The best business tablets
If your company's new year's resolution is to cut down on the mass of hardware you're sending your team out with every day, you're probably considering a switch to tablets.
While some tablets feature manageable price tags, the market is still dense, and the consumer market winners are still not exactly the best option for CTO's and IT departments to include in their annual budget.
In the interest of giving an overview of the market at the moment, here is a roundup of our tablet recommendations for the business world as it stands today. The requirements for consideration were either a 4-star rating from TechRadar or a hands on review experience that left our editors wowed.
No matter if you rely on Windows, Android, or even iOS, there's something worth recommending. It's only a matter of figuring out what your priorities are.
10. Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Remember when I brought up the Panasonic Toughpad? If you want an Android tablet with that kind of durability, with the added bonus that it isn't engineered with the intent to replicate a brick, have we got the tablet for you. Our testing included submerging the Tab Active deep in three-feet of water for 30 minutes, exposing it to -4-degree or 140-degree temperatures, as well as drops from up to four feet. Those are the kinds of test that no iPad owner in their right mind would ever consider, since Apple places durability very near the bottom of the list of their priorities. Also, the Tab Active's ten hours of battery life made it memorable, and in the upper tier of that conversation about tablets.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active will run you $699.99 (about £450, AU$850.00), a deal that definitely comes at the price of a significantly less dynamic screen than Samsung offers in their Tab Pro line.
- Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab Active review
9. Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2
We've already gone over the best tablets from Samsung, the Galaxy Tab S line, but there's this older and larger tablet that's still being sold, and worth discussing.
It wasn't our favorite Tab Pro, that went to Samsung's 10.1" device, but the 12.2"'s marquee feature, a big & bright display, is driven by stellar 1.9GHz Quad and 1.3GHz Quad core processors, 3GB of RAM, and impressive battery life.
All that power, though, is somewhat stripped of its potential thanks to Samsung's annoying Magazine UX premise. Everybody's used to manufacturers messing with Google's platform in order to put a differentiating feature on the spec list, a mistake that could leave you wondering how good things could have been with a stock Android experience. The 12.2 is due to receive Android 5.0 Lollipop in the future, but there is no official timeline for that, only speculation about Q1 or Q2.
Unfortunately, the Tab Pro 10.1, which TechRadar awarded a 4.5/5 star review, was replaced by the Tab S line, making the 12.2 the only Tab Pro model that Samsung itself is selling anymore. It will run you $545 (around £549/AU$995), and clearly you're paying for screen real estate.
- Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 review
8. Amazon Fire HDX 8.9
Just like there must be someone out there for the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1, it's easy to envision the use case that the Amazon Fire HDX (starting at $379, £329, AU $468) was built for. Anybody or any team that will be presenting music and video frequently might see a lot of value in this machine.
Not that the Amazon Prime store - which the HDX 8.9 comes with a free month trial of service with - has a library that towers over all others, but if you need a media presentation device, here we've got a brilliant screen and quality speakers for which to present said content.
Aside from being a monitor for Amazon's servers of stuff, their Fire tablet line is still hampered by a lackluster app store. The device can view Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, though.
The HDX 8.9 starts at at $379 (£329, AU $468) for the 16GB, Wi-Fi only version featuring "special offers" (pre-roll ads that greet you when booting up the device, just like on Amazon's eReaders). If you can get around those ads, the Fire HDX 8.9 is competitively priced in the market, much like everything Amazon pushes. At the top end it goes up to $595 (£489) for the 64GB, LTE, ad-free model, but Amazon isn't pushing that model at their customers
- Read our Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 review
7. Google Nexus 9
If you're running a small business, there's a fair chance your team runs on Google as much as it runs on your Keurig machine. If that's the case, the tablet you need to review before making a decision is the Nexus 9 (starting at $399, £319, about AU460). An 8.9-inch revision/upgrade of last year's Nexus 7, it's not the best machine, but it's the best for Google's suite of solutions.
