Tablets Make A Comeback

Cumbersome laptops are giving way to tablets, as people look for more convenience when watching videos at home. We look at what is available in the market right now

- Magandeep Singh

APPLE IPAD AIR

With their latest super-fast A12 chip, slim and lightweight albeit slightly dated design, good battery and a lovely screen with a reliably tuned sound signature, the current generation iPad Air remains the best tablet that one can go for. It’s a bit on the pricey side — you will need to add at least a case and maybe the Apple pencil cost too — but for what it packs, you will be future safe for the next four years easily, and that is a feature that a few other brands can stake claim to.

Staying at home these days means that we are all forced to run much of our life on videos, whether it is work, or for entertainment. For most of us, the laptop is still the go-to device for videos. But it is too cumbersome to lug around everywhere and is not the easiest to accommodate when lying in bed.

The phone, handy as it may be, does not afford us enough screen real estate to have a truly immersive experience. What is then left is the tablet, which, save for a handful of brands, was almost written off, till before the pandemic. It is now making a huge comeback. If you are in the market for one, here is a quick round-up of what is out there, in order of my preference. A point to note: I have intended these as consumption devices (as opposed to input ones) so have not factored in their keyboards, and the usefulness thereof.

APPLE IPAD PRO