Operating system
The operating system (OS) that the tablet runs on.
The most popular operating systems in modern tablets are such operating systems as
Android of different versions,
iPadOS (modern version of iOS), as well as
Windows 10 and
Windows 11. Here is a more detailed description of the different options:
— Android. Free open source OS from Google. Used by almost all modern manufacturers except Apple. Presented on the market in many versions — in particular,
Android 10 Q,
Android 10 Go Edition,
Android 11 R,
11 Go Edition,
Android 12,
Android 12 Go Edition,
Android 13,
Android 13 Go Edition,
Android 14,
Android 15. It is worth considering that at the time of the release of the device, one version of the OS could be installed, and at the time of sale it could be updated to a more modern one. Functionally, this OS is notable primarily for its full-fledged multitasking and an extensive set of available applications - in both of these points it surpasses both iOS and Windows. On the other hand, in general, the quali
...ty of Android applications is somewhat lower than in iOS, and the system itself is designed mainly for entertainment use (unlike Windows). Initially, Android has tight integration with Google services - the Google Play app and content store, Gmail mail, Google Drive cloud storage, etc.; however, exceptions to this rule are possible. Note that the latest versions of this OS can be found on the market both in its original form and in one of two specific editions:
- Go Edition. Modification of Android, designed for inexpensive gadgets with "weak" hardware. Both the OS itself and standard applications (Assistant, Gmail, etc.) have been redesigned in this edition in such a way as to ensure reliable operation even with low computing power. At the same time, the developers tried to preserve the functionality of full-fledged Android as much as possible — however, some specific functions in the Go Edition were still not available (for example, standard maps do not support turn-by-turn navigation).
- HMS. Edition of Android without Google services, used in devices from Huawei. Due to US sanctions against China, this company cannot fully cooperate with Google — in particular, use Google services (Google Mobile Services — GMS) in its Android gadgets. As a replacement, HMS — Huawei Mobile Services were introduced. These services include Huawei ID, AppGallery, branded equivalents of Google's core services (assistant, browser, cloud storage, music/video, etc.), and app developer tools.
As for individual versions of Android, here are the main features of the options that are relevant nowadays:
- 7.0. Released in August 2016. In this version, for the first time, a multi-window mode appeared — the ability to display two windows with two different applications on the same screen — as well as a virtual reality mode.
- 7.1. Update version 7.0, released at the end of 2016. Introduced a number of minor improvements related to appearance and usability.
- 8.0. A major update that was released at the end of the summer of 2017. Among the most notable innovations are picture-in-picture multitasking when watching videos, compatibility with Bluetooth 5, support for applications for VoIP (Internet telephony) at the system level, the ability to group notifications into “channels”. It is also the first version of Android to feature a Go edition (see above).
- 8.1. An update released at the end of 2017. From the user's point of view, this version is almost the same as the original 8.0, the main innovations are related to minor improvements and bug fixes.
- 9.0. Update introduced in August 2018. One of the most notable changes was the look, with a redesigned design and more customization options. In addition, instead of the three standard buttons in the navigation bar, only one (Home) button is displayed by default, the Back button appears only when it is relevant, and the list of open applications is displayed by moving the Home button to the right. Other important innovations include optimization of background power consumption based on the actual frequency of use of applications, compatibility with additional types of biometric authorization (in addition to a fingerprint), and the ability to simultaneously use several cameras at once with one application.
- 10. Version released in September 2019. This version introduced an expanded set of full-screen gestures (with the possibility of optimization in individual applications — in particular, disabling gestures on certain areas of the screen to avoid conflicts), a "dark" display mode at the system level, a number of important security updates (including a separate encryption standard for weak devices that do not support the AES format at the hardware level), full support for 5G communications and improved capabilities for working with augmented reality. In addition, a number of solutions have been introduced to optimize work on foldable gadgets with a flexible screen.
