What are the best tablets for reading? Between Kindle and iPad, which should you select?
There are a lot of factors to consider in choosing the best tablet for reading. So it wouldn’t be easy.
You have to look at the readability, comfort, compatibility, user-friendliness, battery life and of course, the price.
To help you be able to read more books, I decided to look around. Here’s what I found.
Tablet vs. Physical Book
If you are an avid reader or know someone who just can’t get enough of literature, you have likely considered purchasing an e-reader.
Though they can’t quite rival the smell of a new book, tablets are lightweight, portable, streamlined, and overall, less likely to be eaten by your dog!
Whether you have made the decision to purchase an e-reader or you’re still on the fence, you will have to choose from amongst the wide array of e-readers available for purchase.
I did a review on the best tablets for reading recently. Check it out.
But two of the top tablets for readers are iPads and Kindles.
And this is what we’re going to check out today.
Which one could be perfect for you? Read on to find out!
Factors to consider in choosing a tablet for reading
First, it is important to consider what type of reader you are.
Do you easily get eye strain from staring at screens? Do you often listen to audiobooks as well as read physical or e-books?
Perhaps you’ve never even tried e-books and aren’t convinced about the wonders of e-readers yet.
Maybe you’re even on a budget and want to get the most bang for your buck.
Here are some of the factors to consider when selecting your e-reader.
Readability
If you’re planning to use a tablet for reading, it’s not good if it ends up causing you eye strain or headaches.
Often, tablets that are designed for extended reading use will have specific features such as backlight displays or adjustable brightness.
This allows ease of impact on your eyes which is important if you plan on extensive reading.
Comfort
Many readers who utilize tablets for reading hold the tablet in one hand.
However, if the tablet is too big or too heavy, this may cause wrist cramping or just make tablet reading uncomfortable.
Alternatively, if the screen is smaller than what you are used to, it may be difficult to adjust to reading on a digital platform.
Compatibility
There are readers who use many platforms to download books, such as Amazon, Nook, Kudu, Scribd, Audible, or even the library.
So, it is crucial to find a tablet that is compatible with multiple platforms so you can do all of your reading in one place.
However, if you only read on one or two platforms, you may be able to select a reading tablet based on other features.
User-friendly
If you are only interested in using your tablet for reading, you probably don’t want to be bothered with all of the bells and whistles that are available in some tablets.
So it’s important to choose a tablet that is easy to navigate.
You definitely don’t want to waste time trying to learn how to locate and open your books or customize your reading screen.
Price
Of course, the cost is a crucial consideration when selecting a tablet for reading.
Tablet price can vary greatly depending on the specifications and brand of the tablet.
Some readers may be interested in reading on a tablet because e-books and audiobooks can sometimes be cheaper to purchase than physical books.
This means that these readers probably don’t want to spend a large chunk of change on their tablet in the first place.
Other readers may want more capabilities from their tablet and may be willing to pay a bit extra upfront to be able to enjoy those perks.
Battery life
One of the most important factors in selecting an e-reader tablet is battery life.
What good is your tablet if you can’t read on it because it dies all the time?
Generally, tablets with very basic interfaces and few options other than one reading program will have longer-lasting battery lives.
Moreover, multifunctional tablets with functions outside of a reading app or platform easily run out of battery.
The thing is, most readers aren’t looking to replace their beloved books with e-readers.
Instead, many readers prefer to have a portable, lightweight option for their digital book collection.
Another advantage is that it won’t get ruined by water or suffer from other damage.
Plus, they can bring thousands of books along rather than having to choose one or two!
For these reasons, it is important to choose an e-reader that complements your reading style and preferences.
It will ensure that you get the most usefulness out of it.
Here’s our breakdown of the two most popular choices for tablets specifically for reading: Kindle vs. iPad.
Reading on a Kindle
There are several different iterations of Amazon’s Kindle tablet. All of which are with slightly different features and capabilities.
Now, while Amazon offers several different tablets, the Kindle line is specifically designed to provide an optimal reading experience.
They all boast long battery life, fonts, and screens designed to reduce eye strain.
They also have customizable reading interfaces and Bluetooth compatibility for audiobook listening.
Tablet designed for reading
The entire purpose of the Kindle tablets is to cater to the needs of e-book and audiobook readers.
Amazon has created these tablets specifically with the needs of readers in mind.
Thus, they include features that make it easy to read for long periods of time comfortably.
All of the versions of Kindle that are currently available feature matte, glare-free screens.
This solves many issues for readers who are looking for tablets to use.
Additionally, they have a good resolution (167-300 ppi) and feature LED backlighting.
This makes it is easy for readers to read outdoors or in a brightly lit room.
Available Models and Features
Currently, there are three varieties of Kindle, each with their own options for storage space and color, and pricing options.
The All-New Kindle is the updated version of the original Kindle – Amazon’s first attempt at an e-reader tablet.
It has been recently updated to include the Bluetooth capability for audiobook streaming.
