The best tablets for reading
As much as most people enjoy diving into a good book, dragging around heavy hardbacks is probably less high on their list of favourite things to do. Since e-readers burst onto the scene a few years ago many people have jumped onto the electronic trend, but with tablet technology becoming increasingly advanced, their multi-functionality means they might just be the best new book you buy. If you’re shopping around for tablets you can also use as an e-reader, here’s a run-down of some of your options.
Asus Google Nexus 7 (2013 Edition)
The latest edition of Google’s Nexus range has the highest resolution of any tablet to date, with a 7-inch Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array (WUXGA) screen that boasts dimensions of 1920×1200 pixels and a resolution of 323ppi. At 290g, it is 50 grams lighter than its predecessor, with double the RAM and a 15-hour battery life, so if you’re deep into that can’t-put-it-down novel, you won’t have to worry about sudden blackouts. Running on the Android operating system means it has flexible resolution handling, so different eBook or document files should all appear just as clearly.
Apple iPad (4th Generation)
The new generation of iPad comes with Apple’s trademarked Retina display, which at 264ppi is impressive, but not quite as impressive as the Nexus 7. Still, it does offer a larger screen at 10.1 inches, and the ease of zooming in and out might suit people who usually wear glasses to read. If your priority is convenient transportation, the compact, 7-inch iPad Mini offers all the same technology with a smaller screen size. The cheapest option of each model comes with 16GB of storage space as standard, but if you’re looking for more memory you can go up to 32 or even 64GB. Remember though, with the iBookstore you can download and delete books as you choose – they’ll always be saved for a re-download.
Samsung Galaxy Note
This chunky tablet comes in the same 10.1-inch size as the iPad, but with double the RAM, housing a powerful 2GB and a Quad Core Processor. While it also comes with 16GB of standard storage, the Note has a slot for a micro SD card that allows this to be easily expanded up to 64GB. The screen is not as sharp, with a resolution of 1280×800, but this is more than adequate for displaying text, and with a battery life just shy of 10 hours, it equals the iPad. However, the inclusion of a stylus pen that allows you to write on screen makes it handy for making notes while reading, so if you like to annotate your texts for your studies or book club, this will be ideal.
Sony Xperia Z Tablet
Although it’s slightly more expensive than the other options, Sony’s Xperia Z has one major advantage – not only over other tablets, but also traditional books. It’s water-resistant; so all those prone to knocking over glasses or reading in the bathtub can breathe easily with this in their hands. It has a large 10.1-inch display, with a resolution of 1920×1200, 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage space. Compared to the other 10.1-inch tablets, it’s almost 100g lighter, and is also the thinnest on the market, but still has everything you need inside.
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