- 11.The next major Anroid update, released in the fall of 2020. The most noticeable innovations in this version are related to messages and notifications. So, a separate section "Conversations" for messages was created in notifications, it also became possible to display various correspondence in the form of a "bubble" on top of any running application (Bubbles function). The functionality of the Do Not Disturb mode has been expanded — now you can add exceptions for individual correspondence to it. Other important innovations include a system tool for recording video from the screen (including fixing touch points), a single control centre for smart home components, quick switching between playback devices (phone speaker, wireless headphones, Smart TV, etc.) , built-in support for Android Auto, as well as advanced options for managing the access of individual applications to certain data.
— iPadOS. A branch of the iOS operating system that spun off in mid-2019, rebranded to match the large screens of Apple tablets. It is used exclusively on board "apple" devices and has a good degree of optimization for a specific hardware. Of the differences from the mobile version of the iOS operating system : a denser seating of icons on the desktop (6x5 format), improved multitasking, special gestures for working with texts, expanded functionality of the file manager and browser. In particular, Safari opens full versions of websites, not mobile ones.
— Windows. The operating system developed by Microsoft, originally created for PCs and laptops, but nowadays also used in tablets. Such tablets are considered mainly professional and business-class devices, they are well suited, in particular, for study and regular work with documents. The 11th revision of the operating system from Microsoft, which debuted in 2021, is now considered relevant. Of the qualitative improvements in the system, the taskbar has been redesigned, which is now located in the centre of the bottom edge of the desktop, new widget menus have been introduced, window resizing and position changes (Snap), and the operating system has become friends with Android applications. The system remains the prerogative of tablets for work and study with support for office and specialized programs written under Windows.
— HarmonyOS. Huawei's Universal Operating System, also known as Hongmeng. Provides operation of a wide range of devices: appliances from the smart home ecosystem, smartwatches, smartphones and tablets. Specifically, in the tablet league of gadgets, the Harmony OS system is a kind of add-on on top of Android without Google services. The app store for Harmony OS devices is called AppGallery.
In modern tablets, you can find other operating systems, in addition to those described above. However, these are very rare and specific systems that have not received significant distribution.Brightness
The maximum brightness in nits provided by the tablet screen.
The brighter the display, the more readable the picture remains on it under intense ambient light. Also, high brightness is important for the correct display of HDR content. However, a large margin for this indicator affects the cost and power consumption of the screen. Manufacturers can specify standard, maximum, and peak brightness values. At the same time, an equal sign cannot be put between the maximum and peak brightness. The first indicates the ability of the screen to produce the specified brightness over its entire area, while the peak one - in a limited area and for a short time (mainly for HDR content).
CPU
The model name of the processor installed in the tablet.
The processor is the “heart” of the device. It is he who is responsible for performing all the computing operations necessary for the normal operation of the tablet, and largely determines the overall performance. Knowing the name of a specific processor model, you can easily find detailed information on it, incl. and comparison with other models.
The most popular chips these days are from
Qualcomm(in particular, the top solutions
Snapdragon 800 series and
Snapdragon 8 series),
MediaTek(budget and “mid-range”
MediaTek Helio processors and the line of advanced
MediaTek Dimensity chipsets with 5G support), and among Windows tablets
Intel processors (mainly the
Intel Core family) are often found. Quite a rarity are branded
Kirin processors from Huawei and Honor.
CPU speed
The clock speed of the processor installed in the tablet is actually the maximum number of operations performed by one processor core per second. This indicator is important for the speed of the system, but a high clock frequency in itself does not guarantee speed. The actual speed of the processor also depends on its architecture, the number of cores and many other features, and the overall speed of the device also depends on the amount of “RAM”, the installed OS, etc. Therefore, situations are not uncommon when
powerful advanced tablets have a lower CPU frequency than more modest models.
Graphics card
Model of the graphics card installed in the tablet. The graphics card in such devices is not a separate device, but part of the processor; however, she still has a clear specialization and is responsible for graphics.
Accordingly, the graphics capabilities of the tablet directly depend on the characteristics of the video accelerator. Theoretically, knowing the name, you can find detailed specifications of a graphics card, reviews, test results and other information and evaluate how it suits you. At the same time, in most cases there is no need to delve into such details — all system components, including the graphics card, are usually selected in such a way as to correspond to the general class of the tablet and the capabilities necessary for this class.
