Year in Review 2020: Here are the best five tablets launched this year

Business Standard lists top 5 tablets that stood out in 2020

From a niche product category, tablets graduated to the mainstream this year due to rise in demand owing to the coronavirus pandemic, which defined a new normal where digital took precedence as home turned into workplace and classrooms shifted online. Despite the surge in demand for the big-screen slates, there was barely any new entrant in the segment and the tablet market continued to be dominated by Apple and Samsung in 2020. Business Standard lists top 5 tablets that stood out:

Apple iPad Air 2020

Apple iPad Air

If there is one tablet that grabbed attention in 2020, it was Apple's iPad Air 2020. A toned-down version of the iPad Pro, which it touted to be good enough to replace even powerful laptops, the iPad Air 2020 is powered by the Apple's A14 Bionic chipset. Besides, there is a complete overhaul in terms of design compared to its previous generation. It is 6.1mm thick and 458g in weight. The iPad Air sports a 10.9-inch screen size only, with 64GB base storage and a 256GB top-end variant.

Price: Starts at Rs 54,900

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

This year, as Apple topped its line up with the latest iPad Air and iPad 8th gen, Samsung upped the ante with its Galaxy Tab S7+. This premium tablet from Samsung has it all to take on the mighty iPad Pro (or even iPad Air 4) with metallic build, an AMOLED display of 120Hz refresh rate, a 10,090mAh battery, SPen digital stylus, all-round connectivity, ample internal storage, Qualcomm’s flagship processor, and so much more that makes other slates pale in comparison.

The Galaxy Tab S7+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ system-on-chip, mated with a 6GB RAM and 28 GB of internal storage, making it a powerful device for people looking for performance, apart from the usual media consumption. For productivity, the tablet also supports Samsung’s DeX computing platform integrated within the OS for computing tasks.

Presently, the Galaxy Tab S7+ is the best Android tablet and the presence of SPen makes the deal even better, as unlike iPad, you don't have to pay extra for a stylus, which is a key accessory.

Price: Starts at Rs 79,999

Apple iPad 8th Gen

Apple iPad 8th Generation

The affordable big-screen slate in the iPad range, the iPad 8th generation comes with Apple's A12 Bionic chipset, 10.2-inch LED-backlit retina display, aluminium body, and TouchID. The iPad (8th gen) is touted to deliver 40 per cent faster CPU performance and twice the graphics capability compared to the predecessor. The iPad supports the trackpad and mouse, making the device ideal for those looking to mix work and play. Despite being not too heavy on the pocket, Apple iPad 8th Gen is a capable and powerful device for casual to serious users.

Price: Starts at Rs 29,900

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a stripped-down version of Samsung's premium tablet Galaxy Tab S6. Samsung launched this to take on the entry-level iPads, and the timing was just right as the demand surged for portable screens amid the coronavirus pandemic. With minimal design, this lightweight tablet boasts a metallic construction and a 10.4-inch LCD screen of fullHD+ resolution (2000 x 1200 pixel). The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is powered by Samsung Exynos 9611 system-on-chip. It ships with a 7040mAh battery, which keeps the show going for around a day after moderate usage. It comes with Samsung's digital stylus called the SPen. In its own capabilities, the Tab S6 Lite works great for productivity and it's an ideal alternative for those looking for an Android device with a decent performance.

Price: Rs 27,999 onwards

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

Just when people needed an extra screen, a bigger one, for online classes or office meetings, Samsung brought the Galaxy Tab A7, a device light on pocket and rich on productivity features.

The tablet comes with a 10.40-inch touchscreen display and offers a long battery life. What's good is despite a comparatively low price tag, there is no compromise on build and design aesthetics. Powered by Snapdragon 662 processor, the tablet performs well on basic tasks such as browsing, streaming, and gaming to some extent. The Galaxy Tab A7 has a 7040mAh battery capacity with 15W fast-charging support. Tab A7 fares well if you consider it for basic work. It can be a good companion for media consumption, online classes, Zoom meetings, etc, even though it's not the best in business when it comes to productivity. But its impressive battery life with fast-charging support and decent performance makes it a worthy option if you don't plan to spend too much and want the latest Android tablet to use as a secondary screen.

Price: Starts at Rs 17,999