Disruption is an overused word in the tech space. But it certainly describes the upheavals and lifestyle changes that we have witnessed in a post-pandemic world. One of these changes has been the return – some might say surprising return – of tabs.
In a sense, tabs never really went anywhere – they have been here since 2010, the year Steve Jobs took the wraps off the first Apple iPad. Jobs then believed that we needed a bridge device between the 3.5-inch iPhone (it only expanded to 4-inches with the iPhone 5 in 2012) and a laptop. But even he didn’t visualise that the iPhone would almost double its screen estate – the Pro Max versions sport a 6.7-inch display now.
So why would anyone need a tablet in the age of smartphones with large screens?
Content consumption vs content creation
It’s been 10 years since I bought into the iPad value proposition, with the iPad 2. Ever since, I’ve swung between the regular iPad, the smaller iPad Mini and the iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro is now my preferred work + play gadget when I go on a short business trip or a short holiday where I need to put in a couple of hours of work a day. I am emphasising ‘short’ for a reason; it also opens up the biggest question that has surrounded tabs since they arrived. Can you ditch your laptop for an iPad or an Android tab? A question that leads to an existential question for tabs – are they as good with content creation as they are for content consumption.
The tab landscape
There are broadly two subsets and intersections between them. First, there’s the Apple iPad and the Android tab.
Then you have three broad price categories – there are tabs under Rs 20K that are great for binge-watching or for students who need a larger screen for online classes. While this is essentially Android territory dominated by brands like Samsung and Lenovo, Apple’s entry-level iPad (that starts at Rs 30,900) is in the consideration set for buyers who are willing to stretch their budget for a foot in the Apple ecosystem.
The second category is the small tab, that has been almost swallowed by large screen smartphones except for one notable exception – the Apple iPad Mini that has just been refreshed. But the category that’s our focus here is the premium tab that’s pitched as a serious laptop alternative, a device that flits between work and play effortlessly. One moment you’re in a virtual meeting, then you quickly work on a Word doc and then you grab a sandwich for lunch as you’re watching the latest episode of Succession.
iPad OS
I’ve always believed that your gadgets have to work around your needs and lifestyle. You know you don’t need a device if you’re working around the gadget. That’s one reason I could never recommend the iPad or one of Samsung’s premier tabs as a laptop replacement. Apple’s iPad OS that debuted in 2019 and Samsung’s DeX changed that; somewhat. For the longest time, tabs were just stretched versions of a smartphone. iPad OS’ multi-tasking facilities and advanced keyboard support changed that. The new Files App also made it easier to find files on your iPad. Samsung’s proprietary DeX solution mimics a laptop allowing you to maximise the device’s productivity creds; you can switch between tablet mode and DeX mode. While this adds to the work appeal of Samsung’s premium tabs, Android still doesn’t have a dedicated tab-specific OS.
So, should you ditch that laptop?
It’s certainly not a straightforward option. First you need to invest in extra kit. Samsung’s keyboard cover for its flagship Tab S7+ will set you back by Rs 14,999, while Apple’s iPad Pro keyboards start at Rs 15,900 and go all the way to Rs 27,900 for the top of the line Magic Keyboard. If you like to make notes or annotate, you need to spring an extra Rs 10,900 for an Apple Pencil or Rs 3,999 for Lenovo’s Precision Pen 2 (Samsung bundles its S-Pen at no extra cost).
Once you have a dependable keyboard, these tabs handle long emails without a fuss. Creating or editing MS Word or Excel docs is seamless too. PowerPoint tends to be basic; you’re certainly not going to be able to use it to impress your board or for a complex marketing pitch deck. So, it really boils down to your use case scenarios. I still use my MacBook and then use iPad or Samsung Tab as a complementary device that I can travel with or do quick edits at a café when I’m out all day for meetings.
The best work + play tabs you can buy right now
Apple iPad Pro: the 2021 iteration of Apple’s most formidable tab is powered by the ultra-quick M1 chip that is the heartbeat of the newer Macs. The rear cam setup now includes a 12MP lens that also shoots 4K video and a new 10MP ultra-wide cam that zooms out 2x for a much wider field of view. The new Pro sports an edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display in two sizes - 11-inches and 12.9-inches (Rs 71,900 onwards)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+: just 5.7 mm thick with a heft of 575 gm - remarkable for a device with a large 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display (2800x1752 pixels). This display crams 287 pixels per inch and gets a further boost with a 120Hz refresh rate. The optional book keyboard is much improved, with multiple function keys making it easier to type for long periods. (Rs 71,999)
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro: a 11.5-inch OLED display (2560 x 1600 pixels) with Dolby Vision and HDR support is one of its standout features. The internals are impressive too - a Qualcomm 730G octa core processor, 6GB of RAM, 128 GB of onboard memory and a robust 8600 mAh battery with Quick charge. (Rs 44,999)
Apple iPad Air: the reimagined Air launched in 2020 without the home key and a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with 3.8 million pixel. It also became the first iPad Air to switch to USB Type-C offering for flexibility, faster transfer speeds and connectivity (Rs 54,900 onwards)
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