Tablets

KARBONN SMART TAB 8 
Squarish form factor offers more screen space. Handles high-def movies and games. Android Jelly Bean customized for the better. Good battery life (6 hours of video). Decent screen (but terrible viewing angles). The build quality isn’t top-notch. No calling facility or on-the-go internet. No Bluetooth. 

Specs: 8-inch touchscreen (1024x768 pixels) | 1.5GHz dual-core CPU | 1GB RAM | 1.5GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 3MP rear cam, VGA front cam | Wi-Fi, microUSB | 4500 mAh battery | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean 

Verdict: The Karbonn Smart Tab 8 is great if you want something larger than a 7-inch tablet, especially because of the added room that its squarish aspect ratio offers; best for those who want a slate to browse the web and read books. 

Price: 7,250 

LAVA ETAB XTRON 
Sturdy build quality. Screen outclasses other devices in this price band. Handles high-def movies and games. Stutters when multi-tasking between heavy apps. Poor battery life (3 hours of video). Low speaker volume. No calling facility or on-the-go internet. No Bluetooth. 

Specs: 7-inch IPS touchscreen (1024x600 pixels) | 1.5GHz dual-core CPU | 1GB RAM | 8GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 2MP front cam | Wi-Fi, microUSB | 3500 mAh battery | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean 

Verdict: The ETab Xtron promises great value for money. Of all the other slates in its class, this one has the best build quality, is a superb performer, and is equipped with an above-average screen (albeit with poor viewing angles). And when playing movies or videos, you’ll have to use headphones for good audio. 
Price: 6,500  

SPICE STELLAR PAD 
Handles high-def movies and games. Good screen with decent viewing angles. 16GB internal memory, with microSD card slot. Great battery (8 hours of video). Sub-standard build quality. No calling facility or on-the-go internet. No Bluetooth. 

Specs: 10-inch IPS touchscreen (1280x800 pixels) | 1.5GHz dual-core CPU | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 3MP rear cam, VGA front cam | Wi-Fi, microUSB | 7600 mAh battery | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean 

Verdict: The Spice Stellar Pad offers the best value for your money if you want a 10-inch screen. Its large, high-def display makes it ideal for watching videos, though you might see some colour banding. Its weight of 667gms makes it heavy for prolonged use. Also, durability seems suspect because of its flimsy build quality. 
Price: 12,999 

ZYNC QUAD 8 

Smooth performance. Sharp display with accurate colours and viewing angles. Good battery life (6 hours of video). Squarish design makes it suitable for reading and browsing. Flimsy build quality does not inspire confidence. No calling facility or on-the-go internet. No Bluetooth 

Specs:8-inch IPS touchscreen (1024x768 pixels) | 1.5GHz quadcore CPU | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 5MP rear cam, 2MP front cam | Wi-Fi, microUSB | 5400 mAh battery | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean 

Verdict: The Zync Quad 8’s stellar processor makes it one of the best budget tablets for gaming. The slate is also good for reading. But be warned that videos will be displayed in letterbox mode (with black bands at the top and bottom). 
Price: 12,999 

GOOGLE NEXUS 7 (Wi-Fi) 
Pure Android; promise of quick updates. Buttery-smooth performance and multi-tasking. Sharp display with accurate colours and viewing angles. Scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass. Decent battery (over 5 hours of video). Only 16GB of built-in memory, of which about 13.5GB is available to the user; no microSD card slot. No calling facility or on-the-go internet. 

Specs: 7-inch IPS touchscreen (1280x800 pixels) | 1.2GHz quadcore CPU | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, no microSD slot | 1.2MP front cam | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB | 4325 mAh battery | Android 4.2 Jelly Bean 

Verdict: The pure Google experience, a gorgeous HD screen and a fast processor at a mid-range price make the Nexus 7 an absolute steal. If you like to read, play games or watch videos, this is a fantastic tablet. But the lack of 3G functionality limits its on-the-move utility. 

Price: 15,999 (The 32GB Nexus 7 costs 18,999). 

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 2 P3100 
3G SIM for on-the-go connectivity. Doubles up as a phone, letting you access Whatsapp on your tablet and even make calls. 16GB onboard storage, with microSD support for 32GB cards. Low-res screen for this price, but displays vivid colours. Poor battery life (4 hours of video). Struggles when multi-tasking between resource-intensive apps. 

Specs: 7-inch PLS touchscreen (1024x600 pixels) | 1GHz dual-core CPU | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 3MP rear cam, VGA front cam | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB | 4000 mAh battery | Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich, upgradable to Jelly Bean 

Verdict: The Galaxy Tab 2 loses out to the Nexus 7 in almost every performance test, but there are two things that work in its favour. First, on-the-go 3G connectivity is a big deal, and it changes how you use a tablet. Second, microSD storage is a big plus point – once you start downloading those magazines and movies from the Play Store, you’ll be surprised how fast memory gets filled up. However, be prepared for underwhelming battery life, especially when you start using it with a 3G connection. 
Price: 15,999 

Google Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi and 3G) 
3G SIM for on-the-go connectivity. 32GB storage, no microSD slot. Decent battery life (over 5 hours of video); dips when used with 3G. Just like with the Wi-Fi variant, offers a pure Android experience with assurance of OS updates, a powerful quad-core CPU and a fantastic 7-inch screen.

