Tablets give off the impression that they are portable, handy and easy to slip inside one's handbag. Samsung, Apple and Microsoft have decided to push the tablet's capabilities a little bit further by producing bigger versions. These tablets are also expected to deliver business-oriented features with a greater focus on multitasking.
Perhaps the first question that one should ask about these tablets is their relevance. Does a bigger tablet mean that it's better? The second is how far each company is willing to go when it comes to producing bigger tablets. Should there be a limit on the tablet's size before we start creating a new monicker, such as the "supertab" or "huglet" (huge tablet), for it?
Samsung, Apple and Microsoft all showcase their "masterpieces" as the best big screen tablet.
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 is a 12-inch tablet that runs on Android 4.4 Kitkat, which has been modified to accommodate Samsung's Magazine UX and TouchWiz. There's also a pressure-sensitive S Pen that comes with every unit. Other interesting features include an internal memory of 32GB, a RAM of 3GB, a microSD card slot, a split Octa-core processor and pixel resolution of 2560 x 1600.
The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 looks like a larger version of the Note 10.1 2014 Edition as it bears the familiar faux-leather back and the same pixel resolution of the display. What sets it apart is its Android version, the remote PC connection capability and the Flipboard-like Magazine interface.
The bigger display, of course, demands a higher price tag. The Wi-Fi only models of 32GB and 64GB sell at $750 and $850 respectively. There will also be LTE-capable models soon on the market, although the pricing is still undetermined.
Compared to Apple and Microsoft tablets, the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 of Samsung is the definitely the biggest. It offers more than simply watching movies, playing games and surfing the Internet. In order to maximize the screen's capacity because of its mammoth size, Samsung has equipped it with the Magazine UX. The feature allows one to divide the screen into a number of tiles, each filled with personally chosen content such as weather, email, news, business, sport or even horoscope. This sort of "tile-viewing" is impossible to do on smaller-screened tablets.
Apple iPad Air 2. The iPad Air 2 features a 9.7-inch low reflectivity Retina display, A8X tri-core processor of 1.5GHz, quad-core GPU, iOS 8.3, Touch ID and an 8MP rear camera. It is known to be a razor-thin tablet that provides lightning fast performance along with possessing the best selection of apps.
One of its most talked about features is the Touch ID, which uses one's fingerprint in unlocking the device. This can come in handy when one would like to access Apple Pay in making secured online purchases.
The iPad Air 2 bears a design similar to its predecessor's, although Apple also managed to enhance some key areas. Measuring 0.24 inch (6.1mm) thick and weighing 0.96 pounds (437grams), the iPad Air 2 is slimmer by 0.06 inch (1.4mm) and lighter by 0.07 pounds (32grams) than its predecessor. Its slim size boasts a rock solid build with an aluminum back that feels robust and strong. The iPad Air 2 sells for $499 to $829.
Apple is rumored to be working on an iPad Pro bigger than the iPad Air 2. Some sources label the new device "iPad Air Plus." The tablet is said to have a 12.9-inch display, four speakers, a RAM of 2GB and a CPU of Apple A8X/A9. Various release dates were also speculated on. One says Apple is set to release the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 rival toward the end of the Q3 2015.
Microsoft Surface Pro 3. This device from Microsoft has so far been included on Tech Times' list of the best Windows tablets and the best Hybrid tablets. Now, it's also competing under the big screen category.
Microsoft touts the device as a laptop replacement and an iPad and MacBook Air killer. Measuring 12 inches, the Surface Pro 3 is said to have a 3:2 aspect ratio. This allows it to display more content compared to the MacBook Air, which has an aspect ratio of 16:10 for its 13.3-inch screen. Pixel count is also measured at 2160 x 1440 along with a 216 boost in pixels per inch.
The Surface Pro 3 comes in five versions with prices that range from $799 to $1,949. These include the 64GB Intel Core i3; 128GB Core i5; 256GB Core i5; 256GB Core i7; and 512GB Core i7. Apart from the U.S., UK and Australia, the tablet is also offered for the first time in 25 new markets where the company struggles to meet high demand.
With the look and feel of a premium product, the Surface Pro 3 deserves to compete side by side with high-end tablets and laptops. It has also managed to keep the trapezoidal size and shape of predecessors but with a thinner and lighter angle.
