In essence, the iPad is the tablet so popular with most buyers that they prefer to consider it separately from tablets from other manufacturers. Therefore, there is confusion – in the world of tablets, there are two groups: "IPad" and "other tablets."
Meanwhile, tablet makers are doing their best to surpass the world leader Apple and produce quite noteworthy devices. Buyers are confused. Which is better: tablet or iPad? Let’s try to figure it out together and get an objective answer to this question.
Tablet and iPad – compare
Consider the pros and cons of Apple iPad 4 devices and a tablet from another manufacturer, such as Samsung.
Screen
The Apple tablet boasts a beautiful screen that has the same good 9.7-inch IPS panel as the previous version, the iPad 3. Its aspect ratio is 4:3, and it has an impressive resolution of 1536 by 2048 pixels with a packing density of 264 pixels per one inch. Such screens are called Retina displays. This name comes from the word "retina" (Retina).
Tablets from other manufacturers are not equipped with such a perfect screen: the resolution of the 10.1-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 screen with a PLS matrix is only 1280 by 800 pixels. Most likely, this is due to the fact that a screen with a higher resolution would not be able to support an active S-Pen digital pen. But more on that later.
Design and build quality
The design of the Apple iPad remains virtually unchanged with each new model: the same familiar all-metal body made of durable aluminum alloy and the front panel made of scratch-resistant glass. Tablets from other manufacturers look different: there are models with a thinner case, and models with two speakers … Manufacturers are either trying to protect their products from the attacks of Apple lawyers, or they are trying in every possible way to attract buyers with an original design. One way or another, the appearance of the iPad is simple, but the build quality is excellent. Other tablets boast an interesting design.
Processor and Memory
The Apple iPad 4 has the A6X processor, the most powerful processor in existence, which has a quad-core PowerVR SGX554 video accelerator, as well as two Swift cores. Of the minuses – a relatively small RAM (only 1 GB), but this is quite enough for the smooth operation of the iOS operating system.
The Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet is based on the quad-core ARM Cortex A9 SoC Exynos 4, which operates at a frequency of 1.4 GHz and is equipped with a Mali-400MP graphics accelerator. The device has 2 GB of RAM. In addition, this tablet has a slot for a memory card, which is important.
Thus, in this category, the question of which is better: a tablet or an iPad 4 can be safely answered – iPad, thanks to a powerful processor and a good battery.
Software
Everyone is used to the stability and reliability of Android, to the chic and convenience of iOS. It makes no sense to talk about which of these operating systems is better overall. But you can consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them within the framework of tablet models. The relatively new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean system is not inferior to IOS in terms of functionality, convenience and characteristics, and in some ways even surpasses it.
Undoubtedly, Apple is the master of applications. But if you consider that the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean system copes with the work of programs released for the active S-Pen digital pen, which recognizes formulas, handwriting, turns sketches into drawings; it’s safe to say that today Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is one of the best operating systems. In addition, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean can run several applications simultaneously in separate windows, which does not affect the speed of the gadget.
Before buying a tablet, you need to decide for what purpose you need this gadget. It often happens that, being in front of dozens of various devices, a person gets lost and chooses something completely different from what he needs. “Which is better: tablet or iPad 2, 3 or 4?" – each of these devices is good in its own way.
If you are buying a tablet to watch movies, listen to music, use Apple applications, then, of course, your choice will fall on the iPad with a perfect screen and good performance. If you need a tablet for work, taking notes or as an organizer, choose an Android-based gadget, you can’t go wrong. The main thing is not to rush into the choice, to get to know the characteristics and functionality of the models you are interested in, compare and choose what you need.