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[Entwood]

As we are planning an extended trip to visit family in Australia/New Zealand later this year, I am thinking about purchasing a 10" tablet ( too big / too small ?? ) to take instead of having to lug a laptop around with me. Whilst I know a reasonable amount about desktop and laptop computers I know little about tablets, which until now I have considered as overgrown phones ...

Any advice on models/makes to avoid, or recommendations on those to consider, as well as any other advice you consider relevant would be gratefully accepted.

Budget is up to around £400 (ish), I "think" a minimum of 32 Gb storage as I intend to back up cameras to the device, and wifi/4g connectivity for communication back to UK are the points that have come to mind so far ... unless you know different !!

Ta muchly, Nige

[tunnie]

What do you need it to do? Photo editing or just web browsing and email?

What do you want to use it for primarily?

[Marks DTM Calib]

My pair have a couple of Galaxy Tab A's which get serious hammer and are standing up well to it.

They seem pretty good to be honest, more than enough processing grunt to do what they want and reasonably robust plus, not stupidly expensive so worth a look.

[zirk]

Windows or Android would be my question question to you, which is reinvent to the question already asked "What do you want to do with it"

If Android OS then you will be totally relying on loading Apps to get things done, lots of them some good some poor, if Windows ie Win10, then pretty much anything you currently use on your Laptop can be loaded and used on your Tablet.

10" is a good screen size, not too small for viewing, would help if it had external monitor source or HDMI out, so it could be used on a bigger Screen / TV when on your travels.

[Mister Rog]

The 4G connectivity requirement would narrow things down a bit. Whereas most have WiFi, many tablets do not have a slot for a SIM card. At least not the last time I looked.

[henryd]

The 4G connectivity requirement would narrow things down a bit. Whereas most have WiFi, many tablets do not have a slot for a SIM card. At least not the last time I looked.

I know that the Ipad is available with sim capability but not sure of any others

[zirk]

TBH, small pocket size Mini WiFi Hotspot Routers are so cheap and rieliable now, just wack a Sim in them and away you go. I dont think I would bother paying for the extra expense of having a Tablet with 4G connectivity on board, plus it just something else that will eat up the Tablets battery.

Plus pretty much every modern mobile phone these does can be put into WiFi Hotspot mode, even if its an old Windows or Android phone laying around in the cupboard..

[Marks DTM Calib]

The 4G connectivity requirement would narrow things down a bit. Whereas most have WiFi, many tablets do not have a slot for a SIM card. At least not the last time I looked.

Tab A can be had with sim card slot

[Auto Addict]

The 4G connectivity requirement would narrow things down a bit. Whereas most have WiFi, many tablets do not have a slot for a SIM card. At least not the last time I looked.

Tab A can be had with sim card slot

I've got aTab A, can't fault it.

[TD]

I'll go with Zirk on the 4G bit, don't bother with it, if you cannot connect to wifi, put your mobile in hotspot mode and use your phones data connection  Saves paying for another sim 

[henryd]

I'll go with Zirk on the 4G bit, don't bother with it, if you cannot connect to wifi, put your mobile in hotspot mode and use your phones data connection  Saves paying for another sim 

I agree,thats what I do when in the tin tent,my phone on hotspot will run all the kids and wifey tablets,gets warm though !

[Entwood]

I'll go with Zirk on the 4G bit, don't bother with it, if you cannot connect to wifi, put your mobile in hotspot mode and use your phones data connection  Saves paying for another sim 

I agree,thats what I do when in the tin tent,my phone on hotspot will run all the kids and wifey tablets,gets warm though !

That might make sense as I intend to buy a local PAYG sim in both Aus and NZ ... seems to be cheaper than using roaming charges !!

[Sir Tigger KC]

I'll go with Zirk on the 4G bit, don't bother with it, if you cannot connect to wifi, put your mobile in hotspot mode and use your phones data connection  Saves paying for another sim 

I agree,thats what I do when in the tin tent,my phone on hotspot will run all the kids and wifey tablets,gets warm though !

That might make sense as I intend to buy a local PAYG sim in both Aus and NZ ... seems to be cheaper than using roaming charges !!

Not sure what sims cost in the Antipodes but I planned to do this in the States a couple of years ago and was shocked how expensive PAYG sims were compared to here!   

Happily free wifi seems to be much more common in foreign fields than in dear old Blighty. 

[Lazydocker]

I'll go with Zirk on the 4G bit, don't bother with it, if you cannot connect to wifi, put your mobile in hotspot mode and use your phones data connection  Saves paying for another sim 

I agree,thats what I do when in the tin tent,my phone on hotspot will run all the kids and wifey tablets,gets warm though !

That might make sense as I intend to buy a local PAYG sim in both Aus and NZ ... seems to be cheaper than using roaming charges !!

Depends what numbers you're likely to be calling... With Three (like home) there are no roaming charges in either Aus or NZ so comps to/from U.K. Are free (plus data) but calls to Aus/NZ are pricey.

[TheBoy]

I have Android tablets, I have a couple of Windows tablets, and I have a gayPad.

Which did I take on holiday? Yup, the gayPad. It met my needs of videos on the plane, and email/web whilst away. Windows would have been my 2nd choice, but its horses for courses.

I bought my gayPad after a holiday where Mrs TB's gayPad "just worked" and a previous Android tablet I had taken was frequently in the "almost, but not quite" state of needing so much faffage.


Be aware, most non SIM capable tablets (or all OS types) cannot do GPS, as they are missing the hardware.  Now its unlikely you'll be shoving a bloody great tablet on your windscreen for directions, but GPS is used for so much else - finding local restaurants, geotagging photos taken with device, and so on.