Of course, that's thanks to it being the first and for-now-only tablet on the market that's running Android's wonderful new 5.0 Lollipop interface, which introduces the world to the concept of Material Design. Other tablets, like the Samsung Galaxy models, will be getting it, but not until a later time. And of course, a Nexus device is the best way to experience the pure unmodified Android experience, without any of Samsung or another manufacturer's bloatware or "solutions."
Lollipop, in a macro sense, is important in current war for tech supremacy between Google and Apple. A war which many believe comes down to a single question: can Apple introduce the best features from Android before Google matches Apple's design skills?
Lollipop allows your tablet to sit closer to the web interface of Google's apps, lowering the learning curve for any employees used to the traditional experience.
The hardware is OK, but nothing stunning. Feature wise, though, it's got some notable upgrades from the Nexus 7. Google had HTC produce the tablet, allowing their phone line's Boomsound audio speakers to be brought over, useful for front facing audio when you're presenting a video, and a high resolution screen that holds up to most standards.
We've got some gripes about the machine, such as a lack of expandable storage and a rise in price. The entry level machine suffers from the same flaw as most Apple mobile devices on the market, a measly 16 GB hard drive. That model will sell for $399 (£319, about AU460) while we recommend the 32 GB option, selling for $479 (£399, about AU$552).
- Read our Google Nexus 9 review
6. Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140
The Venue 11 Pro 7000 balances portability and performance with Intel's Broadwell-based Core M processor at an entry price of $700 (£437 and AU$800) in a travel-friendly package. Business users will appreciate security features like drive encryption, integrated TPM, and certification for FIPS and HIPAA.
For some, a 10.8-inch display may be too small for maximum production, but if that's not a major issue, then this is a solid device. With a full HD screen and endless optional accessories to match any need, the Venue 11 Pro offers excellent flexibility for the business user.
- Read our Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000 review
Even more business tablets
5. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact and Z2 tablets
Sony launched the Xperia Z tablet line last year with the 10.1" Z2 model that suffers from a low resolution screen, a sin of omission that doesn't hold up to competition, or side by side in-store (or on-flight) comparison.
That said, the Z2 touts a water resistance that sent us dipping it into every single available bay of water. None of those tests showed signs of altering the life of this tablet, which is based around a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM.
Android isn't really pro-business, but the Google Play store features a number of app-based-solutions to assist your in terms of executing on their goals.
Unlike iOS, Android's a much more customizable operating system, allowing your company to optimize deeper-level preferences to suit your needs.
At 8.4", the Z3 is a smaller and friendlier version of the Z2, thanks to ditching the latter's shockingly large bezel (the bar of dead space around the screen, which some argue is there for your grip). Much closer to the look of a Kindle Fire or an iPad Mini, the Z3 offers an excellent thin form factor, ready to slip into a number of small bags, and thanks to an excellent 15-hour battery life, even the most active travellers will find it ready to support their tiring journey.
Much like its larger predecessor, though, the screen resolution just did not stack up against the market. Arguably, that's only a problem if you've seen the competition.
- Read our Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet review
- Read our Sony Xperia Z2 tablet review
4. Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1
While Panasonic's Toughpad FZ-M1 ($2,099, £1,183, AU$2,358) is intended only for extreme work environments, it is the only Windows tablet worth mentioning if your team has such rugged needs. If your team has to execute in busy, hectic, and downright disastrous chaos, this is the tablet for you.
This beast runs Windows 8 through the worst conditions, thanks to a chunky and durable body, and an almost undentable screen. For a lot of people, that last part alone is worth the sacrifices inherent. Built for any situation, with a display you can read in almost any situation (its highest brightness levels hit 500 cd/2), this tablet makes a lot of sense if you're tired of treating your devices like precious fine china.
In terms of the FZ-M1's performance, our experience was solid, thanks to a dual-core Intel Core-i5-4320Y vPro processor clocked at 1.6GHz, 8GB of RAM (though we admit the machine defaults at a standard 4GB), and a 128GB SSD. The one area in which the FZ-M1 didn't perform like a road warrior was in battery duration, going kaput after six hours.
