfect stocking stuffer. And it costs less than $100.
As far as software goes, this bad boy is running Fire OS 5, the latest version of Amazon’s own in-house operating system. With it comes plenty of extra features, such as quick access to your favorite applications, personalized recommendations, access to over 38 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps, games, and much more. Amazon’s a firm believer that tablets don’t need to be expensive to be good, and the Fire is a testament to that.
To enjoy much of the media on the Fire, you’ll need to have an Amazon Prime membership. So many great applications are free through Amazon Underground, but you won’t be able to have access to things like movies, TV shows, songs, and books without that subscription. A Prime membership provides a lot of benefits, adding even more value to a tablet that has standalone value. You’ll be able to access media content that you couldn’t otherwise enjoy on a service like Netflix, such as renowned TV series like Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, and Rome. Access to music and an ever-expanding library of books makes this tablet perfect not only the movie lover, but the book worm as well.
Amazon has truly made the Fire a one-of-a-kind tablet. There are all sorts of accessories available for it, whether that be cases, flip covers, headphones, microSD cards, and so on.
It goes without saying, the Amazon Fire tablet provides an excellent amount of value at a low price point. And paired with the Amazon Prime subscription, it’s most definitely the ultimate affordable all-in-one media tablet at just $49.
[Amazon]
Nexus 7 (2013)
Even though the Nexus 7 (2013) is now two years old, the tablet is still one of the best 7-inch performers to date. Media, reading, and content consumption looks just as nice on this device as it does on any tablet today. And with a massive 3950mAh battery, you’ll get plenty of play time out of this guy. It might not necessarily be for the tech enthusiast in your life, simply because it’s not the latest and greatest, but it’s an excellent choice for just about any other individual. It truly is one of the best 7-inch tablets out there, as you just can’t find another premium tablet like this at such a low price point.
Made by Google in partnership with ASUS, the tablet sports a crisp 7-inch Full HD (1920×1200) display, a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro at 1.5GHz, 16GB of internal storage on the base model, and 2GB of RAM. It’s also running the latest and greatest from Google, Android 6.0.
The tablet has an insane amount of accessories for it, whether it be tablet docks, flip covers, travel covers, cases, Bluetooth devices, and more. The Play Store also has a ton of content that looks great on the Nexus 7. Whether you’re playing Need for Speed or catching up on Game of Thrones, the Nexus 7 won’t let you down.
Starting at $129, tablets don’t get much better than this. It’s compact, portable, powerful, and Google will continue to update it with the latest Android releases. It’s truly a tablet everyone would like to see in their stocking Christmas morning.
Underneath the Christmas Tree ($199 – $299)
NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet K1
At $199, the SHIELD Tablet K1 is hard to pass up, especially with all of the extra goodies it brings to the table. This tablet isn’t for everyone, though. However, it is perfect for the gamer in your life, and any gamer would love to see this powerful device under the Christmas tree.
Built for PC gaming in mind with NVIDIA’s GeForce Now service, the SHIELD Tablet K1 sports a 8-inch Full HD (1920×1080) display, a quad-core Tegra K1 2.2GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage, with microSD support. It’s running Android 5.0, and has a long-lasting battery that’ll give users plenty of hours for gaming and all sorts of media consumption.
There’s no doubt that the SHIELD Tablet K1 was built with dedicated gaming in mind. That’s why NVIDIA is giving device owners free access to the company’s gaming streaming service, GeForce Now. Put Angry Birds 2 and Bad Piggies on the sidelines, as you’ll be playing full-fledged titles like Street Fighter IV and Batman: Arkham Knight. These games do play rather awkwardly with just the touchscreen, which does bring in the thought that a controller might be necessary for this tablet. And it truly is.
NVIDIA has developed its own controller, the SHIELD Controller, that pairs and plays well with the tablet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with the tablet and will have to be purchased separately. Do keep in mind that it’s necessary to have it if you want to play PC games via GeForce Now. Additionally, NVIDIA offers a couple of different accessories for the tablet, including a specially designed flip cover, and a stylus.
[NVIDIA] [Amazon] [Best Buy] [Newegg]
Fire HD 10
The Fire HD 10 is Amazon’s largest and thinnest tablet yet, making it perfect for on-the-go use. It may not have the most beautiful screen or most powerful hardware, but it does have access to more media content than you could ever consume with Amazon Prime. The tablet’s display is certainly an upgrade from the Fire, making all sorts of media content look a lot better on the Fire HD 10. It also has Dolby Atmos speakers, which are a lot better than what sounds to be a hollow tube on the Fire.
It has a 10.1-inch (1280×800) display, a quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16/32GB of internal storage, microSD support up to 128GB, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a long-lasting battery said to last up to eight hours of straight use.
The tablet is running Amazon’s own Fire OS, meaning you won’t have access to Play Services. However, there are way to install Play Services on the Fire tablets with little hassle now, making the Fire HD 10 a real gem. With that in mind, not only will you get to enjoy Amazon’s extensive range of media services, but Google’s as well, if you’d like!
As per the norm with Amazon’s array of tablets, the retailer has an arsenal of accessories available for the tablet. You can get flip covers, cases, docks, earphones, and much, much more for the tablet. Much like the Fire, Amazon Prime opens up an arsenal of different content for the tablet, such as Amazon exclusives like Game of Thrones, Rome, Downton Abbey, and more. You also get unlimited access to support books, music, and of course, Amazon’s signature free two-day shipping.
