What is better to buy a smartphone or tablet? What to choose - a smartphone or a tablet? Working with application software

Twitter

Let's move on to comparing extremely popular gadgets - a smartphone and a tablet. If you have neither one nor the other, and want to buy one, then this article is for you.

The first is weight and shape. The tablet looks larger, unlike a smartphone. Naturally, the tablet weighs significantly more. What are the pros and cons of this? The advantage, definitely, is that the image is larger and better quality on a tablet. But the smartphone, with its fairly decent image quality, is lighter in weight, which adds to its comfort.
The most important difference, for sure, is that smartphones act as phones and connect to cellular networks, and also support a 3G network. It is quite rare to find 3G technology in tablets.
Tablets run on powerful platforms, but smartphones can't compete in browsing the Internet. Potentially, not a single device can compete with a smartphone - a powerful central processor of 1 or more Ghz, as well as two, four or eight cores. RAM in tablets reaches 3 GB. And the last thing is operating systems; many tablets are made on the Windows platform, which cannot be said about smartphones.
The smartphone competes with the tablet on energy savings. Not very powerful processors that smartphones are equipped with consume little power. And on tablets with particularly powerful processors, power consumption goes through the roof, and if the battery is weak, the tablet will not work even for two hours in offline mode. But a smartphone, on the contrary, can work with a good battery for up to two to four days in operating mode.
The cameras on tablets are quite weak - up to 3 megapixels. Therefore, smartphones have the upper hand here, with cameras up to 13 megapixels with high image quality.

Advantages of the tablet: surfing the Internet and viewing, thanks to the large screen, support for powerful software and powerful operating systems, including Windows 7.

The advantages of smartphones: the ability to make calls via a 3G network, excellent compactness and lightness of the device, good camera quality and high resolution for images and videos, a huge advantage in energy consumption.

Modern mobile gadgets can almost replace the functionality of a personal user computer, however, what is better than a tablet or a smartphone? Which gadget is better to choose? Let's try to figure this out in this article.

Gadgets such as smartphones and tablets first appeared in 2007 at the annual presentation of new technology from Apple.

Today, such gadgets are produced by almost all computer equipment manufacturers; the choice of models is very wide and it is difficult for a potential buyer to decide on the desired gadget and its model.

To choose the ideal device for yourself, you first need to understand the main differences between a smartphone and a tablet. So what is the difference between a smart phone and a tablet PC?

What is the difference between tablets and smartphones?

Smartphones and tablet personal computers have a number of differences, as well as similarities. First of all, it should be noted that a smartphone is a device that acts as a mobile phone and can also perform all the basic functions of a computer.

There are also flagships - smartphones with very good characteristics, which in their performance are not inferior to some powerful computers.

The smartphone has a pre-installed operating system. As a rule, OS versions for smartphones are updated regularly. This allows users to gain a wide range of new capabilities to work with powerful software.

At the same time, a smartphone can only be used as a cell phone if you do not need to work with PC functions. The device can be easily configured to receive and transmit calls and SMS messages.

Tablet personal computers also have their own pre-installed operating systems.

As a rule, they differ little from those installed on smartphones. We can say that tablets are closer to PCs and laptops, because you can connect a basic input/output device (mouse, keyboard, printer) to such a device and get an almost full-fledged computer.

Also, most modern tablet models contain the function of mobile phones, some even support two SIM cards at once. However, talking with an interlocutor via a tablet is not always convenient on the street, but video calls are more convenient to use on a tablet - you will get a better view of the interlocutor.

It is impossible to say with certainty what is best to use, because it depends on the personal requirements of each person for the device.

To understand which gadget is best for you, decide how you will use it most of the time: as a compact pocket device or as a computer.

Let's look at the main functions of smart gadgets and on which devices these functions will be more convenient to use.

Which device is better to buy for the Internet? In this case, it is impossible to give a definite answer, since it depends on many factors. First of all, decide where and how often you need to use your Internet connection?

For home Internet, it is more advisable to buy a tablet, because this will allow you to view web pages on a large display, watch movies and videos in the best quality.

At home, you can always connect your device to your router and get good connection speed. A larger screen can display more data on the page. The tablet is also perfect for reading magazines and news online.

If you constantly need to use the Internet outside the home, it is better to choose a compact device that is always convenient to put in your pocket and take with you for the whole day - a smartphone.

In addition to its compactness, the gadget is more convenient to use, because Wi-Fi coverage is not available everywhere and if the tablet does not support a SIM card, connecting to the Internet will become impossible.

Almost all smartphones on the market today can support multiple SIM cards from mobile operators. This means that you can choose the most favorable tariff for connecting to the global network.

Smartphones support 3G and 4G connection technologies - this will allow you to get a high-speed connection wherever you are.