RAM
The amount of random access memory (RAM) installed in the tablet. This memory is used for direct data processing, and therefore its volume is one of the main indicators of system speed and power. However note that the optimal amount of RAM strongly depends on the OS used — different systems and even different versions of the same "OS" can vary greatly in terms of consumed resources. But models on the same OS can be compared with each other in terms of the amount of RAM.
As for specific values, indicators in
1 GB or less in our time are definitely a sign of a weak tablet.
2 GB and
3 GB can be called the entry level,
4 GB and
6 GB are middle class, and in the most advanced models,
8 GB, or even
16 GB can be installed (or even more) RAM.
Storage capacity
The volume of the tablet's own built-in storage. The larger it is, the more information (programs, games, movies, photos, etc.) can be stored on the tablet without resorting to removable media, rewriting to other devices, etc. At the same time, the amount of built-in memory significantly affects the cost. Therefore, some models are available in several versions, differing only in the capacity of the drive. And the variety of built-in memory is quite wide: from
16 GB to
1024 GB with a 2-fold increase (
32 GB,
64 GB,
128 GB,
256 GB,
512 GB).
Note that this paragraph indicates the total amount of internal memory. The operating system and default programs also take up space in it; therefore, the volume of the drive actually available to the user will inevitably be less than the total.
Many tablets allow you to add memory cards to the built-in drive (see below). Such cards are relatively inexpensive, but they are much slower, and the ability to work with them may be limited by the manufacturer — for example, not all tablets with this function allow installing applications on removable media.
AnTuTu Benchmark
The result shown by a device when undergoing a performance test (benchmark) in the AnTuTu Benchmark.
AnTuTu Benchmark is a comprehensive test designed specifically for mobile devices, primarily smartphones and tablets. It evaluates the performance of the processor, memory, graphics, and input/output systems, providing a clear impression of the system's capabilities. The better the performance, the higher the score. According to AnTuTu, top models are those that score more than 500,000 points.
As with any benchmark, this test does not provide absolute precision; for more details on measurement inaccuracies, see the "3DMark Gamer's Benchmark" section.
Communication standard
— 3G. Support for third-generation mobile networks
(3G) by the modem. Usually it means work in UMTS networks (development of the GSM standard); Depending on the data transfer technologies supported by the network and the tablet itself, the maximum connection speed can vary from 2 to 70 Mbps. This is comparable to the speed of terrestrial Internet connection channels, so 3G connection can be comfortably used for web surfing, downloading files, watching streaming video, video calling, etc. In many models, classic voice calls to mobile and landline numbers are also available; most often these are devices with a small diagonal, which allows you to hold the tablet to your ear like a regular phone.
— 4G (LTE). Tablet support for 4th generation mobile communications —
4G(LTE). Such a connection provides data transfer speeds up to 173 Mbps according to the official specification (1 Gbps in the future), which gives even more comfort when surfing the Internet and other similar tasks than in 3G networks. In many LTE-tablets, classic voice calls to mobile and landline numbers are also available; most often these are devices with a small diagonal, which allows you to hold the tablet to your ear like a regular phone.
Note that the implementation of LTE in different countries and even regions is uneven, so before buying a tablet with such a module, it's ok to clarify the availability of coverage.
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— 5G. Further, after 4G, the development of mobile communication standards. In the official specifications of this generation, a peak speed of 20 Gbps for reception and 10 Gbps for transmission, guaranteed reception and transmission speeds (at high network load) of 100 and 50 Mbps, respectively, as well as a number of solutions aimed at increasing reliability and overall communication quality. A set of such solutions includes, in particular, multi-element antenna arrays (Massive MIMO) and beamforming technologies (Beamforming) at base stations, as well as the possibility of direct communication between subscriber devices. With all this, this standard allows to reduce energy consumption in comparison with its predecessors.
Separately, it is worth touching on rumors about the dangers of 5G communications for health. According to modern scientific data, such a connection does not pose a danger to the human body, and the rumors mentioned are conspiracy theories that are not supported by any weighty arguments.