At $229, the Fire HD 10 is a nice buy, but Amazon Prime is truly what makes or breaks it. Without it, it’s definitely worth considering something else, such as the Nexus 7.
[Amazon]
For someone special ($299 – $599)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 is easily the best Android tablet money can buy. Between powerful specifications and a crisp display, the Galaxy Tab S2 lacks nothing. It’s the most beautiful solution for watching media content with its massive 9.7-inch display. It can also handle all of the bleeding edge games on the Play Store with its octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM. If you’re in the market for performance and a beautiful display, the Galaxy Tab S2 is it.
The Galaxy Tab S2 tablet also comes with Samsung’s own suite of apps–contacts, Gallery, Camera, Music, Video, Clock, My Files, Smart Manager, Calendar, SideSync, and Galaxy Apps. It’s great for those who enjoy all of the extra features Samsung provides, but also a pain for those that aren’t a fan, as they cannot be deleted. In my case, I usually find myself replacing stock applications with all of my favorites from the Play Store.
The tablet sports a 9.7-inch (2048×1536) Super AMOLED display, an octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32/64GB of internal storage, microSD support, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 5870mAh battery. It’s also running Android 5.0, and Samsung hasn’t announced any plans for further Android upgrades just yet.
This tablet is perfect for power users. With an octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, and plenty of storage space with the microSD card, even the most demanding Android games play without any issue. Games like Need for Speed and Auralux are an easy task for the Galaxy Tab S2. The 9.7-inch Super AMOLED display is also perfect for playing any high definition media content. Not only that, but its 5870mAh battery will let you watch movies and TV shows for hours on end.
Starting at $399, the Galaxy Tab S2 is an all-in-one media solution that’s hard to pass up. The only downside is that there aren’t a whole lot of accessories for this device, aside from the regularly available cases and microSD cards.
[Samsung] [Amazon] [Best Buy] [Newegg]
Nexus 9
The Nexus 9 is the latest and greatest from Google as far as tablets go. It’s not only running the latest rendition of Android, Marshmallow, but it’s also one of the best tablets for entertainment. Need something for kicking back, relaxing, and watching a few movies or reading a couple of books? Then the Nexus 9 is right up your alley! Being one of the latest tablets available from Google, it’s also a perfect choice for the tech-savvy individual.
The tablet sports a beautiful 8.9-inch 2048 x 1536 display, a dual-core 2.3GHz Tegra K1 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of interal storage on the base model. It also has a massive 6,700mAh battery, which means you’ll get plenty of playtime out of this guy. The downside is that there isn’t any microSD support, so you’ll have to be careful with how much media and applications are stored on your tablet.
Google has a lot of different accessories available for the Nexus 9, including a Bluetooth keyboard folio. They keyboard folio is not only great for helping the Nexus 9 double as a laptop, but it’s also a perfect solution for comfortably standing the tablet up for easy reading or watching media. Google also sells covers for the tablet in a variety of colors. These covers can also double as a stand for the tablet, but aren’t as sturdy as the keyboard folio.
The Nexus 9 is one of the speediest and cleanest tablets out there, as it isn’t plagued with bloatware and extra features found on other devices. It’s truly a demonstration of the vision that Google has for Android, making it a great choice for the aforementioned tech enthusiast. Another benefit is that this tablet only features a 8.9-inch display, which is the sweet spot for those that don’t want something as massive as a 10.1-inch option.
Starting at $399 for the base 16GB model, the Nexus 9 is a hard one to pass up, especially with Google’s plans to keep updating it with the latest in Android.
[HTC] [Google Store] [Amazon] [Best Buy] [Newegg]
Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet
Sony is getting a bit crazy in the naming department, but the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet brings its users the best of Android in a large form factor. With a beautiful 10.1inch display, the tablet is the perfect choice for consuming all types of media and playing various high-end games. And like many other devices on this list, there is an arsenal of different accessories available for the Xperia Z4 Tablet, whether it be microSD cards, portable batteries, great earphones, cases, and so on.
As far as specifications go, the Xperia Z4 Tablet is sporting an 10.1-inch 2560 x 1600 IPS LCD display, an octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, microSD support, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a long-lasting 6,000mAh battery. For those that want to enjoy more content on the device, it’s definitely recommended that you pick up a microSD card for the tablet. It’ll allow you to store many of the tablet’s applications, photos, and media content, allowing you to free up some of that internal storage for other means.
Technology enthusiasts will not only love this tablet for its power and beauty, but also for the slick user interface. It’s very close to stock Android, giving the tablet a smooth and buttery feel as the user navigates it. Sony also utilizes a lot of special technology not found in many other tablets. One of those aspects is that its water and dust resistant with IP65 and IP68 certification. As a result, the tablet has flaps that cover all the ports, keeping water and dust from intruding. This also makes the tablet look a lot sturdier and certainly more premium.
The Xperia Tablet Z4 is one of the more luxurious tablets you can get your hands on, thus its price tag. Despite it’s 10-1-inch display, it’s one of thinnest tablets around. A gust of wind could literally blow it out of your hands, figuratively speaking. It’s one of the most gorgeous tablets as well, truly making it a direct competitor to the oft more preferred iPad.
One of the nifty things about this tablet is the optional Bluetooth keyboard accessory. Sony has never been big on accessories, so the Bluetooth keyboard is actually a nice touch. Paired with the Bluetooth keyboard, the Xperia Tablet Z4 truly becomes a laptop replacement. And at $599, this is truly the best of Android right here.
Come comment on this article: Holiday Buying Guide 2015: The best Android tablets
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