Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas – Day 4: Tablets

By Stephen Fenech On Dec 15, 2014

Day 4 of the Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas is here and today we’re taking a look at tablets – arguably the hottest tech item this holiday season.

And this is one product where customers will find plenty of variety in terms of designs, screen sizes and operating systems.

Tablets are a gift that will suit people of all ages and for lots of different types of users from casual gamers to mobile professionals.

Here is the full list of Tech Guide 12 Days of Christmas gift ideas:

Day 1: Smartphones

Day 2: Cameras

Day 3: Wearables/Activity trackers

Day 4: Tablets

Day 5: Speakers

Day 6: Gadgets

Day 7: Gaming

Day 8: Smartwatches

Day 9: TVs/Blu-ray Discs

Day 10: Computers

Day 11: Sport Gadgets

Day 12: Headphones

Today is Day 4 and we’re looking at tablets.

DAY 4 – TABLETS

MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO 3 – from $979

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 is a lot more than just a tablet.

The device is powerful enough to replace your laptop which is why they cost a lot more than regular tablets.

The Surface Pro 3 has a 12-inch high definition touchscreen and an excellent design with a kickstand to allow the user to position it to suit their tasks.

Running Windows 8.1, the Surface Pro 3 is powered by fourth generation Intel Core processors from i3 all the up to i7 and memory capacities from 64GB to 512GB.

There’s also a range of accessories to choose from as well including the Surface Pro Type Cover, the Surface Pen to write directly on the screen and the Docking Station to turn the device into a powerful desktop workstation.

If you can’t decide between a laptop and a table, with the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 you can have the best of both worlds.

NEXUS 9 – $479 (16GB), $589 (32GB)

Google’s latest tablet is also one of its best.

The Nexus 9 has an 8.9-inch, HTC Boomsound speakers and is powered by a 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor running at 2.3Ghz.

The slender tablet, which is just 7.95mm thick and weighs 425g, is running Android’s latest Lollipop operating system.

Nexus 9 is available in black and white and in 16GB and 32GB capacities and also has accessories like origami covers and a keyboard folio.

iPAD AIR 2 – from $619

Apple’s iPad Air 2 is still the most popular tablet on the market and this latest version is the most powerful yet and packs in a load of features into its svelte 6.1mm chassis.

The 9.7-inch display has been improved with greater contrast and far less reflection.

Under the hood is a 64-bit architecture that makes the iPad Air 2 as powerful as a computer while still maintaining its excellent 10-hour battery life.

The iPad Air 2 now also features the Touch ID fingerprint reader on the home button for added security but that’s easy for the owner to unlock in a second.

Tech Guide’s complete review of Apple’s iPad Air 2.

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S – From $479 (8-inch 16GB) and $598 (10.5-inch 16GB)

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S has a dazzling Super AMOLED screen and is available in two sizes – 8-inch and 10.5-inch.

The screen quality has to be seen to be believed with images and pictures looking razor sharp and colourful.

On the design side, the device is equally dazzling with a thickness of just 6.6mm.

There are also plenty of features onboard including SideSync 3.0 that allows users to link their Samsung smartphone to the tablet to easily transfer data and also receive calls and messages on the tablet.

Tech Guide’s hands-on look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S

Here are some other tablets we’ve reviewed this year: