Why get a tablet?

Tossing up whether or not to get a tablet? There are plenty of reasons why you would. Tablets offer great style, power, portability and can be put to a range of good uses, both around the home and out and about. But while they may come cheap (cheaper than a laptop, anyway!) a tablet is still an expense worth thinking about before taking the plunge.

In this guide, we weigh up the pros and cons of tablets to help you make up your mind one way or the other.

Reasons to get a tablet

1. They're so light and portable.

Whether you like getting work done or getting entertained on the go, tablets offer one clear advantage: they're portable. Tablets are often about one third the weight of a standard laptop, so the physical strain of carrying a lightweight tablet is far less.

Meanwhile, the typical screen size on a tablet is around 7-10 inches, which means they easily fit into most backpacks, carry bags, or briefcases.

This makes tablets a great asset for students, travelers, commuters and professionals who have to travel a lot on business.

2. You can get connectivity anywhere.

If you have things to do online and your phone can't handle it, the great thing about a tablet is it can get the internet anywhere. That is, as long as you get a 4G tablet. No lugging your laptop around cafes and libraries hunting for free WiFi. Just power up and get online.

This makes tablets particularly handy for professionals. Whether you need to check emails, edit documents on the cloud or just stay up to date with the latest news in your industry, a tablet can help you get it done easily anywhere.

3. A tablet is more affordable than a laptop.

These days it seems like having a home computer is compulsory. But actually, if you're only using your computer for light web browsing, some email, Facebook and Netflix, a tablet might do just as well.

Tablet prices typically range from $100 to $1,000, whereas you're looking at between $400 and $3,000 for a laptop. So depending on what you want to use it for, a tablet could save you quite a bit of money, and offer more portability to boot. Check out our full guide on replacing your laptop (or not) with a tablet here.

4. Tablets 'wake up' instantly.

Most laptop computers generally take around 10-30 seconds to start up. However, the initial start up on a tablet is generally around 2-10 seconds. Once powered on, a tablet can "wake" from a sleep mode instantaneously. Nothing makes you feel like you're living on the cutting edge quite like a lightning-fast tech.

5. They make excellent portable entertainment systems.

Want an ebook for your long flight? Games on the bus? A bit of Netflix in bed? Sure, you can use a phone for all that but it's all so much better on a bigger screen. No matter where you go, with a tablet you'll never have an excuse for boredom.

6. They're great for web browsing.

Portability and fast start-up combine to make the tablet a first choice for quick web browsing, especially when you're away from your desk. A good example would be looking up a recipe for a meal. Set up the tablet in the kitchen, find a recipe online, and get cooking!

7. They're handy for giving presentations.

A rising trend in business is the use of tablets to run presentations. With presentation files on a tablet, it's relatively simple to share the content with a large screen in meeting rooms. And if you're travelling around to clients and giving presentations outside of the office, they're a lot easier to lug around than a laptop.

8. You can give one to your kids.

If your kids are hankering after their very own computer or smartphone to play games, watch TV and just generally surf the web without having to queue up for your laptop, a tablet could be the answer.

Tablet prices start low which means you've got plenty of budget options if you just want to give your kids something simple or are worried they might break it (hey, it happens). And if you get one without 4G connectivity you can give your kids a taste of the smartphone life without giving them a device they can connect absolutely anywhere.

Tablets, especially iPads, are now widely used and accepted by education institutions to boot. Interactive education is the key to the tablet's success in the classroom, where children can engage with learning materials in real time.

Check out some of the most popular tablet plans in our database:

#1	Optus	Optus 10GB Data $33/mth Min. cost $1,188 Deal Double data offer (5GB + 5GB bonus data), ends 31.03.20	3%	Go
#2	Optus	Optus 10GB Data $42/mth Min. cost $1,008 Deal Double data offer (5GB + 5GB bonus data), ends 31.03.20	3%	Go
#3	Telstra	Telstra 5GB Data $39.69/mth Min. cost $903.84 Deal Bonus Telstra Plus points on month-to-month data plans	3%	Go
#4	Telstra	Telstra 5GB Data $52.04/mth Min. cost $903.96 Deal Bonus Telstra Plus points on month-to-month data plans	3%	Go
#5	Vodafone	Vodafone 5GB Data $39.69/mth Min. cost $903.84	3%	Go
#6	Vodafone	Vodafone 5GB Data $52.04/mth Min. cost $903.96	3%	Go

