Since Apple launched the first iPad, tablets have evolved with our needs and desires. With so many on the market today, what are the best for getting work done? Here are some of the top work tablets, according to PCworld.com and Bottom Line Personal magazine.
Apple iPad Air 2
The tablet leader for app lovers.
The iPad Air is pretty far removed from a traditional laptop, but its simplicity is a huge appeal for a lot of people. From writing your thoughts in a minimalist text editor, to editing movies, or re-touching photos, the iPad Air’s iOS gets out of the way and lets you concentrate on what you’re doing.
The iPad Air 2 is unparalleled for apps and other accessories, such as keyboards, styluses, and music recording tools, depending on your needs. If you love to try new apps, Apple leads the way with hundreds of thousands of apps especially designed for this 10-inch tablet.
New features on the Air 2 include Touch ID technology that unlocks the device with a fingerprint.
Price: $499
Apple.com/ipad
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro
You’ll probably prefer it to any Windows device.
If you find an iPad Air too simple, but don’t want all the baggage of Windows, Samsung’s Galaxy Note Pro is a great middle ground. The Note Pro features an extra large 12.2-inch display that allows for a full-size Bluetooth keyboard — both Logitech and Zagg make them specifically for the Note Pro — and also includes a stylus for drawing and sketching.
Samsung software is pretty robust, letting you run up to four apps on-screen at the same time. You can also run certain apps, such as a notepad and calculator, in pop-up windows. Between the multitasking and the file browser built into Android, you have at least some of the accommodations of a proper PC.
However, Android has neither the extensive app selection of iOS nor the desktop programs of Windows, and its split-screen feature works only with a few apps.
Bottom line is you’ll probably prefer Note Pro to any Windows device, but don’t expect the Note Pro to do everything a laptop can.
Price: $799
Samsung.com
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
The best choice if you want your tablet to act like a laptop sometimes.
If you do a lot of work outside the office, but think that laptops are too bulky to carry around, then consider a tablet with a removable keyboard. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 has a 12-inch screen, and is the most powerful of these hybrids.
The Pro 3 has the same Intel Core processor found in many laptops and uses a Windows 8.1 operating system that supports a full version of Microsoft Office.
It has a full-size keyboard and a trackpad for precise pointing and selection. The full-size USB slot lets you connect a mouse, an external hard drive or a printer, and there’s a pressure-sensitive stylus thrown in for good measure. It also runs full-blown Windows 8.1, with all the things you’d expect from a work laptop, including a file browser, a taskbar, and desktop programs. If you’re used to working in Windows, the Surface Pro 3 doesn’t require any change in workflow. And at 2.4 pounds with the Type Cover attached, it’s lighter than most laptops of similar size.
Price: $799 plus $130 for the keyboard
Microsoft.com/surface