Tablet Buying Guide For Black Friday

1. Apple iPad Air 2

Although it honestly isn’t a huge improvement from last year’s model, we are still pleased with it. The latest iPad Air has the all new Touch ID sensor that protects and allows the user to active the Apple Pay account. It’s 6.1 millimeters, which means that it’s even thinner than the iPhone 6. Brand new and lightning fast, the A8X chip coupled with a 9.7-inch, 1536x2048 pixel resolution screen is a dream come true. We also enjoy the 8MP rear camera. It also still has a supposed 10 hour battery life (which is the same as the older version), but comes out to about 7 ½ hours.

2. Google Nexus 9

The new kid in town is boasting an 8.9-inch screen, with the brand new Android Lollipop 5.0, which made it’s debut on the Nexus 9. Whether this is a good thing, we aren’t 100% certain, as Lollipop has made headlines recently due to some bugs. However, the new design and features will make the upgrade a sealed deal, when they finally fix all the kinks. It’s also the first to rock a 64-bit Nvidia Tegrea K1 system, as well as a 2.3GHz dual-core CPU. Also flaunting an 8MP rear camera, we like that this tablet, even with Android 5.0, still hits 9 ½ hours for battery.

3. Amazon Fire HDX 8.9

Unfortunately, this tablet is grossly underestimated. Which is a shame, considering it also has a 8.9-inch screen, like the Nexus 9. I think most people fear the operating system, which is Amazon’s own brand, Fire OS 4 Sangria, but it’s family friendly and battery saving, despite the lack of available apps. It has the new powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chip, that races along at 2.5GHz on a quad-core Krait 450 CPU, coupled with 2GB of RAM, which, frankly, is better than some computers. It has a 2560x1600 pixel resolution, which means yes, it has even more than the iPad Air 2. It also scores unbelievably well in gaming benchmarks.  

4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S

An 8.4-inch screen that also has a lovely Super AMOLED 2560x1600 display, these colors are unbelievable and save battery. WIth a quad-core octacore CPU that speeds at 1.3GHz, and 3GB RAM to compliment, we are impressed. It operates on Android 4.4 KitKat, and has 8MP rear camera. It has a ridiculously impressive 4900 mAh battery, which gets the thumbs up from us.  

5. Microsoft Surface Pro 3

Honestly, this is an amazing tablet. The problem is that this isn’t exactly what people are usually looking for when they go to buy a tablet. The Surface Pro 3 is a complete replacement for your PC, which is why it has such a high price tag. Not many apps are compatible, and of course, it’s Windows. It has to be i5 and up to even qualify, because anything else is a waste of money, which means your starting price is around $999. It has a 2160x1440 pixel resolution for the 10.6-inch screen. It runs at 1.9GHz on Intel Core i5, which is a dual core CPU with 8GB of RAM. The keyboard is a separate price, but if you are someone that is looking for a replacement PC that is always ready to go, this is a great idea.