Which Tablet to buy for reading

[cooperc]

Hi,
I have always owned an actual ereader from the Sony T1 and T3 and now I own a Kobo Aura One. But I am not really happy with the kobo I have now. I am having battery issues. I have a ticket in with support but I have been thinking about buying a tablet specifically for reading. This way I could also have access to the web if I needed it. I also like the idea of having a color screen if I wanted it.
Can anyone suggest the best tablet for compatibility with ereader apps and best display for reading for long periods of time? I usually read at night so I am not too worried about screen display in bright light.

Thanks

[Cinisajoy]

What is your budget?

[cooperc]

I would probably pay up to 200.00 my kobo aura one was 250 plus tax. Oh and I live in Canada. Thanks

[Cinisajoy]

I like the Samsung Galaxy myself. There are several reader apps at Google Play for it.

[JSWolf]

Go for an iPad Mini. They are quite lite and they are a great size for reading.

[cooperc]

Great thanks guys. Any specific model for the samsung. I know the Ipad mini is just called that but the samsung has multiple models. Thanks again for the help

[JSWolf]

Samsung...for an explosive read.

[Cinisajoy]

I have both the tab 4 and the tab A. So whatever your budget can handle.

Editing to add: I won the bet I made with myself as to the next poster and what he would recommend.

[church mouse]

If all you intend to do is use the tablet to read or browse the internet, then any reputable, cheap Android tablet will almost certainly suffice. I have a little 7" Lenovo Tab3 (£40 UK), which I primarily use as a media controller but sometimes as a reader if I have a reference book with coloured images or complex diagrams to view. It works perfectly well.

If you think you may want to use the tablet for a lot more then I would go with the more expensive offerings from brands such as Samsung or Apple as already mentioned.

[JSWolf]

A cheap Android tablet is not going to have a good enough screen. I still suggest the iPad Mini. It's a nice size with a nice screen.

[Cinisajoy]

The one I wouldn't recommend is the RCA from Walmart. It is not user friendly at all and has a ton of bloatware.
I also wouldn't recommend a fire unless you are 100% Amazon.

[church mouse]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

A cheap Android tablet is not going to have a good enough screen. I still suggest the iPad Mini. It's a nice size with a nice screen.

To check I was not misleading myself, I have just tested with a book containing text and detailed colour images and compared it with the same book on my 8" (1536 x 2048 resolution) Asus tablet and my MacBook Pro Retina - the latter two are better screens by far but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the images or the text sharpness on the little Lenovo.

I do not dispute that an iPad is a very nice unit with an excellent screen, but I question that reading a book needs that level.

In the UK, an iPad mini 4 costs 10x more that I paid for the Lenovo. If it is a tablet to simply read a book and browse the internet, that is an awful lot to spend for a sharper screen (and probably better battery life).

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by cooperc

Great thanks guys. Any specific model for the samsung. I know the Ipad mini is just called that but the samsung has multiple models. Thanks again for the help

You might take a look at the 8" Galaxy Tab A, I know a friend has one he likes a lot. I've tried it and found it nice and I think it falls around your budget. The Tab S has a higher resolution screen, but that makes it quite a bit more money unless you can find a sale (in the US I got my Mini 4 for $100 off at Best Buy not long ago, may be similar sales in Canada from time to time). Perhaps with Black Friday coming up (that's a thing in Canada now right?) you can find a deal on something inexpensive, but not "cheap".

Originally Posted by church mouse

I do not dispute that an iPad is a very nice unit with an excellent screen, but I question that reading a book needs that level.

As has been discussed here many times it depends, for some it makes a big difference for others not much at all, as not all eyes are the same. For myself I can read on my cheapo little Fire 7 tablet, if you want to go way back I used to read on a Palm III (& Palm Tungsten, Treo Phone, Pocket PC, etc.), but find it much more comfortable when reading for hours to have a somewhat higher resolution screen than some do but I don't find it essential. The best thing is if the OP can find some on display to try in hand and spend a little time with (play with the brightness, do some reading, etc.).

[AnotherCat]

I am another that uses a Samsung Tab A (10.1 inch in my case as I read a lot of books with illustrations or are in pdf format) and see no reason for me to change. I do all my reading on that, I gave up on E Ink quite some time back. Samsung also do AMOLED display tablets which are very nice but they are considerably dearer.

I have an open mind as to make. I have used or tried Android tablets from the likes of well known manufacturers such Lenovo, Acer etc. in the same market segment as the Samsung Tab A and they are all fine as far as I can see. From what I have seen in shop displays many cheaper ones look jus fine for reading too.

Especially if reading at night I suggest using a reading app that allows one to adjust the screen brightness up and down with a screen gesture (commonly a downward swipe on the left hand side of the screen); much quicker and easier than using the tablet's own control. Being able to tint the background to ones imitation of white paper or other colour preference is also useful in my view. I use PocketBook (it has a strange but effective menu system that takes some getting used to) but I suggest trying a few of the better apps and making ones own mind up, despite what some may tell you only you can decide which is best .

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by cooperc

Great thanks guys. Any specific model for the samsung. I know the Ipad mini is just called that but the samsung has multiple models. Thanks again for the help

You don't necessarily need the latest and newest model Ipad Mini, by the way.