Specs: 7-inch IPS touchscreen (1280x800 pixels) | 1.2GHz quad-core CPU | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, no microSD slot | 1.2MP front cam | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB | 4325 mAh battery | Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Verdict: 3G connectivity adds greatly to the utility of any tablet and this factor, along with a highdef screen and the guarantee that you’ll get the latest Android updates, makes the Nexus 7 the most value-formoney tablet, trumping even the iPad Mini that’s available at the same price. Whether it is gaming, reading, or on-the-go office productivity, this slate is a winner. 
Price: 21,999

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P5100 
3G SIM for on-the-go connectivity. Stunning 10.1-inch high-def display, and its widescreen aspect ratio make it a great tablet to watch movies. Fantastic battery life (9 hours of video). Although the dual-core processor is a bit dated, it performs smoothly except when handling graphic-intensive scenes in high-definition games. The size and weight make it unwieldy to use for prolonged reading or as a phone. In fact, for the latter, make sure you invest in a Bluetooth headset. Specs: 10-inch PLS touchscreen (1280x800 pixels) | 1GHz dual-core CPU | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 3MP rear cam, VGA front cam | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB | 7000 mAh battery | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Verdict: If you want a big, widescreen tablet to watch movies, then the Galaxy Tab 2 P5100 is the perfect slate. Plus, its 3G slot lets you use it on-the-go, which really boosts its utility. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and headset, and you have a tablet-cum-phone-cum-laptop, ready to do your bidding. Not bad at all for this price. 
Price: 25,900

Samsung Galaxy Note 800 
3G SIM for on-the-go internet connectivity. Comes with stylus (proprietory S Pen technology). Good stylus-based productivity apps, including Photoshop Touch. Great 10.1-inch high-def display, but resolution of 1280x800 seems under-par at this price. Smooth multitasking across apps. Fantastic battery life (8 hours of video). Plasticky build quality. Too heavy (600gms) for prolonged use. 

Specs: 10.1-inch (1280x800 pixels) Super AMOLED touchscreen (with S Pen stylus) | 1.4GHz quad-core CPU | 2GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, microUSB| 5MP rear cam, 1.9MP front cam | 7000 mAh battery | Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich (upgradable to Jelly Bean) 

Verdict: The Note 800 is the only tablet that comes with a stylus and is capable of everything that a premium slate can do – a compelling proposition for those who’ve been waiting since the first iPad for a tablet with stylus support. 
Price: 35,000

The iPads

APPLE has dominated the tablet landscape since the launch of the first 10-inch iPad in 2010. Through the years, all of its slates boast killer features that make it the benchmark in tablet computing, namely… A receptive touchscreen, capable of sharp visuals and vivid colours. A stellar operating system. Fantastic build quality. Intuitive user interface and a superb app ecosystem with a large number of ‘made-for-tablet’ offerings. On the flip side… All newer tablets use the proprietary Lightning connector for charging and data transfer so you can’t even use an older iPad or iPhone’s cable to charge it, let alone those belonging to any of the hundreds of other devices. No expandable memory slot. Transferring music, movies or any other files through iTunes on your PC is a horrible experience. 

16GB iPad Mini (Wi-Fi) 
Fantastic battery life (9 hours of video). Storage is restricted to 16GB (however, there are larger storage capacities available at higher prices: 32GB for 27,900 and 64GB for 33,900). No calling facility or on-the-go internet. 

Specs: 7.9-inch IPS touchscreen (1024x768 pixels) | 1GHz dual-core CPU | 512MB RAM | 16/32/64GB internal memory, no microSD slot | 5MP rear cam, 1.2MP front cam | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Lightning connector | 4500 mAh battery | iOS 6.1 

Verdict: The iPad Mini’s size and weight makes it comfortable to hold and use; ideal for reading, watching movies and playing games. The screen isn’t a hi-res Retina display, but in our usage, it was crisp and clear enough for every scenario. If you will mostly use a tablet in your home, over a Wi-Fi connection, then the Mini is the frontrunner. Price: 21,900 

16GB iPad Mini (3G and Wi-Fi) 
Nano-SIM slot for on-the-go internet. Fantastic battery life (9 hours of video). No calling facility – and it doesn’t run apps that rely on it either, like WhatsApp. 16GB of memory (32GB variant costs 35,900 and the 64GB costs 41,900). 

Specs: 7.9-inch IPS touchscreen (1024x768 pixels) | 1GHz dual-core CPU | 512MB RAM | 16/32/64GB internal memory, no microSD slot | 5MP rear cam, 1.2MP front cam | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Lightning connector | 4500 mAh battery | iOS 6.1 

Verdict:The iPad Mini with 3G can do all that the Wi-Fi model can do, and it also allows for on-the-go internet connectivity, making it one of the best tablets there is with the right mix of hardware, software and portability. 

Price: 29,990  

iPad 4th Gen (with Retina Display) 
Fantastic high-res touchscreen. Exceptional battery life (11 hours of video). No calling facility – and it doesn’t run apps that rely on those either, like WhatsApp. No microSD slot; 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB internal memory variants available. At 652gms, it is uncomfortable to use over extended periods of time. 

Specs: 9.7-inch IPS touchscreen (2048x1536 pixels) | 1.4GHz dual-core CPU | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory (also available with 32, 64 and 128GB storage), no microSD slot | 5MP rear cam, 1.2MP front cam | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Lightning connector (also available with 3G support) | 11,560 mAh battery | iOS 6.1 

Verdict: Where the iPad scores over the Mini is the high-resolution (264 pixels per inch) Retina Display with its 9.7-inch screen, which makes it a fantastic device to watch movies, browse the internet, or play games. 

Price: 39,900 and above

 [Courtesy: Times of India]