Working with application software

What is better to buy to work with specialized programs? Smartphones and tablet PCs are widely used by users for work.

With these gadgets you have the opportunity to:

Promptly conduct business correspondence using postal services;
Manage business and take notes;
Work with office programs to create documents;
Create presentations and tabular reports;
Work with cloud storage and gain access to general editing of the same document and other features.

If you often work with documents, it is better to use a tablet for this purpose. Firstly, it is able to fit more information on the screen. Secondly, the text is easier to read, and working with reporting becomes simpler.

A tablet PC can easily be converted into a small laptop. To do this, you can connect a special keyboard and a manipulator to it.

A smartphone is not entirely suitable for working with office software, although there is a lot of software for displaying and working with documents on phones.

Working with business correspondence and conducting other matters from a device that has a small screen is a rather complex process.

Shock resistance

This aspect is also very important to consider. Gadgets are regularly used by users, they are mobile and easy to move from place to place. This is why there is a risk of the device accidentally falling.

If you want to buy a device that will be comfortable to hold in your hand, choose a smartphone - it is quite difficult to miss, because the phone is very easy to completely clasp in your palm. The tablet must be held with both hands at once in order to securely fix the device.

As a rule, users hit tablet screens more often. In addition, a smartphone is a more profitable device, because replacing a small phone screen is much easier and cheaper than repairing a fairly large tablet.

Taking photos and videos

As a rule, manufacturers equip smartphones with better main and front cameras. Even if the same number of megapixels is declared, the quality of the received frames on two devices may differ in favor of the smartphone.

This happens because a smartphone is more similar in structure to a camera than a tablet. It's easier to focus your phone on the subject of a photo or video. The camera on the tablet is more designed for video conferencing.

By the way, some smartphones do not support video communication even though they have a front camera.

Games

If an important factor when choosing equipment for you is the level of work with games, take a closer look at devices with a powerful processor and a large amount of RAM.

Also, to display high-quality images of the gameplay, the device must have a good display resolution. As a rule, good mid- and expensive-class tablets have these characteristics.

You can also play games on a smartphone, however, it is much more convenient to use a wide display. Games with a lot of small details (for example, strategy) will be displayed better on tablets.

Notice! If you are a fan of regular games: simple runners, arcades, gambling and logic programs, buy a smartphone. It will be more convenient to play such games on such a gadget.

Video editing

If you often edit footage and want to choose a device that would do the job well, it is better to choose a tablet. On its large screen it will be much easier for you to process every frame of the video.

The necessary installation software can be installed on both a tablet and a smartphone. Also, if you want to process videos on the go, it is better to purchase a smartphone with powerful specifications.

It will also allow for quick and high-quality installation. One of the most powerful programs for rendering and editing is Final Cut software, which is available on all Apple devices. For Android OS, it is better to install Video Maker Pro.

Phablet is a great alternative for those who find it difficult to choose a gadget

If you still haven’t been able to decide on the ideal device, turn your attention to the next option. Not so long ago, manufacturers of mobile gadgets began to produce phablets - devices that combine the functions of tablets and phones as much as possible.

How does a phablet differ from conventional smart devices? There are no special differences. The phablet combines all the basic features and characteristics of both a tablet and a smartphone.

This is a kind of golden mean, because the size of the phablet is too large to call the device a full-fledged smartphone and too small to call the gadget a tablet.

Phablets combine powerful characteristics with compactness and mobility. As for the prices for such devices, they are much more expensive than smartphones and their cost approaches, and in some cases even exceeds, the cost of a tablet.

Also, some users note that the phablet is not very convenient to use and hold in the hand, however, its screen displays the ideal amount of information from web pages.

Phablet owners can easily work with office applications and watch videos on their phone. Like smartphones, these devices are equipped with a high-quality camera.

Conclusion

When choosing a suitable gadget, focus on your personal needs and preferences. Compare the price you are willing to pay with the devices on the market and, based on the price-quality ratio, buy the gadget.

A comparative table of the advantages of two gadgets is based on the basic characteristics of the devices and their operation with basic functions.

The table looks like this:

	Smartphone	Tablet
Average weight	Maximum up to 170 g	from 250 gr
Dimensions (display diagonal)	Up to 7 inches	From 6.5 inches
Working with videos (editing)	+	+ (mostly)
Working with the camera	+ (mostly)	+
Games	+	+ (mostly)
Office programs	-	+
Working hours	Up to 8 hours	Till 12 o'clock
Shock resistance	+	-
Surfing the Internet	+	+ (mostly)

Thematic video:

Purpose

First of all, the phone is designed specifically for calls and communication via SMS. Of course, a lot of bells and whistles have been added to it recently, but its main function has remained unchanged. But the tablet is designed for viewing web pages on the Internet, movies, communicating via social networks, making video calls, and reading e-books.

