Tablets new in 2017 on Android, iOS and Windows

The Prestigio Grace 3118 is one of the cheapest eight-inch Android tablets with an HD screen and 3G modem on the market. Only models with a 1024x600 display resolution are cheaper than it, which is too grainy. The built-in 3G modem in the case of Grace 3118 allows not only to access the Internet where there is no access to Wi-Fi (a slow N standard module is installed), but also to make phone calls. In addition to the speaker, there are two slots for SIM cards, allowing you to choose favorable rates for calls and the Internet.

The weak point of the Grace 3118 is not so much the MediaTek MT8321 processor with the outdated 32-bit Cortex-A7 architecture (see the article"With which processor to buy a smartphone or tablet?"), how much is 1 GB of RAM. Given the voracity of Android 6.0 OS to RAM, the tablet is actually single-tasking: when opening a new application, the previously launched one is automatically unloaded from memory.

In addition, you can't install many applications on 8 GB of permanent memory, half of which is also occupied by the operating system, and Android 6.0 does not allow you to transfer programs to a memory card. Considering the above, we can recommend the Prestigio Grace 3118 only to users with minimal requirements for the functionality of the tablet, the main of which is 3G Internet for work and web surfing.

Lenovo Tab 3 8 8703X is one of the most powerful Android tablets among the eight—inch models. The letter X in the name means the presence of a 3G/4G modem, whereas the cheaper version of the 8703F lacks it.

The screen resolution is 1920x1080 pixels, which at an 8-inch diagonal gives a density of 283 PPI. The screen of the Tab 3 8 8703X is clearer than that of the 9.7-inch iPad New (264 PPI), but slightly less clear than that of the 7.9-inch iPad Mini (324 PPI). Simply put, the image seems perfectly smooth and you can't see individual pixels without a magnifying glass.

The processor is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 625: eight cores of the 64-bit Cortex-A53 architecture and the Adreno 506 graphics accelerator. On it, even the most demanding games like WoT Blitz and GTA: San Andreas work smoothly at high graphics settings. And 3 GB of RAM makes working with a tablet truly multitasking.

It's just a pity that you can't download a lot of three-dimensional games to the built–in 16 GB of flash memory: two or three and the place will run out. Even the support of microSD memory cards with a volume of up to 256 GB does not solve the problem. Therefore, the Lenovo Tab 3 8 8703X is best suited, perhaps, for schoolchildren and students: compact, multitasking and within a reasonable gaming framework.

The Asus Zenpad 3S 10 (Z500KL) is a ten-inch Android tablet, as it should be in 2017. The case is metal, and the aspect ratio of the display is not 16:10, as with most analogues, but 4:3, which is much more convenient for web surfing (the page width is larger in portrait mode). For films, this ratio will be unacceptable, since most are produced in the 16:9 format.

The chip is equipped with a six-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, built according to the big.LITTLE scheme: four energy-efficient Cortex-A53 cores for solving relatively simple tasks and two more high-performance A72 for gaming on ultra-graphics settings. But, as they say, not single games: a powerful processor and 4 GB of RAM allows you to comfortably edit heavy RAW photos on a tablet and mount videos.

Considering that the rear camera of the Z500KL is only 8 MP, the user is likely to transfer photos and videos from the camera via the USB Type-C connector. This interface, coupled with the Qualcomm processor, not only transmits data quickly, but also allows you to charge the tablet faster — in 2.5 hours instead of the typical 4-6. As a result, if you are a gamer, photographer or video editor and are not constrained in the low-cost, feel free to buy Asus Zenpad 3S 10 – now it is one of the best Android tablets. But we advise moviegoers to look for an alternative with a widescreen screen.

For a long time, Apple did not update its line of iPad tablets: the Pro, Pro 9.7 and Mini models were already selling well. But the stagnation of the global tablet market has forced the Cupertino company to release a new and relatively inexpensive (in terms of the amount of internal memory) tablet — iPad 9.7 New, of course, in a metal case and with a fingerprint scanner.

He has 2 GB of RAM, which by the standards of Android analogues, if not a little, then at least end-to-end, but for a less voracious iOS operating system, even with a margin for the future. Permanent memory is generally 128 GB, which is enough not only for applications and games, but also for photos, music and videos (that's just not everyone will like watching movies on a non-widescreen screen). Moreover, Apple devices traditionally do not have a microSD slot, so a large amount of internal memory is quite justified.

The Apple A10 processor, which is also used in the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus and SE, has only two cores of the Twister proprietary architecture, which, it would seem, is not enough. But thanks to the iOS feature that freezes background applications, this is enough even for three-dimensional games, which, all as one, go to the maximum graphics settings. Not the last role in this is the PowerVR GT7600 graphics accelerator. And there are also many exclusive games available for iOS that are not available for Android and Windows. All this makes the iPad 9.7 New the best choice for the gamer.

Lenovo IdeaPad Miix 510 is a business class tablet running Windows 10. With an elegant movement, the foot-stand reclines, the keyboard-cover is fastened and the device turns into a laptop. The stand, together with the widescreen screen, makes the Miix 510 still extremely convenient for watching movies. Also included is a stylus with 2048 degrees of pressure.

"Under the hood" hides a real Windows computer: an x86 processor of the Intel Core i3-6100U architecture (there are also configurations with Core i5 and i7), as much as 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB M.2 SSD drive. However, all this cannot be passively cooled, which is why a fan had to be built into the tablet.

The absence of a 3G/ 4G modem can be called a disadvantage, even if not critical. You have to rely on Wi-Fi 802.11ac, or an external USB modem (fortunately, the tablet has one full-size USB 3.0 port). The Miix 510 is a direct competitor to the iPad Pro — the same screen size is 12.2". And unlike the Apple tablet, it supports professional Windows applications Adobe Photoshop, Sony Vegas, AutoCAD, etc. Now this is a real Pro-level!