NeutralPickHow to choose the best tablet for you: what to check before you buy
There is no single best tablet. The best tablet is the one that runs the apps you need, suits how you will use it, and gets updates for as long as you plan to keep it. This guide lists what to look up for each tablet you are considering, before you pay, so you can compare them in the same way.
Why the adverts and the shop are not enough
Tablet adverts show the best result a tablet can reach. The detailed specifications often say something different. For example:
- The keyboard and pen in the advert are often sold separately, and can add a lot to the price.
- An app you use on your phone may not have a tablet version, or may not exist for that tablet's operating system.
- A low-priced tablet may have so little storage that it fills up after a few apps and films.
The same tablet name is often sold in several versions, with different storage, screen sizes and mobile data. So check the exact version you would buy, using the maker's own specifications, and check the same things for every tablet.
Before you look at any tablet
Write down your answers to these four points. They decide which checks in the list matter most to you.
- What you will use it for. Watching videos, reading, video calls, drawing or note-taking, school or work documents, games, or a child's use.
- Where you will use it. At home on Wi-Fi only, or out and about, where you might need mobile data (a SIM or eSIM).
- What it must work with. Your phone, laptop, printer, a keyboard or pen, or apps you need for school or work.
- How long you want to keep it. A longer life needs years of software updates and enough storage.
The checklist
The checks are in three groups. Must have means a problem here can make it hard to use or costly to fix. Nice to have means it makes a real difference for many people. Optional means it only matters to some people. When you open the checklist in NeutralPick, you can move any check to a different group to match your answers above.
- Must have
- Runs the apps you needAre the apps I need available on this tablet's operating system (its built-in software), and do they have a version made for tablets?Some apps only run on one operating system, and some only offer a stretched phone version. Check each app's store page.
- Software and security updates for yearsUntil when will this model get security updates, according to the maker's published policy?Without security updates, a tablet becomes riskier to use online, and apps may stop supporting it.
- Enough storage spaceHow much storage does this exact version have, how much is free after setup, and can a memory card be added?Storage usually cannot be added inside a tablet later. Downloaded films, games and photos fill it quickly.
- A screen that suits how you use itIs the screen the right size for me, bright enough near a window, and sharp enough for reading?A bigger screen is better for films and documents but heavier to hold. Independent tests measure brightness.
- A warranty that applies where you liveHow long is the warranty in my country, does it cover a tablet bought from another country or a foreign seller, and where is repair done?Tablets bought abroad are often not covered locally. Your country's consumer law may give you more than the maker's warranty.
- Nice to have
- Battery life the way you will use itHow long does the battery last in independent tests of video watching or browsing at normal brightness?Makers' figures are measured in their own conditions. Tests by independent reviewers, using the same method for every tablet, are easier to compare.
- Keyboard and pen, if you need themDoes it work with the keyboard or pen I'd use (its own or a standard Bluetooth one), are they included, and what do they cost?Only matters if you will type or draw a lot. Add their price to the tablet's price before comparing.
- Mobile data, if you need it away from Wi-FiIs there a version with mobile data (SIM or eSIM), does it work on my network, and how much more does it cost?Only matters away from Wi-Fi. Sharing your phone's connection (a hotspot) avoids a second plan, but some plans limit it or charge extra.
- Camera and microphone good enough for callsAre the front camera and microphones clear enough for video calls, and is the camera placed well when the tablet is held sideways?On some tablets the front camera is on the short edge, so you look off to the side when the tablet is held sideways.
- Controls for children, if they will use itCan I set up a child's account with limits on apps, purchases and screen time?Only matters if a child will use it. Check what the built-in controls allow without extra apps.
- Optional
- Battery and screen can be replacedCan the battery and screen be replaced by the maker or a repair shop, and roughly what does each repair cost?Batteries wear out and screens break. A reasonable repair price can add years of use.
- Comfortable to holdHow much does it weigh, and is it comfortable to hold for reading or watching for an hour?Weight matters more than you'd expect if you hold it in bed or on a train.
The button opens this checklist in NeutralPick. There you can:
- Remove the checks that don't matter to you, add your own, and move checks between groups.
- Add each tablet you are considering.
- For each tablet, fill in what you found on the maker's website, its support pages and the shop's product page.
- See every tablet side by side.
Want to see what a finished comparison looks like first? See an example comparison with three made-up tablets.
Claims to look at carefully
Adverts and product pages often describe the points below in vague terms. When you see one, look for the specific information shown here. If you cannot find it, assume the answer is "no" or "only partly".
- "Replace your laptop". Look for whether the programs you use on a laptop exist as tablet apps, and the price with a keyboard.
- Battery life "up to" a number of hours. Look for an independent test of the task you'll do most.
- A photo with a keyboard and pen. Look for whether they are included, or sold separately.
- The price. Add a keyboard, pen and case if you need them, and the extra cost of more storage or mobile data.
What to do with what you found
- Put all the tablets side by side.
- Look at the Must have checks first. If a tablet gets a No on one of your must-haves, remove it, however good the rest looks. Look closely at any Partial.
- If two tablets are close, read reviews from owners who have used them for several months.
- If you can, try the screen and keyboard in a shop. Before you buy, check the shop's return policy.
Why use NeutralPick to compare tablets
- The same checks for every tablet. You fill in the same checklist for each tablet you are considering, so you compare them in the same way.
- Everything in one table. You see every tablet side by side, check by check, instead of switching between shop pages and notes.
- Nobody can pay to influence it. There are no adverts, no paid placements and no "featured" products. No maker or shop can pay to be shown to you or placed higher.
- Free, with no account. You don't need to sign up or pay anything.