#1	Optus	Optus 5GB Data $25/mth Min. cost $900	3%	Go
#2	Optus	Optus 5GB Data $30/mth Min. cost $720	3%	Go
#3	Telstra	Telstra 5GB Data $29/mth Min. cost $519 Deal Bonus Telstra Plus points on month-to-month data plans	3%	Go
#4	Telstra	Telstra 5GB Data $36/mth Min. cost $519 Deal Bonus Telstra Plus points on month-to-month data plans	3%	Go
#5	Vodafone	Vodafone 5GB Data $28.86/mth Min. cost $513.96	3%	Go
#6	Vodafone	Vodafone 5GB Data $35.79/mth Min. cost $513.96	3%	Go

Or, if you already have a tablet with 4G connectivity, here are some of the most popular data SIM plans in our database:

#1	Telstra	Telstra 100GB Data $79/mth Min. cost $1,896	100%	Go
#2	Optus	Optus 5GB Data $10 Min. cost $10	3%	Go
#3	Exetel	Exetel 8GB Data $19.99/mth Min. cost $19.99	3%	Go
#4	SpinTel	SpinTel 7GB Data $15.95/mth Min. cost $20.95	3%	Go
#5	Vodafone	Vodafone 5GB Data $15/mth Min. cost $180	3%	Go
#6	Yomojo	Yomojo 7GB Data $19.90/mth Min. cost $19.90	3%	Go
#7	Lebara Mobile	Lebara Mobile 15GB Data $20 Min. cost $20	3%	Go
#8	Kogan Mobile	Kogan Mobile 8GB Data $29.90 Min. cost $29.90	3%	Go
#9	Southern Phone	Southern Phone 7GB Data $15/mth Min. cost $180	3%	Go
#10	Dodo	Dodo 25GB Data $20/mth Min. cost $240	3%	Go

Reasons not to get a tablet

1. No keyboard and mouse.

One of the major drawbacks of a tablet over a PC is the lack of a physical keyboard and mouse. The touch screen is okay for web browsing or using apps, but it can be quite painful to type long emails or text documents. Of course, there are numerous optional keyboards and even mouse accessories you can try out if this is important to you.

2. Low processor speeds for work.

Although tablet devices can be very helpful for making presentations, they do have processor speed limitations when compared to laptop computers. Processor-intense activities such as rendering video, using complex spreadsheets, or image editing are not suited to tablets.

3. Less portable than a mobile phone.

Although portability is often highlighted as a positive feature of tablets when compared to laptop computers, the opposite can also be said: Tablets are far bulkier units than everyday smartphones which can fit easily in your pocket.

If you're looking for something super portable but want the tablet advantage of a bigger screen, you might consider compromising and getting a "phablet". These are plus-sized smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S10+ and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Phablets often come with even better camera capabilities than their regular-sized phone counterparts, which is an added bonus if you love a good snap.

4. Tablets tend to lack ports.

Many tablet computers do not contain basic ports such as USB or HDMI which means you can't use a cable to connect your tablet to another PC or TV. Flash memory ports have become commonplace in laptop computers but are generally not included on tablets, meaning you can't place the memory card from your digital camera directly into the tablet.

5. They can be fragile.

The thin glass screens on tablet devices are not made for absorbing heavy impacts. Tablets are moved around a lot due to their lightweight and portable nature, which means there is the likelihood of the odd bump or even a dreaded drop. Tablet owners often seek to add some padding to their device by using a protective cover or tablet case.

6. They can cause ergonomic discomfort.

An often overlooked disadvantage of tablet devices is the strain they place on your body if used for extended periods. The dangers of repetitive strain injuries to hands, wrists, back and neck are commonly accepted for desktop computers, and these strains are substantially increased when using a tablet.

So what's the verdict?

When it comes to computing, we're all spoiled for choice. Though desktop and laptop computers are still extremely popular, there are dozens of everyday situations where a smartphone or tablet is the best solution. They're fun, easy to use devices best suited to web browsing and apps.

The key question to keep in mind when considering a tablet purchase is: What do you want to do on the device? If you just want to browse online, use social networks, read books, view images, or use apps, then a tablet may be well suited to your needs. If you require the ability to type a lot of text or perform more complex computer functions then you will need to consider the benefits of a laptop computer.

Compare Tablet Plans