I-pad advice (or just tablets generally)

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

Am buying a tablet for the first time.

I've found an i-pad I quite like the look of. Do I need an "apple pencil" to go with this? The pencil is nearly £100 taking the whole package up to just over £400.00.

If you are techy and have an opinion on I-pad v Samsung or other tablets I'd also be grateful for your views!

Thanks.

Do you have other apple products? If not, then don't buy an iPad. There are much better value tablets available.

And you don't need the pen! fingers work perfectly well

Do you have other apple products? If not, then don't buy an iPad

I disagree. I have Windows laptop, android phone and just got an iPad for Christmas. Yes there are cheaper tablets, but iPads are by far the best, so sleek and pleasing.

OP, I have the pencil. I like it. It's quite handy for a few things: drawing, notes, helpful in game and puzzle apps, but by no means essential.

I’ve just had this conundrum myself. I was between the new iPad, and the Galaxy S3 (which comes with a pen). I realised that, I didn’t actually need anything so fancy/as expensive for playing app games and watching some YouTube, so what I actually bought was the Galaxy S2, and got a smart little case with Bluetooth keyboard and stylus for an extra £25ish. All in all it came to less than the new iPad but I still have a very nice tablet that does everything I want it to (and free wireless headphones as well!).

They all have their downsides. My S2 is still listed on ‘best buy’ tablets, but in tech terms it’s getting on a bit. The new S3 is definitely better, some reviewers say better than the S4 that’s just come out. With Apple, you will definitely get quality, but (I say this as a continuous iPhone user), they don’t have the longevity of android products. It’s one of the reasons I bought an android tablet, I’m already in the iPhone loop, I’m not updating my tablet tech like I have to Apple unless I win the lottery! Windows tablet (like the Microsoft Pro/Go) is high quality, more ‘computer’ like, but the Windows Store is absolutely crap.

Of course, it just depends what you want from a tablet, and if the extra cost has something you’d definitely use them it’s a better investment. My partner needed a ‘proper’ tablet pen rather than a stylus due to doing some hobby/sidework graphic design, as an example. I suggest watching reviews on YouTube of tablets within your price range (keeping in mind a lot of them are iPad biased though).

Thanks for the replies!

It's a gift for one of my adult children. She's the only one in the family who has anything apple (she has an i-phone) and I am a bit nervous about getting something that's going to date too quickly.

Do you think the Samsung Galaxy S3 is a good alternative? It certainly seems to be from the reviews.

I’d suggest that if she has an iPhone and likes it, then the iPad might be a better bet. Reason being if you have apps (especially paid for apps) or Apple Music they appear on the iPad too. If the iPad doesn’t have 3G she can use the iPhone as a personal “hotspot” and so use the internet using her phone’s data.

You don’t need an Apple Pencil unless you’re David Hockney producing works of art on it!

If you go to a shop that lets you try devices eg John Lewis it might help you make a decision. I found that other tablets weren’t as touch responsive as the iPad, but admit I haven’t tried Samsung due to my experiences with their phones burning out.

Ah, if it’s for someone else and they have an iPhone, it’s probably better to go for the iPad. The Samsung S3 is definitely the current iPads competition, however if they want their current apps and music to be transferred then one medium is usually easier and cheaper (not having to re-buy). Is it a surprise? Could you ask which they’d prefer?