Display, dimensions

The push-button telephone fits very comfortably in the hand and is compact in size. Therefore, it is convenient to carry it with you in almost any pocket. But it usually has a small display, which is only enough to view the list of contacts, SMS messages, and time.

The tablet has a much larger screen. Therefore, it is more convenient to view photos, videos, browse websites, and so on. But due to the size of the display, the tablet is larger than a phone, and in order to carry it with you, you need a case or handbag.

Functionality

It will take a lot of time to describe all the capabilities of the tablet, so you can familiarize yourself with the functionality of the tablet in detail.

I’ll just say what fundamentally distinguishes a tablet from a phone.

Operating system. The tablet has an operating system that provides ample opportunities for installing and working with software. You can install various programs, for example, e-book readers, drawing programs, navigation programs, etc.

The phone does not have such an operating system - it runs on a closed software shell, where you can install only the simplest Jawa applications (although the simplest phones do not even have this feature).

Hardware capabilities. You can connect USB flash drives and hard drives to the tablet. It can have built-in Wi-Fi and GPS (navigation) modules. Tablets with an HDMI connector can be connected to a TV to duplicate the image on the big screen. The possibilities are quite wide, and this is not the limit, whereas a regular phone is not capable of all this.

Who is the tablet suitable for?

Can I give my baby a tablet? Of course you can, why not? Good fun for a capricious toddler - he will be able to draw on a virtual canvas without getting dirty with paints, and watch cartoons.

It is advisable, of course, to choose a simple tablet, because a child can easily throw it and break/crush the display. At least it won’t be such a shame to throw away a cheap broken tablet.

For middle and high school students, teenagers and students, a tablet will be useful mainly for games and for social networks - this is the truth of our time. Of course, it can help out those who are looking for some information that will be useful in their studies.

What should parents do? If you spend a lot of time on public transport, a book or movie on your tablet can relieve your boredom. And if you work a lot and constantly want to be aware of what is happening, with the help of a tablet you can go online at any time, check your email, read news on the Internet, or quickly find a recipe on the Internet on how to prepare something delicious for lunch.

A tablet with a navigation module is a good assistant for tourists and travelers. You can download maps, set your location on the map, get directions, find out the distance to an object, etc.

I would like to emphasize that despite all the advantages of a tablet, it cannot completely replace mobile communications.

Who is the phone suitable for?

Yes, in general, to everyone who needs regular mobile communications. For example, if parents think that it is too early for their child to use a tablet, they can give their child the simplest phone so that he will always be in touch.

Music lovers who cannot imagine their life without music do not have to carry a tablet with them or purchase an MP3 player separately. Nowadays there are a lot of cheap and simple phones with a connector for a Micro-SD flash drive that support mp3 playback. With the purchase of such a device, you can kill two birds with one stone - you will have both a player and a dialer in one device.

People who are indifferent to modern gadgets most likely need communication anyway. The most common push-button telephone is exactly what they need.

Elderly people (grandparents) by and large do not need a tablet. They will not surf the Internet, but can watch a movie or series on TV or through a computer. A phone is enough for them to communicate, the main thing is that it has large keys, that the information on the screen is displayed in large font, that the phone keeps good communication, has a loud speaker and a capacious battery. People jokingly call such devices “granny phones.”

There is also a category of people who need the functionality of a tablet, and at the same time, there is a need to often make or receive calls. In this case, you can purchase a universal device - a smartphone with a large screen. Or do it as I do: I don’t have a smartphone, but I use the most ordinary Nokia phone, which holds a charge for weeks and can get a connection even from the cellar, and I have a tablet that I use to access the Internet for work when I’m on the road. This way I can talk on the phone and at the same time click on something on the tablet.

You can, of course, buy a tablet with a 3G module, insert a SIM card into it, a headset, plug headphones into your ears, and talk. But tablets don't last as long on battery life as a regular phone, especially during a call.

So which is better?

Whatever suits you or your loved ones best for solving certain problems. While not everyone needs a tablet, it is extremely difficult to live without a mobile phone these days.

Modern technology is replete with variety, however, most middle-income people have a smartphone and a tablet. Since technology is developing rapidly, and in the direction of combining capabilities, today we can see a tablet from which you can make calls, and a smartphone similar in size to a tablet. How is a tablet different from a smartphone, and is there any difference at all?

A smartphone is a new generation phone that runs on some operating system (for example: Android or Simbian) and has a set of capabilities from a pocket computer.

A tablet is a portable computer made in the form of a candy bar and equipped with. In terms of hardware, modern tablets are more powerful than pocket computers, but have similar functionality.

What are the differences between a tablet and a smartphone?

