The line between smartphones and tablets is fading, with many vendors and handset makers opting to release larger "phablets" rather than making a clearer distinction between the devices.
Because of this, many users can be perplexed about the advantages and disadvantages to owning a phablet over a smartphone and a tablet, and for those looking at the devices as a holiday gift the decision can be much tougher.
Here are some tips for figuring out which option is best for you and how to determine which gift option is best for a gift recipient.
Device Usage
To make the best decision, it is important to keep in mind what the device or devices will be used for.
If you're someone who really only uses their phone for texting and making calls, then perhaps a larger screen size is not necessary. Not only that, but if you're looking for a device to occasionally watch a movie in bed with or read with at home, then maybe a smartphone and a tablet, separately, will serve you well.
However, what if you want to be able to pull out a device to watch TV shows on the train ride home? Or if you enjoy using a larger screen for gaming? It is in this kind of a situation that perhaps a phablet is the better choice. Media consumption can often get frustrating on a smaller screen, which is why many people buy tablets.
Physical Size
The phablet is not going to work for everyone. Some will find that a device so large will often not even be able to fit into the user's pocket and even when it does fit, that doesn't mean that it will be comfortable.
However, if you rarely keep your devices in your pocket, but instead opt for a bag or something else, then size for comfort really isn't as important.
Specs
Phablets often have the luxury of better specs. Apart from having larger displays, they are often flagship models, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or Google Nexus 6. Because of this, they are faster, have more storage and are simply better devices. This is, of course, a generalization that isn't always true, with many smartphones being just as capable, but it would be impossible to say that the extra size has no effect on specs.
Conclusion
It is clear that deciding between a tablet and a smartphone essentially comes down to personal preference, but there are certainly reasons to go either way. The convenience of having all your data on one device is certainly a strong point, but so is the fact that smartphones can easily fit in your pocket and heavier media consumption can be saved for home. Either way, phablets are becoming more and more popular, and are likely to continue to do so for at least the next few years.
