What to choose: a smartphone or tablet

Thanks to the large screen, today, smart phones are closer in size to the tablets.

What to choose: a smartphone or tablet. Usage scenarios

Like any other electronics, smartphones (or tablets) should be chosen based on the planned use case. And in this case, the most likely "cases" are as follows:

1. Communication (both voice and Internet messengers);

2. Browsing the web, using social networks;

3. Reading of books;

4. Editing documents, work with e-mail;

5. Games;

6. View video;

7. Listening to music;

8. Photography.

In all of these use cases, tablets and smartphones manifest themselves in different ways. However, this is mainly a subjective assessment. For objective, the technical specifications are used - processor, RAM and permanent memory, display resolution and camera specifications. But they also manifest themselves differently depending on the usage scenario.

Communication (voice and internet messengers)

For voice communication - calls over the cellular network and via Internet telephony - it is better to use a smartphone. A tablet that is large in size is a bit awkward to hold around your head - you have to use wired or wireless headsets.

Similarly, with text communication via instant messengers. The compact size of the smartphone allows you to type messages with one hand, including directly on the go.

The tablet performs well when it comes to video conferencing. On its large screen, you can see the faces of all interlocutors.

If you plan to purchase a tablet for communication, then you should pay attention to models that are equipped with a GSM module and support mobile Internet (such as 3G or 4G). Models that can only connect to the network via Wi-Fi are not suitable for voice telephony in principle, and their convenience in messengers is quite controversial.

Browsing the web, using social networks

Despite the fact that most modern web pages are adapted for viewing from a smartphone, it is somewhat advisable to purchase such a device for surfing the Internet. It is much more convenient to use the tablet. Thanks to the large screen, it provides comfortable page navigation and convenient form filling.

However, if the main purpose of buying a device is to use social networks, the smartphone becomes more convenient than a tablet. This is explained by the fact that almost all such portals have special clients that make viewing content, reaction to it and communication as convenient as possible.

In addition, the best solution for surfing the web would be to buy a phablet - a large smartphone that has a diagonal from 5.5 to 7 inches.

For the convenience of viewing web pages "is responsible" not only the diagonal of the display, but the amount of RAM. If it is not enough, the cached pages begin to be unloaded, and they have to be downloaded again. The minimum required amount of RAM for a device on the Android operating system intended for web surfing is 2 GB.

Reading of books

A larger screen tablet is better suited for reading e-books than a relatively small smartphone display.Especially people with different visual defects will like it - you can set any desired size of characters, and there will still be enough information on one page.

However, the smartphone is much more mobile and easier. That is why it is more convenient when it comes to reading for hours. Tablets because of their large mass lead to the fact that the hands get tired of holding them. Smartphones cause this unpleasant feeling much less often.

But for reading books at home, as well as short trips, it’s still better to get a tablet.

Editing documents, e-mail, other office activities

For office activities, the tablet fits better than a smartphone. Tools for editing documents, viewing emails, etc. on the big screen provide a better user experience than on the small one. In addition, within the framework of one office, the tablet provides greater mobility than a smartphone. And it can be used as an alternative for paper if you just need to demonstrate something to your colleagues or management.

Games

At first glance, the tablet should provide the best gaming experience. But it is not so.

The tablet provides a good user experience when it comes to simple and little dynamic games. This is because the controls and the interface are usually scattered around the screen, and it may be a little awkward to reach out for them with your fingers. However, in games of such a genre as puzzles, logical, step-by-step and some RT strategies, the tablet provides sufficient convenience.

For games that have high dynamics - shooters, car simulators, RPG, intense RTS - a smartphone is better suited. On its small screen, it's easier to reach the necessary controls, which provides a better user experience.

And for the ability to run games on a particular device, a processor with an integrated graphics accelerator “responds”. The “fresher” chip model, the more performance it shows. And so, flagship processors such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Series or MediaTek Helio x line ensure maximum compatibility with modern games.

View video

Regardless of the resolution of the display, the tablet is better suited for watching videos and movies than a smartphone. On the big screen you can see more details than on a small one.

However, it is the screen resolution that affects the final quality of the “picture”. The higher it is, the better. The optimal screen resolution of a device designed for watching movies and videos is Full HD - 1920 × 1080 pixels. It is possible and more, but it will lead to the accelerated discharge of the battery.

If we talk about specific screen manufacturing technologies - IPS, TFT, AMOLED - then they provide approximately the same picture. Only the color and overall color tone of the screen changes. Perhaps best of all is AMOLED - however, it is rarely found in tablets.

In addition, there is another technology for the manufacture of screens - Retina. It can be found in Apple tablets. Such screens provide excellent color reproduction and maximum "smoothness" of the image.

Listening to music

Both smartphones and tablets are equally well suited for listening to music. However, in 2017, individual sound chips, which provide the best sound quality, are primarily equipped with smartphones. Tablets with DAC or similar modules are practically not found.

Among the smartphones that are best suited for listening to music, can be identified:

1. LG G5 with separate DAC and G6 with integrated;

2. ZTE Axon 7;

3. Marshall London;

4. HTC U11;

5. Huawei P10;

6. Sony Xperia XZ.

Photography

In 2017, the best cameras are installed exactly in the flagship smartphones. Therefore, buying a device for mobile shooting, it is better to pay attention to compact devices. So, the best quality images provide the following smartphone models:

1. Apple iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X;

2. Google Pixel, Pixel XL;

3. Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus;

4. Sony Xperia XZ.

However, for mobile photo editing is better to use tablets. First, thanks to the large screen, they provide an opportunity to examine the image in detail. And secondly, special photo editing applications on tablets offer wider functionality and greater usability.

Among the tablets that are suitable for photo editing, you can highlight the Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface Pro 4. They support input from the stylus, are equipped with displays with excellent resolution and excellent color reproduction, and can also run professional-level software, which will allow you to edit images in detail before publishing .

In the following articles, our experts tell how to choose an e-book and secrets selection of smart watches.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.