If you've had to deal with numerous device repairs with a team that relies on Windows, the FZ-M1 can even be downgraded to Windows 7, this is a device you cannot overlook. Even with a high end starting price.
- Read our Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 review
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S
Samsung's Tab S line, though, is where the South Korean-based manufacturer earns their highest marks from us. Made in both 8.4- and 10.5-inch form factors, these machines sing thanks to reliably long battery life and a screen meant to consume all the internet and video you could think of.
Of course, though, a half a star is missing from what could have been a flawless 5-star review, and it's the same reason Samsung always misses the mark. Weak design leading to a product that doesn't actually feel right.
The Wi-Fi Tab S 8.4-inch will set you back $399 (£319/AU$479.00), whereas the Wi-Fi Tab S 10.5-inch comes in at $499.99 (£399/AU$599.00).
- Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S review
2. Microsoft Surface Pro 3
The Surface tablet series is posed to be a no-questions-asked easy choice for anybody looking to hunker down on real work, without needing a whole laptop. Bill Gates himself may be willing to admit that Microsoft missed the boat on smart phones, but the company's dedication to the tablet shows a focus on evolving the nascent form, rather than slowly iterating, as are their competitor's instincts.
The Surface is made to be the mobile companion to a life already lived inside of the Microsoft ecosystem, and since the Pro 3 thrives while running Windows 8.1, teams can expect to not lose any of their precious apps on the go, a problem that sunk the Windows Phone line out of the gate. As powerful as the Pro 3 is, though, our testing did show it can become too-hot-to-handle on occasion, and the battery isn't exactly something to sing about.
The Pro 3 (starting at $799, £521 and AU$988) continues Microsoft's assertion that they will replace the laptop by improving their input accessories, with a clearly improved Type Cover and their new Surface Pen. The keys on the cover feature with deeper travel and stronger feedback, a wider glass trackpad that actually clicks, and a new hinge that allows for much more comfortable use, this year's model could have enough to sell users on Microsoft's vision of the tablet future. The Surface Pen, though, in its first year, does seem more gimmick than solution, using a Bluetooth trick to launch apps with the click of its top.
Since the machine has so much going for it, the unit does come in at a premium price: the 64GB model with Intel Core-i3 runs $799 (around £521/AU$988), and the Surface Pro 3 maxes out at 512GB with a Core-i7 for $1,949 (around £1272/AU$2409). Additionally, when comparing comparably specced Surface Pro 3's and iPad Air 2s, the Surface Pro 3 is $300 more expensive, and that's without buying a Type Cover or Surface Pen.
- Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 3 review
1. iPad Air 2
As time marches on in the tablet field, iOS has only gained strengths in the business market, thanks to Microsoft Office finally landing on the platform this winter, as well as Apple's new partnership with IBM for enterprise software.
These changes go under the radar for a lot of customers, because Apple markets the iPad to consumers, with plenty of new reasons to.
Thinner and lighter than ever, the iPad Air 2 is a great example of the iterative evolutions in Apple's current run of industrial design. Thankfully, though, reductions in size and weight are strictly positives here. The same can't be said for Apple's industrial design for its phones, since bending and a slippery form factor are leading many to question the usability of the iPhone 6 Plus.
Still, though, if your team can operate with the apps available on iOS, this is still the best-in-class, and the only tablet to earn a 5-star review from TechRadar.
The iPad Air 2 runs the gamut of the price tiers in the market, with the entry level model at US$499 (£399, AU$619), but the price can rise up to US$829 (£659, AU$1,019) for the top-of-the-line hard drive with both Wi-Fi + 4G. As much as people have talked about paying an Apple Tax when you buy one of the company's devices, this top-tier tablet is no more expensive than those comparable models from Samsung or Sony.
- Read our iPad Air 2 review
from TechRadar