The differences between tablets and smartphones of the same generation (tablet phones are not taken into account) include:

Large dimensions and weight of tablet computers.
Horizontal orientation for tablets and vertical orientation for smartphones.
Ability to make calls via smartphone.
Lack of 2G on the tablet.
Greater performance and functionality for tablets.
Smartphones have greater autonomy.
Lack of 3G in some tablet models.

In addition, tablet computers boast a higher price and a not very good camera compared to smartphones.

Advantages and disadvantages of tablets

Comparing tablets and smartphones of the same year, you can see that the former differ:

Greater performance, allowing you to run more applications simultaneously.
A good and large screen, which is important for games and reading books.
Mobility.
Faster responsiveness.
High build quality and resistance to falls from low heights.
Convenient text input and a wide range of multimedia capabilities.

However, this technique also has disadvantages, for example:

High price.
Some models lack a 3G module.
Absence is possible to call. Even if such a function is available, it is inconvenient to do this with a large diagonal.
Expensive service.

Advantages and disadvantages of smartphones

The main advantage of smartphones is the ability to make calls and SMS. This is why smart phones are still being purchased. Additional advantages include:

Wide range of additional accessories.
Greater autonomy (up to 48 hours).
Smaller size and associated convenience.
Protection from water and dust (this function is available in some very expensive tablet models).
Excellent quality camera.
Easy care.

Of course, there is a fly in the ointment in the barrel of honey. Here it is:

Resistant to falls and wear.
Worse responsiveness and inability to open many applications at once.
The screen often has a worse resolution than tablets.

Let's summarize

Tablets and smartphones have just begun their journey of unification, and, most likely, they will be completely replaced by tablet phones. If you choose between these two devices, then you need to understand why you are purchasing them.

The tablet is convenient for those who value the performance and capabilities of pocket personal computers. Play, watch movies in excellent quality, read, write and do similar things more conveniently on the big screen. However, if you are interested in a mobile, small and inexpensive thing with which you can be in touch 24/7, then you should take a closer look at a smartphone. Modern smartphones are practically not inferior in capabilities to tablet computers, however, they are more beneficial for the modern city dweller.

Comparing two completely different devices is an activity for those who clearly define their requirements and tasks that the electronics will face. Smartphone or tablet? Is there a significant difference between them in the context of use by a specific user? Both have become an integral part of our lives, and sociologists are even conducting research on how the owners of smartphones and tablets differ from each other. Today there is no need to talk about competition and displacement of one or another type of device: each of them has its own advantages and each performs specific tasks.

Definition

Smartphone– a mobile phone running a third-party operating system and having the functionality of a pocket computer.

Tablet, or an Internet tablet (there are also graphic tablets) - a mobile computer made in a candy bar form factor, with sufficient performance and functionality.

Comparison

The first, sounding very discriminatory, difference is dimensions, weight and orientation. Tablets are usually physically larger than smartphones, depending on the screen diagonal, although in store windows you can sometimes see miniature ones and giant ones. When performing most tasks on a tablet, the screen is oriented horizontally, while on a smartphone it is oriented vertically (except for multimedia). Almost all models allow you to rotate the screen image according to the physical position of the device, but the hardware controls are ergonomically oriented. In general, it is more convenient to hold a smartphone with one hand, and a tablet with two.

The functional differences are fundamental. Smartphones necessarily perform the functions of mobile phones and connect to the cellular network. Most of them support 3G. Tablets, with rare exceptions, do not have the ability to connect to 2G networks, and the 3G module in them is an additional option.

If you focus solely on the tasks assigned to the device, then the tablet is more aimed at launching multimedia applications and fully surfing the Internet. A large screen allows you to comfortably work with any software; in addition, tablet screens have higher characteristics, including resolution. As for the hardware component, tablet platforms are a priori more powerful, although now this difference is gradually being smoothed out. A powerful graphics processor, two or four central cores, a large amount of RAM and a decent amount of storage are present even in budget models. Only smartphones that are registered in the “low-end” niche and above can boast of the same wealth.

Another difference is the battery. Smartphones, due to their relative compactness, are equipped with low-capacity batteries, while tablets require more power. A large screen is the most energy-intensive element of a device, which is why large diagonals require large batteries. The higher the device performance, the higher the power consumption. The more intensive the operation, the higher the energy consumption. Battery capacity is never sufficient.

The additional capabilities of both smartphones and tablets are not very wide. Both devices have cameras, but many tablet models leave much to be desired, while smartphones are constantly being improved. Tablets are often equipped with additional information input devices, for example, styluses.

Conclusions website

The tablet is larger than a smartphone and heavier.
The tablet is often oriented horizontally, the smartphone – vertically.
The smartphone allows you to make calls and use other services of 2G networks.
Most smartphones have a 3G module; most tablets have it as an option.
The tablet is more productive and built on a more powerful hardware platform.
Smartphones are more energy efficient.
Cameras in many entry-level tablet models.