Kotaku Gift Guide: Gaming Tablets

It was only this year that I, personally, picked up a tablet and one of my main reasons for doing so was gaming. Messing around with games on smartphones is one thing, but a bigger screen and a higher resolution really does make for a better handheld gaming experience. But the tablet market is swamped, which is best for gaming? Well, it’s difficult to say…

Money To Burn

iPad

When you buy into Apple and the iPad, you’re really buying into the most up-to-date, easily accessible app eco-system on the market. The iPad is expensive, but if you’re buying a tablet purely for gaming, it may be your best — purely as a result of the fact almost all mobile games are designed for iOS first and Android second. A good example: I’m playing Rayman Jungle Run on my Nexus 7 — an Android tablet — and I’m still waiting on the updated levels that iPad users have been playing with for weeks now.

You pay more for an iPad, and no doubt it’s overpriced, but you get the experience. And you get access to the space where the most exciting things are happening in mobile gaming.
From $529 (16GB)

A Man Of Moderate Tastes

iPad Mini

It may seem slack to have two Apple products in this line-up, but the fact is, if you’re looking for a gaming tablet — in my humble opinion — you’re best going with either an iPad or a Nexus, you choose the size and the storage.

The iPad Mini has copped a fair bit of flack and deservedly so. The processor isn’t all it could be and the lack of a Retina display is problematic. That said, it’s still a gorgeous looking tablet and, despite the lower resolution, the screen still pops. It still looks fantastic.

If you want a smaller tablet and you don’t want to make the leap across to Android, this is a good choice.
From $369 (16GB)

The Cheaper Option

Nexus 7

Personally, this is the tablet I own, and the reason I went for the Nexus 7 is simple — the price point is accessible, it’s super powerful and it’s running the most up-to-date Android OS available in Jelly Bean. In fact, if you’re looking for an all round tablet that serves more than just gaming needs, look no further.

That said, the Google Play marketplace isn’t quite as extensive as iOS. Sure, there are more apps, and probably more clones! But if you’re looking for the most up-to-date cutting edge games, the iPad may be the better option.

Still, in my humble opinion — taking into account price, power, and all other aspects — the Nexus 7 is my favourite tablet on the market. If you think the Nexus 7 is a little too small, why not go up to the Nexus 10?
From $258 (16GB)

Got some better options? Drop them in the comments below!


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