The classic 6” screen is glare-free and backlit which Kindle is known for.
Like the other Kindles, the All-New Kindle also has a battery charge that lasts weeks.
The Kindle Paperwhite is the newest member of the Kindle family. And it has caused quite a splash with its newest waterproof version.
The Paperwhite is beloved by readers who have often experienced eye strain and headaches from reading e-books.
Its E-ink technology creates a unique tablet screen that truly looks like a book page.
The new Kindle Paperwhite is also the thinnest and lightest of the Kindles
This is such a plus for comfort and wrist strain but maybe a bit of an adjustment for anyone used to reading larger, heavy books.
The final iteration of the Kindle is the Kindle Oasis.
Like the Paperwhite, it features the e-ink technology that makes reading less of a strain. But the Oasis has a slightly bigger 7” display.
The Oasis is also waterproof and features a new adjustable screen shade.
This allows you to alter the color of the screen from bright white to warm amber.
All Kindles have long battery lives as well as Wi-Fi capability and access to the Kindle Store and Audible.
Price
The All-New Kindle costs $89.99 with free Prime shipping.
Kindle Paperwhite comes in two different storage sizes; 8 GB for $129.99 or 32 GB for $159.99.
The Kindle Oasis also comes in two storage sizes; 8 GB for $249.99 and 32 GB for $279.99.
Kindle Summary
If you are looking for an excellent reading experience Kindles could be perfect for you.
Their tablets are lightweight and designed to prevent eye strain.
They are also designed to provide the optimal reading platform while being compatible with Amazon’s Kindle store, Audible, and enjoying lasting battery life.
However, Kindles are really only designed for reading. This means that they don’t have the ability to do a whole lot else.
In other words, you can’t access the internet or download any apps outside of the Kindle library and store.
All three Kindle models are extremely user-friendly and have customizable features such as font type, font size, brightness, and more.
You can also “bookmark” your page, highlight, leave comments, and more!
You can find these Kindle tablets on Amazon.
Reading on an iPad
There are really only two variant of Apple tablets to consider when it comes to reading: the iPad and the iPad Mini.
These tablets are capable of providing seamless entertainment platforms for e-books, audiobooks, and so much more.
Multifunctional tablet for reading
iPads were designed with much more than reading in mind.
These tablets have the ability to stream content, browse the web, and download apps for gaming, social media, and reading.
However, unlike Kindles, the iPads do not have glare-free screens, but the more traditional glossy screens.
One outstanding feature is that Apple has developed its own app for e-books.
However, you can also download other reading apps such as the Kindle app, Nook app, and more.
Available Models and Features
The two best iPad models for reading are the iPad (9.7”) and iPad Mini (7.9”).
Both iPads feature front and rear cameras, WiFi, and 10-hour battery lives.
This is a much shorter battery life than a Kindle, but you can do much more with it.
The classic iPad is 9.7” in height and weighs about 1 pound.
On the other hand, the Mini is more comparable to a Kindle in weight and height: 7.9” and 0.66 pounds.
Physically, the Mini may be better for reading simply because it is smaller and lighter, making it nicer to hold in one hand.
All iPad models have very typical tablet screens that tend to produce glare, unlike the Kindle screens.
However, you may be able to find a screen protector that corrects this issue partially.
Price
The basic iPad is available at Amazon for a price of $249 as of writing.
You can buy the iPad Mini at $384 on Amazon.
There are also warranty packages and accessory bundles available.
iPad Summary
If you are an avid reader who also wants to use their tablet for browsing the web, sending emails, playing games, and more, the iPad or iPad Mini could be perfect for you.
These tablets feature many options for reading platforms as well, as you can download the Apple Books app, Nook app, Libby app, Kindle app, and more.
Which Is Better for Reading: Kindle or iPad?
Overall, it just depends on what features you value, the price point you are hoping to stick to, and the platforms you prefer to read on.
If you are a fan of using Amazon to purchase e-books or Audible to stream audiobooks, Kindle is a great option for this.
The Kindle tablets themselves feature a really nice display with E-ink that prevents eye strain and a non-glare screen that make reading more pleasurable.
However, you cannot get other apps or browse the internet with a Kindle device.
If you need to do much more than just read on your tablet, an iPad could be a better option.
They have a wide array of reading apps as well as other media platforms and options.
So your tablet can also be used for work or other leisure activities, not just reading.
However, the iPads do not have the E-ink option or the glare-free screen like the Kindles.
This means that the reading experience will not be as pleasant as with a Kindle.
Overall, you should determine which is best for you based on your personal reading preferences as well as your budget and features you are looking for in a tablet.
Both the Kindle and the iPad are excellent choices!
Read More
Did you enjoy this post? Come and check out more contents from this site. You will find these helpful too!
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How To Read Faster And Retain Information
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We can’t wait to share with you more information on how you can read more books and learn more.
Don’t forget to share your comments down below about which tablet you think is better. We’d like to hear from you!
Until next time! Now go out, read faster and read more.
